Posts Tagged ‘Spain’
Written by admin on 08 January 2012
Madrid, Jan 8 (IANS) Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema is doubtful for his side’s return leg in the Copa del Rey in Malaga Wednesday after leaving the field injured in the 5-1 rout of Granada in a La Liga match.
Benzema, who scored the winning goal in the first leg Tuesday, scored twice in Madrid’s victory over Granada Saturday.
In doing so, he netted his 50th goal for Real Madrid and replaced Zinedine Zidane as the highest scoring Frenchman in club’s history.
However, the goals came at a price as he was forced out of the match after receiving a blow to his ankle in the 53rd minute. The striker received the injury early in the game, but carried on after the break.
The striker will undergo further tests in order to discover the extent of his injury, but it looks highly unlikely that coach Jose Mourinho will risk him in return leg.
Benzema has been in outstanding form for Madrid this season and has already netted three goals in 2012, but with players such as Javier Callejon and Kaka able to fill in, his club doesn’t want to take any risks, especially with the possibility of a quarter-final clash against FC Barcelona on the horizon.
Tags: Madrid, Spain
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Written by admin on 08 January 2012
Madrid, Jan 8 (IANS) Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola is expecting the city derby away to local rivals Espanyol to be a testing 90 minutes for his side.
Barca are placed second in the La Liga and cannot afford any slip-ups if they want to keep pace with leaders Real Madrid.
Guardiola, at a press conference, confirmed the inclusion of star midfielder Andres Iniesta who seems to have recovered from a muscle injury and then spoke about the Sunday game against an Espanyol team that is eighth in the table.
‘There has been one thing in common in all of the games we have played and that is they have come out and put pressure on us high up the field. I always underline this game on the calendar as one of the most difficult games of the season and Sunday will be no different,’ said Guardiola.
‘We will suffer if we don’t play well. Espanyol are a very good side, they bring the ball out well from the back and have a lot of depth on the wings. Also both clubs have similar ideas and both of us use players from our youth teams. We have more money, but as institutions, we both have similar ideas,’ added the Barca coach.
Guardiola also had words of praise for Espanyol coach Mauricio Pochettino, who is now in his fourth season at the club.
‘He keeps the same idea. He is a coach at a team that has to sell players every season, but nevertheless it is a side that is easily recognizable. His ideas are the most important thing,’ said Guardiola, who concluded by saying that the atmosphere created by 40,000 Espanyol fans in the Cornella-El Prat Stadium would be ‘ another test’ for his side.
Tags: Madrid, Spain
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Written by admin on 08 January 2012
Madrid, Jan 8 (IANS) Real Madrid opened a six point lead over FC Barcelona at the top of the Spanish Primera Liga thanks to a 5-1 home win over Granada.
Granada travelled to Madrid with the reputation as being tough to beat and in the first half at least they lived up to the billing, before French striker Karim Benzema’s brace proved to be their undoing.
Real Madrid, perhaps spurred on by coach Jose Mourinho’s criticism of their first half performance against Malaga five days earlier, began the match like an express train. However, Granada held firm and it took a moment of magic to see Madrid open the scoring.
Cristiano Ronaldo and German playmaker Mesut Ozil linked well to help Benzema score after 19 minutes. The goal meant Benzema became the top scoring Frenchman to play for Real Madrid, XInhua reported.
The goal looked as if it could open the floodgates, but Granada reacted well and were level in just three minutes after Mikel Rico headed home a cross from the right wing.
Ikechuwku Uche went close for Granada, who were enjoying their return to the Bernabeu after 35 years, but full back Sergio Ramos put the league leaders in front with a powerful headed goal from a corner 12 minutes before the break.
Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain made it 3-1 to Madrid following a pass from Marcelo five minutes into the second half and three minutes later Benzema made it 4-1 with his second of the night after a solo finish.
Unfortunately he was injured in scoring the goal and needed to be replaced by Javier Callejon
Cristiano Ronaldo added a fifth in the final minute of the game, taking his goal tally to 20 for the season.
Tags: Madrid, Spain
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Written by admin on 07 January 2012
Madrid, Jan 7 (IANS) FC Barcelona face one of the most difficult games of the Spanish La Liga football season when they take on city rivals Espanyol Sunday night.
Newly crowned world club champions, Barca travel to the Cornella-El Prat Stadium after starting the weekend three points behind title rivals Real Madrid and that gap could grow to six points by the time the match kicks off if Real Madrid beat Granada Saturday.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola, who was named the best coach in the world by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics Friday, has lot of selections options for the game, Xinhua reported.
Striker David Villa is out with a broken leg, while Ibrahima Affelay is still recovering from his knee operation, but Andres Iniesta has shaken off a muscle problem that he suffered before Christmas and will be able to play, as will Alexis Sanchez, who played for 20 minutes in Wednesday’s Copa del Rey win at home to Osasuna.
Guardiola is likely to resort to his three-man defence away to Espanyol with Dani Alves playing as a false winger, while Eric Abidal, Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol providing the defensive cover.
Sergio Busquets, Xavi Hernandez and Cesc Fabrigas will play in midfield, while Leo Messi, Iniesta and Alexis are likely to provide pace and mobility in attack.
Guardiola has already warned his players that facing their neighbours will be as tough as playing away to sides like Valencia or Real Madrid.
Espanyol are enjoying a solid season and are in eighth place in the La Liga with 23 points. Mauricio Pochettino’s side suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat away to Cordoba in the Copa del Rey Thursday, but have built their season primarily on solid home form.
Striker Sergio Garcia is a constant threat for rival defence with his mobility, while Cristian Alvarez is enjoying a good season in goal.
Espanyol will count on 40,000 fans at their ground in the hope that the atmosphere will intimidate Barca, but as Real Madrid have already discovered this season, it would need more than a hostile atmosphere to disturb Guardiola’s men.
Tags: Madrid, Spain
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Written by admin on 07 January 2012
Madrid, Jan 7 (IANS) Real Madrid could open up a six point lead in the Spanish La Liga football standings over title rivals FC Barcelona with a win over Granada.
Jose Mourinho’s side entertain Granada Saturday night at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, while Barca don’t play their match, away to city rivals, Espanyol, until Sunday, meaning that Real Madrid could hike up the pressure on the recently crowned World Club Champions.
Real Madrid showed their attacking capability Tuesday night when they fought back from 2-0 down at home to Malaga to win 3-2 in the Copa del Rey, but the coach was furious at his side’s first half showing and was unhappy with the way some of his players had spent their Christmas holidays, Xinhua reported Friday.
That could lead to changes in the starting 11 against Granada, with Alvaro Arbeloa, Kaka and Javier Callejon, all of whom were substituted at the break, losing their places in the side.
That would open the door for Mesut Ozil to come back into the starting line up and for Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema to enjoy a rare start together.
Angel di Maria is doubtful with a muscle problem, while Pepe picked up a rib injury Tuesday to be doubtful for the game. If Pepe fails to recover, Rafael Varene would make a rare start.
Granada travel to Madrid at mid table in their first season in the La Liga for 35 years.
Their coach Fabri has warned against being caught out by Real Madrid’s pace on the break and it is unlikely his side are going to push forward in all out attack. Instead their will use their own pace on the break and look to force set pieces in order to exert their strength in the air.
Granada will also be cheered on by over 5,000 fans who are planning to make th long trip to the capital, which ensures that there will be a party atmosphere in the at Bernabeu.
Tags: Madrid, Spain
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Written by admin on 07 January 2012
Madrid, Jan 7 (IANS) FC Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has been named the best coach in the World in the annual inquest by the International Federation of Football History (IFFHS) and Statistics.
Guardiola achieved 201 points in the vote of experts from 81 countries, well ahead of Real Madrid’s Jose Mourinho, who finished second with 112 points and Manchester United’s Sir Alex Ferguson on 107 points, Xinhua reported Friday.
The vote reflects Barcelona’s superiority in Spain, Europe and the World following a 2011 in which Guardiola led them to the domestic, BBVA Primera Liga title, the Champions League, the Spanish and European Supercups and rounded the year off by seeing his side crowned World Club Champions following a 4-0 win over Brazilian side Santos.
It is the second award Barcelona have received from the IFFHS for 2011 as midfielder Xavi Hernandez was named the ‘best playmaker’ last week.
Meanwhile Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas was chosen as the world’s best goalkeeper Wednesday.
Tags: Madrid, Spain
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