Jose Mourinho has claimed one Clasico victory this week ahead of the league game at the Bernabeu on Saturday, an emphatic 3-1 win at the Nou Camp in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday evening. Revelling in the aftermath of a famous and boisterous win at the home of their fiercest rivals, it may come across that Real revealed their priorities this week. The 16 point gap between themselves and Barcelona gave the Copa clash a fierce ultimatum that could have all but signalled a majorly unsuccessful season for Madrid. However, the result has invigorated a volatile side who have underperformed greatly … [Read more...]
Barcelona struggling to meet their standards without Tito
Barcelona boss Tito Vilanova's treatment for cancer has been well documented and having led the team to the summit of La Liga with a record points total, he departed the club in a dominant position. However, since Vilanova left for America in late January it has been clear that the standard of Barcelona's play has dropped, culminating in the disastrous 2-0 loss in Milan which has made an exit from the Champions League in the round of 16 a real possibility with three pivotal games against Real Madrid and Milan coming up quickly. … [Read more...]
Raphael Varane – the next great central defender
Not many are able to force their way onto the cusp of the Real Madrid starting eleven these days, but even fewer manage to do so at such a tender age as Raphael Varane. The 19 year old Frenchman has, over the past few months, presented a strong case to manager Jose Mourinho for a regular starting place with a number of assured displays at the heart of the Madrid back four. Madrid's best kept secret is out and now the world is aware of Varane's ability with praise coming from all directions. … [Read more...]
Honours even at the Bernabeu but tricky tests await for Valencia and Atletico
Real Madrid fought back from a goal down to level their UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg with Manchester United on Wednesday thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo's header against his former club. Ronaldo cancelled out Danny Welbeck's earlier strike and ensured Madrid go into the game at Old Trafford in three weeks time on level terms. It could have been very different for Mourinho's men however as they created the majority of chances and but for some sensational stops from United's David De Gea, the home team could have ended the tie on the night. The Spanish stopper expertly denied Fabio … [Read more...]
Suspicious in Sociedad
Real Sociedad have been improving of late with three wins from their last four games but have been rocked by allegations of match-fixing and doping. The team from the Basque Country currently occupy 8th position but have come under close scrutiny of late following an interview with the club's former President Inaki Badiola in Spanish newspaper AS last Monday. Badiola, President at La Anoeta for a 12 month spell in 2008, suggested that Sociedad players had used 'illegal medicine bought with dirty money from the black market' in a spell under former President Jose Luis Astiazaran, current head … [Read more...]
Bilbao return to their imperious best
Athletic Bilbao's resounding victory over Atletico Madrid on Sunday sent shockwaves of fear reverberating around the Primera Division. In a repeat of the 2012 Europa League final, Bilbao gave Atletico a real lesson and a slice of revenge for the humiliation in Bucharest last season, winning 3-0. We saw shades of Bilbao returning to the force they once were and the team we'd yearned to see for so long, but can the team achieve moderate success in light of their outstanding season in 2011/12? … [Read more...]
Courtois proves Atletico are more than just Falcao
Thibaut Courtois and the rest of the Atletico Madrid team have been unfairly overlooked in recent weeks thanks to Falcao's brilliance in firing the team up to second in the league. Whilst nothing should be said to undermine the all round team effort of Atletico Madrid, there are certainly some stars who have shone brighter than others this season and Chelsea loanee Courtois is definitely one of them. … [Read more...]
Why La Liga is not the best league worldwide
La Liga dominated the Ballon d'Or gala with all eleven players in World Team of the Year coming from the Spanish league. Despite some odd inclusions such as Dani Alves and Gerard Pique, both of whom spent large parts of 2012 out injured and out of form (Javier Mascherano arguably performed better at centre back than Pique last year), the system of voting was carried out in the most democratic way possible - selected by fellow professionals from every FIFA nation. As a result it led to pundits proclaiming La Liga to be the 'best league in the world', which can be instantly dismissed due to the … [Read more...]
Is Mourinho ignoring his own policy?
Iker Casillas' recent omission can be justified, according to the man responsible. Jose Mourinho believes that no man should be seen as bigger than the team and based on Casillas' irregular form over the first half of the season, Mourinho has reacted based on his performances. The severity of the switch cannot be thought of as merely rotation given Casillas' illustrious career as Mourinho further antagonised both the fans and directors above with his decision, perhaps confirming what Florentino Perez intends to do with Mourinho's contract in the summer. Yet by causing such mayhem that has made … [Read more...]
5 La Liga stars who could be on the move this January
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...]