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Post by lesd on Mar 25, 2014 20:07:09 GMT 1
The rumblings continue.....
The Spanish referees' association is to formally complain about Ronaldo and Ramos comments. Ancelotti wonders if the Busquets/Pepe incident would have had a different outcome if it were Pepe doing the stamping!
And there is talk that Mallenco, the referee, may yet play a part in the final Liga outcome if he gets given the Barca/Atleti game at the end of the season!!! What a game that would be.
And.........hot off the press..............Ramos's appeal has just been turned down! But Real may appeal this decision and hope it allows him to play in the game at Seville tomorrow!
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Post by lesd on Mar 26, 2014 20:32:35 GMT 1
Ramos's second appeal has just been rejected so he won't play at Sevilla.
Three big games tonight: Barca now up against Celta, Real at Sevilla and Atleti at home to Granada.
The Barca game looks like being the Neymar show. Goal after 7 mins, missing a diving header at 10 mins, an amazing burst of speed at 14 mins, a brilliant step-over and twist at 18 mins!
But, not to be outdone, Messi scores the second at 29 mins.
33 ins - Neymar inches offside or it would have been 3-0.
66 mins - Neymar gets his second......3-0.
3 points to Barca - they go top - for the moment!
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Post by lesd on Mar 26, 2014 22:18:20 GMT 1
Sevilla vs Real Madrid ......................... Atleti vs Granada
13 mins Sevilla 0-1 Ronaldo
18 mins and it's 1-1 (Bacca)
Half Time ...1-1..........................................0-0
As it stands Barca 72pts, Atleti 71, Real 71.
62 mins .............................................Diego Costa 1-0 Granada
72 mins and it's all happening at Seville..
...Bacca 2 -1 Real!
Wow ... another great night of Spanish football!
Sevilla 2-1 Real Madrid Atleti 1-0 Granada
That makes it Atleti 73pts, Barca 72, Real 70!
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Post by steve on Mar 29, 2014 11:51:44 GMT 1
THE RUN IN, IN A NUT SHELL
A piece by sky sports David Garradio Breathless, frenetic, controversial. There are any number of words you could choose to describe last Sunday's El Clasico, but perhaps you're better off saving your superlatives for the end of the current La Liga campaign. "Thrilling" doesn't even begin to cover what the next eight rounds of games could provide, and it could go any one of three ways. Barcelona will certainly be hoping the 4-3 victory at the Estadio Bernabeu, along with Wednesday's 3-0 win over Celta Vigo, has breathed into them a new lease of life, even if their coach appears to be feeling the effects of a draining season, constantly under the microscope. Tata Martino has looked beleaguered at Barca having to justify his every move to the media, and the pressure may force him to move on in the summer. The Revista panel discuss Tata Martino¿s performance in El Clasico and his future at Barcelona. Still, Lionel Messi showed hints of getting back towards his best in Madrid - the disarray he caused in the Real defence for his goal from open play, the clinical way in which he dispatched his two penalties... another against Celta makes it eight goals in four games for him now. Cristiano who? Barca's real concern has been Neymar, but hopefully now the Brazilian can put behind him the lingering controversy surrounding his summer transfer to the Nou Camp, especially the exact details of how much the club paid, to whom, and president Sandro Rosell falling on his sword as a result. Two goals on Wednesday night might just provide the tonic he needs. Overall, the triumph over Ronaldo, Bale and co. last Sunday should have given everyone in the Catalan capital that kick up the backside to push on and finally show the desire they've been accused of lacking up until now, as had been suggested by the 1-0 defeat at Real Valladolid earlier this month. Barcelona go to neighbours Espanyol this weekend: a short trip, but rarely a comfortable one. For Real Madrid, the Clasico result was a brutal reminder that you can never rest easy in this division... a three-point lead is now a three-point deficit to the leaders, because that result was followed by Wednesday's 2-1 defeat at Sevilla. It's a devastating one-two combination... question is, is it the knockout blow, or can Carlo Ancelotti pick his side up off the canvas? At the Bernabeu, Angel di Maria and Karim Benzema came to the fore - both have been linked with moves away from the club. Now, more than ever, the support cast have to keep delivering, alongside their more heralded team-mates. For now, they'll have to cope without Sergio Ramos, sent off for his challenge on Neymar last Sunday. His 19th red card, a record in La Liga, could derail Real. The Revista panel discuss the race for the title in Spain. And who is top of the pile? While the world's attention was firmly fixed on the Bernabeu, Atletico Madrid quietly went about their business, beating Real Betis 2-0 away and then staying top with a 1-0 home defeat of Granada - new Spanish international Diego Costa on the scoresheet in both matches. Diego Simeone has said all season that his team aren't title contenders, à la Jose Mourinho - the difference is, we probably believed Diego more than Jose! However, the fixture list hasn't been kind to Simeone, and what comes next is a huge test. As well as league games against fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao and Villarreal in seventh, they've got a two-legged European Cup quarter-final against Barcelona to contend with. 'Season-defining' doesn't come close. Real Madrid meanwhile face Borussia Dortmund in the last eight of the Champions League, a side who've crumbled from the heights they reached last season.
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Post by lesd on Mar 29, 2014 19:20:40 GMT 1
Barca make hard work of it but squeeze out the points at Espanyol. Messi's penalty decides it after 76 mins.
Atleti go 1-0 down after 5 mins at Bilbao!
20 mins and it's 1-1 .... Diego Costa of course!
54 mins and Koké makes it 2-1 to Atleti - great move.
And they take the three points to go back on top.
And the pressure's now on Real to stay with these two!
14 mins and Cristiano makes it 1-0 for Real - assist by Bale.
It got boring so I went to watch TV!
Final score 5-0 with a masterclass from Bale. Two goals himself and assists for the others!
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Post by lesd on Apr 5, 2014 15:36:36 GMT 1
Here we go again!
Today's round sees Atleti at home to Villarreal, then it's Barca versus Betis and finally Real will be visiting the challenging Anoeta stadium of Real Sociedad in San Sebastian (...and I'm wearing my Donostia T-shirt!).
After 15 mins, Atleti are 1-0 up with a goal from Raul Garcia.
It was a struggle, but Atleti hang on for the 3 points.
And Barca easily despatch Betis 3-1 courtesy of 2 Messi penalties and an own goal.
No change so far.
Madrid versus Sociedad...and it just had to be this way....44 mins and Illarramendi makes it 1-0 for Real against his old club!
65 mins and you just have to watch this on Youtube.....crazy clearance by the goalkeeper...straight to Gareth Bale and he is lethal with an open goal! 2-0.
Pepe (85 mins) and Morata (88 mins) wrap up an easy win 4-0.
So we leave the weekend as we started it....1-Atleti, 2-Barca, 3-Real.
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Post by lesd on Apr 13, 2014 20:10:59 GMT 1
It's rapidly becoming a one-horse race!
That makes it Atleti 82pts, Real 79, Barca 78!
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Post by lesd on Apr 27, 2014 21:55:07 GMT 1
You have to be sorry for them! Villarreal score FOUR and lose out 3-2 to Barca! Two of the best own goals you'll see in a while...... www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGEi7z-HEykSo, with the top three all winning, it's Atleti 88pts, Barca 84, Real 82 but,Real have that game from week 34 in hand.
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Post by lesd on May 4, 2014 18:56:00 GMT 1
The pressure's telling!
After Barca's 2-2 draw against Getafe, today's shock is...
Levante 2-0 Atleti!
....and now for Real...
What can we say but 'Lucky Real'! Cristiano equalises in the 92nd minute! Real 2-2 Valencia.
So the points are now... Atleti 88pts, Barca 85, Real 83!
Real have the game-in-hand at basement team Valladolid (to be played on Wednesday) and there are two other games to go.
Atleti at home to Malaga and away at Barca; Barca down the road at Elche and at home to Atleti; Real away at Celta and at home to Espanyol.
If the Barca v Atleti game is drawn and they all win the rest, the result would be:
Atleti 92pts, Real 92, Barca 89 with Atleti taking the title because of their 1-0 victory in the Bernabeu and the 2-2 draw at the Vicente.
But, if Barca beat Atleti, they could actually let Real in for the title! If it comes down to that at the Nou Camp, it will be interesting to see how the Barcelona boys play the game.
The next couple of weeks should be fun!
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Post by lesd on May 7, 2014 20:39:07 GMT 1
35 mins.....5 goals in 4 games for Ramos!!!
Ronaldo-like free kick. (Ronaldo substituted in less than 10 mins with a 'hamstring' problem!)
Valladolid 0-1 Real Madrid.
85 mins and the José Zorrilla goes mad!
No one knows who scored but it's 1-1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Turns out it was the sub Osorio.)
FOUR minutes additional time..............
Final 1-1.
They think it's all over................it is now (virtually)............for Real Madrid!
Two points lost means it's now.......Atleti 88pts, Barca 85, Real 84!
Not to mention that the one point for Valladolid moves them out of the bottom three at the expense of Getafé and puts them 3 points behind Elché..
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Post by lesd on May 7, 2014 22:33:40 GMT 1
Two weeks left:
Atléti at home to Malaga and away at Barca; Barca down the road at Elche and at home to Atléti; Real away at Celta and at home to Espanyol.
This weekend's games all kick-off on Sunday at 7pm (Spanish). The game at Celta will be a belta (sorry!). Celta's manager is Luis Enriqué who is tipped to move to Barcelona next season and who is hated by both Real the club and its fans because, as a player, he left them for Barcelona! Watch out for the tajetas rojas!
Will this weekend bring yet more turns in this fascinating season?
ps....if Ronaldo's injury keeps him out of the last games, it could make for a tight finish to the Pichichi (top scorer):
1º...31...Cristiano Ronaldo...Real Madrid CF
2º...28...Messi...FC Barcelona
3º...27...Diego Costa...Club Atlético de Madrid
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Post by lesd on May 9, 2014 19:59:36 GMT 1
As an appetiser for the big events this weekend, tomorrow nights' Valencian derby could be quite interesting.
Levante v Valencia - Sat 10th (KO - 22:00) at the Ciutat de Valencia stadium.
There's nothing to play for but bragging rights. Neither can now get into Europe, but with Valencia just 1 point ahead, they could ensure they are the top team in town come the end of the season. But a win for Levante would give them hope of coming out on top for the first time ever.
Levante have always been the second team in Valencia. But, being formed 10 years before Valencia CF (in 1909) they see themselves as the original club of the town.
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Post by lesd on May 10, 2014 21:58:39 GMT 1
Half-time and it's Levante 0-0 Valencia.
Neither side seem really up for it, but a flurry of amarillas just before half-time, could mean the rojas are getting nearer!
70 mins - and the officials need a refresher on the off-side rule! Levante score - linesman says offside, but the scorer can't be as it came off a Valencia player!
Goal given....1-0.
80 mins and a simple passing move lead to a second goal for Levante.
2-0
85 mins and we've had 8 amarillas so far.....but it's a previously innocent party, Pedro Lopez of Levante, who gets a straight red!
But Levante hold on and go to Malaga next week with it in their own hands to finish ahead of Valencia for the first time ever.
Valencia now having a disastrous end of season having lost the Europa League semi-final to Seville in added time .
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Post by lesd on May 11, 2014 19:01:15 GMT 1
Half time...
Atleti 0-0, Barca 0-0, Real a goal down!
As it stands.....Atleti 89pts, Barca 86, Real 84
Football's a funny old game!
65 mins and Malaga go 1-0 up at Atleti!
Atleti 88pts, Barca 86, Real 84
And my man Cristian Tello gets a run out at Elche.
Not to mention Celta going TWO UP against Real!
74 mins and Atleti even the score 1-1.
Atleti 89pts, Barca 86, Real 84
Malaga down to 10 men.
All over at Elche with honours even - a point apiece.
All over at Atleti - 1-1.
But Real lose 2-0......going out with a whimper!
So it's winner-takes-all at the Nou Camp next week between Barca and Atleti.
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Post by lesd on May 17, 2014 16:26:38 GMT 1
And the big day arrives! Fancy the Barca vs Atleti game being at the same time as Arsenal vs Hull! Thank goodness for split screens!
BUT....there's another big game later. Levante lost to Malaga last night, so Valencia still have a chance of coming out on top if they can beat Celta tonight - KO at 22:00 Spanish.
As for Almeria's fate - all the bottom clubs play tomorrow so tune in then for the outcome. They all KO at 18:00 although the final Liga game of the season will be Elche's at Seville - KO 21:00.
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