first class

champions
Photographer unknown, picture from goal.com

I file this report at six in the morning, because the beautiful game is worth it. Before I rhapsodise about the superb class act that Barcelona was in the final of the Champions League as they powered over Manchester United to a polished, well-earned victory, can we just take a moment to admire the fineness that is Barca manager Pep Guardiola?

Josep+Guardiola+Barcelona+v+Manchester+United+ffuQdYwgfHJl
Photographer: Shaun Botterill for Getty Europe

This man, a one-time Barca man himself, rocks the hell out of a suit.

feb8pep
Photo: Getty Images

He is forty, and a father of three. Apart from his melting good looks, I can't think of a forty-year-old man who can work a skinny suit and tie and still look elegant, like he does.

In any case, hugs to Barcelona for their deserved win, and I'm dying to give Lionel Messi (in top pict, right) a friendly cuddle. He's gifted as hell, and he has a scruffy boyish charm that's so earnest, he makes all other footballers look like they are only out for the glory, even if they aren't. No one has his magic feet. Magic feet that delivers. Man U, bless them, never gave up and created some moments for themselves, but they were thoroughly out-classed. Hats off the Man U keeper Edwin Van Der Sar for saving quite a few.

When a team you support wins, it feels like all is well in the world.

Pictures from goal.com, zimbio, kickette

Comments

Samantha said…
Glad to know that I'm not the only one who thinks Guardiola is incredibly attractive. He is well groomed all the time and carries himself very well, I do find myself getting all swoony and distracted when the camera is on him during matches...

Really happy that Barca won though disappointed for MU as well since I support both teams (Arsenal as well, don't ask me how that's possible I don't know myself), especially since it was VDS's last match. MU could have done better but they were definitely outclassed by Barca, irrefutably the best team in the world right now.
Alex said…
I got up early as well to watch as well!! Barca deserved to win hands down, David Villa's goal was amazing.
I think the game went really similar to the 2009 final, how Man U were pressing at the start and then were dominated for the rest of the game. I am still a bit disappointed for them because I like Alex Ferguson (even though I am an Arsenal supporter like Samantha so I know I shouldn't)..Anyway, I did notice Pep Guardiola was looking really good in that suit and wondering how old he is
Unknown said…
ah!!! sistah!!! just before messi scored i thought: he has to score now and when he did! tears came to my eyes! it was a brilliant game! barça realy played well as a team!!! bravo! yes and pep guardiola, yes...i did think as well during the game how wonderful he looks in suits. such class!!
yeah!!!!!! xxn
0000 said…
I don't follow soccer, but I have to say that the trench-blazer-vest-shirt-tie combo is pretty killer. It's too bad that I don't think a woman can pull off that many layers without adding unwanted bulk to her shoulders (I suppose it's a bit different for men, since broad shoulders are considered a 'masculine' trait so broader shoulders are pretty desirable). Nonetheless, even a trench-vest-shirt combo would look pretty dashing--definitely filing this look away for future inspiration! Thanks!

http://0000.codexed.com
Kate said…
I'm not a fan, but I was a Good Football Girlfriend and watched the match last night with my boyfriend. Thank god for the glory that is Guardiola so I had something other than the football to look at!
yanqin said…
Samantha: I caught Barca playing live in Barcalona in the La Liga a couple years back, and watching them made me an ardent supporter of Spain in the World Cup. I suppose they lack the drama of some of the teams playing in the Premier League but I find them so watchable. I can understand supportable a number of rival teams at once - I usually root for whoever is losing because I'm partial to underdogs, haha.

Alex: My friend and I were probably the only people in the pub rooting for Barca; so many Premier League fans out there! Still, Man U looked like they tried their best and they performed respectably, I think.

If Jane: Messi came out of nowhere to score, he's just awesome like that.My favourite was David Villa's goal!

0000: Yep, Pep has style! So does Jose Mourinho (Real Madrid manager) if you're looking for more well-dressed football manager inspiration, but he's a bit too smug, haha.

Kate: Hahah, whenever it's a boring match I find myself observing everything but the game, and that was how I initially observed the hotness of Pep.
Garderoben said…
I agree, he does look good in that suit. I'm also glad the won. I just can't get over how Pep treated my favourite soccer player Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He's doing really well in Milan, but he deserved to play more while he was still in Barcelona. I just can't accept that he's now playing for Berlusconi!
yanqin said…
Garderoben: Zlatan is an impressive player and he did well whenever he played at Barcelona, and he was underappreciated...but I found his comment after he left quite off-putting - I'm not really for airing all your grievances publicly.

"...now playing for Berlusconi!" -- when you put it that way, it does sound quite awful, haha. I often forget Berlusconi owns the team!

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