The one bit that you picked up on at the end, is simply the Nicholson writing style, he aims to amuse his readers, and if that means taking the mick out of Rafa's goatee, then it still doesn't detract from the admiration he plainly has for him, as shown in the rest of the article. Did you ignore the bits where he says Rafa is a courageous, original thinking manager who has his best years ahead of him? Did that not fit in with the point you want to make?