Barca! Barca!

I thought I'd seen the real golden stuff, the real beautiful futbol last year when Samuel Eto'o was the point man in the attacking greatness that propelled Barcelona to hoist the cup of Champs. But this stuff I'm seeing, so EARLY on to boot, has been special. La Liga has kicked off and it proves to be a record smashing affair this year.

No slight to Eto'o, but with the addition of Ibrahimovich, Barcelona look like they are on another planet. And so far, their opponents haven't even shown that they possess the advanced mechanics needed to fly to said planet and show up at game time!

Messi looks like he never wants to go back to Argentina again. I believe he has officially just signed a record-breaking 4o0 year deal to live and die in the Catalan Giants colors. Xavi looked pretty comfortable in the captain's armband last match, a new role for him.

I don't even think what Dani Alves keeps doing to the ball every time he steps up to take a free kick should be legal. FIFA needs to get that boy's striking foot checked for surgical implants and cyborg technology. The Brazilian is giving the kids in the streets of Juazeiro yet another reason to Samba (like they even needed one).

Titi Henry- what more can possibly be said about this footballer? He's a class act, through and through. Henry seems to be settling quite nicely into the veteran role, teaching the young guns a degree of humility and focus that can only come from years of success. However, don't let him catch us discussing his role as one of an old wise man. He will surely be the first to point out that he seems to be reversing the aging process quite beautifully.

Can anyone step onto the pitch and give Barca the spectacular shooting match that it so desperately craves? Only former teammates C. Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney might have the chosen 10 men to back each of them up in an epic showdown to strip Barcelona of their crown.

In the meantime, joga bonito:




They look like little kids, having fun just playing football in their backyard.