Simeone: "Barcelona plays a completely different game - it's a boring league"

Diego Pablo Simeone couldn't have been any clearer in his assessment of his team's loss at the Camp Nou: "We're going game by game. Whether we're aiming to win the league or not is for you to talk about".

"Of course Cristiano and Mourinho are transfer targets for PSG"

Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, the secretary general of the Qatari Olympic Committee and Paris Saint Germain owner Sheikh Nasser Al Khelaifi's right-hand man, has confirmed the French club's interest in signing Cristiano Ronaldo and José Mourinho.

Messi's favourite prey

No one could accuse Leo Messi of being picky as to which teams he scores against. "I compare him to a killer, in footballing terms. He goes onto the pitch to collect victims", his compatriot Javier Mascherano told Catalan radio station 'Rac1'. And Atlético Madrid is his favourite victim.

Ronaldo, a Real life-saver

After Real Madrid's cup defeat at the Balaídos stadium, José Mourinho publicly criticised some of his players for not giving their all and showing a lack of commitment, by saying: "One or two players didn't seem up to playing a cup game in the rain and cold".

Mourinho and PSG in secret talks

French weekly sports newspaper 'Le 10 Sport' has claimed that Sheikh Al Thani may have met with the Portuguese manager's agent, Jorge Mendes, on several occasions to discuss his future. It also speculates that a deal has already been made.

Ronaldo gives Real hope

Celta de Vigo claimed a superb 2-1 victory at home to Real Madrid in the Copa de Rey. Real must now turn around the result in the second leg of the last 16, but the most worrying thing for 'Los Blancos' is the ankle injury sustained by Karim Benzema.

Ramalho: "Messi doit gagner une Coupe du Monde" - Sambafoot.com, toute l'actualité du football brésilien

Ramalho: "Messi doit gagner une Coupe du Monde" - Sambafoot.com, toute l'actualité du football brésilien

Ramalho envoie Neymar au FC Barcelone en 2014 - Sambafoot.com, toute l'actualité du football brésilien

Ramalho envoie Neymar au FC Barcelone en 2014 - Sambafoot.com, toute l'actualité du football brésilien

Lionel Messi en chiffres - Espagne - Championnats étrangers - Football - Sport 24

Lionel Messi en chiffres - Espagne - Championnats étrangers - Football - Sport 24

The goal factory

When Real Madrid is in a tight spot, Mesut Özil and Karim Benzema come to the rescue. The German and French players are the best alternative to Cristiano Ronaldo's boot.

Gerd Müller: "Messi's incredible, the best in the world"

Former German international striker Gerd Müller paid tribute to Barcelona forward Leo Messi, after the Argentine recently broke Müller's record for the number of goals scored in a calendar year. The German's record of 85 goals, now one fewer than Messi, had stood since 1972 and he shared his delight for "the best player in the world".

Messi's 2012 goalscoring legacy

Nobody has ever scored more goals than Messi in a single calendar year. He's broken Gerd Müller's record and still has time to improve his tally, making it even more unattainable. His 2012 has been unique in the footballing world.

"Stay Mourinho"

Mourinho wanted to get a feeling for the level of affection Madrid fans on the Valladolid terraces hold for him. This time seeking the opinion of those residing outside the capital. It was something similar to when he went out onto the pitch at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium before the derby match, at 21:20h, to see if the public had turned its back on him and the team.

Barça goes marching on

Barcelona racked up its 14th win out of 15 league games this season at a stadium where Real Madrid lost a few weeks back, but not without a struggle. Ultimately, though, the league leaders held firm to grab all three points and add to a record run that is blowing all the other contenders out of the water.

Mourinho to stop any further Christmas excesses

In shortening the holidays, Mourinho wants to avoid a repeat of events last season. The Portuguese gave his players ten days rest at Christmas and the team almost paid the price by nearly getting knocked out of the Spanish Cup by Malaga in the first game of the year.

Higuaín out… again

Yet another week without Higuaín. Mourinho will need to face up to the game against Valladolid without being able to rotate his two starting strikers. The Argentine's return has been delayed and this'll be the eighth game that he'll miss since being injured.

Messi fit to face Betis

After last Wednesday's scare against Benfica in the Champions League, Leo Messi has been called up to Vilanova's squad to face Betis. The team is made up of 19 players and therefore Tito will have to cut a player to accommodate the Argentinean.

Özil has the last laugh

Real Madrid's very own 'Wizard of Oz', Mesut Özil, conjured up two moments of magic to clinch a hard-fought win over Real Valladolid. After Manucho twice put the home side in front, two wonderful goals from the German playmaker – including a stunning free-kick to make it 3-2 – sealed a comeback win that should lift morale in the capital.

Djukic: "Nothing to lose and everything to win"

Valladolid manager Miroslav Djukic believes his players are in a calm state of mind as they prepare for Saturday's match against Real Madrid at the Zorrilla stadium. "We know we have nothing to lose and everything to win. All eyes will be on the game and the players have the chance to show what they can do", Djukic said in Friday's press conference prior to the encounter against José Mourinho’s side.

Last minute Negredo header may just save Míchel's neck

Sevilla didn't get the desired result from a game that was set up to be crucial for Michel's survival in the dugout. However, a controversial sending off and a last-gasp equaliser in the 91st minute, with his side a man down, could have just saved the man from Madrid his job.

Coentrao KO'd as Essien enters the picture

Fabio Coentrao has lost his race to be fit for Saturday's meeting with Valladolid, meaning José Mourinho will have to field a makeshift left-back for the fixture, considering Marcelo is still recovering from a long-term injury. Michael Essien is back, however, and could be ready to step up to the plate.

Premier League looms for Llorente

Although Juventus has been widely and repeatedly touted as a likely destination for Fernando Llorente, the Athletic Bilbao marksman isn't so sure his future lies in Italy.

Ex-Barça duo say no to Mourinho at Man City

Manchester City has ruled out the possibility of José Mourinho becoming its new manager, according to reports by British tabloid the Daily Mirror. The reigning Premier League champion will not be bringing in the Portuguese coach to replace Roberto Mancini, should the Italian get the boot at the end of the season.

Messi: "I feared the worst when I was on the stretcher"

Lionel Messi sent out a message this Thursday, calming the Barcelona fans during a Turkish Airlines publicity event, shortly after being stretchered off in the game against Benfica. "I'm fine. Luckily it was just a knock", he assured.

Chelsea, Benitez : "Il faut penser à l'aspect positif"

Malgré son large succès contre Nordsjaelland en Ligue des Champions mercredi soir (6-1, 6e journée de la phase de poules), l'équipe de Chelsea ne participera pas aux 8es de finale.

Cristiano breaks his record for goals in a calendar year

Cristiano Ronaldo did not want to miss the Champions clash with Ajax on Tuesday even though it was a dead rubber. Among his personal objectives for the season is to finish top scorer of the Champions League as he did back in 2008.

Abramovich chasing Guardiola hard

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is pinning all his hopes on confirming Pep Guardiola as his new manager after firing Roberto Di Matteo and seeing an unimpressive start from his successor Rafa Benítez, says The Sun newspaper.

Barça shakes as Messi breaks

It was the 85th minute when Messi found himself in front of Artur, the Benfica keeper. The Argentine cut right, then cut back, killed the ball and tried to beat the keeper on high.

Milan AC : Allegri relativise après la défaite

Contre le Zénith Saint-Pétersbourg (défaite 0-1, 6e journée de la phase de poules de la Ligue des Champions), l'entraîneur du Milan AC Massimiliano Allegri avait décidé de faire souffler quelques joueurs comme par exemple Stephan El Shaarawy.

A family affair

The Barça-Benfica game at Camp Nou could turn into a family occasion for Thiago, Rafinha and Rodrigo. The three are all cousins and this match could mark the first time they go head to head on the football pitch. There was a chance it would happen in the first game, but Thiago picked up an injury and Rafhina was not on the list.

Le président du FC Sion Constantin: " On a tué Oussema Darragi "

Le président du FC sion affirme que l'équipe est hors sujet au cours des derniers matches et surtout contre Young Boys. Il affirme que la baisse de régime de son équipe est en grande partie due à la méforme de son milieu de terrain tunisien Oussema Darragi.

Top 10 des entraîneurs les plus payés

Les 10 entraîneurs de foot les plus payés dans le monde:

1. José Mourinho (POR/Real Madrid): 15,3 M€
2. Carlo Ancelotti (ITA/PSG): 13,5 M€
3. Marcelo Lippi (ITA/Guangzhoo Evergrande): 10 M€ 
4. Alex Ferguson (ECO/Manchester United): 9,4 M€
5. Arsène Wenger (FRA/Arsenal): 9,4 M€
6. Guus Hiddink (HOL/Anzhi): 8,3 M€
7. Fabio Capelle (ITA/Russie): 7,8 M€
8. Tito Vilanova (ESP/FC Barcelone): 7 M€
9. José Camacho (ESP/Chine): 5,9 M€
10. Roberto Mancini (ITA/Manchester City): 5,9 M€

Málaga:Remarkable journey on a shoestring

Málaga remains unbeaten in the Champions League group phase after drawing its last match against Anderlecht. A goal by Dieumerci Mbokani in the 89th minute levelled the score after Duda's brace.

Modric unleashed and Callejón blinding

Real Madrid dispensed with the formalities against Ajax (4-1), bringing the first phase of the Champions League to a close with a victory accepted by the terraces without any apparent judgement. Cristiano, Callejón (2) and Kaká put in the 'Blancos' goals although the match was notable for other reasons.

Anyone but Mourinho

It seems the defiant, arrogant and ornery figure of José Mourinho may be coming to the end, in terms of his relationship with Real Madrid.

PSG : Anelka réfute l'idée d'un retour

De passage ce lundi au Camp des Loges, Nicolas Anelka a rendu visite aux joueurs du PSG et à Carlo Ancelotti. Mais l'attaquant français de 33 ans, sous contrat avec le Shanghai Shenhua, a calmé le jeu au sujet d'un éventuel prêt de trois mois.

Nadal à 100% sur terre battue ?

Quand Rafael Nadal retrouvera-t-il le chemin des courts de tennis ? Peut-être dès le mois de janvier.

Le PSG passionne aussi la presse étrangère - Ligue des champions - Football - Sport 24

Le PSG passionne aussi la presse étrangère - Ligue des champions - Football - Sport 24

PSG : Leonardo par ici la sortie ? - Sambafoot.com, toute l'actualité du football brésilien

PSG : Leonardo par ici la sortie ? - Sambafoot.com, toute l'actualité du football brésilien

Nadal: "I considered surgery"

Rafael Nadal provides an update on his current situation from Manacor, Majorca. Off the courts since June, the Spanish tennis ace is enthusiastically looking forward to his return to the circuit even though he is aware that the first few tournaments will be tough until he gets back into the competitive groove.

Le sélectionneur Luis Felipe Scolari endeuillé - Sambafoot.com, toute l'actualité du football brésilien

Le sélectionneur Luis Felipe Scolari endeuillé - Sambafoot.com, toute l'actualité du football brésilien

Arsenal : une tentative pour Lampard ?

Frank Lampard devrait, à l'image du latéral gauche Ashley Cole, quitter Chelsea à l'issue de la saison. En effet, le milieu âgé de 34 ans ne devrait pas disposer d'un nouveau contrat chez les Blues.

Xavi & Puyol: Much more than just contract renewals

Barcelona is busy negotiating new deals for a number of its players, although the club’s priority is renewing Carles Puyol and Xavi Hernández. The captain is out of contract in June and the midfielder a year later.

Modric: "From now on I'm going to play better"

Luka Modric, who's had sparse media coverage of late, commented on Madrid's upcoming game against Ajax, in which he's set to start, and how he's felt during his first few months at Real Madrid.

Only Leo can beat Messi

We are faced with the paranormal phenomenon that is Leo Messi. He devours records like there is no tomorrow. So much so, that the only one capable of beating Leo Messi is none other than… Leo Messi himself.

"Mou at United? He can manage anywhere"

The Manchester United manager, Alex Ferguson, believes that the current Real Madrid coach José Mourinho can manage "anywhere", and did not rule out the possibility of him taking over the Old Trafford dugout in the future.                                                                               

L'Inter renoue avec la victoire

La 15e journée de Serie A a vu l'Inter Milan renouer avec la victoire contre Palerme (1-0). Grâce à ce succès, les Nerazzurri reviennent sur le podium à la troisième place. La Lazio s'est imposée contre Parme (2-1) et l'AS Roma s'est facilement défait de Sienne (3-1).

Espérence ST: liste de départ

Interrogé en direct sur la chaine nationale Wataniya 1, le coach de l'Espérance Sportive de Tunis (EST) a apporté quelques rectifications aux rumeurs insistantes qui ont été diffusées dans certains médias de la place, quant à l'établissement d'une liste de départ contenant le nom de quatre joueurs notamment, à savoir Wassim Naouara, Aymen Ben Amor, Wajdi Bouazzi et Khaled Ayari.

En effet, Maâloul a infirmé la présence de la dite liste, tout en rappelant que lors du prochain mercato, il y aura bien évidemment des départs et des arrivées et que les discussions détaillées à ce propos n'ont pas encore eu lieu avec le premier responsable du club, le président Hamdi Meddeb.

Inter Milan : Sneijder dans les filets de l'Anzhi ?

Wesley Sneijder ne souhaite pas prolonger son contrat à l'Inter Milan. Il faut dire que cas échéant, le milieu de terrain percevrait un salaire bien moins conséquent. Du coup, les décideurs lombards ont décidé d'entamer un bras de fer terrible.



Tant que l'international néerlandais refuse de rempiler, ce dernier ne peut pas jouer sous les ordres de l'entraîneur Andrea Stramaccioni. Celui qui possède un bail jusqu'en 2015 devrait, au train où vont les choses, quitter les Nerazzurri pendant le prochain mercato hivernal. A en croire la presse italienne, Wesley Sneijder pourrait rejoindre l'Anzhi Makhachakala plutôt que Manchester United, le Milan AC ou encore le PSG. Il évoluerait alors sous les ordres de son compatriote Guus Hiddink au moins jusqu'en juin. Après cette date, le technicien pourrait rendre son tablier en tant qu'entraîneur et former des jeunes voire des entraîneurs inexpérimentés.

Source: http://www.topmercato.com/57506,1/inter-milan-sneijder-dans-les-filets-de-l-anzhi.html#ixzz2Dz1QeJSs

PSG-Porto : Pauleta n'arrive pas à trancher

Pedro Miguel Pauleta sera sûrement dans les tribunes du Parc des Princes mardi (demain) pour assister à la rencontre de Ligue des Champions entre le PSG et Porto (6e et dernière journée de la phase de poules).
L'ancien buteur du club de la capitale n'arrive pas à se prononcer au sujet du vainqueur éventuel de cette rencontre européenne. "Je préfère ne pas répondre à cette question. C'est trop difficile. C'est une question difficile car je suis Portugais mais aussi ambassadeur du PSG, un club que j'ai appris à aimer. Mais je suis content que les deux équipes n'aient plus rien à craindre. Les deux équipes vont se battre pour la première place du groupe et par la même pour une victoire de prestige", a confié celui qu'on surnommait "L'Aigle des Açores" dixit l'agence Lusa.

Record, Robinho, Seleçao... Neymar parle brésilien

Régulièrement annoncé en Europe (FC Barcelone, Chelsea, Paris-SG), l'attaquant brésilien Neymar, 20 ans, se focalise uniquement sur des sujets propres à son club, Santos, et à sa sélection. De quoi renforcer la thèse d'un départ de Neymar... pas avant l'été 2014.
Sur son année au Brésil. "Je suis très heureux pour tout ce qui s'est passé cette saison. J'ai gagné trois titres [Neymar a remporté le championnat pauliste, la Recopa Sud-Americana et le Superclasico contre l'Argentine,ndlr.]. Cette année a été merveilleuse." D'un point de vue comptable, le prodige brésilien a inscrit 56 buts en 2012, dont 13 en sélection.

Sur la possible venue de Robinho à Santos. "Je ne suis pas le mieux placé pour en parler, tout le monde sait bien qu'il est mon idole et l'idole de tous les supporters de Santos. Alors à l'instar des supporters qui le réclament, moi aussi je le demande. S'il vous plait monsieur le président. Robinho est plus que le bienvenu ici."

Sur le nouveau sélectionneur. "Avec Mano Menezes, j'ai bien travaillé et évolué, j'ai beaucoup appris. Maintenant, l'arrivée de (Luiz Felipe) Scolari va apporter de nouvelles choses, une nouvelle organisation. Je suis à sa disposition. Si il veut me convoquer, je suis là. (rires)"

MLS : le mot de la fin de Beckham

Pour son dernier match avec les Los Angeles Galaxy, David Beckham n'a pas fait les choses à moitié. Annoncé du côté de l'AS Monaco, le milieu de terrain anglais a remporté la finale de la Major League Soccer face au Houston Dynamo (3-1).


 

"C'est spécial d'obtenir la victoire devant nos supporters. C'est un jour incroyable, a lâché le footballeur de 37 ans sur ESPN. Je suis triste, car c'est la fin. Ce fut un endroit spécial pour moi, cela continuera à l'être. Je ne jouerais plus ici, mais je vais poursuivre mon engagement pour ce championnat, de la même manière que quand je suis arrivé il y a six ans." Pour semer le doute, David Beckham n'a pas donné plus de détails sur la suite de sa carrière.

The Alonso Grand Prix

The crowds turned out en masse to greet Fernando Alonso at the Cheste circuit in Valencia on Sunday. He said farewell to the season in the company of his two families. The Spanish fans were behind him as always. They were joined by the whole of Ferrari: the team, the Chairman Montezemolo, the Maranello client race department, proud owners and Ferrari faithful, and even official Cavallino dealers from around the world.
"I am going to celebrate our best year with the tifosi. I can't wait to see the whole Ferrari family and the fans," the Spanish driver exclaimed, who for the first time gave his version of the now famous flags in the Brazil race that caused such a stir last week.
The only one missing will be team boss, Stefano Domenicali, who has officially been allowed home to enjoy a well-deserved rest.
The runner-up in the world championship will climb into a F2012 for the last time, the car which he drove in a season that proved nightmarish at the beginning and ended in somewhat listless fashion without any major improvements, struggling to keep on the pace.
This is the third race car Alonso has driven at Ferrari and the second in which he came close to savouring the sweet taste of glory, following on from the F10 in 2010. Fernando will put on a show alongside his teammate Felipe Massa on the home straight of the Valencia circuit, and will burn some rubber for the last time in the number 5 car, as he will be sporting a number 3 next season.
 

Iniesta adds artistry to the Barça record book

The majestic football Barça is playing is currently hand in hand with the record books. Barça strokes the ball and records tumble, one after the other, regardless of the perpetrator or the victim. The passing game played by ‘Los Culés’ wiped Marcelo Bielsa's team off the map on Saturday, proving Tito is in charge of a squad with more treats than a sweet shop.
One name emerged out of the sea of statistics once again - that of Andrés Iniesta, who shined brightly during a great overall team performance. Iniesta waltzed around the opposition and left them standing in their tracks, he did a 'no look pass' without shifting his gaze, set up goals and was given an ovation by the crowd. And then coincidentally, when he was substituted it was as if the popcorn had suddenly run out. There were no more goals and the game was over and done with.
Iniesta's performance cannot be understood without harking back to the days of Michael Laudrup, who was his childhood hero. He paid homage to his idol when he delivered a pass to Cesc Fàbregas with the outside of his foot without even looking at him, in the build-up to the fourth goal, and he went round the opposition with the Dane's signature dribble, switching the ball quickly from one foot to the other.
The recital by one of the three candidates for the Ballon d'Or, who no one tips to win it, was incredible. Athletic breathed a sigh of relief when Tito Vilanova decided to rest Iniesta in the 73rd minute. The match was already in the bag for Barcelona by then, Barça having got the better of its rival with Iniesta as field commander in chief.
 

Mourinho to go in June

José Mourinho will not continue on the Real Madrid bench next season even if the club wins the Champions League. Relations between the Portuguese manager and Real Madrid President, Florentino Pérez, have broken down completely, and are now practically inexistent. That's the way things are. Mourinho will negotiate his departure from the club in June 2013.
In private, Florentino said last weekend that "Mourinho is cutting his own throat", and has often been heard criticising both Mou the manager as well as his difficult character - and the manager is well aware of this.
Both club and manager will try to reach the end of the season as amicably as they can, without fighting, and they will negotiate Mourinho's departure in June, above all bearing in mind that there are presidential elections, but the decision has already been taken. What happened at the Bernabeu at 9.20 p.m. on the night of the derby match was one more incident that confirms Florentino's thoughts, that you cannot have a manager continually putting a strain on the club.
Mourinho has insisted repeatedly that the club should get someone to back him up in his complaints, to have some clout in the Federación, in the league and at UEFA. But at the club they know that no one wants to stick their neck out by being an aggressive spokesman, and Mourinho sees that they won’t back him up; and that they only want results from him.
The turning point has been losing out on the league after only three months, and playing much worse than last year. Florentino is aware that the dressing room is not with the manager, and that his rows and his defiance now have little effect. They back him up in the outside world, but indoors at the club they ignore him, something which is driving Mourinho to despair.
 

Tito the legend

In his first year as coach, Tito Vilanova has succeeded in breaking all the records with Barcelona and entering the la Liga history books in grand style. Team Tito is already the team with the best ever start to the season since the league's foundation, beating Real Madrid's 1991-1992 season in which the 'Blancos' clocked up twelve wins and a draw.
Barcelona's track record this campaign is impeccable, winning every game in succession, with the exception of the 'Classico' on 7th October when it could not break the draw against Madrid (2-2). The 'Azulgranas' have not tasted defeat in any of its 14 matches, totalling thirteen victories and one draw.
Regardless of all that, Tito Vilanova is not being complacent and does not see la Liga as a done deal. The past has not been forgotten. Despite the historic record set by Real Madrid in the 91/92 season, its coach, Radomir Antic was fired halfway through the campaign.
Comparison with his predecessor, Pep Guardiola, is inevitable: "It's not possible to replicate those four years because of the titles they won and the way the playing style evolved. I feel very proud. This has happened in a very short space of time. We need to look at it further down the line, but I'm sure that I'll lose out in the comparisons by a long way".
 

"I'm the best left-back in the world", says Marcelo

In an interview with Globoesporte, Marcelo confirmed that he hopes to "get back to training with my team-mates at Real Madrid in January. I was very scared, because during the first few days I had no feeling in my foot, my legs were trembling and I felt terrible, but little by little I am getting better".
He was carried off with a broken toe on 14th October, while he was training with the Brazilian national team. After several tests, he was successfully operated on by Doctor Niek van Dijk.
Marcelo has not lost one ounce of his motivation and confidence, and confirmed that "I still consider myself the best left-back in the world. I have to do this - to go on believing in myself and return to the side with more ambition than ever. I am dying to play again".
Specifically, Marcelo tries to think about one of his idols when trying to get back on the pitch as soon as possible. "I always watched Roberto Carlos. I was with him at Real Madrid for six months, and he taught me a lot. He is a great point of reference for me, and I want to be like him. Even today when I meet him I get nervous".
If all goes well, Marcelo could be playing again by the end of the year, or at the beginning of 2013, and aiming to be fully fit by February, when the Champions League will once again be occupying a lot of Real Madrid’s time, with the start of the knock-out phase.
 

Real Madrid : D.Silva approché ?

Selon The People, le Real Madrid aurait activé la piste menant à David Silva, le milieu de terrain offensif espagnol de Manchester City.
Sous contrat jusqu’en juin 2017 avec Manchester City, le milieu de terrain offensif international espagnol David Silva (26 ans) aurait été approché par le Real Madrid. Florentino Pérez, le président des Merengue, aurait récemment rencontré l’agent de l’ancien joueur de Valence

PSG : Un préparateur physique personnel pour Pastore

Sur la sellette, Javier Pastore, le milieu de terrain offensif du Paris Saint-Germain, va recevoir l'aide d'un préparateur physique personnel. L'Argentin veut remonter la pente avant que cela ne soit trop tard.



Non titularisé contre Nice (1-2, 15eme journée de Ligue 1), samedi soir, Javier Pastore (23 ans), le milieu de terrain offensif du Paris Saint-Germain, connaît décidément une période délicate. Alors que Carlo Ancelotti, l’entraîneur du club de la Capitale, s’est dit déçu par ses performances, l’international argentin est sur la sellette. On commence déjà à parler d’un éventuel départ lors du Mercato d’hiver. Et ceci malgré un contrat qui court jusqu’en juin 2015. Leonardo, le directeur sportif de l’actuel troisième du championnat de France, s’interroge.
Recruté pour quarante-deux millions d’euros, l’ancien joueur de Palerme doit se ressaisir sous peine de graves désillusions. Conscient de la situation (et de ses limites actuelles sur le plan physique et mental), « El Flaco » - qui intéresse notamment l’Inter Milan - va recevoir l’aide d’un préparateur physique personnel venu d’Argentine. Le club du président Nasser Al-Khelaïfi a donné son autorisation. Tout est bon pour tenter de relancer Javier Pastore, qui va bientôt voir débarquer le Brésilien Lucas Moura (20 ans, Sao Paulo).

Mourinho receives applause at the Bernabeu

José Mourinho was warmly greeted at the Bernabeu. The manager, as expected, came out at 9.20pm and stood on the sidelines for two minutes. The barely 3,000 fans present in the Santiago Bernabeu at that time, forty minutes before the derby kicked off, greeted the Portuguese manager in their majority with applause.
There weren’t many people at the Bernabeu, but those present at 9:20pm - the time set by Real Madrid’s Portuguese coach himself - showed their support for Mourinho. There were banners expressing support for their manager, chants and applause that out-weighed the odd isolated whistle.
The Real Madrid coach had talked of his intention to take to the pitch alone to soak up the pressure after fans expressed divided opinions about him during the Spanish Cup game against Alcoyano last Tuesday. Mourinho foresaw there would be a vote of confidence and there was. The Portuguese won by a clear majority, despite there only being about 3,000 people at the Bernabeu at that time.

Real’s never-ending superiority

This year’s opening Madrid derby which was seen as the most evenly-matched in recent years ended in victory for Real Madrid, as it almost always does. Atlético continued its poor run of form against its cross-city rival, having not beaten Real in almost 14 years.
Atlético, which remains second in the league and five points clear of Real Madrid despite losing at the Bernabeu, never looked like winning. Although Falcao carved out the first chance of the game, which Casillas saved, the rest of the match action took place in the area defended by Atlético’s Courtois.
The Belgian conceded a goal from Cristiano’s free-kick on 15 minutes. The last time the Portuguese scored in the league from a free-kick, it was also against the Atlético keeper. Once again the game became an uphill struggle for the visitors very early on.
Atlético didn’t pass the ball well and Madrid was superior in every aspect of the game. After the break, Özil scored on a counter-attack and Madrid could have scored more, but Cristiano hit the post twice in a second half notable for Atlético’s helplessness and Courtois’ saves.

Galaxy eyes Kaká for the post-Beckham era

There has been talk for some time now of the New York Red Bulls – football team that plays in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States and Canada– signing Kaká. However, a new pretender intent on scooping up the Brazilian has come to light: Los Angeles Galaxy.
In an interview with the American magazine 'Sports Illustrated', Tim Leiweke, the president of the Anschutz Entertainment Group and current owner of the Galaxy franchise, revealed that Kaká is on the Californian team's radar to replace David Beckham. The Brit recently announced that he will step down from MLS after the final to be played today, Saturday, against Houston Dynamo.
As occurred in 2007, when he managed to sign Beckham, Leiweke is confident he can reach an agreement with Real Madrid to sign one its stars.
"We're well aware of Kaka's interest in MLS, and we in turn have made it very clear to him that he's aware of our interest in him", said Leiweke. He went on to say: "We have a great relationship with Real Madrid, and just as we worked through a player with them six years ago [to sign Beckham], I'm absolutely convinced we could find the right deal this time too".
Kaká, aged 30, would be the first Ballon d'Or winner to play in MLS.

Özil never fails in the derby

Mourinho is only missing one piece of the puzzle for the derby: the link between the midfield and the attack. His best option is his most regular choice: Mesut Özil.
The German approaches another game as the best choice for an attacking midfielder. Whilst Mourinho is not completely satisfied with his season, at the end of the day, he knows he does not have a better link-up player in his squad.
Mourinho faced the same dilemma on the eve of the 'Clásico' against Barcelona. One week earlier, he had punished the German by taking him off at half-time against Deportivo. Three days later, he did not give him a single minute in Amsterdam. However, when he announced the line-up for the 'Clásico', sure enough, there was Özil – a man who rises to the occasion in the big games. He put in a phenomenal performance at the Camp Nou.
Today is one of the days on which Mourinho has marked on his calendar. The Real number 10 was substituted against Betis at half-time and played, as a punishment, the full 90 minutes against Alcoyano from the Segunda B. However, Madrid cannot fail today and the coach will once again pick Özil over Modric or Kaká.
The German player has a cracking record against Atlético. He has won every one of the six games which he has played against the team, and notched up three goals and two assists. Just like against Barcelona, Özil shines in the derbies.

Barça shows no mercy for Athletic

Barça has just got off to the best start to a season in the history of the Spanish football league, following thirteen wins and a draw and, after what happened to Athletic, it doesn't look like it will stop there. Messi scored once again, and it could have been two if Amorebieta hadn't helped the ball into his own net for the 2-0. Messi is now only two goals away from the Gerd Müller's tally of 85 in 1972.
Tito Vilanova's men saw off Marcelo Bielsa's weaker team with relative ease and did so in great style, putting in one of the best performances of the Vilanova era. Piqué, Amorebieta (own goal), Adriano, Cesc and Messi all scored for Barça, whilst Ibai Gómez scored for Athletic.
Barça's little guys, always ready to shake things up and break with tradition, struck from a corner. Their ability to create chances verges on the supernatural, but the chain of clearances ended up with Piqué scoring one of the easiest goals of his life. From then on it was all plain sailing.
Athletic is not the same team it was last season. The team has suffered too many disasters and is missing some key players. But to top it all, Athletic was also without Muniaín on account of an inopportune tonsillitis, which severely diminished the fire power of Bielsa's team. Llorente did come on in the second half for Aduriz but it was too late by then and the result was a foregone conclusion.

Pastore abat peut-être sa dernière carte au PSG

Très décevant lors de ses dernières sorties, concurrencé par Nenê, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Jérémy Ménez et bientôt Lucas Moura, Javier Pastore est en train de perdre tout crédit au Paris Saint-Germain. Le club de la capitale songerait même à laisser partir son joueur lors du mercato hivernal, et le déplacement à Nice pour le compte de la 15e journée de Ligue 1 pourrait être le dernier pour l'Argentin en cas de nouvelle désillusion.



Javier Pastore s'apprête-t-il à disputer l'un de ses derniers matchs sous les couleurs du Paris Saint-Germain ? Alors que le club de la capitale se déplace à Nice ce samedi (20h), pour le compte de la 15e journée de Ligue 1, le meneur de jeu argentin va probablement avoir droit à l'une de ses dernières chances de la part de son entraîneur Carlo Ancelotti. Si le technicien italien n'a eu de cesse de défendre son joueur ces dernières semaines, au gré des contre-performances de l'ancien milieu de terrain de Palerme, le "Mister" est forcé d'avouer que les prestations de Pastore ne sont pas à la hauteur de ce qu'il attend de lui. "Je suis déçu par ses performances, le joueur aussi, je pense", lâche l'ancien coach du Milan AC ce vendredi en conférence de presse.

On le serait à moins. Recruté pour 42 millions d'euros à l'été 2011, "El Flaco" a livré une première saison parisienne mitigée, alternant les énormes prestations et les gros passages à vide, mais a été excusé en raison d'une préparation estivale tronquée, d'un temps d'adaptation nécessaire dans un nouveau championnat, et de la pression gigantesque qui pesait sur ses épaules en raison de la somme dépensée par le PSG pour s'attacher ses services. Mais cette année, alors qu'il a eu droit à une préparation de qualité et y a même donné des signes particulièrement encourageants, l'Argentin montre un niveau de jeu presque inférieur à la saison passée. Lors des derniers matchs, et notamment contre Troyes lors de la journée précédente, le milieu offensif a traversé sa rencontre comme un fantôme, poussant Carlo Ancelotti à le sortir à la pause. Face à Saint-Étienne mardi en Coupe de la Ligue, il ne faisait même pas partie du groupe...

Le problème pour Javier Pastore, c'est que Nenê, entré à sa place face à l'ESTAC, mais également Ezequiel Lavezzi et Jérémy Ménez, livrent de bien meilleures prestations, sans compter l'arrivée de Lucas Moura fin décembre qui représentera une nouvelle concurrence très féroce. Qui dit arrivées possibles lors du mercato hivernal dit également départs possibles, et à en croire La Gazzetta dello Sport, le PSG serait prêt à envisager un échange avec l'Inter Milan entre Pastore et Wesley Sneijder, voire un recrutement simple de l'international néerlandais, qui ne laisserait plus beaucoup de place à l'Argentin dans le onze de départ parisien. Autant dire que si l'ancien Palermitain veut avoir du temps de jeu en deuxième partie de saison, celui qui lui sera accordé par Ancelotti à Nice devra être extrêmement bien rentabilisé, sous peine d'être le dernier.

"I wouldn't write Real Madrid off even with a 14-point difference"

Tito Vilanova on being asked whether he thought Madrid would be out of the title race if they lost and the points difference increased to 14: "I wouldn't write Madrid off even with a 14 or 16 point difference. We could equally end up eight points ahead, not 14. The games have to be played".
In fact, the coach does not even intend to watch the derby: "I'll be at the press conference and after that I'll have dinner, just like I always do. I'm not planning on watching the derby".
Vilanova prefers to focus on Athletic: "At the start of the season, I never imagined we would be able to build up such a lead over Madrid. The most important thing is to focus on our match which is going to be a really tough one".
There were a lot of questions about the Ballon d'Or: "I don't think the players get distracted by the Ballon d'Or. Of course, we are pleased that Andrés and Leo have been nominated again".
On making a choice between Iniesta and Messi, he would not be drawn: "They both deserve it. I will be thrilled if one of them wins". On the best manager he commented: "Pep deserves it at club level. Del Bosque has won a European Championship and a World Cup".
The Barça coach, speaking about Llorente, said: "I'm not going to comment on the contractual situation. It's not the right time to think about potential players for next season, although Llorente is good enough to play for any of the big European teams".
 

Redemption Derby for Cristiano

Cristiano Ronaldo has now had two goalless la Liga matches, three if you count the Champions League game against Manchester City. It is a statistic that would not be particularly significant for any other footballer but, in the case of the Portuguese player, it is quite clearly big news.
Because Cristiano is all about goals. So much so that he has more to his name (166) than games he has played (164). So much so that, if he does not score against Atlético, he will equal his three worst league dry spells: having gone down the same road once in his first season (games 16 to 18) and twice in his second (games 19 to 21 and 23 to 25).
Atlético is usually a pretty good experience for the Portuguese player. He has scored five la Liga goals against them, notable among which was his spectacular hat-trick which, with Barça putting the squeeze on Madrid in the league table, catapulted the 'Blancos' to title victory thanks to its resounding win at the Calderón.
He also scored at the Atlético stadium in last season's Copa del Rey, the 0-1 that sealed Madrid's going through to the semi-finals after its 3-1 first leg win - a result in which he also had a hand, putting away the second of Madrid's 3 goals.
In a home la Liga match, Ronaldo has only scored against Atlético from a penalty. The two goals coming in last season's game, which Madrid won 4-1. Another goal would not only put an end to his personal bad run, but would also bring him level with another Madrid legend, Paco Gento, as the sixth top la Liga goalscorer in 'Los Blancos' history, with a total of 126 goals.