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Barcelona-Real Madrid rivalry takes its toll in 2011/12 La Liga race: No more rest for the Catalans
Can FC Barcelona afford to drop any more points with a Real Madrid side that might have found their groove? Not if they want to defend their Liga title.
A 100% record in La Liga was probably not FC Barcelona’s aim at the start of the season; but in view of Real Madrid’s solidification, they are advised to go for perfection.Yes, Barcelona have been trying to give their fans the very best. Surely, never did they allow themselves to get carried away by complaisance; but in contrast, their results in La Liga have not always been positive.
Failing to accomplish missions or dropping points are things that can happen from time to time. Yet, mistakes seem to get massive exposure when they come at an unexpected moment.
Sevilla vs Real Madrid Report
Real Madrid got back to their best on Saturday night, putting their defeat in El Clasico behind. 10-man Los Blancos forced 10-man Sevilla to a 6-2 defeat.
Following his impotent display against Barcelona at the Bernabeu, Cristiano Ronaldo became the center of attraction ahead of the Sevilla encounter. But the Portuguese number 7 responded to his critics with an energetic performance throughout.Ronaldo broke the deadlock inside the 10th minute after combining well with assist maker Di Maria. Varas was left with absolutely no chance. A couple of minutes later, Manu went extremely close to leveling the score for Sevilla.
Casillas, however, had the last word. The Spaniard’s acrobatic save denied the hosts from getting a goal. Javi Varas suffered punishment for a second time in the game as Callejon continued his great form by netting a 37th minute strike.
Sevilla vs Real Madrid Preview
The Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan will be used by two wounded clubs – Sevilla and Real Madrid – on Saturday night.
Real Madrid’s many records related to their long winning streak collapsed all at once under the supremacy of Barcelona last weekend. It’s back to zero for Los Blancos but the situation is not critical. The fight to regain the top spot in La Liga is well in their hands, since newly-appointed league leaders Barca have played one game more.“There is no inferiority. They have the same amount of points as us, and on Saturday, they can have one or three points fewer,” Mourinho reminded in an encounter with the press last weekend.
Jose Mourinho might not ask for a flurry of goals from his team. Even a 1-0 win would suffice Los Blancos; their sole intention right now is to prove to the world that what happened in El Clasico stays in the past.
Barcelona vs Sevilla Report
Barcelona faced Sevilla with hopes of snatching another 3 points in La Liga. Unfortunately, they could only manage a bitter 0-0 draw.
The hosts began with a 4-3-3 formation with Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi and David Villa forming the front zone. Sevilla relied on a 4-2-3-1 structure, placing Manu Del Moral as the main man in charge of the goals.Iniesta came close twice in the first 10 minutes, forcing goalkeeper Varas to react rapidly. However, it was Abidal’s mistake in his own half on 12 minutes that gave Navas a great chance on goal. But with Valdes alert, the score line had to stay the same.
Sevilla kept fighting with courage as they refused to be intimidated by the home crowd. Indeed, they managed to stay in control for most of the first half.
Barcelona vs Sevilla Preview
FC Barcelona have two main options ahead of their game against Sevilla: move 5 points ahead of the Sevillistas in La Liga table, or drop a point behind them.
As at now, Barca still share their top position with the brave Levante. They are then followed by arch-rivals Real Madrid - who are just behind with 16 points - and then followed by fourth place Sevilla, who have 15.Both the Catalans and Sevilla are unbeaten this season. Marcelino García Toral’s boys have drawn thrice in La Liga so far, while Pep Guardiola’s club have only failed to grab wins twice.
Seeing how close they are in the race for the league title at present, it will be important for each side to try to get in control of the match in the early minutes. On several occasions under the Guardiola era, Barcelona’s midfielders have opted to prove their power by keeping the ball in their zone for very long.
In-control Barcelona poised to reaffirm their strength against Sevilla
Rampant Real Madrid are gaining more confidence lately but does it mean that Barcelona are losing some of their shining light?
“What Madrid can do, Barca can do better,” pro-Catalans believe. “Barca play very well and win titles,” Cruyff said this week “but Real Madrid play well and crash in El Clasico” added football fans. On Tuesday, Los Blancos made things so easy against French giants Olympique Lyon to maintain their perfect record in the UEFA Champions League. At the delight of the home crowd, Real Madrid scored 4 goals and kept a clean sheet to steal the show on the night.
Considering the size and inexperience of Viktoria Plzen, Los Blancos’ rivals Barcelona were expected to do "better" by banging a flurry of goals in the net of Viktoria Plzen on Wednesday night. The Catalans did not respond to this expectation. Still, they ran away with 3 massive points to keep pace with Group H leaders AC Milan.
Valencia’s Championship Credentials will be put to the Test by Sevilla
Valencia currently occupies the top spot in La Liga under Real Betis takes to the pitch. Many expected them to have problems after the departure of Juan Mata.
Valencia is in plenty of debt. The dream of a new stadium with 75,000 seats was put to a hold by the financial crisis. The initial idea was to sell the Mestalla and to pay for the new stadium with that money. Due to the crisis, nobody was willing to purchase the Mestalla. Valencia then became a selling club. They had to sell to stay afloat.Consequently, David Villa and David Silva went out the door. Then went Juan Mata. Luckily for the club, they have a smart manager in Unai Emery. Emery has been in charge of the team since 2008. He has made all the right moves to keep the club together and make sure they finish consistently in the Champions League spots.
La Liga Strike Issue: LFP To Come Back To ‘Common Sense’ Or Follow Strike Plan?
The Spanish Professional Football League (LFP) is ready to postpone matchday 30 of La Liga subsequent to a TV dispute with the government, but will the strike really go on after all the muddle?
La Liga Strike Threat: The Dispute With The Government
Complications are mounting, and debts are rising... The LFP finds itself unable to stick to a 1997 law—called the “Law of Football”—which obliges one match to be freely broadcasted live on terrestrial TV every week, as football is considered ‘of general interest’ to the public. The association is asking the government to let the game—usually shown on Saturday nights—to be budged to pay-per-view or satellite channels, as it believes that the system in England, Germany, Italy and France should be followed.
It is understood that clubs in Spain lose up to £200m per season on account of the current law in place; yet, this is a huge sum that could be of great help financially to the victims. A mighty change is thus requested by the LFP, but there are signs of reluctance from the government—who is not quite ready to chime in with the proposal received.
Barcelona Will Lose To Sevilla... In A Dream Maybe, But In Real Life?
Ahead of Sevilla vs Barcelona, Real Madrid have joined Los Nervionense in the hope of celebrating a downfall of the Catalans. Live Soccer TV demands if it’s really worth doing so...
Under Pep Guardiola, Barcelona are arguably the best in the art of bouncing back. At the least slip, their strength comes under interrogations from football analyst. That’s what happened when their shocking defeat at home to Hercules and their unconvincing draw against Mallorca saw them lack in second position behind Real Madrid in La Liga. But when it mattered the most, the Catalans revealed their true faces by trouncing Los Blancos in El Clasico.
Honestly, could there have been a better way for Barcelona to insist that they remain the toughest team to beat in Spain? Still, La Liga has literally not been won yet.
Struggling Sevilla Will Hit Top Form Against Mighty Dragons Porto – Negredo
Alvaro Negredo has assured fans that Sevilla will showcase a top performance against Porto tonight. The striker hopes that home advantage will play the trick against the Dragons.
Alvaro Negredo spoke to the press in the build up to Thursday night’s huge Europa League match against Porto. The striker is aware of Sevilla’s unconvincing form in La Liga, but his confidence hasn’t been affected. Explaining matters, Negredo declared:“These types of games are where you see the best of Sevilla. We are only thinking about winning and getting a good result for the return leg, which will be more difficult.
“We know that the tie doesn't finish after 90 minutes. We know that we have another game after that and that we have to be calm, cool and collected. The best news would be to keep a clean sheet at home and then trust in the people up front.
Andre Villas-Boas Anticipates Emotional Return For Porto In Sevilla
Porto will resume their UEFA Europa League campaign in style on Thursday as they’ll play against Los Nervionense in Sevilla. This city represents a lot to the Portuguese giants.
Back in 2003, Porto were led by the influential Jose Mourinho all the way to the final of the UEFA Cup – a competition which has been renamed as the Europa League. The Dragons had to face Celtic in a mouth-watering cup final match officiated by the controversial Michel Lubos. A brace from Larsson forced Porto into extra-time, but Derlei’s winner five minutes from the end of proceedings stole the trophy for the Portuguese side. This dramatic encounter happened in Sevilla and Porto will return there for the first time since that historic moment.
“It will be very emotional for Porto to return to Sevilla,” Coach Andre Villas-Boas affirmed according to Reuters.
Sevilla Robbed For Fixed Barcelona vs Real Madrid Copa Del Rey Final?
Controversy surrounded Real Madrid’s semi-final tie against Sevilla and Los Nervionense feel they were robbed. So was the Barcelona vs Real Madrid Copa del Rey final meeting fixed in truth?
In the first leg of their semi-final fixture against Sevilla, Real Madrid imposed themselves thanks to Karim Benzema’s solitary strike. But was the Frenchman’s goal really the only one in the game? Well, Luis Fabiano appeared to have clinched an equalizer at a point in the game but the referee decided to disallow the goal.
Was the call a right one? Did Raul Albiol deserve all the credits for making such a crucial wonder-block? “Was it over” debates instantly hit the net and Live Soccer TV gives you another chance to look at the incident. See the video below of Luis Fabiano’s disallowed goal against Real Madrid:
Real Madrid vs Sevilla: Forget About La Liga, Madrid. Focus On The Cup
Real Madrid can forget about La Liga. Their only chance for revenge against Barcelona and for domestic glory lies in the Copa del Rey, so they must take tonight’s Real Madrid vs Sevilla match very seriously.
Why Barcelona Will Never Squander A 7-points Lead
If you try to analyse Barcelona’s team spirit and mentality, put arrogance and complacency aside. The Catalans are covered with majesty and pride as their results and records speak for themselves. Statistics underline Barcelona’s dominance even more in La Liga only.
They have 58 points out of a possible 63, an amazing +56 goal difference, an average of more than 3 goals per match, 11 clean sheets from 21 games and 19 La Liga victories which include a 5-0 trouncing of Real Madrid. With all these achievements, Barca still have the will to go on and win battles which should ultimately help them to defend La Liga title.
Almeria vs Barcelona: Barca Will Attack To Reach Final - Guardiola
Coach Pep Guardiola has once again backed his team to be serious and finish their job against Almeria in their return-leg match of the Copa del Rey’s semi-finals.
Barcelona hammered their opponents 5-0 at the Camp Nou days ago in the first leg, but Guardiola insists that nothing is truly decided yet. During his pre-match press conference, the manager said:“We have to take the match seriously and win it. It would be wise to think where we’re going...
“We are all travelling because we have the chance to qualify for another (Copa del Rey) final, which would be a huge success. We got a good result in the first leg, but what happened in the away leg in Seville (against Real Betis) is fresh on our minds.
Real Madrid vs Sevilla: 1st Leg Hero Benzema Calls On Real Madrid Crowd Support
Real Madrid hold a vital 1-0 lead ahead of tonight’s Copa del Rey semi-final second leg match against Sevilla. It’s not decisive though, so hero Benzema has asked for Real Madrid’s home crowd to make things happen.
Unlike Barcelona who seem to have sealed their place in the final of the competition, Los Blancos have some job left to do. In other words, Sevilla are not dead and the controversy which saw them lose at the Sanchez Pizjuan could inspire them for revenge.In an interview with the club’s official website and TV, Karim Benzema assured fans about Real Madrid’s upbeat mood. However, he also singled out the importance of having good support from the Spanish giants’ home fans.
“We feel fine. We are preparing for a crucial match and we are expecting to defeat Sevilla,” Benzema declared when asked about Real Madrid’s spirit before the cup match.
FC Barcelona: Busquets Extends Contract, Pedro Warns Barca Over Complacency
Barcelona playmaker Sergio Busquets has extended his contract with the Catalans till 2015, while Pedro has urged his side to stay compact ahead of the return-leg game against Almeria in the Copa del Rey.
Busquets first made his appearance in the senior Barcelona side in the very early stages of the 2008/09 season, and he has since then turned into a key player at the club. On Thursday morning, he expressed his desire to stay longer with the Blaugrana through the extension of his contract, which sees his buyout clause rise from €80million to €150million.“I am very happy,” he told Barca TV. “It is the best way to start the New Year and great news for everyone.
“I am feeling full of positive sensations. I am still young, I’m only 22, and I look forward to a career full of success. I am at the best club in the world, and I just hope that the years to come will be like those I have had here so far.”
Sevilla vs Real Madrid Video Says Match Is A War For Sevilla, Watch Out Real!
Karanka insisted that the Sevilla vs Real Madrid match was not a war but just a semi-final game for Los Blancos. Now a motivational video featuring Sevilla players reveals that tonight’s hosts think otherwise.
In many cases, football is decided by the mental power of a team rather than by its physical strength. A couple of months ago, Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho downplayed the importance of El Clasico and his pre-match talks followed with a terrible 5-0 defeat in the hands of arch-rivals Barcelona. Did mentality play a major role on that result? Arguably and certainly, yes.For Los Blancos, tonight’s Sevilla vs Real Madrid game presents an immense opportunity to get closer to winning silverware for the first time since 2008. Sevilla are a tough opponent, and the Spanish giants are aware of that.
Sevilla vs Real Madrid Not A War, Just A Semi-Final – Karanka
Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey match against Sevilla is the highlight of this week’s cup action in Spain. The question is, will Real Madrid reach the final of the Copa del Rey for the first time since 2004?
The atmosphere is heating up ahead of Wednesday night’s game in Andalusia. Los Blancos have to defeat the demons that have been preventing them from enjoying Copa del Rey glory since 1993. Speaking on behalf of Coach Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid’s assistant manager Aitor Karanka shared his views with the media as the club’s official website quoted him as saying:“We are only thinking about the Copa del Rey – a competition which we’re all very excited about winning. It’s been a long time since we last reached the final and we want to make it this time.”
Sevilla vs Real Madrid: Casillas Hopeful Ahead Of Copa Del Rey Semis
The Copa del Rey continues on Wednesday with the Sevilla vs Real Madrid match putting more excitement at this semi-final stage. Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas is looking forward to the match.
The veteran goalkeeper has never enjoyed Copa del Rey success with Los Blancos. In fact, Real Madrid fans have to go back to the year 1993 when thinking about the club’s last ever cup glory in this domestic competition. In 2004, bad luck slapped Los Blancos with a 3-2 defeat to Real Zaragoza in the final of the Copa del Rey; to reach that stage, Real Madrid had defeated Sevilla 2-1 on aggregate and since then, they’ve never went on to even match that feat.
Coincidentally, the Spanish giants have been paired against Sevilla in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey this season just like it happened in 2004; and could history hand a great advantage to Real Madrid by repeating itself?
No Ronaldo Rift “Stupidities” Ahead Of Real Madrid vs Sevilla Match – Casillas
Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas has strongly denied the media’s claims that there is a rift between him and team mate Cristiano Ronaldo which is dividing the club.
Rumors in Spain actually suggest that Casillas’ girlfriend, journalist Sara Carbonero, is the one behind this alleged split between the two players following her comments describing Cristiano Ronaldo as a selfish player a few months back. But as Xabi Alonso and Angel Di Maria insisted earlier this week, there is no such thing going on at Real Madrid.“There are people who try to create controversy and a bad atmosphere within the team. Meanwhile, it’s just the opposite,” Casillas said according to Real Madrid’s official website.
“Cristiano Ronaldo and I get along very well. We come from different places. But, this doesn’t mean that we’re distant or that we have confrontations.
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