Eighty minutes in and it looked like PSG were going to come away from the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium with the perfect score draw and thus putting the balance power in the hands of Paris. However, Ronaldo and Marcelo had other ideas and late strikes by the pair gives the defending European title holders a heavy advantage as they head to the Parc des Princes for a critical last sixteen-second leg tie. But do not think for a second that it is game over. If Real have proved anything this season, it is that they have the capability to implode as witnessed once again at the weekend when they … [Read more...]
Can Valencia take a Champions League spot this season?
Having been the first Spanish team this century to offer serious resistance to the dominance of Real Madrid and Barcelona, winning La Liga twice and reaching back-to-back Champions League finals, Valencia’s decline has been gradual but palpable. The last time they finished third in La Liga was 2012, and they haven’t reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League since 2007. Consecutive 12th-placed finishes in their last two seasons were their worst league results since 1988, and only once in the last five seasons have they earned a top-four spot and qualification for the Champions … [Read more...]
Mauricio Pochettino proving his worth as future Real Madrid boss
Taking on the mantle as manager of a club as gigantic as Real Madrid takes Europe’s absolute elite, proven by past alumni Vicente del Bosque, Fabio Capello, Jupp Heynckes, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Rafa Benitez, but it’s hard to know which direction to take next after getting through all of world football’s highest rated coaches. Former club legend Zinedine Zidane stands as current manager, enjoying records of conducting a side with the fifth most amount of goals scored in club history, and achieving the third ever lowest amount of goals conceded by a Real Madrid manager in charge … [Read more...]
Can Ronaldo Hit the Limelight Once Again and Save Real Madrid?
Few can argue that Real Madrid are slightly off the boil at present despite putting three past PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday night. League form has been a significant cause for concern for the Real hierarchy with head coach Zinedine Zidane’s job hanging in the balance. So much so in fact, that unless an unprecedented third straight Champions League title is secured, a P45 will no doubt be finding its way onto the world cup winners doormat. However, it is not all doom and gloom for the Madrid side, as mentioned, Los Blancos have one foot in Europe’s elite club competition … [Read more...]
Copa del Rey Special: Pique Out as Valencia Eye the Title
The 2017/18 Copa Del Rey semi-finals second legs complete this week with a place in the final just 90 minutes away (barring extra time of course). Across the two semi-finals it is all to play for with Leganes and Sevilla entering their second leg finely poised at 1-1 with Barcelona holding a slender 1-0 lead over a resurgent Valencia. However, with Barcelona soon set to resume their Champions League campaign, the Valencianistes are eyeing a chance to take the crown away from the three-time defending champions with chinks in the seemingly unbreakable Barcelona armour starting to … [Read more...]