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Mallorca vs Real Madrid Report
Real Madrid are very serious about snatching La Liga’s trophy from Barcelona’s hands. They defeated Real Mallorca on Saturday night to open a temporary 8-point gap at the top of the table.
The game was as tight as the score line can suggest. The Spanish giants had to toil the ground until everything changed during the last quarter of match. Towards the end of the first period, Tomer Herned put the hosts in front. Real Mallorca were deserving on this lead. Anti-Madridistas could join the home crowd in anxiety; how long would Mallorca hold on to this victory?
At the break, the home team was still in front. Sergio Ramos’ 45th minute effort was not accurate enough to cross the line. His firm header clashed against the post.
Osasuna vs Barcelona Report
A second choice side was more than enough for Barcelona to triumph on aggregate and reach the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey, at the expense of Osasuna.
Ballon d’Or 2011 winner Lionel Messi and nominee Xavi were excluded from the starting XI – while Puyol, Busquets and Fabregas also had a chance to rest their feet. The visitors’ only aim was to maintain their first leg advantage, and they did so in style.It wasn’t until the 41st minute that spectators witnessed the first goal of the match - not for Barca though, but rather for the hosts. Dejan Lekic stroke the ball past Pinto after Raoul stole the ball from Sergi Roberto, giving Osasuna the possibility to get back into the game.
But things happened to turn back in the full favour of the Catalans early in the second half. Forward Alexis Sanchez nicely converted a low cross from Adriano to level the score line on 49 minutes.
Barcelona favourites against Osasuna: El Clasico guaranteed?
Real Madrid have already booked their place in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals and Barcelona are an inch away from joining them in the Last 8. Will there be a pair of Clasicos this month?
Most likely, yes… Barcelona won their first leg encounter in the on-going stage 4-0 against Los Rojillos. That result places them in perfect position to eye two meetings against arch-rivals Real Madrid in the following round.If ever Osasuna wish to overturn their opening leg’s score line, then they will have to keep a clean sheet this evening and score at least 5 goals. Should they concede a goal, their mission will be made harder, and being realistic; success on their behalf is not very possible at this stage.
For Barcelona, a terribly shocking exit would remind them of their disgusting disqualification from the Copa del Rey almost five years ago, when they got overpowered by Getafe on aggregate despite a 5-2 victory at the Camp Nou. This is not something Barca fans are currently anticipating; but then, they should hence prepare themselves to face Madrid twice this month.
Osasuna vs Barcelona Preview
A 4-0 first leg advantage over Osasuna should be enough to give Barcelona all the confidence in the world in their next Copa del Rey match; but work still has to be done.
In his pre-match press conference, Barca coach Pep Guardiola warned: “There are 90 minutes left and Osasuna have their virtues, which we already know about. It's our duty to think we still have work to do.”The official club website also quoted him saying: “All grounds are complicated, and this one especially, for its size and the way they play. We know it will be cold, and we'll see how the pitch is.”
Barcelona will be without Iniesta, Maxwell and Alves. B team players Montoya, Cuenca and Sergi Roberto trained with 18 other first team players, and all three of them have been included in the squad.
Lionel Messi admits that once he leaves Barcelona his dream is to retire in Argentina
The three-time FIFA World Player of the Year reiterated his desire to retire from professional soccer at Newell's Old Boys.
FIFA World Player of the Year Lionel Messi admitted that if he were to leave Barcelona it would only be to return to a club from his native Argentina."In Europe I want to play for Barcelona, I'd stay here always. The more time I can stay here, the better for me, I feel really comfortable and very liked. But before retiring I want to play in my country, I'm very sure that I want to play in Argentina. It is a dream of mine and it will come true," Messi declared to Buenos Aires sports newspaper Ole.
Since arriving on the world-stage Messi has always affirmed his intentions to one day return to Newell's Old Boys, the Rosario-based club where he commenced his youth career.
Landslide win for Messi over Ronaldo and Xavi in 2011 FIFA Ballon d’Or triumph
Lionel Messi can rest assured. The Barcelona and Argentina forward will most likely retire as a widely acclaimed legend.
The FIFA Awards gala took place on Monday night without the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho of Real Madrid. In fact, the stage was set for Messi to create history. The explosive play maker scooped his third straight FIFA Ballon d’Or award to match the record of France’s great Michel Platini.Lionel Messi (44.78%) cruised to an emphatic win against the likes of nominees Cristiano Ronaldo (21.60%) and Xavi Hernandez (9.23%). Brazilian legend Ronaldo handed the prize to La Pulga, who stated afterwards:
“It’s a huge pleasure to win the third time, a big honour. I want to thank the teammates, players and coaches that voted for me. I want to thank my Barcelona and Argentina teammates, without them this would have been impossible.”
Barcelona refuse to moan about denied penalty in 1-1 draw away to Espanyol
Real Madrid are known to blame referees when loosing points controversially. Archrivals Barcelona, however, want to stay distant from any sort of criticism directed to match officials.
On Sunday night, Barcelona secured nothing more than a draw away to Espanyol in the Catalan derby. The eventful match saw the visitors hit the net thrice. However, two of their three strikes got rightfully disallowed—the first one for Messi’s handball in the buildup, the second one for offside.Cesc Fabregas gave Barcelona a first-half lead but Alvaro’s equalizer ended the game 1-1. Very late on, though, the Blaugrana could have stolen all three points. Raul Rodriguez handled the ball in the penalty box, but the match officials weren’t interested in awarding a spot kick.
“There is a referee for that, and if he has not seen it, it's not a penalty,” President Sandro Rosell told Canal Plus when asked to comment on this crucial incident.
FIFA Ballon d’Or 2011: Title holder Lionel Messi’s 2011 year in stats – Debate
The FIFA Ballon d’Or 2011 award ceremony is what football fans await, but can last year’s winner Lionel Messi triumph over Cristiano Ronaldo and Xavi this time?
Undoubtedly, 2011 was a year filled with excitement for followers of the game. Messi fans would generally not disagree, considering that the Barcelona playmaker also excelled for the Blaugrana.
Looking at the fact that he won La Liga, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, the Spanish Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup, it is easy to conclude that he clearly deserves to be the Ballon d’Or 2011 winner. But fans interested in international football certainly have a different point of view.
The Copa America was a competition on which all eyes were set; and again, Messi was initially the main man behind the competition’s attraction. Unfortunately though, he was unable to prove himself for his country, leading many spectators to assume that he was simply a good player at club level.
Espanyol vs Barcelona Report
With Real Madrid demolishing Granada 5-1 on Saturday night, Barcelona needed nothing less than 3 points against Espanyol to keep the pressure on their rivals.
Los Cules wasted no time in imposing themselves through their usual passing game. Espanyol however fired first, with Joan Verdu twice testing the Barca defence in a single intense moment. At their turn, the hosts attempted to keep possession and control the game; but they suffered a scare on 13 minutes when Messi set up Fabregas for the opener - only to see the referee rule out the goal for handball. It was eventually a yellow card for Messi, but Barcelona quickly responded with a clean goal on 16 minutes, again from Cesc Fabregas.
A powerful header from the Spaniard following an assist from Dani Alves was enough to give the visitors the lead; yet, Alvarez could blame himself for bad goalkeeping. Both sides afterward tried to pressure each other; but somehow, it was the FIFA Club World Cup winners who seemed to be on top of the game.
No FIFA Ballon d’Or for award nominee Cristiano Ronaldo on Monday, January 9
Don’t expect Lionel Messi’s rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, to lift the 2011 FIFA Ballon d’Or award on the podium come Monday night.
The truth is that the Real Madrid and Portugal star winger will not even attend the ceremony. Along with his manager, Jose Mourinho, Cristiano Ronaldo will remain in Spain to respect the club’s fixture list.Real Madrid actually have a crucial match to play against Malaga in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday night. Barcelona, meanwhile, will engage in cup action on Thursday. The timing of the awards night definitely doesn’t interfere with the schedule of FIFA Ballon d’Or nominees Xavi and Lionel Messi.
Speaking about Messi, he is the hot favorite to triumph on Monday night. The skill of the reigning Champions League, La Liga, Spanish Supercopa and FIFA Club World Cup champion is approved by millions of football fans around the globe.
Espanyol vs Barcelona Preview
Barcelona’s quest for the top spot in La Liga continues on Sunday when they face Espanyol at the Cornella El Prat in the highly anticipated Catalan derby.
After being named the best club coach in the world for the second consecutive time, Pep Guardiola can aim for another achievement against his city rivals. According to the International Federation of Football History & Statistics, Guardiola received 201 points in the survey, while Jose Mourinho came second with 112 points and Sir Alex Ferguson came third with 107 points.But this weekend, Guardiola can prove why he is the best in the business, with what could be a historic triumph against Espanyol. Indeed, if ever Real Madrid were to lose their game against Granada on Saturday evening, then Barcelona could steal the pole position and lead the table on goal difference for as long as they can.
Barcelona vs Osasuna: The game will not be easy, says Guardiola
Barcelona play Osasuna later in the day in the Copa del Rey, but Pep Guardiola believes the match will look nothing like the meeting they had earlier this season.
Barcelona destroyed Osasuna 8-0 in a league match on 17 September 2011 at the Camp Nou. The two clubs once again face each other in Cataluña, but Guardiola is not even eyeing an easy challenge.“That was a long time ago,” he said while referring to his side’s major triumph over Los Rojillos. “The situation has changed.”
Preferring to look at his mission in its entirety, he added: “This is a 180-minute match and we have to try to get a good result.”
Indeed, good results are just what Barcelona need if they are to get through their busy schedule this month with satisfaction. Using the team’s key players wisely is the central idea of Guardiola’s plan, but he has yet to decide whether Lionel Messi will perform tonight or not.
Barcelona could meet Real Madrid in January 2012 after Osasuna in Copa del Rey
January 2012 is not just any month for FC Barcelona. They have a bunch of tough games awaiting them, and already, Osasuna are poised to give the giants a dreadful start to the New Year.
The Barcelona vs Osasuna fixture in the Copa del Rey, kicking off on 4 January 2012 at 4pm EST, will be played over two legs. The return leg takes place eight days after; that means only four days after the big Catalan derby in the Spanish La Liga: Espanyol vs Barcelona.This is a game the defending league champions would not want to lose. With a draw against their rivals certainly not being part of their plans for this month, much effort will be needed to keep Barcelona in La Liga title race.
This goes without saying that they will have to snatch a huge advantage against Osasuna on Wednesday, just so they can have a chance to use minimal energy on January 12 at the Estadio Reyno de Navarra. Three days after their last Copa del Rey match in the Round of 16 this season, Barcelona face Real Betis.
The Barcelona and Real Madrid rivalry: are Los Blancos jealous of the Catalans?
Expect Barcelona followers to answer the question above with a capital “YES” even if Real Madrid and their fans insist that they are not jealous of the Catalans…
“Jealous? We do not envy any other team! I play for the best club in the world. Real Madrid are the biggest club in the world and it's impossible for us to be jealous of other clubs.”This is what Portuguese defender Pepe recently told AS as the ping-pong conversation between the two camps continues.
When Barcelona came back from the FIFA Club World Cup victorious, they got acclaimed as the best team in the world and possibly in history. Pep Guardiola’s team exhibited football at its best with emphatic wins over Al Sadd and South American champions Santos in the semis and in the final respectively.
Alexis Sanchez wants to continue to win titles with Barcelona
The Chilean ace has already won three titles since joining the Spanish giants in July.
Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez expressed his desire to continue winning titles with Barcelona. Even though the former Udinese winger has only been at the European champions for five months, he has already won three titles with them."I'm very happy with the three titles, but we have to continue to add more. I don't think about stopping, neither does the team," affirmed Alexis in the airport of Santiago, on his arrival to Chile to spend the Christmas holidays with his family.
With the Barcelona shirt, the Chilean has already obtained the Spanish Super Cup, The European Super Cup and more recently the Club World Cup. Alexis failed to participate in the final against Santos due to a muscle strain.
Carlos Bianchi believes "Messi is better than Maradona and Pele"
The prized tactician regards his blessed countryman as the greatest player of all time.
According to former Argentine coach Carlos Bianchi, Lionel Messi and his club Barcelona are from a completely different planet when compared to the rest.Bianchi, who coached Boca Juniors, Atletico Madrid and AS Roma, amongst others, summed up Barcelona's Club World Cup triumph over Santos as incredible. He believes the 4-0 thrashing confirmed Barcelona's status as the best team in history.
"We are in the presence of the best team in history," stated Bianchi.
"Something similar occurred to me in respect to Lionel Messi: a few days ago, I did a talk for a business, and in the middle of the conference a Brazilian asked me who I considered as the best player in history, Pele or [Diego] Maradona. I responded with all the respect that both deserved, in this moment I see Messi as being superior to everyone."
Champions Real Madrid and favorites Barcelona to rock midweek Copa del Rey stage
La Liga won’t return until January 2012 but the Copa del Rey will provide Spanish football followers with entertainment this week.
Los Blancos posses a 2-0 advantage over Ponferradina ahead of tonight’s second leg. However, coach Jose Mourinho has urged Real Madrid to bury overconfidence.A couple of years ago, Real Madrid got stunned by Alcorcon in the early stages of the Copa del Rey. The prospects of a giant-killing by Ponferradina perhaps exist as Mourinho seemed to suggest during Monday’s pre-match press conference.
“The result we earned in the first leg is good, but not definitive,” the outspoken Portuguese manager declared.
Santos vs Barcelona Preview
The 2011 FIFA Club World Cup final between Barcelona and Santos is heated up with the thrilling individual battle between Neymar and Lionel Messi.
Somehow, the Neymar-Messi rivalry has become more notable in recent weeks due to Pele’s controversial statement that placed the Brazilian far ahead of the Barcelona superstar in terms of accomplishment.Pele stated that what made Neymar a more complete player was his ability to score goals and to play well with both feet, on both flanks, and for his club as well as for his country. Hence, Sunday will be a time for correction for Messi in the Club World Cup final.
Even if nothing changes Pele’s opinion, both players should at least prove themselves in a game on which all eyes will be set. Below, we look at both players’ run in the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup so far:
Barca’s Pedro to dedicate 2011 FIFA Club World Cup title to Villa and Tito
FC Barcelona face Santos in the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup final in Yokohama, and the Catalans are willing to prove that the team is as united as ever.
With their only aim being to win the Club World Cup title once again, Barcelona are not ready to let anything get on their way. Key player Pedro Rodriguez declared that the announcement of David Villa’s injury came as the “worst news in the world”.Even so, the team is prepared to make the best out of what some would consider as bad luck: “Villa’s injury motivates us more, because he really wanted to win this title for the first time,” Pedro told the press.
But the club’s assistant manager is also in the players’ minds. Tito Vilanova underwent surgery in November following a problem with his parotid gland.
AC Milan vs Arsenal matchup highlights thrilling Champions League Last 16 draw
The fixtures for the Round of 16 of the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League draw have been revealed. In the highlight of the matchups, Milan and Arsenal will clash against each other in a two-legged tie.
Bayern Munich perhaps got the easiest draw. The German giants will face Switzerland’s Basel. Bayern’s German neighbors, Leverkusen, will have a much tougher task in the form of Pep Guardiola’s invincible Barcelona. Jose Mourinho and his hungry team will need to face the cold weather of Russia. Real Madrid got paired with powerhouse CSKA Moscow.
Zenit and Benfica will vie against each other for quarter-finals tickets. It could be a close affair between the Russians and the Portuguese in this Europa League-like tie.