Oh good grief, now this is awkward. I had only just made myself comfortable in readiness for a lengthy period of smugness, gloating and absolutely unbearable braggadocio. And why the devil not – our lot produce the most jaw-dropping eye candy since that lady from the Sean Connery days emerged from the sea to jiggle about in her skimpies in frightfully uncouth manner.

According to Gaizka Mendieta , there is a big possibility that Barca coach Pep Guardiola could soon be on his way out of the record breaking club. A lot of uncertainty has arisen over Guardiola's future following his shocking denial on Tuesday that he was close to signing a new contract.

It doesn't make any sense why Pep would want to leave Barcelona.

Despite their 1-1 draw with local rivals Espanyol, Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has refused to concede the La Liga title to their arch rivals Real Madrid. The Catalans now find themselves 5 points behind their arch rivals Madrid who top the standings with 43 points.

Speaking to reporters after the match, Guardiola was quoted as saying that it was still too early to give up on defending their title.

Rene with Sir Alex

Dutch coaches are renowned for their specific skills in developing players and talents. Johan Cruyff, Louis van Gaal, Guus Hiddink, Frank Rijkaard and Huub Stevens are a number of examples but the Dutch list of coaches finding glory abroad is much longer. From Adrie Koster to John [read more]

This is not the first time Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola is defending himself against claims of forcing out players he dislikes. After taking over from Frank Rijkaard in 2008, Guardiola made it very clear that Ronaldinho, Eto'o and Deco would no longer be part of his plans as coach of the Catalans.

Barcelona owes it success to Tyneside... When Pep Guardiola took over from Frank Rijkaard in 2008, few could have predicted how dramatically he would reinvigorate the seemingly complacent Barcelona side. As we now know, the wily Catalan had immediately spotted ... Continue reading →

Pep Guardiola says that he will not sign a long-term contract at Barcelona to ensure he keeps his passion and motivation.

Guardiola has signed a series of one-year contract extensions since he was promoted from Barcelona's B team in June 2008 to replace Dutchman Frank Rijkaard in charge of the senior team and his current contract expires in June 2012.

Está en el subterráneo del Camp Nou, no tiene ventanas y en él tan sólo hay un televisor, una pizarra y unos DVD's. Así es el refugio donde Pep Guardiola destripa cada semana a los rivales del Barcelona. Un lugar que el mismo entrenador descubrió al mundo en su discurso en el Parlament catalán.

Once the kit provider of Real Madrid, Spanish sportswear firm Kelme recently signed a deal to become the official kit provider of the Surinam national soccer team. Though a slew of Suriname-born players and Dutch-born players of Surinamese descent such as Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Ryan Babel, Aron Winter, and Jimmy [.

While Arsenal supporters are irate at Barcelona's penny-pinching over the transfer of Cesc Fabregas, they should in fact be grateful to the Catalan club for the amount of income they are responsible for over the last decade. Since 2000, Arsenal has generated €310m from the sale of players.

Kickoff from Turk Telekom Arena at 19:00 GMT/2:00PM EST

Ways to Watch:

Live and online on LFCtv

MyP2P
StopStream
ATDHE
FromSport

Liverpool:

teamsheet when it becomes available

*

Three games down, three left, and with the new Premier League season just over the horizon it wouldn't be surprising to see many key players get more than a half of action when Liverpool heads to Istanbul to take on Galatasaray later today.

Former Holland and Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard has signed a three year contract forthe vacant Saudi Arabia job.

Rijkaard (48) has been out of management since leaving his post at Galatasaray last October and is expected to guide the Saudi's to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Former Holland and Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard has signed a three year contract forthe vacant Saudi Arabia job.

Rijkaard (48) has been out of management since leaving his post at Galatasaray last October and is expected to guide the Saudi's to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Former Netherlands and Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard has been named the new coach of the Saudi Arabia national team after signing a three-year deal.

La directiva del Puebla anunció que el mediocampista español, Luis García Sanz, de 33 años, es el nuevo refuerzo de la Franja de cara al Torneo Apertura 2011 que arranca a finales de este mes.
Puebla había intentado contratar al portugués Nuno Gomes, sin embargo, al no prosperar las negociaciones, optaron por el ex seleccionado español, que militó en equipos como Barcelona, Liverpool y Atlético de Madrid.

At 40 years of age Pep Guardiola has already implemented himself into one of the greatest coaches in modern history. 29 years his senior Sir Alex Ferguson, the man who sat in the opposite dugout at Wembley on Saturday night, conceded his Manchester United team were inferior to the young pretender's Blaugrana who put on arguably, the most beautiful 90 minutes of football in a European Cup Final.

Fútbol México - Noticias estadisticas fotos videos y galerias del futbol mexicano e internacional

La final de la Champions league

Barcelona y Manchester United definen el título en la final de la Champions League 2011, españoles e ingleses se han enfrentado en 10 ocasiones, con un saldo equitativo de 3 victorias y cuatro empates para ambos equipos.

For many the personification of genius is the wizened portrait of Albert Einstein in old age. And yet, the famous professor was in his early forties when he received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921. Moreover, his key research on the subject had been done while still in his twenties.

Likewise, the iconic image of the football manager remains the grey-haired suited figure on the touchline a man who has seen and done it all.

With a 1-1 draw against Levante, Barcelona clinched their third consecutive La Liga title with two games remaining and confirmed themselves as the best team in Spain, and possibly Europe. The Catalan side have looked imperious under Pep Guardiola's tutelage, and will want to continue their dominance over Spanish football in the 2011/12 season and Europe, where they play their third Champions League final in six years (their second in three years against Manchester United).

FC Barcelona have been crowned Liga champions for the third successive season, and 21st time overall, following a 1-1 draw at Levante.

Needing a point to secure the title, Josep Guardiola's team took the lead on 28 minutes when Seydou Keita headed in a measured chip forward from Xavi Hernández.

Rinus Michels. Guus Hiddink. Louis van Gaal. Bert van Marwijk. Frank Rijkaard. Johan Cruyff.

Successful Dutch coaches. Some people will offer "Leo Beenhakker!". Others will add "Martin Jol". Or "Co Adriaanse"!

But hardly ever will you hear people discuss "Wiel Coerver". Although the Limburg born former player and coach was Feyenoord's [read more]

Perhaps the two classiest teams of the past 20 years are Barcelona of today and AC Milan of the early 90's.
What if they played today? Jonathan Wilson breaks down the hypothetical match-up.

Should Barcelona win the Champions League this year, though, it would have good claim to be the best side since Sacchi's.

But what would happen if the teams played each other? Both probably produced their greatest displays in beating Real Madrid 5-0, Barcelona earlier this season; AC Milan in the European Cup semifinal in 1989 (both, oddly, also drew 1-1 in the Bernabeu the same season). So let's take the lineups from those two games and pit them against each other.

Over the course of the weekend a whole host of names are being linked with Chelsea and this "supposed" vacancy we are going to have as the press believe Carlo Ancelotti is to leave the club at the end of the season.
Harry Redknapp, Marco Van Basten, Frank Rijkaard, Andre Villas Boas and even Pep Guardiola are being linked as possible replacements as Guus Hiddink ruled himself out and Jose Mourinho revealed that Manchester United will be his next job in England.

Los logros del F.C. Barcelona ya los conocemos, gran parte del mérito se le atribuye a Pep Guardiola, y en parte es así, pero en Retrofootball no queremos olvidar los origenes y en el Barcelona actual hay varios factores más que han influido en los títulos y el brillo que tiene el equipo a día de hoy.

In keeping with the theme of introducing new 'segments' to the blog, I present to you the 'Rumor Roundup', wherein we'll try to tackle the nonsensical banter that floats across the wire as often as we can. This week, we look at comments given to Sports Illustrated by FIFA Agent Carrie Baird, regarding all things Chelsea.

Tonight this story has caught my attention. Apparently Roman Abramovich and Carlo Ancelotti have "agreed" to part company in the summer!. The replacement at Chelsea will be one of two Dutchmen, Marco Van Basten or Frank Rijkaard.
First of all I think it's rubbish. Secondly, Carlo Ancelotti has already gone on record the other week that he has and will never quit or walk away from a club he is the manager of and finally, the players are right behind him.

Go Gunners!

When the draw was being made, I was praying for Barca and praise the God (not Henry) for he heard me. This series of events brought a sense of deja vu in me and I am not talking about the usual deja vu of playing Barca again. It brought memories of another Barca team led by another sorcerer and guided by another genius.

It has been revealed that Barcelona and Pep Guardiola have reached an agreement to renew his contract with the club until June 30th, 2012.

Guardiola is developing into a club legend after an illustrious career as a player, guiding the reserve team to promotion as a coach and then taking over as the head coach of Barcelona and bringing trophy after trophy to Nou Camp.

Barcelona has announced that it has reached an agreement with coach Pep Guardiola for a one-year contract extension. Barcelona did not reveal the terms of a deal that will keep the 40-year-old Guardiola at the helm of the Catalan club until the end of the 2011-12 season.

Since taking over from Frank Rijkaard in 2008, Barcelona has won eight major trophies including two straight Spanish league titles, a Champions League, a European Supercup and a Club World Cup.

MILAN, Italy Ajax midfielder Urby Emanuelson is going to AC Milan. The Dutch player signed a 3,5 year contract. The 24-year-old can play at left-wing, left-back, wing-back or in midfield. "He was one of our objectives in the transfer market and I am happy for him to come," said coach Massimiliano Allegri.

Giovani Dos Santos revive , ya que anoto dos goles con el Tottenham en partido amistoso donde los 'Spurs' golearon 9-2 a sus vecinos del Queen Park Rangers.

aprovechó su oportunidad para poder mostrar un mejor estilo de juego que le ayude a convencer al técnico Harry Redknapp, de tener más minutos con el equipo.

Liverpool is reportedly been in talks with Roma coach Claudio Ranieri in relation to offering the 59 year old the managerial post at Anfield in the summer. The former Chelsea boss is free to leave his post at the Stadio Olimpico in June and is apparently open to a return to England according to Italian source Leggo.

John Jensen the former Arsenal and Denmark midfielder has been appointed as assistant to the new Blackburn coach Steve Kean. Jensen doesn't have that much of a high profile across Europe when it comes to coaching, but he has a great back story from his playing days. Jensen was an integral part of the unlikely success of the Danish national side at the European Championships in 1992.

It is only a matter of time before Roy Hodgson is put out of his misery and is fired as Liverpool manager. So who will replace Hodgson? These are the top five candidates to become Liverpool's new manager.

Kenny Dalglish
King Kenny wanted the job in the summer and is the favorite of the Kop to return as Liverpool manager.

It is only a matter of time before Roy Hodgson is put out of his misery and is fired as Liverpool manager. So who will replace Hodgson? These are the top five candidates to become Liverpool's new manager.

Kenny Dalglish
King Kenny wanted the job in the summer and is the favorite of the Kop to return as Liverpool manager.

By Chris Wright

The general consensus in this morning's national press is that Roy Hodgson may just have taken charge of his final game at Liverpool, with Wednesday night's 3-1 defeat to Blackburn proving to be the final nail in his proverbial coffin.

Bolton boss Owen Coyle last night emerged as the man Liverpool want to lead the club out of their nightmare.
With Roy Hodgson likely to be out of a job within days, the Scot has emerged as the front-runner to succeed him.
He shot to the top of the short-list after Marseille boss Didier Deschamps and former Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard ruled themselves out.

"[Liverpool] latest: Hodgson to hold press conference as planned tomorrow at 1.30[GMT]," says the BBC's Dan Roan, and Roy Hodgson takes one more step towards proving he'll be sitting right there next to the cockroaches munching on drifts of garbage after the apocalypse sweeps the rest of us aside.

Kenny Dalglish Rafa Benitez Didier Deschamps Ralf Rangnick Frank Rijkaard Andre Villas Boas Jurgen Klopp Other