LA LIGA vs ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE ?

Local press has made echo of the English Press call for a yearly match between the "All-Stars" of LA LIGA & the PREMIER LEAGUE. Something similar occurred back in 1987 when a "World Best XI" played an England Best with the latter winning 3 - 0 at the Wembley Stadium.  

Apparently the FIFA/FIFPro "Best XI 2012" announcement this week with all 11 players Spanish Internationals or LIGA players has brought on some criticism & the "old rival" debate about with League is better.

The idea is great from an economic point of view, imagine the TV rights? Perhaps this is the real story behind the story.

Stay tuned.

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JOSEP GUARDIOLA TO LEAVE FC BARCELONA | THE GENERAL THEORY OF RELATIVITY BY ALBERT EINSTEIN

I have received an also “alarmed” email from a Spanish Football Sports reader asking if it is true that FC BARCELONA Coach Josep Guardiola will leave at the end of 2012. The question arises after it has been “splashed” all over the World Sports media some words that Guardiola mentioned in a TV Interview to Italian channel “RAI” whist in Italy visiting his ex-Club Brescia.

FC Barcelona Coach Josep Guardiola 

These are the now “famous” words":


"Creo que mi etapa en el Barça se está acabando".
"Me quedaré este año, éste será el cuarto, y un entrenador tiene que saber el momento de marcharse. Los jugadores se cansan de los entrenadores y viceversa.


Translated:
• “I feel my time at Barça is coming to en end”.
• ”I will stay this year, it will be my fourth & a Coach has to know the moment when to leave. The players get tired of the Coaches & vice-versa”.


Some have said it was a “April fools” stunt, others ask that we watch & listen to the whole interview & put it in its correct overall context which becomes "watered down".


Either way here is my reply for other readers who may have the some questions in mind as our dear reader who sent me the email (encourage all to do so, by the way)

Albert Einstein

My thoughts to all this are in line with the great scientist Albert Einstein were I take a leaf out of his "General Theory of Relativity" & use this theory to explain Coach Guardiola words & the possible future outcomes for FC Barcelona & all the millions of fans around the World. Here we  go. 

These are some consequences that flow from the two inbuilt grand ideas that Albert Einstein formulated to create the “General Theory of Relativity”


Several of the consequences that follow from the special theory of relativity are 1) time dilation (clocks moving near the speed of light operate more slowly than stationary clocks), 2) length contraction (objects moving near the speed of light appear to be contracted in the direction of motion), 3) relativity of simultaneity (things that appear to happen at the same time to stationary observer A may appear to happen at different times to moving observer B), 4) mass-energy equivalence (mass and energy are essentially the same thing and transmutable into each other).


These ideas could very well apply to Football – Soccer in general. As in physics, things in Football are relative, were time distorts, space bends & visuals are stretched. The only difference is that while in the “General Theory of Relativity” the force of GRAVITY is the vital force, in Football WINNING is the force that dominates.


Will Coach Pep Guardiola leave FC Barcelona at the end of 2012? Depends, depends on if he & the Club are WINNING & if other objects are travelling at the “Football Speed of Light” & where Guardiola is in a particular point in space & time & what he observes.

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SPANISH CUP RESULTS | 2º LEG SEMI FINAL | ALMERIA 0 - FC BARCELONA 3 | REAL MADRID 2 - SEVILLA FC 0

We have the two finalists that will meet on the 20th of April in the final of the SPANISH CUP after tonights 2º leg semi-final clashes that saw FC BARCELONA & REAL MADRID win their ties & set up another "Clasico" of Spanish Football.

The last time Real Madrid lifted the Spanish Cup was in 1993 & from there to today the walk across the Spanish Cup "desert" has been more painful than the years of exile of Moses in biblical times. FC Barcelona return to a Spanish Cup final after two years & must be considered at this stage favourites although until April many things can occur. 

Thiago for FC Barcelona

FC BARCELONA took a 0 - 5 1º leg advantage to ALMERIA & further increased it tonight with a 0 - 3 victory result to finish with a 0 - 8 aggregate score. Although Barça Coach Guardiola gave a run to players normally on the bench ( Bojan, Keita, Milito, Adriano, Thiago...) there was no surprises as the whole squad has memorized the Barça Football philosophy. ADRIANO scored first in the 34th min, followed by young THIAGO with a brilliant header from an Alves pass in the 55th min with new signing AFELLAY getting the third in the 65th min.

FC BARCELONA cruise into the final of the Spanish Cup.

Ozil scores for Real Madrid

The last time REAL MADRID played a Spanish Cup final was six years ago & they lost to Real Zaragoza, but the last time they took the silverware home was 21 years ago. The Madrid Club managed tonight to get rid of their Cup "curse" defeating SEVILLA FC ( the current title holders) 2 - 0 ( 0 - 3 aggregate).

It was not easy at all tonight as the game looked like two boxers exchanging punches up till the 81st min when Real Madrid scored. A typical semi - final with strong tackles & fierce "competitive" aggressiveness that did not make the referees work easy. Just a few notes, Cristiano Ronaldo is out of form & missing some sitters, Di Maria needs a rest, without Xabi Alonso Madrid wobbles & Karin Benzema is trying hard & doing some great things but with the one to one goal chances the man is out of tune. Said this,  Benzema ran the most & did some great lay offs which showed a clear improvement.


The turning point came when Sevilla Coach Manzano decided to take off around the 68th min new signing Rakitic  - who played well - to put on a forward ( Luis Fabiano) to go after the needed goal & thus attempt to force the extra time. It back-fired as it created spaces which Real Madrid exploited & allowed the OZIL goal from a Khedira pass in the 81st min.

This was a heavy blow that knocked out Sevilla FC which then received a red card via Sanchez who won his second yellow with a brutal tackle on Adebayor who had just come on for Benzema. Then in the 93rd min another substitute Lass Diarra ( on for injuried Khedira) passed a ball into the square where ADEBAYOR chest controlled & riffled in his debut goal & the second for Real Madrid.


End of game, & Real Madrid qualify for the Spanish Cup Final scheduled for the 20th of April.


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SPANISH LEAGUE - LIGA RESULTS | 2010 - 2011 | SHOCK AS REAL MADRID LOSE

Big SPANISH FOOTBALL surprises in today's three Round 21 Spanish League - La Liga scheduled games. Both Madrid teams lost & Real Madrid now follows behind Spanish League Table leaders FC Barcelona by 7 points. Here is a summary of events, results & the scorers.

Toquero scores for At. Bilbao

ATLETICO DE MADRID has entered into a free fall downward turn after today's 0 - 2 defeat to ATHLETIC DE BILBAO. The match ended with a severe fan back-lash as the team showed a poor image even though one can easily argue that Atletico was badly done by a very controversial referee decision.

The turning point of the whole game came in the 38th min when Atletico defender PEREA was given a direct red card due to an "apparent tackle" on Bilbao forward Fernando Llorente in the penalty area. The replay showed that there was no foul on Fernando Llorente & that Perea was unfairly given a red card which left Atletico with only 10 men for the rest of the match. Justice was handed by the "Football Gods" when Llorente missed the penalty , however by then the damage to Atletico was already done as the team collapsed mentally & nerves set in.

Atletico de Madrid missed their chances & Diego Forlan is passing a dry spell that makes one wonder if its natural or artifical. Atletico de Bilbao took full advantage of the man advantage & the Atletico chaos & scored twice via TOQUERO in the 46th min & in the 64th min to drive the final nail into the Atletico coffin.

Nerves must have set into Atletico Coach Quique Sanchez Flores as well as some of the field placements left many bewildered & also opened up the rumour mill that his days at the Club may be counted.

Big earthquake today at Atletico that will have after tremours all next week. 

Osasuna defeated Real Madrid 1 - 0

Another earthquake at OSASUNA with their hard fought victory over REAL MADRID 1 - 0. This loss by Real Madrid opens up a 7 point gap between themselves in second place & FC Barcelona who currently lead the Spanish League classification table. 

There was a strange "vibe" in the air before the match that something was about to occur when the Real Madrid starting 11 did not have Marcelo (flu) & Xabi Alonso ( fever). The Madrid team was without course & a without a player like Xabi to steer things as they looked very keen but without steady midfield guidance. This, the fierce defensive & aggressive attitude from Osasuna shook the visitors & frustrated them all the game. Suffice to say the following just to give you an idea of how things were on the field overall & for Real Madrid : 11 yellow cards & Carvalho perhaps the best player for Real Madrid.

Real Madrid had their chances but Osasuna defended like their lives depended on it. The home team played counter-attacking Football that finally paid dividends in the 62nd min when CAMUÑAS scored for Osasuna from an Aranda flick.


Real Coach Mourinho reacted with three changes : Adebayor, Kaka & the fever striken Xabi Alonso all of which bettered the image but were not able to get through the Osasuna defence. In the end the nerves, the frustrations & the need to rush things only made things worst for Real Madrid & they were defeated.

Great win for Osasuna who deserve it & should be congratulated. Big loss for Real Madrid who can practically say "good-bye" to the Spanish League Title for this season. Nothing is impossible, but the way Barça is playing, it looks difficult that the latter will lose 2 games & Real win all their remaining games until the end of the season.

Villareal scores the only goal via Rossi

ESPANYOL went down 0 - 1 to VILLAREAL in a fabulous game of Football with two side very equal & at the very top of the Spanish League classification table. The "breaker" was the solitary goal by that man again ROSSI for Villareal in the 44th min.

Tomorrow - Round 21 - Spanish Soccer Monday Night match: Racing - Valencia CF Tweet

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SPANISH FOOTBALL SPORTS BLOG SURPASSES 1.500.000 UNIQUE VISITS

SPANISH FOOTBALL SPORTS BLOG has surpassed the 1.500.000 unique visitors. The readership stats show that it is popular in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, Africa & bigger than big in Asia: THANK YOU!!!

I would never have imagined this "hobby" would get so far. There are people who dislike the blog - naturally, would not expect anything else - but the majority show their daily /yearly support by their continued readership, RSS Feeds, participation & comments & their participation/activity on the SFS Social Media channels ( Facebook, Twitter, YouTube...etc). Thank you everybody  as this keeps me going & I will attempt to maintain the level that has made the Blog get this far.

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SPANISH FOOTBALL (SOCCER) - LA LIGA 2009 / 2010 - ROUND 25 SUNDAY GAMES RESULTS

Spanish Football - Soccer - via its "Liga" competition continued with Round 25 tonight with six games, after yesterday three were played & Real Madrid took the Top spot off Fc Barcelona.

REAL ZARAGOZA watched how a wounded ATLETICO DE MADRID managed to come back to life & draw the game in the 92th min via youngster IBRAHIMA, & with an Atletico team with just 10 men. We all know by now that Atletico is not a team for anyone with heart problems.

Zaragoza got ahead early in the 7th min via JAROSIK & had the match under their control with very tight marking that was physical & frustrating for the visitors. The constant fouls, especially on José Antonio Reyes was to lead to the Atletico player taking "justice" with his own hands & be sent of with a Red card in the 70th min. Very disappointing from a player we all thought was back to his best thanks to his "clear" head, but tonight he lost it & further put his team under stress. However, Ibrahima who come on for Assuncao in the latter part of the 2ºhalf saved his team from defeat with his late equalizer.

Real Zaragoza will be really disappointed with this result & game, while Atletico although glad will be worried by the return of old playing vices & the lack of discipline from Reyes.

MALAGA let slip a victory over last placed XEREZ, who won their first away match this season 2-4. The game finished with both teams down to 10 men each due to red cards but Malaga felt the negative effects more with Xerez over running Malaga with three late goals.

MOMO put Xerez ahead first with a penalty in the 5th min, that wasn´t equalled until the 40th min by Malaga player DUDA which was followed by another in the 55th min via VALDO. Malaga was in control & with a numerical advantage until they too suffered a loss of a man in the 70th min. From here it went terribly wrong for the home team with goals from Xerez player MOMO for his second in the 72th min, GIODA in the 76th min & ORELLANA in the 94th min.

OSASUNA played a draw against GETAFE with a final result 0-0. Not much to add except both failed the little chances they managed to construct.

MALLORCA gave a Football lesson to SPORTING DE GIJÓN with a 3-0 win that puts them in 5th place & with a Champions place a possibility. ALVAREZ scored first in the 12th min, & it wasn´t until the 75th min with a second from VICTOR, that the visitors lost all gas to see a third scored in the 89th min via WEBO.

TOQUERO (pictured) had his day & gave his team their only two goals ( 27th & 36th min) for their win. ATHLETIC DE BILBAO won 2-0 VALLADOLID to keep the later still in their positional crisis.

ESPANYOL drew 0-0 against VILLAREAL, but the best players were the goalkeepers of both sides - Kameni & Diego Lopez - who stopped everything thrown at them. There was chances, posts & good play that should have been prized with goals.

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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2009: CHELSEA FC 1 - FC BARCELONA 1 - BARÇA GO INTO FINAL. CAN WE DEBATE THIS? RATIONALLY?

Its a UEFA conspiracy, hijacked, robbed, missed penalty 1, 2, 3, 4
...none called, the worst referee ever? Chelsea FC unfairly &
deliberately taken out from the Champions League? Harsh words, &
Press headlines charged with bitter emotion from fans, players &
English Football professionals. Reminds SFS that these same words
were used by Real Madrid when Liverpool were given a penalty that
was not ( eg Heize hand?) in the Q/Final clash. In fact, these are
the same words used by every team & by local press universally
when they lose important Football matches. Back to yesterday...
























Drogba – “it’s a “f*cking disgrace”
Hiddick – “my team was robbed …, the worst referee seen in my
entire life, 3 to 4 penalties not called”
The British Press - “Uefa conspiracy to not repeat another English
Champions Final”

Can we debate this? Can we look at it all from a cold & rational
perspective using only Football (Soccer) concepts as instruments
of understanding?

EliteFootballTalk Blog
is essential reading if your a serious Football fan that wishes
more than just to read up on the results & scorers. Based
fundamentally on English Football its daily analysis surpasses
frontiers to make its applied concepts, Football arguments & its
thinking debates a Universal affair.

Yesterday the EFT Team, under one of its authors “Redsman”,
posted an article that analyzed the CHELSEA FC 1 – FC
BARCELONA 1 (SEE VIDEO OF GOALS ON THE BELOW POST) 2º leg
Champions League Semi-Final clash. A match that was covered
under a controversial background with its dramatic ending & with
an emotionally charged atmosphere created - & understandably –
by those directly affected, the Chelsea fans & Chelsea players who
the latter some quiet frankly exhibited unsportsmanlike behaviour,
that although understandable under the emotion, lacked rational
arguments & should be sanctioned.

SFS is going to publish entirely the EFT article as it believes it is
one of the most rational, coldly analyzed & intelligent articles up
on the web – or anyplace – that looks at this amazing game with
a crystal clear vision. SFS believes its readers will appreciate this
angle as much as SFS enjoyed & benefited from reading it
yesterday. Here is the EFT post:

"Chelsea 1-1 Barcelona: Don't blame the man in the
middle; blame themen on the outside" (Author REDSMEN)

The referee in tonight's Champions League semi-final 2nd leg at Stamford Bridge
was Norwegian Tom Ovrebo. The headlines of the English papers tomorrow will
metaphorically 'scream' it was his fault why Chelsea went out of the semi-finals,
went out of the one chance they had to avenge their defeat last year. As far as
I'm concerned, yes, Mr Ovrebo was at fault. But he wasn't the only one.

Mr Ovrebo was at fault for the lack of progress for Chelsea. I can only think of f
our potential penalty shouts that occurred in the game, I believe there could have
been one more. First, Florent Maluda took on Dani Alves (who, for me, was
something of a disappointment to say the least tonight) and then turned back on
him. Alves clearly impeded the Frenchman and a free-kick was given. Alves was at
the time inside his penalty box, Malouda was outside. I don't think that was a penalty.

Drogba took on Yaya Toure in the box, once played in by Frank Lampard. Toure
grabbed Drogba's shirt but Drogba went down only after the ball was out of his
control. That was a penalty for me. Nicolas Anelka touched the ball near the
Barcelona penalty box, Gerard Pique had his right arm raised before Anelka played
the ball and the ball comes off Pique's hand. That, to me, was a penalty.

The last Chelsea corner came to Michael Ballack, he swung a shot towards goal
and it came off Samuel Eto'o, off his left arm. Eto'o was in position before the
ball was struck. That wasn't a penalty and Ballack's disgraceful, ugly harassment
over the referee afterwards rightly earned a booking.

Now, aside from those penalty shouts, what did Chelsea do to earn the win?
They had Michael Essien aim at the ball and score a superbly taken left-foot
volley. It put them ahead 1-0 after the ninth minute. Thirty six minutes later
they hardly came at Barcelona, the away side made most of the football. What
Chelsea did was play defensively in front of the penalty box, they had numbers
in position in spaces to deny Barcelona that space to play their little through
balls, their little passes. They defended deep to avoid Barcelona playing the
long through balls, and their task was made all the more easier with Thierry
Henry withdrawn.

People will say 'what is wrong with that?', but while it was cunning to thwart Eto'o
and Lionel Messi from those movements around and through the defence, thwart
the passing and breaking by Andres Iniesta and Xavi, it stopped Chelsea from their
usual attacking flow, at home. Their usual break from the midfield three, with
Lampard threading passes to the flanks and then joining late, was missing, and it
left Drogba on his own having to battle with Toure. Toure was fortunate to have
escaped twice from possible Drogba-breaks on goal.

I can only think of one moment in the second half when Chelsea came forward,
with Anelka drawing defenders to him and then passing to Drogba, who turned
Pique and then shot weakly at Victor Valdes, with the rebound gathered and shot
by Lampard blocked, and then Malouda hitting the side netting. That was it.

Then Eric Abidal (another defender who failed tonight and who I have never
rated for club nor country) was taken to have fouled Anelka on the run and was
red-carded, although replays showed Anelka tripped over his own leg with no
contact from Abidal. Another bad decision. But that didn't even push Chelsea to
surge onto Barcelona's goal. Chelsea seem to have felt comfortable a goal up,
a man up, and then simmered. And that led to Barcelona's goal.

That slacking in focus, that same focus that denied Barcelona space last week
and tonight, allowed for Barcelona to maintain the ball from a cross, with Messi
receiving and playing it to Iniesta, who had the time and space to take a chance
first time. Ballack was the nearest player and he ducked or turned away from the
shot. It was practically the only effort Petr Cech had to move to. It was the one
time Chelsea afforded Barcelona space to do something......and it cost them.



















I watched the game with others and I said to them that if Barcelona were to
take a chance first time, they could score. That was because whenever Barcelona
got within sniffing distance of the penalty edge, they were being snuffed out, and
that was because not only did Chelsea deny them space, but also because
Barcelona seemed to want to walk the ball into the area as they mostly do in La
Liga. Defences open more to them in the Spanish league, whereas here Chelsea's
plan was to close up tight. The one moment Barcelona took the opportunity first
time they scored, it was the only shot on target from them.

Don't blame the referee entirely. Chelsea still had the majority of the game to
play for and they hardly did that. Depending on penalty appeals to get them
through was desperate. They didn't play the attacking football they are renowned
for. In both legs Barcelona were the attacking team and it is they who earned their
passage into the final. And it is ironic that where Barcelona looked more vulnerable
with Abidal off, where Chelsea became too relaxed, that it was then when Chelsea
lost control of their focus. And the whole tie.

The reactions after the game were understandable but I cannot condone them.
I can understand when (not if) a driver cuts up another driver, the first driver
becomes frustrated and displays that frustration towards that second driver,
from their car seat, but that's it. I cannot condone road-rage, especially where
it can almost come to violence. The Chelsea players are understandably upset but
they individually dealt with their disappointment, with a few not visibly becoming
animated towards the referee. Nor the camera.

We all have disappointments and if we allow our emotions to take over, people
will be at each other's throats daily. What's next, a throw-in is not given and
the referee has to run for cover? A child is denied a free-kick and swears at the
referee? I don't want bad habits coming into football. Disappointments are to
be dealt with with maturity, not in the manner seen tonight. When you add up
that, without the penalty appeals, Chelsea didn't play enough for the win, you
should realise Mr Ovrebo isn't the only one at fault for Chelsea's exit. But it is
easier to target him than to look at the players themselves.

RedsMan.

SFS thanks Elite Football Talk Blog. Now the debate is open! Tweet

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AFC BOURNMOUTH´S LEE BRADBURY CELEBRATES HIS FIRST GOAL

Realize SFS comes late with this video & that its English Football, but
it’s priceless in its originality & transcends generic Sports blogs. It´s a
universal piece...

Lee Bradbury celebrates his first goal for AFC Bournemouth against
Grimsby, happiness overflows…

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