THE NEW TRIUMPH
— Pepe Balón | 14/12/1925 —

Once again we have triumphed. When everything seemed to be contrary to us, when even the elements insisted on supporting the adversity that our players unleashed against us, those brave boys who with so much enthusiasm have worn the white jersey with the shield of their country displayed on their chest, over their heart, have offered, on a sad and rainy afternoon, a new victory, which due to the type of opponents over which it was obtained and the circumstances that have presided over its obtaining, places our football at an enviable height among the most firm and positive values ​​of world football.

Barcelona has defeated Prague! Once again I am seeing how the well-known clichés of enthusiasm, faith, ardor, greed will come to light, triumphing over technique, science and the serene and highest conception of central football; once again they will present themselves to our representatives as exploited disciples, one more blow will be given to the so-called Spanish fury. And now I ask: is this fair? Or more concisely and simply: is this true?

Let's keep in mind that today in Barcelona, ​​like in Vienna, there isn't much and in Budapest; As in Valencia against Italy and in Berne against Switzerland, ours have been accumulating victories without the single eclipse of a defeat coming to tarnish an increasingly brilliant glory, an increasingly firm form. Let's not want to stick to the old molds, let's not try to follow the beaten path of custom, insisting on censoring our own, praising and glorifying our opponents at all times. Or we expose ourselves to the most learned critics, the best written chronicles, being welcomed at all times with the well-known refrain of yes, this is very good, but we have won.

On the occasion of the match against Austria in Vienna, when we beat Hungary in Budapest, if we remember correctly, recognizing the theatricality of the central exhibition, we also sang the well-known refrain yes, all who want, but inferior or not in technique, more or less improvised, ours is the school of winners, the way, the style that gives victory, therefore everything that involves trying to modify it means running the risk of, by altering the form of our game, also altering the results of the same...

Barcelona has triumphed! And if the victory itself has its great value, the fact that it comes backed by the very high class of those who yesterday shared with ours the ardor of the fight that, being the representative team of Prague, can very daily be considered as the Czechoslovakia's national eleven, gives it greater importance, this victory completing the success of our nationals in Vienna and Budapest and making Catalan football climb in one step to the summit reserved for the great world teams.