Having arrived on British shores unknown in the summer, Swansea striker Michu has exploded onto the scene, briefly topping the Premier League scoring charts with 13 goals to his name. Priced at roughly £2m, he is proving to be the bargain of the season and other clubs have begun to focus on what gems could be unearthed beneath the Barca-Real dominance. We detail 5 potential exports who could make a similar impact in foreign leagues from some of the unheralded La Liga teams. … [Read more...]
Vilanova to undergo cancer treatment
Barcelona boss Tito Vilanova has today had surgery on his salivary gland as he prepares to battle his second bout of cancer. Vilanova last year underwent similar surgery when a cancerous tumour was removed from his throat and now faces the same process with six weeks of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to follow. The Catalan club released a statement at 6pm last night confirming the reports which had streamed out prior to the official announcement. Club President Sandro Rosell expressed his unconditional support to Tito and his family. … [Read more...]
Lionel Messi – What Next?
At just 25, very few can claim to have rewritten history by their mid-twenties but Lionel Messi, as we are so often reminded, is not a regular human being. Whilst many of the same age look to grow up and plan for the next step though, Messi too has to enter a new phase of his career. Finished with 'Gerd Muller's Guide to Scoring Goals in a Calendar Year', Messi faces no choice but to divulge himself in another chapter of life like many of us have had to at some point. … [Read more...]
Mourinho expected to leave in June
Spanish newspaper Marca has been running extensive news stories and features about Jose Mourinho's exit from Real Madrid for the past week but there still remains much confusion about Mourinho's status within the Santiago Bernabeu. The tabloid first published rumours of Mourinho's departure on Monday, though lacking firm evidence, it stated that President Florentino Perez would negotiate a package for Mourinho in June 2013 as he'd had enough of the Portuguese boss trying to take control of the hierarchy. … [Read more...]
Leo ensures Rayo aren’t missing Michu
Having scored 17 goals in 2011/12 to save Rayo Vallecano's troubled Spanish La Liga status in their debut season, Michu was always set to leave the minnows of Vallecas. Fans bode no grudges towards their former saviour but felt almost consigned to imminent relegation after staving off the drop by only a matter of seconds just months before. Michu had been the surprise of the season, having joined for free from Celta Vigo the summer before, and stunned La Liga with a stream of goals that ensured Rayo were allowed to tread water for ample time, but the 2012/13 season would be near impossible to … [Read more...]
What has happened to Athletic Bilbao?
Since losing in two major cup finals last season, Athletic Bilbao have disappeared from the the footballing radar of late. The Basque side are well off of the pace in Spanish La Liga and tumbled out of the Europa League on Thursday despite not travelling to a war troubled Israel for their game. This is the exact team who humbled Manchester United in the competition last season, so why have the club faltered so much lately? Bilbao suffered defeat in both the Europa League and Copa del Rey finals and a summer exodus of their impeccably talented roster … [Read more...]
Messi closes in on Muller’s record
A brace against Zaragoza took Lionel Messi to within just 7 goals of Gerd Muller's world record of 85 strikes in a calendar year. Messi scored the opener with a lovely left footed finish after a 1-2 with Jordi Alba and then curled in a lovely shot to make the scoreline 3-1. He also had a hand in the other goal, Alex Song's winner, as Messi laid the ball back for the Cameroonian midfielder to score. Now on 78 goals in 2012, Messi has roughly 7 or 8 games left to break Muller's record and stake another claim to being perhaps the greatest striker ever to have graced the game. … [Read more...]
Deportivo on the verge of administration
Deportivo La Coruna could be the latest Spanish club to enter administration if reports from last week are to be believed. According to local paper La Voz de Galicia, the Spanish Treasury are sequestering the incomes of the club after Deportivo failed to pay a sum of the €32m debt the club owes. This comes as a result of the crippling financial crisis encompassing Spain as the Treasury begins to take further measures with clubs. Local media reports suggest that negotiations … [Read more...]
Poor start continues for Sanchez
Quite how Alexis Sanchez merited a starting role against Celtic last night astounded those who have kept an eye on the Chilean winger's recent form as his woeful run continued. He lasted 59 minutes, wasting two wonderful chances, before Vilanova hauled him off in place of David Villa. In truth Villa contributed little to the dismal defeat in Glasgow last night but with six goals already this season, compared to just the single strike from Sanchez, he was surely discontent at facing another spell on … [Read more...]
Mourinho frustrated by Madrid youth system
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has spoken out against recent criticism concerning the club's Castilla team. The Portuguese boss had come under scrutiny recently because of supposedly blocking aspiring players from the B team from playing in the first team. However, Mourinho has responded to these statements by blaming the club's youth system and Castilla head coach Alberto Toril. The Spanish soccer press had been stirring up accusations all last week accusing Mourinho of buying his way out of trouble and … [Read more...]