CM 97/98 The Wandering Bison – Episode 7

Season 7 – 2003/04

Young Dario decided that Delli P’s advice about a melting candle could mean only one thing, the Sagrada Familia, so he joins Barcelona. Papa Bison is staying in Italy, he has work to do with Juventus, and he needs to find a way to exert his influence over the struggling national side currently managed by Louis van Gaal.

With a big money move and a new contract comes improved bonuses:

8 cigarettes and 5 shots for a team win
2 cigarettes and 2 shots per goal
5 cigarettes and 3 shots for scoring multiple goals in a match
40 cigarettes (2 pack) and 2 bottles of grappa per hat-trick

Barcelona’s ageing squad will need to be rebuilt slowly, so as well as investing in young Dario they also purchase three other youngsters and a not exactly old buy older (27 year old) Dani. Jean-Guy Coly is a French SW/DC who can play in midfield and is really strong, Jermaine Gentenaar is a Dutch M/FRC and Marc Baumgart is a German GK.

Barcelona are going to use Dario as the a lone front man supported by three AMCs, it is a well known formation, with a slight tweak to the defensive arrows.

Dario has an opportunity to win his first piece of Spanish silverware in his first two games, the Super Copa Espanola. Barcelona face old rivals Real Madrid, one of the teams that he turned down signing for this summer. It is a positive start for the Bison, but a disappointing result for the team.

Fortunately, the season proper gets off to good start against the submarines, Dario with a double, he’s clearly restocking his supply of grappa and cigarettes after Spanish customs seized, what they said was more than could possibly be deemed as “for sole consumption”.

The young Bison hits the group running and doesn’t look back, Barcelona look to have signed a special player. He follows up his opening day brace by scoring eight in the following four games, including two hat-tricks.

Barcelona won the league last season, so Dario is back in the Champions League. Unfortunately, he misses Barcelona’s first group game against Real Madrid (who draws these groups) as he is suspended, carried over from last season. Barcelona still can’t beat Los Blancos, it’s a 1-1 draw at the Camp Nou. There are no such problems against the other Madrid thought. Atletico as dispatched thanks to Dani, Dario and De La Pena.

As the close of the Spanish transfer window looms Barcelona invest in some more young talent. Papa Bison is happy to let Riva Darci, Brazilian DC leave Turin. Ricardo is a Spanish DRC, Ludovic is a Frenchman MRC with amazing stats (but don’t all the French players) and Muisi is a little gem from Chad who plays AM/FC.

Three more games follow, two in the league and one in the Champion’s league. Tatanka doubles down in each one adding another six goals to his already impressive tally.

Dario briefly takes his foot off the gas after the international break and despite Barca beating Recreativo 5-1 he fails to get on the score sheet. No harm in letting others have a turn. Sharing the goals only lasts for one game though. He is back on a little run in the following three matches. Galatasaray in the Champions league, Deportivo in the league and Racing Santander in the Copa del Rey.

In what can only be described as a “barren spell” Dazza fails to score two matches in a row. A disappointing away draw with Zaragoza and a hard fought 1-0 win, and first victory of the year against Real Madrid in the Champions league. Normal service is however resumed against Oviedo.

Another couple of games go by without a goal from young Dario. Despite losing 2-3 in the second leg of the Copa del Rey Barcelona progress to the next round 5-3 on aggregate. The also beat Athletic Bilbao 3-1 away from home, De La Pena with two and Dani with the other. As Champions league football returns to the Nou Camp, Dario returns to the scoresheet. He follows his brace against PSV with a single goal against Sevilla.

Barcelona are yet to beat Real Madrid in a domestic game. And it is disappointment again for the travelling fans, Kodjo Afanou pops up with an 88^th minute winner. It’s Barca’s first league loss of the season. However both Dazza and the team bounce right back, beating Galatasaray 3-1 in Turkey.

The little Bisonte then scores the only goal of the game in a hard-fought local derby against Espanyol. That was the last game before the New Year, and it takes Dario’s total to 31 goals in 25 matches. It is also his 199^th career goal, he will have to wait till 2004 for number 200.

It looks like 2004 is going to be a good year for young Dario. With New Year celebrations still fresh in his mind Barcelona face Real Madrid again, this time it’s the Copa del Rey Quarter finals. Dazza scores the winner, Barca’s first domestic victory against Los Merengues and a strong foundation to build on in the second leg. It is also Dario’s 200^th goal in his 274^th game.

Dario doesn’t score in the return leg, however De La Pena does and Barca progress to the Semi-finals 3-1 on aggregate. He’s still in fine touch though, scoring in the games before and after the Quarter finals.

In what seems to be turning into a strong season for Dario and the team, there was always going to be a little Champ-manning happening at one point or another. Salamanca make the most of a super keeper performance to steal a 0-1 victory before normality (does Dario Hubner scoring 32 goals before the end of January count as normality?) resumes.

Make that 35 goals before February, and another Hat trick against Osasuna.

The romantic little Tatanka obviously has plans for Valentines Day, he manages to get himself injured in the 4-2 win against Valladolid and is sidelined for a month with a calf strain.

Dario returns to fitness 22 days later, during his lay off he watched Barcelona from the stands, calmly puffing away on a few cigarettes as they beat Real Sociedad 6-0, Atletico Madrid 1-0 and drew with Real Betis 1-1. He comes on as a sub in Barca’s Champions League Quarter final against FC Kobenhavn, and despite Dario not scoring Barca take a 2-1 lead to Copenhagen thanks to Stian Neset.

After not scoring in the first leg of the Champions League Quarter final, Dazza finds the net in every game between the one above and the Champions League Semi-final, scoring seven goals in five games, including both in the away leg against FC Kobenhavn.

That little flurry of goals takes Dario past 44 for the season, securing Barcelona’s new club record. The Champion’s League Semi-final is a repeat of last season’s, this time the little Bisonte is playing against Juve and good pal Delli P. Last year Juve won 6-1 on aggregate on their way to the final, Champion’s league victory and Dario’s first winners medal in the competition. This year however Barca take a hard fought 1-0 lead back to Turin after French midfielder Ludovic Asuar puts in a 10/10 performance and gets the only goal. Dario was a little distracted against his old team getting a match rating of 6/10.

Dario picks himself up, dusts himself off and get’s back in the goals against Oviedo. Barca then have a Monday night match against Athletic Bilbao, they play a second XI to keep their player fresh for the trip to Turin on Wednesday. After a positive start it looks like Barca will cruise to an easy win, however the last 23 minutes are a little tense but, in the end, Barca make it through to the Final 3-2 on aggregate, Dazza even gets a goal against his old friends.

Sandwiching the Champions League Semi-final, Barca also played Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey Semi-final. These two games were a little less tense as Barcelona comfortably progressed 5-1 on aggregate, Dazza getting one of the five goals and taking his season tally to the half century mark.

With Barcelona 12 points clear at the top of the table, they play second place Real Madrid for the sixth and final time this season. Despite half centurion Dazza not scoring and right back Serra Ferrer getting sent off Barca beat Los Blanco to move 15 points clear with five games to play, all but confirming the title is theirs.

There is a little bit of squad rotation coming into play now that the League is won and this plays right into little Dario’s hand, he’s feeling fresh against Sevilla and he makes them pay.

It’s a quiet end to the League season for Tatanka after his hattrick, Barcelona win two and draw two but he doesn’t score in any of the four games due to squad rotation and probably a lack of motivation.

The Copa del Rey final is against Atletico, the game looks to be heading to extra time thanks to the heroics of Gerard Villena in the Atletico goal but the Bison is having none of that.

All that is left is the Champions League Final, a victory here would make it a treble for Barcelona and a double treble for Dario after his season with Juventus last year. Dario was a little disappointed in himself for not scoring on the biggest stage last time round and things looked bleak when Dutch centre back Ruben van der Werff, who had been so reliable at the back all year got sent off in the 9^th minute, however The Bisonte however writes his own scripts.

What an absolutely mind boggling year it has been. Dominant in the League and Dario scoring the winners in both cup competitions, a double treble, is that a thing? It is now.

Before all is said and done for the year Dario heads home to Italy for Euro 2004. Italy are in a group with England, Poland and Scotland. Things to not start well for Louis van Gaal and his Italian side.

With just the one point after two games they need to get a result against Scotland and thanks to Dario, they do, just.

The Quarter-Finals against Denmark seem to highlight Italy’s uncharacteristic defensive frailties however they again manage to scrape through, to a Semi-final against group stage opponents England.

The result is the same, but the scorers are different. Italy are out.

England however, are Champions!

The season stats make for some impressive reading, especially if you are a Dario fan, surely we all are by now. Top average rating, most assists and top goal scorer, 83 goal contributions and another treble!