Eric Abidal: The Anti-Mr. Clutch.

By: chris | May 11th, 2009

In the summer of 2007 Barcelona were going after a couple of defenders who could play on the left – one primarily a centerback (Cristian Chivu), the other primarily a fullback (Eric Abidal). Though Chivu is arguably the more gifted of the two, I argued (mostly to myself) Barca should choose Abidal because Chivu has never met a big game that didn’t lodge itself halfway down his windpipe.

After watching Abidal manage to get himself red carded in his three biggest games of the last twelve months – twice for Barca as it happened again this weekend, and once for France – I stand corrected: anyone is better than Eric these days.

In fairness to Eric, not all the red cards were warranted (selectively forgotten by some) and I can only imagine the awkward silence during the next France camp when Abidal and Anelka are forced to bunk together because the tides said so.

Speaking of France, that’s where this little dropoff started. It was France v Italy, the biggest game of the group stages and Luca Toni had just made the first – and only – decent move he’d had all tournament long when Eric clattered into him, then the last man, from behind. Easy penalty, easy red, tough exit for France.

Fast-forward to last week and though Anelka did go all Summer Olympics on us, Eric did allow him the position to do such and put Barca at what looked to be at the time an insurmountable disadvantage. Without rehashing too much controversy…it didn’t and Barcelona are in the final.

Just four days later Barcelona were cruising to the title thanks to Seydou Keita, Samuel Eto’o, Dani Alves and Valencia. A win sealed the title at the Nou Camp for the first time in a decade and at 3-1 with a quarter hour left, it looked like party time in Catalonia. 78th minute, ball over the top and…you guessed it. Abidal shouldered Nihat, again the last man, off the ball in the box, he went down (with a glint of Hollywood in his eye it should be said) and the inevitable happened: penalty, red card. The spot kick was converted and in the 92nd the champagne was put on ice.

(1:50)

Of course next week they will likely win the title…in Mallorca – a far cry from winning it in front of the home fans. And they’re the heavy favorites to win the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday. Without Eric, who will be serving his red card suspension from the weekend.

Maybe it’s time Abidal tried some different methods to combat this biggameitis. Perhaps being hypnotized into thinking he’s…not Eric Abidal.