Real look for more Guti inspiration to reel in Barca

February 6, 2010

After ending their 19-year jinx at the Riazor Stadium with last weekend’s 3-1 win over Deportivo La Coruna, Real look to keep their perfect home record intact with victory over Espanyol on Saturday and try to make inroads into Barcelona’s five-point lead at the summit.

Real veteran Guti, 33, has been the talk of the Madrid media after his audacious back heel – which has been replayed constantly on Spanish television this week – set up Real’s standout goal against Depor and the club hope he can produce more moments of magic as they attempt to overtake Barca.

Barcelona have notched up four consecutive wins without conceding a goal and entertain Getafe at Camp Nou on Saturday before Real take to the field against Espanyol.

“It was important for us to lift the Depor curse and the league is far from over,” said Guti. “Barcelona don’t seem to drop any points so we can’t afford to make any mistakes.”

Guti looked to be on his way out of the club following a rift with coach Manuel Pellegrini earlier in the season but that now seems to be water under the bridge and the playmaker is even dreaming of making Spain’s World Cup despite winning the last of his 15 caps back in 2005.

Real will again be without Cristiano Ronaldo as the Portuguese striker completes his two-match suspension but a perfect 30 points from ten league games at home make Madrid strong favourites for the win despite his absence.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best players in the world but we are a team and can’t rely on one player,” said defender Raul Albiol.

Espanyol, down in 14th, have won just once away from home largely due to their woeful three goals on the road but have a habit of turning it on against the big sides.

Barcelona will be cheering on their city rivals while Real hope their neighbours Getafe can at least take a point at unbeaten Barcelona.

Getafe could be heavy-legged after playing the first leg of their Kings Cup semi-final on Wednesday – losing 2-0 at Sevilla – while Barcelona are rested after no midweek commitment.

The Madrid media insinuated that leaders Barcelona were the beneficiaries of kind refereeing decisions but Mali international Seydou Keita said such suggestions were wide of the mark.

“Barcelona are ahead of Real Madrid because we are better and not because of the referees,” emphasised Keita. “I don’t know if someone’s trying to unsettle the referees with these comments.”

In other matches, Villarreal stand-in coach Juan Carlos Garrido takes charge of the team for the first time in Sunday’s match at Real Mallorca following the dismissal of coach Ernesto Valverde.

“After 11 years here (as reserve team coach) I know the club well and the players,” said Garrido. “I think Villarreal have some of the best players in the world and you just have to look at the national teams for evidence of that.”

A trip to Mallorca is not the easiest start considering the islanders have won all nine games at their fortress Ono stadium and lie fifth.

Struggling Valladolid also got rid of their manager with Jose Luis Mendilibar with the club hovering one place above the relegation zone and reserve team coach Onesimo Sanchez has taken over and must fire up the team for a testing trip to Valencia on Saturday.

Valencia are in third, three points above Sevilla who beat them 2-1 last time out.

That win helped Sevilla move back into the top four and they aim to close in further on Valencia with victory against lowly Real Zaragoza on Sunday.

Sevilla put one step in the Kings Cup final with a 2-0 semi-final first leg win over Getafe on Wednesday so confidence is high.

Atletico Madrid gained a huge psychological boost ahead of their Sunday clash with Racing Santander after they thrashed the same opponents 4-0 in Thursday’s King’s Cup semi-final first leg meeting.

Atletico may be going strong in the cup but languish down in 13th in the league a full 13 points off the top four.

Fixtures

Saturday

Valencia v Valladolid (1700 GMT), Barcelona v Getafe (1900 GMT), Real Madrid v Espanyol (2100 GMT)

Sunday – all 1600 GMT unless stated

Malaga v Deportivo La Coruna, Osasuna v Tenerife, Real Mallorca v Villarreal, Almeria v Sporting Gijon, Real Zaragoza v Sevilla (1800 GMT), Racing Santander v Atletico Madrid (2000 GMT)

MADRID (AFP)

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Villarreal appoint Garrido

February 1, 2010

Villarreal have announced the appointment of reserve coach Juan Carlos Garrido as their first-team manager until the end of the season.

Garrido was named as a replacement for Ernesto Valverde, who was sacked on Sunday after a home defeat to Osasuna.

While it was widely expected that Michael Laudrup would be named as a replacement, it seems Garrido has been handed the reins on what is essentially an interim basis to suggest that Laudrup could be named as a long-term appointment in the summer.

Garrido took charge of his first training session on Monday morning shortly after Valverde had made a brief appearance to say his goodbyes to his former players.

Valverde said: “I’ve come to say goodbye to the team. It’s a different and hard situation for me. The club decided that we wouldn’t continue at the helm of Villarreal.

“I came with a lot of excitement because it was the team I wanted to train and it is true that things, from the beginning, did not happen as we all hoped.

“I have to thank the president who first thought of me and also for the confidence he put in us during the bad times.”

Villarreal had only lost once in their previous seven league games, a run of results which included a draw at the Camp Nou against Barcelona.

The club’s president told Spanish media: “We have total confidence in Garrido.”

Tags: appearance, Barcelona, camp nou, carlos garrido, coach, confidence, ernesto valverde, excitement, goodbyes, helm, interim basis, Juan Carlos, league games, Michael Laudrup, monday morning, reins, seven league, term appointment, training session

Villarreal sack Valverde after Osasuna defeat

February 1, 2010

Villarreal have parted ways with manager Ernesto Valverde following the club’s 2-0 home loss to Osasuna on Sunday.

The club spent much of the opening part of the season at or near the bottom of the table but experienced a resurgence prior to the new year.

Since entering 2010, however, Villarreal have won just once in all competitions and currently sit ninth place in the La Liga table, eight points behind the European places. The loss to Osasuna was the final straw for Villarreal’s management.

The club’s Web site issued the following statement: “Villarreal CF has rescinded its contract with manager Ernesto Valverde after the defeat in El Madrigal against Osasuna.”

The statement went on to thank Valverde for his services to the club and wished him well in his future endeavors in football.

The 45-year-old Valverde, who previously managed Athletic Bilbao, Espanyol and Olympiakos, took over the reigns of the club this past summer after long-time manager Manuel Pellegrini departed for Real Madrid.

Villarreal B manager Juan Carlos Garrido will take control of the senior team for the remainder of the season.

Tags: athletic bilbao, Bilbao, carlos garrido, competitions, el madrigal, ernesto valverde, Espanyol, final straw, future endeavors, Juan Carlos, la liga table, long time, manuel pellegrini, new year, Olympiakos, osasuna, real madrid, remainder, resurgence, table eight, time manager

Juan Aurich down Tecos in Libertadores qualifier

January 28, 2010

Peruvian side Juan Aurich put themselves in good position to qualify for the 2010 Copa Libertadores on Wednesday evening with a 2-0 victory of Estudiantes Tecos of Mexico in the first leg.

The Peruvians got off to a flying start in the 10th minute when Panama international striker Tejada got his head on the cross of Roberto Guizasola for the opening goal.

Aurich continued to play strong through the first half, rarely allowing Tecos a decent look at goal.

Tejada then doubled the Aurich advantage in the 58th minute when he latched on to Juan Carlos la Rosa’s long ball from the back and sent a shot low beyond goalkeeper Mario Rodríguez.

It should have been 3-0 with about three minutes to play when Gianfranco Espejo shot wide of the gaping goal off a corner kick, but the Aurich defense held firm to preserve a solid win for the home side.

The two sides contest the second leg next Wednesday in Mexico with the winner earning a berth in Group 3 alongside reigning Libertadores winner Estudiantes of Argentina, Bolívar of Bolivia and fellow Peruvians Alianza Lima.

Tags: alianza lima, Argentina, berth, bolivia, copa libertadores, corner kick, fellow, Goalkeeper, Juan, juan aurich, Juan Carlos, Lima, mario rodriguez, Mexico, Panama, peruvians, Roberto Guizasola, Rosa, striker, tecos, tejada, victory, wednesday evening

FAS, Municipal clinch Champions League berths

December 21, 2009

CD FAS won a record 17th El Salvadoran league title to earn a place in next season’s CONCACAF Champions League, outlasting long-time rival Aguila in extra time to claim the country’s Apertura championship.

On own-goal by Arturo Albarran in the 95th minute and an eventual winner by Juan Carlos Moscoso two minutes later gave FAS a 3-2 victory in the title match Sunday, overcoming a pair of goals by Aguila’s Nicholas Addlery.

FAS enters the Champions League field along with Municipal, which drew 0-0 with Comunicaciones on Sunday to claim a record 27th Guatemalan league crown. The draw gave Municipal a 1-0 aggregate victory, having won the first leg of the Apertura final on Thursday, and returns the capital club to the Champions League after its appearance in the inaugural competition.

Both winners assured themselves of places in the knockout Preliminary Round while Municipal can advance to the Group Stage by finishing with the best overall record between the Apertura and Clausura.

The teams become the ninth and 10th clubs to clinch berths in the 2010-2011 Champions League, filling nearly half of the 24-team field. Teams that already have qualified are American sides Real Salt Lake, Columbus, Los Angeles and Seattle; Mexican clubs Monterrey and Cruz Azul; Honduran Apertura champion Marathon; and Arabe Unido of Panama.

FAS’ title was its first since the 2004-2005 Clausura, and gave it three more than Aguila, sending the annual confederation club championship next year to Santa Ana, El Salvador’s second largest city with a population of 275,000.

Municipal will try to improve on its first showing in the Champions League, when it won only one of six Group Stage matches and finished last behind Santos, the Puerto Rico Islanders and Tauro of Panama.

NEW YORK

Concacaf

Tags: aggregate victory, aguila, albarran, Ana, apertura, arabe unido, Arturo Albarran, cd fas, COLUMBUS, concacaf, concacaf champions league, Cruz, cruz azul, El Salvador, extra time, group stage, guatemalan, inaugural competition, Juan Carlos, Juan Carlos Moscoso, league crown, Los Angeles, Monterrey, New York, nicholas addlery, Panama, panama new york, Puerto Rico, puerto rico islanders, real salt lake, santa ana el salvador, Santos, Seattle, tauro

Centurion Casillas tells Real to forget Barca

November 21, 2009

Fresh from winning his 100th Spain cap, goalkeeper Iker Casillas returns to club duty with Real Madrid insisting they mustn’t start thinking about the ‘Clasico’ against Barcelona in 10 days’ time.

Real sit a point behind champions Barcelona going into Saturday’s home match against Racing Santander and Casillas believes Real can’t start getting ahead of themselves.

“The president (Florentino Perez) has made a great effort for this season and we have to keep looking forward, not to the Champions League final at the Bernabeu (Real’s home ground) or the game against Barcelona, but the next game against Racing Santander,” said Casillas, who reached the 100-cap mark in last weekend’s friendly against Argentina.

Despite heavy summer investment, Real won’t be matching Barcelona’s treble of last season after they were knocked out of the King’s Cup by third-division Alcorcon in new coach Manuel Pellegrini’s first major setback.

Pellegrini has had a public row with 33-year-old veteran Guti – who could be on his way out of the club after 14 years of service – but insists he has a good rapport with his players.

“It is a great group and I have a good relationship with the players. I know what I am doing,” said the Chilean coach.

Racing hope the appointment of new coach Miguel Angel Portugal can lift the players for the Real trip after the club parted company with Juan Carlos Mandia.

Cristiano Ronaldo has said he is ready to return against Racing following an ankle injury but Pellegrini is likely to choose to give the Portuguese star more time with the game at Barcelona on the horizon.

Barcelona are unbeaten in the league this season, with eight wins and two draws from their first ten games, but have a tough trip to San Mames to face Athletic Bilbao on Saturday night.

“It is vital we win in San Mames and gain more confidence,” said Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes.

“It’s important to retain the lead not just over Real Madrid but any team.”

Bilbao were well beaten by Barcelona in the King’s Cup final and then the Spanish Super Cup final.

Barcelona striker Thierry Henry has only just returned from injury but has been the talk of the game after his controversial role in France’s World Cup qualifying play-off draw with Ireland on Wednesday.

Henry’s blatant handball set up William Gallas’s decisive goal, which sent France to the World Cup on aggregate at Ireland’s expense despite furious protests from the visitors.

Sevilla are the only team who look capable of keeping pace with the top two, lying four points behind pace-setters Barcelona ahead of Saturday’s trip to Tenerife.

“The squad we had two seasons ago was good and won titles (UEFA Cups in 2006 and 2007) but I think the current squad has even more quality,” said Sevilla striker Frederic Kanoute.

In other matches, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal both need to start collecting wins if they are to mount a challenge for a Champions League spot this season.

Atletico languish fourth from bottom – 14 points off the top four – and have a difficult trip to fifth-placed Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday, while Villarreal are two points better off and host Valladolid on Sunday.

With two Champions League hopefuls floundering, Valencia have taken full advantage to climb up to fourth after going 11 games unbeaten in all competitions. They travel to Pamplona to face Osasuna on Sunday.

Fixtures

Saturday (1700GMT unless otherwise stated)

Deportivo La Coruna v Atletico Madrid, Tenerife v Sevilla, Real Madrid v Racing Santander (1900GMT), Athletic Bilbao v Barcelona (2100GMT)

Sunday (1600GMT unless otherwise stated)

Villarreal v Valladolid, Xerez v Sporting Gijon, Espanyol v Getafe, Real Mallorca v Almeria, Malaga v Real Zaragoza (1800GMT), Osasuna v Valencia (2000GMT)

AFP

Tags: alcorcon, ankle injury, athletic bilbao, barca, champions league, cristiano ronaldo, Goalkeeper, good relationship, home match, iker casillas, Juan Carlos, major setback, mandia, manuel pellegrini, miguel angel portugal, racing santander, real madrid, ronaldo, san mames, treble

San Lorenzo lead after Argentinian opening day

August 23, 2009

The Argentinian Apertura season has opened with wins to San Lorenzo, Estudiantes and Godoy Cruz, while the big guns get ready to start their campaigns on Sunday.

San Lorenzo are the first leaders of the season following a 3-1 win over Atletico Tucuman. Gonzalo Bergessio put the hosts ahead after less than two minutes, followed by a ninth-minute equaliser from Deivis Barone. Second-half goals from Juan Carlos Menseguez and Pablo Pintos eventually handed the hosts their first three points of the season.

Estudiantes beat Arsenal 0-2 with goals from Mauro Boselli and Christian Cellay, while Matias Jara and Federico Higuain helped Godoy Cruz to a 0-2 win at Gimnasia La Plata.

Defending champions Velez Sarsfield face Colon late on Sunday, while Boca Juniors host Argentinos Juniors at the Bombonera. River Plate open their season at Banfield.

Jonathan Roorda

Tags: argentinian apertura, arsenal, banfield, big guns, boca juniors, campaigns, Christian Cellay, colon, equaliser, face colon, federico higuain, godoy cruz, Gonzalo, Jonathan Roorda, Juan Carlos, Juan Carlos Menseguez, La Plata, matias, mauro boselli, opening day, Pablo Pintos, pintos, roorda, San, san lorenzo, two minutes

Olimpia rallies for 2-1 victory over Arabe Unido

July 31, 2009

TEGULCIGALPA, Honduras — Substitute Jocimar Nacimento and Everaldo Ferreira scored second-half goals and Olimpia rallied to beat Panamanian side Arabe Unido 2-1 Thursday night in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League Preliminary Round match.

The 22-time Honduran league champion, playing only days after three of its fans died in confrontations with supporters of rival Motagua following an Apertura match, will take its advantage into an August 6 clash in Panama. The winner on aggregate will advance to face the Houston Dynamo, Metapan of El Salvador and either either Pachuca of Mexico or Jalapa of Guatemala in Group A.

Arabe Unido’s Orlando Rodriguez gave Arabe Unido the lead in the 18th minute, working down the left side of the penalty area, using a step over to create space between him and Wilfredo Barahona, and then unleashing a left-footer between the near post and goalkeeper Noel Valladares.

The early deficit appeared to spur Olimpia, who had the better of play for the remainder of the half and after the break, with Ferreira and Ramiro Bruschi sending headers wide and Elvis Turcio forcing goalkeeper Carlos Bejarano into a save from a free kick.

Olimpia manager Juan Carlos Espinoza inserted Reynaldo Tilgauth and Nascimento to start the second half for Erick Andino and Baharona, who was carried off just before halftime after a scissors tackle by Rodrigo Ruiz.

Nascimento paid immediate dividends, drawing a foul by getting knocked over by Reynaldo Lewin as the two challenged for a 50-50 ball in the penalty area.

He converted the subsequent penalty in the 48th and Ferreira added the insurance in the 56th.

Ferreira finished after Tilgauth worked his way to the byline and sent the ball back into the six-yard box.

The heavily favored Hondurans also had an apparent goal by Tilgauth disallowed in the 55th, voided for offside.

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