Despite the 2011-12 season just drawing to a close and Euro 2012 and the Olympics on the horizon, a raft of leading European teams are planning their warm up games for next term. With an increase in popularity in the game across in North America, it has been the trend for pre-season friendlies to be played in the United States and Canada, and this summer it will be no different. Despite the fact that Barcelona and Manchester United will not be heading stateside in the build up to 2012-13, plenty of other European giants are.

Chelsea

American chairman Bruce Buck will have had a say in deciding to take the Blues back across to North America this pre-season, and the Stamford Bridge club will play four games in USA in July. Starting on the west coast in a game against the Seattle Sounders, Chelsea will also play big-spending Ligue 1 outfit Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and the MLS All-Stars team.

• 18th July – Chelsea vs Seattle Sounders, CenturyLink Field, Seattle
• 22nd July – Chelsea vs Paris Saint-Germain, Yankee Stadium, New York
• 25th July – Chelsea vs MLS All-Stars, PPL PArk, Chester
• 28th July – Chelsea vs AC Milan, Sun Life Stadium, Miami

Aston Villa

Again with an American chairman at the helm, Villa will play three games in the United States in a whirlwind trip stateside in July. Games against Philadelphia Union, Chicago Fire and Portland Timbers should test Alex McLeish’s men.

• July 18th – Aston Villa vs Philadelphia Union, PPL Park, Chester
• July 21st – Aston Villa vs Chicago Fire, Toyota Park, Chicago
• July 24th – Aston Villa vs Portland Timbers, Jeld-Wen Field, Portland

Tottenham

Spurs are set to go face-to-face with former striker Robbie Keane, David Beckham and former Arsenal forward Thierry Henry this summer. With Brad Friedel in the travelling contingent, the north London club will hope to use the trip to stoke up some additional support from fans stateside.

• July 24th – Tottenham vs LA Galaxy, The Home Depot Center, Carson
• July 28th – Tottenham vs Liverpool, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
• July 31st – Tottenham vs New York Red Bulls, Red Bull Arena, Harrison

Liverpool

The Fenway Sports Group take their Anfield side across for a pre-season tour of Canada and United States this summer, with a glamour friendly against fellow American-owned side Roma one of the highlights.

• July 21st – Liverpool vs Toronto, Rogers Centre, Toronto
• July 25th – Liverpool vs Roma, Fenway Park, Boston
• July 28th – Liverpool vs Tottenham, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore

Real Madrid

The newly-crowned La Liga champions will cross the Atlantic to test themselves in pre-season, and try to increase their popularity with American fans with Barcelona not travelling stateside this year.

• August 3rd – Real Madrid vs LA Galaxy, The Home Depot Center, Carson
• August 5th – Real Madrid vs Juventus, Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
• August 8th – Real Madrid vs AC Milan, Yankee Stadium, New York

Juventus

The rejuvenated Turin giants are always a big draw for American crowds, and will once more return to the United States this summer. Their full plans are yet to be revealed, but the following friendlies have been confirmed.

• July 28th – Juventus vs DC United, RFK Stadium, Washington
• August 5th – Juventus vs Real Madrid, Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas

AC Milan

It will be a summer of rebuilding for AC Milan, as old heads Alessandro Nesta, Gennaro Gattuso, Filippo Inzagi and Clarence Seedorf will leave the club, and American fans will be keen to see any new signings. Again, Milan’s plans are still to be set in stone, but the following are confirmed.

• 28th July – AC Milan vs Chelsea, Sun Life Stadium, Miami
• Two games in Philadelphia – information yet to be released

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Depending upon the outcome of Copa del Rey Final on May 25^th against Athletic Bilbao, FC Barcelona can finish the 2011/2012 campaign on a (relative) high.

Winning the domestic Cup competition is nothing to sniff at but it pales to the accomplishments achieved in previous seasons. FC Barcelona finished the season with 91 points; in most cases this total haul would’ve clinched the title in every other league across Europe. However, Real Madrid unseated FC Barcelona at the summit of the Spanish league with a whopping 100 points.

So is it time to panic? Abandon total football?

Not really. However, it is time to make a few adjustments and fine-tune the squad once more. The key adjective here being “fine-tune”.

Unless Sandro Rosell wants to emulate AC Milan’s “model” and hang onto to ageing Champions until they’re approaching retirement he’d be well advised to sell and buy some players.

Whereas the club’s decision to announce their transfer budget ahead of the 2011 transfer window paid rich dividends (signing Cesc Fabregas & Alexis Sanchez below their market value), this year they seem to take a different route. How much money is or isn’t available to Tito Vilanova is pretty much a mystery at this point. However, one is inclined to believe that his transfer kitty is significantly smaller than Guardiola’s in his heyday. Nevertheless, a smaller Barcelona transfer kitty probably still dwarfs that of every other major club bar a few chosen ones (Manchester City, Chelsea FC, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich).

For the purpose of this article let’s assume FC Barcelona has a war chest of 50,000,000 Euro (the transfer budged for 2011). In this massively inflated market it’s probably just enough to open negotiations for Santos Neymar. Bar any significant drop in oil prices it’s not likely that the exorbitant evaluations of top talent will decline anytime soon.

Barcelona were lucky enough that both Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez have made it known that the only wanted to join the Blaugrana which gave the club some leverage for negotiations. This year it’s pretty much open season on anybody. In order to stay competitive in the transfer market FC Barcelona has to sell.

Let’s take a look at some players who are most likely sold this summer.

Likely to be sold:

Seydou Keita, 32 (8,000,000 Euro)*

Ibrahim Afellay, 26 (10,000,000 Euro)*

Isaac Cuenca, 21 (3,000,000 Euro)* or Cristian Tello, 20 (5,000,000 Euro)*

Should be sold:

David Villa, 30 (35,000,000 Euro)*

Could be sold:

Pedro, 24 (28,000,000 Euro)*

The Breakdown:

Seydou Keita should be sold. The Malian, 32, has never been a regular under Pep Guardiola and will most likely not become one for Tito Vilanova either. The 8,000,000 Euro evaluation represent the high-end of what Barcelona can expect from any sale. The benchmark is Ricardo Carvalho’s transfer from Chelsea to Real Madrid for 8,000,000 Euro. However, Carvalho was a starter in the Blues set-up and one of the best defenders in the EPL. Hence the more realistic fee the Blaugrana can expect is somewhere in the neighborhood of 6,000,000 Euro.

Verdict: Any proposed sale of Ibrahim Afellay would certainly take place after the 2012 European Championships. At present his market value is set at 10,000,000 Euro. A fine performance in the tournament could potentially double his value.

Verdict: Barcelona is not short on wide options (Pedro, Cuenca. Tello, Alexis) so they would probably entertain any offer of 15,000,000 Euro and more.

As mentioned earlier, Barcelona has a lot of wide options. Therefore it would only make sense to sell either Cuenca or Tello. Jeffren was sold to Sporting Lisbon in the previous season and there’s nothing to suggest that it won’t happen again.

Verdict: Liverpool are credited with an interested in Cuenca. 6 – 7,000,000 Euro (for either) seem reasonable since Barcelona sold Oriol Romeu, who had virtually no first team experience, to Chelsea for approximately 5,000,000 Euro.

As fine a player David Villa is, he is just not what Barcelona need (at least the incarnation where Lionel Messi plays centrally). If the plan is to keep him on the left-wing it would be wiser to sell him. Alexis Sanchez wasn’t acquired to warm the bench and Pedro is showing signs that he’s returning to form.

Furthermore, in Cuenca and Tello Barcelona have ready-made back-up players. At 30 years of age his transfer value will drop in subsequent seasons. Though he is rated at 35,000,000 Euro a more realistic fee would be 20 – 24,000,000 Euro.

The most expensive 30 year old was Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan to Chelsea for 46,000,000 Euro). Nevertheless he was Serie A’s best player and a Ballon d’Or winner. Both Thierry Henry and Ruud Van Nistelrooy transferred to Barcelona and Real Madrid at the age of 30 (Henry turned 30 in the 2007 calendar year) for 24,000,000 Euro.

But that would be the high-end for David Villa. After all, El Guaje turns 31 in December. Sell him and remove his annual wages of 7,500,000 Euro would free up additional funds.

If someone would match Pedro’s evaluation of 28,000,000 Euro it’s probably for the better to sell him. Another inconsistent season and his market value could be less than half. He’s a good player but there’s nothing to suggest that Cuenca or Tello can’t match him. Any offer upwards of 20,000,000 Euro should be seriously considered.

As far acquisitions are concerned there are two positions that need to be addressed – left-back and central defense, perhaps another striker (one that actually plays as a striker).

Center-back:

According to various press reports Barcelona have made AC Milan’s Thiago Silva (rated: 32,000,000 Euro)* their primary transfer target. If these reports are to be believed Barcelona are convinced they can do a deal for about 25,000,000 Euro.

It’s not going to happen folks. Not for 25,000,000 Euro. Adriano Gallani is a lot of things, for instance he looks like Uncle Fester, but he’s arguably the best negotiator in all of football. Along with Ibrahimovic (who he shrewdly bought from Barcelona for just 24,000,000 Euro), Silva is Milan’s most valuable asset. Galliani has already been tasked with rebuilding AC Milan on a shoestring budget and it’s not likely that he’ll sell a world-class defender below market value.

Alternative: Mats Hummels, 23 (20,000,000 Euro)*

Coming off of a second successive German championship the Borussia Dortmund defender wouldn’t come cheap but propose a viable alternative to the Brazilian. A full German International, technically sound, superb sense positioning and, most importantly, he can pass a ball. Perhaps Bundesliga’s best central-defender he is already bordering on world-class, if he isn’t already. Though Dortmund have announced that they aren’t entertaining any sales, save for the inevitable departure of Shinji Kagawa, stranger things have happened.

Verdict: A bid of 25 – 30,000,000 Euro would almost certainly test their resolve. Nevertheless, Mats Hummels doesn’t seem to appear on Barcelona’s radar.

Left-back:

Jordi Alba, 23 (10,000,000 Euro)*

At this point it’s almost a forgone conclusion that Alba either extends his contract with Valancia or rejoins Barcelona. The press suggests that Barcelona is preparing an offer to the tune of 12 – 15,000,000 Euro.

Verdict: Will most likely happen. With one year left on his Valencia contract can’t expect to fetch more than 15,000,000 Euro especially once he makes his desire known to return to Barcelona. In 2010 Mesut Özil transferred under similar circumstances and fee from Werder Bremen to Real Madrid.

Fantasy Football: Gareth Bale, 23 (35,000,000 Euro)*

To make it short – he’s too expensive. EPL-based players are unreasonably more expensive than their continental counterparts. Andy Carroll, Shaun Wright-Phillps, James Milner etc.

Verdict: Not gonna happen

Striker:

Barcelona were found out – opposing teams have figured out how to stop the Blaugrana. However, only a couple of them have the necessary players to execute that particular game plan.

While Barcelona’s usual game plan will work almost against every La Liga team and most European sides, it will most likely not be effective against the likes of Chelsea or Madrid who sit deep and attack on the counter. And there’s the emerging giant Manchester City who could virtually field 10 world-class defenders. A frightening thought.

David Villa is a world-class striker; at least he used to be. But he is absolutely wasted on the left-wing. The feeling, however, is that his situation will not change anytime soon. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t have the imposing striker physique that Pep has mistaken him for a winger. Who knows? Barcelona need an out-and-out striker. Ever seen a Barcelona corner? Nothing fruitful ever happens following a corner. Never. Hence a couple of (potential) recruits.

Fernando Llorente, 27 (25,000,000 Euro)*

He’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic minus the outstanding technique and ego. But he more than compensates that with an exceptional work-rate. At any rate, he has quite exceptional technique for a tall guy.

Verdict: 30 – 35,000,000 Euro and not a penny less. Llorente would walk into most sides. On second thought, there isn’t any side that wouldn’t make him their focal point. If Barcelona still have money in the bank after acquiring their primary targets this one is a realistic possibility.

Robin Van Persie, 28 (45,000,000 Euro)*

Europe’s most wanted. The market value credited above is NOT what Arsenal are stand to make should they cash in on their captain – it’s merely a reflection of his outstanding season. Barcelona are said to be interested in the flying Dutchman but apparently he’s asking for a wage package north of 200,000 Euro/week, which would make the highest earner alongside Lionel Messi. Arsenal are reportedly offering 120,000 GBP/week (roughly 150,000 Euro). And then there are the usual suspects of Manchester City, Real Madrid and Italian Champions Juventus Turin.

Verdict: Robin Van Persie could become the first player who commands a 30,000,000 Euro transfer fee in the last year of his contract. The previous high was Samir Nasri’s 27,500,000 Euro from Arsenal to Manchester City. 45,000,000 Euro seem out of the question but 30,000,000 Euro is a distinct possibility if City decide to blow the competition out of the water. Though FC Barcelona have been financially irresponsible in the past it’s unlikely that they will engage in bidding war for a player that only has one year left on his contract.

Overall analysis:

Assuming Barcelona have a basic transfer budget of 50,000,000 Euro and raise cash through the sales of players such as Seydou Keita, Ibrahim Afellay, Isaac Cuenca or Cristian Tello, David Villa and Pedro, they could potentially look 110,000,000 Euro to reinvest in the squad. Unless Barcelona wants to add a striker to their ranks there’s no reason to sell David Villa or Pedro. In that case 50,000,000 Euro should be sufficient enough to buy a world-class center-back and a left-back. A complete overhaul isn’t needed but addressing the left-back and center-back position is essential in mounting another title challenge.

*transfer values courtesy of www.transfermarkt.de

You can always disagree and argue with me on Twitter @JubeiKibagame.

Also See:

• More Barcelona News.
• More Transfer Rumours.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Jose Mourinho has a successful season in charge of Real Madrid. The Spanish side have become the deserved winners of the La Liga and fell just short in the Champions League.

Despite this, the Portuguese manager will look to strengthen his squad even further going into next season, as Madrid seek European glory.

Especially with the likes of Higuain and Di Maria both expected to leave the club.

Below are various players Madrid have been linked in recent weeks.

Transfer Targets

Sergio Aguero – Manchester City – Striker

Real Madrid want to fund a multi-million pound bid for Sergio Aguero. President Florentino Perez is desperate to sign the Manchester City striker and is willing to part with whatever money it takes to lure the Argentine to the Bernabeu according to the Daily Mail.

To fund the ambitious offer, which City would be very reluctant to accept, Real want Higuain to move to Stamford Bridge.

Aguero has been a sensation for Roberto Mancini’s side, scoring 22 goals in 33 Premier League games.

Edison Cavani – Napoli – Striker

Reports have emerged that Real Madrid are watching Napoli striker Edinson Cavani’s situation.

The Uruguay international has emerged as the game’s hottest young striker and his performances in the Champions League have led to him being linked with Chelsea and Manchester City in recent weeks.

However, Real president Florentino Perez is also monitoring Cavani’s form and willing to put £35 million towards buying the Uruguay international at the end of the season.

Robin Van Persie – Arsenal – Striker

Real Madrid will make an offer for Robin van Persie in the summer as they join the £30million race for the Arsenal striker.

Manchester City and Barcelona are also keen on the Dutchman, 28, who has 12 months left on his Arsenal contract and is yet to commit to another deal.

Mourinho feels Van Persie would be a perfect fit into his evolving Madrid side.

Glen Johnson – Liverpool – Defender

Real Madrid are targeting Glen Johnson and Kyle Walker to fill their problem right-back position.

Officials at the Bernabeu were trying to sign promising Brazilian Mario Fernandes but have not even come close to agreeing a fee with Gremio.

So Jose Mourinho has turned to ‘Plan B’, according to Madrid newspaper Marca, and is planning to raid the Barclays Premier League for a player to fit his system.

It is thought Johnson, 27, would not cost more than £12.5million and is ready-made to match the wing-raiding prowess of Marcelo on the opposite flank.

Kyle Walker – Tottenham – Defender

21-year-old Kyle Walker is another right back being linked with a switch to Madrid. The young Tottenham star has been highly impressive since establishing himself as a first team regular in Harry Redknapp’s side.

Real boss Jose Mourinho has been tracking the Tottenham right-back ever since he shined on England duty against Spain at this summer’s European Under-21 finals.

And the manager of La Liga’s leaders has been impressed with Walker’s superb displays for club and country this term

Mourinho wants Walker to provide competition for Real right-back Sergio Ramos.

Walker is contracted to Spurs until 2016 but boss Harry Redknapp is braced for a bid from his friend Mourinho – which would need to be at least £20million to tempt chairman Daniel Levy into selling.

Edin Dzeko – Manchester City – Striker

Manchester City have decided to offload Edin Dzeko at the end of the season in a move that had already alerted Juventus and Real Madrid.

City manager Roberto Mancini has let it be known he will listen to offers for Dzeko after noting the striker’s unrest over limited opportunities in the starting line-up and sensing they will become even scarcer. Jose Mourinho is a firm admirer of the 26-year old.

Raul Meireles – Chelsea – Midfielder

Reports have emerged that Real Madrid have joined Juventus interest in Chelsea midfielder Raul Meireles.

The Daily Express says Real Madrid want to take unsettled Portuguese midfielder Meireles to Spain in a £10m move.

Gareth Bale – Tottenham – Midfielder

Bale, 22, has been linked with a switch away from White Hart Lane – and claims a big-money transfer to one of Europe’s top clubs is appealing.

“If you are talking about Barcelona or Real Madrid, two of the biggest clubs in the world, then it’s a bit like Harry and England, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime dream,” he said.

“If you said to any young player that you could play for Barcelona or Real would they turn it down? Probably not.”

This will no doubt alert Mourinho who would love to bring Bale to the Bernabeu.

Lucas Rodrigues Moura da Silva  – Sao Paulo – Midfielder

The La Liga winner’s scouts have been monitoring Lucas for some time and have apparently now recommended him to the directors.

Manager Jose Mourinho is also said to have given his approval to bid for a player widely regarded as one of the rising stars of South American football.

Lucas, who is also a target for Inter Milan and Chelsea, broke into the Sao Paulo team in 2010 and made his debut for Brazil last year. He was included in the squad for the 2011 Copa America and already has ten caps to his name.

Papiss Cisse – Newcastle – Striker

Recently, Cisse has been falsely linked with Madrid. The Senegal international has refuted the claims in the media that he is after a move to the Spainish giants, instead pledging his continuing commitment to the Magpies.

Also See:

• More Real Madrid News.
• More Transfer Rumours.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Real Madrid wrapped up the La Liga title last weekend, with Jose Mourinho leading the Santiago Bernabeu outfit to their first Spanish top-flight success in four years. A convincing 3-0 away win over Europa League finalists Athletic Bilbao sealed the triumph, and broke Barcelona’s stranglehold over the game in Spain.

The achievement has not gone unnoticed in west London, as former employer Roman Abramovich is reportedly eager to bring ‘The Special One’ back to Chelsea. The latest success is Mourinho’s 19th trophy in his managerial career, a quite unbelievable achievement.

2002-03

From taking over at Portuguese giants Porto in 2002 until now, Mourinho’s record has been exemplary. The Setubal-born trainer started as he intended to carry on in his first season at the Estadio da Dragao, winning the Primeira Division at a canter, the Taca de Portugal and the UEFA Cup in a momentous season. In the league the total of 86 points out of the possible maximum of 102 was a Portuguese record, whilst Mourinho’s men beat his former club Leiria in the cup final and Celtic in the European finale.

2003-04

Mourinho and his Porto team really shot into the limelight the following season, by retaining their Primeira Division title and against the odds lifting the Champions League. Porto sealed their domestic title with five weeks of the season still to play, and after eliminating Manchester United in Europe, lifted the Champions League crown with a 3-0 win over Monaco.

2004-05

Porto’s elimination of United drew English attention to Mourinho’s achievements, and the successful trainer took over the Chelsea managerial position. After proclaiming himself ‘The Special One’ in his first press conference, Mourinho went on to put his money where his mouth is, lifting the Premier League crown in his debut season, the Blues’ first in 50 years. Chelsea also beat Liverpool to lift the Carling Cup.

2005-06

With the Blues team given self-belief by boss Mourinho, Chelsea went on to retain their Premier League title the following season, with a 3-0 win over Manchester United proving their dominance. They also lifted the Community Shield by beating Arsenal 2-1, but the Champions League remained all-elusive.

2006-07

Mourinho’ last full season at Chelsea saw his men relinquish their Premier League crown to Manchester United, and they were eliminated from the Champions League by Liverpool. Despite this, the Blues still lifted the FA Cup and League Cup in a domestic double.

2008-09

After being shown the door by Abramovich in the 2007-08 season, Mourinho took over at Inter after an eight-month spell away from the game. Similar to his time at Chelsea, he wasted no time in laying down a landmark, and won the Serie A title at the first time of asking and the Supercoppa Italiana. Despite winning the Scudetto by a ten-point margin, elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Manchester United was a major frustration for the perfectionist coach.

2009-10

Arguably Mourinho’s most successful season in management, Inter were unstoppable in 2009-10. The Nerazzurri retained their Serie A crown in impressive form, beat Roma to claim the Coppa Italia trophy and after defeating Barcelona in the semi-finals, lifted the Champions League crown with victory over Bayern Munich. The next day Mourinho admitted that the win would be the last game in charge of the Italian giants.

2010-11

Mourinho was announced as the replacement for Manuel Pellegrini at Real Madrid for the 2010-11 season, with the capital-city side looking for a solution to Barcelona’s dominance at home and on the continent. In this first campaign in Spain the Portuguese coach failed to stop Pep Guardiola’s men achieve glory in La Liga and the Champions League, but did beat the Catalan giants in the Copa del Rey final.

2011-12

This season has been a different story for Madrid, who have been comprehensive and deserved winners of La Liga. The main criticism aimed at Mourinho’s men was their inability to beat Barcelona in a clash between the sides, but a 2-1 victory at Camp Nou got this monkey of the team’s back and all-but secured the division title. Although Champions League still eludes Mourinho at Madrid, the Portuguese coach will look to dominate all competitions next season.

There are increased rumours over Mourinho’s future and a potential move back to England, but this is unlikely, as the proud coach will feel that he has unfinished business in Spain. Next term Madrid will have a transitional Barcelona side to deal with, and the Santiago Bernabeu fans will crave that Mourinho deliver the Champions League back to this great club.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Real Madrid clinched the La Liga title for the first time since 2008 after their 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday night.

A little over one week later after their Champions league misery, Jose Mourinho’s side have recovered to take the title from holders Barcelona.

Gonzalo Higuain smashed home a superb 16th-minute opener after Cristiano Ronaldo had earlier missed horribly from the penalty spot.

But the Portuguese attacker recovered to beautifully create a second for Mesut Ozil in the 20th minute and got on the score sheet himself five minutes after the break with a simple header from Ozil’s corner, his 44th league goal of yet another prolific season.

The win kept Madrid seven points ahead of Barcelona with two games to go, Barca’s 4-1 win over Malaga earlier this evening merely delaying the celebrations of a 32nd title by a matter of hours.

Barcelona’s Messi broke the European club scoring record with a hat trick, in this match, raising his season total to 68 goals. This broke the record of 67 goals Gerd Mueller had set for Bayern Munich in 1972-73.

The success means Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has now won the league title in four different countries following his triumphs with Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan, Athletic, who perhaps had their minds on other things with Europa League and Copa Del Rey finals to look forward to, finished with 10 men following Javi Martinez’s harsh sending off for two handballs.

The Portuguese manager now becomes the third ever coach to win league titles in four different countries after triumphs with Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan. He joins Austrian Ernst Happel and Italian veteran Giovanni Trapattoni in the elite club.

Jose Mourinho:

“I won the league title in Portugal, Italy and England, but this one has been the toughest”

“I’ve won seven league titles overall and I know what it feels like. Barcelona won all their games, as befits the great team that they are. They’ve been winning to the very last day.”

“They are a club with great tradition that knows we deserved to win this title.”

Cristiano Ronaldo:

“The players are all very happy after 10 months of fighting, of training, of games, the objective was to be champion so we are happy to have achieved it,”

“To have beaten a team like Barca makes this league win more difficult. It’s much better to win against one of the best teams. It makes it better.”

The way Madrid took La Liga was more than just a point’s win, it was much more impressive than that. Just 11 days before this match, Real defeated Barca in El Clasico with a 2-1 win. They won it away, part of a potentially record-setting year for wins away from home.

The only negative moment in the home stretch of the season for Real was the loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi. I’m sure there’s more than enough consolation for Real fans in their taking down their main rival, and now they can set their sights on next season.

The momentum will now be with Mourinho’s Madrid after the Portuguese masterminded the club’s first title for 4 years. When his sides start winning, that’s usually an ominous sign for their rivals. Mourinho has already signalled his intentions to stay for a third term in Spain and will set his sights on winning the Champions League for Madrid, as well as a second successive Liga title.

Feel free to visit my independent blog for similar articles http://chrisslinnell.wordpress.com/

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Everyone remembers the winners. Most know that Brazil have won a record five World Cups, that Real Madrid have won the European Cup/Champions League a record nine times, and that Manchester United have captured a record 19 English First Division/Premier League titles.

But how many people can name every runner-up in those competitions directly from memory? Not many.

This is not to say that losers are completely forgotten. In fact, there are quite a few losers who are as memorable as some winners, due to the catastrophic manner in which they fell. Football has certainly seen its share over the years, and someone, somewhere will add themselves to that long list of legendary capitulations this year. It’s almost a guarantee.

Given how long the list is, it’s a difficult task to narrow it down to ten, but here goes, and apologies in advance to those who are having to relive some painful memories.

1. Brazil – 1950 World Cup ‘Final’ v. Uruguay

In the annals of football and sport history, few results could compare to this one.

For the better part of the tournament, it looked every bit like Brazil would claim glory on home soil. They scored eight goals en route to topping their group in the first round, which booked them a place in the four-team final group stage. Then, in their first two matches in the final group stage, they trounced Sweden 7-1 and Spain 6-1. All they had to do secure their first World Cup title was draw against Uruguay in their final match. Meanwhile, Uruguay, who had drawn against Spain and defeated Sweden, needed an unlikely victory to win a second World Cup title.

Brazil had led 3-0 at halftime in their wins against Sweden and Spain, but Uruguay held firm in the first 45 minutes. However, their resistance was broken almost right out of the gate in the second half, as Friaca netted in the 47th minute to put Brazil ahead.

Game over, right? It turns out that Uruguay had other ideas, and in the 66th minute, they equalized through Juan Alberto Schiaffino. Still, it was Brazil’s title to lose…and lose they did, as Alcides Ghiggia gave Uruguay a shock lead in the 79th minute, and Uruguay held on to win the match and the World Cup, stunning the masses at the Maracana who expected to be celebrating a Brazil win.

Since then, Brazil have lifted the trophy five times, but that stunning defeat will always represent a dark, dark day in their storied football history.

2. AC Milan – 2005 UEFA Champions League Final v. Liverpool

It was less than seven years ago, but all that happened on that night in Istanbul will always live on, especially with Liverpool fans.

Favorites AC Milan were looking for a second title in three years, and they had a dream start, scoring inside the first minute through a rare Paolo Maldini goal. Late in the first half, they struck twice more, and with a 3-0 lead, Milan had one hand firmly on the trophy.

But all it takes sometimes is one well-timed goal to kickstart a comeback, and Liverpool did indeed pull one back inside the first 10 minutes of the second half, via Steven Gerrard, the talisman of talismans. In a flash, it was 3-2, with the mighty Vladimir Smicer pulling back a second, and on the hour mark, Liverpool were level, with Xabi Alonso slotting home the rebound after Dida had saved his penalty.

The match would go into extra time, and then it would go into penalties. Two years prior, Milan had defeated rivals Juventus 3-2 on penalties to lift the trophy at Old Trafford, with Andriy Shevchenko netting the decisive kick. Milan were fighting an uphill battle from the start of the shootout, as they missed their first two penalties.

They would make their next two, but Liverpool held a 3-2 lead with Shevchenko stepping up to try to keep the Rossoneri in it. But as he had beaten Gianluigi Buffon two years prior, he was unable to beat Jerzy Dudek this time, and somehow, someway, Milan had thrown it all away.

3. England penalty takers – since the dawn of time

The Netherlands are infamous for their penalty failures as well, and so are Italy, but the last couple of decades have seen England make their name as the shakiest from the spot. There are many reasons why England haven’t won a major tournament since their one and only triumph at the World Cup they hosted in ‘66, but among the top reasons is a lack of success in shootouts.

• In the 1990 World Cup semifinals, Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle missed England’s last two kicks in a 4-3 shootout defeat to West Germany.
• At Euro 1996, which they hosted, England advanced to the semis with a shootout win over Spain, but it was semifinal heartbreak at that stage against Germany yet again. Gareth Southgate was the only man to miss for England in the shootout, but his miss was the one that mattered in a 6-5 Germany win.
• Two years later at the World Cup, Paul Ince and David Batty missed in a 4-3 defeat to Argentina in the round of 16, but fortunately for them, it was David Beckham that would be considered the biggest goat on the night.
• In the Euro 2004 quarterfinals, there were bookend misses by Beckham and Darius Vassell in a 6-5 defeat to hosts Portugal.
• They again faced Portugal in the 2006 World Cup quarters, and the results were even worse, as Owen Hargreaves was the only man to convert in England’s four attempts in a 3-1 shootout defeat.

4. Hungary – 1954 World Cup Final v. West Germany

When you think of the greatest sides to not win the World Cup, Hungary’s 1954 team might hold the mantle for the nearly men.

Entering the final against West Germany, the prolific Hungarians, led by Ferenc Puskas and Sandor Kocsis, were heavily favored, and for good reason. Not only were they unbeaten for more than 30 games, they had crushed West Germany 8-3 in the group stage and had scored an astounding 25 goals in their four matches in the tournament.

And early on in the final in Bern, it looked like it’d be another beating, as goals from Puskas and Zoltan Czibor gave Hungary a 2-0 lead inside eight minutes. However, they wouldn’t score again for the last 80-plus minutes, and they wouldn‘t be able to hold their lead either. West Germany were level ten minutes later, and then, in the 84th minute, Helmut Rahn scored his second to give the underdogs a late 3-2 advantage.

There were multiple controversial calls that didn’t go Hungary’s way in the match, but in the end, a defeat is a defeat, and this remains one of football’s greatest upsets.

5. Real Madrid – 2003/04 La Liga season

Real Madrid were well on their way to capturing their 30th La Liga title before a stunning collapse in the final few months of the 2003/04 season.

Real, with their host of superstars, entered March eight points clear of Deportivo La Coruna with a dozen matches remaining. They opened the month with consecutive draws against Racing Santander and Real Zaragoza and a defeat at Athletic Bilbao, but they were still three points ahead of Valencia, who had moved into second.

The rot was seemingly stopped with consecutive wins to end March and open April, but then the wheels completely fell off. Real lost seven of their last eight matches, including four in a row at home and five in a row overall to end the season. Not only were they overtaken by Valencia, who won the title and finished seven points clear of Real, they were also passed by Barcelona and Deportivo, winding up an astonishing fourth after seemingly being in complete control.

And to make the league collapse sting even more, they were stunned in the Copa del Rey final by Real Zaragoza also capitulated in the Champions League quarterfinals against AS Monaco.

6. U.S. Women’s National Team – 2011 Women’s World Cup Final v. Japan

The U.S. women’s team entered the final of last summer’s tournament heavily favored to take home their third Women’s World Cup title, but they fell flat in Frankfurt. Going in, not only were the U.S. #1 in the rankings, but they had never lost to Japan in 25 previous meetings, winning 22 and drawing three times.

The U.S. dominated proceedings from early on, but they weren’t able to translate that domination into a lead until Alex Morgan’s goal in the 69th minute. But Japan didn’t buckle, and in the 81st minute, they drew level thanks in part to shambolic defending by the U.S. The match went into extra time, and again, the U.S. took the lead, with Abby Wambach scoring in the 104th minute.

It looked once again like the Americans were on the verge, but once again, Japan didn’t buckle, and they equalized in the 113th minute. The match went to penalties, and the shootout proved to be disastrous for the U.S., as they missed their first three penalties to fall behind 2-0 with two spot kicks remaining. Wambach converted to keep hope flickering, but Saki Kumagai snuffed it out, slotting home the winning penalty and leaving the U.S. to rue a litany of missed opportunities and an inability to twice hold a late lead.

7. John Terry, Chelsea – 2008 UEFA Champions League Final v. Manchester United

Roman Abramovich was moments away from having all of his hopes and dreams fulfilled. Then came the slip seen ‘round the world.

United had edged Chelsea out for the English Premier League title in the 2007/08 season, but Chelsea had an opportunity to get the last laugh and the biggest prize of them all in Moscow. Cristiano Ronaldo gave United the lead in the 26th minute, but Chelsea equalized shortly before halftime through Frank Lampard.

The match went into extra time, with both sides seeing great chances go begging. With time winding down in the second half of extra time, a skirmish broke out between the two sides, and Chelsea star Didier Drogba was sent for slapping United defender Nemanja Vidic.

Chelsea went into the shootout without their star striker, but they converted each of their first four penalties, whereas Ronaldo missed United’s second. Up stepped captain John Terry with a chance to deliver European glory to Chelsea. Destiny was calling, but it was a rainy, rainy night in Moscow, and as Terry struck the ball, he lost his footing, and his attempt struck the outside of the post.

Each side converted its next penalty, and after Ryan Giggs made it 6-5 in favor of United, Nicolas Anelka needed to score to continue the shootout. His shot went to the left, and United keeper Edwin van der Sar dived to his right, emphatically batting the ball away to crush Chelsea hearts.

8. Newcastle United – 1995/96 English Premier League season

Parity hasn’t exactly been prevalent in the Premier League era, as, to date, Blackburn’s title triumph in the 1994-95 season is the only time that the title has gone to someone not named Manchester United, Arsenal, or Chelsea.

But the season after Blackburn’s win, Kevin Keegan and Newcastle had an excellent chance of their own to take the title. The Magpies hadn’t won a title in the top flight since 1926/27, but under Keegan, they had gone from Second Division strugglers (now the Championship) to serious title contenders in a few short seasons.

Despite a 2-0 defeat at United in late December, Newcastle topped the table going into 1996, and they would increase that lead to as much as a dozen points in January. United began to pick up the pace, but Newcastle still led by eight points with a game in hand in February.

However, while United stayed hot, Newcastle went ice cold. A 1-0 defeat at home to United on 4 March allowed United to pull within a point, and United would wind up three points clear at the end of the month. Newcastle had two matches in hand and a realistic chance to turn momentum back in their favor, and they did indeed have a three-match win streak in April that sent them into May still in it, three points with two matches left to United‘s one.

However, they drew their last two matches at home against Aston Villa and Tottenham, and United wrapped up the title on the last day of the season, finishing four points clear by virtue of their 3-0 win at Middlesbrough. Newcastle would finish second to United again the following season, but the opportunity missed then was not nearly as momentous as the previous one.

9. Burnley – 1961/62 English First Division season

At present, Burnley are one of many Championship sides fighting for a chance at Premier League promotion, but half a century ago, they were one of England’s best teams. In the 1959/60 season, they edged Wolves and Tottenham out for the First Division title, and after finishing fourth the next season, they were back in the thick of the title hunt in the 1961/62 season.

In early March, Burnley had a four-point lead and a game in hand on Ipswich Town, who were First Division first timers but contending for the title under manager Alf Ramsey, who‘d lead England to World Cup success in 1966. But the Clarets won only two of their final 13 matches, which allowed Ipswich to claim the title by three points.

10. Arsenal – v. Newcastle, 2010-11 English Premier League season

Newcastle conceded inside the first minute, and inside three minutes, they were down 2-0 to the title-chasing Gunners. Less than 10 minutes in, it was 3-0, and before the clock had hit the half-hour mark, it was 4-0 to the visitors. It looked like game, set, match Arsenal at that point, but improbably and inexplicably, Arsenal gave Newcastle an opening, and the comeback of comebacks happened.

It all started in the 50th minute, when Abou Diaby was sent off for pushing Joey Barton and then Kevin Nolan after a crunching challenge from Barton. At that point, Newcastle still had a mountain to climb, but the climb was made even easier when Arsenal conceded a penalty midway through the second half, which was duly dispatched by Barton. On 75 minutes, Leon Best made it 4-2, and all of a sudden, hope had returned. Minutes later, it was truly alive and well, as Barton slotted home a second penalty. Time was still short for Newcastle, but all the momentum was on their side, and in the 87th minute, a cleared free kick went in the direction of Cheik Tiote, who let rip a volley that found its target and sent St. James’ Park into raptures.

In the end, Newcastle actually narrowly missed a chance to win it, but to have plucked a point from the unlikeliest of situations was amazing in itself. As for Arsenal, it proved to be a tremendous missed opportunity, as Manchester United went down at Wolves in the day’s evening kickoff, which meant that instead of being a mere two points back, Arsenal were four back. And just like they couldn’t keep it together at Newcastle, they couldn’t keep it together down the stretch and finished fourth, a dozen points behind United.

But really, who needs words when you have Jeff Stelling and Phil Thompson?

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From Soccerlens.com - Football News

After Chelsea’s success in Spain the previous night, Real Madrid would have been looking to add further insult to rivals Barcelona following their win over them at the weekend, by doing what Barcelona could not do and reach the Champions League Final.

Cristiano Ronaldo was wearing a pair of sail/red Mercurial Vapor 8 football boots, changing things up for the first time since the Vapor VIII were launched by not wearing the Bright Mango pair. After just fifteen minutes Ronaldo and his new boots looked to be cruising their way to the final, two quick Ronaldo goals, saw Real move into an early lead over Bayern Munich.

The first, a lesson to his La Liga counterpart Messi, was a sweetly struck penalty, awarded, after Alaba was judged, perhaps harshly, to have handled the ball. The second saw Ronaldo this time coolly finish off a pass by Ozil with an immaculate shot into the bottom left hand corner of the goal.

After that the game did not go the way the Real Madrid fans and team would have wanted. Bayern Munich slowly forced there way back into the game and drew level in the 27th minute when Robben made amends for an earlier miss with a penalty that crept into the corner of the goal despite Madrid keeper Casillas getting a hand to it. From then on the game ebbed and flowed with Bayern Munich possibly having the best of it. Real Madrid kept up the pressure though with a number of free kicks by Ronaldo.

With ninety minutes completed, and the result being the only one that could see the tie ending in a draw, the match went into extra time. After a frantic two halves the football slowed up perhaps understandably as nervousness and tiredness set in. The best attacking play came in the 27th minute of extra time when Marcelo dribbled the ball from his out of his own box before releasing a pass that found Higuain who though had run into an offside position. Unfortunately for Madrid, Ronaldo had been coming up behind Higuain in an on side position, and would have been clean through on goal if the pass had reached him instead.

That was the closest either side came, and the game drifted to a penalty shoot-out, the first in a Champion leagues semi-final since 2007 when eventual winners Liverpool beat Chelsea. Germans sides have an enviable reputation for being successful in penalty shoot outs, but neither side had ever been eliminated from Europe’s premier club competition before in this way, so something had to give.

The Germans got off to the best possible starts in the shoot-out when Ronaldo looking to hit the back of the net for the third time of the night with his new football boots, saw Neuer save his and then Kaka’s penalties. It was only the second time in twenty-four penalties for Real that Ronaldo has missed.

The Spaniards got themselves back in it after Bayern saw their next two penalties saved and Real Madrid’s Alonso scored. Sergio Ramos however blasted his penalty not just over the bar, but nearly out the stadium, leaving it to Schweinsteiger to slot home his penalty and send Bayern Munich to meet Chelsea in the final on 19 May at their own stadium – a final no one really expected a couple weeks ago.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

On 28^th May 2010, it was confirmed Jose Mourinho would be taking over from Manuel Pellegrini at Real Madrid. ‘The Special One’ arrived at the Bernabau with a huge task on his hands. Since 2008, Barcelona had become the dominant force in Spanish football; it was his job to change this.

Before joining Los Blancos, Mourinho had already enjoyed an extremely successful managerial career. Having won the Portuguese Liga, Portuguese Cup, Portuguese Super Cup, UEFA Cup and the Champions League with Porto. As well as, the FA Premier League, League Cup, FA Community Shield and the FA Cup with Chelsea. He then went on to win the Treble with Inter. Clearly he had a lot to live up to as he took the new job in Spain.

Mourinho acted quickly to improve the squad, signing 4 new players Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira, Ricardo Carvalho and Angel Di Maria, following the 2010 World Cup. His first season at Madrid had a poor return as far success in competition is concerned. Domestically, his side fell short of Barcelona by 4 points in the league. However, a win in the Copa Del Ray final, after a 1-0 win against Guardiola’s side, gave Mourinho his first trophy in Spanish football and ended Madrid’s 18 year-long cup drought. On top of this, they suffered a cruel defeat to their domestic rivals in a Champions League semi-final full of controversy.  The domestic cup win was probably the biggest highlight in a year full of transition for Los Blancos. Clearly Barcelona still held the monopoly when comparing the strength of the two sides, but the 2011-12 season has seen a dramatic shift in power.

When Mourinho was appointed manager of Madrid he stated that his teams always improve in his second season. It appears he was right. Over time his team has had a chance to gel. This, plus a few new signings has given Madrid the strength and confidence they had previously been lacking.

This season, Real Madrid are currently run away leaders of La Liga, having beaten Barcelona at the Nou Camp last weekend. Although, they were defeated by Barca in the Copa Del Rey quarter final, the priority for Mourinho is clearly the league. Arguably, Cristiano Ronaldo has been the key to Madrid’s good fortune. Having passed 100 goals in just 3 seasons for the club, the midfielder has carried his team in games when they have struggled to perform.

This has been a record breaking season for Madrid, in a roller-coaster year for the club. Many, including myself, would argue that they now have the upper hand over their Catalan rivals. Success domestically this season has proved this. When looking at the numbers, one would almost instantly conclude that no team in La Liga history is better than Real Madrid.

In addition to this, Mourinho’s side looked on course for European success following Barca’s defeat to Chelsea on Tuesday night. However, Madrid lost to Bayern Munich at the Bernabeu yesterday evening, in a closely fought match. Before the game, the papers were flooded with speculation regarding the Portuguese manager’s future at the club. Many suggested failure to reach the Champions League final in May would result in Mourinho leaving the Spanish giants.

The only question that remains this season: Will Jose stay at Madrid? He’s always hinted at a move back to England, perhaps a return to Chelsea or as a potential replacement for Sir Alex Ferguson at United. Being such a prolific manager, he must feel he has unfinished business at his current club. Madrid still have much more to play for domestically if they are to steal Barca’s crown permanently. Plus, I’m sure he will look to improve on his teams’ failure to progress past the semi-final stage of the Champions League, for the past two seasons.

Mourinho still has a lot to do if Real Madrid plan to re-establish themselves as the most successful club in football. It would be a perfect way for the current manager to complete his legacy. Although in the future I would love to see him return to the Premier League, preferably as Man United manager. Regardless, wherever he ends up, it’s clear to see, he has enormous amounts to offer.

For similar articles, visit my blog chrisslinnell.wordpress.com and follow me on twitter https://twitter.com/#!/ChrisLFootball.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The Netherlands international team go into this summer’s Euro 2012 tournament as one of the favourites and frontrunners, with quality throughout Bert van Marwijk’s side.

However, unfortunately the Eredivisie has lost its ability to keep the best homegrown players in the country and Ajax’s UEFA Champions League glory of 1995 seems like an eternity ago.

For the national team’s last game, a friendly against Germany, only seven of the 21-man squad ply their club trade in the Dutch homeland, and this was without a number of big-name exports who were rested.

Holland certainly has produced a raft of great players over the last ten years that have graced other European leagues, with the ten best as follows:

Rafael van der Vaart

Rafael VDV for Spurs

Rafael van der Vaart left Ajax in 2005 to join Real Madrid, before moving on to Hamburg; he now plays in England for Tottenham. The playmaker has amassed 93 international caps despite only being 28, and is a key player in Harry Redknapp’s revitalised Spurs team.

Jaap Stam

Stam for Ajax

Netherlands is known for its attacking players who play total football, but Jaap Stam epitomises a fantastic defensive combatant from the nation. A rock of a central defender, Stam left PSV in the late 1990′s and enjoyed playing at the highest level for Manchester United, Lazio and AC Milan. Famed for his no-nonsense approach, Stam won 67 caps for his nation before retiring in 2007.

Arjen Robben

Robben for Bayern Munich

The skilful winger left PSV in 2004 and has since been an important player for Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, as well as the national side. Robben is one of the best dribblers in recent memory, with his trickery, pace and eye for goal an asset for every team he has represented. Robben has won top flight titles in Holland, England, Spain and Germany, but is yet to win the Champions League.

Robin van Persie

RVP for the Gunners

A product of the Feyenoord academy, Van Persie left Netherlands in 2004 to join Arsenal, and he is currently their captain and talisman. The in-form striker is currently the Premier League’s top goalscorer this term, the winner of the PFA Player of the Year award and undoubtedly one of the most dangerous and prolific attackers in the European game.

Edgar Davids

Davids for the Dutch

One of the most iconic footballers of his generation, Davids’ will to win and determination set a precedent for the rest of Europe in the 2000′s. Played at the highest level for AC Milan, Juventus, Barcelona and Inter Milan, before stepping out for Tottenham and Crystal Palace in the latter days of his career.

Part of Ajax’s golden generation and the Champions League winning side of 1995. Davids won three Serie A titles but never lifted Europe’s top club trophy again after leaving Amsterdam.

Ruud van Nistelrooy

Ruud for Man Utd

Ten years playing for Manchester United and Real Madrid show Van Nistelrooy’s undoubted quality, with a goal record to envy. The Dutch marksman has also played for Hamburg and Malaga since leaving his homeland, and still continues to be a goal threat in La Liga despite being 35-years-old.

35 international goals and three top flight titles ensure that Van Nistlerooy will be remembered as one of the country’s top centre forwards.

Mark van Bommel

van Bommel for Milan

Former PSV midfielder Mark van Bommel has played at the very highest level since leaving Holland in 2005, having worn the colours of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and AC Milan. The current Holland captain has one last international tournament in him this summer, and will look to add to his medal collection of four Eredivisie titles, one La Liga title, one Serie A title, two Bundesliga titles and a Champions League victory.

Edwin van der Sar

van der Sar for Man Utd

The now-retired goalkeeper plied his trade in Italy for Juventus, before representing Fulham and Manchester United in England. Four Premier League titles and a Champions League medal are just reward for the 41-year-old, who hung up his boots last summer. Sir Alex Ferguson is yet to fully replace Van der Sar, who himself stepped into the massive shoes of Peter Schmeichel at Old Trafford, and excelled.

Wesley Sneijder

Sneijder for Inter

Arguably one of the best playmakers in the modern game, Sneijder left Ajax in 2007 after five years with the senior side to join Real Madrid. After two seasons the attacking midfielder departed the Santiago Bernabeu to join Inter, and was the subject of a protracted transfer saga over a potential move to Manchester United last summer.

League titles in Italy and Spain have been backed up by Champions League success; Sneijder is truly one of Holland’s best recent exports.

Clarence Seedorf

Seedorf for Milan

One of Holland’s greatest ever players, Clarence Seedorf is still an integral player for Italian champions AC Milan at 35-years-old. The veteran midfielder has an unbelievable trophy haul at club level, with Champions League titles with Ajax, Real Madrid and twice with AC Milan. 87 international caps and over a decade of playing at the highest level, Clarence Seedorf is Netherlands top export.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Ahead of Barcelona v Real Madrid this Saturday, we look at key stats and performers that will feature in El Clasico. The analysis looks at Messi v Ronaldo, Valdés v Casillas and Mesut Özil.

MESSI EDGES RONALDO 

Ahead of this weekend’s decisive Clásico, we compare Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, the only two players in the history of the Spanish top flight to have scored 41 goals in a single campaign.

Lionel Messi v. Cristiano Ronaldo – overall league statistics this season

The Argentine forward appears to be ahead of his Portuguese counterpart in almost all relevant categories, such as minutes per goal, shooting accuracy, chance conversion, touches per game, assists, key passes, pass completion or dribble success.

Having said that, the stats also reflect the style of both teams. For Barcelona, everything flows through Messi and he’s at the center of most, if not all, of Barcelona’s build-up play. In comparison Real Madrid play a quicker, more direct game, with Ronaldo usually on the left, making him one of two or three ‘end targets’ of Madrid’s build up play.

BUSY CASILLAS STILL THE MAIN MAN

Saturday’s El Clasico could make or break Barcelona’s challenge for the La Liga title and it promises to be a closely fought encounter. Both Barcelona and Real Madrid’s dominance of La Liga in recent years has been built upon the presence of two world-class goalkeepers, who will play a crucial role in deciding the result of Saturday’s game and the title race.

Iker Casillas has long been preferred to Barcelona’s Victor Valdés by the Spanish national team, but Castrol EDGE Performance data suggests Valdés has had a stronger season. Casillas’ record of 29 goals conceded (at one goal per 102 minutes) is trumped by the Barcelona keeper, who has conceded just 24 goals (one goal per 124 minutes) and has managed seventeen clean sheets to Casillas’ twelve. All of this comes despite the fact that Real Madrid currently sit four points above Barcelona in the league table.

However, a closer look at the statistics reveals that Valdés has been called into action less often than his Real Madrid counterpart, with a total of 55 saves compared to 72 by Casillas. Casillas also saves 71% of the shots sent his way, which places him just about Valdés’ 70%. Despite being called into action less often, Valdés has dropped the ball six times to Casillas’ four and perhaps benefits from playing behind a team of outfield players that are notorious for their ability to keep possession away from the opposition.

Valdés has already made one mistake in an El Clasico this season, albeit in a game that Barcelona won easily, but he will have to be on his best form on Saturday if Barcelona want to keep their La Liga hopes alive.

OZIL QUIETLY GOING ABOUT HIS BUSINESS

Europe’s top leagues are currently filled with talented playmakers that are lighting up their respective divisions with intelligent and incisive attacking football. David Silva has emerged as a player of the season candidate in the English Premier League, Lionel Messi continues to weave his magic across Spain and Eden Hazard’s star has continued its meteoric rise in the French Ligue 1.

However, Castrol EDGE Performance data shows that Mesut Ozil has created more goals this season than other player in Europe’s top five leagues, with his 15 assists putting him one above Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria in joint second. The Real Madrid playmaker came to prominence with some spectacular performances for Germany at the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, but since his move to Real Madrid he has quietly gone about his business in a squad full of superstars.

This data confirms that he has managed to establish himself as a key player for Real Madrid despite the intense competition for squad places; a fact that was further affirmed when he scored a crucial away goal against Bayern Munich in the Champions League this week. Barcelona have a celebrated set of attacking players themselves, but they overlook the threat of Ozil at their peril.

Top five European leagues – Most assists

From Soccerlens.com - Football News