If it wasn’t for Florentino Perez and his early transfer window ‘shock and awe’ superstar shopping spree, a shopping spree which has seen the triple trophy winning exploits of Joan Laporta’s men at the Camp Nou quickly forgotten by anyone not from Catalunya, then what must be regarded as the summer’s most ludicrous deal to date would surely never have come to fruition.

Yes, Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Barcelona is ludicrous. More ludicrous than Lyon paying 24 million euros for the unproven Lisandro Lopez; more ludicrous than Benfica paying 7 million euros for the nowhere near good enough Javi Garcia; and far more ludicrous than Manchester City paying upwards of 30 million euros for the staggeringly overrated Emmanuel Adebayor. It is simply astounding.

It can’t have been easy for Laporta and Co. to watch on as Perez signed, in the space of a couple of weeks, not one, but two, dual FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or winners. If this wasn’t pain enough, they then had to deal with being beaten to the signature of a player they (and most of Europe) desperately wanted, one of the world’s most promising forwards in Karim Benzema.

But, to their credit, through it all they took the moral high ground. “We will not stretch the arm more than the sleeve,” Laporta told AS. “We will make the changes we have to make, but the players that are interesting to us, we must get them under reasonable conditions.”

So far, the Catalans have brought in three new Brazilians – a quality left back in Maxwell, plus two exciting youngsters in defender Henrique (back from a loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen) and striker Keirrison from Palmeiras. Each of these deals represents careful consideration of both the present needs and future vision of the club.

But whilst astute, these deals have hardly been headline grabbing. And Laporta knows it. He knows that, to refocus world football attention away from the Spanish capital, away from Florentino and his Galacticos, and back on his club, he needs a major signing. A massive signing. He needs his own Galactico.

That Galactico was supposed to be David Villa. The Valencia striker would have been perfect. He’s a genuine superstar and would fit in wonderfully as a direct replacement for the departing Eto’o. Plus, signing the man who Perez really wanted but couldn’t get would have been a major victory. A symbol of Barca’s continued domination of Madrid.

He made a great offer, 42 million euros plus Keirrison on loan, but it wasn’t “scandalous” enough for Manuel Llorente, and in the end, Valencia wouldn’t budge. Neither would Bayern Munich when it came to Franck Ribery. And  as for poor old Diego Forlan, the reigning Pichichi winner and six million euro cheaper option than Villa, simply wasn’t a big enough name in the end.

And so, in desperation, Laporta has turned to Ibrahimovic, the man Perez passed on, the man willing to play anywhere as long as it wasn’t the San Siro, the man widely regarded as a Champions League flop, because this man represented the Barca chief’s last hope of signing anyone close to being a Galactico.

The ‘Ibracadabra’ deal, or the “100 million euro deal” according to Mourinho, the deal which sees Inter get a 25-30 goal per season striker in Samuel Eto’o, a player Barca beat them too last summer in Alexander Hleb and cash in the region of 50 million euros, is hardly ‘reasonable’. Frankly, it reeks of Laporta’s need to match Real Madrid, and in particular Florentino Perez, when it comes to big, headline stealing deals. His ego has got the better of him.

Perez may have paid enormous fees for Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo – but both players were needed to remedy serious squad deficiencies. In reality, Barcelona don’t need Zlatan. How will he make them a better team? He may possess impressive technical skills, but he certainly doesn’t stand out when compared to Xavi, Iniesta and Messi. Ditto for his skills in dead ball situations. At Inter he was a match winner, at Barca he’s just another player. The one thing you can say the Swede will bring with him is height – he will finally provide Pep’s team with an aerial option in attack. An expensive option.

What Barca need is an out and out goal scorer. An in the box predator. Eto’o but not Eto’o. Keirrison fits this description, but he’s not ready. ‘Ibra’ is not in this mould. He is closer to what Thierry Henry was when he arrived from Arsenal two seasons ago, and his first season was a disaster. The Barca style of football almost ruined him. With the amount of money Laporta is prepared to spend on ‘Ibra’, one has to wonder, why not Kun Aguero?

When Zlatan Ibrahimovic is presented at the Camp Nou next week, presumably in the number 9 shirt, he will no doubt make a speech thanking Joan Laporta, Barcelona and Internazionale Milano for making his ‘dream’ move a reality. There’s one more man the Swede shouldn’t forget to thank, a man who has had as big a say in his transfer has anyone – Florentino Perez.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Spain’s La Liga is littered with impressive youngsters. Youngsters who are superstars in the making. Youngsters who have shown that their future clearly lies at one of Spain’s, or Europe’s, big guns rather than at their current mid to lower table employers. Here are the best eleven of them.

Formation: 4-3-3 (Admittedly not a perfect 4-3-3, but close enough).

Goalkeeper

Sergio Asenjo (20 years old) – A no-brainer to start with. Having just turned 20, the young Spaniard is already considered by many to be the natural successor to Iker Casillas in the Spanish national team. After two impressive season in La Liga with Valladolid, his big move is on the horizon, with a deal sending him to Atletico Madrid all but finalised.

Defense

Ivan Marcano (22) – Racing Santander may have been average last season, but defender Marcano was not. One of his teams most consistent performers, his outstanding form had him linked with a move to Real Madrid. Whilst this move may never become a reality, a move to a club such as Valencia or Atletico Madrid is well within his reach.

Nicolas Pareja (25)- A gold medal winner with the national team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Argentine joined Espanyol from Belgium side Anderlecht at the beginning of last season. He was a solid contributor both in defense and attack, scoring three goals, as Espanyol came back from the dead to survive relegation.

Fernando Amorebieta (24) – Born in Venezuela to Basque parents, Fernando is yet another quality product of the Athletic Bilbao youth system. A tall, strong, no-frills centreback, he has represented Spain at U19 and national level. Like many of his teammates, his fierce allegiance to Los Leones may prevent him pursuing a move to a bigger club.

Felipe Luis (23) – He’s part Italian, part Polish, was born in Brazil and has already worn the Selecao colours at U20 level. A mainstay in the Deportivo La Coruna defense last season, this kid can play. That’s why he comes with a price tag in the region of 20 million euros. His current employers won’t get that much, but 10-15 million would represent good business for them and a good investment for would-be suitors such as Barcelona.

Midfield

Jose Jurado (23) – On loan to Mallorca from Atletico Madrid last campaign, the attacking midfielder was a major contributor, scoring nine goals and provided a number of assists in what was a massive season for the former Real Madrid youth product. With Maniche and Ever Banega gone, the time seems perfect for Jose to return to Atletico and fulfill his true potential.

Javi Martinez (20) – Athletic Bilbao are far from a rich club, so when they shelled a reported 6 million euros for a 17 year old who had never played a senior match, eyebrows were raised. Three years on and the boy form Estella has proven to be an astute investment by the Basque club. His powerful displays in the centre of the park have seen him linked with a big move to Liverpool and he is surely on the wish list of a number of other clubs, both in Spain and abroad.

Juan Albin (22) – One of the first players rumored as a possible replacement for Kaka at AC Milan, Albin is a seriously underrated talent. Possessing the skills, pace and determination to succeed at the highest level, the Uruguayan’s 7 goals and 6 assists last season were vital as Getafe FC narrowly avoided relegation.

Attack

Pablo Piatti (20) – I rate this kid. Heavily linked with Juventus following an impressive showing for the Argentina U20’s at the 2007 World Cup, Almeria pulled of a major coup when they signed Pablo from Estudiantes before the beginning of last season. A versatile winger cum second striker, he scored 5 goals in what was an impressive debut season, including a crucial equaliser against Real Madrid at the Estadio del Mediterraneo. Destined for greatness.

Alvaro Negredo (23) – Negredo has been a star for Almeria since joining from Real Madrid two season ago. His 19 goals and 7 assists last season led to Los Merengues activating the buy back clause in his contract. Whether he remains at the Bernabeu is still uncertain, but what is certain is that he is a striker of immense talent that would fit in well at a number of Europe’s top clubs.

Jose Andres Guardado (22) – How this prodigiously talented left winger is still at Deportivo La Coruna is beyond me. The 22 year old was linked with Real Madrid and a host of Italian clubs before joining Depor from FC Atlas in 2007. The Mexican has since become a club and fan favourite and it seems only a matter of time before the big clubs once again come knocking.

Final Lineup

Asenjo

Marcano                Pareja                    Amorebieta                          Felipe

Jurado                 Martinez                     Albin

Piatti                             Negredo                     Guardado

Do you agree? Have I missed anyone? Who would you have in your XI? Let me know YOUR thoughts…

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The second coming of Florentino Perez should not be judged on what big name stars he brings to the Santiago Bernabeu. His ability to attract the world’s best has never been an issue of debate. Neither has his ability to generate capital for the club. Rather, any lessons the man claims to have learnt since departing the Bernabeu in disgrace back in 2006 should be judged on how he treats the less famous, yet equally important, members of the squad. I am speaking here of two players in particular – Lassana Diarra and Gonzalo Higuain.

Rewind to 2003 and the sale of Claude Makelele to Chelsea after Perez’s refusal to grant the player a pay raise in line with his obvious importance to the team. “We will not miss Makelele” boomed Perez. They did. “Younger players will arrive who will cause Makelele to be forgotten.”  They didn’t. The departure of the five foot seven French defensive midfielder was considered by many as the beginning of the end for Perez and his first Galacticos project.

Fast forward to 2009. Perez is back. So are the Galacticos. So is the five foot seven French defensive midfielder. Only this time his name isn’t Claude, it’s Lassana. Lassana Diarra. Since his arrival from Portsmouth in January of this year, ‘Lass’ has established himself as a vital member of the Real Madrid team. His aggressive tackling, tireless running and intelligent all-round play have made him a squad, and fan, favourite. He is the new Makelele.

Two and a half years ago Gonzalo Higuain arrived from River Plate for a cool 13 million euros. He’s taken his time settling in to life at the Bernabeu, but it now seems to have been worth the wait. Last season he finished top scorer with 22 goals. He was also the top assist man with nine. Some of his goals were vital, too. Two stunning winners which immediately come to mind were his screamer at the death against Getafe at the Bernabeu and his tremendous solo effort away at Malaga. The France born Argentine now looks as if he will only get better and better.

Despite all his progress, his position at the club is once again under threat. Persistent rumors of a player plus cash deal involving Internazionale’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic, coupled with Perez’s pursuit of a striker of similar style, in the form of Valencia’s David Villa, have thrown El Pipito’s Madrid future into doubt.

To sell the youngster at this point in his career would be a huge mistake on the part of the new regime. He may not be as refined or consistent as Villa or Ibra, but let’s remember that he spent much of last season, indeed much of his Madrid career to date, playing out of position, on the right wing. If anything, this makes his numbers all the more impressive. A switch to a preferred central striking role next season would surely see his goal tally rise. Let’s also not forget that he’s still only 21. In him, I feel that Madrid have found the new Raul.

Florentino Perez needs to demonstrate that he has learnt the lessons from his first stint as Real Madrid President. He needs to show he has learnt that buying the world’s best players does not guarantee on-field success. Instead, it is the manner in which he treats those around his Galacticos which can make the difference. In my opinion, Lassana Diarra and Gonzalo Higuain represent his best chances at redemption. It could well be how he treats these two unsung heroes of the Madrid team that determines the success of his second tenure at the Bernabeu. Time will tell if he’s indeed a changed man.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Samuel Eto’o was in the shop window last summer. He was on then new manager Pep Guardiola’s ‘clear-out’ list from day one. There was talk of a move to AC Milan. They plumped for Ronaldinho. There was also speculation that crosstown rivals Internazionale, with new manager Jose Mourinho, were very interested. Again, it came to nothing. So did interest from Chelsea, Arsenal and then French champions Lyon. In truth, apart from an overly-ambitious outfit from Uzbekistan, there were no serious bidders for his services.

In the end, faced with the dilemma of what to do with a striker who you don’t really want, but can’t just leave on the bench because you are paying him in excess of 100,000 euros per week, Pep told the man from Cameroon to work his tail off and earn a spot in his side for the 2008/09 campaign.

Eto’os response has been nothing short of emphatic. Four goals against Valladolid; a hat-trick against Almeria; 6 doubles; the first goal to break the stubborn Real Madrid resistance at the Camp Nou; the equaliser at Real Betis when his team was struggling in mid-season; the winners in 1-0 victories at Athletic Bilbao and Valladolid. Twenty-nine league goals in all, with only one of them coming from the penalty spot.

Indeed, he’d be worthy Pichichi winner this season if it wasn’t for the incredible heroics of a certain blonde haired Uruguayan in Madrid. “When the season finishes and everything goes well, [the manager] Pep [Guardiola] will tell me that he’s happy with me and to go talk to [Laporta].” Sounds like a reasonable enough assumption. But, will he?

Sure, for the past couple of seasons Eto’o hadn’t been the same dynamic, virtually unstoppable goal scoring machine he had been in 2005-06 when he did take home the Pichichi and scored in the Champions League triumph over Arsenal, but his numbers this season must mean something to Pep. So, why have rumors of a summer move resurfaced?

Simply put, there are still a number of unanswered questions regarding the the fourth highest scorer in Barcelona history.

For instance, has Eto’o been a vital part of this awesome Barcelona machine this season? One could make the case that 29 goals is a significant enough contribution to say he has. But has his been a more significant contribution than that of Messi, Iniesta, Xavi, Iniesta, Henry or Alves? Would the team as a whole suffer if he was sold and their was a new name on the number 9 shirt?

His temperament has always been a potential for concern. This was one of the main reasons behind Guardiola’s attempt to offload him a year ago. Florentino Perez once called him a “ticking time bomb”. His high profile falling outs with Ronaldinho and former manager Frank Rijkaard and the substantial effect this had on the team as a whole have not been forgotten, and Pep definitely does not want any potentially divisive elements in his dressing room. Sure, he may have come good again this season – but will he stay that way?

Additionally, the word around some campfires is that his knees certainly aren’t what they used to be. He missed five months back in 2007 after injuring himself in a pre-season friendly against Internazionale. Since then, his pace and dynamism haven’t been the same. He no longer stretches defenses like he once did. Some may argue he doesn’t need to, what with Messi on his right and Henry on his left, but what if one, or God forbid both, of them went down with a serious injury? Could Eto’o be relied upon to step up and lead the  attack once more?

Is it worth Pep sticking with his current number 9, or should he cash in on him whilst he can, and invest the cash in a young player, with perfect knees, who could lead Barca’s line for the better part of the next decade? This summer would be the perfect time, what with Eto’o in form, still only 28 and players the likes of Villa, Aguero, Kerrison, Forlan, Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez all potentially available. And, of course, he does have wonderkid Bojan Krkic already at his disposal.

“My future is with Barça,” said the 28-year-old recently, “to be clear, I have no intention of leaving.” On the surface it would appear that Sammy doesn’t want to leave the comfortable confines of the Camp Nou. And why would he? The man himself summed it up best, “If you were playing in this Barcelona team, the way it is playing, would you want to leave for anywhere else in the world?”

It’s a good point. He loves scoring goals, and no-one is scoring more goals than Barcelona at the moment. Trouble is, with so many unanswered questions hovering over him, he may not have a say in the matter.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

It’s been a busy week in the world of La Liga. Javier Saviola finally realised that he wasn’t a required player at Real Madrid, and if he actually wanted to be able to write the word ‘footballer’ as his occupation on his arrival card whenever he nicked back to Buenos Aires for a holiday, he would have to go in search of new employers.

Florentino Perez couldn’t hold it in any longer and announced he fancied another shot at being the President of Real Madrid, and the boys from Catalunya broke two trophy droughts –they scored their first Copa Del Rey in 11 years and their first trophy of any kind in three.

The Camp Nou trophy cabinet could well be two trophies fuller by Sunday evening, and in all likelihood, it will be. Barca only need one point from their trip to Mallorca on Sunday, and that’s only if Real Madrid dispose of Villarreal on Saturday night at El Madrigal. If Los Merengues draw or get battered again like they did last week at the hands of Valencia, then Pep Guardiola could give the likes of Martin Caceres and Alexander Hleb a game, safe in the knowledge that however badly they play, the title is already safely in their keeping.

Real Madrid must defeat Villarreal to keep the title race alive. The good news is, they pistol whipped the Yellow Submarine, 5-0, on their home turf last season, a full 72 rounds ago now. Roysten Drenthe started that day, but the bad news is, things have changed somewhat, for both him and Real since then.

The last fortnight in particular has seen the whippers become the whipees. Saint Iker’s back is surely killing him after having to retrieve the ball from his net nine times in the last two games; Sergio Ramos has given up pretending to give a crap whatsoever; Gabi Heinze has shown that he can, in fact, get any worse; and the coach has given up the illusion that his team is anywhere near as good as Pep’s. In short, Real are done – stick a fork in them.

Villarreal, on the other hand, will be feeling pretty good about themselves after spoiling Barca’s planned title party last weekend, and a win on Saturday night will do them a world of good in their fight with Atletico Madrid and Valencia for the last Champions League spot.

I’m now going to make a bold prediction – there will be more Diego Forlan heroics this Sunday when Atletico host Valencia at the Vicente Calderon. I’m talking real heroics here, not simply the footballing kind. Something along the lines of Diego rushing into the crowd to perform the Heimlich Maneuver on an 80 year old Atleti fan who began choking on the sunflower seeds he was munching, after witnessing the striker smash in his fifth goal, a 200 yard screamer, in the 94th minute to give his side a 5-4 victory.

If the blonde haired Uruguayan wasn’t enough of a worry, the visitors won’t have midfield mule Carlos Marchena or midfield maestro David Silva available due to suspension. They will have David Villa though, and he must be giddy with excitement at the thought of facing Atletico’s ‘defense’.

It’s a massive round for the five teams from Andalusia, with all of them involved in potentially fate determining encounters. Sevilla FC are on the road in Pamplona to tackle an Osasuna team who are seemingly hell bent on self destruction. Two losses in as many weeks to fellow strugglers Getafe and Recreativo de Huelvo as seen Jose Camacho’s team drop to within touching distance of the drop zone. A win for the visitors may not guarantee Manolo Jimenez that he’ll have a job at the club next season, but it will just about guarantee them a third spot finish.

The other team from Seville, Real Betis, were, how can I put this, wretched – no wait, deplorable- no wait, I’ve got it, pitiful – they were pitiful against an Athletic Bilbao reserve team last week at San Mames. Perhaps the most underrated team in La Liga, Almeria, visits the Estadio Manuel Ruiz de Lopera this weekend in a match that Betis simply must win to guarantee their survival.

In another match that promises to be intriguing if not entertaining, Numancia host Recreativo de Huelva on Sunday as both sides attempt to avoid relegation. A draw would be useless, but a win, for either team, would give them a shot at playing with the big boys next season. The other team in big big trouble, Sporting de Gijon, will host Europe chasers Malaga. A win for Sporting could see them hop out of the drop zone, a loss would see them pretty much condemned to return to whence they came – La Segunda.

Elsewhere, the Houdini act of Espanyol will be all but completed if they can defeat an Athletic Bilbao side who were slaughtered by Barcelona a couple of days ago, and have nothing to play for as far the league is concerned. If Deportivo la Coruna can overcome a resurgent Getafe side they’ll still be in with a crazy shot at making the Champions League, and as for Racing Santander versus Valladolid…who cares?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

“We are going to surprise Barcelona and we are going to win this final.” This confident statement wasn’t from the mouth of a drunk Basque fisherman in a Bilbao bar. Or one of the 20,000 fans who watched their teams final training session at San Mames. It was spouted by in form Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente. And you know what? I agree with him.

Barcelona may be the second best team in Europe right now (yes, Manchester United are better), but they’ve had a huge couple of weeks. Two massive matches with Chelsea in the Champions League, an El Classico and a 3-3 draw at the Camp Nou on Sunday with Villarreal have drained the Blaugrana of physical strength, mental toughness and some crucial players.

This will be music to the ears of Athletic Bilbao coach Joaquin Caparros, who will have the luxury of a full strength squad in which to choose his starting eleven from. He gave all of his stars a rest on the weekend for the match against Real Betis. They’re professional 1-0 win means they’ve now gone four games unbeaten in the league. The Basque side are full of confidence at the minute.

There will be no Iniesta, Henry, Marquez or Abidal on the Barca team sheet at the Mestalla on Wednesday. There may be no Valdes or Puyol either if Guardiola decides to give backup keeper Jose Pinto and forgotten defender Martin Caceres a run. Not exactly great news going into a cup final.

However, despite these noticeable absentees, Barca still contain more quality in their ranks than Bilbao. A lot more. They’re not bulletproof though. Set pieces have been a problem for them all season–Juninho’s free kick in the Champions League round of 16 and Sergio Ramos’ free header for Real’s second at the Bernabeu when the game was still there to be won, immediately come to mind–and Bilbao have a major weapon to exploit this–Fernando Llorente.

The beanpole striker has 13 league and 4 Copa goals to his name and has been crucial to Athletic’s success this season. He’s quick, strong, intelligent, effective with both feet and dynamic on the ground and in the air. He’s Bilbao’s match winner and the Barca defence will not want to let him out of their sight for even a moment on Wednesday night.

Los Leones are by no means a one man band, though. Llorente will no doubt be ably backed up by the underrated Andoni Iraola, Javier Martinez, Fernando Amorebita and the guy who is playing purely for his love of the Athletic shirt, Joseba Etxeberria. Crucially, Athletic Bilbao are a proud lot. They will not give an inch on Wednesday and they won’t stop fighting for the entire ninety minutes. They will make life extremely uncomfortable for Barcelona.

Barcelona may still be on track for a treble this season, but they still haven’t actually won anything. They should have wrapped up the league on the weekend, but couldn’t hold off a spirited Villarreal outfit. There will no doubt be extra pressure on the players in this match as they seek to get trophy number one out of the way against a team they should account for quite easily.

Bilbao, on the other hand, have nothing to lose. Caparros phrased it perfectly, “At the end of the day there are two teams, one is the best in the world, the other has a lot of passion and pride”.  It’s as simple as that. For all their confident rhetoric and bold statements about beating the Catalan club to cup number 25, surely no one around San Mames is actually expecting them to win this match. A victory would be a monumental upset, one for the ages, whilst a loss would be put down to them being beaten by one of the best teams going around. Plus, they will be in Europe next season, regardless of the outcome. They can just go for it.

This years final of the Copa Del Rey will be special, with the two clubs with more cup wins than anyone else facing off against each other to see who will stand alone at the top. I, for one, can’t wait for kick off.

For the record, I think Athletic will pinch it 3-2, courtesy of a late header from Llorente.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

If you believe the Spanish press or Roysten Drenthe (I know, that’s foolish at the best of times, but humor me), then Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s rumored move from Internazionale to Real Madrid this summer is pretty much a done deal. The player himself has also intimated that his future may lie away from the San Siro, preferably in La Liga. But should that future be at the Santiago Bernabeu?

Let’s take a look at the upside and downside to Real Madrid’s rumoured move for Inter’s lethal striker.

The Upside of Ibra

He’s a goal scorer. Fifty-three goals in 85 games for Inter speaks for itself. This season, he’s racked up 21 goals and 7 assists in Serie A. That puts him equal top of the goal-scoring charts with Bologna’s Marco Di Vaio. Some of his goals have been blinders too, like that venomous free kick against Fiorentina at the San Siro in round 27, and his delicate chip from outside the box after escaping the attention of four defenders against Reggina a week later. They were truly beautiful goals.

He’s a player of undeniable talent. His foot skills, technique and ability to beat players off the dribble is world class. He’s deadly from dead balls, from range, in the box, in the air  and from the penalty spot. Crucially, he  also has that rare ability to change the course of a match off his own boot. ‘Ibracadabra’ has shown that time and again for Inter, inspiring them to what will surely be three league titles in succession.

He’s a player of the highest calibre and there is no reason to think that he wouldn’t perform as he has for Inter at Real. He may even perform better in Spain, given his technical quality.

The Downside of Ibra

His big problem has been transferring his brilliant, acrobatic, and at times, outrageous domestic displays into European competition. For a player of his ability, he’s been nothing short of a flop in the Champions League throughout his career to date. A single goal from eight appearances this year, and none in the knockout stages. Ever. This is surely a big  downside for a team like Los Merengues, who value European success above all else.

Ibra won’t come cheap either. Fifty million euros plus a player looks the minimum. Whilst a deal involving Robben or possibly Van der Vaart could work, Madrid would be silly to give up talents such as Higuain or Huntelaar. These are the kids they should be building their next generation around. Kids who love the shirt and whose best days are still ahead of them.

Then there are his wages. He’s currently the highest paid player in world, taking home 9 million euros a year at Inter. Madrid would probably have to give him a raise for a deal to be struck.

And of course, there’s the man himself. The Swede has earned himself a reputation as having a questionable attitude at times, plus he’s seen by some as being a bit of a mercenary. Concerned more with how much he can get paid to play, rather than where he plays. This was highlighted during his days at Juventus. Instead of doing the classy and respectful thing and following the likes of Cannavarro, Thuram and Zambrotta out of Italy following Calciopoli, he went and signed a big money deal with one of Juve’s biggest rivals.

Do Real Madrid need Ibra?

Real Madrid’s strike force is already pretty decent. Raul, Huntelaar, Higuain, Van Nistelrooy…do they need another striker? Not really, and if they do, wouldn’t a proven Spanish goal machine like David Villa be a better choice? A dynamic attacking wide man, such as Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery, would also surely be a better investment.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a truly uniquely gifted player who could no doubt take Real back to the top in La Liga. But that’s not what Real Madrid need. They need someone who can take them back to the top in Europe. This is why they have been chasing Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka so incessantly. These players are proven winners on the biggest stage of all.

Ibra is not. And for all his flicks, tricks and goals, he may never will be.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

In response to Deportivo la Coruna’s game against Valladolid on the weekend, the Spanish press were unanimous – average. “Depor accelerated toward Europe with the handbrake on” read La Voz de Galicia. “It’s worst performance of the season at the Riazor”wrote Eugenio Cobas in La Opinion A Coruna. “Depor survives without the ball”he quipped in reference to the fact that the home team allowed visitors Valladolid to enjoy 61% of possession.

It was a lucky win, that’s for sure. Depor were horrible for much of the game, and it was only Valladolid’s ineptitude in front of goal that kept the locals in it. I guess that can happen when you’ve gone seven games without a win and 610 minutes without even scoring. “The best thing was the result”mused Miguel Lotina at the post match press conference, “Playing like this you can only win once.”

But they did win. They may have been bad, lucky and downright boring at times, but like a good team do, they still took home the three points, courtesy of a classy strike from French-Tunisian youngster Lassad Nouioui in the seventh minute. The kid is making quite a name for himself up Galicia way. “His presence in the game was overwhelming, attracting, although Deportivo didn’t show anything else.” commented Xaime Calvino in Xornal de Galicia. 

Win number fifteen takes Depor’s points tally for the season up to 53. They now sit in seventh, two points clear of Malaga in eighth and two points behind Villarreal in sixth. What’s more, they’re only three points behind Valencia who occupy the fourth and final Champions League place. For the first time in five seasons, Europe’s top club competition is within reach. But, are Super Depor super enough to reach it?

Deportivo are no stranger to the Champions League. They were regular fixtures in the competition between 2000 and 2005. They’re finest moment in the competition was surely their 2003-04 campaign. Beaten by a Jose Mourinho inspired Porto outfit in the semi’s, they knocked out Juventus in the round of sixteen without conceding a goal in either leg. They then followed that up with a remarkable comeback against AC Milan in the quarterfinals. Down 4-1 after the first leg at the San Siro, Super Depor won the return leg 4-0. 

That victory over AC Milan was indicative of what Deportivo la Coruna is all about -they’ve always been more of a champion team than a team of champions. Sure, they’ve always had one or two superstars, be it a Valeron, Rivaldo or Diego Tristan. But mainly they’ve been a bunch of hardworking, determined, talented footballers under the guidance of an equally hardworking and determined manager. This is the Deportivo formula for success, and it’s worked out fairly well for them.

This seasons Depor vintage is no different. Impressive youngsters like Lassad, Ze Castro (on loan from Atletico Madrid) and Angel Lafita; the frizzy haired marvel who is Jose Andres Guardado; the underrated Daniel Aranzubia in goal; the experienced heads of Sergio and Manuel Pablo; and the tireless work-rate of Julian De Guzman and Joan Verdu. Not to mention, when fit, the inspiration and class of Juan Carlos Valeron. Led by the astute Miguel Lotina, they are on the brink of a return to the big leagues.

They must feel a little confident of their chances this year. The three teams ahead of them – Valencia, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal – may have more quality on paper, but they’ve been wildly inconsistent this season. Atletico in particular. They must feel even more confident when they take a look at the remaining fixtures.

Villarreal and Valencia will clash in three weeks time, but before that the lads from El Madrigal have to face Barcelona and Real Madrid. Valencia, meanwhile, play host to Real Madrid this weekend and are then in the capital the next week facing Atletico. Atletico face an inspired Espanyol this week, and after hosting Valencia at the Vicente Calderon, they have to travel to San Mames for a date with Athletic Bilbao.

As for the boys from the Riazor, in the remaining four rounds they will must travel to Andalusia twice, to face Recreativo Huelva and Sevilla, plus play host to Getafe and finally, Barcelona. Not the toughest of draws, especially seeing as Barcelona will probably travel to the Riazor with little to play for.

It could all fall into place for Super Depor. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, they’re free to chase a spot in next season’s Champions League. It’s within their reach of they’re good enough. I think they are.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Last season it was Real Zaragoza, Murcia and Levante. The season before that it was Celta de Vigo, Real Sociedad and Gimnastic de Tarragona. Who will it be this season? Who will suffer the heartbreak of relegation to the Segunda division?

Here’s the ladder as it stands before the kick-off of round 34:

11	Almería	33	-12	40
12	Athletic	33	-10	40
13	Racing	33	2	39
14	Betis	33	-6	37
15	Osasuna	33	-4	36
16	Espanyol	33	-12	35
17	Getafe	33	-9	34
18	Sporting	33	-33	33
19	Recreativo	33	-20	30
20	Numancia	33	-31	28

Racing Santander is six points clear of the drop zone on 39, whilst Almeria and Athletic Bilbao are both on 40. Seeing as Real Zaragoza went down last season with 42 points, it will take an incredible dip in form for one of these teams to go down. That leaves seven teams in with a realistic chance of departing Spain’s top tier in just under a months time. Talk about tight.

Whose run home is best? Who has the quality to get the points they need to ensure survival? Who just aren’t good enough?

Numancia

The first two rounds of the season aside, Numancia have struggled. It’s not all their fault though,  after all, they do have one of the smallest budgets in the league. Their last win was five rounds ago against fellow strugglers Sporting de Gijon and they’ve been a permanent fixture in the relegation zone since round 22.  They face Malaga this weekend, followed by Valladolid, Recre, Getafe and lastly Sevilla at home. They’re going to struggle.

Recreativo de Huelva

Recreativo haven’t won in two months. They have huge game against Osasuna this round, then Deportivo la Coruna, Numancia, Racing and finally Sporting away. 

It’s a favourable draw for the team from Andalusia, with no matches against any of the top seven teams.  If they do end up going down, they’ll know they just weren’t good enough.

Sporting Gijon

They may have the same number of wins as ninth placed Mallorca, but it’s the draws column that is hurting Sporting. None all season. Quite remarkable. They’re on a run of six straight losses coming into this weekends game with Athletic Bilbao. They then have Almeria, Malaga, Valladolid and Recreativo at home. They’ll need a couple of draws as well as a couple of wins to stay up you would think. 

Getafe FC

Victor Munoz is gone and has been replaced by former Real Madrid and Spain midfielder Michel. He takes the reigns of a club that has just emerged from a torrid month, in which they lost three to Spain’s big four, including a heart-stopper at the Bernabeu. 

They desperately need to regain some confidence. Angel Torres will be hoping that happens this week when his team are away at Mallorca. They have to face Osasuna, Deportivo, Numancia and Racing before the end of the campaign. Getafe have a decent squad and should be good enough to stay up. La Liga would be poorer without them.

Espanyol

That was all rather easy, wasn’t it? What an incredible revival. 14 points from a possible 15 in their last five matches and suddenly the team that had only won one of their previous 19 are out of the drop zone and breathing fresh air. 

The big question is, can they stay out of trouble? Their run home is tougher than most – they entertain Champions League chasing Valencia this weekend, then they have Atletico Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, Almeria and finally Malaga at home. It would have been beyond them a month ago, but things are very different now.

Osasuna

The boys from Pamplona have been hanging around the drop zone for most of the season. They’ve lost their last three and face Recreativo this weekend. They need a couple of wins in the next two weeks, because after playing Getafe next round, they finish with Sevilla, Barcelona and Real Madrid. Ouch. Good luck.

Real Betis

They may have the quality in their squad to stay up, but Betis have been woefully inconsistent this season. They host another inconsistent performer in Atletico Madrid this week, and then face Athletic Bilbao, Almeria, Malaga and Valladolid. I can’t see them going down…but I did say the same thing about Zaragoza last season.

The battle to avoid the dreaded drop is going to be riveting viewing and is sure to go down to the wire. For what it’s worth, I think Sporting de Gijon can do enough to survive, but Numancia, Recreativo de Huelva and an unlucky Osasuna will go down.

What do you think? Who will be departing the Primera Liga this season?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Guus Hiddink probably boarded his teams’ private jet back to London feeling pretty satisfied with his players and with himself. The last team to walk away from the Camp Nou with a 0-0 result was Manchester United, under the same Champions League semi-final circumstances, just over a year ago. His team face Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday, and the Dutchmen will see the game as an opportunity to rotate his squad in preparation for round two with Barca next Wednesday.

Pep Guardiola probably drove home a frustrated, yet optimistic, man. Frustrated at Chelsea’s negative, overly aggressive tactics, and his teams inability to turn there 71% of possession into at least one goal. But, optimistic in the fact that the result means that Chelsea will, at some stage, have to chase the game at Stamford Bridge. His team may only have to score once — and that leaves the Champions League final still very much within reach.

This must lead the Barcelona tactician to wonder — how important is it that his team go to the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday chasing the victory?

Everyone at FC Barcelona, not just Pep, believes they must always attack, always win.  Regardless of the match or circumstances. Plus, this is no ordinary match — the opposition is Real Madrid. The boys from Catalonia only get two chances a year to show the world they’re a better team than their arch rival. The thought of effectively conceding the match before a ball’s even been kicked must sound ridiculous, potential Champions League final or not.

Plus, a win at the Bernabeu would effectively make them La Liga champions. The gap would be back out to seven points with four matches left. That would be a huge relief going into their rematch with Chelsea.

A loss would be a problem, though. Barcelona may have been amazing this season, but they could still finish trophy-less. A trip to the Riazor on the final day with the league still in the balance to face a Deportivo la Coruna side gunning for a place in Europe wouldn’t be a pleasant experience at all. Before that, they must face another Europe chaser in Villarreal, Mallorca and a surely relegation threatened Osasuna. Not exactly a straightforward run home.

But is going for the three points in Madrid the best idea? After all, a draw would be far from the end of the world. Yes, El Classico is the biggest match in Spain, one of the biggest in the world. And yes, Barcelona’s mandate is to not just win, but win with style. But, this is not a stand alone match. There are other factors to be considered.

Barcelona face a tough trip to London next week. If Pep plays all his big guns on Saturday night, he will risk them getting injured or being fatigued for their return clash, four days later, with Chelsea. He will already be without captain Carlos Puyol and Rafa Marquez, does he want to risk being without Messi, Alves or Iniesta, too?

Besides, Real are the team who have to win. Not only that, they need to win by three goals if they are to gain head-to-head ascendancy over the Blaugrana. This is a task that Iker Casillas has already labelled as, “impossible”.

So, Pep may be inclined to give some of his stars a rest and a few of the lesser lights a chance to shine in a big game. A team composed of the likes of Busquets, Gudjohnsen,   Seydou Keita and Alexander Hleb could definitely compete with a full strength Real Madrid line-up.

I’m sure Pep is as proud a Catalan as they come, and in his heart, he wants to do the double over Los Merengues. But, given the events of last night, one feels he has a  tough choice to make.

What’s more important, beating Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, or a spot in the Champions League Final? I guess we’ll find out.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News