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...]
Ronaldo to Man Utd speculation growing as latest contract offer from Real is snubbed
It started out as a few Chinese whispers on this blog a couple of months back, that maybe, just maybe Portuguese midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo who was highly revered at his former club Manchester United may be on his way back to Old Trafford in the January transfer window. … [Read more...]
James Rodriguez a.k.a ‘The New Cristiano Ronaldo’ unlikely to move to Manchester United or Barca
Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo first came into prominence when he arrived in Manchester as a fresh-faced teenager in 2003 and subsequently set the Premier League alight for his club, helping them achieve domestic and European silverware galore scoring a whopping 84 goals in the process. Since his high-profile move to Real Madrid in 2009 however, United have never quite been the same which is why it has recently come to light that Sir Alex Ferguson's side are on the hunt for a new winger by the name of James Rodriquez, a Colombian starlet who has been dubbed as the 'South American' … [Read more...]
Kaka linked to Manchester United in loan deal
With Luka Modric's proposed move to Real Madrid supposedly nearing completion, seldom-used midfielder Kaka could be deemed surplus to requirements according to the Daily Mail and it's Manchester United among others who are interested in taking the Brazillian on loan. … [Read more...]
Athletic Club: A model for all to follow
I must confess, I knew very little about Athletic Bilbao before I witnessed their footballing master class against Manchester United in the Europa League earlier this year. How glad I am that I flicked over to Channel 5 that night to gaze in awe as the Basque side put English football’s finest to the sword. Quite a spectacle it was. … [Read more...]
Barca way behind in pre-season preparations
Even the most seasoned of pundits will tell you not to pay too much attention to a side's pre-season friendly results when formulating a prediction for their season. However, the over-whelming success for Barcelona recently has meant this rule has now kind of become exempt in a city where fans are accustomed to success and with two defeats on the bounce to Manchester United and Chivas, Barcelona boss Pepe Guardiola now faces a balancing act if he wishes his players to be ready for their opening away clash against big spending Malaga on the 21st August. … [Read more...]
Andy’s Ecuador Diary – Part One
Well it's been four days since I began my two week volunteer program in the Ecuadorian capital of Quito and from a footballing and cultual point of view it has so far been an amazing experience. … [Read more...]
Malaga can challenge at the top of La Liga next season
Malaga CF diehards up and down the Andalucian coast-line were rip-roaring in celebration last week following the news of the high-profile signing of Dutch international Ruud van Nistelrooy. The ex Real Madrid and Manchester United star's capture will go down as owner Sheikh Al-Thani's first notable signing since his acquisition of the club in 2010 and with a myriad of big-name signings no doubt on their way to La Rosaleda this summer, Malaga are poised to challenge at the very top of La Liga in their second season under their new ownership. … [Read more...]
Can United stop Barca?
With the 2-0 triumph of Barcelona in yesterday's heated El Clasico encounter, it seems all but certain that Pepe Guardiola's men will make next month's Champions League final, most likely to face fellow semi-finalists Man United as they themselves were 2-0 victors away at Schalke in their first-leg clash on Tuesday. … [Read more...]
Barcelona to face Port Vale in pre-season friendly
The youngsters of English League Two outfit Port Vale will have a dream opportunity to pit their wits against the likes of Lionel Messi, David Villa and Andreas Iniesta when they face Barcelona in a pre-season friendly this July. The lucrative friendly was secured by Port Vale when Pepe Guardiola's Barcelona needed a place to train before an upcoming friendly tournament with Manchester United. … [Read more...]