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

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

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

La Liga Matchday 6: Valencia and Villarreal lead the way

Valencia 2 - 1 Athletic Bilbao

(1-0) 10' Aduriz, (2-0) 91' Vicente, (2-1) 93' Gabilondo

Valencia are showing no signs of letting up at the top of La Liga as they made it 16 points out of 18 with a win over Athletic Bilbao that should have been wrapped up before half-time. Aduriz and Soldado combined for the first but having faded badly after the break they had to wait until injury time to confirm the three points. Unai Emerys team have been unstoppable in the league and after Barcas recent home form they'll be confident of getting something from the Camp Nou in two weeks time.

Villarreal 2 - 0 Racing Santander

(1-0) 8' Nilmar, (2-0) 13' Rossi

The hottest front pairing in La Liga scored two early goals that were enough for Villarreal to see of Racing Santander at the Madrigal. Racing never looked like scoring in a million years and so it was that Nilmar and Rossi, aided by the talented Cazorla and Valero, settled the match after only 13 minutes. Five wins in the last five for the Yellow Submarine sees them jump up to second.

Sevilla 3 - 1 Atletico Madrid

(1-0) 28' Negredo, (2-0) 35' Perotti, (3-0) 51' Kanoute, (3-1) 57' Diego Costa

In a match that was presided by a verbal battle between Gregorio Manzano and Quique Sanchez Flores, Atleticos defensive lapses reappeared as they were ripped apart by a rampant Sevilla. Alvaro Negredo was a constant thorn in their side, curling home a stunning first and laying on the third for Kanoute. It's amazing what a change of manager can do to a team in crisis.

Real Zaragoza 2 - 2 Sporting Gijon

(0-1) 32' Obradevic (o.g), (0-2) 48' Diego Castro (p), (1-2) 56' Sinama-Pongolle, (2-2) 61' Sinama-Pongolle

Real Zaragoza may be second bottom. And they may be in the midst of their third worst start to a season ever, but they can take a huge amount of credit from this match as they came from two down and a man down to rescue a point against the wasteful Sporting Gijon. Jiri Jarosiks ludicrous tackle from behind seemed to have killed off Zaragoza, and Jose Aurelio Gays stay on the Romareda bench, but Sinama-Pongolle, who hadnt netted in La Liga since January 2009, blasted in two goals in five minutes to save his managers bacon and lift his team off the foot of the table. Still, this shouldn't disguise yet another sub-standard performance which only served the confirm the monumental struggle Real Zaragoza are going to endure this season.

Almeria 1 - 1 Malaga

(0-1) 50' Quincy, (1-1) 76' Uche

Osasuna 1 - 1 Levante

(1-0) 72' Pandiani, (1-1) 79' Sergio

Getafe 3 - 0 Hercules

(1-0) 20' Parejo, (2-0) 42' Manu, (3-0) 81' Miku

Real Sociedad 1 - 0 Espanyol

(1-0) 83' Forlin (o.g)

Real Madrid 6 - 1 Deportivo La Coruña (Highlights)

Real Madrid 6 - 1 Deportivo La Coruña

(1-0) 5' Cristiano, (2-0) 24' Ozil, (3-0) 34' Di Maria, (4-0) 53' Higuain, (5-0) 60' Ze Castro, (5-1) 78' Juan Rodriguez, (6-1) 89' Cristiano Ronaldo

Six games into the new season and we finally get a Real Madrid exhibition. As poor as Depor were, and they really were atrocious, Real Madrid circulated the ball aroud the Bernabeu turf with renewed purpose and intent. Xavi Alonso and Mesut Ozil directed from behind the fearsome front three of Cristiano, Di Maria and Higuain, with the defense as sound as ever lead by the imposing figures of Carvalho and Pepe. Angel Di Maria continued his rich vein of form with a beauty of a header while Cristiano was back to something like his best, nodding in an early opener and storming through in the last minute to cap off Madrids six goal thriller. The only thing that will still concern the Madridistas is the anonymous form of Sami Khedira. Perhaps there's something I'm missing, but what does he do? Mourinho probably thinks the same, as he hauled off the invisible man for Lass Diarra at half time. All in all it was plain sailing in the rain for Real Madrid as their goal drought came to an emphatic end. Will they now push on from here?

Barcelona 1 - 1 Mallorca (Highlights)

Barcelona 1 - 1 Mallorca

(1-0) 20' Messi, (1-1) 42' N'Sue

The Camp Nou is no longer the fortress of recent times. Barcelona, minus Xavi Hernandez and David Villa, wasted several first half opportunities to kill off Mallorca, but they only had Lionel Messis beautiful effort to show for the efforts, when Emilio N'Sue powered in a header from a corner to set the alarm bells ringing. And despite plenty of endeavour the winner never came despite Bojan striking the post and young Nolito coming close after entering late on as a sub. Mallorca, lead by ex-Barca legend Michael Laudrup, even came close to wrapping up an unlikely win themselves, although they were unable to take advantage of Barcas high defensive line as they pushed desparately forward. And you can't say that this was simply a case of Barca missing Xavi and Villa. For the third consecutive home match (Loss v Hercules, tight win v Sporting) they've looked lethargic and lacking in ideas in the final third. Are two trophy-filled seasons of hard graft beginning to take their toll?

LA LIGA: Real Sociedad 1 - 2 Real Madrid (Highlights)

Real Sociedad 1 - 2 Real Madrid
(0-1) 51' Di Maria, (1-1) 61' Tamudo, (1-2) 75' Cristiano Ronaldo

It wasn't a great day for Jose Mourinho, but it ended on a high note as Real Madrid fought out a precious victory in Anoeta. Real Sociedad put up an almighty fight, and had the lively Antoine Griezman taken one of two glaring misses in the first half, they could well have caused a deserved upset. Having been spat at upon leaving the team coach and deprived of taking over Portugal for two matches next month by his club, Mourinho cut a frustrated figure on the touchline, with one truely comical moment in the second half when he flew into a blind rage, launching a bottle of water into the dugout in the process. The sulky showman is already causing a sensation in Spain and while many strangely take offence at his arrogant demeanour, I can't get enough of the man. Football is all about entertainment and Mou provides it by the bucketload.

Madrid are still to get into their stride, but as always they did enough to claim the three points. Angel Di Maria finally marked his entrance into Spanish football with a goal of the highest order and although Tamudo sneaked in to deflect Greizmanns ferocious free-kick in the net to level the scores, Cristiano provided one of his trademark bullets, aided by a heavy deflection from Pepe, to hand his team the win. It's dubious as to whether he should be awarded the goal, and even he looked embarrased to celebrate, but what CR7 wants, CR7 gets! Madrid survived a late onslaught, aided by the awesome defensive partnership of Pepe and Carvalho, and now all eyes focus on Barca as they travel to the Vicente Calderon tomorrow to take on high-flyers Atletico Madrid.

Todays other results:

Sporting Gijon 2 - 2 Athletic Bilbao

(1-0) 12' De Las Cuevas, (2-0) 23' Sangoy, (1-2) 28' Gurpegui, (2-2) 58' Llorente

Espanyol 1 - 0 Almeria

(1-0) 47' Callejón

Mallorca 2 - 0 Osasuna

(1-0) 25' Chori Castro (p), (2-0) 92' De Guzman

LA LIGA: Nothing changes at Real Zaragoza

It's been two long seasons since I was last present at La Romereda. Real Zaragoza spent the first battling out of hell. The second was largely spent fighting not to slip back in. You would have thought one season in the second division for one of La Ligas 'historicos' would have been enough to learn a few hard lessons. Yesterdays horror show against Malaga proves otherwise. It reminded me very much of a game I witnessed during the 2007/2008 campaign against Real Valladolid. A team, like Malaga, many were predicting to be part of the relegation scrap come the end of the season. An easy three points were on the cards. One devastating counter attacking performance from Valladolid later and 'Los Maños' were planted firmly on their way towards 'La Segunda'.

Trouble at Zaragoza, is that nothing is easy. Not one win or draw comes easily. Every match is a battle of attrition. A downright struggle. And when things often go all curveball, we get to see a goalfest. And Real Zaragoza are more often than not on the wrong end of it. Think the opposite of Keegans Newcastle United! Malaga at home is really a game they need to be getting three points from. But they were systematically ripped apart in a whirlwind opening 35 minutes, which saw the away side storm into an unassailable 0-5 lead and had fans leaving the stadium before the half-time whistle. Defeats of this nature will more often than not lead to relegation. So where have lessons not been learned?

Success starts at the back. For the comedy centre backs of the 2007/2008 elect, Sergio and Roberto Ayala, read Matteo Contini and Jiri Jarosik. Simply not good enough. Diogo is a liability, not to mention a maniac, whilst Leo Franco is a joke. Tough times ahead in that department. Don't sign for the sake of signing. When it comes to summer transfers, Agapito Iglesias is a poor mans Florentino Perez. It's quite astounding how many players Agapito gets through, with very few actually making any difference. Two that did make a difference last season, Humberto Suazo and keeper Roberto, were not kept on the books. Utter lunacy. Mr Iglesias is one of those businessman presidents that has no idea about football, and he simply needs to go. 

Get a decent manager in. Real Zaragoza supposedly had a good manager when I first set foot in La Romareda. Victor Fernandez was his name. Lead the team into the UEFA spots the year before and he was even being touted as a future Spain manager. A few shocking results later and his was packing his bags. They've never replaced him since. The current incumbent is the unfortunately named Jose Aurelio Gay. And what's clear to me is that he's not up to the task. Perhaps Agapito is hesitant to start the manager merry-go-round that took place in 2007/2008 when four came and went, but if Fernandez wasn't good enough, neither is Gay. Get a proven, seasoned pro in there. Time to trust in youth. The 2007/2008 elect was ridden with players on a downward curve, counting down the years and the pay cheques. Leo Franco, Gabi (a truly shocking excuse for a midfielder), Diogo and Jarosik all fit that bill. Time to get youngsters like Laguardia, Kevin, Borque or Alex Sanchez in there to help out poor Ander Herrera. Kids that will fight tooth and nail for the badge.

It's sad for me to see a team like Real Zaragoza slip into this mess once more. I can only imagine what it's like for those who have been fans since the glory years of the 60s and 90s. I hope for the sake of the club and their loyal set of fans that this season doesn't turn into the nightmare that I was part of two seasons ago. Only time will tell. Next up: Racing Santander.

La Liga Matchday One: Barcelona, Atletico and Sevilla the early pacesetters

Life in La Liga didn't get off to the best of starts for Jose Mourinho. A trip to plucky Mallorca was never going to be an easy task, but after yet another summer of splashing the cash, and with a fair few weeks of preparation, you would have expected Real Madrid to pick up the three points. Nevertheless, Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo were the main culprits, as Madrid wasted numerous chances, while Mallorca keeper Dudu Aouate put in an inspired shift. For me, Real Madrid still lack an identity, something which plagued them all last season. With the players they have at their disposal they will always get chances, plenty of them. But to overhaul Barcelona and the cream of European football they really need to find a style to call their own and stick to it. Luckily for them, Mourinho is a master in this art. Just look at what he did with Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan. His teams may not have won many plaudits for entertainment over the years but they all had their way of playing, leading the special one to two Champions League trophies in six years. Don't expect any Pellegrini style witchhunts. Mourinho will be given plenty of time to sort this out.

Trouble is Barcelona may already be out of sight. They picked up just where they left off last season with a demolition job on Racing Santander, orchestrated by the irresistible front three of Iniesta, Messi and debutant David Villa. All three got on the scoresheet, with Andres Iniestas goal a sublime first-time volleyed effort from well outside the area. Elsewhere, there were convincing wins for Sevilla and Valencia, as the usual suspects failed to disappoint on the opening day of the season. Out of the three new kids on the block, only Real Sociedad chalked up three points with a noteworthy victory over perennial slow starters Villarreal, while Levante and Hercules will have to wait until next week for their second chance to get precious early points on the board.

Racing Santander 0 - 3 Barcelona

(0-1) 4' Messi, (0-2) 33' Iniesta, (0-3) 62' Villa

Just check out Iniestas piece of magic. Out of this world. Leo Messi already gets his Pichichi 2010/2011 campaign off and running with a delightful chipped effort, while Victor Valdes began his hunt for the Zamora in fine fettle after repelling Tchites penalty. Barcelona already into their glorious stride and David Villa finds the back of the net on his league debut. Racing coach Miguel Portugal reckons they are even stronger than last season. Ominous.

Mallorca 0 - 0 Real Madrid

Not the start Jose Mourinho was looking for. Real Madrid created a wealth of chances, but with Higuain in misfiring mood and Mallorcas defence/keeper on fire, a 0-0 draw was inevitable. Things got worse for Mourinho when Cristiano Ronaldo was ruled out for 2/3 weeks after the match was a muscle strain. Queit debut for Canales, while Carvalho looked solid and Özil more than useful when he joined the party late on.

Levante 1 - 4 Sevilla

(1-0) 10' Ruben Suarez (p), (1-1) 12' Konko, (1-2) 28' Negredo (p), (1-3) 62' Konko, (1-4) 87' Renato

Sevillas post Spanish Supercup/Champions League elimination hangover looked to have dragged over to La Liga when Levante took an early lead, but well taken goals from unlikely source Konko, and a penalty from Negredo got the Sevillanos back on track. Levante early candidates for bottom place on this showing.

Espanyol 3 - 1 Getafe

(1-0) 33' Osvaldo, (2-0) 54' Osvaldo, (2-1) 61' Galan (o.g), (3-1) 94' Datolo

Espanyol, spurred on by their victory in the Trofeo Ramon Carranza, hit the ground running with red hot striker Osvaldo blasting two in a convincing win over a dissapointing Getafe. Life could be difficult for the Madrileños without Pedro Leon and Roberto Soldado.

Deportivo La Coruña 0 - 0 Real Zaragoza

Real Zaragoza did more than enough to put Depor to the sword in a drab match, but a combination of slack forward play and a quite incredible miss from new boy Marco Perez (see video!) meant Los Maños left with only a point. Could be a long season for Depor on this evidence.

Osasuna 0 - 0 Almería

This match was never going to set the world alight but a goal would have been nice. Neither team attacked, neither team looked like scoring. Both teams seemed happy to finish the match with a point. You won't see many goals from Almeria or Osasuna this season.

Real Sociedad 1 - 0 Villarreal

(1-0) 57' Xabi Prieto

Real Sociedad coach Martin Lasarte opted to go for local youth for their first tie back in the big time and it worked wonders. Carlos Martinez and Xabi Prieto put in quality performances with the latter grabbing the all important goal that got the team from San Sebastian off to a winning start. Villarreal were just dismal. Will we see a repeat of their infamous start to 2009/2010?

Malaga 1 - 3 Valencia

(0-1) 9' Aduriz, (1-1) 44' Sebas Fernandez, (1-2) 70' Joaquin, (1-3) 74' Joaquin

There are many, myself included, that thought Valencia would struggle badly this season after losing Villa and Silva. Yesterday proved us wrong. For the time being at least. As long as Joaquin continues to produce match-winning cameos and Aritz Aduriz keeps banging them in, they'll be fine. Staying tight at the back will be vital. Does Cesar have another cracking season in him?

Hercules 0 - 1 Athletic Bilbao

(0-1) 46' Llorente

Hercules found out the hard way. Missed chances and a failure to capitalise on incessant pressure will be punished, especially when big Fernando Llorente is around. The World Cup winner stooped to head in a 46th minute winner to get his team out of a tricky situation against a lively home side who faded badly as the second half wore on.

Atletico Madrid  4 - 0 Sporting Gijon
(1-0) 11' Jurado, (2-0)  40' Forlan, (3-0) 62' Forlan, (4-0) 93' Simao

A breathtaking performance from Atletico. Jurado waved goodbye to the Vicente Calderon with a goal and a dazzling display, with Diego Forlan continuing his scoring form from the World Cup. Even the much-maligned Tomas Ujfalusi chipped in with a marauding display down the right that will give young left back Canella nightmares for weeks to come. Simaos late goal was an absolute beauty. European Supercup winners and top of the league. Not a bad week for Quiques men. 

LA LIGA STATISTICS 2009/2010: The season in numbers

Now that the season has drawn to a close, it's time to churn out a few interesting LA LIGA STATISTICS from 2009/2010. Some won't come as a surprise with most serving only to highlight Barcelona and Real Madrids dominance, although a couple might just raise a few eyebrows. Before heading down the page, try to guess who the leagues most lethal marksman is. Messi? Cristiano Ronaldo? Luis Fabiano? Or an unwanted Argentine? We then run through the clean sheets and assist kings before a purely statistical look at the opening skirmish between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. No doubts about who rattled off the better numbers this time round. To finish off we analyse just how costly the year has been for old Uncle Florentino over at Bank Bernabeu. He might have to downgrade the yacht at this rate.

GOALS:

Top goalscorer (Pichichi): Lionel Messi - 34

Separate goalscorers: 265
Goals scored in total: 1031
Most goals scored: Real Madrid - 102
Least goals scored: Espanyol - 29
Most goals conceded: Tenerife - 74
Least goals conceded: Barcelona - 24


MATCHES:

Most wins: Real Madrid/Barcelona - 31
Most defeats: Tenerife/Xerez - 20
Most draws: Malaga - 16
Least defeats: Barcelona - 1 (v Atletico Madrid)
Least wins: Real Valladolid/Malaga - 7
Most home wins: Barcelona/Real Madrid - 18
Most away wins: Barcelona - 15
Biggest home win: Real Madrid 6 - 0 Real Zaragoza
Biggest away win: Tenerife 0 - 5 Barcelona

ASSISTS:

14 - Xavi (Barcelona)
10 - Dani Alves (Barcelona)
10 - Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
9 - Guti (Real Madrid)
9 - Jesus Navas (Sevilla)
9 - Marcelo (Real Madrid)
9 -Pedro Leon (Getafe)


CLEAN SHEETS:

20 - Barcelona
17 - Valencia
15 - Real Madrid
13 - Deportivo La Coruña
13 - Espanyol

12 - Athletic Bilbao

	Cristiano Ronaldo	Lionel Messi
GOALS	26	34
GOALS PER MATCH	0.89	0.97
SHOTS	210	158
% SHOTS TO GOALS	12%	22%
ASSISTS	7	10
BALLS LOST	325	314
BALLS WON	22	51

LIGA SHARPSHOOTERS: (%Shots to goals)

29% Gonzalo Higuain (27 goals/93 shots)
22% Lionel Messi (34/158)
20% Luis Fabiano (15/74)
17% Zlatan Ibrahimovic (16/94)
17% Roberto Soldado (16/92)

17% Mario Bermejo (12/70)

16% David Villa (21/135)
15% Diego Forlan (18/123)
12% Cristiano Ronaldo (26/210)

And finally.....UNCLE FLORENTINO (Money forked out = €259 million)

€8,354,838 per win

€2,697,916 per goal

BARCELONA LA LIGA CHAMPIONS 2010! Leo Messi signs off with 47 goals (Highlights)

Barcelona 4 - 0 Real Valladolid
(1-0) 27' Prieto (o.g) (2-0) 31' Pedro, (3-0) 61' Messi, (4-0) 75' Messi

Barcelona sealed their second consecutive league triumph, crowning themselves La Liga Champions 2010 with a comfortable four goal win over relegated Real Valladolid. After overcoming a nervy start in which Victor Valdes, who wins the seasons Zamora trophy, almost gifted Manucho the opening goal, Pedro and Leo Messi guided Barca to the title with a customary exhibition of attacking football and lethal finishing. Barcelona relied on a own goal from Luis Prieto to calm the nerves, but once Pedro slotted in the second the Camp Nou transformed into a 98,000 strong party. News had filtered through about Dudas goal for Malaga against Real Madrid but with further goals from Pichichi and Golden Boot winner Lionel Messi, the match in Andalucia was ultimately irrelevant. The Argentine capped another riproaring season with his 33rd and 34th league goals, which took his total for the season in all competitions to a remarkable 47 strikes, equalling the record for Barcelona set by a certain Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima in 1996/1997. The final whistle confirmed Real Valladolids descent into La Segunda and sent thousands of euforic Barca fans on a familiar journey to Plaza Catalunya to revel what has been another dominant season in Spain. During the post-match celebrations on the pitch the players donned shirts which read 'Don't think about one season, think about history'. The Pep dream team have just written another chapter in Barcelonas.

PS. I've seen that a lot of people have entered looking for that shirt they're wearing, so in case you're interested you can buy it HERE!

Malaga 1 - 1 Real Madrid
(1-0) 9' Duda, (1-1) 48' Van der Vaart

Real Madrid were unable to conjure up a win that would have given them a slim chance of snatching the title from Barcelona at the death as Malaga grabbed a crucial point which confirmed their top flight survival. In the end todays result in the Rosaleda was inconsequential with regard to the title given Barcas rout of Valladolid. Portuguese winger Duda scored the goal that kept Malaga in the top flight, controlling Caicedos audacious backheel to scuff a shot past Iker Casillas. From then on it was all about Malaga keeper Gustavo Munua who kept a increasingly disheartened Real Madrid at bay. Not even goalmachines Cristiano Ronaldo and Higuain were able to sign the season off with a winning goal, with Madrid having to be content with a point earned through Rafeal Van der Vaarts neat equaliser. After an outlay of close to €270 million last summer, Florentino Perez will not be impressed by his empty trophy cabinet, although in defence of doomed manager Manuel Pellegrini, Real Madrid have beaten their record for league points and wins. Not his fault Madrid are competing against the finest team of our generation, but his future at the Bernabeu appears to be at an end. Expect uncle Florentino to dispose of the Chilean and open the biggest chequebook in world football once more.

Valencia 1 - 0 Tenerife
(1-0) 91' Alexis

Even though Valencia were playing for pride they completely outclassed a surprisingly tame Tenerife to send Ruben Barajas off on a high and their visitors down to the second division. Only a series of stops from Tenerife keeper Sergio Aragoneses prevented Valencia from scoring five or six and all this without David Villa and David Silva who were prevented from lighting up the Mestalla for possibly the last time. Centre-back Alexis got the goal in added time, as Tenerife were left to rue a passionless performance which cost them their Liga status.

Osasuna 1 - 1 Xerez
(1-0) 55' Dady, (1-1) 61' Antoñito

It wasn't to be for Nestor Gorosito and his Xerez side as they came up short against Osasuna in Pamplona. Los Azulinos depended on other results and while Real Valladolid and Tenerife both lost, the draw for Malaga would have sent them down even if they had found that elusive second goal. Cheered on by over 1000 away fans, Xerez were all over Osasuna, yet fell behind to Dadys strike just after half-time. But just as they've done on what has been a heroic second half to the season, the Jerezanos fought back into the match through sub Antoñitos long range effort. Xerez drop back down into La Segunda in their inaugural season in the first division, although their fans and everyone connected to the club can be immensely proud of the pure effort and determination shown over the last few months. If Gorosito stays on, expect the Andalucians to mount a serious challenge to jump straight back up.

Racing Santander 2 - 0 Sporting Gijon
(1-0) 34' Tchite, (2-0) 54' Tchite

There was only going to be one winner here, as Sporting Gijon sent out a team full of reserves and youth teamers which couldnt cope with a Racing team playing to keep themselves in La Liga. Burundi striker Mohamed Tchite got both the goals which kept Santander up, one a clinical header and the other a tidy finish inside the six yard box. Miguel Portugal will be relieved to have maintained Racing in the first division but the Sardinero let their feelings be known regarding what has been a shocking season. Time to clear out the dead wood and start afresh.

La Liga Showdown: A weekend to stand up and be counted

Now the Atletico Madrid fans have left Neptune in peace, at least for a few days, it's time for the Liga showdown. Nothing has been decided at either end of the table with the Liga trophy, qualification for Europe and survival all up for grabs. It promises to be a frenetic finale to a memorable season. Whatever Zinedine Zidane and Manuel Pellegrini spout in the press, there will only be one league winner this season and you will be hard pushed to find a betting man laying any serious cash on Real Madrid. Frankly I'm surprised there have been no gushing declarations from CR9 predicting a glorious end to his first year in Spain. Even Sergio 'We'll win 3-0' Ramos seems resigned to finishing second. Barcelona have the simple task of needing a win against relegation-threatened Real Valladolid at home. I'll give that one an odds on. On saturday Sevilla and Mallorca will be hoping to claim the final Champions League position while Getafe and Villarreal will fight it out for 6th place and qualification for next years Europa League.

The fun and games at either end of the table then fire up on Sunday evening. Five teams no less will be scrapping for their lives as the relegation trapdoor prepares to lock shut. I can't remember a relegation D-day quite like it, since 1983 by all accounts. Safe to say some have got it easier than others. Real Madrid and Barcelona aren't quite the teams you would choose to face in these circumstances, so you have to feel a little sorry for poor old Malaga and Valladolid, who let's face it look doomed. Tenerife face a tough trip to the Mestalla, Racing host Sporting Gijon, while everyones second favourite team, Xerez, travel up to Pamplona to lock horns with Osasuna. Whatever happens there'll be some tears, some celebrations and we'll move on to the cup final before everyone settles down for the World Cup. I bloody love World Cup summers. Enjoy the weekend. 

Barcelona place one hand on La Liga trophy with win at Sevilla (Highlights)

Sevilla 2 - 3 Barcelona
(1-0) 5' Messi, (2-0) 28' Bojan, (3-0) 62' Pedro, (1-3) 68' Kanoute, (2-3) 71' Luis Fabiano

Barcelona took a giant step towards La Liga title with a vital win which ended up being far too tight for Guardiolas liking. Having stormed into a three goal lead courtesy of goals from the boys from the cantera, Messi, Bojan and Pedro (who simply has to go to the World Cup), and with Sevilla down to ten following Konkos sending off, it looked for all the money in the world that Barca were firmly on course to the all important three points that would see them extinguish any hopes Real Madrid had of a favour from Sevilla. But two quickfire goals from Kanoute and Luis Fabiano, thanks to some quick thinking from Zokora at a free-kick, sparked the match back to life and revived hopes over at the Bernabeu. 

There were some nervous moments, but Barca held out during a nailbiting last twenty minutes to place one hand on the La Liga trophy. They will surely complete the formalities against Real Valladolid next weekend, but it's not over until it's over and Real Madrid will not be giving an inch. 99 points is what it will take and I can't see any other eventuality.

Real Madrid 5 - 1 Athletic Bilbao

(1-0) 22' C. Ronaldo (p), (1-1) 40' Yeste, (2-1) 77' Higuain, (3-1) 79' Ramos, (4-1) 81' Benzema, (5-1) 88' Marcelo

It's funny how Barcelona always storm into early leads before complicating matters, whereas Real Madrid need to suffer before blowing their opponents away. Tonights match against Atheltic Bilbao followed a similar path to that at the Ono Estadi three days earlier. Poor first half showing before ratching it up a notch and providing an avalanche of late goals. After Cristiano Ronaldos penalty, which produced a ridiculous red card for Amoribieta, Fran Yestes superb winding run and shot sent the teams in on level terms. With Barca two up down in Sevilla, it looked all over for Madrid. When Sevilla brought it back to 2-3, the crowd raised the roof and their team responded. Three goals in four minutes saw Real Madrid put the game beyond doubt before Marcelo finished it off with the fifth. But there were to be no more favours from Sevilla as Real Madrid signed off their impeccable home season with muted celebrations. It was also a sad ending for Guti who produced a classy display in what will probably be his last ever match at the Bernabeu. All that remains for Madrid is to win at Malaga and hope Javier Clemente pulls a miracle out of the bag at the Camp Nou.

Villarreal 2 - 0 Valencia

(1-0) 10' Rossi, (2-0) 18' Llorente

What a turnaround Juan Carlos Garrido has completed at Villarreal since he took over. It seems a long time ago when Villarreal were flirting with the relegation zone but with this victory, thanks to early strikes from Rossi and Joseba Llorente, Villarreal find themselves with a very real chance of qualifying for the Europa League. With third place already guaranteed, Unai Emery rotated his team leaving out Villa, Mata and David Silva. Those that came in contributed to a tame, heartless Valencia performance, typical of a team that was playing only for pride.

Deportivo La Coruña 1 - 0 Mallorca

(1-0) 68' Riki

Mallorca missed a great chance to leapfrog Sevilla in their fight for the only remaining Champions League place as they fell to defeat at the hands of Deportivo. Aritz Aduriz was left to rue a flood of chances during the first half as his team were downed by a clinical finish from in-form Deportivo striker Riki. It was Depors first win in twelve as the match was also marked by the return to the field of play by Brazilian full-back Filipe Luis, four months after his horror ankle break against Athletic Bilbao. Fantastic to see him back so soon.

Xerez 3 - 2 Real Zaragoza

(1-0) 22' Francis, (1-1) 66' Herrera, (2-1) 68' Michel, (3-1) 74' Calvo, (3-2) 76' Gabi

Whatever happens next weekend, the mere fact that Xerez are still not mathematically relegated is enough to make any Xerez fan burst with pride. Nestor Gorosito is a hero in these parts having racked up 26 points in a stunning second half to the season, everyone is asking themselves: What if Ziganda had been booted out before? Shame is he wasn't, and it looks like a horrendous first half to the season will relegate the plucky Jerezanos. Real Zaragoza never looked flustered in a game full of chances, as even a defeat could have seen them mathematically assured of survival. And thats how it turned out. Xerez need to win at Osasuna and hope results go their way elsewhere. An unlikely scenario but football produces miracles year in and year out. And if anyone is capable of pulling one out in Pamplona, it's GOROSITO GOROSITO!

Tenerife 2 - 2 Almeria

(1-0) 14' Bertran, (1-1) 17' Piatti, (1-2) 80' Crusat, (2-2) 93' Nino

If Tenerife stay in La Liga, Nino is the man that will have saved them. 14 goals from dimunitive frontman have been instrumental in their fight to stay in the top flight. Had Oltras men won tonight, Tenerife would have taken a huge step towards saving themselves from the drop. Goals from Piatti and Crusat obliged Nino to draw his team level with the last kick of the match, leaving 'Los Tinerfeños' tied on 36 points along with Racing Santander, Malaga and Real Valladolid. It's going to be one hell of a final day and Tenerife will have to hope Unai Emery puts out a similar side to that against Villarreal tonight.

Real Vallodolid 2 - 1 Racing Santander

(0-1) 28' Christian, (1-1) 56' Baraja, (1-2) 78' Nauzet (p)

Nerves affected what a match with little football but bucketfuls of emotion. Real Valladolid simply had to win tonight, and they did so coming from behind after Christians opener. Diego Costa earned the penalty with just over ten minutes left, that was cooly converted by Nauzet. Even so, Racing Santander still have it easier than todays opponents as they enter the final day of the season. Valladolid travel to the Camp Nou to play a a Barca side playing for the title while Racing will entertain Sporting Gijon who will be playing for little more than pride. I know who my money is on.

Getafe 2 - 1 Malaga

(1-0) 26' Soldado, (2-0) 56' Pedro Leon, (2-1) 90' Fernando

Malaga host Real Madrid in their last game of a season that requires them to beat Cristiano and company to stand any chance of staying up. Tonight they were defeated by a Getafe side who now depend on themselves to secure a spot in next years Europa League. Another goal for Roberto Soldado, who has enjoyed a crackig season when fit, and a corker from Pedro Leon were enough to sink the visitors and leave them only needing a win against Atletico next week to seal European football for 2010/2011. What a job Michel has done at the Coliseum.

Sporting Gijon 1 - 1 Atletico Madrid

(1-0) 57' De Las Cuevas, (1-1) 71' Ibra

Espanyol 2 - 1 Osasuna

(0-1) 5' Vadocz, (1-1) 49' Forlin, (2-1) 51' Osvaldo

Real Madrid running scared of Sevilla?

Perhaps I'm reading more into this than there is, but I don't find it a coincidence that Real Madrid have decided now is the right time to express their interest in Jesus Navas. The fact that they are interested shouldn't really come as much of a surprise, after all the speed demon is having a fantastic season with seven assists to his name as he reeks havoc down right wings up and down La Liga every weekend. But to suddenly expose this interest with an important home match against his team Sevilla on the horizon? Unsettling a vital cog in the Sevillano machine? They really don't need to get involved in that sort of business. Not with a team that is doing all its talking on the pitch; 17 goals in their last four league encounters.

Besides, would an out and out winger like Navas even fit in with Real Madrids masterplan? A 4-4-2 diamond inherently lacks pace on the flanks in midfield and requires the full-backs to provide the width and crosses, as Sergio Ramos and Marcelo have done so admirably. Would Navas be as effective at the head of that diamond? Unlikely. So unless Pelligrini seriously harbours plans to switch things around next year, this could just be another attempt to unsettle a team that could well dent their championship hopes if they get anything from tonights match in the Bernabeu. And let us not forget who scored the opener against Real Madrid in this seasons reverse fixture, whilst giving poor Marcelo a night to forget. I'll let the photo above do the talking.

La Liga News: 107 Real Madrid youth players across Europe

Barcelona may get plenty of recognition for 'La Masia', the youth set-up at Barca that continues to churn out some outstanding young talent, most recently Pedro and Jeffren, but today 'AS' reported the amazing statistic that there are 107 players playing professional football across Europe that were nutured in 'La Fábrica' at Real Madrid. 51 ply their trade in 'La Liga', 43 in 'La Segunda' and 13 overseas. Out of those who play in the Primera Division, Getafe is home to seven former Real Madrid youth players, with Soldado, Parejo, Belenguer, Adrián, Casquero, Miguel Torres and Codina all at home in the Coliseum.

Abroad you have Jordi Lopez in the Premiership, Javi Garcia and Balboa in Portugal, and it even streches as far as Armenia where Ulises and Pedro Lopez reside. Real Madrid themselves can only count on five at this moment in time, with Raul (contentious inclusion as he was originally an Atlético product), Guti and Casillas the old-timers joined more recently by Arbeloa (purchased from Liverpool) and Granero, with perhaps only Casillas and Arbeloa considered definite starters. If Real Madrid want to bridge the small gap that now separates them from their Catalan rivals, they will need to start turning these prospects into regular first-teamers, instead of letting talent such as Negredo and Soldado slip through their fingers.

La Liga 2009 Top Ten: The best of Spanish Football in 2009

What a year it has been for La Liga and Spanish Football in general. To cap it off in style, here is my 'Livin La Liga Top Ten' for 2009:

1. FC BARCELONA: There's no doubt the lasting memory of 2009 will be the spectacular six trophy haul by Barcelona. That injury time goal from Iniesta at Chelsea, the famous 2-6 victory in the Bernabeu and Guardiolas tears after the World Club Cup win which sealed the unprecedented sextruplet. A special mention should also go to Mr Lionel Messi after leading from the front all year and bagging all the personal awards since. This team has been immortalised in footballing history and then some.

2. SPANISH NATIONAL TEAM: Just the one defeat all year, a faultless World Cup qualifying campaign and the number one ranking in the world. Many thought it would be a tough task for Vicente Del Bosque following their Euro 2008 triumph, but the changeover has been seamless. 47 goals and 15 wins out of 16 matches is all the evidence you need. Simply the best.

3. REAL MADRID SPENDING SPREE: Florentino has been widely criticised for his spending spree (outside of Madrid of course), but I thought it was box office. The summer of 2009 was a journalists dream as Florentino handpicked some of Europes finest to grace La Liga. Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaká, Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso were the biggest names to join the new 'Galacticos' and turn Spanish Football into the home of the worlds finest. It will interesting to see what 2010 holds in store for Real Madrid.

4. IKER MUNIAIN: 2009 saw the rapid rise of Spanish footballs newest star. Iker Muniain has broken all sorts of records at the San Mames this year, demonstrating along the way a potential that is ready to explode in 2010. With electric pace, a Messi-esque touch, an eye for goal and a fiery never-say-die attitude, the youth set-up at Athletic Bilbao has unearthed another gem.

5. MALLORCA AND GREGORIO MANZANO: The Real Madrids and Barcelonas may get the plaudits, but the job Gregorio Manzano and his Mallorca team are doing is just as noteworthy. With dwindling attendances, boardroom problems, a tiny budget and a set of modest footballers, Mallorca prove the doubters wrong week in week out. After a commendable ninth place finish last season, they are sitting pretty in fifth as 2009 comes to a close. Spectacular from the islanders.

6. PEDRO: It can't be long now until Pedro is a fixture in the Barca starting XI (if he isn't already) after sealing a stunning 2009 with the last gasp goal which kept Barcelona in the World Club Cup final. The match before he wrote his name in the record books as the only player in footballing history to have scored in all six major tournaments in one season. This year also saw him sign his first professional contract with the club, which ties him to Barca until 2014. What a year.

7. ATHLETIC BILBAO CUP FINAL 24 YEARS LATER: With their record of 23 Copa del Rey wins (only behind Barca who have 25) it was fantastic to see the Basque team back in a cup final 24 years after their last appearance in 1985. Although they ended up losing to the best team on the planet, Bilbao was transformed into a red and white wonderland and the excitement it stirred up in the city was spellbinding.

8. ESPANYOLS NEW HOME: Having spent 12 long years in their temporary home in Montjuic, Espanyol were finally given a new home in 2009 as they moved to the fantastic Estadi Cornellà-El Prat. It was always a sad sight to see them play at the soulless Olympic Stadium, which was almost always half-empty, so it's great to see Spains sixth most successful club in a brand-spanking new stadium.

9. XEREZ IN PRIMERA: Xerez, a small club with scarce financial resources, finished above the mighty Real Zaragoza to top 'La Segunda' and reach La Liga for the first time in their 62 year history. The little town in deep Andalucia went beserk and even though they are rock bottom as we enter 2010, the players and fans will always remember 2009 as the year they finally reached the summit of Spanish football.

10. DIEGO FORLAN: Diego Forlan has not looked back since he made his move to Spain from Manchester United and 2009 saw him snatch La Ligas 'Pichichi' title and Europes Golden Boot, both for the second time. He finished last season with 32 goals in 33 league encounters, and among them plenty of contenders for goal of the season. Even this season in a struggling Atlético side, he has netted 6 in 11. The Uruguayan has been lethal.