La Liga Season 2011/2012

[lker Casillas]

Sunday 31st July 2011
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Mourinho claims no Adebayor move

Jose Mourinho insists Real Madrid are not in talks to sign Emmanuel Adebayor, despite the Manchester City striker watching the pre-season victory over Leicester.

Adebayor, who spent the second half of last season on loan at the Spanish giants, was in the stands at the King Power Stadium this evening as Mourinho's men maintained their 100% record this summer with a 2-1 triumph over the npower Championship club.

Adebayor's future at City is in doubt following the arrival of Sergio Aguero but Mourinho played down the 27-year-old's presence. Asked if he was looking to seal a permanent deal for Adebayor, Mourinho said: "No. He is here because he is our friend and he belongs to us. He is one of us.

"It doesn't matter if he is playing at Real Madrid or Manchester City or another club, he is one of us. "He was with us for six months and went to the heart of everybody. He is a great lad and everybody loves him.
"When he called us asking permission to come here today, there was not one second of thought.

"He was with us in the dressing room and he is always welcome." Mourinho added: "If he comes he comes, if he doesn't it doesn't matter. We will all know by August 31st who is in and who is out and where they are playing. "But today he came as a friend and he is always welcome."

Mourinho was also clear about the future of Karim Benzema, who was linked with Arsenal in several of this morning's newspapers. He added: "There is no speculation. He is not for sale, no chance." Benzema was on the scoresheet against Leicester, adding to Jose Callejon's opening goal before the Foxes pulled a goal back late on.

Mourinho believes the midlands club will soon be back in the Barclays Premier League. "I know, with this manager and this structure, this team will be in the Premier League very soon," said the Portuguese.
"I can find in my experience in the Premier League many teams of this level.

"I can't say this Leicester team is worse than the teams I played against in the Barclays Premier League. "Their manager is a friend and I wish them well with their objective to get to the Premier League." Leicester will begin their quest for top-flight football in a week's time at midlands rivals Coventry and Sven-Goran Eriksson insists his side will be ready for the big kick-off.

"This was part of the preparation and I think we are ready," said the City boss. "I think the new players have fitted in very well.

"I can at least promise you all that defensively, and I mean as a team, we will be much better than last season. "That was a must because we conceded too many goals last season."

 

[lker Casillas]

Monday 1st August 2011
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Busquets: Go easy with Thiago

Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets has warned against putting too much expectations on youngster Thiago Alcantara.

The 20-year-old has risen through the ranks of the Barcelona youth system and has been tipped to be the future star at the Nou Camp.

His reputation was further enhanced after staring for Pep Guardiola's side during pre-season, scoring twice in the recent Audi Cup win over Bayern Munich.

But Busquets has threw caution to the wind. "I'd recommend not to give him too much responsibilities at this moment and keep the pressure off him a bit," the Swas quoted as saying by EFE.

"He is still quite young and has a lot of talent, but it's important to give him all the time he needs. I am confident that he will be decisive for this club in the future."

Barcelona are currently in USA on a pre-season tour where they lost to Manchester United 2-1 in a repeat of the Champions League final in May.

Their next game is against Chivas Guadalajara on August 3 before opening their La Liga defence against Malaga on 21 August.

 

[lker Casillas]

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
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Barca's Jeffren set for Sporting move

Barcelona winger Jeffren Suarez is on the verge of signing for Sporting Lisbon, the player's father and representative has confirmed.

Jeffren Suarez is close to completing his move from Barcelona to Sporting Lisbon.

The Venezuela-born Spain Under-21 forward has reportedly left Barca's pre-season tour of the United States in order to finalise the transfer, believed to be worth around five million euros. Jeffren looks set to undergo a medical in Portugal before signing a five-year contract.

He told Portuguese newspaper A Bola: "It is almost all right. "I go with high hopes. Sporting is a great club where I can play with the regularity that does not happen in Barcelona and also where I can fight for titles. "I will chase these targets, not only in Portugal but I think in the Europa League we can also have good results."

Jeffren passed up the chance to move to Udinese last month as part of the deal which saw the European champions sign Chile winger Alexis Sanchez, with Barca instead affording the 23-year-old the chance to find a club that best suited him as he sought regular first-team football.

Barca coach Pep Guardiola told El Pais: "This was a mutual decision between the player and me. I told him if he wanted to play more, the best thing was for him to leave. "For his age, he has to play. There could be three years without participating. The best thing for him is to leave, so that he can play more.

"His behaviour has been exemplary. I wish him all the luck in the world. "He came through with us to the first team and has really helped us in everything. We appreciate everything he has done."

 

[lker Casillas]

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
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Zaragoza tie up Roberto signing

Real Zaragoza have signed Roberto Jimenez Gago from Benfica in a deal worth more than eight million euros.

The 25-year-old, who had a loan spell at La Romareda last year before switching to Portugal from Atletico Madrid, has signed a five-year contract with the La Liga club.

"I come with high hopes about the new project that is brewing at Real Zaragoza for next season," Roberto told the club's website.

"Zaragoza is my home. I am proud to come back here. I know many of my team-mates and I feel very comfortable working with young players of such quality."

 

[lker Casillas]

Tuesday 2nd August 2011
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Santos confirm Real offer for Neymar

Santos president Luis Alvaro Ribeiro claims the club have rejected an offer from Real Madrid for teenage forward Neymar.

Ribeiro has insisted all summer that the nineteen-year-old Brazil international is not for sale amid speculation linking him with a move to Europe, and reiterated that stance today before revealing details of Madrid's approach.

"We have no interest in selling Neymar and we have formally communicated this," Ribeiro was quoted as saying on www.lancenet.com.br.

"It's the same proposal. We had been given until end of the month to respond and had already decided the answer was no and now we've formalised this.

"The offer had two possibilities - take it now or later, but we do not want either."

 

[lker Casillas]

Wednesday 3rd August 2011
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Barca set to make new Fabregas bid

Barcelona are expected to make a renewed bid for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas after Pep Guardiola admitted that he is missing just one player.

The European champions have been chasing the Spain international for two years and the midfielder is himself thought to want to return to his boyhood club.

Arsenal have already rejected a £26million bid from Barcelona for Fabregas this summer, while the English club's chairman, Peter Hill-Wood, has also said another 'tentative' offer has been unsuccessful.

Fabregas is thought to be valued at a minimum of £40m by Arsenal, but Barcelona's next offer is reportedly set to be worth just £27m - a figure that is unlikely to tempt The Gunners into doing business with the Nou Camp outfit.

But, having already signed Chile star Alexis Sanchez from Udinese in July, Barcelona manager Guardiola has offered a less than subtle hint that he is still determined to complete a deal for Fabregas.

Guardiola is quoted as saying in the Daily Telegraph: "We're short of just one player and everyone knows which one that is." The loss of Fabregas would come as a bitter setback for Arsenal fans, who at the weekend booed their team from the field following a 1-1 draw with New York Red Bulls.

Manager Arsene Wenger's failure to complete a major signing in the transfer window has been another cause for complaint, despite the interest in Valencia's Juan Mata, Everton's Phil Jagielka and Blackburn's Chris Samba.

And Hill-Wood has explained: "As Arsene said, we are looking to buy some players, but we are not going to do our business in public."

 

[lker Casillas]

Thursday 4th August 2011

Benzema rejects Arsenal links

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has dismiss speculation linking him with Arsenal.

The Frenchman is believed to be on the Gunners' radar this summer, as his future at the Santiago Bernabeu remains in the balance.

However, it appears the €35 million signing from Lyon is slowly but surely establishing himself in Jose Mourinho's side after a strong finish to last season.

And with his impressive showing in Madrid's pre-season, scoring three goals so far, the 23-year-old now sees a future for himself at the club and has denied any contact with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.

"My place is at this club," Benzema told L'Equipe. "I have never talked to Mr Wenger or anyone else. I want to enjoy success here. I have found my self-belief. This season, I know we will win titles."

Madrid romped to a 7-1 win over China side Guangzhou Evergrande in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday.

 

[lker Casillas]

Thursday 4th August 2011

Guardiola fuming over Barca loss

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola felt his side's 4-1 friendly defeat to Guadalajara in Miami was a "wake-up call" as they sharpen up for the start of the new season.

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The Spanish and European champions took an early lead through David Villa but a quickfire Marco Fabian brace just after the hour mark put Chivas in front, and goals from Giovanny Casillas and Ulises Davila sealed the win.

It was the team's second consecutive pre-season defeat having also lost to English champions Manchester United in Washington DC at the weekend, and with the Spanish Super Cup first leg against Real Madrid coming up on August 14, Guardiola admits there is plenty for his team to do in the next couple of weeks.

"When you lose 4-1 it shows that you are lagging behind," the Barca boss told fcbarcelona.com. "We played badly. When a team wins 4-1 against us it is time to fix things. "We have the game. What we need now is the competition."

He added in quotes carried by marca.com: "We'll have to change our mentality as soon as possible. This defeat is a wake-up call. "The Spanish and European Super Cups are very close and we have to get our heads right.

What makes the difference is the mentality of the players. We need time that we do not have." Nevertheless, Guardiola did not wish to take too much away from the victors.
"Chivas are always very good," he added.

"They have very dynamic players, they are strong, fast, and I have only to congratulate the win." Barca were dealt another blow when Marc Muniesa, who had just returned to action as a substitute following a leg injury, was forced off by a new injury problem.

 

[lker Casillas]

Thursday 4th August 2011

La Liga season faces delay threat

The Spanish professional footballers' union are threatening to force a delay to the start of the new season if an agreement cannot be reached over a wage guarantee fund.

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Luis Manuel Rubiales, the president of the AFE union, is currently in dispute with the Liga de Futbol Profesional (LFP) over a fund to protect players' wages in the event of their clubs being declared insolvent.

Rubiales has pinpointed next Monday as the date for a "minimum agreement" to be reached and insisted in an interview with the 'Al Primer Toque' programme on Radio Marca that the season cannot begin without consensus on this matter.

He said: "La Liga has to start when the problems are truly resolved with a will that we do not see from the LFP at the moment.

"We are very disappointed. We do not see how a league that is growing in income by eight to 10 per cent each year has a fund that has more restrictions on it than in earlier agreements, and that may not be approved (by the AFE).

"This is a roadblock, a severe interference standing in the way of a collective agreement. If we are talking but you are not listening to what we say, I don't know that these meetings have any value.

"We have challenged both institutions to reach a minimum agreement by August 8. That same day I have convened a special board meeting to see if there is an agreement and dialogue based on the commitments we have made with the players of Spain."

 

[lker Casillas]

Friday 5th August 2011

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Valencia: Barca-Real domination unhealthy

Valencia president Manuel Llorente fears the domination of Barcelona and Real Madrid may result in a decline in interest in the Spanish game.

Despite finish third in La Liga for the last two seasons, Valencia have struggled to get remotely close to Spain's top two sides. Last term, Valencia finished a staggering 21 points behind second-placed Real, who were a further four behind eventual champions Barca.

And Llorente believes fans will soon lose interest in Spain's top flight should the Barca-Real domination continue. "La Liga is a competition of the highest level, but there exists a big difference between the two top teams and the rest," Llorente said to AS.

"I fear this difference could lead to a decreasing interest in the game, and this could be a serious problem for everyone." Furthermore, Llorente does not believe their domination is strictly limited on home soil, suggesting both Barca and Real are also the dominant forces in the UEFA Champions League,

and that the competition could soon follow the Scottish Premier League in being a perpetual two-horse race. "I am pretty sure that we will soon have the same debate in Europe as well. "The Champions League will soon become a 'Scottish league'.

"I don't think that people in Europe will accept a Champions League with such huge disparity." And just to highlight how far above the rest of Europe he feels Barca and Real are, Llorente suggested that many of the continent's top sides would have to settle for third place if they were to be playing in La Liga.

"I think that clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea and Bayern Munich wouldn't be able to finish higher than third in La Liga either. "And we [Valencia] would be fighting for the domestic title [if we were playing] in their respective leagues."

Valencia were the last side to break Barca and Real's stranglehold on the Spanish league title, under the stewardship of Rafa Benitez in the 2003/04 season.

 

[lker Casillas]

Friday 5th August 2011

Canales joins Valencia on loan

Real Madrid have agreed to loan young midfielder Sergio Canales to La Liga rivals Valencia.

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The deal, which was confirmed by both clubs on their official websites, also includes an option for Valencia to make the move permanent.

The 20-year-old Canales, who joined Madrid from Racing Santander on a six-year contract last year, will join up with Valencia once he has finished his international commitments with Spain at the Under-20 World Cup in Colombia later this month.

Canales said on www.valenciacf.com: "I'm very pleased that a club like Valencia have been interested in me. It fills me with pride to come to Valencia and it's where I wanted to play.

"It's a great club who fight every year at the top both at both a national and European level. As well as that, it's a very important step which allows me to continue playing among the elite of football."

 

[lker Casillas]

Friday 5th August 2011

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Argentina return for discarded Milito

Argentina defender Gabriel Milito has been released by Barcelona, the European champions have announced.

The 30-year-old Milito, whose contract still had a year to run, joined Barca from Real Zaragoza in 2007 but he was limited to only 75 appearances for the Catalan giants, with a serious knee injury suffered in the 2008 Champions League semi-finals sidelining him for over 18 months.

A statement on the Barcelona website read: "Barcelona and Gabriel Milito have reached an agreement to release the Argentinian, whose contract expires on June 30, 2012."

Milito will be plying his trade at Independiente next season after agreeing a deal to return to his former club.

The centre-back has signed a three-year contract with the Argentinian outfit, where he began his career and played for six seasons prior to moving to Zaragoza in 2003.

"It's a very emotional day for me. I have many fond memories of Independiente," said Milito on Independiente's website.

 

[ballsathome]

Monday 8th August 2011

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Atletico to negotiate Falcao deal

Atletico Madrid are about to launch a bid for Porto striker Radamel Falcao, according to reports.

News daily AS claims Atletico will offer €25million plus winger Eduardo Salvio for the Porto striker who netted 38 times last season.

Atletico are in the market for a new striker following Sergio Aguero's £35million move to Manchester City late last month.

Falcao - who set a new Europa League record with 18 goals in the competition last season - has been indentified as the ideal replacement for the Argentinean ace.

Atletico are ready to offer Salvio plus €25million to in the hopes it will satisfy Falcao's release clause with Porto. The striker recently signed a two-year contract extension which saw his release clause increased from €30million to €45million.

AS claims that Porto president Pinto da Costa promised that the player would be sold if an offer which matches his buy-out clause came in.

A host of Barclays Premier League sides are thought to be in the frame for the Colombia international forward as well.

Arsenal and Tottenham were early front-runners for his signature, while Chelsea then firmed as favourites after Falcao's former mentor Andre Villas-Boas left for Stamford Bridge.

 

[ballsathome]

Tuesday 9th August 2011

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Real could sell Diarra to Spurs

Real Madrid are considering allowing Lassana Diarra to move to Tottenham Hotspur, should the player lower his wage demands.

According to reports in the Guardian, Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is keen to add the Frenchman to his squad at White Hart Lane, having previously signed him for £5.5m in January 2008 when manaing Portsmouth.

Diarra is currently surplus to requirements at Real, and has fallen out of favour with manager Jose Mourinho.

However, his wage expectations is a deterrant to Redknapp's interests, who could well decide to make a move for West Ham's Scott Parker, who earns significantly less that Diarra's £120,000 a week, which would smash Tottenham's wage ceiling.

Diarra has been linked to moves to Juventus, Fenerbache and several Premier League sides, but no firm offers have arrived for the midfielder yet.

 

[ballsathome]

Tuesday 9th August 2011

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Alfaro makes Mallorca switch

Alejandro Alfaro has agreed a five-year deal to join Mallorca from Sevilla for an undisclosed fee.

The 24-year-old forward became the club's sixth signing ahead of the 2011-12 season and was presented at the Iberostar Stadium today.

Alfaro came up through the youth system at Sevilla before spending two seasons on loan at Tenerife from 2008.

 

[ballsathome]

Wednesday 10th August 2011

Rossi flattered by Napoli interest

Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi is flattered that Serie A outfit Napoli are interested in his services.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis revealed on Tuesday that he is keen to lure the 24-year-old Rossi away from El Madrigal, and is still hopeful a deal can be brokered by the end of the transfer window.

And having previously seen a potential return to Italy fail to materialise after Juventus failed to agree terms with Villarreal, Rossi admits he would welcome a move to Napoli.

"I am very pleased with the words of president De Laurentiis," Rossi said, according to Il Corriere dello Sport.

"Playing in a place like Napoli would be beautiful." Nonetheless, Rossi was quick to point out that while the move would interest him, he is perfectly happy staying with Villarreal.

"I'm very happy in Spain right now, though. "We'll have to wait and see what happens in the future.

"There has been interest from Barcelona, Juventus and several other clubs, but the reality is that I still play for Villarreal."

Should Rossi eventually depart from El Madrigal this summer, Villarreal fans are likely to be furious with the club hierarchy, who have allowed their other star player Santi Cazorla to join Malaga this summer.

 

[ballsathome]

Wednesday 10th August 2011

Atletico agree Arda Turan deal

Atletico Madrid have agreed a deal to sign forward Arda Turan from Galatasaray, the two clubs have announced.

The 24-year-old Turkey international has agreed a four-year contract with Atletico and will cost an initial 12 million euros rising to 13million, according to a statement on the Galatasaray website.

A statement on the Atletico website confirmed: "Atletico Madrid and Galatasaray have closed an agreement for the transfer of playmaker Arda Turan.

"Arda Turan will undergo his medical on Friday morning and will be presented on Tuesday, August 16 as a new Atletico Madrid player."

 

[ballsathome]

Thursday 11th August 2011

Madrid reject Spurs bid for Diarra

Real Madrid have rejected a bid from Tottenham Hotspur for midfielder Lassana Diarra, according to reports in Spain.

Spurs are understood to want the midfielder on loan, but the La Liga giants are only interested in a cash deal for the player.

Madrid had initially slapped a £20million for Diarra but talkSPORT revealed on Tuesday they are prepared to cut their asking price down to around £15million.

Marca now claim the Spaniards have turned down an offer from Spurs for the 26-year-old.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp signed the Frenchman for £5.5million in January 2008 when he was managing Portsmouth, but looks set to miss out on the player this time to big spending Ligue 1 side Paris St Germain (PSG).

PSG, backed by the deep pockets of their newfound Qatari owners, recently signed Palermo ace Javier Pastore for €42million and the club would be able to afford Diarra's £120,000 a week pay-packet.

 

[ballsathome]

Thursday 11th August 2011

Three horse race for Real's Leon

Three Barclays Premier League clubs are fighting it out to sign Real Madrid winger Pedro Leon.

The Spaniard has been unsettled at the Santiago Bernebeu under Jose Mourinho, having failed to break into the first-team, and has recently rejected a move to Getafe.

According to talkSPORT, Leon is now coveted by Everton, Aston Villa and Fulham.

Everton manager David Moyes, is particularly keen on the player and has been tracking his availability.

But the 24-year-old is also being monitored by Aston Villa and Fulham, and further reports indicate that Leon is set to have talks with the La Liga giant, and could be set to move to England, with the only question being which of the English trio will bid the highest for his services.

 

[ballsathome]

Thursday 11th August 2011

Strike hits La Liga opening weekend

The La Liga opening weekend has been hit by a strike by the Spanish professional footballers' association.

Both La Liga and Segunda Division players will go on strike as their players union demands for larger emergency funds to help players who are not paid by their clubs, according to reports in the Guardian.

The AFE president Luis Rubiales said: "We are unanimous and firm in our decision to call a strike. The league will not start until a new agreement [between the league and the players] has been signed."

As it is, both divisions have fixtures scheduled to start on the weekend of 20-21 August, but it looks unlikely to go ahead as planned, with over 100 La Liga stars supporting the action, with Spain internationals Iker Casillas and Carles Puyol among the players.

Rubiales added: "It is lamentable. As it stands we are at the bottom of the pile in Europe. We don't want more money we want the clubs to honour the contracts they sign with their players.

"We don't want palliative measures. We have put forward proposals which exist in Holland, Germany, France and England which are preventative. In these countries if a club shows it can't pay its players the club doesn't compete.

"We have asked that players who are owed more than three months [wages] can break their contracts. It seemed like we had an agreement but it was left out." The LFP had imposed a new settlement earlier, but the players have rejected it, according to Rubiales.

"Enough is enough," he said. "This does not mean we are refusing to negotiate any more. We will do for the good of the players and football in general. "But the league will not start until a new collective agreement is signed."