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'I don't have a team right now' - Mourinho livid after second Liga loss
The Portuguese coach has spoken out angrily after Real Madrid’s defeat to Sevilla at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, which leaves them eight points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona
Sep 15, 2012 11:08:00 PM
By Oliver Scrimgeour
Jose Mourinho has slammed his Real Madrid side after losing 1-0 to Sevilla on Saturday night, alluding to an absence on the part of the players who offered a lacklustre performance.
Los Blancos have made a disastrous start to the season, picking up just four points from as many games, which places them 10th in the table and eight points behind leaders and long-standing rivals Barcelona.
Mourinho is unhappy with the attitude shown by the players, and feels that they have no corrected the mistakes they made in previous showings this season.
“At the moment, I have no team," Mourinho said to reporters after the game.
"The first period and the second period, we got it badly wrong. It was a totally deserved victory for Sevilla and totally deserved loss for Real Madrid.
"Congratulations to Sevilla because they did everything to get the win and they deserved it without a doubt. And we deserved the loss in an awful game for us.
"Today's match was no different from Getafe. It was not very different from Granada either, apart from the fact we won. I do not think it has anything to do with the rumour of the past two weeks.
"For me it's about the state of our collective spirit."
Real Madrid take on Manchester City in the Champions League opening game on Tuesday night.
Atletico Madrid have survived a stunning late fightback from Rayo Vallecano to take out a seven-goal thriller at Vicente Calderon on Sunday.
After taking a 1-0 lead into half-time courtesy of a Mario Suarez goal in the 29th minute, Atletico appeared to put the result beyond doubt following a devastating three-goal blitz early in the second half.
Koke, Arda Turan and Falcao - from the penalty spot - all got their names on the scoresheet within the space of seven minutes to put Atletico up 4-0 after just 56 minutes and leave Rayo heads spinning.
Atletico held on to their four-goal buffer right up until the 81st minute and appeared destined for a comfortable victory but a quick-fire brace from Andrija Delibasic and a follow-up from Leo with just one minute of regular time remaining saw Rayo roar back into life and set up a grandstand finish.
However, the hosts managed to hang on for a memorable 4-3 win and move up to fifth on the La Liga table.
Third-placed Mallorca blew a chance to move to second place after being held to a 1-1 draw by bottom-placed Osasuna at Estadio El Sadar.
The result could have been even more embarrassing for the visitors after Osasuna opened the scoring in the 69th minute thanks to a Kike Sola header.
But Mallorca saved their blushes to a degree nine minutes later when Tomer Hemed produced a header of his own to level scores and ensure the sides shared the spoils.
Granada were another bottom-three side to score an upset draw against more-fancied opposition when they held Deportivo La Coruna to a 1-1 result.
Deportivo grabbed the lead four minutes before half-time through Nelson Oliveira but Floro Flores ensured the hosts wouldn't finish the match empty-handed when he goaled in the 81st minute.
In other results, Real Sociedad defeated Real Zaragoza 2-0 while Espanyol and Athletic Bilbao played out an entertaining 3-3 draw.
Iniesta targets Champions League glory with Barcelona
The Spain midfielder is determined to make up for last season's semi-final loss to Chelsea, and is hoping to recreate previous Wembley triumphs in the upcoming campaign
Mourinho: I'm the only one to blame for Real Madrid's current situation
The Spanish champions fell eight points behind Barcelona on Saturday when they lost to Sevilla on Saturday, and the Portuguese feels that he is responsible
Last season was a success for Barcelona, insists Messi
The Argentine star was happy with his side's efforts in 2011-12, but is determined to do better this time around as Tito Vilanova's men begin their Champions League quest
Michel: It's more about Sevilla winning than Real Madrid losing
The Rojiblancos boss says the focus is too much on why Cristiano Ronaldo & Co. lost and there is not enough talk about why his team won
Valdano: Nobody is even close to Messi's level
The ex-Real Madrid man has voiced his opinion that the Argentina skipper is arguably the best in the world, while praising Barcelona and Spain's style of play
'Mourinho comments do not help Real Madrid' - Calderon slams coach
The former Madrid president believes the playing squad will have been angered by criticism of their performances following Saturday's defeat
Get your own house in order! Mourinho must motivate Real Madrid instead of winding up Manchester City
The Portuguese is under pressure following his side's defeat to Sevilla on Saturday and Tuesday's Champions League clash is now a must-win affair
Busquets: I never imagined I would win so many titles with Barcelona
The holding midfielder has revealed that he never expected to be this successful, while also taking the time to praise Thiago Alcantara
'It should have been three points' - Bielsa disappointed with Athletic Bilbao draw
The Argentine tactician wanted a maximum haul from his side's encounter with Espanyol and remains deflated despite an admirable Los Leones comeback
Mourinho only aiming for qualification from tough Champions League group
The Portuguese tactician has acknowledged Los Merengues have been given a difficult set of fixtures and believes just getting into the next round of the draw is acceptable
'We are all guilty' - Ramos apologises for Madrid's slow start
The Spanish international has admitted the entire Blancos team is at fault for their sluggish start, promising an improvement in performance, results and attitude
Busquets admits surprise at slow Real Madrid start
The Catalans are currently in charge of the Liga table, but the 24-year-old midfielder has insisted that he will be staying grounded as there are many games left to play
Saviola vows to make Malaga fans happy
The Argentine scored one and created another on his debut for the Andalusian club, and is hoping to continue delivering as he looks to rebuild his career
Llorente: I cannot guarantee I will still be with Athletic Bilbao in 2013
The Athletic Bilbao striker is not interested in signing a new deal at this point, and can not make any promises as to whether he will stay put until the end of the season
Sep 17, 2012 8:30:00 AM
By Samuel Tighe
Fernando Llorente has stressed that he can not guarantee that he will still be with Athletic Bilbao in 2013 as he is considering his options for the future.
The Spain international appeared to be close to joining Juventus in the summer transfer window after telling Athletic that he does not want to extend his expiring deal.
Even though his proposed move to the Serie A giants eventually fell through, Llorente has made it clear that he can not make any promises as to whether he will remain at the Basque side until the end of the season.
"I can not guarantee that I will still be with Athletic in 2013. In January I'm free to talk and I will consider all my options. But I want to forget about that and help the team. The less people talk about me the better," he stated to Cadena SER.
The Euro 2012 winner has dealt with months of speculation over his future but believes no one should begrudge him a move to another club after everything he's given to Los Leones.
El Rey Leon has been at Bilbao since 2005 and has made over 200 appearances for the club. He was a revelation last year in a new system under Bielsa, netting 30 goals in all competitions.
"It hurts that people have turned against me. It hurts that they doubt me, I've always given everything for Athletic," Llorente told radio station Cadena SER.
"Even if at some point in my career I don't play with Athletic, it will always be my team. It's personal. The club have given me everything, it's where I grew up from the time I was a boy.
"If for whatever reason I leave here, nobody should be annoyed with me. It's a personal decision that people should respect."
Llorente netted his first goal of the season in Athletic's 3-3 draw with Espanyol at the weekend.
'Kaka would not have been treated like this at Barcelona' - Dani Alves
The Brazilian full-back has hit out at Real Madrid for their treatment of his national team-mate and believes that he would receive much better care in Catalunya
Sep 17, 2012 5:00:00 PM
By Michael Cerna
Barcelona defender Dani Alves recently has hit out at Real Madrid for their treatment of Kaka, claiming that his fellow Brazilian would be more valued at Camp Nou.
The former World Player of the Year has struggled to secure a starting role or even consistent playing time since joining Los Merengues in 2009, having struggled with injuries and inconsistency.
The 30-year-old was widely linked with a move back to AC Milan in the close season, and the former Sevilla man is adamant that his compatriot should have departed the Santiago Bernabeu.
"If I were Kaka, I would have left Real Madrid a long time ago," the right-back explained toEsporte Interactivo.
"Because in my life, I love playing football, and if you take away from me what I love, I lose my sense of life. I am sad because I admire Kaka and I would not like to live through what is happening to him.
"He made it to where very few have - the best in the world, and now he has no respect from their owners. I think he would not be going through this situation at Barcelona."
The 29-year-old then went on to voice his admiration for former coach Pep Guardiola, who left the Camp Nou dug-out for a sabbatical, having become exhausted.
"Guardiola is the best coach I've had, the most complete, someone that you learn something from everyday.
"That's the difference with other coaches. He says: 'trust me and we will win the game'. So I admire him because he is a coach that can convince you that his is the way to win."
'I joined Real Madrid for nights like these' - Modric revels in Manchester City win
The Croatia international was delighted with his side's victory over the Premier League champions, and hopes the game will act as the catalyst for Los Blancos' season
Ronaldo: I celebrate when I have to celebrate
The superstar winger was lifted by an "important" victory over Manchester City, following his late winner in the high-profile European tie
Koeman: Drenthe wanted Feyenoord return
The Dutch winger offered himself to his former club during the summer but was told that they only had funds for signing a forward
Real Madrid players responsible for slump in form, says Toshack
The two-time Los Merengues coach has hit out at the club's squad, saying they are partly at fault for the recent poor performances
Love him or lose him: Real Madrid must keep Cristiano Ronaldo happy or say goodbye to their Decima dream
The 27-year-old recently revealed his sadness at the Santiago Bernabeu and has looked below par on the pitch of late, too. But for the good of this project, he simply has to stay
I know what decision Kaka will make in the next transfer window, claims Nuri Sahin
The Real Madrid midfielder now on loan at Liverpool says he knows where the former World Player of the Year will end up following the upcoming winter market
Cesc Fabregas: I have had tough times before in my career, but I'm happy at Barcelona
The former Arsenal captain has admitted that he is going through a difficult spell, but he says that it's not for the first time, and he remains confident and happy at Camp Nou
Messi set for new Barcelona deal
The Catalan side have revealed that they are already planning the Argentine's new contract despite his current deal running until 2016
Varane: I don't want to leave Real Madrid
After making his first appearance of the season against Manchester City on Tuesday, the 19-year old has rejected claims that he wants to leave the Bernabeu.
Xavi plays down Pique & Puyol absences
The influential midfielder insists the Blaugrana have enough squad depth to continue in their ways without their first choice centre-back pairing on the pitch
Pique ruled out for up to three weeks with foot injury
The Spain international joins fellow defender Carles Puyol on the Blaugrana's treatment table, as he prepares to spend at least the next two weeks recovering from a sprain
Messi waxwork unveiled at Wembley
The Barcelona forward has been honoured with a statue of himself at the famous London stadium following his stunning performance in the Champions League final in 2011
We can beat Barcelona, says Granada youngster Jorge Sanchez
The teenage goalkeeper believes his side go into Saturday's clash with "nothing to lose", while adding that it will be a "dream" to be part of the squad at Camp Nou
Real threaten former Barcelona chief with legal action after Twitter attack on Mourinho
The former Barca vice-president Alfons Godall has been slammed by their rivals after he launched an attack on the social networking site against their coach
Sep 20, 2012 5:02:00 PM
By Tom Maston
Real Madrid have condemned the actions of former Barcelona vice-president Alfons Godall after he launched a tirade of abuse towards Jose Mourinho on Twitter earlier this week.
The 50-year-old took to the social networking site to show his displeasure at Los Blancos' 3-2 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League, calling Mourinho a "psychopath" a number of times during his public attack on the Portuguese manager.
The Spanish champions have responded to the outburst by releasing an official statement which threatens legal action against Godall.
"Real Madrid reject in the strongest disqualifications of the former vice president of Barcelona, Alfons Godall, toward our coach, Jose Mourinho, after the conclusion of Tuesday's meeting between our team and Manchester City," it reads.
"Real Madrid condemn this attack and has instructed our legal services to undertake legal action they deem appropriate.
"Real Madrid will not allow threats of this nature and will always act against those who violate the honour of those who are part of our club."
Godall responded angrily to Cristiano Ronaldo's last-minute winner in the Group D encounter on Tuesday and suggested Mourinho was compensating for his less-distinguished playing career by celebrating like a player as he slid on his knees following the winning goal.
The Blancos trainer feels Roberto Palomar crossed a line with his comments, as he branded the Portuguese as "the type of person who leaves after causing a car crash"
Sep 20, 2012 8:50:00 AM
Jose Mourinho has filed a civil lawsuit against Marca editor Roberto Palomar for making defamatory comments in an article about Real Madrid coach.
The journalist published a story on September 17, where he referred to the Portuguese coach as "the type of person who leaves after causing a car crash".
Mourinho feels Palomar has crossed the line with his choice of words, and has subsequently decided to take legal action against the Spanish newspaper.
"This expression is objectively vexatious and the use of it was completely unnecessary to achieve the objective of the article," a statement from Mourinho's legal representatives reads.
"Mourinho is fully aware of the importance of the right of freedom of expression, and has not and will never take legal action against rightful criticism."
The 49-year-old previously sued ElPais journalist Charles Bouvier for calling him a "Nazi Portuguese".
Barcelona could open up an 11-point advantage ahead of defending champions Real Madrid if results go their way on the weekend.
The 2010/11 champions have made blistering start to the season, winning all four of their opening matches and will look to maintain that perfect record when they host lowly Granada on Saturday.
And Barcelona's push to reclaim the La Liga title could be given a significant boost if 12th-placed Real taste defeat at Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.
But their depth will be tested after Spanish international defender Gerard Pique sprained his ankle in Tito Vilanova's first UEFA Champions match in charge of the club, which finished 3-2 at the expense of Spartak Moscow.
Pique is likely to miss three weeks of football and joins fellow defender Carles Puyol on the sidelines after he suffered knee ligament damage.
Real head to the Estadio del Rayo Vallecano on the back of a thrilling 3-2 victory over Manchester City but will be wary of Vallecano's recent form.
Jose Mourinho's men, who sit on four points, were beaten for a second time in the league after falling to a solitary strike from Sevilla midfielder Piotr Trochowski but returned to winning ways midweek against the reigning English champions.
However, Real will need to be at their best against a team who have lost just once in four league games.
Paco Jemez's troops tasted defeat for the first time on September 19, going down 4-3 in a thrilling encounter away to Atletico Madrid but were unbeaten in their opening three games prior to that loss.
Elsewhere, surprise-packets Malaga will aim to maintain their unbeaten start to the season when they make the trip to Athletic Bilbao.
Malaga, who were forced to sell prize assets Santi Cazorla (Arsenal) and Salomon Rondon (Rubin Kazan) to balance the books, occupy second position on the table and opened their Champions League campaign with a convincing 3-0 win at home to Zenit Saint Petersburg.
Valencia, La Liga champions on six occasions, travel to third-placed Mallorca, while Atletico Madrid, the 2012 Super Cup winners, play host to Real Valladolid as they look to keep pace with the league's top four.
In one of the weekend's toughest fixtures, Deportivo De La Coruna and Sevilla, both unbeaten to-date, meet at the Estadio Municipal de Riazor.
Meanwhile, Real Zaragoza entertain lowly Osasuna, struggling Espanyol do battle with Real Betis, Celta de Vigo face Getafe and Levante clash with Philippe Montanier's Real Sociedad.
Casillas sends message of support to bereaved family in Poland
The Spanish captain and Real Madrid goalkeeper has sent his condolences to the family of a Polish boy, who died last Tuesday because of a serious degenerative disease
Falcao: Simeone’s passion has improved Atletico Madrid
The Colombian striker has lauded his manager for instilling a desire and belief into Los Rojiblancos which he believes will be a catalyst for success
Menezes: Barcelona did things that were tactically impossible
The Selecao coach believes that Barca are the benchmark in football following their impressive performances over the past few seasons
Cristian Tello poised to sign new Barcelona deal
The young attacker has caught the attention of a number of foreign teams with his fine performances, but is expected to pen a contract extension at Camp Nou in the near future
Cristiano Ronaldo's unhappiness has nothing to do with Paris Saint-Germain, says club owner
The Portugal international is unhappy with life at the Liga champions, but his situation is unrelated to PSG's rumoured interest in the attacker
Vicente Del Bosque drops a hint that Spain role may be his last
The international boss indicated that he may not continue working after his current role, while revealing he prefers Spanish players to Lionel Messi or Ronaldo
The financial expert believes the Primera Division's progress has stagnated, along with the Premier League and added that France and Germany are the models of frugality
Sep 21, 2012 11:30:00 AM
By Stefan Coerts
Renowned economist Jose Maria Gay has expressed his concerns with the state of Spanish football, in his annual report on the financial developments in Europe's top five leagues.
Gay feels that Barcelona and Real Madrid are the only two Liga teams that are making steps forward, while adding that the remaining teams have made no progress whatsoever in the past five years.
"The Primera Division is not moving forward. Barcelona and Real Madrid are the only two clubs that are growing. All the other teams are still in the same situation as five years ago," Gay told reporters.
"Spanish football is dying if you ask me. They are five years behind the other big leagues. The poor state of the stadiums is the main reason."
Gay then went on to voice his opinion that the Premier League's financial model doesn't have a future either, whereas Germany and France are the example to follow.
"The model of the Premier League is bankrupt from a financial point of view. It is based on club ownership, and losses are financed through holding companies.
"Football is a true reflection of a country's economy, and France and Germany are leading the way at the moment," he stated.
Jose Mourinho admits that he still does not feel 100 percent confident in his Real Madrid players.
The Spanish champions, who have started the La Liga season slowly with just four points from four games, looked disjointed last week in their loss to Sevilla.
A dramatic 3-2 win over Manchester City on Tuesday night in the opening round of Champions League group games was a considerable boost but the 49-year-old still has some doubts about the football his team is playing.
Speaking ahead of his team's La Liga clash against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, Mourinho said: "We've shown great attitude in some big games but there have also been negative aspects. My team has not been consistently performing to their potential and I have some ongoing doubts."
Nevertheless, Mourinho suggested that the outlook for Sunday's game against Rayo Vallecano was good, though he was not expecting an easy tie.
"Last year it was a tough game here, so we're expecting a difficult match. Against City the players found their hunger, and physical intensity. Hopefully they will take this level of responsibility into every game from now on," he said.
Meanwhile, Mourinho refused to be drawn on a perceived strained relationship between himself and defender Sergio Ramos.
Mourinho left Ramos out of the side that secured victory over Manchester City in the Champions League, and praised the efforts of 19-year-old French defender Raphael Varane, who was a surprise inclusion.
"I liked the team against Manchester City. I liked how this week's training went and I'm optimistic for tomorrow's match, but we will see after that," he said.
"I would explain why Ramos did not play, but if you let me, I ask a question: why do we not talk about Varane and why not a week ago were we talking about the frustration of Varane at not playing? Now, he has worked really hard and nobody talks about it. It's a pleasure to answer you about Ramos but if you can, tell me why nobody talks about Varane."
A pair of late goals, including a cracking strike from Xavi, inspired Barcelona to a hard-fought 2-0 win over Granada in La Liga.
Xavi, who was brought on in the 54th minute on Saturday as Barcelona searched for their opening goal at home, kept his team's 100 percent record alive when he hit the back of the net in the 87th minute.
Barcelona had 20 shots for the game, including 11 on target, but they had to wait until Xavi collected the ball on the edge of the penalty area and then struck off the crossbar to take the lead.
In the 92nd minute, Lionel Messi created the clincher goal for Barcelona, getting free on the left-hand side of the box and then crossing into the middle where Granada defender Borja Gomez stuck out a foot and deflected the ball into his own net.
Barcelona remain top of La Liga with a perfect 15 points from five matches with Malaga, who have a game in hand, second on 10 and Real Betis sit third a further point behind.
Celta de Vigo claimed their second victory in three matches to move up to ninth on the La Liga table thanks to two assists from Danish winger Michael Krohn-Dehli in a 2-1 triumph over Getafe.
Krohn-Dehli, who joined Vigo from Danish club Brondby in August, set up his new club's first goal when he cut in from the left wing and then passed between two Getafe defenders to Augusto Fernandez, who sprinted into the box to score with a fine finish in the 57th minute.
Getafe hit back just two minutes later when Abdelaziz Barrada smashed Diego Castro's cross into the roof of the net but Vigo earned the victory in the 69th minute when Krohn-Dehli chipped a well-weighted pass to the back post and substitute Park Chu-Young leapt high to volley the ball home.
It was the Korean striker's first goal for Vigo since joining the Spanish club on loan from Arsenal.
Getafe's day got even worse in second-half injury time when their defender Alexis was sent off.
In other La Liga results, Real Zaragoza knocked off Osasuna 3-1, while Real Betis defeated Espanyol 1-0.
Mallorca have defeated Valencia 2-0 to maintain their unbeaten start to the La Liga season and move into second on the table.
Victor and Javier Arizmendi scored a goal in each half for Mallorca, while in the Spanish capital Real Madrid's visit to Rayo Vallecano's stadium was postponed after the wires, which provide power to the stadium's floodlights, were sabotaged.
The match will now be played on Monday.
In Mallorca, the home team took the lead in just the eighth minute when striker Tomer Hemed collected a deflected cross in the penalty area, turned away from goal to tee up Victor, who smashed the ball underneath Valencia goalkeeper Diego Alves.
Valencia dominated Sunday's match with 69 percent possession and 27 shots but Mallorca stole victory 10 minutes into the second half when Arizmendi ran onto Victor's flicked header and unleashed a powerful shot into the far corner of the goal.
The win was Mallorca's third of the season from five games and sees them move to second on 11 points, ahead of Malaga on goals scored.
Malaga dropped to third after a scoreless draw at Athletic Bilbao.
Atletico Madrid moved in behind Malaga on the table after a 2-1 win over Real Valladolid.
The first half an hour remained goalless but Atletico's fans will have considered the first goal worth the wait as central defender Diego Godin produced a fine finish.
Right winger Koke found space in midfield in the 31st minute and slid a perfectly-weighted pass through Valladolid's defence, allowing Godin to burst into the box before precisely chipping the ball over the visitors' goalkeeper and into the net.
Just before half-time, Atletico forward Diego Costa collected a knockdown from a free-kick and was tripped inside the penalty area by Valladolid's Alberto Bueno.
Costa's striking partner Radamel Falcao stepped up and scored from the penalty spot to make it 2-0 at the break.
While Valladolid did manage a goal in the second half, with Atletico goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois letting Bueno's shot slip through his hands in the 55th minute, the home side held on for their third victory of the season to move fourth on 10 points.
In the other La Liga match, Levante overcame Real Sociedad 2-1.
Athletic Bilbao should have beaten Malaga, says Marcelo Bielsa
The 57-year-old accepted that a draw was a good point for his side, but insisted Athletic could well have secured all three points
Pellegrini hails Malaga character after draw with Athletic Bilbao
The Chilean tactician believes his side did well to grab at a point, stating that a share of the spoils was a just outcome from an even encounter
Pellegrino happy with Valencia performances despite consecutive defeats
The Argentine coach refused to criticise his side after they rounded off a disappointing week with a second consecutive defeat
Messi insists that there is no problem with David Villa despite heated moment in Barcelona win over Granada
The 25-year-old hit back at suggestions that there is a serious disagreement between the pair, confirming instead that it was just "part of football"
Rayo Vallecano coach Paco Jemez positive ahead of clash against Real Madrid
The 42-year-old has said that his players will be up for the visit of the Liga champions and that he hopes Los Blancos do not return to form against his side
Xavi expresses delight with victory over Granada
The 32-year-old had kind words for the opposition goalkeeper Tono, and spoke positively about his side's performance in what he labelled as a 'complicated match'
Bielsa plays down talk of Llorente departure
The Basques' trainer was coy on talk of the club's star striker leaving in January, whilst also giving updates on the team ahead of the clash against Malaga on Sunday
Fabregas cannot imagine Barcelona without Xavi
The former Arsenal man reserved plenty of praise for his fellow Blaugrana and Spain international after his introduction sparked a hard-fought 2-0 win against Granada
Vilanova dismisses talk of a bust-up between Villa and Messi
The Blaugrana coach has dispelled talk of a dispute between the pair and instead opted to focus on his side's perfect start to the season
Barcelona coach Vilanova supportive of 'anarchic' Fabregas
The 43-year-old has played down criticism of his early season performances and stated that he is a big fan of the former Arsenal man's talents, ahead of their clash with Granada
Mourinho still has doubts over his Real Madrid players
The Portuguese manager has underlined his continuing concerns about his Los Blancos side in spite of their courageous 3-2 midweek victory over Manchester City
Guardiola: Coaching Spain? You never know
The former Barcelona boss has hinted at taking charge of La Roja in the future, while making it clear that he never intended to stay at Camp Nou for his entire career
Muricy confirms Santos interest in Kaka
The attacking midfielder appears surplus to requirements at his current club, and the Brazilian side are keen to lure him back to his native country following the sale of Ganso
Messi 100: Barcelona's brilliant Argentine could be on course for a century of goals in 2012-13
The attacker hit 73 last season to beat Gerd Muller's record and raise the bar, but with 10 goals in seven games already he could even reach three figures this time around
'After Real Madrid, England' - Mourinho plots Premier League return
The former Chelsea manager says that a move back to England once he leaves the Bernabeu "is clear in his mind", and refuses to rule out any club as his next destination
Messi will be the best of all time, says Barcelona boss Vilanova
The Blaugrana trainer has claimed that the Argentine star will be the greatest player ever, and denies that he has begun thinking about the forthcoming Clasico yet
Guti: Cristiano probably needs a little love
The former Los Blancos midfielder has suggested that the Portuguese star's recent complaints are not to do with money, and says there is a long way to go in La Liga this season
Bryant: I'd like to swap places with Messi for a week
The shooting guard features alongside the Barcelona attacker in a commercial, and he admits he would like to trade positions with the Argentine for a seven-day period
Sep 22, 2012 9:30:00 AM
Kobe Bryant has jokingly suggested an exchange deal between LA Lakers and Barcelona involving himself and Lionel Messi.
The NBA superstar travelled to Europe this week to shoot a commercial for Turkish Airlines together with the Argentina international, and he would be happy to trade places with the 25-year-old for a week.
"It would be fun if I spent one week with Barcelona and Messi played one week with the Lakers," Bryant told reporters.
"What the commercial will be like? Probably Messi will play football and I will play basketball..."
Bryant, 34, is a renowned Barcelona fan and took part in a training session with the Catalans back in 2011 when he visited the club.
Rayo Vallecano - Real Madrid to be played on Monday after vandals sabotage floodlights
The encounter will now be played just under 24 hours later than scheduled, as a result of the wires to the stadium's lighting system being damaged
Sep 23, 2012 9:10:00 PM
Sunday's Liga clash between Rayo Vallecano and Real Madrid has been postponed until Monday night after wires serving the stadium's lighting were cut prior to the game.
The match was due to kick off at 21:30 CET, but the unexpected turn of events means that the pair will now go head to head a day later, with kick-off scheduled for 19:45 CET.
Cristina Cifuentes, a delegate of the Government of Madrid, said an investigation will now begin to track down those who caused the damage.
"A notary of faith will come and will open an investigation to see who is responsible. Both teams wanted to play but the delegate has determined that it was not possible with the light as it is," she stated.
Earlier on Vallecas president Martin Presa told Canal+ that he feared sabotage was the cause of the lighting failure.
"We have suffered a sabotage. Someone has cut the cables from the tribune," he said.
"The solution is to reconnect the cables and expect electricity to give the spotlight. The wires were cut off and that's not normal."
The match has been re-scheduled for 19:45, but the reigning champions' head coach would rather have seen an earlier start
Sep 24, 2012 7:05:00 AM
By Stefan Coerts
Real Madrid director Miguel Pardeza has revealed that Jose Mourinho would have preferred Monday's La Liga clash away against Rayo Vallecano to kick off at 17:00CET.
The league encounter was initially scheduled for Sunday evening, but was postponed after stadium lighting wires were cut by vandals before the game.
The match has now been re-arranged for Monday 19:45CET, but Mourinho would rather have seen a kick-off at an earlier stage.
"Given how tight the schedule is, it is best to play the game on Monday and at 17:00, because we are not assured that by 20:00 [when it is dark] the problem will be resolved," Pardeza told reporters.
"That is the time that Mourinho asked for and that we supported."
Madrid currently sit 16th in the Liga table with four points from as many games, while Rayo are seventh.
Real Madrid got their Liga campaign back on track with a 2-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano on Monday.
They may have been delayed nearly 24 hours after floodlight cables were sabotaged on Sunday night, but the game was worth the wait for Madrid, with Karim Benzema's 13th-minute strike and a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty late on sealing the win.
A sweeping move saw Angel Di Maria cross for Benzema and the Frenchman clinically dispatched his effort into the back of the net to make it 1-0 to the visitors.
Jose Mourinho's side came into the game on the back of a three-match losing streak away from home in all competitions, having already lost as many games as they did in the whole of last season.
And they had to survive a scare on the half-hour mark, when Iker Casillas did well to stop Andrija Delibasic's header, before Mikel Labaka's follow-up was cleared off the line by the chest of Xabi Alonso.
Rayo had lost their last eight matches against with Madrid, their last victory arriving 15 years ago, and they should have been level five minutes after the break, when Alvaro Arbeloa's back-pass was sent straight to Delibasic inside the area, but he failed to control with only Casillas to beat.
Benzema nearly doubled Madrid's lead on the hour, only to have his goal ruled out when he was stopped for an incorrect offside decision.
Ronaldo, making his 47th consecutive La Liga appearance, doubled his side's lead from the spot with 20 minutes remaining, after his attempted cross hit the arm of a sprawling Jordi Amat.
In the late game, Sevilla moved to fourth place on the table with a late 2-0 win at Deportivo La Coruna.
Negredo opened the scoring in the 75th minute after a fine buildup involving Cicinho before Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic made the match safe six minutes from time.
