Simon KuperBarça: The rise and fall of the club that built modern football

No soy culé y vivo en Madrid pero este libro me ha gustado mucho. El autor describe perfectamente la identidad del Barça, las connotaciones políticas del club, sus aciertos en las últimas décadas pero también sus errores. Se nota el enorme trabajo de investigación que hay detrás de este libro. De él sacas muchas anécdotas y conocimientos. Además la lectura es amena y fluida. Se nota que Simon Kuper es un gran escritor de investigación y también un gran aficionado a este deporte.

A brilliantly written and researched book charting the Rise and Crash of Barca, one of the greatest clubs in the world. I am a fan of Barca and much of their demise could have been foreseen as it struggled to balance its principles as a People’s club with its commercialisation as a football superpower. Simon Kuper, of whom I am also a fan, lays it out superbly and is a gripping read. Wonderfully enjoyable and informative, thank you Simon.

A popular sports book which arrived in hardback, in good condition at a competitive price in perfect condition

Excellent behind-the-scenes analysis of the strategies clubs need to win, and to earn to pay their wages bill. I've seen the whole range of players - Bobby at Upton Park, Ed Balls at Milton Keynes etc - and Simon Kuper explains the infrastructure behind the scenes. He also reminds us that the democratic vote to spend and spend is a shortcut to bankruptcy. I read Kuper's column every Saturday, and will keep an eye open for his future books.

I lived in Barcelona on and off from 1989 to 1994 so have always taken great interest in Barca. This is a very good book by Simon Kuper, who is clearly an excellent writer and FT journalist. I agree with other reviews that the book is heavy on Cruyff and Cruyff's legacy and a little light on the glory years of "tika taka" from 2008 until around 2015. Simon obviously had very close access to Barca insiders and it shows that he understands both the club itself, its history, the club politics and also the wider regional context. The mention of the transfer swap of Pjanic and Vidal with Juve purely for bookkeeping and FFP is fascinating. Some of the content about the players is laboured and would have benefitted from more interviews with the stars themselves. I also felt the editing lacked at times - occasionally the choice of words and phrasing could have been better. I imagine this book will become a Christmas bestseller especially given the recent change of coach at Barca.