RSS
ATOM
advertisement
Friends Of Don Quixote: A League Of Their Own
It was a mixed bag for Spanish sides in Europe this past week, but the focus now shifts back to the domestic front.
Feb 26, 2010 11:53:00 AM
By David Mosse
Pep Guardiola wasn't all that pleased with his team following the 4-0 win over Racing last Saturday, so his reaction to the Champions League match against Stuttgart was entirely predictable. Guardiola fumed after Barcelona put forth one of its worst performances since he took charge, escaping with a 1-1 draw thanks only to some lousy finishing on the part of the German side.
The result does mean Barcelona will fancy its chances to move on to the next round, and the same is true of Sevilla, who benefited once more from the incredible form of goalkeeper Andres Palop in the 1-1 draw against CSKA Moscow on Wednesday. Other Spanish clubs weren't nearly as fortunate and paid the price for failing to produce the goods on the European stage.
Athletic Bilbao crashed out of the Europa League in humiliating fashion with a 4-0 second-leg defeat at the hands of Belgium powerhouse Anderlecht. Lost in all the craziness surrounding last week's first leg was the fact that Anderlecht showed itself to be a very capable side, and the point was underlined again on Thursday, as youngster Romelu Lukaku ran circles around the Athletic defense.
While Los Leones suffered the most comprehensive defeat of any Spanish side, Villarreal's wretched performance in Germany was equally disappointing. Maybe no team in the world could have coped with Cristiano Ronaldo last Sunday, but there was no excuse for another abhorrent defensive effort in the 4-1 loss to Wolfsburg, especially with Diego Godin and Gonzalo Rodriguez back in the lineup.
Much of the good feeling generated by the arrival of new manager Juan Carlos Garrido has already evaporated, and Villarreal must start over once again this season against Deportivo on Sunday. Miguel Angel Lotina's side picked up a much-needed win over Xerez last week with Andres Guardado celebrating his return to the lineup with a goal from the penalty spot.
There was good news in the Europa League, as both Atletico Madrid and Valencia advanced to the next round. Los Colchoneros did so in dramatic fashion, beating Galatasaray 2-1 in Turkey thanks to a last-gasp winner by Diego Forlan, while Valencia overcame Belgium side Club Brugge 3-0 with midfielder Pablo Hernandez scoring twice in the extra session.
The two teams meet in Madrid on Sunday in what promises to be the most exciting match of the weekend. Valencia has improved at home of late, but is no longer such a dominant force away from the Mestalla, while Atletico knocked off Barcelona two weeks ago at the Vicente Calderon. Sergio Aguero suffered a cut in the face against Galatasaray, but will be ready to take the field this weekend.
Elsewhere, Barcelona faces a tricky fixture against a much-improved Malaga team that boasts three wins in its last four league games. Xavi made a surprise return from injury against Stuttgart, and Pep Guardiola expects to have Daniel Alves back for the clash with Los Boquerones. Lionel Messi hasn't scored in three straight matches and now trails David Villa in the race for the Pichichi.
Another striker in the midst of a terrible slump is Frederic Kanoute, but Sevilla will rely on the 32-year-old to step up on Sunday, as both Luis Fabiano and Alvaro Negredo are set to miss out on the crucial encounter against Athletic Bilbao. The Andalucian club has opened up a four-point lead in the battle for the fourth and final Champions League position. Mallorca heads to Valladolid this weekend hoping to get its season back on track.
First Quest: Atletico Madrid vs. Valencia
Sunday, 3:00 p.m. EST, Gol TV
The news that Sergio Aguero will be available sets up an incredible clash between two of the world's best strikers. David Villa was on target against last Monday, scoring two goals -- the second a sensational lob from the edge of the area -- as Los Che knocked off Getafe 2-1 to maintain a four-point lead over Sevilla in the battle for the final automatic Champions League position.
Aguero received a boot to the face in the first half against Galatasaray, forcing him to leave the game. The Argentine is, of course, Atletico's most indispensable player, but Quique Flores will be encouraged by the form of Jose Antonio Reyes and Diego Forlan. The pair combined for a wonderful goal in stoppage time on Thursday to send Los Colchoneros through to the next round.
They will now set their sights on a makeshift Valencia defense missing both Bruno Sartor and Jeremy Mathieu, who is likely lost for the season. Unai Emery has been forced to employ Miguel as a left back and Carlos Marchena on the right side. The good news is that David Silva sat out the Club Brugge match through suspension and will be rested and ready to attack the always-suspect Atletico back line.
Second Quest: Sevilla vs. Athletic Bilbao
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. EST, ESPN Deportes
Manolo Jimenez thought his headaches were over once Sevilla overcame the injury bug, but he's been forced to deal with a number of suspensions in recent weeks. Alvaro Negredo and Didier Zokora are both unavailable after being sent off in last Saturday's win over Mallorca. Negredo is in good form and scored the all-important away goal in the Champions League clash against CSKA Moscow.
Luis Fabiano misses out with a chest injury, so the onus up front will fall on Frederic Kanoute, who came off the bench in the second half on Wednesday. Also of some concern is the fact that three of Sevilla's most important players -- Jesus Navas, Fernando Navarro and Julien Escude -- are one yellow card away from suspension with a trip to the Bernabeu looming the following week.
Prior to the Anderlecht debacle, Athletic Bilbao was actually in pretty good form, in particular when it came to scoring goals. Fernando Llorente will lead the way once again, with youngster Iker Munian and midfielder Igor Gabilondo also providing a threat for a Sevilla back line that has underperformed this season, forcing Andres Palop to save the day on numerous occasions.
Ladies-in-waiting: Villarreal vs. Deportivo
Sunday, 11:00 a.m. EST, ESPN Deportes
The reappearance of Andres Guardado following a lengthy injury absence made all the difference in the world for struggling Deportivo last week, as Guardado and Ivan Riki ran the Xerez defense ragged in a 2-1 victory that moved Miguel Angel Lotina's side up to fifth in the table. The Mexican winger will be eager to face a Villarreal back line that has surrendered 10 goals in the past two games.
Even the return of center backs Diego Godin and Gonzalo Rodriguez didn't help much against Wolfsburg, and Juan Carlos Garrido must also deal with the absence Giuseppe Rossi, who remains away from the team following the death of his father. The key players upfront will once again be Nilmar and David Fuster, though Joan Capdevila can chip in goals as well.
Ladies-in-waiting: Barcelona vs. Malaga
Saturday, 4:00 p.m. EST, ESPN Deportes
Malaga has improbably emerged as one of the in-form teams in La Liga with only one defeat following the winter break, but getting a result at the Camp Nou might be asking too much. Barcelona is certainly due for a big performance. Lionel Messi hasn't found the back of the net in three straight matches, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic remains in awful form, despite scoring the equalizer against Stuttgart.
Both players will look to feast on the Malaga back line, but Pep Guardiola has problems of his own to sort out in defense. Daniel Alves' return would almost certainly mean Carlos Puyol sliding back into the middle, but if the Brazilian is unable to play, Guardiola will likely call on Gabriel Milito after Rafa Marquez put forth an embarrassing performance in Germany on Tuesday.
The Impertinent Curiosity: Other Games
Getafe vs. Real Zaragoza
Tenerife vs. Real Madrid
Racing Santander vs. Almeria
Valladolid vs. Mallorca
Sporting Gijon vs. Osasuna
Xerez vs. Espanyol
"Friends of Don Quixote" appears Friday mornings on Goal.com. Also check out "Men of La Mancha" on Monday mornings, as David Mosse recaps the action from the weekend.
Check out all of Goal.com's feature articles by clicking here.
The result does mean Barcelona will fancy its chances to move on to the next round, and the same is true of Sevilla, who benefited once more from the incredible form of goalkeeper Andres Palop in the 1-1 draw against CSKA Moscow on Wednesday. Other Spanish clubs weren't nearly as fortunate and paid the price for failing to produce the goods on the European stage.
Athletic Bilbao crashed out of the Europa League in humiliating fashion with a 4-0 second-leg defeat at the hands of Belgium powerhouse Anderlecht. Lost in all the craziness surrounding last week's first leg was the fact that Anderlecht showed itself to be a very capable side, and the point was underlined again on Thursday, as youngster Romelu Lukaku ran circles around the Athletic defense.
While Los Leones suffered the most comprehensive defeat of any Spanish side, Villarreal's wretched performance in Germany was equally disappointing. Maybe no team in the world could have coped with Cristiano Ronaldo last Sunday, but there was no excuse for another abhorrent defensive effort in the 4-1 loss to Wolfsburg, especially with Diego Godin and Gonzalo Rodriguez back in the lineup.
Much of the good feeling generated by the arrival of new manager Juan Carlos Garrido has already evaporated, and Villarreal must start over once again this season against Deportivo on Sunday. Miguel Angel Lotina's side picked up a much-needed win over Xerez last week with Andres Guardado celebrating his return to the lineup with a goal from the penalty spot.
There was good news in the Europa League, as both Atletico Madrid and Valencia advanced to the next round. Los Colchoneros did so in dramatic fashion, beating Galatasaray 2-1 in Turkey thanks to a last-gasp winner by Diego Forlan, while Valencia overcame Belgium side Club Brugge 3-0 with midfielder Pablo Hernandez scoring twice in the extra session.
The two teams meet in Madrid on Sunday in what promises to be the most exciting match of the weekend. Valencia has improved at home of late, but is no longer such a dominant force away from the Mestalla, while Atletico knocked off Barcelona two weeks ago at the Vicente Calderon. Sergio Aguero suffered a cut in the face against Galatasaray, but will be ready to take the field this weekend.
Elsewhere, Barcelona faces a tricky fixture against a much-improved Malaga team that boasts three wins in its last four league games. Xavi made a surprise return from injury against Stuttgart, and Pep Guardiola expects to have Daniel Alves back for the clash with Los Boquerones. Lionel Messi hasn't scored in three straight matches and now trails David Villa in the race for the Pichichi.
Another striker in the midst of a terrible slump is Frederic Kanoute, but Sevilla will rely on the 32-year-old to step up on Sunday, as both Luis Fabiano and Alvaro Negredo are set to miss out on the crucial encounter against Athletic Bilbao. The Andalucian club has opened up a four-point lead in the battle for the fourth and final Champions League position. Mallorca heads to Valladolid this weekend hoping to get its season back on track.
First Quest: Atletico Madrid vs. Valencia
Sunday, 3:00 p.m. EST, Gol TV
The news that Sergio Aguero will be available sets up an incredible clash between two of the world's best strikers. David Villa was on target against last Monday, scoring two goals -- the second a sensational lob from the edge of the area -- as Los Che knocked off Getafe 2-1 to maintain a four-point lead over Sevilla in the battle for the final automatic Champions League position.
Aguero received a boot to the face in the first half against Galatasaray, forcing him to leave the game. The Argentine is, of course, Atletico's most indispensable player, but Quique Flores will be encouraged by the form of Jose Antonio Reyes and Diego Forlan. The pair combined for a wonderful goal in stoppage time on Thursday to send Los Colchoneros through to the next round.
They will now set their sights on a makeshift Valencia defense missing both Bruno Sartor and Jeremy Mathieu, who is likely lost for the season. Unai Emery has been forced to employ Miguel as a left back and Carlos Marchena on the right side. The good news is that David Silva sat out the Club Brugge match through suspension and will be rested and ready to attack the always-suspect Atletico back line.
Second Quest: Sevilla vs. Athletic Bilbao
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. EST, ESPN Deportes
Manolo Jimenez thought his headaches were over once Sevilla overcame the injury bug, but he's been forced to deal with a number of suspensions in recent weeks. Alvaro Negredo and Didier Zokora are both unavailable after being sent off in last Saturday's win over Mallorca. Negredo is in good form and scored the all-important away goal in the Champions League clash against CSKA Moscow.
Luis Fabiano misses out with a chest injury, so the onus up front will fall on Frederic Kanoute, who came off the bench in the second half on Wednesday. Also of some concern is the fact that three of Sevilla's most important players -- Jesus Navas, Fernando Navarro and Julien Escude -- are one yellow card away from suspension with a trip to the Bernabeu looming the following week.
Prior to the Anderlecht debacle, Athletic Bilbao was actually in pretty good form, in particular when it came to scoring goals. Fernando Llorente will lead the way once again, with youngster Iker Munian and midfielder Igor Gabilondo also providing a threat for a Sevilla back line that has underperformed this season, forcing Andres Palop to save the day on numerous occasions.
Ladies-in-waiting: Villarreal vs. Deportivo
Sunday, 11:00 a.m. EST, ESPN Deportes
The reappearance of Andres Guardado following a lengthy injury absence made all the difference in the world for struggling Deportivo last week, as Guardado and Ivan Riki ran the Xerez defense ragged in a 2-1 victory that moved Miguel Angel Lotina's side up to fifth in the table. The Mexican winger will be eager to face a Villarreal back line that has surrendered 10 goals in the past two games.
Even the return of center backs Diego Godin and Gonzalo Rodriguez didn't help much against Wolfsburg, and Juan Carlos Garrido must also deal with the absence Giuseppe Rossi, who remains away from the team following the death of his father. The key players upfront will once again be Nilmar and David Fuster, though Joan Capdevila can chip in goals as well.
Ladies-in-waiting: Barcelona vs. Malaga
Saturday, 4:00 p.m. EST, ESPN Deportes
Malaga has improbably emerged as one of the in-form teams in La Liga with only one defeat following the winter break, but getting a result at the Camp Nou might be asking too much. Barcelona is certainly due for a big performance. Lionel Messi hasn't found the back of the net in three straight matches, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic remains in awful form, despite scoring the equalizer against Stuttgart.
Both players will look to feast on the Malaga back line, but Pep Guardiola has problems of his own to sort out in defense. Daniel Alves' return would almost certainly mean Carlos Puyol sliding back into the middle, but if the Brazilian is unable to play, Guardiola will likely call on Gabriel Milito after Rafa Marquez put forth an embarrassing performance in Germany on Tuesday.
The Impertinent Curiosity: Other Games
Getafe vs. Real Zaragoza
Tenerife vs. Real Madrid
Racing Santander vs. Almeria
Valladolid vs. Mallorca
Sporting Gijon vs. Osasuna
Xerez vs. Espanyol
"Friends of Don Quixote" appears Friday mornings on Goal.com. Also check out "Men of La Mancha" on Monday mornings, as David Mosse recaps the action from the weekend.
Check out all of Goal.com's feature articles by clicking here.
Advertisement
Inside Goal.Com
-
RANKINGS: Donovan moves up to number two in the rankings
Landon Donovan has done plenty in his time at Everton to jump over Brad Friedel to second on the list.
-
ROGERS: Zambia wins a huge upset and a nod to a horrific 1993 crash
Zambia upset Ivory Coast to win the Africa Cup of Nations title in the same city of its greatest sports tragedy.
-
RIGG: Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is certainly no Mr. February
The Swedish striker traditionally struggles in February. Facing a three-match ban this month, the jinx looks set to continue.
-
DEMPSEY'S DIARY: Playing in the World Cup was the ultimate dream
In his latest diary entry for Goal.com, the U.S. international and Fulham midfielder talks about playing in his first World Cup despite a back injury and what it meant to score.
-
LABIDOU: Is MLS falling behind? The league's new younger direction
With high-profile players like Nicolas Anelka and Luca Toni rejecting MLS for other developing leagues, is the league falling behind its competition?
Advertisement
Advertisement