The Daily Mail are reporting that both Tottenham and Arsenal are keeping their eyes on out-of-favour Real Madrid youngster Alvaro Morata. Carlo Ancelotti preferred Jese to Morata for the Champions League game with Galatasaray in midweek which has apparently alerted the two top teams in North London. … [Read more...]
Archives for November 2013
Liverpool open talks with Montoya
Liverpool have made the first move to sign Barcelona defender Martin Montoya after the Reds opened talks with the Nou Camp youngster. Montoya is out of contract in the summer and Barcelona look ready to offload the La Masia graduate in January. Talks have been ongoing between Montoya and Barcelona with the 22-year-old keen on staying at the club but Liverpool Managing Director Ian Ayre has flown out to discuss a potential fee. … [Read more...]
Football and cars – a match made in heaven
There's nothing pretty about stereotypes, especially when it comes to gender, but if you were putting together a lifestyle website aimed at men you might consider pitching it around the two subjects close to many a man's heart; namely football and cars. Of course, this might have something to do with the fact that the huge wages earn by most top flight footballers seem to go on a fleet of expensive motors before anything else, but in truth there are practical reasons why the two go together for many normal people too. … [Read more...]
La Liga team of the week – round 14
The international break is finally over -at least for the next 5 months-and the return of La liga feels like early Christmas. As has become the tradition right here on La Liga blog, we recognise and salute the outstanding performers after every match week in our unique Team of the Week feature. Unsurprisingly, the team is dominated by players from Atletico Madrid (the round's biggest winners). … [Read more...]
Ancelotti not right for Los Blancos claims ex Madrid president
Is Carlo Ancelotti the right man to lead Los Blancos? Not according to Ramon Calderon. "It seems to me that Ancelotti does not have the personality and charisma to lead Real Madrid" said the ex-CEO earlier this month. He went on to attack their style of play under Ancelotti saying it wasn’t 'defined' or 'organized' and that they 'concede too many goals'. In Calderon’s eyes, the hiring of Ancelotti was a mistake. … [Read more...]
Derby defeat for Betis may push Mel closer to the edge
"I don't know if my players are good or if my players are bad, all I know is that they are my players and I have to pick them up” said a dejected Pepe Mel after he had watched his Real Betis side dismantled against Sevilla. He had just had to watch Sevilla's indulge in the 4-0 thrashing with their fans who chanted "Let Pepe Mel jump” around the Sanchez Pijuan and the 2.1 mile journey back to the Villamarin would have felt like the longest of journeys as, in another fact Sevilla's faithful were quick to point out, Betis were heading to the Segunda. … [Read more...]
Time for LFP to tackle racism
Another racism row flared up during the Seville derby on Sunday evening as 'supporters' (a loosely used term) of Betis turned on their own player, Paulao, apparently racially abusing the Brazilian centre-back. It is not the first time racism has been seen in Spanish football and it has been happening without sufficient punishment for too long. The incident at Betis needs to be Spain's watershed moment and the country should rally and appreciate that the issue of racism in football has to be addressed. … [Read more...]
How La Liga stars got on in the World Cup play-offs
The international break has shown its face for the last time until March (thank goodness!) with plenty of celebration for the La Liga contingent in the World Cup qualifiers. Victory was around in abundance, none more so than in the Portugal camp where Cristiano Ronaldo was once again the shining light, after his late goal in Lisbon he grabbed a hat-trick in the second leg in Stockholm sending Portugal to the World Cup finals in Brazil. Pepe and Ronaldo’s Real team-mate Fabio Coentrao also played a part in the thrilling match which finished 3 – 2, seeing Portugal victorious by a 4 – 2 … [Read more...]
Could David Luiz be off to Barcelona?
Barcelona's defensive difficulties were well documented over the summer and coach Martino is on record as saying he will reassess the situation in January, as the Catalan club look for the long-term replacement for Carles Puyol. A player they have reportedly watched closely is David Luiz of Chelsea, Luiz has been in and out of the Chelsea starting 11 this season and with the return to form of stalwart John Terry, come January the Brazillian defender could well be available. Luiz is not your typical 6' 4" Premier League centre half, he is more forward-thinking and confident on the ball and his … [Read more...]
Chelsea and Manchester United interested in Xabi Alonso
Both Chelsea and Manchester United are monitoring the situation of Spanish international Xabi Alonso as he looks set to become a free agent next summer reports Give me Sport. Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti remains adamant however, that Alonso will put pen to paper on a new deal very soon, claiming the holding midfielder is still very much a 'vital' player for the club. In spite of this, both United and Chelsea are reportedly putting together offers of their own in attempt to coerce the ex Liverpool player back to the Premier League next year. … [Read more...]