With no representatives in Friday's quarter final draw of the UEFA Champions League, can the English Premier League still seriously lay claims to being the best league in World football, or is it time to acknowledge that they have slipped behind La Liga and the Bundesliga (with 3 and 2 clubs representing each respective domestic league). … [Read more...]
Déjà vu for Modrić and Manchester United?
It was less than 12 months ago that Luka Modrić was heavily linked with a move to Manchester United. Some sections of the English media even had it as a done deal, but could the move become a reality this summer? … [Read more...]
Barça Rely on Camp Nou Spirit for Champions League Comeback
F.C. Barcelona went through a light training and preparatory session at lunchtime today at the Camp Nou in advance of the return leg of their last 16 Champions League tie against A.C. Milan this evening. However, the Blaugrana know that their attitude and approach to the game once the match has kicked off can be anything but light as they seek to overturn a first leg deficit. … [Read more...]
Transfer Speculation: Is Victor Valdes on his way to a Premier League club?
Victor Valdés could well have played his last clásico for the blaugrana at the Bernabeu today in the 2-1 defeat at the hands of Real Madrid, The sending off of the Catalan keeper at the end of the match was a clear sign of his frustration at the non-award of a penalty on Adriano in the whites box and Barça’s inability to take anything from a match which lacked the usual intensity of recent clásicos. In the referee’s official match report, the decision was made as Valdés repeatedly told him “you have no shame, you have no shame”. In truth Barça were pedestrian and looked as if they lacked any … [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...]
Falcao’s price tag just keeps rising
Ex-Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neil must still have nightmares about that one fateful day in the January 2009 transfer window where he rejected a £7m offer of Club Atletico Riverplate's plucky young striker Radamel Falcao and opted to sign Emile Heskey instead. Many Villa fans will be wondering what could have been should the Colombian striker have signed for the midlands club that season and the likelihood is it would have been the best signing in their recent history judging by the striker's devastating form in front of goal this year. … [Read more...]
Jose would be welcomed back at the Bridge
He oozes charisma, he's full of confidence and if the young 'hipsters' have a say, he also has 'swag'. Jose Mourinho is Roman Abramovich's ideal manager. Still to this day he probably regrets giving him the boot and it's fair to say Chelsea have never looked like the same force despite the trophies since the 'Special one' left. Pep Guardiola's is the supposed successor to the 'hardest job in football' after Rafa's done the dirty work but he would have been implemented straight away if he wasn't committed to staying on his break in New York. Despite this, it's hard to imagine if Mourinho comes … [Read more...]
Falcao – will El Tigre leave?
As speculation continues and nearly all of Europe has picked up on it, we can now see that Radamel Falcao's move to the Premier League is a high possibility. Since the Super Cup against Chelsea where Falcao nabbed a hat-trick, there have been a few clubs that have announced interest. The most likely suitors are Manchester City and Chelsea. Who wouldn't want Falcao? … [Read more...]
Chelsea among favourites to land Falcao signature in January transfer window
There are no two ways about it, Atletico Madrid are on a roll in La Liga right now. With 19 points from their first seven games they sit level with league leaders Barcelona in La Primera Division and their win against fellow high flyers Malaga at the weekend proved to everyone that Diego Simeone's side will be a force to be reckoned with this season. … [Read more...]
Disappointing European week for Spanish sides
Barcelona, Real Madrid, Athletic Bilbao and Valencia all lost in European competitions this week in a shocking few days for the Spanish league. On the plus side however, Atletico Madrid recorded a positive 4-2 victory but only at the expense of their La Liga rivals, Valencia. Beginning on Tuesday, Real Madrid slumped to defeat in Munich as Bayern scored a late winner to give them the advantage going into the second leg next Wednesday. Franck Ribery fired the hosts ahead in the first half but Mesut Ozil leveled the score just after half-time. Real seemed … [Read more...]