Barcelona 5 - 0 Real Madrid (Highlights) : Clasico destruction by Barca

Barcelona 5 - 0 Real Madrid

This Clasico was built up as the closest in living memory. Two teams repleat with the best players the world has to offer. Contests of the highest order all over the park. Many believed what little difference there was between the two sides, Barcelona widely recognised as being the superior footballing side, the famous Mourinho factor more than made up for it. If anyone knew how to stem Barcas flow, it was Mourinho. Real Madrid came into the match one point ahead of Barca, and on the back of superb wins over Athletic Bilbao in La Liga and Ajax in the Champions League. Up until this afternoon there was very little to choose between the two sides. Then the massacre began.

And there's no two ways about it, whoever witnessed tonights match at the Camp Nou saw a match so ridiculously one-sided, it seems absurd to think the two were regarded as equals beforehand. There was absolutely nothing equal about Real Madrid and Barcelona tonight. Nothing at all. From the very first minute, Barcelona grabbed hold of the ball and through a mixture of breathtaking vision and metronomic precision, refused to give it back. Real Madrid were chasing shadows, and on the few occasions they were afforded possession, contrived to give it straight back to their hosts. It's been the story of the last five Clasicos.

Barcelona won the personal duels all over the park. Iker Casillas was badly at fault for Barcas second goal and looked a pale shadow of the man who has lead Spain to European Championship and World Cup glory. Victor Valdes, on the other hand, repelled everything that came his way. Cristiano Ronaldo appeared in fits and starts, but his contribution to the match was minimal compared to the second-half onslaught offered by Lionel Messi once Pep Guardiola pushed him into a deep-lying central role behind David Villa. The move saw Messi produce two sublime passes which lead to both of Villas goals. Cristiano, as he so often does in the big matches, retreated into his shell once the scoreline got embarrassing. He wasn't the only one.

Pep Guardiola more than won his tactical battle against Jose Mourinho with that positioning of Messi in the seconf half. So many times Mourinho has got it right in the past, but today he was caught short. With Gonzalo Higuain injured, perhaps he should have moved Cristiano Ronaldo into a more central role in attack, allowing him to place an extra man in midfield to close the spaces Barcelona can so easily take advantage of. He made a similar tactical switch at half-time bringing on Lass Diarra, but it was too late. Also, the high line played by the Real Madrid defence was suicidal. I lost count of the number of times Xavi or Iniesta set one of their front three one-on-one with Casillas. Had 'El Guaje' not strayed offside so often, it could well have been more than five.

Looking at both sides, and it's always easy to do in retrospect, this result was on the cards. Perhaps not such a convincing result, but a Barcelona win was always likely. Out of Barcas starting XV, not one was playing their first Clasico. Switch over to those lining up for Real Madrid and Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira, Angel Di Maria and Ricardo Carvalho were all making their debut in this most historic and suffocating of fixtures. With three of those 24 years old or under, nerves undoubtedly played their part. This Real Madrid team are very good and will only get better, especially with Jose Mourinho at the helm. But right now Barcelona are on another planet, with tonights 5-0 thrashing a timely reminder of the chasmic difference between the two sides.

Check all the goals and action below:

Ajax 0 - 4 Real Madrid (Highlights)

Ajax 0 - 4 Real Madrid

Absolutely storming win for Real Madrid at the home of one of Europes sleeping giants. Goals from Karim Benzema (an absolute beauty), Alvaro Arbeloa and two from that main man Cristiano Ronaldo did justice to what was a convincing performance from Madrid, fresh off their 5-1 thrashing of Athletic Bilbao and just before their biggest game of the season so far, that small matter of a Clasico in the Camp Nou. A little talking point to come out of the match was the forced yellow cards from Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos. More ruthless efficiency from Mourinho, or Real Madrid up to dirty tricks? Personally I think if it's not against the rules, Real Madrid are well within their rights to do what they did. It won't win them many friends, but Mourinho has never been into making friends. He wins trophies.

La Liga Matchday 12: Mallorca Storm To Win In Sanchez Pizjuan

Sevilla 1 - 2 Mallorca


It ended up being an unhappy reunion for Gregorio Manzano with his old club Mallorca, as the islanders shocked the Sanchez Pizjuan with a late winner from Webo. The match was a tale of two halves as Mallorca controlled the first 45 minutes, Marti and Joao Victor shielding the back four admirably, while Chori Castro and Michael Pereira looked dangerous down the wings. And it was the Frenchman Pereira who deservedly put the visitors infront with a neat left-footed finish past Palop following good work from Castro. Whatever Manzano said at half-time worked, because Sevilla came out a different side and began to exert serious pressure on Dudu Aouates goal. Alvaro Negredo was enjoying a hefty battle with Nunes and Ruben, with Luis Fabiano looking more and more dangerous as the match wore on.

And it was 'El Fabuloso' who finally gave Sevilla reward for their dominance. The Brazilian had just whistled a header past the post when he latched onto a fine Renato pass to finish confidently past Aouate. The goal looked to have lifted Sevilla from the jaws of defeat, but there was to be one more twist. Mallorca, who had been severely under the cosh the whole second half, summoned one last sucker punch as almost immediately after Sevilla's equaliser, Marti lifted a free-kick into the box which was headed superbly into the net by Cameroon striker Webo. The referee added five minutes of added time in a frantic finale, but Sevilla couldn't find a way through. Gregorio Manzano won't remember the match fondly as the top four still eludes Sevilla.


Real Sociedad 2 - 4 Atletico Madrid

Diego Forlan and Sergio Agüero are back in the money and how Atletico are reaping the rewards. Real Sociedad looked to be on course for a worthy win over Atleti after 70 minutes after Joseba Llorente had given them an early lead, the striker taking advantage of a slip from Tomas Ujfalusi to tap in from close range on 12 minutes although who quite got the last touch was difficult to see. From then on Sociedads rearguard restricted Atleticos dangermen to potshots from outside the area as Agüero and Forlan struggled to find a way past Ansotegi and Gonzalez.

That was until twenty minutes from time when the game saw five goals in a frenzied finale. Agüero and Forlan suddenly clicked into gear, with 'El Kun' controlling a long ball majestically before laying off to Forlan to level the match. Ten minutes later Agüero got his name on the scoresheet, finishing from close range from an Ujfalusi cross. Atletis third followed in the 82nd minute as Agüero got his second of the night after Bravo had thwarted Forlan, the ball running lose in the area, with Agüero making no mistake from the rebound. Real Sociedad were out for the count, but a stunning goal from Diego Rivas from outside the area breathed renewed hope into his side. There was to be more drama as Jose Antonio Reyes was brought down on one of his winding runs, Simoa making up for a mistake in the lead up to Sociedads second by converting from the spot. The result sees Atletico jump up to sixth while Real Sociedad remain in ninth.


Espanyol 3 - 0 Hercules

Espanyol continued their unbeaten run at Cornella with a sixth win on the bounce, overpowering a disapointing Hercules 3-0. Considered one of the fortresses of La Liga, the Estadio Cornella El Prat has witnessed their team go from strength to strength this season, lead by the pure class of striker Pablo Osvaldo. The Argentinian has been a revelation in this Espanyol side, always carrying a threat and always capable of nicking a goal or two. Espanyol's first was the fruit of Osvaldos touch and vision as he lead a clinical counter attack, laying the ball off for Verdu who slotted past Calatayud.

The goal knocked the wind out of Hercules, and with Royston Drenthe missing and David Trezeguet and Nelson Valdez unable to assert themselves in attack, Esteban Vigo's outfit never looked like dragging themselves back into the match. And when they did find a route to goal, Carlos Kameni was equal to anything thrown at him. As soon as Hercules goalkeeper Juan Calatauyd was sent off for upending Osvaldo the match was all but over. Osvaldo picked himself to dispatch the penalty. There was to be another penalty for the home side when Vazquez was fouled, Luis Garcia taking it upon himself to slot in the third. After a solid start to the season, Hercules suddenly find themselves being dragged towards to bottom four. Espanyol on the other hand, consolidate their lofty position in the top four. Hats off to Mauricio Pochettino and his unfancied side.


Deportivo La Coruña 3 - 0 Malaga

Depor continued their recent revival with a precious win over a direct rival in the bottom half of La Liga, Manuel Pellegrinis Malaga. The win eased the pressure yet further off manager Miguel Angel Lotina and sees the Galician club rise to mid-table safety, suddenly only 6 points off the UEFA spots. Since the match against Espanyol, four matchdays ago, Depor have looked a different team, built off the security of a back five lead by Colotto, Aythami and Lopo and the finishing instincts of Riki and Adrian.

The truth is a 3-0 defeat was harsh on Malaga, who at times controlled the match. But with Duda and Baha misfiring and second half substitutes Quincy and Edinho failing to change Malagas fortunes up top, it was Depor's sharp finishing and Malagas lack of concentration in defence that proved decisive. Adrian slammed in the first from the spot after Colotto had been fouled and it was the big centre-back that made it two after half-time, heading in from a corner after losing marker Kris far too easily. Malaga continued to threaten, yet it was Depor who finished the match off as a contest on 83 minutes, substitute Pablo Alvarez making space for himself on the edge of the box before sending a delightful shot past Arnau. With their newfound solidity at the back, this Depor team will be hard to beat.


Osasuna 1 - 0 Sporting Gijon

Osasuna continue their fine run in the Reyno Navarro, they remain unbeaten their since March, as they overcame a Sporting Gijon side desperately lacking in the intensity that saw them run Real Madrid so close last weekend. There were never likely to be many goals in this encounter, as while much of the first half had 0-0 written all over it, up popped Osasuna's Iranian star Masoud just after half time to score the games only goal, completing a text book counter to calmly finish past Juan Pablo. The only downer on Osasuna's win was the injury to striker Carlos Aranda. Without Pandiani and Aranda, goals will continue to be a struggle for Camacho's men.

Levante 3 - 1 Racing Santander

If Levante manage to saves themselves from what many regard as certain relegation, it will be down to the performances of Christian Stuani and Felipe Caicedo. The two men scored all three of Levante's goals against a dismal Racing Santander that never looked like getting anything from the match once striker Markus Rosenburg missed a glit-edged chance early on. All three goals came before half-time as Ecuadorian Felipe Caicedo showed how important he will be to the Levante cause with two well-taken goals and a performance that dragged that Racing back four all over the place. Racing managed a late consolation through sub Mehdi Lacen but it did little to disguise a shoddy performance that will heap yet more pressure on manager Miguel Angel Portugal.

Real Madrid 5 - 1 Athletic Bilbao (Highlights)

Real Madrid 5 - 1 Athletic Bilbao

Any who thought Barcelonas demolition job on Almeria would place extra pressure on Real Madrid to get a result were emphatically proven wrong. Athletic put up a valiant fight, especially through Fernando Llorente upfront, but Real Madrids deadly efficiency on the break, coupled with the unerring accuracy provided by Cristiano Ronaldo meant Madrid ended up running out clear winners. Gonzalo Higuain got the ball rolling on 19 minutes when he collected a neat through-ball from the lively Angel Di Maria, to barge his way past a couple of defenders and finish past Iraizoz.

The second was a demonstration of just how devastating Real Madrid can be on the counter. Athletic had been threatening an equaliser when Real broke out of their own box, the ball flowing from Higuain to Mesut Ozil, who played a perfectly weighted pass onto Cristiano Ronaldo who fired in a cracker with his left foot. That could have been Bilbaos cue to dsintegrate, but they came right back at Mourinhos side and deservedly pulled one back through Llorente, although his position when the ball ricoched into his path looked ever so slightly offside. The third goal came after the break, Sergio Ramos converting a penalty which left the whole stadium, Mourinho included, 'Why Ramos and not CR7?' It was a bizarre situation. Nobody could think of an answer.

From the on Cristiano Ronaldo took over, smacking in a swerving free-kick, that admittedly Iraizoz should have done better with, before converting a penalty of his own after a foul from Amoriebeta on Granero. Anything Messi can do he will have thought. Athletic had fought tooth and nail but Real Madrids class was simply too much. Barcelona may have struck eight times, but this victory was evey bit as emphatic and sets up a mouth-watering fixture next Monday which will have the whole footballing world brought to a standstill.

Almeria 0 - 8 Barcelona (Highlights)

Almeria 0 - 8 Barcelona

As preparations for a Clasico go, it doesn't get much better than this. Almeria were ripped to shreds by a rampant Barcelona who showed signs that they are hitting top form at just the right moment. From the moment the first ball was kicked it was a barrage of attacks from Barca as Lionel Messi, Pedro and David Villa picked off the Almeria defence at will. The Almeria players had stated they would fight to save their managers job, but they were utterly outclassed by an unforgiving Barca team. Xavi and Iniesta had the freedom of the park to control the match from the middle, while the ease with which Messi and Pedro got into scoring positions was embarrassing at times. There's no doubt playing against this Barcelona side in this form is a daunting task for any team, but once the third goal went in after 26 minutes, heads dropped and you feared for Juanma Lillos men. It was hard not to feel sorry for them.

As it turned out Barcelona racked up an incredible eight goals, the first time they have done so for over half a century. Not even when they were 0-5 up at half-time did Barca take the foot off the pedal, surely desparate to strike fear into Real Madrid. It was incessant. Messi grabbed a lethal hattrick, Andres Iniesta took advantage of a defensive mishap to sidefoot in. Pedro showed lightning speed to latch onto a superb long ball from Hector Font to nick the ball past a crestfallen Diego Alves. Bojan came on as a second-half substitute to score twice and stake a solid claim for some kind of a role next Monday. Barcas performance was brutal. Unforgiving. The final whistle brought an end to the home sides misery and marked the end of Juanma Lillos reign at Almeria. What a way to go. For Barca, though, it was the perfect way to warm up for next Mondays big one.

Portugal vs Spain Preview: Can Paolo Bentos rejuvenated side exact revenge for World Cup defeat?

 

Little less than five months ago Spain and Portugal were preparing to lock horns in the heat of a second round World Cup battle in South Africa. Tomorrow night won't have anywhere near as much resting on it, but having been soundly eliminated by their neighbours in Cape Town, Cristiano Ronaldo and company will be gunning for revenge. A 63rd minute goal from David Villa settled their last meeting, and while time will have undoubtedly healed Portuguese wounds, Paolo Bentos men will want to set the record straight infront of their own people in Benfica's Stadium of Light.

Since their World Cup triumph, Spain have carried on where they left off, with a 100% record in qualifying for Euro 2012, strutting to victory over Liechtenstein and Lithuania and battling narrowly past the Scots. The only blot since that fateful night on 11th July has been a 4-1 stuffing at the hands of Argentina in Buenos Aires in September that said more for the standard of Spains back-up than any decline in the standard of their first choice XI. That day Pepe Reina handed Argentina the initiative with an uncharacteristic slip, while Lionel Messi produced one of his few scintillating performances for the Albiceleste.

Vicente Del Bosque is fully expected to name his strongest side for the friendly against Portugal. There have been concerns in recent weeks over the state of Xavi's Achilles tendons, yet the midfield maestro is expected to complete the full 90 minutes tomorrow. There is no doubt Spain (and Barcelona) are different sides with him in the middle. Elsewhere we will be treated to a preview of this month's Clasico. David Villa will line up against Pepe and Ricardo Carvalho, whereas Cristiano Ronaldo will be pitting his wits against Gerard Pique and Carlos Puyol. Both sets of defences will be looking to score an early victory in the Clasico mindgames that will commence from next week on.

Portugal have got off to a shocker in their own campaign to reach Ukraine and Poland in two summers time, drawing 4-4 with Cyprus at home and losing to Norway in Oslo. At was at that point that Carlos Quieroz was finally put out of his misery and Paolo Bento was installed as his replacement. Since then Nani and Cristiano Ronaldo have regained their form for the national side, scoring four goals between them in the vital victories over Denmark and Iceland. Both are fundamental pieces of the jigsaw for Bento, and will be key to getting anything out of tomorrow friendly against the world champions. They will likely line-up in an attacking 4-3-3 formation, Nani and Danny flanking CR7, and the key will be to take the game to Spain. Their public will expect no less.

For Spain, Pedro has been ruled out of the tie after a bout of gastroenteritis, but bar the Barca man and Jesus Navas, Spain have a full choice squad to choose from. Vicente del Bosque has spoken of fielding a full-strength side out of respect for Portugal, something that will have Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola anxiously watching on. There will undoubtedly be changes at half-time, so expect a game of two halves. Spain will ring the changes, while I have an inkling Portugal will keep a strong side out for the long haul. That's what the scent of revenge does to a coach.

Sporting Gijon 0 - 1 Real Madrid (Highlights): La Liga Sunday

Sporting Gijon 0 - 1 Real Madrid

Jose Mourinho may well have been hidden from view in the darkness of Sportings VIP box, but his team were thrust into the limelight, riding out a barrage of abuse from the stands and a stream of fouls from Sportings players to hold out for an invaluable win. They were promised a 'burning oven' of an atmosphere from Sporting coach Manolo Preciado, and they got it. El Molinón was in vociferous mood, letting Mourinho know in no small way, that his derogatory comments didn't get down too well in Asturias.

On the field it was a true battle of attrition. Sporting knew they couldn't match Real Madrid for skill. So the men in red and white, roared on by a partisan home crowd, got thoroughly stuck in Madrids stars. It was brutal at times, with Mesut Ozil and Cristiano Ronaldo the recipients of some overzealous challenges. Credit to Real Madrid though, they never lost their heads. Patience was the key, especially in a first half were chances were at a premium and defences were on top. Alberto Botia and Gregory were impeccable at the back, restricting Madrid to a Higuiain shot that struck the base of the post and fell into the grateful arms of Juan Pablo.

The second half followed a similar pattern, Gijon running and puffing. Real Madrid assured, confident, sure that their chance will come. Karim Benzema came on and looked dangerous probing in and around the box. The Frenchman looks a different player since Mourinho has started to nuture him. And he played a large role in Madrids winner, as their patience was rewarded with Higuains winner eight minutes from time. Sergio Ramos swung in a cross from the right, Benzema peeling away at the back post to plant a header on goal. Juan Pablo got two hands to it, but the ball squirmed out of his reach and there was Gonzalo Higuain to tap into an empty net.

Seconds later Iker Casillas came to his sides rescue with a stunning one-handed stop from David Barrals header. Saint Iker is back in business. And so it was that Real Madrid held out for a win that maintains their one point lead over Barcelona. You can't help but think this is the sort of fixture Real Madrid would have drawn or lost in recent years. Mourinho has instilled a discipline in his defence and midfield, helped tremendously by the performances of Ricardo Carvalho and Sami Khedira, that allows their potent attack to do the rest. In this Real Madrid you can trust.

Real Zaragoza 1 - 2 Sevilla

Real Zaragoza went from injury time joy to injury time agony in a week. If last weeks tie against Mallorca sent the Zaragoza faithful home with a spring in their step, this weeks action will have sent them home wondering why on earth their team insist on giving cheap goals away. Todays defeat against the ten men of Sevilla sees Real Zaragoza hit rock bottom of La Liga. Jose Aurelio Gays men surely have far too much quality to go down. They said the same three years ago when Diego Milito, Ricardo Oliveira and Sergio Garcia graced La Romareda. No prizes for gueesing what happened that season.

Luis Fabiano struck the games opening goal, latching onto a superb through ball from Frederic Kanoute to fire past Toni Doblas on the half hour mark. It was a rare moment of quality in a match in which neither side managed to wrest control of the midfield, leaving the strikers starved of ammunition. Gay sent his side out with five at the back, a tactic that he will surely have to discard at home where they simply cannot afford not to win. You can undertand his concern with Zaragoza leaking goals for fun early in the season, but their away form is hopeless at best. They desparately need to convert La Romareda into a fortress.

The match sprung into life after half-time. Zaragoza were visibly lifted by the presence of talented substitute Nicolas Bertolo and it was the Argentinian who dragged his team level with a thumping header from a Gabi corner. From then on both teams set about grabbing a winner, a point seemingly not good enough for either. Sevillas task was made that little bit harder with the dismissal of Fernando Navarro, still it didn't stop them from piling forward. In the dying seconds of the match their bravery was rewarded, courtesy of the habitual moment of madness that Zaragoza treat us to on a weekly basis. Sevilla must have felt their christmas had come a month early.

This time it was Jiri Jarosik who was to blame for an inexplicable backheel in his own half that set Alvaro Negredo through on goal. Like Fabiano he made no mistake when one-on-one with Doblas, sliding the ball past the keeper to strike the injury time winner. Jose Aurelio Gay held his head in his hands. He cannot be held to account for these isolated actions from his lacklustre players, but with his team alone at the foot of La Liga on seven points he'll be lucky to survive the week.

Valencia 2 - 0 Getafe

How Valencia needed this win having been in freefall for the last month. Goals from Tino Costa and David Navarro were enough to earn all three points in the Mestalla against a Getafe team that are in all kinds of trouble, having failed to win in their last six matches. Joaquin and Juan Mata were impressive for the home side, creating plenty of danger down the wings, while the defence reverted back to early season form with a comfortable shut-out, helped by the dip in form suffered by the Getafe attack. So Valencia jump back into the top four, with Getafe sitting in mid-table but only four points away from the relegation zone.

Malaga 1 - 0 Levante

Manuel Pellegrini made it a happy debut at Malaga, as his new team put their dreadful home run of five defeats from five behind them to earn a first win of the season at La Rosaleda. It wasn't pretty and Levante had their chances, but with the two goalkeepers the stand-out performers, Eliseus thumping 35 yard drive was enough to steal all three points. Pellegrini has stated he expects more from his team, but right now they need results.

Hercules 2 - 1 Real Sociedad

The formbook was turned on it's head in the Rico Perez as Hercules came from behind to snatch a win against Real Sociedad. The first half was dominated by Real, with young Frenchman Antoine Greizmann turning in an electric performance, topped off with the games opening goal. But Hercules hit back after half-time, David Trezeguet continuing his fine form with the leveller before cult hero Royston Drenthe sent the home crowd ballistic with a rocket of a free-kick that ended up settling the match.

Racing Santander 0 - 0 Espanyol

A scoreline that reflected what was mindnumbing game of football, with only the odd flash of ambition. And when they came it was more often than not from Racing. Unfortunately for Miguel Angel Portugal and his team, they found Cameroon keeper Carlos Kameni in inspired form, repelling all that flew towards him, including an Ariel Nahuelpan penalty after half an hour. Racing also felt they had a case for a last minute penalty, but to the fury of the Sardinero crowd the ref waved away their appeals and the match ended all square.

Mallorca 0 - 0 Deportivo La Coruña

A match completely lacking in ambition, characterised by Depors ultra-defensive 5-4-1 formation designed to hold out for away points. Depor coach Lotina may well have bemoaned his teams lack of creativity in the final third but this team is designed not to lose rather than search for the win. Mallorca also seemed content to hold back, and with the matches two strikers, Riki and Webo both demonstrating they have a long way to go to establish themselves as consistent goalscorers, a 0-0 draw was always on the cards.

Barcelona 3 - 1 Villarreal (Highlights): La Liga Saturday

Barcelona 3 - 1 Villarreal

They say in elite football it's the smallest details that mark the difference between the good and the great. Villarreal put up one hell of a fight in the Camp Nou, but commeth the hour, commeth the man. Lionel Messi stepped up to the plate, as he always does, to rescue Barcelona from a potentially precarious situation and set them on the way to what was eventually a convincing win. That's not to say Barca didn't display their unique brand of spellbinding football, simply that Villarreal stood toe-to-toe with the reigning champions until the Messi stepped it up a gear to steer his side to victory.

It was a fascinating match, quite easily the most entertaining offered up so far in La Liga this season. Barcelona settled into their stride early on, with Xavi and Iniesta exerting their influence on proceedings as ever, keeping possession and probing with intent at every possibility. Villarreal themselves attempted to pass the ball around and were by no means intimidated. Garridos men pressurised their opponents, keeping a high line and restricting Barca to half chances throughout a tight opening twenty minutes.

Then out of nowhere appeared David Villa, latching onto a fine pass from Andres Iniesta, steadying himself before slotting a composed finish beneath Diego Lopez. The goal made it three consecutive matches on the scoresheet for 'El Guaje', the perfect response to those who had foolishly doubted his undoubted ability in front of goal. From then on it became the Delgado Ferreira show, as the referee lost control of the match following a shocking decision that saw Lionel Messi flagged offside, when clearly a metre behind Carlos Marchena the moment Xavi set him free.

It would have been a certain goal, yet seconds later Barca found themselves on level terms. And what a goal it was from Nilmar, weaving his way into the box before sending a delicious dink over Victor Valdes. The Brazilian has been a revelation this season and it will be interesting to see if any of the big guns come in with an offer for the ex-Corinthians hitman in January. Suddenly the match was wide open and had it not been for poor finishing from Santi Cazorla and Cani mixed with some devine interventions from Victor Valdes, Villarreal could well have added a deserved second before half-time.

After half-time Barca managed to regain a stranglehold on the match, before Messi explode into life with a sensational goal on the hour mark that set Barcelona on the road to three points. Messi and Pedro exchanged five passes on a sixpence, Pedros final ball sending Leo through one-on-one with Diego Lopez. 'La Pulga' rarely fails in these situations, chipping a sumptuous shot over Diego Lopez. Cue pandemonium in the Camp Nou. They had witnessed yet another moment of genius from their master of ceremonies. It was a goal that Barcelona stamped all over it. A goal you would expect to see them pull off in training. Barca make it look that easy.

Aside from the fantasy football, you always felt the match was on the edge of boiling over, in no small part a result of Delgado Ferreiras dubious ability to control a football match. There were some fierce challenges and at one point an angry exchange of words between the two coaches, but credit to both sides as emotions were kept in check. Just. Even so, the shocking decisions kept on coming. Maxwell should have been shown red for a last-ditch foul on Borja Valero, while Messis third was clearly converted from an offside position. And the Spanish complain about Howard Webb?

In the end, Barcelona unsurprisingly proved too hot to handle for Villarreal, and while Garridos side demonstrated they can mix it up with the big boys, they cannot call upon a talent like Messi. Villarreal will be there or thereabouts. Fighting for third place and on the shoulder of the top two. Barcelona, on the other hand, are the team to beat. The first instalment of this seasons Clasico double bill can't come soon enough.

Athletic Bilbao 1 - 0 Almeria

If ever you wanted to watch a match that epitomised what Athletic Bilbao is all about, this was it. Fernando Llorente, the 'Lion King' himself, continued his devastating run of form to score the only goal of the match as Athletic survived two sendings off to edge their way past Almeria.

Koikili saw red on the stroke of half-time for a second yellow after pulling back Ulloa and this signalled the beginning of a second-half onslaught from Almeria. Whether it be the fighting spirit of coach Joaquin Caparros, or the unerring support of a vociferous San Mames crowd, Bilbao put their necks on the line to maintain their slim lead. The introduction of Piatti and Crusat for Almeria, both mysteriously left out of the starting line-up by Juan Lillo, made things even more complicated for the home side, added pace and creativity to an otherwise blunt Almeria front four.

Athletics task was made yet more difficult after replacement left-back Xavi Castillo also saw red to reduce his team to nine-men. But with players like Iker Muniain, Carlos Gerpegi and David Lopez, there is no such thing as a lost cause for the Basques. Roared on by their fanatical support they stood firm in the face of a late barrage from Almeria to hold out for a win that sees 'Los Leones' jump up to 8th, only two points from the top four.

Atletico Madrid 3 - 0 Osasuna

All the pre-match talk had centred around the relationship between star striker Diego Forlan and his coach Quique Sanchez Flores. So inevitably it was the Uruguayan striker who scored two and set up the other to hand Atletico a morale-boosting win over Osasuna. There is no doubt Atletico have strengthened their back line over the last year. No longer do they concede silly goals as David de Gea continues his rise to stardom and players like Tomas Ujfalusi and Luis Perea defy all those who thought the two defenders were finished goods only 12 months ago.

But without Forlán and Agüero banging in the goals, Atleti are toothless. Just as well the two strikers returned to the kind of form that sent the 'rojiblancos' to two cup finals last season, ruthlessly putting Osasuna to the sword with clincal finishes that belied their recent plight. On their day, the two are among the best forwards in world football, and last nights match provided the perfect proof that when on song, they are nigh on impossible to contain.

In truth they were the only difference between the two sides. Osasuna can knock the ball about, but without Walter Pandiani on the field, you just cannot see Camachos team sticking the ball in the back of the net. They lack that quality in-front of goal and unless they find a way of coping without their veteran talisman, it will be another long season for the team from Navarra.

As seen at SBNation: http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2010/11/14/1812768/lionel-messi-double-sinks-yellow-submarine

El Clasico Between Barcelona and Real Madrid to be played on Monday 29 November

It's official. The biggest fixture in Spain, and possibly the whole of Europe, will be played on a Monday. Not a Saturday, nor a Sunday. A Monday. Barcelona and Real Madrid will get the ball rolling at the Camp Nou in the seasons first installment of 'El Clasico' at 21.00 hours (CET) on 29th November as a result of the Catalan parliamentary elections taking place that weekend, which has forced the authorities to move it from Sunday 28th on security grounds. Strangely enough, fans across the country have taken the news quite badly, complaining that a fixture of such importance just HAS to be played at the weekend. Why? Because.

Of course there are some lucky lads and lasses who are rejoicing, namely those working the elections (ahem, politicians that receive nice free tickets, not that they had anything to do with this of course) and those unfortunate souls who work nights at the weekend. For once, they'll be able to savour one of the most eagerly anticipated Clasicos for years. There are other sets of fans who smuggly chirp on about if all the other clubs have to play on a Monday (Sevilla - Valencia on the last matchday being a perfect example), why not the almighty Barcelona and Real Madrid?

I understand their logic, but there's something about it being on a Monday that I fear will detract from the occasion. You just get the feeling it won't quite be the same. Take Wednesdays Manchester derby as a indicator of what I'm trying to get at. Jorge Valdano takes it a little further when saying; 'Playing a Clasico on a Monday is the easiest way of discrediting Spanish football infront of the watching world'. Harsh words. And then we could go on about reduced audience numbers and so on.

Perhaps it's simply the fact that you have to go to work first? Deep down I'm not too bothered about it being on a weekday, and in truth it should hardly matter to the players. Neither is there much of a difference for the fans. Play the match at 10pm on a Sunday and you still have to go into to work early the next day, and we all enjoy the Champions League don't we?

So instead of whining, let's think positive. You can partake in a whole load of pre-clasico banter with your workmates. You can say you witnessed only the third ever Clasico to have been played on a Monday. The players will have had an extra days rest, ready to give it hell on the field. And when all the fun is over, there are only four more days till the weekend. Happy days.

As seen on SBNation: http://www.sbnation.com/2010/11/11/1808946/el-clasico-set-to-cause-tuesday-wipeout

Cristiano Ronaldos 'Espaldinha': Entertaining Or Insulting?

There were 92 minutes on the clock. Real Madrid were two goals to the good and another win over their red and white neighbours was assured. Cristiano Ronaldo had blasted a shot towards goal only for David De Gea to punch the ball skywards. As the ball dropped down, Cristiano arched forwards and let it bounce of his back and straight into the path of Xabi Alonso. Cue absolute indignation from the Atletico players and a national debate about whether such actions are good for football, or a show of disrespect towards your rival. Forgive me if something has passed me by, but is football not supposed to be entertaining? Do we pay money to watch boring sideways passes, wayward shots, over hit crosses, mistimed tackles, tap-ins and route one football? No? Thought not.

No, we pay money for the chance to witness something special. We pay money to watch Robinhos stepovers, Ronaldinhos tricks, Beckhams free-kicks, Xavis passes, Messis wondergoals. And yes, Cristiano Ronaldos 'back' passes. Labelled as an 'Espaldinha' in Spain, Cristianos moment of indulgence has split the country in two. Those seemingly jealous of a man who has the world at his feet and is currently propelling Real Madrid towards another spell of domination and those who don't see anything wrong with him giving the watching (and paying) public what they want.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic did something very similar last season against Mallorca, playing a pass of his back whilst on the run to give Messi a shooting opportunity. I don't remember the big Swedes action receiving the same thorough examination. Sadly, what we are seeing is a baying section of the public taking any opportunity to berate a player who is capable of the extraordinary and knows it. Don't get me wrong, the Portuguese winger does not help his cause with the odd dive, arrogant comment and those infamous strops. But his latest trick drew me to chuckle and applaud. 'Bravo Cristiano' I thought.

What CR7 did was pure entertainment. For me, it embodies what football is all about. Who doesn't get that warm feeling of nostalgia when remembering Higuitas scorpion-kick save against England? Blancos two-footed ball hop? Or Ronaldinhos no-look passes? Hell, I was even a fan of that poor young Brazilian, Kerlon, who used to flip the ball onto his head like a performing seal to dribble past defenders. Was it against the rules? Of course it wasn't. Instead of ridiculing players capable of lighting up matches with moments of magic, let's save the vitriol for players who cheat, break legs, and get fellow professionals unfairly sent off. Or we'll get to a stage where we'll be saying...'Come on now Lionel, don't put that defender on his backside again, you'll hurt his feelings' or 'Cristiano, please refrain from putting an almighty amount of swerve on your free-kicks, the goalkeeper didn't sleep for days after the last one'. Is that what we want?

As seen on SBNation: http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2010/11/9/1804408/cristiano-ronaldo-back-pass-entertaining-or-insulting

Real Madrid 2 - 0 Atletico Madrid (Highlights) - La Liga Matchday 10

Real Madrid ensured that Atletico Madrid's shocking derby record would carry on into 2011 as two early goals from Ricardo Carvalho and Mesut Ozil sentenced Quique Sanchez Flores's team to yet another defeat at the hands of their eternal rivals. Just like they had done in Milan, Jose Mourinhos men burst out of the blocks with Atletico struggling to get a foothold in the game. And the 'Rojiblancos' were made to pay for their slow start as centre-back Carvalho popped up out of nowhere to waltz through a static defence and slot past birthday boy David De Gea.

Atletico were rocking, and they were still coming to terms with going behind when Mesut Ozil scored the second. Real Madrid won a free-kick out wide on the right, with Ozil curling a delicious cross-come-shot that left De Gea rooted to the spot. At that point it appeared as if Atleti were going to be handed a thrashing, but instead of pushing for the killer third, Real Madrid began to sit back on their lead which allowed Atletico a route back into the match.

Thiago started to see plenty of the ball in the middle, although with Sergio Agüero cutting an isolated figure upfront and Diego Forlan struggling to impose himself on the match, Carvalho and Pepe were never put under any sustained pressure. One moment of controversy to come out of the first half was a possible penalty decision on Xabi Alonso after he blocked a Reyes shot with his hand, the referee deeming the action as ball to hand, much to the desperation of the Atleti players.

The second half followed a similar pattern with both teams creating scoring opportunities, Gonzalo Higuain and Diego Forlan both striking the post with a glorious volleys and Iker Casillas thwarting Agüero in a one-on-one, but there were to be no more goals. Man-of-the-match Ricardo Carvalho left the field early courtesy of a nasty-looking eye injury after he was elbowed by substitute Diego Costa, but that would end up being the only blot on yet another derby day victory for Real Madrid.

Barcelona never looked in any danger of falling to a shock defeat in Getafe as they recovered their best form to run out easy 1-3 winners, keeping them in touch with leaders Real Madrid. Lionel Messi was at his sublime best as he and David Villa tore through a helpless Getafe defence to score two superb goals which put Barca out of reach after only 30 minutes. For long periods, the Getafe players were chasing shadows, as Barcelona lit up the Coliseum with some stunning one-touch football that brought back memories of the sextruplet winning team of 2008/2009.

Messi could easily have had three or four on another day, but he found Getafe keeper Jordi Codina in inspired form. Yet the keeper was badly at fault for Barca's third, playing a poor pass out to defender Cata Diaz which lead to the defender conceding possession on the edge of his box, and then failing to block Pedro's run on goal, leaving the Barca man with a simple tap in. Getafe were handed a lifeline on 70 minutes when Pique was sent off for handling in the box, Manu reducing the deficit from the spot. Then Getafe received a red card of their own, Derek Boateng seeing a second yellow, and with him went Getafes hopes of rescuing anything from the match.

Villarreal fell behind to an early Fernando Llorente goal, but the 'Yellow Submarine' were ultimately too much for Athletic Bilbao from then on, creating countless chances and scoring four. At times it was incessant pressure from Villarreal, Borja Valero controlling proceedings in midfield and Guiseppe Rossi a constant menace in attack. Nilmar levelled the match on 39 minutes, and a shocking error from Bilbao keeper Gorka Iraizoz let the home side take a half-time lead, as his dreadful clearance fell straight at the feet of Santi Cazorla, who made no mistake with a first-time shot.

The second half saw Villarreal at their vibrant best, carving through Athletic Bilbao at will. Guiseppe Rossi had been guilty of some poor finishing throughout the match, but he made no mistake with only five minutes left to make the points safe. Substitute Jefferson Montero then gave the scoreline a more realistic look with a fourth in the dying seconds of the match.

In the weekends other matches, Espanyol maintained their fantastic start to the season with a 35 yard scorcher from Javi Marquez after only a minute enough for a victory over Malaga which leaves 'Los Pericos' in the Champions League spots and Malaga rooted to the bottom of La Liga. Manuel Pellegrini has a hell of a job on his hands at La Rosaleda. Real Zaragoza relieved some of the pressure on manager Jose Aurelio Gay, but they had to come from behind twice to eventually overcome Mallorca with a last minute penalty from Gabi. Real Sociedad had Joseba Llorente to thank as the striker scored the only goal of their match against Racing Santander, a win that places the Basque club in the European positions.

Osasuna finally found their shooting boots for the visit of Hercules, Monreal, Lolo and Vadocz getting the goals to give the home team a 3-0 win which lifts them into mid-table. Deportivo La Coruña finally put to bed their disastrous away form which had seen them fail to win away from El Riazor for over a year. Riki and Aythami got the goals which consigned Levante to a 1-2 defeat which keeps the newly promoted side in the relegation zone. Finally, Sporting Gijon and Almeria had to settle for a point apiece, Nacho Novo notching a late equaliser to cancel out Almerias opener from Miguel Corona. It was just reward for an improved second half showing by Sporting after Almeria had dominated the first 45 minutes.

As seen on SB Nation: http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2010/11/8/1800225/la-liga-matchday-10-real-madrid-take-the-derby-honours-villa-and

Copenhagen 1 - 1 Barcelona (Highlights) | Valencia 3 - 0 Rangers

Copenhagen 1 - 1 Barcelona
(0-1) 30' Messi, (1-1) 32' Claudemir

Valencia 3 - 0 Glasgow Rangers

(1-0) 32' Soldado, (2-0) 69' Soldado, (3-0) 88' Tino Costa

Malaga sack manager Jesualdo Ferreira - Manuel Pellegrini favourite to take over

Málaga’s 2-1 defeat to Real Sociedad at La Rosaleda last Sunday saw the team plunge into the bottom three for the first time this season, prompting Qatari owner Sheikh Abdullah to finally lose patience with manager Jesualdo Ferreira. The loss to the txuri-urdin means the Costa del Sol side have not picked up a point at home in five games, and the former Porto boss has paid the price by being axed after just nine league games in charge.

It’s all a far cry from the mood of optimism which swept through the club only two months ago, the €17 million outlay on new players promising better times ahead for the long-suffering fans. After the game at the weekend the mood around the stadium was one of dejection, but despite the whistles and waving of pañuelos at the final whistle it seemed the fans were still prepared to give Ferreira more time to get it right. Not so the Sheikh, who decided to act before things deteriorated further.

Admittedly the fixture list hasn’t been kind; the first four fixtures at home - Valencia, Sevilla, Villarreal and Real Madrid - couldn’t have been much tougher, though Ferreira has possibly been the architect of his own downfall. Of his buys only Owusu-Abeiye and Rondón have come up to anything like scratch, while the jury is still out on the others - Sandro Silva, Sebástian Fernández and Malagueño, along with goalkeepers Galatto and Ruben - who have all been out injured at one time or another

The Osasuna away game two weeks ago was the first time this season the strikers have failed to hit the back of the net, so no complaints on that score, but the 21 goals conceded in just 9 games is totally unacceptable. Last year Málaga narrowly avoided going down by a single point, yet only conceded 48 goals; this was one less than fourth-placed Sevilla and only bettered by six teams in the division. However, Ferreira still felt the need to go out and buy two centre-backs in Stadsgaard and Malagueño (who is still to make his league debut), meaning the defence was top-heavy in that department. Youngster Iván González was a regular at the heart of the defence last season alongside Weligton - this year he has played a solitary game and hardly gets to sit on the bench! Ferreira obviously didn’t fancy him, but it doesn’t make it any less puzzling. .

To give Ferreira some credit his policy of playing a 4-3-3 attacking system - he employed it successfully at Porto - was admirable, as witnessed by the five goals in the opening 34 minutes at Zaragoza, yet when his team came under the cosh in certain games he didn’t have a Plan ‘B’ to fall back on. His tactics have also earned him a fair amount of criticism from local reporters - his miserable demeanour did not endear himself to them - and he fell out with a journalist from respected sports daily Marca when he refused to answer questions in a press conference, leading to the other assembled hacks walking out en masse.

The policy of buying up-and-coming young players instead of tried and trusted pros was always going to be a risky one, but it has still been a surprise that Sheikh Abdullah has lost faith after such a short time. Even so, he is a businessman and expects some kind of return on his investment, which is why he has reorganised the club from top to bottom.

At the moment Ferreira’s replacement looks certain to be ex-Real Madrid and Villarreal boss Manuel Pellegrini. Sources from Fox Sports television channel indicate that the Chilean will be flying into Málaga on Wednesday to finalise details on a two and a half year contract.

Courtesy of Dave Redshaw - (Author of ‘Málaga Football Club - The Story’)

Interview with Duda of Malaga

Duda came back from the World Cup in South Africa with a pubis injury and has still to kick a ball this season for Malaga CF. During this interview with David Redshaw, he spoke of his injury, the new sheik in charge of the club and manager Jesualdo Ferreira, who only hours ago has been sacked, with ex-Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini currently the favourite to take over. It would appear a shocking set of results at home, the last of which was to Real Sociedad, is what has spurred Sheik Abdullah into action.

You’re now kicking a ball again. How’s it going?

“Very well, I’m getting better every day. There’s no point being negative about it and I hope to be back soon, but it’s important to gain confidence once more.”

Do you regret having delayed your surgery?

“Not at all. It was a difficult decision but I’d never had pubis problems before, and having talked with the specialists we initially decided on treatment rather than going under the knife. However, six weeks later it had still not responded so they told me it was best to operate.”

What has been the worst thing about being out?

“The loneliness and having to do all the running on my own. It’s the first time I’ve been out for any length of time but I’ve got to make the most of it. I’m well on the road to recovery and it shouldn’t be too long now.”

What do you think of the team?

“I’m enjoying watching them. We are improving bit by bit but we’ve lacked a bit at the back. I hope we’ll soon be more solid because we have no problem scoring goals.”

Everybody wants you back. What would be your best position in the 4-3-3 system?

“I don’t think about where would be best. I just want to get back playing and then I’ll do what the manager asks of me and help my teammates. Jesualdo Ferreira is a manager I like and he commands a lot of respect in Portugal.”

What can you tell us about Sheikh Abdullah?

“I learned he had bought Málaga during the World Cup. The club has changed 100% and it’s gone from being a selling one to a buying one - that’s very important. Apart from that the transformation has been incredible. Somebody with power has now come in and he is showing that he wants to build a big established club.”

 

With thanks to David Redshaw of Euro Weekly and Malaga Matchday Programme.

La Liga Matchday 9: Villarreal and Valencia unable to keep the pace

A nice little round up of the rest of the matches this weekend in La Liga which saw Real Madrid and Barcelona begin to pull away from the pack.

Valencia 1 - 1 Real Zaragoza

It was only three weeks ago that Valencia were sitting pretty at the top of La Liga after a storming start to the season which saw them win five and draw one out of their first six league fixtures. Then came defeats to Barcelona and Mallorca and suddenly the boat began to rock. Tonight was the perfect chance for Unai Emerys side to get back on track as the Liga whipping boys, Real Zaragoza, came to town. Things didn't get off to the best of starts for Valencia as Zaragoza centre-back Mauricio Lanzaro neatly spun and fired in from just inside the area after only 2 minutes. Jose Aurelio Gays side played their best football of the season so far, with Jorge Lopez and Angel Lafita both in the thick of the action, yet they still went into the break all square. Lanzaro undoing all his good work with the opener, as he comically headed past his keeper to bring Valencia back into it. The second half saw Valencia struggle to find any rythym, as the man who makes them tick over, Ever Banega, never got into the match. Even the introduction of striker Roberto Soldado and the ludicrous sending off of Real Zaragoza midfielder Ander Herrera failed to spark them into life. There is talk of pressure on manager Unai Emery, but I wouldn't read too much into it. Fourth in the league and looking good to qualify out of their group in the Champions League is hardly a crisis. For Jose Aurelio Gay, he'll be hoping this is the beginning of a revival as they fight to lift themselves off the foot of the table.

Atletico Madrid 1 - 1 Almeria

Not the best of derby day preparations for Atletico Madrid as they let a 1-0 lead slip at home to Almeria. Sergio Agüero got the opener for 'Los Colchoneros', finally getting off the mark for the season with a simple tap-in, but his team suffered two lethal blows before halftime that they simply couldn't recover from. Blossoming young talent Pablo Piatti grabbed a tasty equaliser for Almeria, a sweet volley after a cleared corner came to him on the edge of the box, and shortly after Jose Antonio Reyes pulled up with a calf strain. Atletico will be even more stretched for their trip to the Bernabeu as giant defender Luis Perea is ruled out through suspension. Quique will need his frontmen Agüero and Forlan more than ever next weekend.

Sporting Gijon 1 - 1 Villarreal

Villarreal had done a good job of sandwiching themselves between Real Madrid and Barcelona for a while there. But just when we were hoping at least one of them or Valencia could maintain a challenge at the top, both start to fade away. That's not to take anything away from Sporting, who more than contributed to a feisty match full of meaty challenges and lung-busting effort. In the end the points were shared with a penalty apiece, Villarreals scored with pretty much the last kick of the match, converted by goal machine Guiseppe Rossi. Not the most attractive of matches, although the rain and some more poor refereeing didn't allow it to be.

Deportivo La Coruña 3 - 0 Espanyol

If Espanyol had won today they would have leaped up into the giddy heights of the Champions League spots. Yet with Depor reverting back to a more accustomed (and secure) back five and Espanyol without their hitman Osvaldo this was always unlikely. And so it proved as the home side recorded their first home win of the season to haul themselves closer to safety at the foot of the table. Spain Under-21 striker Adrian slotting in the first when a corner caused mayhem in the Espanyol box. Then two of Depors centre-backs got in on the act late in the match to make the three points safe. The pressure has been lifted off Miguel Angel Lotina. For now at least.

Racing Santander 4 - 1 Osasuna

If Osasuna stay up this season, it will be through sheer grit and determination because they are seriously lacking in any quality. Racing Santander have struggled badly so far, yet they were given the freedom of El Sardinero as their Swedish stars Kennedy Bakircioglu (try saying that name after a couple of pints) and Markus Rosenburg scored three of Racings four to send Camachos men back to Pamplona empty-handed. Osasuna weren't helped by the absence of their only goal threat, Walter Pandiani, but they simply cannot rely on a veteran to keep them up. Racing leap up to mid-table with a vital win over a direct rival for relegation.

Athletic Bilbao 3 - 0 Getafe

Amazing as it may seem, Athletic Bilbao scored three goals tonight and Fernando Llorente didn't get one of them. The Basque team have always been known for their fighting qualities but in players such as Llorente, Susaeta, Iraola and Muniain they have some serious quality to add to their considerable bite. Their performance tonight was as intense as they come and Getafe did their best impression of rabbits in the headlights. Atheltic raced into an early 2-0 lead through Iraola and San Jose. It was a lead that they never looked like giving up and to make sure Gabilondo added a late third. All manager Jose Caparros needs to do now is get his team to replicate these performances away from the intimidating San Mames.

Malaga 1 - 2 Real Sociedad

Many teams make the leap from La Segunda to the top flight without the sufficient quality to stay up. Real Sociedad break that mould and with players such as Joseba Llorente, Antoine Griezmann and Xabi Prieto I fully expect them to maintain their La Liga status come what May. Still, you should not read too much into a victory at La Rosaleda, a stadium where all away teams walk away with three points in the bag. Malaga fans must be sick of seeing their team unable to repeat their electric away performances at home as they make it five defeats from five. 21 goals conceded in nine matches tell you all you need to know about where it's all going wrong. For Real Sociedad, goals from Llorente and Griezmann were enough to edge their team into the top half of the table.

As seen on SB Nation: http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2010/10/31/1784146/la-liga-matchday-9-david-villa-back-in-the-goals-as-pressure-mounts