Real Madrid were jeered off by their own fans after being dumped out of the Copa del Rey by minnows Alcorcon after only managing a 1-0 fourth round second leg win at an expectant Bernabeu.

Madrid suffered one of the biggest humiliations in their history after losing the first leg 4-0, and the Spanish giants could not undo the damage as battling Alcorcon frustrated their big-spending neighbours.

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Almost everything is going wrong for Liverpool. I say 'almost', because last week they beat Manchester United at Anfield, and the gloom was temporarily lifted. "Liverpool have turned a corner... This will kick-start their season... etc" in the end, it hasn't. Liverpool's continued struggles share similarities with those of the aforementioned United in the 2004-05 season, where, after an awful start to the season, a victory against Big Rivals (in that case, Arsenal) threatened to send the Old Trafford club on a march back to glory.

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AC Milan vs FC Zurich

After the demoralizing loss against Real Madrid, FC Zurich are looking to bounce back against the other struggling side from Milan.

After Sunday's goaless draw Milan coach Leonardo has called for a much better performance:

"We have had a season of ups and downs," he said.

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Here we go again. For those who want a quick summary you can find the PhysioRoom.com widget in the middle column if you scroll down a bit. They aren't perfect but it's about as comprehensive a resource as you can have in one place. One thing I don't know is if they follow the American convention for the meanings of terms like "doubtful" (25% likely to play); "questionable" (50% likely to play) Click to continue reading...

Real Madrid secured a swashbuckling 5-2 away win against FC Zurich last night, with world record signing Cristiano Ronaldo scoring two trademark freekicks. But their defensive frailties were again evident, despite coach Manuel Pellegrini playing them down. Can this hastily assembled team of superstars actually win the thing?

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("How poorly Madrid are defending.")

Espanyol 0-3 Real Madrid
0-1 Granero, 39'
0-2 Guti, 77'
0-3 Ronaldo, 90'

This was a constant refrain from the Spanish language announcers and the theme of most of the match, as the Merengues struggled to hold their nerve at the back, occasionally looking as porous as SpongeBob Square Pants in defense.

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It's been a long hard summer for Rafa.

In

Glen Johnson

Already proven himself to be a very effective attacking force and offers more than the steady but unspectacular Alvaro Arbeloa. Seemed pricey when initially purchased but seems like a very good transfer even after such a short spell, hopefully will get better and better.

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The Sunday papers overlooked the bigger picture as they hailed a return to winning ways for Liverpool after the dramatic 3-2 win over Bolton Wanderers.
Rafael Benitez called for his senior players to raise their game following the embarrassing defeat to Aston Villa last Monday. The manager had singled out Steven Gerrard for criticism in the aftermath of that game and his words had the desired effect as the Reds' skipper ran the show for his side at the Reebok Stadium. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow claims Rafa Benitez had a transfer budget of £20million this summer which, on initial scrutiny, does not quite add up.
Liverpool sold Xabi Alonso, Alvaro Arbeloa and Sebastian Leto for a total of £36m and bought Glen Johnson, Alberto Aquilani and Sortis Kyrgiakos for a total of £39m, leaving £17m apparently unspent. Click to continue reading...

Real Madrid reject looks to resurrect his career.

Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has reportedly turned down the opportunity to join Turkish giants Besiktas, as the end of the summer transfer window edges nearer.
The Dutch international has made 32 league appearances netting five times since joining the Madridistas last summer.

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Who?

Hibernian defender Souleymane Bamba claims Liverpool are monitoring his progress in the SPL, along with French duo Lorient and Grenoble.

Rafael Benitez has already aquired the services of full back Glen Johnson, while Greek defender Sotiris Kyrgiakos has recently just put pen to paper on a 2 year contract, arriving from Greek club AEK Athens.

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Who?

Hibernian defender Souleymane Bamba claims Liverpool are monitoring his progress in the SPL, along with French duo Lorient and Grenoble.

Rafael Benitez has already aquired the services of full back Glen Johnson, while Greek defender Sotiris Kyrgiakos has recently just put pen to paper on a 2 year contract, arriving from Greek club AEK Athens.

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Has already begun to repay the faith shown in him by Rafa.

Over 400 Ashes tickets still available Click Here to Buy!

I, like many others, was dubious about the amount of money Rafa spent on Portsmouth right back Glen Johnson but as it turns out it could well be the best £11m the Liverpool boss has ever spent.

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Good money after bad?

Over 700 Ashes tickets still available Click Here to Buy!

Since his arrival at Anfield in the summer of 2004, Rafael Benitez has proven himself as one of the best tacticians around, winning the Champions League in his first season and turning Liverpool FC into a prominent European force.

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A Liverpool legend once sang money cant't buy you love, but there is one man on Merseyside who would probably disagree.
As Liverpool prepare to face Stoke at Anfield on Wednesday, looking to put their first Premier League points on the board in the new campaign, manager Rafa Benitez has managed to fit in a spot of bargain basement shopping to fill a gaping hole in the Reds defence. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool have come a long way since Rafa Benitez last took his side to White Hart Lane on the opening day of the Premier League season.
August 14 2004 was the Spaniard's first competitive domestic assignment in the Anfield hot-seat but he headed to the capital with Gerard Houllier's team. Click to continue reading...

Rafael Benitez is ready to do battle with Sir Alex Ferguson once again after insisting his commitment to Liverpool has not been shaken by a lack of transfer funds.
Benitez's side begins their quest for a record-breaking 19th championship when they open their Premier League season at Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow. Click to continue reading...

Rafael Benitez will deliver a plea to Liverpool's owners to release more transfer funds – as he allayed fears of an injury crisis in defence.
The Anfield manager has seen his efforts at squad strengthening hampered by the financial restraints currently placed upon him by American duo Tom Hicks and George Gillett. Click to continue reading...

Something doesn't quite add up!

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez admits he may have to speak to the club's owners in order to secure more transfer funds to improve his squad.

Benitez has more or less broken even in the transfer market this summer after bringing in Glen Johnson and Alberto Aquilani while selling Xabi Alonso, Alvaro Arbeloa and Sebastien Leto.

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2008-09 Record
Premier League 2, FA Cup rnd4, Carling Cup rnd4, Champions League QF
Manager:

Rafael Benitez His eccentric behaviour — silly spats with Sir Alex Ferguson he could never win; his inexhaustible internal politicking and some rum selections — distracted from what was Liverpool's best season of the century. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is convinced that his defensive injury problems will clear up before next weekend's opening league game of the season at Spurs.
Jamie Carragher and Fernando Torres picked up ankle problems in the Reds' 2-1 friendly defeat to Atletico Madrid, and will be carefully monitored this week ahead of Sunday's trip to north London. Click to continue reading...

The new Premier League season is less than a week away, and Liverpool's pre-season form has unfortunately been nothing to crow about. This is how our pre-season friendlies went. Liverpool 2009-10 pre-season friendlies results Drew 0-0 with St.Gallen Lost 0-1 to Rapid Vienna Drew 1-1 with the Thailand National Football Team. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool's patchy pre-season form continued with another defeat, despite a late flurry and a rare Lucas Leiva strike.
Atletico Madrid were two ahead at the break and deserved their win, as Liverpool's injury worries worsened.
Their preparations for the new season were not helped by the sight of Jamie Carragher limping out of this sell-out friendly. Click to continue reading...

Lucas Leiva is the latest Liverpool player to consider an Anfield exit this summer.
Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa have already left for Real Madrid and now Lucas is weighing up his options with Corinthians interested in taking him back to Brazil.
The 22-year-old midfielder has started only 25 league games since arriving from Gremio for £6million in 2007 and had hoped to become a regular following Alonso's departure. Click to continue reading...

If Steven Gerrard is the heart of Liverpool then Xabi Alonso was one of the lungs. So Liverpool just lost a lung. It's lung-wrenching. I know they have a potential organ donor lined up (AF Roma) and that a new lung (Alberto Aquilani) could be on the way already, but what if the operation doesn't take?

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Probably Alonso's most scintillating moment. Followed by Baros equally scintillating reaction!

Finally the saga is over although Liverpool is being coy over the exact price which is believed to be close to £30m. The club released a statement.

"Liverpool Football Club this evening confirmed they had reached agreement for the sale of Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid, subject only to a medical.

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The Galacticos era has returned to Real Madrid. This time though, president Florentino Perez has signed players (let's face it, coach Manuel Pellegrini has little say in the transfers, although he wouldn't be complaining about the signings thus far!) with the long term in mind.

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The Spanish side hope an offer of £28 million, with a further £1 million dependent on the player's success at the Bernabeu, will be enough to put an end to the Spanish international's long-running transfer saga.
Florentino Perez, the Madrid president, is thought to have sanctioned the deal after coming under pressure from Manuel Pellegrini, the club's manager, and technical director Jorge Valdano to sign a player identified in June as one of the Spanish club's chief transfer targets. Click to continue reading...

Alvaro Arbeloa has passed a medical at Real Madrid and has underlined our club's inability to sell our players for a decent sum of money. It's as if we have a big neon sign on us saying, "please, PLEASE take our player for a packet of crisps and a half-eaten sandwich." 3.5 mil for a player who would have certainly had to battle extremely hard to even get minutes this season, thanks to Glen Johnson, is not half-bad, but when it is a Spanish international going to a club that spent 80 mil on Cristiano Ronaldo, then you'd have to say we got a bit hoodwinked.

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Spanish player Alvaro Arbeloa assures us he's not feeling awkward in the slightest during his medical examination for Real Madrid. Image via AP Photo. Click to continue reading...

Spanish player Alvaro Arbeloa assures us he's not feeling awkward in the slightest during his medical examination for Real Madrid. Image via AP Photo. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool have agreed a fee of around £3.5million for Alvaro Arbeloa to move to Real Madrid. The 26-year-old right-back passed a medical and signed a five-year deal.

One more Spaniard will be joining him soon at Santiago Bernabeu. We wish Arbeloa all the best in his football career with Real Madrid.

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Done deal.

Xabi Alonso deal is done. Liverpool are on the verge of striking a compromise deal to sell Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid.
Alonso's move to the Bernabeu has dragged on through the summer, with Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez demanding £35million and Real offering £25m for the Spain midfielder.

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Real Madrid have confirmed on their official website that they have reached an agreement with Liverpool for the transfer of Alvaro Arbeloa.
The full-back will sign a five-year contract after successfully passing his medicals on Wednesday.
Dr. Carlos Diez, who administered the examinations which included blood and urine tests as well as electrocardiogram, radiology and musculoskeletal scans, said, "He's been subjected to a standard examination. Click to continue reading...

1. A very, very bad penalty miss [@ BigSoccer] 2. Alvaro Arbeloa is set to complete a move to Real Madrid from Liverpool after passing a medical [@ BBC Sport] 3. Top 10 Reasons why Football is better than...

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