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I was wondering if there were any soccer fans here on the Hive. Today and tomorrow are both very special days in the soccer world as it is considered "derby days" in many different countries.
North London Derby (English Premier League)
First of, we have the North London Derby which is fierce battle between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal. The rivalry stretches back to almost 1913 when Arsenal moved from their home stadium in Manor Ground, Homestead to Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, thus making them the closest neighbors to Tottenham. They have since moved again to the Emirates Stadium in Holloway in 2006.
I was a bit late and the match has ended with a Spurs win thanks to Harry Kane. If you have the time, I highly suggest watching the full 90 minutes. Don't let the relatively low scoreline deceive you. The NLD is a great match for both sides and neutrals as the historical rivalry would definitely place some pride on the line for players and fans. Plus, its a good example of how loud football fans can get, though if you really want to see that you should watch the German league, the Bundesliga.
Merseyside Derby (English Premier League)
Another derby that in occurring in the UK is the Merseyside derby, one of the most explosive fixtures of the league due to the traditionally high number of red cards and fouls.
The reason for such a rivalry was because Everton FC was founded in 1878 and played their matched at Anfield. One of their club chairman, John Houlding was a businessman directly involved in breweries and alcoholic beverages. The rest of Everton FC's chairmen were strongly associated to the National Temperance Federation. Overtime, Houlding was kicked out of his own club and Everton FC vacated from Anfield, moving to their current home ground Goodison Park in 1892. In response to that, Houlding formed his own football club, Liverpool.
Much like the NLD, this is rivalry that stems out of bitterness between two clubs. Whilst players, fans and coaches of today don't feel the same resentment that was originally felt, the history is still there.
The Merseyside derby will be shown on Sunday so you can still catch that.
Madrid Derby (Spanish La Liga)
There are two main clubs that are based in Madrid, Real Madrid, the more famous and larger club, as well as Atletico Madrid. Both clubs have a deep history enrooted in politics and whatnot, so I won't delve into what I don't know too well. But if I'm not wrong, Atletico is historically known to have more working class supporters whereas Real is known to have always been financially more capable than Atletico.
The great thing about this derby is that it is another showcase of how football is never set in stone. Real Madrid have, up until now, dominating in their domestic league (La Liga) as well as Europe (Champion's League). Atletico have just beaten Real (4-0). This is really remarkable especially considering how skewed the financial muscle both clubs possess. Last season, Real Madrid purchased Gareth Bale from Tottenham Hotspur for a world record fee of £85.3 million. Atletico have been known to play a very tight counter-attacking game under their manager Diego Simeone which allows them to compete with the best clubs even though being underwhelming financially.
I highly recommend watching the full game as well. Or at least the highlights.
Lyon vs Paris Saint-Germain (French Ligue 1)
Though not a derby, there is a very big match that is yet to be played between the Ligue 1 leaders, Lyon, and defending champions PSG. The game is largely considered to be a big decider on who will stand the highest chance of clinching the Ligue 1 14/15 title.
All in all, it is a good weekend to watch some football. If you're ever bored of the Super Bowl, I highly recommend some soccer instead.
North London Derby (English Premier League)
First of, we have the North London Derby which is fierce battle between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal. The rivalry stretches back to almost 1913 when Arsenal moved from their home stadium in Manor Ground, Homestead to Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, thus making them the closest neighbors to Tottenham. They have since moved again to the Emirates Stadium in Holloway in 2006.
I was a bit late and the match has ended with a Spurs win thanks to Harry Kane. If you have the time, I highly suggest watching the full 90 minutes. Don't let the relatively low scoreline deceive you. The NLD is a great match for both sides and neutrals as the historical rivalry would definitely place some pride on the line for players and fans. Plus, its a good example of how loud football fans can get, though if you really want to see that you should watch the German league, the Bundesliga.
Merseyside Derby (English Premier League)
Another derby that in occurring in the UK is the Merseyside derby, one of the most explosive fixtures of the league due to the traditionally high number of red cards and fouls.
The reason for such a rivalry was because Everton FC was founded in 1878 and played their matched at Anfield. One of their club chairman, John Houlding was a businessman directly involved in breweries and alcoholic beverages. The rest of Everton FC's chairmen were strongly associated to the National Temperance Federation. Overtime, Houlding was kicked out of his own club and Everton FC vacated from Anfield, moving to their current home ground Goodison Park in 1892. In response to that, Houlding formed his own football club, Liverpool.
Much like the NLD, this is rivalry that stems out of bitterness between two clubs. Whilst players, fans and coaches of today don't feel the same resentment that was originally felt, the history is still there.
The Merseyside derby will be shown on Sunday so you can still catch that.
Madrid Derby (Spanish La Liga)
There are two main clubs that are based in Madrid, Real Madrid, the more famous and larger club, as well as Atletico Madrid. Both clubs have a deep history enrooted in politics and whatnot, so I won't delve into what I don't know too well. But if I'm not wrong, Atletico is historically known to have more working class supporters whereas Real is known to have always been financially more capable than Atletico.
The great thing about this derby is that it is another showcase of how football is never set in stone. Real Madrid have, up until now, dominating in their domestic league (La Liga) as well as Europe (Champion's League). Atletico have just beaten Real (4-0). This is really remarkable especially considering how skewed the financial muscle both clubs possess. Last season, Real Madrid purchased Gareth Bale from Tottenham Hotspur for a world record fee of £85.3 million. Atletico have been known to play a very tight counter-attacking game under their manager Diego Simeone which allows them to compete with the best clubs even though being underwhelming financially.
I highly recommend watching the full game as well. Or at least the highlights.
Lyon vs Paris Saint-Germain (French Ligue 1)
Though not a derby, there is a very big match that is yet to be played between the Ligue 1 leaders, Lyon, and defending champions PSG. The game is largely considered to be a big decider on who will stand the highest chance of clinching the Ligue 1 14/15 title.
All in all, it is a good weekend to watch some football. If you're ever bored of the Super Bowl, I highly recommend some soccer instead.
