Spanish Football News Blog

Rangers suffered a battering from a slick Sevilla, but the result will be overshadowed by the decision to deny the Glasgow side a clear early penalty.

Swedish referee Jonas Eriksson waved play on after Steven Naismith was tripped by Abdoulay Konko.

Rangers had the better of the first half but were hit by a Konko header and an Adriano curler after the break.

Luis Fabiano headed in and Fredi Kanoute slotted the fourth before Nacho Novo's powerful reply for Rangers.

The result - Rangers' worst home result in the Champions League since they lost to Ajax in 1996 - put Group G favourites Sevilla four points clear at the top.

Yet, for long spells, Walter Smith's side had put poor domestic form behind them to match a side sitting third in La Liga and who had gone into the game with five straight victories.

Naismith had been given the job of spearheading the Rangers attack with Kenny Miller nursing a slight injury and inspired the visitors as they created some early half-chances.

But Rangers had Allan McGregor to thank for keeping out Sevilla after 14 minutes when Sasa Papac, passed fit along with Steven Davis, gave too much space to Jesus Navas.

The winger found Kanoute and the goalkeeper parried clear the driven shot from 16 yards.

That only appeared to spur Rangers into greater effort and Lee McCulloch, supposed to be the holding player in Rangers' midfield, threatened twice from long range.

By now it was more than seven hours since Sevilla had conceded a goal and Rangers ought to have been given a golden opportunity to end that run after 36 minutes at Ibrox.

Konko mis-kicked an attempted clearance and, as Naismith picked up the ball and advanced towards the six-yard box, the defender clearly pulled the striker down.

To the astonishment of all at Ibrox, the referee, who had been standing a mere 10 yards away, waved play on.

Rangers were visibly shaken by the decision and, as Bougherra dallied on the ball, the defender was dispossessed by Adriano.

McGregor did well to parry the Sevilla man's powerful drive from 16 yards and Jesus Navas turned the rebound over from a difficult angle.

Rangers were further angered when the referee denied them a clear corner as they applied some early second-half pressure and then awarded Sevilla a soft free-kick against McCulloch from which the Spaniards took the lead.

The ball was played out wide to Jesus Navas and Konko rose unchallenged to head home the resulting cross from 10 yards.

Rangers pressed forward only to fall further behind to a sucker punch after 64 minutes, but it was a beautiful move from the visitors that virtually killed the tie.

Fabiano played a clever one-two with Kanoute before picking out Adriano for a neat curling finish into the far corner from 16 yards.  Kanoute combined with his strike partner again after 71 minutes, Fabiano rising above Stevie Whittaker's poor challenge to power his header home from the cross to the back post.

It was Fabiano to Kanoute in front of the unguarded net two minutes later as the dangerous pair broke clear.

Kris Boyd forced Palop into a save after breaking clear and fellow substitute Novo missed a good chance before redeeming himself with a superb finish from 22 yards after 88 minutes.

Source: BBC Sport
 

The defending Champions League winners returned home to the Camp Nou in dominant style as they dispose of Dynamo Kiev 2-0. Lionel Messi set them on their way with a typically cool strike in the first half, before Pedro made sure of the points with an equally clinical strike 15 minutes from time.

Barcelona unexpectedly came charging out of the blocks and Messi had the first crack at goal after just two minutes when he spun past his marker outside the box and unleashed a left-footed half volley which flashed wide.

But Dynamo responded almost immediately when Gerson Magrao raced past Dani Alves into the box down the left flank but smashed his shot into the side netting. That close shave only stunned the Blaugrana into action and they began bombarding Oleksander Shovkovski’s goal down both channels.

The Ukrainians, to their credit, chose not to sit back and defend in numbers, but they almost paid for it when their backline was carved open on 14 minutes. Messi played in a gorgeous through ball to Andres Iniesta but Yevhen Khacheridi executed a well-timed sliding tackle to bring down the Barca attacker and the referee waved away any penalty shouts by pointing to the corner flag.

A mad scramble on 20 minutes in front of Victor Valdes’ goal almost left the Camp Nou faithful with their hearts in their mouths as the Blaugrana rearguard struggled to clear a corner but Ognjen Vukojevic only managed to thump the loose ball wide, albeit off an unfortunate deflection from his own player.

Straight to the other end, Zlatan Ibrahimovic then left the home fans gasping in amazement as he nimbly danced his way past three defenders down the left wing but his cutback was hacked away.

However, the deadlock was broken on 25 minutes when who else but Messi ran onto Iniesta’s delicate through pass, skipped past two challenges before rifling a low shot past Shovkovski at the near post.

Two minutes later, Messi almost replicated his goal, except the through ball came from Ibrahimovic and Shovkovski was quick off his line this time to smother the chance. Ibra himself then had a glorious opportunity in the 31st minute when Xavi released him through on goal but the Dynamo goalkeeper came charging out again to deny the Swede’s attempted chip.

The visitors had the ball in the back of the net on 40 minutes when Vukojevic rattled in a loose ball from a freekick delivery, but the linesman already had his flag up for offside.

A minute into first half injury time, Shovkovski pulled off the most miraculous of double saves to deny Messi one on one, before tipping over Ibahimovic’s looping scissor-kick.

Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola made a change for the second period, withdrawing Iniesta and sending in young Pedro in his place. But it didn’t disrupt the team’s rhythm as just two minutes into the restart, Dani Alves’ swerving cross found Ibrahimovic, but the striker thumped his header straight into Shovkovski’s arms.

Messi continued to look lively and dangerous but without the link-up play with ‘San Andres’, Barca found clear-cut chances hard to come by. Frustrated, Ibrahimovic decided to try his luck from all of 35 yards out from a freekick, but his ambitious attempt sailed well wide.

‘Ibra’ had a clear opening in the 65th minute when he was released clean through on goal by Seydou Keita but his low shot inside the box was slapped away by the brilliant Shovkovski.

With 15 minutes left on the clock, Pedro wrapped up the points when he made it 2-0 to Barcelona. Ibrahimovic cheekily feigned a shot on the edge of the box and instead slipped in the substitute, who finished clinically with a left foot effort into the bottom corner.

Dani Alves almost put the icing on the cake five minutes later when his rocket of a freekick from 25 yards out was saved by Shovkovski. Xavi had an identical opportunity moments later but his attempt just shaved the bar.

Artem Milevsky almost pulled one back for the Ukrainians two minutes from time when he pounced on Sergi Busquets’s misdirected header, but his lob over the on-rushing Victor Valdes failed to dip under the bar. Valery Gazzayev’s men fought until the final whistle in search of a consolation goal, but they were unable to trouble the Barca goalkeeper again as the defending European champions register their first win this campaign.

Source: goal.com

Sir Alex Ferguson has been impressed with Cristiano Ronaldo's start to his new career with Real Madrid and revealed that he always felt he could be the top goalscorer at the club.

The Manchester United manager had no doubts that the player he groomed to be one of the world's best would be a success after his €94 million move to the Spanish capital.

Ronaldo'searly goal against Villarreal in midweek took his tally to five and he is the joint top goalscorer along with David Villa and Barça duo Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi.

With two more in the opening Champions League game the Portuguese star has made an impressive start and his former boss admitted he always thought that would be the case.

Ferguson explained that he had placed a crafty bet with bookmakers that Ronaldo would top the scoring charts and he is confident he will be paid.

"I saw his goal on Wednesday, what a goal. He has done well to get seven goals right away," he told the Mail on Sunday.

"He's started very well. They play 38 league games, European games, Spanish Cup, so you never know."

Source: goal.com

Real Madrid continued their perfect start to the season with a 3-0 win over Tenerife at the Bernabeu, thanks to two goals from Karim Benzema, and one from Kaka.

Los Merengues welcomed Sergio Ramos, Pepe and Xabi Alonso back to the starting line-up, while Kaka and Gonzalo Higuain started from the bench.

Tenerife, meanwhile, lined up as expected, as they searched for their first away points of the season, having failed to even score a goal on their travels thus far.

The visitors acquitted themselves well in the opening stages, as Los Merengues struggled to find their rhythm. Indeed, Tenerife were finding plenty of space and dominating the possession, as Madrid struggled without the playmaking abilities of Kaka.

It took Real Madrid 27 minutes to even muster a shot on goal, and it took a point blank save from Sergio Aragoneses to deny Raul, after Cristiano Ronaldo's shot had deflected into his path. That chance came against the run of play, as the possession stats confirmed that Tenerife had enjoyed more of the ball. They were getting plenty of space on the wings, but a lack of numbers in the box consistently thwarted their attempts to score.

With ten minutes remaining in the first half, the impressive Marc Bertran had to be withdrawn, having failed to recover from a nasty challenge by Royston Drenthe. Still the visitors continued to press, and but for some poor final balls, they could easily have scored more than one goal.

The half ended goalless, as the Bernabeu crowd made their displeasure known, having witnessed one of the more uninspiring displays by Los Merengues in recent memory.

Manuel Pellegrini was clearly unimpressed by the first half fare, as he made two switches at half-time, bringing Kaka and Guti on for Sergio Ramos and Esteban Granero, with Lassana Diarra moving to right-back. The home side immediately looked more fluent, and it took just two minutes for them to take the lead, as Benzema rose to head a Xabi Alonso cross right into the bottom corner.

Tenerife, however, did not let the goal disappoint them, and came agonizingly close to scoring minutes later when Alfaro's header from a corner flashed just wide. Nino then had a great chance after being released by Mikel Alonso, but his lob also went wide of the mark.

While Madrid continued to look suspect at the back, their attack was far more threatening, and Ronaldo almost scored one for the ages when he ran past the Tenerife defense at blistering speed, only to see his shot well saved by the keeper. The pressure soon told, as Benzema scored a second following a horrendous mix-up in the visitor's box. A long ball over the top caused confusion for Manolo, and with Aragoneses well out of position, the Frenchman suddenly found himself with half a goal to aim at, and he duly converted to make it 2-0.

That goal appeared to flatten Tenerife, as Madrid threatened to add to their tally. Kaka was a constant threat, and Ronaldo also had a perfect chance, but was denied by the keeper once more, after being played through by Benzema. Meanwhile, Casillas made a mess of a routine cross at the other end, and was lucky to escape when Omar smashed his shot against the post.

Tenerife continued to threaten sporadically, and once again came close when Nino's header from a corner was tipped over by Casillas. He was denied again seconds later, after being set up brilliantly by the impressive Daniel Kome. However, they were soon dealt a cruel blow as the mercurial Kaka picked the ball up on the edge of the box and slammed it into the top left corner, leaving the keeper with absolutely no chance.

With ten minutes to go, Drenthe should have increased the lead, but he managed to smash the ball wide from about three yards out.

There would prove to be no further scoring, as Real Madrid continued the pattern that has defined their season thus far; a sketchy performance with plenty of defensive concern, but enough individual brilliance to seal a comfortable win.

Source: goal.com

Without Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who picked up an ankle injury against Racing Santander in midweek, in Barcelona's starting XI, the Blaugrana opted to deploy Thierry Henry up front, supported by Lionel Messi and Pedro down the wings.

Malaga were first to look for the goal, when on 7 minutes Duda played Obinna through, but the striker could not do better than sent the ball against the side netting from a very tight angle.

Barcelona created their first chance just 23 minutes into the game. Messi picked up a loose ball in the center before sending a cross to the right, Henry almost got to it and Pedro could not connect to it cleanly and sent it wide.

Ibrahimovic was introduced in the 30th minute for Henry as the Frenchman had to be replaced because of an injury, and the Swedish ace found the back of the net just nine minutes later. Messi chipped the ball over the defense and Ibrahimovic, with only the keeper to beat, made no mistake to put his side ahead.

The second half began practically with Pique being brought on for Chygrynskiy, and once again the substitution bore immediate fruits as the defender sent the ball past Munua after a free kick was sent into the middle of the box by Xavi.

Barcelona almost added a third on 62 minutes, as Xavi played a backheel into the path of Messi, but Munua rushed out to deny the Argentine wizard the opportunity to score.

Pique incredibly missed a goal 73 minutes into the game after being played by Pedro, who was looking for Messi, but he sent the ball flying over the bar with the goal completely empty.

Albert Luque, who had been brought on in the 75th minute for Duda, was sent off just ten minutes after being introduced following a dangerous challenge on Daniel Alves.

The last chance of the match went to Barcelona, two minutes into added time, as Messi was played through inside the box and he had only the keeper to beat but his low effort was denied by Munua.

Source: goal.com

Fixtures for La Liga 2009-10 Match Day 5.  Matches to be played on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th September 2009.

Saturday, September 26 2009
Real Madrid - Tenerife (18.00)
Athletic de Bilbao - Sevilla (18.00)
Málaga - Barcelona (20.00)
Valencia - Atlético de Madrid (22.00)
Sunday, September 27 2009
Mallorca - Real Valladolid (17.00)
Espanyol - Xerez (17.00)
Almeria - Racing (17.00)
Osasuna - Sporting Gijon (17.00)
Real Zaragoza - Getafe (19.00)
Deportivo de La Coruña - Villarreal (21.00)

Manu Del Moral proved the hero as Getafe came from behind to secure a comprehensive victory over Valencia in an action-packed Primera Liga encounter at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez in Madrid.

David Villa had given the visitors the lead midway through the first half but less than two minutes later Manu had equalised for the home side before firing them in front seven minutes before the interval.

In a busy opening quarter of an hour, new signing Pedro Leon and Manu were lively for the home side while David Silva and Juan Mata provided the attacking impetus for Los Che.

Then Villa made his mark on the tie twenty minutes in. First he latched onto a Joaquin through ball but Oscar Ustari in the Getafe goal was equal to his effort. Moments later Mata and Silva combined well before finding Joaquin who lofted an excellent ball over the Getafe rearguard and Villa controlled it expertly before thumping home to give Valencia the lead.

El Geta's response was an instant one. Jaime Gavilan skipped past a challenge from Joaquin before cutting it back to Javier Casquero. The captain squared it to Manu who bagged his first of the season to restore parity.

The goal settled the home side who seemed content to weather a period of Valencia dominance, in possession at least as Los Che failed to test Ustari. Ever Banega was beginning to throw his weight around with some tough tackling in the middle of the park.

Then it was the home sides turn to put their opponent on the back foot and Geta duly took the lead from a Pedro Leon corner. Jeremy Mathieu's attempted clearance fell to Manu at the far post and his effort crossed the line before Miguel Angel Moya palmed it away to put Geta in front.

The second half started in much the same vein as the first with both sides enjoying periods of pressure without creating anything of note. Then ten minutes in Gavilan put Geta 3-1 in front, or at least thought he had, as an offside flag ruled his effort out.

The home side continued to press and a lively Pedro Leon, who signed from Real Valladolid in the summer, fired over after a fine run before bringing a good save from Moya from a 30-yard free-kick.

On 68 minutes the diminutive midfielder finally got the goal his performance deserved, firing a stunning free-kick past Moya to give the home side a two goal cushion.

Geta looked content to sit on the two goal lead and hit the visitors on the counterattack. Manu could have had his hat-trick with five minutes remaining after a swift counter involving Pedro Rios but couldn't find the finishing touch.

Then Villa had a late chance to get Valencia back in it but he somehow managed to direct his header off target as he was left unmarked from Mathieu's deep cross. El Guaje kicked the upright in frustration as his effort typified a frustrating night for Unai Emery's side.

In the end Getafe were worthy winners thanks largely to a fantastic performance from Pedro Leon and some fine finishing from Manu while an out of sorts Valencia must now look to put this defeat behind them when they take on fellow championship hopefuls Atletico Madrid at the Mestalla on Sunday.

Source: goal.com

Cristiano Ronaldo is beginning to make a habit of scoring at the start of games for Real Madrid. After netting in the first minute against Xerez last weekend, the world's most expensive footballer waited until the second minute tonight to send Los Blancos on their way to a 2-0 victory over Villarreal at El Madrigal.

The home side's cause wasn't helped by the dismissal of Gonzalo Rodriguez, who picked up two first half yellow cards for fouls on Ronaldo, and Brazilian playmaker Kaka.

The goal, which stunned the Madrigal faithful before some had found their seats, was typical of the winger as his surging solo run at the heart of the Villarreal defence was capped by a typically clinical finish from the edge of the box.

Ronaldo has now scored in his first four league games for the Blancos, which is a record at Real Madrid, and after the visitors took the lead it was plain sailing with the Portuguese star in fine form, showing some of his trademark trickery and producing some excellent runs.

Madrid dominated proceedings early on and coach Manuel Pellegrini will have been pleased to see his side produce a resolute and organised defensive display too which stifled anything the home side could muster in the attacking third.

A fine move midway through the half involving Guti and Brazilian duo Kaka and Marcelo nearly produced a sublime team goal to give the visitors a two goal cushion but Argentine forward Gonzalo Higuain couldn't fashion the finish the move so richly deserved.

Another Argentinian, Fernando Gago asserted his authority on the game with a commanding display in the centre of the park as Los Merengues continued to dominate, though a mix up between Sergio Ramos and goalkeeper Iker Casillas almost gifted the home side an equaliser from Angel's cross after half an hour.

Rodriguez saw red moments later for his second bookable offense to make the improbable, impossible for the home side. Ronaldo continued to terrorise the Villarreal defence but 1-0 it stayed at the break.

Villarreal, and Giuseppe Rossi in particular started brightly after the interval but it wasn't long before Real reasserted their dominance bringing a brilliant double save from Diego Lopez as first Higuain and then Ronaldo tested the Yellow Submarine's custodian.

The home side gave as good as they got for large periods of the second half but their threat soon faded as Kaka scored from the penalty spot shortly after the hour mark for his first goal in a Madrid shirt after Angel had handled Marcelo's cross.

The penalty decision was a harsh one but Madrid were worthy of a two goal lead and could have made it three late on as second half substitute Raul should have done better as he blazed a shot over the bar.

It finished 2-0 to the visitors and it was a win the performance deserved. They join Barcelona on 12 points as the top two set a swift early pace in La Liga while Villarreal must look to bounce back against Deportivo La Coruna at the Riazor on Sunday.

Source: goal.com

Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o is demanding almost £2.75m from Spanish club Barcelona after his transfer to Italian side Inter Milan.

The amount represents 15% of the US$29 million (£17.7m) fee which the Inter paid Barcelona in July.

His demand is based on a Spanish rule that a player should get 15% of the amount of his transfer to another Spanish club.

If the parties fail to reach a solution the matter could got to court.

But Barcelona argues it does not owe Eto'o anything because the rule is an agreement between Spanish clubs and that the percentage payment is the responsibility of the club that buys the player.

A Spanish judge in February 2008 found in a similar case that Deportivo La Coruna had to pay approximately £1.9m to Spanish striker Albert Luque, the equivalent of 15% of his transfer to Newcastle in August 2005.

"We are going to defend our interests," the Barcelona official said, adding each transfer was different.

The deal for Eto'o also saw Inter's Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic go in the opposite direction for US$68 million (£41.6m).
 

BBC Sport

Barcelona followed up last weekend's win by strolling to victory against Racing Santander. Two goals from Lionel Messi were accompanied by strikes from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gerard Pique, while Oscar Serrano's excellent goal was nothing more than a consolation.

The hosts were unchanged from last weekend's match with Malaga - Henrique lined up in the center of defense against his parent team. Meanwhile Pep Guardiola retained roughly the same side that beat Atletico Madrid, with only Dmytro Chygrynskiy making way for Carles Puyol.

The Blaugrana enjoyed a couple of half-chances in the early stages, with Thierry Henry going close from the edge of the box. While the slick pitch favored Barcelona, the crowd did not and the visitors were greeted with frequent whistles when in possession.

Ibrahimovic was causing problems for the Racing back-line, but they were holding firm and preventing 'Ibra' or Messi from having a clear opening. At the other end, Pedro Munitis was desperately trying to feed off scraps.

After quarter of an hour, los Racinguistas had a little spell of their own with a number of set piece opportunities, but were unable to create a clear-cut opening.

It was a set-piece that saw Barca take the lead in the 20th minute. Dani Alves looked to line up another booming free kick, but Xavi played a quick ball to the wing. From the right flank, Messi crossed for Zlatan Ibrahimovic to head home from close range.

Seconds after the restart, the Swede slipped in behind the home defense but sent his placed shot against the post. The Blaugrana were rampant, and it was about to get worse. In the 24th minute. Lionel Messi exchanged passed with Xavi, danced through the Racing defense before sliding his left foot shot into the corner.

Only a few minutes later, it was 3-0. Racing failed to clear their lines from a corner and despite being surrounded by several defenders, Ibrahimovic flicked an exquisite ball to Gerard Pique to tap home from close range.

Los Verdiblancos' defenders were all at sea after conceding three goals in just over six minutes, and could not get hold of the ball while Xavi orchestrated Barcelona's midfield.

As the half drew towards its conclusion, Barca were content to hold onto possession in midfield and take their foot off the pedal, allowing Racing to have an occasional foray into the visitors' half.

Los Racinguistas endured another scare seconds before the whistle went for half time, as Messi headed the ball past Tono from Dani Alves' cross, but he was correctly flagged offside.

No substitutions were made at half time, but there was an injury concern for Pep Guardiola seconds after the restart. Ibrahimovic went over on his ankle after trying to chase the ball down, and the Blaugrana coach erred on the side of caution and substituted the Swede for Pedro.

Racing were beginning to find a foothold in the game, and Manuel Arana fired a dipping shot from range but it was straight at Victor Valdes.

However, Lionel Messi added a fourth for Barca shortly after the hour. The Argentine picked the ball up on the right wing, skipped past three Racing defenders before unleashing an unstoppable left foot shot into the top corner.

It was his last action of the night, as he was replaced by Andres Iniesta to a standing ovation from all sides of the ground. Racing coach Juan Carlos Mandia was helpless on the touchline, and threw on Luis Garcia for Munitis with 20 minutes remaining.

Valdes had been a spectator for much of the evening, but had to pick the ball out of his net in the 72nd minute. Oscar Serrano did well to skip through the challenge of Rafael Marquez, and did even better to fire a shot beyond the Blaugrana stopper from outside the area.

The goal gave the home fans something to cheer, while Racing pressed forward for another goal with their spirits buoyed. Serrano in particular was tussling with Alves on the wing, but los Verdiblancos were far more active in the final third than they had been in the first 45 minutes.

No more goals were forthcoming, however, and the referee blew for full time after one minute of injury time.

Source: goal.com

Real Madrid have revealed that they are €327 million in debt after a massive summer spending spree was authorised in order to rebuild the squad for the new season.

Club president Florentino Perez told the annual general assembly at the weekend about the huge deficit that Los Merengues now have thanks to the transfer fees paid.

With around €250m spent on Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema, Xabi Alonso and Raul Albiol, Madrid have defied the economic slump to try and regain some silverware this term.

"We're going through a delicate moment with the world financial crisis, but we had to make a big effort for the new arrivals of players, which explains the debt," Perez announced.

Despite the quantity that Madrid owe, the members are not worried, approving a record breaking budget of €422m for the current campaign.

However, Perez explained that projected revenue will increase on previous years and should see the debt reduced to €210m.

Source: goal.com

BEST XI

Formation: 4-3-3

Goalkeeper

Diego Alves (Almeria): Kept a clean sheet and earned his team their first win of the season with a string of saves. Getafe found their way through the Almeria back line on no less than ten occasions, but Alves was in top form.

Defenders

Cesar Arzo (Real Valladolid): The visitors secured an impressive away win at Real Zaragoza on Sunday evening as their defence stayed solid, despite the pressure that they were put under throughout, and Arzo stood-out from the pack, helping his team to a 2-1 success.

Ivica Dragutinovic (Sevilla): Osasuna may have had more possession than their visitors, but a solid defence meant that Sevilla were able to claim all three points in the encounter at the Reyno de Navarra. The Serbian was the key man in the back line.

Juan Forlin (Espanyol): After a traumatic summer, the Blanc i Blau took their time to recover, and on Sunday things finally came together, thanks in part of a determined display at the back. Despite conceding twice, the visitors did well to keep Depor out when they pressed in numbers.

Jeremy Mathieu (Valencia): His creativity down the flank and willingness to push up are beginning to prove why he was signed from Toulouse in the summer. Arriving without any fanfare, the defender could well become a firm favourite with more displays like this one at Valencia.

Midfielders

Borja Valero (Real Mallorca): Unable to make his name in the English Premier League and unwilling to play in the Championship with West Bromwich Albion, the Madrid youth team product moved back to Mallorca and proved why he caught the eye in his first spell, producing a commanding midfield performance.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid): The home team may not have been at their best, but they were inspired to victory by their record signing. After opening the scoring in the first minute, the Portuguese was creative throughout before nodding in a second that opened up Xerez in the second half.

Lionel Messi (Barcelona): As well as scoring two goals, the Argentine's skill and speed made him stand-out as Barcelona overwhelmed Atletico in the first half in Camp Nou. Messi took his first goal superbly, and his run before crossing for Seydou Keita to tap home was sublime.

Forwards

David Villa (Valencia): The club and fans were delighted when the striker stayed with them during the summer, and his two goals against Sporting showed why. However, he is rumoured to have cried after a move to Barcelona broke down, and that too is easy to see why, as Valencia let the points slip.

Fernando Llorente (Athletic Club): An unusual striker for the Spanish league, the powerful goalscorer is from a different era. But at Athletic bygone days are being revived under Joaquin Caparros as their direct style is suiting Llorente well, and his brace at the weekend proved he is one of the best in the league.

Jose Callejon (Espanyol): Stood out against Deportivo de La Coruna as Espanyol secured their first win of the season. A few youth team coaches at Real Madrid will be shaking their heads as another one who escaped is beginning to perform elsewhere.

               Diego Alves

Arzo - Dragutinovic - Forlin - Mathieu

                         Borja

Messi                                      Ronaldo

         Villa - Llorente - Callejon

Source: goal.com

Ruud van Nistelrooy got on the score sheet for Real Madrid against Xerez last night, however in the process he suffered yet another injury setback.

The Dutch striker scored Madrid's final goal in the 5-0 rout of the Primera Division newcomers at the Bernebeu, but according to reports in the Spanish press, he has possibly suffered a torn thigh muscle in his left leg.

Madrid took the lead thanks to first minute goal scored by Cristiano Ronaldo, before a flurry of late goals in the final fifteen minutes completed the comprehensive win for Los Merengues.

The 33-year-old was introduced as an 80th minute substitute for Ronaldo, and he managed to score with just a couple for minutes remaining on the clock. It was van Nistelrooy's first goal for Madrid since scoring for the Blancos against Juventus in the UEFA Champions League last October.

He had only recently completed a comeback after knee surgery last year, which ruled him out of football for almost nine months.

Source: goal.com

Cristiano Ronaldo netted twice to guide Real Madrid to a thumping 5-0 win over Xerez, to leapfrog Barcelona and go top of the Primera Division table.

Ronaldo netted inside the first minute and added a second with twenty minutes remaining, before a late deluge saw Guti, Karim Benzema and a returning Rudd Van Nistelrooy add an emphatic scoreline that left Xerez rooted to the foot of the division.

Xerez’s resistance last a mere 47 seconds, and it was in-form Cristiano Ronaldo who edged Los Blancos ahead. He used all of his lightning pace to drift in from the wing and slot the ball past Renan and give the promoted side a nightmare start in the cauldron that is the Bernabeu.

At that point, the home support could have been forgiven for thinking about how many they would win by, but to Xerez’s credit they managed to settle into the encounter.

They have a pass and move philosophy, and refused to let going behind alter their approach to the match, but has their goalkeeper to thank for keeping them in the contest with an inspired double stop.

Ronaldo, who looked dangerous all evening, cut inside from the left and unleashed a shot that Renan saved well, but his block from Raul on the rebound was even better, and Madrid ended the half frustrated that they had only a goal advantage.

In the second half, Xerez enjoyed spells of possession, but had little invention in the final third, and although Real Madrid continued to look susceptible at set pieces, they tiny side from Southern Spain never looked likely to equalize.

Manuel Pellegrini’s side were far from rampant, but towards the end managed a quick-fire glut of goals to add a shine of conviction to the scoreline.

Firstly, it was Ronaldo, leaping highest from a corner kick to head beautifully past Renan, and make it six goals in four matches for the former Manchester United man.

Moments later, the same player was in hunt of his hat-trick, but his scuffed shot landed perfectly for Guti, and the playmaker, who appears rejuvenated under his new coach, smashed the ball home, leaving Renan helpless.

But the scoring didn’t stop there, and a relieved Karim Benzema scored his first competitive goal in the white of Real Madrid. He shimmied on the edge of the area, before rifling a deflected shot past a now demoralized Renan.

The bigger cheer of the evening was reserved for Ruud van Nistelrooy, who banished ten months of injury woes by sliding the ball through Renan's legs to round off an excellent night's work for Manuel Pellegrini's side.

Xerez had folded, but can be pleased by their efforts up until their late capitulation, while Real Madrid answered back to rivals Barcelona’s humbling of Atletico Madrid on Saturday night with a convincing win of their own.

Source: goal.com

 

Barcelona crushed Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou with a stunning first half performance to return to the top of the table. Although the visitors found a brace of goals from Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan, the Blaugrana were always in control of the match thanks to goals by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Lionel Messi, Dani Alves and Seydou Keita.

Both sides were at full strength up front: Messi, Ibrahimovic and Thierry Henry formed the attacking trident for the hosts, while Aguero and Forlan lined up in attack for los Rojiblancos. Dmytro Chygrynskiy made his home debut for the Blaugrana.

Barcelona stated their intent after just 55 seconds, when Henry turned on the edge of the box to fire a shot off the crossbar. Barely a minute later, Ibrahimovic found the back of the net. Sergio Busquets slid a superb ball through to the former Inter man, who chipped the ball exquisitely over Roberto.

Antonio Lopez saved a certain goal after 13 minutes when he cut out Henry's cross just as Messi was preparing to tap home from a matter of yards, and los Rojiblancos were rocking.

The scintillating Argentine was not to be denied three minutes later, however. Xavi played an excellent ball over the visitors' defence which Messi brought down with ease, dropped his shoulder to dummy Roberto before rolling the ball home.

Los Colchoneros fashioned a good passage of play on 22 minutes after Maxwell needlessly gave the ball away in his own half, but Maxi Rodriguez was unable to capitalise on the final chance.

Aguero then fed Maxi with a cute through ball, but the Argentine took too long to take his shot and could only find the side netting from a narrow angle. Moments later, Jose Manuel Jurado saw his shot blocked by Chygrynskiy after he briefly saw himself through on goal as los Colchoneros looked for a way back into the game.

However, Barcelona cut any hopes short when Dani Alves lashed in a long range free kick that crashed in off the post after half an hour.

The fourth goal came five minutes before half time at the end of another gorgeous move by the Blaugrana. A flick by Ibrahimovic set up Messi, who turned magnificently before rolling the ball across the goal for Keita to tap home.

The hosts should have had a penalty just before the break when Ibrahimovic was felled in the box, before they conceded in the 45th minute, when Aguero picked up on Busquet's loose defensive header, raced away from Chygrynskiy and chipped over Victor Valdes.

Both coaches resisted the idea of making changes at half time, but while the visitors began the half positively, their defenders resembled rabbits caught in headlights when faced with another incisive Blaugrana attack.

10 minutes into the second half, Roberto was playing with fire as he firstly gave the ball away to Ibrahimovic before Messi rounded the visitors' keeper only for the ball to get caught up in the Argentine's feet.

Atleti probed and searched for ways through the Blaugrana defence, and Pep Guardiola responded by bringing on Andres Iniesta for the ever impressive Xavi.

The visitors continued to press forward, and Chygrynskiy was cautioned for a foul on Aguero as the Argentine forged his way towards the Blaugrana goal. Forlan struck just over the bar from 20 yards soon after, but Atleti were unable to really test Valdes.

Further substitutions were made on both sides as the game entered its final stages. Barcelona had taken their foot off the pedal, quite happy to sit on their 4-1 lead and not expend any further energy with a busy fixture list ahead of them.

It almost cost them in the 79th minute. Chygrynskiy was caught out by Sinama-Pongolle, who eventually fed the ball to Forlan. Unfortunately for the Uruguayan, he blasted his shot over with only Valdes in front of him.

Forlan found his goal with 5 minutes to go with a powerful finish from 20 yards after Valdes gifted possession to the visitors, however, and the Barca keeper comfortably gathered a shot from Jurado as los Rojiblancos sought a third goal.

Instead, it was Barcelona that found the game's seventh goal. Atleti were undone in the last few seconds of injury time, as Iniesta and Dani Alves linked up to provide Messi with the ball inside the area, and he swept home into the corner to wrap up a comprehensive win.

Source: goal.com

Argentina superstar Lionel Messi has signed a new and improved long-term contract with Barcelona.

The 22-year-old forward has committed his future to the Catalan giants until the summer of 2016.

The talented playmaker helped Barca to UEFA Champions League glory in May and was named runner-up to Cristiano Ronaldo in last year's Fifa World Player of the Year award.

Messi's current deal was due to expire in 2014, and that has now been extended by an additional two years while his minimum release clause has increased from €150million (£135m) to €250m (£225m).

Coach Pep Guardiola helped the Catalan giants claim the treble last season and believes Messi's signature on a new deal is 'immense' for the Liga champions.

"It's an immense piece of news for the club and for the player that Messi is renewing his contract," said Guardiola.

"As it also was when Victor Valdes and Xavi did so. People go to football to see the best and that's what they are.

"It's a privilege for Barca to have some of the best footballers like Messi."

Source: Skysports

Fixtures for La Liga 2009-10 Match Day 4.  Matches to be played mid week on Tuesday 22nd, Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th September 2009.

Tuesday, 22nd September 2009
Sevilla - Mallorca (20.00)
Racing - Barcelona (22.00)
Wednesday, 23rd September 2009
Atlético de Madrid - Almeria (20.00)
Real Valladolid - Osasuna (20.00)
Tenerife - Athletic de Bilbao (20.00)
Espanyol - Málaga (20.00)
Xerez - Deportivo de La Coruña (20.00)
Villarreal - Real Madrid (20.00)
Getafe - Valencia (22.00)
Thursday, 24th September 2009
Sporting Gijon - Real Zaragoza (22.00)

Fixtures for La Liga 2009-10 Match Day 3.  Matches to be played on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th September 2009.

Saturday, 19th September 2009
Mallorca - Tenerife (18.00)
Deportivo de La Coruña - Espanyol (18.00)
Málaga - Racing (20.00)
Osasuna - Sevilla (20.00)
Barcelona - Atlético de Madrid (22.00)
Sunday, 20th September 2009
Almeria - Getafe (17.00)
Real Zaragoza - Real Valladolid (17.00)
Athletic de Bilbao - Villarreal (17.00)
Real Madrid - Xerez (19.00)
Valencia - Sporting Gijon (21.00)

Following his sides 0-0 draw with Inter at the San Siro in the UEFA Champions League Barcelona striker Thierry Henry confessed that he was "angry" after being replaced by Andres Iniesta with fifteen minutes to go.

The French front man believed he was getting the better of a tiring Maicon and believes he could have made a telling difference had he remained on the pitch.

"I am angry about the change. I did not want to leave because when ever I had the opportunity I got down the wing and I could see in Maicon's eyes that he was tired," the 32-year-old said afterwards, as quoted by Sport.

Henry said that the draw was not a bad result for the Blaugrana who maintain their unbeaten start to the season. He also said he won't be confronting Pep Guardiola about his substitution as he said that his anger was a "thing of the moment".

Source: goal.com

"She gave her heart to the man in the long black coat," Bob Dylan once sang. The line seems to distill the essence of the relationship between Inter Milan's fans and José Mourinho, who drew a far louder cheer than any of his players when his name was announced at San Siro on Wednesday night. Resplendent in his signature trenchcoat, he could not help but translate the effect to the spectacle of Europe's grandest match as the sublime talents of Samuel Eto'o and Zlatan Ibrahimovic collided, combined, and ultimately cancelled each other out.

Mourinho had been strangely impassive in his emotions towards this fixture and, in retrospect, you could see his point: the group stage of the Champions League naturally breeds a caution that not even the dominant teams of Italy and Spain can reduce. Pragmatism ruled here, which suited the Portuguese down to the ground. It was in the knockout round, he said, where you expected the "salt and pepper" of competition, and, although this first serving was not unpalatable, it was far plainer fare than the banquet most had been hoping for.

"The game goes like that sometimes," Pep Guardiola, Barcelona head coach, admitted. "It is not easy to play against Italian teams." There was, however, a key difference in the Catalans' style, namely that they were using Ibrahimovic, who has cost the best part of £40 million (with Eto'o thrown in) to provide a more physical dimension up front. "We tried to move the ball as much as possible," Guardiola said. "We had a new challenge, new combinations."

Typically, Mourinho was trying to suggest, rather implausibly, that a dogged Inter side had matched Barcelona's own style. "I saw two excellent teams from a defensive point of view, with great organisation." he said. "These were teams with great respect for each other. There is practically nothing between them."

Inter were at times guilty of gifting Lionel Messi far too much space, and the pocket-sized Argentine almost gave Mourinho palpitations by dribbling past one challenge after another. The treatment by Inter's centre-backs of Ibrahimovic, their former fratello, was also surprisingly generous, and it was a glorious chance that the Swede spurned when he sliced wretchedly wide on an early volley.

With mounting dread, Inter's supporters waited for the first sparks of the 'Ibra' magic. 'Ibracadabra', it is called here, apparently. But such defensive stalwarts as Maicon and Christian Chivu knew what to expect, as well as how to neutralise it, and were concerned more with how to contain the marauding of Messi. The world's finest winger was cropping up everywhere: at the near post, the far post, on the overlap, and Chivu could do nothing but resort to the 'roadblock' method of last-ditch tackling.

The other crucial subtext to this match was in danger of being forgotten about. Yes, Samuel Eto'o looked incongruous as one of the nerazzurri, confronting the club that made him, and his experience proved as torrid as that of Ibrahimovic as Barcelona denied him any room. But the Cameroonian had glimpses on goal, with the Catalans betraying an uncharacteristic weakness in holding on to the ball.

Diego Milito has reinvigorated the Inter attack since his summer arrival from Genoa and he ruffled the human battering ram that is Carles Puyol, before testing Victor Valdés with a fine drive. Wesley Sneijder was equally impressive, the Dutchman's pace in the centre becoming a problem for Xavi, and his shot from the edge of the penalty area virtually off the paint of Valdes' bar.

Barcelona were unusually painstaking in their responses, increasingly relying on Henry and attack-loving full-back Daniel Alves to lead the line, but Inter's eventual goalless scoreline against the reigning champions of Europe showed how this was Mourinho's night.

Source: The Telegraph

After bagging two free-kicks against FC Zurich in Real Madrid's 5-2 victory in the UEFA Champions League, star midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo insisted that he "knew the goals would come".

The Portuguese star has been criticized for not replicating his Manchester United form in a white shirt, but has still scored four goals in three competitive outings for Los Blancos, with three of them coming directly from set pieces. Ronaldo insists that winning is the important thing for his side.

"The  most important thing was to win the first game and start well in Europe and we have achieved this. The team worked very well and I am happy with the result," Ronaldo said afterwards to AS.

Ronaldo scored two 25-yard free-kick, one in each half as Madrid took all three points in Zurich but he admits that there was a laps in concentration from Los Merengues in the second half.

"We entered a phase in the second half that we cannot repeat in the future," Ronaldo declared before playing down the favorites tag.

"People say we are favorites to win the Champions League but we must remember to take it step by step," he said.

Source: goal.com

Pep Guardiola had paid tribute to Inter boss Jose Mourinho ahead of Barcelona's Champions League tie with the Italian champions tomorrow evening.

The young tactician was a player at the Blaugrana while Mourinho worked in a coaching capacity under Louis van Gaal, and Guardiola says that he could see Mourinho's talent even then.

"It is an honor for me to challenge such a prestigious coach as 'Mou', who has won in three different countries," Guardiola is quoted as saying in Il Corriere dello Sport.

"You could see he was good even when he was at Barcelona. It doesn't surprise me that he has become one of the best coaches in the world.

"To challenge a squad like Inter, who have won four championships in a row, is also a great honor. It is a difficult game at this early stage because we will face a tough team, who are good at set pieces, in the air and in possession."

When he was told that Mourinho has already released his starting team for tomorrow's game, Guardiola laughed it off by saying he was not tempted to name his own.

"Mourinho has named his team? Not me. I never do."

Source: goal.com

Real Madrid escaped from the Letzigrund with three points largely thanks to two goalkeeping errors after FC Zurich mounted a spirited second half comeback in an enthralling UEFA Champions League encounter.

Two goals in the dying minutes from Cristiano Ronaldo and substitute Guti put the gloss on a far from convincing second half performance by Los Blancos but the Spanish giants didn't have it all their own way, picking up six yellow cards in the game.

Manuel Pellegrini's men lead 3-0 at the break but were made to sweat as the home side produced an excellent second half to give Madrid a scare. The Chilean coach will have to sweat over the fitness of key midfielder Xabi Alonso, who hobbled off after going over on his ankle after 55 minutes.

The Swiss outfit certainly didn't seem overawed in the early stages and enjoyed some brief spells of possession in the opening quarter of an hour while also testing Real's resolve with some stern physical challenges.

The home side found space in front of goal, but striker Eric Hassli was wasteful, lacking in ideas where a final ball could have proved telling. An early corner for Zurich almost gave them a shock lead but Iker Casillas was alert, getting down to stop Hannu Tihinen's clever back heel.

Madrid gradually enjoyed more possession and pressed the home side further and further back and Xabi Alonso began to find the movement of Ronaldo and Kaka with some accurate passes.

Then on 27 minutes Cristiano struck gold with a thunderous free-kick from 25 yards that whistled past Johnny Leoni in the Zurich goal. The 'keeper should really have done better as the effort was well within his reach.

Ronaldo had a look moments earlier from similar range but blazed over the bar. This time he made no mistake although Zurich captain Hannu Tihinen did appear to get a foot to the ball in conceding the free-kick.

The nine-times European champions started to dominate proceedings with Xabi Alonso and Lassana Diarra orchestrating things from midfield and Real soon had their second goal.

Ronaldo played the center forwards role, climbing above Tihinen to head Pepe's lofted ball forward into the path of Gonzalo Higuain inside the Zurich penalty area and the Argentinian surged towards the byline before pulling a low ball across Leoni's goal which Raul tapped in from close range to give the visitors a two goal advantage and claim his 65th Champions League goal for Real.

From there to the break it was cruise control for Los Merengues, Ronaldo gave Florian Stahel a torrid time while Kaka, Higuain and Raul gave an exemplary display of movement.

The tie looked to be beyond all doubt as Madrid took a 3-0 half-time lead with a fantastic move.

Xabi Alonso threaded an excellent pass to the feet of Raul who played a neat touch through the middle to Higuain and he clipped the ball one side of Tihinen before darting the other side of the Finnish center half and confidently arrowing a low shot into the far corner past the advancing 'keeper to make it three for Madrid.

Los Blancos opened the second period content to sit and hit the home side on the counter-attack and Zurich had occasional chances.

Xavier Margairaz failed to direct his header on target from a Johan Vonlanthen free-kick from the left-hand byline.

Alonso hobbled of with an ankle injury to be replaced by  Fernando Gago and Madrid seemed to instantly lose their composure

Philippe Koch found a way through the Real defense just before the hour mark and brought a fine save from Casillas after fine work from an industrious Vonlanthen.

Zurich were then handed a lifeline as Casillas felled Alexandre Alphonse inside the penalty area. Margairaz stepped up and smashed the resulting spot kick past Casillas to give the home side faint hope.

A minute later Alvaro Arbeloa conceded a corner, which could have easily been a penalty and from Vonlanthen's corner Silvan Aegerter evaded Ronaldo to fire a near post header which beat Casillas and Royston Drenthe on the goal line stunning Madrid.

Pellegrini introduced Guti at the expense of Higuain in an effort to stabilize the midfield, but the visitors could not assert their superiority.

Zurich dealt with the quality of Madrid's offensive play quite well for much of the remaining half hour, while also giving the Madrid rear-guard plenty to think about with substitute Dusan Djuric and Vonlanthen proving potent attacking threats on either side.

Then in the dying minutes Ronaldo fired another free-kick, from similar distance to the first, which slipped through the fingers of Leoni when he really should have caught it, to end Zurich's hopes of rescuing a point and Guti raced clear from the halfway line in stoppage time to loft an exquisite effort over the head of Leoni to make it five for Madrid.

Three points for Real Madrid, who showed some outstanding offensive qualities but the defensive lapses and the injury to Alonso will be of some concern to Pellegrini. Zurich can take heart from a courageous second half performance against a far superior side and the final score line was probably a little harsh on the Swiss outfit.

Source: goal.com

BEST XI

Formation: 4-4-2

Goalkeeper

Gorka Iraizoz (Athletic Club): The Basque Country outfit have not won their opening two matches for 15 seasons, and they have their goalkeeper to thank for making it possible this time around. With a number of fine saves in a tight encounter against Xerez, Iraizoz was instrumental in the victory.

Defence

Alberto Lora (Sporting Gijon): Stood out on the right of the hosts' defence as he prevented Almeria's main target going forward, Albert Crusat, from using his pace and skill to create chances. Was also good going forward, and was allowed to venture up-field when the visitors sat back.

Alexis (Valencia): The defender makes it into the team of the week for the second week running as he again marshalled los Che at the back and allowed their forwards to rampage forward time and again. Valladolid began strongly, but Alexis was at the centre of repelling them to setup the win for his team.

Filipe Luis (Deportivo La Coruna): Could have joined Barcelona in the summer and was said to be devastated when it did not happen, but he has settled back down and showed why the Blaugrana were interested in the first place. Scored a superb goal that won his side the game.

Eric Abidal (Barcelona): With the competition for his place even hotter following the arrival of Maxwell, the Frenchman stepped up against Getafe and produced a solid display that saw him excel both tracking back and racing forward to support the attack when Barca moved up field.

Midfield

Markel Susaeta (Athletic Club): Joaquin Caparros maybe renowned for employing somewhat direct tactics that have a physical edge, but Athletic are now beginning to play more and more through the middle, and that is down to players like Susaeta, who had an outstanding game controlling things in Xerez.

Kaka (Real Madrid): Cristiano Ronaldo may have been the pin-up boy thanks to his free-kicks, stepovers and tricks, but Kaka earned all the headlines as he helped guide Los Merengues to an impressive away day victory at Espanyol's new stadium. The Brazilian is looking worthy of his transfer fee.

David Silva (Valencia): His pace, close control, vision and goalscoring ability are what could see him leave Valencia for one of Europe's major players in the next couple of years, and he showed a bit of all of those qualities to help his side to ease to victory at Real Valladolid on Sunday.

Juan Mata (Valencia): On the other flank, and sometimes on the same one, another of los Che's diminutive playmakers stood out. The Real Madrid youth team product looks like one that certainly should not have been allowed to leave the Bernabeu, scoring a great goal and creating so much more.

Forwards:

Lionel Messi (Barcelona): Though Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored one and setup the Argentine's goal, it was not until Messi's entrance that the Swede and Barcelona began to shine. If ever there was an example of what a substitute could and should do, then this was it as Messi was back to his best.

David Villa (Valencia): It was a vintage performance from Valencia, one that saw them register their intent to push for the top. It was also a game in which Villa registered his intent to win the Pichichi award, given to the league's top goalscorer, for the first time in his career.

Real Madrid had their first chance on goal just six minutes into the game, when a corner from the right was targeted at the near post, Albiol headed the ball into the six-yard box and Metzelder, from no more than two yards out, could not connect to the ball cleanly and sent it over the bar.

The hosts responded in the 19th minute, when Nakamura whipped in a free-kick from the right, Luis Garcia headed it down to Moises but his shot from point blank range was denied by Casillas with his feet.

Espanyol were dominant at this stage, and looked again for the goal seven minutes later as Joan Verdu recovered the ball in Real Madrid's own half before firing from distance but he saw his effort going over the bar.

On 31 minutes, Espanyol created more danger as Ivan Alonso crossed to the far post for Tamudo. The striker still dived to get his head to it but he arrived too late.

The Periquitos had another great chance on 35 minutes, when Luis Garcia clipped the ball into the area, Casillas left his post but could not get to the ball and Arbeloa cleared the ball from danger just when Ivan Alonso was about to score.

Real Madrid responded right after and almost broke the deadlock in the 38th minute. Guti sent a high ball to Kaka, who chested it down to compatriot Marcelo but the left-back's shot was denied by Kameni's right arm.

But the Merengues would find the goal in the following attack, when Granero played a one-two with Kaka before sending the ball into the bottom right hand corner of Espanyol's goal.

Espanyol made two changes at the break, replacing Ivan Alonso and Nakamura with Coro and De la Pena, hoping they would freshen up the attack, but there was little sign of danger near Casillas' goal in the first minutes.

There were plenty of spaces for both teams to play on, but the truth was that the second half was having anything but the intensity of the first period.

Cristiano Ronaldo was brought on in the 66th minute and showed his intent just two minutes later, when his free-kick effort went into Kameni's hands after a slight deflection in the wall.

Real Madrid doubled their lead on 76 minutes, when Kaka cut inside near the byline before feeding the ball back for Guti, who was free in the penalty area and made no mistake with a low finish.

But there was still time for more and Real Madrid would score a third in added time as Guti played Ronaldo through down the right and the Portuguese star concluded with a cheeky finish between the legs of Kameni.

Source: goal.com

The treble-winning side continue their good league form and are now leading the table.

The match started at a slow pace, with neither side able to stamp their authority on the game in the opening few minutes. Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes had a scare on seven minutes, when Puyol played a pass back for Pique, who slipped inside the area, forcing the keeper to leave his post to clear the danger before Soldado could get to the ball.

Getafe were the better side at this time and could have broken the deadlock in the 12th minute, when Albin's left-foot volley from outside the area caromed off the underside of the bar.

Barcelona tried to respond but they were finding it very hard to create any danger, despite Jeffren's attempts down the flanks.

The home side struck the woodwork for a second time 28 minutes into the game, when a pinpoint cross from Pedro Leon from the right was met by Soldado's overhead kick, which hit the left post.

The Catalan club produced a solid chance for the first time in the match two minutes later through Seydou Keita, who was given far too much room in the middle of the pitch and went for glory from 30 yards out, but his effort went slightly wide of the left post.

Barcelona wasted their best chance on goal in the 43rd minute as Jeffren's good cross from the right found Ibrahimovic, who did well to control the ball and get past the opposition of Rafa but the Swede's low shot was held by Ustari.

The second period began with Barcelona introducing Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta but it was from Xavi's feet that their first chance came from, when the diminutive midfielder fired a long ball from distance that Ustari had to divert over the bar.

Barcelona would find the back of the net on 65 minutes, when Abidal's cross from the left found Ibrahimovic at the near post, and the striker had only to use the tip of his boot to send it past Ustari.

And it would not take long for the treble-winning side to double their lead, as on 79 minutes Daniel Alves connected well with Ibrahimovic, who clipped the ball into the six-yard box for Messi to head home.

Despite their two-goal lead, Barcelona refused to take their foot back off the gas and Ibrahimovic almost scored his second of the game after being put through by Xavi but his shot went straight into the hands of the Getafe keeper.

It was a totally deserved win for Barca, who controlled the match in the second period. The Catalan club have moved up to first in the table and have yet to concede any goals after two games played. As for Getafe, after a promising 4-1 win over Racing Santander, their wastefulness in front of goal tonight proved high-priced as they go down the tunnel empty-handed.

Source: goal.com

European champions Spain booked their place at the 2010 World Cup following a 3-0 win over Group Five rivals Estonia.

Goals from Cesc Fabregas, Santi Cazorla and Juan Mata handed the Spaniards their eighth win from eight qualifiers played, with two fixtures remaining.

Victory took Spain eight points clear of closest rivals Bosnia-Herzegovina who drew at home to Turkey.

"We can be proud of what we've done, it gives us confidence for the the World Cup," said Arsenal midfielder Fabregas.

Coach Vicente del Bosque added: "It wasn't our best game but we have qualified for the World Cup and that is the main thing.

"We are not thinking about the World Cup just yet. We just have to prepare for the next few games which we want to win and continue our momentum."
    
Spain have never won the World Cup and their best performance to date came in 1950 when they finished fourth.

At the last World Cup in Germany, Spain topped their group to progress but then lost 3-1 to France in the second round.

However, many will expect Spain to progress much further in South Africa.

Coach del Bosque inherited a side that predecessor Luis Aragones led to Euro 2008 glory - their first major title since 1964.

The former Real Madrid boss Del Bosque began his tenure in impressive fashion, becoming the first international manager to win 10 successive games from his debut.

The run came to a surprising end against the United States at the 2009 Confederations Cup semi-finals, but during that competition Spain claimed the world record of 15 consecutive wins.

Source: BBC Sport

Cesc Fabregas hailed Spain's strength in depth after helping the European champions clinch their spot in next year's World Cup finals.

Fabregas netted his side's opening goal in their 3-0 win over Estonia, Spain's eighth successive victory in Group Five.

The performance may not have been as impressive as Saturday's 5-0 mauling of Belgium, but it showed that Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has a substitutes bench to envy.

The impressive Fabregas was one of four new faces in the Spain starting line-up compared to the weekend, while two other players, Santi Cazorla and Juan Manuel Mata, came off the bench to net their side's other goals in the final 10 minutes.

Taking into consideration as well that the likes of first-team regulars Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol and Sergio Ramos played no part in the game, and it is easy to see why Spain are considered one of the favourites to lift the World Cup next summer.

"This team is incredible,'' said Fabregas. ''Not only those that are on the bench, but there are also the players who couldn't make the game and who didn't make the squad despite enjoying the confidence of the coach.

''There isn't space enough for everyone. What's clear is that there is a lot of quality in Spanish football right now. It's a luxury.''

Spain's win over Estonia made it 17 victories in 18 matches for Del Bosque since he replaced Euro 2008-winning coach Luis Aragones last summer, while it also continued the team's 100% record in Group Five.

With their place in South Africa now secured it could be that Del Bosque will give more of his fringe players a chance in the remaining two qualifiers, but whatever happens, Fabregas believes it is important to keep the momentum going.

''We are calmer now, but we want to create a record that I don't know if any Spain side has achieved - to win the 10 games in qualifying. This would be great because it would enable is to go to the World Cup with confidence,'' said the Arsenal captain in AS.

Source: ESPN
 

Spain have rewarded coach Vicente Del Bosque with a contract extension after he guided them to the World Cup finals.

Del Bosque took charge after Euro 2008 when Luis Aragones guided them to the title.

Del Bosque has continued the good work of his predecessor, with Spain defeated just once during his tenure - the shock semi-final reverse to USA in the Confederations Cup.

Spain's latest victory came on Wednesday evening when they dispatched Estonia 3-0 to seal their place in South Africa.

The Spanish Football Federation have now been quick to confirm an agreement is in place for Del Bosque to continue as coach until 2012.

Speaking after gaining qualification, Del Bosque said: "We have fulfilled our first objective, to be present in South Africa.

"Now it is necessary to work hard and be in the best condition for the competition."

Source: Skysports

Barcelona have offered head coach Pep Guardiola a new and improved contract to stay with the European champions, according to reports in Spain.

All of Barca's backroom staff are on long-term contracts except for Guardiola and assistant manager Tito Villanova.

Barca are keen to secure Guardiola, who greatly impressed in his first season in charge, beyond the end of the campaign.

It had been thought president Joan Laporta had given up hope trying to get Guardiola to commit, but he has tried once more.

Barca are reportedly willing to increase Guardiola's bonus payments in a bid to entice him to sign on the dotted line.

Guardiola led Barca to the Treble last season, landing the UEFA Champions League, Primera Liga title and Copa del Rey after succeeding Frank Rijkaard.

Source: Skysports

In an effort to keep all players in line, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is reportedly about to hand out a document with eight basic rules to each squad member at the club.

According to Marca, the rulebook includes the following:

"To be punctual when attending an event, to be close to the fans, to respect all sections of the club, to promote the culture of effort, to avoid situations where health is at risk, a ban on nights out, to look after kit and to work with the club and the press."

Perez was criticised for being too close to the players during his first period at the helm of los Merengues, and is eager not to repeat the situation again. The construction magnate was also lambasted for attempting to run the club virtually single-handedly.

These rules are clearly an attempt to keep the players in check, thereby making coach Manuel Pellegrini's task more straightforward with the result that Perez, in theory, will not need to interfere in day-to-day matters.

Source: goal.com

Manchester City forward Robinho has said he has "always wanted to play for Barcelona", amid speculation the Spanish giants are keen on securing his services.

Reports surfaced at the weekend that the European champions will target the Brazilian ace once the transfer window reopens in the New Year, with Thierry Henry lined up as a deal sweetener.

City made it clear their £32.5m signing was not for sale this summer, but Robinho's comments have cast doubt on his future at Eastlands - and given Barca encouragement in their pursuit of him.

He told Marca: "It is not easy to say no to a club like Barcelona. They are the current champions of Europe, it is a nice city and I like Spain very much.

"I have always wanted to play for a team like Barcelona."

He added: "It is nice for any player to know he is wanted. I am happy that a team like Barcelona have paid attention to me.

"Who would not like to play for a club like Barcelona, alongside Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Ibrahimovic and all the others?

"I like Barcelona. It is a great club."

City snatched Robinho from under the noses of Premier League rivals Chelsea in a British record transfer fee last year.

Despite moments of magic during his first season in English football, including a hat-trick against Stoke City, the 25-year-old's form was patchy and at times his attitude was called into question.

This season, he is competing with Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor, Craig Bellamy and Roque Santa Cruz for a place in Mark Hughes's first XI and has featured in two of City's three Premier League games. He is yet to open his goal account.

Source: Yahoo/Eurosport

SPAIN (4-4-2)

Casillas: 7.5 - Only had two real saves to make but looked confident. Occasional communication problems on corners were easily overcome.

Arbeloa: 7 - Tried to get forward to decent effect but in truth had little impact on the game at either end until his assist. Still, praise to him for that.

Puyol: 8 - Picked up a silly booking but was otherwise solid. A vice-captain's performance if ever there was one as only once were Spain in any danger of conceding.

Pique: 9 - Absolutely imperious at the back, and found the net, too. A near-tie for man of the match with Silva.

Capdevila: 7 - Another solid, unspectacular showing for the Villarreal stalwart, who did what he had to do.

Xavi: 8 - A delicious through ball to get the night started, Xavi can always be counted upon to be creative.

Busquets: 7 - A difficult evening for the Barcelona youngster, who's had better games in the red shirt. Bullied a little too easily at times, but he was still integral in holding possession.

Xabi Alonso: 6.5 - Played an unglamourous game and took a while to get started, but when he did he had a useful pass on him. Gave the ball away a little too easily at times.

Silva: 9 - Took his first goal absolutely brilliantly after a fine, energetic beginning to the game. His second? Even better. A wonderful performance even aside from those strikes.

Villa: 8.5 - Not himself in front of goal early on, but by drawing the defenders onto him he set up the opener nicely. Then the real Villa made himself known.

Fernando Torres: 7 - Tested the 'keeper well but will be disappointed to not have found the net.

Subs

Riera: 6 - Didn't truly assert himself but was available for the pass.

Cesc: 7

Albiol: 6

Source: goal.com

Spain are yet to drop any points in World Cup Qualifying, after they hammered Belgium at the Riazor.

David Silva and David Villa scored twice, along with Gerard Pique, to complete a sensational performance for La Furia Roja.

Vicente Del Bosque made his intentions clear by pairing Villa with Fernando Torres in attack, while Sergi Busquets replaced his Barcelona team-mate Andres Iniesta in midfield. Belgium, meanwhile, chose Moussa Dembele up front, with the likes of Marouane Fellaini supporting him.

As expected, La Furia Roja were swiftly out of the blocks, and Villa came close after eight minutes, when he shot wide from the edge of the box, after being set up by Xabi Alonso. The Valencia forward was a constant threat, and was unlucky not to open the scoring minutes later when his shot was cleared off the line, after he had pounced on a knockdown from Busquets.

Spain were getting ever closer, as Torres hit a decent shot that scraped the post, and El Nino had another chance after being played through by a sublime through ball from Xavi, but he shot wide under pressure from Timmy Simons.

A goal seemed inevitable, and everyone inside the Riazor celebrated when the woeful Anthony Vanden Borre impeded Villa inside the box, and the referee pointed to the spot. El Guaje stepped up, but his penalty straight down the middle was a tame effort, and Gillet did well to keep it out with his feet.

The trouble was only just beginning for Belgium though, as the impressive Jan Vertonghen had to be withdrawn through injury. Torres then saw another shot brush the woodwork, but just when it looked as though the visitors might escape unscathed from the first half, Silva struck.

Receiving a superb through ball from Villa, Silva unleashed a precise shot straight into the bottom corner, given the hosts a well deserved lead going into the break.

Belgium needed a vast improvement to get back into the game, but their chances were all but eradicated almost as soon as the half began.

First, the protagonists for the first goal combined again, as Silva picked out Villa on the left, who cut inside before smashing an unstoppable shot into the far right hand corner.

The Riazor crowd were all off their seats, and they did not have time to sit down before the ball was back in the Belgian net. This time it came from an unlikely source, as Pique found himself in nosebleed territory near the penalty spot, and he made no mistake to tuck Villa's cutback away.

After scoring the third, Spain settled down, content just to pass it amongst themselves, as the "ole's" rang out from the crowd. With 25 minutes remaining, Del Bosque withdrew Torres, replacing him with Albert Riera. Seconds later, the home side had yet another goal.

Breaking down the right in acres of space, Alvaro Arbeloa cut the ball back to Silva, who let fly with yet another blockbuster that found its way into the bottom right hand corner of Belgium's net.

With twenty minutes remaining, Cesc Fabregas entered the fray, replacing Xavi. Spain were still hungry for more goals, and Xabi Alonso tested Gillet with a rasping drive that was well saved by the young custodian.

Fabregas was making an immediate impression, and he nearly added the fifth with a stunning strike from distance, which the impressive Gillet kept out with a sprawling save.

With five minutes remaining, Del Bosque made his final switch, bringing Raul Albiol on for Arbeloa. It looked as though the match would meander to a conclusion, but there was still time for a symbolic fifth.

Receiving the ball in midfield, Xabi Alonso picked out Fabregas, who had beaten the offside trap, with a perfect pass. The Arsenal captain was then left with the simple task of squaring it to Villa, who stroked home into the empty net.

Thus Spain maintain their perfect record, and, depending on other results, they may have the chance to seal qualification with a win against Estonia in midweek.

Source:

MANCHESTER UNITED are heading for a Ronaldo-style battle to hang on to Rio Ferdinand.

The England defender is a target for Barcelona and Real Madrid - and knows a move to Spain will boost his growing business career.

Ferdinand is under contract until 2013 but United could be tempted to cash in on a player who is 30 and who has suffered from recent injury problems.

A move to Spain would give brand Rio the kind of platform both David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo have exploited at Madrid.

A source revealed: "Rio can see the sense of it.

"Not only would it be a fresh challenge as he nears the end of his career, it would also fit all his projects off the pitch.

"Rio has big business plans, which are already taking shape, and would really take off if he moved to one of the big Spanish clubs."

Ferdinand's growing portfolio includes running a record label and a football agency. He is also about to launch a lifestyle management company.

Another off-the-field project is #5 Magazine, which uses the latest digital technology.

Elsewhere, the Rio Ferdinand Live The Dream foundation was established last year to give young people from disadvantaged backgrounds the chance to take part in sports, arts and cultural activities.

A launch party in December, costing £495 per head, will feature Prime Minister Gordon Brown as a guest speaker.

Source: The Sun

Barcelona will need to convince Carles Puyol that he is wanted and will play an important role...

Carles Puyol could leave Barcelona unless he is given a settled role in the team and is not over-looked for crucial games like last season, his agent has warned.

The Blaugrana defender has postponed talks about signing an extension to his current deal because he wants to see how often and where he will play this season.

Agent Ramon Sostres was adamant that the deal on the table is attractive, but Puyol was not concerned about money and is more worried about his role in the team.

"Puyol's renewal talks have stopped," Sostres was quoted as saying by Sport. "It is a very good offer but the player wants to see how things go with the team first.

"Look at what happened last season when Puyol played right, left and in the centre.

"In the semi-final [of the Champions League] against Chelsea he did not play much. He is the only captain that would not play in such an important game.

"The player's doubts are exclusively to do with the playing side and the financial aspect is of no importance.

"Now he has to think long and hard about his future and decide whether it will be with Barca or with another team. We will have to wait and see.

"Pep [Guardiola] likes him as a player, but in the middle he prefers players who like to play with the ball and it is possible that he prefers [Rafa] Marquez, [Dmytro] Chygrynskiy or [Gerard] Pique."

The agent concluded by saying, "The coach knows that Puyol is always ready for whatever he is needed for. We will just have to wait because time can change many things."

Source: goal.com

Real Madrid are considering the prospect of launching their very own theme park.

Back in 2004, Real Madrid officially opened their new training grounds - Ciudad Real Madrid - an enormous estate that covers an astronomical 1.2 million square meters. Back then, the club had developed only 21,578 square meters, dedicated to Madrid training, medical, and administrative facilities.

According to a report published by Spanish daily AS, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is considering investing a portion of the undeveloped land into a massive theme park - Valdebabas Theme Park.

Perez is going to meet with Europe's top architects and engineers to bring his dream into a reality.

The ambitious project could cover up to 60 hectares, half of the 120 hectares the club own. Cafes, restaurants, shops and rides are believed to be the main features of the the theme park.

Calculations suggest that the park could host up to 3m visitors every year from around the globe, a prospect that could see unprecedented financial success for the club.

In the upcoming weeks, Perez, an extremely successful construction magnate, believed to be worth €1.2 billion, will meet up with various sponsors and investors to find the funding for such a project, which could cost in the excess of €150m for the first phase.

Perez is also reported to have contacted city officials from Beijing and Miami to hold local offshoots of the Real Madrid Theme Park, a move that could prove very successful in boosting the club's worldwide popularity.

Construction could begin by as early as Spring 2010, with the opening scheduled at Summer 2013 - the end's of Perez's presidential term.

Source: goal.com

Fixtures for La Liga 2009-10 Match Day 2.  Some of the games are likely to be moved to Saturday 12th September, for TV.

Sunday, September 13 2009
Atlético Madrid v Racing
Deportivo de La Coruña v Málaga
Espanyol v Real Madrid
Getafe v Barcelona
Real Valladolid v Valencia
Sevilla v Real Zaragoza
Sporting Gijon v Almeria
Tenerife v Osasuna
Villarreal v Mallorca
Xerez v Athletic de Bilbao

Barcelona captain Carles Puyol is stalling over a contract renewal offered by the club as doubts persist over his role in the first team, according to AS.

The 31-year-old Blaugrana defender is said to be mulling over a two-year extension that would keep him at the club until he is 34-years-old but there is a suggestion now that the player may consider finishing his career overseas with Premier League big spenders Chelsea and Manchester City and Italian giants Milan identified as clubs keeping tabs on the progress of contract negotiations.

Puyol is said to have the backing of coach Pep Guardiola who said he wants to hold onto the captain because he can play any position in the back four.

The veteran defender, who played his 300th league game for Barca in Monday's 2-0 win over Sporting Gijon at Camp Nou, is reportedly unconvinced about his future role at the club.

Puyol, who has lifted three La Liga titles and two European Cups as captain, is said to be in no hurry to sign a deal and wants to see how this season develops with Rafael Marquez and new-signing Dmytro Chygrynskiy vying for the centre-back positions and Pep Guardiola's position at the club yet to be set in stone.

It is understood that a role on the substitutes bench would most likely diminish the likelihood of him signing an extension.

Source: goal.com

Barcelona officials are currently working on contract extensions that will keep Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta at the club until 2016, according to Sport.

The Catalan club are reportedly keen to extend the buy-out clauses of both players in an effort to dissuade potential bids from the likes of Manchester City.

Messi's negotiations are said to be at a more advanced stage with the player set to become the highest earner in world football, earning in the region of €10 million per-year plus performance-based incentives.

The buy-out clause is set to increase from €150-200 million however the club is confident that it is Messi's desire to remain at the club that would overrule any potential bid. It is expected that Messi will sign the improved deal later this month.

Andres Iniesta has already publicly stated that he would never ask Barcelona for "even one euro" but it is understood that the club seeks to reward the player for his efforts.

The players desire to retire from football at Camp Nou may well be realised as the new deal will conclude when he is 32-years-old.

Iniesta's agent Ramon Sostres has been in talks with the club since the end of last season and it appears that a deal will be struck, with the player set to become one of the clubs top earners and the contract will include a buy-out clause similar to that of his Argentine team-mate.

Source: goal.com

Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has sensationally claimed that it was he who brought Cristiano Ronaldo to the Bernabeu, according to Spanish publication Sport.

The 58-year-old resigned as club president in January amid allegations of vote-rigging, and he was replaced by interim president Vicente Boluda before Florentino Perez returned for a second stint in the job.

Calderon had made previous attempts to lure Ronaldo away from Manchester United prior to last season, however despite failing then, he had claimed that the capture of the world's most expensive footballer was his handiwork.

"Cristiano Ronaldo, as everyone now knows, was hired during my tenure [as president]," claimed Calderon.

Ronaldo signed from Manchester United in a world record €94 million deal and Calderon now says that this and other signings were made thanks to him.

He added, "I gave €115 million to the club and €100 million of benefits that have allowed the president [Florentino Perez] to make the purchases made."

SourcE: goal.com

Former Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster has told Sport that defender Sergio Ramos cannot afford a repeat of his 2008-09 campaign.

The German coach says that Ramos will need to improve greatly if he is to remain at the Bernabeu.

"Sergio Ramos needs to improve because he can't have another season like last year. At Real Madrid this is impossible," said Schuster.

He also believes that the arrival of former Liverpool full-back Alvaro Arbeloa will provide Ramos with the competition he needs to improve as a player.

"Alvaro Arbeloa brings competition, a player who is hungry and wants to prove he can play for Madrid after doing so at Liverpool. Arbeloa can help Sergio. If [Ramos] tries harder and is humble he can become a permanent fixture in the team," Schuster said.

Source: goal.com

Real Madrid's Iker Casillas has slammed the balls used in major competitions like the Champions League, saying their flight is untrue and makes life extremely difficult for goalkeepers.

"I am sorry but it has got to the stage where it just can't be allowed to continue," Casillas, who is also Spain's number one keeper, said in an interview published in Spanish sports daily AS on Tuesday.

"How they make the balls makes things difficult these days, particularly the one for the Champions League," he added. "The flight is terrible, you saw that at the Confederations Cup and the European Championship."

The balls for the Champions League, the Confederations Cup and the European Championship are manufactured by German sporting goods maker Adidas.

"The ball used in the league is a bit better, it can do strange things but not many," added Casillas. "The other one is a complete disaster."

Source: ESPN

There were some great displays in the opening round of the Primera season and Goal.com has weighed up which were the best and named a team that would give any side a game...

4-4-2

Goalkeeper:
Jacobo (Real Valladolid)

Made an impressive claim to become the club's first choice keeper after spells with Numancia and Getafe by making seven crucial saves to earn his side a point against Almeria even after Nivaldo had been sent off.

Defenders:
Daniel Alves (Barcelona)
Despite playing for 120 minutes on a questionable pitch only three days earlier in the European Super Cup, the Brazilian full-back produced another energetic performance against Sporting. His tireless running tormented the Asturians throughout and he set up two goals with his crossing ability.

Cata Diaz (Getafe)
Los Azulones attacking players may have won all the headlines for the team's impressive display in their 4-1 win at Racing Santander on the opening day, but the powerful defender was one of the unsung heroes at the back. His organisation and driving spirit was evident and that drove Geta on.

Alexis (Valencia)
In what proved to be a tight and unspectacular affair at the Mestalla on Sunday evening, Alexis' timing in the tackle on a terrible playing surface helped set up his team for an opening day win against Sevilla. Three crucial interventions denied the visitors a clear shot at goal as he stood out at the back.

Jesus Gamez (Malaga)
The Andalucian outfit were not predicted to fair well against Atletico Madrid at La Rosaleda with many critics believing that Malaga would slump after an impressive return to the top flight last term. Gamez's huge contribution at the back though ensured that Diego Forlan and Sergio Aguero were kept quiet.

Midfielders:
Lassana Diarra (Real Madrid)
While the focus was firmly on the multi-million euro signings that los Merengues made this summer, it was a player that arrived quietly last January that stole the show. Diarra impressed in the second half of last season and he started this term in the same manner and capped his display with a great goal.

Seydou Keita (Barcelona)
Another Blaugrana player that played two hours of football on Friday and then produced a tireless performance against Sporting to spur coach Pep Guardiola into announcing that he would be a regular in the team this season. A great goal, an assist and a shot off the woodwork were the highlights of his game.

Adrian (Getafe)
In what was the performance of the week from one team in the Spanish top flight, Getafe shined in most areas but the central midfielder stood out for his work-rate, tackling and ability to push the side forward. Set up a goal and could well have added to the scoreline himself.

Duda (Malaga)
Why Sevilla agreed to let the 29-year-old leave this summer rather than provide the ammunition that was so clearly lacking in their first game will raise even more eyebrows after he produced a superb display to guide Malaga to victory. His passing and crossing from the left undid Atletico Madrid.

Forwards:
Gaizka Toquero (Athletic Club)
The relatively unknown striker will become a well-known name if he produces many more performances like the one that inspired Athletic to victory over Espanyol. As well as scoring the only goal, the 25-year-old was at the heart of everything that the hosts did well and will become a regular in the team.

Roberto Soldado (Getafe)
Real Madrid may have just spent a king's ransom on bolstering their attack, but a few fans may look across the city at the homegrown striker that escaped. Soldado's hat-trick for his team at Racing was as impressive as it was unsurprising given his undoubted talent that is coming out now he has the right stage.

               Jacobo
Alves - Cata Diaz - Alexis - Gamez
  Adrian - Keita - Lass - Duda
        Toquero - Soldado

Source: goal.com

Real Madrid's €94 million summer signing Cristiano Ronaldo insists that he will prove he is worth the record transfer fee Los Merengues spent to sign him from Manchester United.

"I am at a great club. I will prove to myself, my family, those who love me and those people who hired me, that I am worth it. I can say no more. Just work,"  the 24-year-old said in an interview with El Pais.

When asked about the criticism of the privileged lifestyle of professional footballers, Ronaldo said that life is not always fair.

"I respect what is said but don't always share the opinion. There are people who are happy and those who are not," he said. "Everyone has what he deserves."

He went on to say that he lives a normal life and has adapted himself to the demands of professional football.

"I have lived in the real world," he claimed. "In my head I am a normal person. We have a profession that gives us nice things but also gives us responsibilities. We must win all the time, the pressure is great, but as professionals we adapt."

Ronaldo also insisted that he tries to set a good example as a role model.

"I try to behave well on and off the field, although that is not always easy for different reasons," he said. "I try to look good, especially for the children. It is important to grow up with good examples. That is a big responsibility for me."

Source: goal.com

Ukrainian defender joins European champions for reported £22 million

Ukrainian defender Dymytro Chygrynsky says he feels 'lucky' after completing his big-money switch to Barcelona.

The 22-year-old centre back has moved from Shakhtar Donetsk in a deal worth a reported 25million euros (£22 million).

The player, who featured for Shakhtar in their 1-0 defeat to Barca in Friday's European Super Cup, has completed a medical and signed his contract, the European and Spanish champions confirmed on their website.

He told Barca TV: "I feel lucky to sign for Barca. I'm hoping to improve and form a part of this great team.

"It wasn't easy (to leave Shakhtar). Shakhtar thought they would be involved in the Champions League.

"What's more they have just opened a new stadium and the president wanted me to stay."

Chygrynskiy is the Catalan giant's third summer signing after Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and defender Maxwell joined from Inter Milan.

Source: Sky Sports

Barcelona began their quest for a second successive league title under Pep Guardiola with a routine 3-0 win over Sporting Gijon in the first round of Primera Liga action at the Nou Camp.

First-half goals from Bojan Krkic and Seydou Keita set an under-strength Catalan side on their way and summer signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic grabbed his first for the club late on as Guardiola's side strolled to a comfortable victory.

Pedro was rewarded for his winning goal in the UEFA Super Cup win over Shakhtar Donetsk last week with a place in the starting XI, replacing Lionel Messi who is on international duty with in Argentina.

Keita, Bojan and Maxwell all started in a new-look Barcelona side, as Thierry Henry and Yaya Toure were left on the bench and Rafa Marquez and Andres Iniesta - on their way back from injury - watched on from the stands, along with new signing Dmitro Chygrynsky.

Barca dominated from the outset and Ibrahimovic showed some neat touches early on. The first real chance of note fell to the former Inter Milan forward, but he dragged a poor effort across the box from a good position after just four minutes.

Sporting came into this game with five players missing through injury and coach Manuel Preciado opted to field all five summer signings from the start.

The northerners began well and Diego Castro should have given them the lead after 10 minutes when he poked his shot harmlessly over the bar with only Victor Valdes to beat.

Seven minutes later, Barca were ahead. Keita cleverly flicked on Xavi's corner with his head and Bojan was on hand to apply the finishing touch with a diving header at the back post.

Maxwell's suicidal back pass almost set up David Barral for an equaliser after 32 minutes, but Valdes was alert to the danger. Ibrahimovic then cut the ball back in the area brilliantly after 40 minutes, but his weak shot was easily saved by Sporting keeper Juan Pablo Colinas at the near post.

Two minutes later, Bojan went on a mesmerising run and was allowed to shoot by a Sporting defence expecting the killer pass to a team-mate. His effort was eventually deflected wide and from the resulting corner, Barcelona went two up.

This time it was taken short to Dani Alves, who whipped in a pinpoint cross towards the far post where three Barca players were queuing up to apply the finish. The first in line was Keita, who crashed an unstoppable header past Juan Pablo to give Barca a two-goal lead at the break.

Bojan almost put the Catalans three up not long after the break, but Sporting kept fighting and came close through Mate Bilic and Barral midway through the second period. Bojan then had another chance straight after that and Ibrahimovic saw a header saved by Juan Pablo with 15 minutes left.

It was proving something of a frustrating evening for the Swede, but he finally got his reward eight minutes from time when he was left all alone to finish with ease at the back post after Sporting had once again failed to deal with a Barca corner. The Barca striker looked to be in an offside position, but he will hardly care now that he is off the mark for his new club.

Further chances came and went in the closing minutes, but this was still an impressive win for a Barca side with several players in reserve and paying well within themselves.

After one round of fixtures, the Catalans sit joint top alongside Getafe and Malaga, who both won by three-goal margins on Sunday.

Source: ESPN