FIFA has announced a 23 man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or award which will be announced at a gala on January 7th 2013. Included in the list are seven players from the victorious Euro 2012 Spanish squad whilst 12 of the 23 selected ply their trade in La Liga. 6 Real Madrid players are named and 5 from Barcelona with Atletico Madrid's Falcao being the sole candidate exempt from the big two teams. FIFA and a group of experts from France compiled the list for national team coaches, captains and various journalists to vote from. … [Read more...]
Can Atletico really challenge for the title this season?
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a piece documenting the recent rise of Atletico Madrid and their desire to qualify for the Champions League next season. However since then, Atleti's form has been nothing short of scintillating, featuring 8 successive league wins and in Europe the club have been similarly dominant with Radamel Falcao at the helm. Currently level on points with Barcelona at the top of La Liga, Atleti's blistering start has given them reasons to be cheerful amidst rivals Real Madrid's patchy form but can they sustain it throughout the season? … [Read more...]
Barca win late but Real slip up – European round up
Seven La Liga sides were in European action this week with five of them picking up valuable wins in both the Champions League and Europa League. There were no draws between the teams from Spain and anyone else, sadly for Real Madrid who lost to Borussia Dortmund, but one game almost shocked the football world which had remained level up until the dying seconds. Barcelona's narrow victory over Celtic very nearly had the Nou Camp raging but a 94th minute goal from Jordi Alba ensured … [Read more...]
Pellegrino given timely boost but Los Che are losing patience
Since Unai Emery's messy resignation last season, Mauricio Pellegrino has had trouble in succeeding the unpopular manager at Valencia. Having led the team to a hat-trick of Champions League qualifications in La Liga, Emery's time at Los Che came to a sad ending and was ultimately forced out amid constant financial constraints and a perceived lack of improvement. Despite a Europa League semi-final last year, it was deemed that another coach would have to continue from where Emery left off. Of Argentine nationality, Pellegrino hails from the same country as Athletic Bilbao coach Marcelo Bielsa, … [Read more...]
Copa del Rey draw could see El Clasico semi-final
The draw for the latter rounds of the Copa del Rey was made today, setting up a potential semi-final between Barcelona and Real Madrid. Last year the two clubs met at the same stage with Barcelona progressing 4-3 on aggregate and the year before that the two met in the final. To find a season where the top two Spanish clubs didn't meet in the domestic cup you have to go back to the season before (09/10) when neither team made the final and Madrid were wiped away 4-1 on aggregate by third-tier Alcorcon. … [Read more...]
Problems within Espanyol appear to lead to imminent plight
As one Catalan club sits top of the La Liga table, another remains firmly rooted to the bottom. Espanyol have always been stranded in the imperious shadow of Barcelona, even when their boardroom crisis arguably merits more column inches than another El Clasico. Spanish website Mundo Deportivo.com revealed on Monday that the entirety of Espanyol's boardroom had resigned and allowed for elections to take place on the 25th November. This news comes as no shock concerning the recent and obvious dissatisfaction of the supporters of Espanyol. … [Read more...]
Sevilla performance will keep Barca on their toes
David Villa popped up to score late on against 10 man Sevilla on Saturday and maintain Barcelona's 100% record in La Liga and the Champions League this season but only after coming from 2-0 down. Below par for much of the first half and the start of the second, the Catalan club were somewhat lucky to avoid a similar fate as rivals Real Madrid. Amid the poor start from Madrid, who they face next week, Barca had been running away with La Liga and seemed intent on punishing the capital side. Instead Villa's late goal ensured Barcelona exited the game which they could so easily have lost with … [Read more...]
Atletico’s push for Champions League spot
As Spanish newspaper Marca continues to print stories relating to the inner capitulation at Real Madrid, neighbours Atletico have begun the season in sensational form. Los Rojiblancos are unbeaten in 12/13 and have won five consecutive games since the opening day draw with Levante and appear to seek more than another run in Europe's secondary competition next season. Currently holders of the Europa League, the competition serves as a reminder of their failure to secure qualification to their tournament of preference. Another crack at realistic glory … [Read more...]
City win temporarily covers dressing room cracks
Major inconsistency has blighted a campaign which appeared destined to go one better than last season for Real Madrid. In spite of recent cup victories over Barcelona and Manchester City, Mourinho's squad remains divided, rarely performing to the pinnacle of their combined abilities, especially in La Liga. Damaging defeats to teams who were once dominated by Ronaldo and co has plagued the beginning to their title defence. Rumours of rows within the team appear on the front pages of Marca almost daily and post-match criticism from Mourinho fuels added animosity. Two weeks ago Cristiano Ronaldo … [Read more...]
Terrible start angers Mourinho
Real Madrid's woeful start to the new La Liga season continued last night as Getafe humbled Los Blancos and took a 2-1 victory at La Coliseum. Goals from Juan Valera and Abdelaziz Barrada turned the game around in the second half after Gonzalo Higuain had given Real the lead, which infuriated boss Jose Mourinho so much that he publicly blasted his star studded team. Having now lost two and drawn one of their three games so far it stands as one of the worst beginnings to a new campaign in decades for Madrid. … [Read more...]