photo by Christopher Johnson

• by Allison Norris, writing from Salt Lake City, Utah

This is really my favorite time of the season. It’s the part when the coaches start saying, “It’s not too late,” and the players start saying, “We need to work harder.” Being a Barca supporter, this part of the season is all about getting Messi back from his extended holiday leave and back on track. Gratefully this year, he didn’t waste any time getting back to work. With 31 goals so far this season in all competitions, it seems there may be no slowing down. It was estimated that if he keeps up that kind of rate he may get up to a possible 70 goals come May. We shall see.

My soccer-watching experience is an interesting one. On the one hand, I support Barca – arguably the best team in the entire world, while on the other hand I also support my home team Real Salt Lake. I can’t help but compare my two favorite teams, finding many similarities in style of play and team philosophy. With RSL, I have seen the best of times and the worst of times. In the past, I knew what it felt like to have my team at the bottom of the league and laughed at on every corner of the newspaper. Now, I admit I’m relatively new to European football. I grew up watching local high school games and have branched out as the years went on, as opposed to some kids whose first words were Pele or Maradona. As a result, I picked up watching Barca at just the right time and it seems like they’ve never known anything but first or second position in the table.

Maybe I’m a little spoiled when it comes to La Liga. Perhaps I should spend a season supporting Getafe or Osasuna or – heaven forbid – Espanyol. Then I might see how La Liga works a little better. Maybe. But I’ve spent enough time with a team at the bottom of the league to understand what a good thing is, and to know good things do not last. Eventually the Xavis, the Iniestas and the Messis have to retire and an era will end. But that won’t be for some time yet. I look forward to proudly showing my Messi jersey to my great-grandchildren, saying, “This was the team that was unstoppable.” Until the smart-alecky kids will point out, “Then how come they aren’t still playing?” Unfortunately by that time, no one will go outdoors anymore and the only games kids will know are on digital. Kids won’t understand what it means when I tell them Messi could run 16 MPH with the ball. “What’s running???”

Ok, forget that tangent.

As it stands, Real Madrid currently sits at the top of the table, three points ahead of the demi-gods, Barcelona. It’s early in the second half of the season and I’m sure Madrid will blaze forward with all confidence. Those three points ahead of their rivals will be very valuable. In my biased mind, I always picture Real Madrid as having too much confidence. They get a few points ahead and Mourinho’s scowl turns to a smirk, though it’s difficult to tell the difference. Cristiano goes on a hat-trick tear, Ramos throws trophies off buses, and Kaka smiles a lot (sometimes I forget Kaka is on their team because he’s so quiet). Barca, in the mean time, take a look at that distance of points between them, and get back to work. Pep gives out assurance that things will be well and it’s not too late. It all culminates around that El Clasico in April.

We can really learn a lot about life through this game. You can work and work your whole life, dedicating hours and hours of blood, sweat and tears to some goal only to have it get messed up at the last moment by some person who can do whatever it is you were doing without the slightest effort. Sometimes things don’t work out as you plan. Most of the time things don’t. But that’s just Madrid talking. Barca always plans to win, even when they fall behind for a second. They’re the kids with all the luck in the world and the skills to make everyone else just look sub-par.

To be fair, I wasn’t around in 1899 to be the first fan of Barca. I had to jump on a bandwagon at some point, and it’s not like I was supporting a different team before. I saw Real Madrid play in Salt Lake City in 2006, but I didn’t instantly fall in love with them. I didn’t even understand why everyone started yelling RUUUUUUUD! when they announced the line-ups. I only knew two words: Beck ham.

And so, here we go. Another downhill sprint to the top of the table for La Liga with many prominent matches to come. Though, things do get kind of monotonous when everything just keeps going according to plan. I’d like to see Madrid really try for it. I’d love to see Valencia jump ahead and get in that place they want to be. But, more than all that, I’m perfectly content to watch the Barca goals keep coming. It’s great fun.

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