FA disciplinary panels can expect plenty of overtime next season if Manuel Pellegrini succeeds in bringing Pepe to the Premier League. The Malaga boss is widely expected to become Manchester City's new manager and reports in the Spanish media suggest that he wants to make the Real Madrid defender his first signing.
In our painful 2-6 loss at the Bernabeu some years back, the image of Puyol kissing his captain's armband became a lasting image of the match. Last night, Sergio Ramos erased all that.
From a European Derby with one of the Club Football's biggest teams then back down to a local derby with Madrid's scrappiest and most unapologetically ragtag club. . With the memories from last Wednesday's big Champions League match with Manchester United still fresh on everyone's minds – The Bernabeu now looks set to receive the 2012-2013 La Liga Cinderella team: Rayo Vallecano.
Bah! Those Germans! We still can't beat them and I'm worried sick about the prospect of meeting a German Side once the group stages are over. Bayern, our European Bette Noir, are sure to bash through beyond the group stages while rivals Schalke and Dortmund who both managed draws (against Arsenal and us respectively) remain group leaders.
The World's 2 Best Players Putting on Great Displays made Last night's Clasico a real Classic
Last night's Clasico started with a demonstration of the Catalan 'Nation's' desire for independence. Being neither Catalan, nor Spanish, nor both, i was of course far more interested in the footballing demonstrations that took place at the Camp Nou last night.
My apologies for posting my thoughts on the match too late – I've only managed 3 hours of sleep
since the night of the match (until last night). But, even as the fanfare from our victory dies
down in the wake of being drawn with the Champions of Germany, Netherlands and England in the
Champions League, I continue to find myself waxing lyrical about last Wednesday's (or in my case,
Thursday early morning) match.
Diego Lopez or Iker Casillas? Under pressure at Real Madrid, Jose Mourinho comes out swinging... is a post from: Just Football
The temperature continues to rise for Jose Mourinho in Madrid. After elimination in the semi finals of the Champions League courtesy of a brilliant Borussia Dortmund side, and with the league title all but conceded back to Barcelona, the pressure on Mourinho is building as speculation increases that this will be his final few weeks as head coach at Real Madrid.
Jose Mourinho's future at Real Madrid has been discussed throughout the season and has only heated up as the summer nears. The manager of Los Blancos has been looked upon under a microscope throughout his career but has never been afraid to speak his mind. Just last week, the Portuguese tactician revealed that his decision to hold off on signing Diego Lopez was certainly regrettable.
After a resounding 4-1 victory over the mighty Real Madrid in Germany last Wednesday, Borussia Dortmund will travel to Spain on Tuesday looking to advance to the UEFA Champions League final at Wembley Stadium.
The world sat stunned last week as Robert Lewandowski scored four goals in a rout of Real Madrid that nobody, surely including Dortmund players and fans, expected.
After a 1-4 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semi-final first leg, Real Madrid will look to come out of the gates in full-force this week at the Santiago Bernabeu. Both Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich asserted their German dominance over the coveted Spanish counterparts of Madrid and Barcelona and will look to do so again in the second leg as well.
Once upon a time, the Madrid derby contested between Atletico and Real was billed as a largely one-sided affair. There were the typical tales of cultural clashes, a "class divide" and Atletico's intolerance towards Real's entitlement. Sure, there are still inklings of these today, but the dynamism and quality of Diego Simeone Atletico squad now is comparatively better than they were during the Jesus Gil era.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid (Photo by Jasper Juinen/Getty Images)
Jose Mourinho has a knack of fielding solid Champions League sides, and this years Real Madrid side are no different. As Mourinho's men came into the first leg of their quarterfinal clash against the Turkish club, the Spanish side handled matters fairly calmly at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday evening.
Michael Carrick of Manchester United (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)
Champions League Round of 16 action resumes on Tuesday as Real Madrid travels to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United. After a 1-1 first-leg draw at the Santigo Bernabeu, the Red Devils realize that although a crucial away goal was accounted for courtesy of Danny Welbeck, Real Madrid will likely come into the match with the same passion and fire displayed in El Clasico as Jose Mourinho's side dismantled Barcelona.
Barcelona lost to Real Madrid twice last week. The second time was a rather unimportant La Liga match as Real Madrid looked ahead to their Champions League game against Manchester United and Barca had the title all but won. Yet, when the match ended 2-1 in Madrid's favor, Barcelona were shouting for an uncalled penalty and goalkeeper Victor Valdes was sent off for berating the referee.
Although I have been, and still am, critical of Real Madrid and Barcelona dominance, the matches are always intense and good football. In this match where a great Real Madrid side defeated FC Barcelona in Barcelona 1-3 one player stood out from the rest: Raphael Varane. He is only 19 years old and plays with such authority that he has taken over from Pepe in central defense.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
From the start, the Champions League clash between Manchester United and Real Madrid had legendary written all over it. Cristiano Ronaldo finally faced his former club in a game in which he vowed not to celebrate if he scored (which he did), while the Red Devils looked to see themselves through to the second leg with a reasonable score-line.
Welcome to Offbeat Wednesday, your weekly gossip special! This week, it's all about Real Madrid and Arsenal's Christmas parties, Neymar's concert, Mario Balotelli's unbelievable reaction to his newborn daughter's birth & Romeo Beckham's fashion campaign (gasp!)
Real Madrid's Portuguese 'ambassadors', Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe and Kaka, played the role of "Papa Noel" as part of the club's annual gracious Christmas campaign yesterday.
If there was any doubt that Pepe was the human embodiment of football violence in its most experimental and ever-changing forms, the first leg of Real Madrid's Copa del Rey round of 16 tie against Celta Vigo likely put it to rest. With Celta up 1-0 in the second half (they eventually won 2-1), Pepe kicked backwards in a moment of frustration, delivering a backheel directly to Soto Roberto Lago's crotch.
Two of the many things that Pepe does not take lightly are watching Sergio Ramos get knocked to the ground and Real Madrid losing. So when these two events happened at the same time during Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Real Betis, Pepe broke out a new danger move in which he kicked his legs high in the air and delivered what appeared to be an elbow to his opponent's back.
Hours after the man who led Chelsea to hoisting the Champions League was tossed out onto the streets in London, Roberto Mancini had the small task of saving Manchester City from crashing out of the Champions League trophy with a win against Real Madrid.
Carlos Tevez of Manchester City FC tackles Pepe of Real Madrid (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Manchester City are desperate for points as Roberto Mancini's side sit in last place in the "Group of Death" that is Group D with yet to record a win. City have struggled thus far in the Champions League with a 0-2-2 record, and 6 points behind first place, Borussia Dortmund.
Levante and Real Madrid are at snippy loggerheads with one another over claims and subsequent counter-claims that a dressing room dust-up whipped up after the game, sparked by Pepe goading Levante's players while passing past their doorway after Real's 2-1 victory at the weekend.
To celebrate the launch of his new clothing range, Cristiano Ronaldo was for some reason sent to a recording studio by Nike. He formed an unlikely musical duo with Real Madrid and Portugal team-mate Pepe. After a bit of posing for photos, the pair have a go at playing some instruments before stepping [.
Barcelona and Real Madrid might be two of the biggest football clubs in the world, but at times they act like petulant children.
According to Catalunya Radio, Barcelona secretly filmed Real Madrid defender's Pepe's during 2010-11's Clasicos, with the goal of recording all his tackles on Barcelona players.
El Real Madrid y el Barcelona aportan más de la mitad de sus plantillas a las selecciones ya que entre ambos equipos suman 29 futbolistas: 16 cede el conjunto madrileño y 13 el equipo catalán. Del total de jugadores que aportan ambos clubes, 13 vestirán la camiseta de la selección española en los choques frente a Bielorrusia y Francia.
07.10.2012 - Con goles de Lionel Messi (´30 y ´60) y Cristiano Ronaldo (´22 y ´65), Barcelona y Real Madrid empataron (2-2) en el Camp Nou por la 7º jornada de la Liga española.
Real Madrid golpeó primero y casi dos veces en el primer tiempo. Fue un breve lapso en que tuvo grogui al Barcelona.
Champions League Matchday 2 Ajax Amsterdam vs Real Madrid Borussia Dortmund vs Manchester City
Who is this photographer who has been capturing what can best be described as 'Moments of Gold' from the Champions League?
After Manuel Neuer's show of unabashed Bromance at the Bayern Munich press conference yesterday, Real Madrid teammates Fabio Coentrao and Pepe have followed it up with this gem of a photo ahead of their meeting with Ajax Amsterdam.
It all worked out for Mourinho tonight. Essien and Varane played well, he outcoached Mancini, his players gave him the performance he wanted and of course: he won.
Paulo Bento has named his squad for the upcoming qualifiers for World Cup 2014, Portugal plays on
the 7th in Luxembourg and then receive Azerbaijan at home on the 11th. Portugal roster: Rui
Patricio (Sporting) Beto (Braga) Eduardo (Istanbul BB) Miguel Lopes (FC Porto) Pepe (Real Madrid)
Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid) Bruno Alves (Zenit) Nuno Coelho (Braga) Ricardo Costa (Valencia) Joao
No one would be caught dead with Irina Shayk. Putting up with her is just sad.
The Spanish media is all atwitter about Cristiano Ronaldo not celebrating his goals against
Granada. Reports say he is "sad" at Real Madrid. There is talk he feels unloved in the locker
room.
Have you ever noticed how Ronaldo can't tear his eyes away from the monitor when he scores goals
as he barely acknowledges team mates jumping on his back, hugging him, pinching his cheeks in
celebration?
Playing at Estadio Santiago Bernab�u La Liga Home Team Real Madrid Keeper Iker Casillas Midfield
Mesut Özil; Cristiano Ronaldo; Sami Khedira; Xabi Alonso; Angel Di Maria; Forwards Gonzalo
Higuain; Defense Marcelo; Alvaro Arbeloa; Pepe; Sergio Ramos; Subs Away Team Granada Keeper Roberto
Fernandez [.
Por la tercera fecha del Torneo Final 2013, Boca Juniors visitaba a All Boys en Floresta, con el objetivo de levantar nivel de cara a los numerosos compromisos que tendrá en dos semanas. Con un equipo de mayor renombre que el presentado en el partido anterior, daba la impresión de que el conjunto de Bianchi podía llevarse los tres puntos, pero el celular de Dios volvió a dar ocupado y el visitante cayó por 2 a 0.
And in one day Portugal loses two of its greatest talents. We're left speechless. Zenit Saint
Petersburg's millions are venom, seductive and simply unbeatable. FC Porto has lost their warrior,
the equivalent of Riquelme's influence at Boca Juniors or what Thierry Henry once meant to
Arsenal.
Another week gone and another week of tweets from around the world of football. This week's Twitter Top features the return of Bolton and the US National Team's Stuart Holden, Arsenal's "King", three Boateng brothers, an incredible mustache, a not so-lucky Michael Owen, and more.
View the story "Twitter Top Week of January 15, 2013″ on Storify
Arsenal News
The post Twitter Top 10 Arsenal's Andre Santos, Thierry Henry and More appeared first on SWOL.
Juventus make there Uefa Champions League comeback this season after been absent for a few
years. Italy's most succesful club will be competing with Europes elite in the UCL. Featured player
Nicklas Bendtner will also be back playing in the UCL after a year loan spell at North-East English
side SunderlandAFC from Arsenal.
Pepe Reina's representatives are set to sit down with Liverpool in the next few days to discuss the goalkeeper's future at the club. The Spaniard's father recently expressed his desire to see his son replace Victor Valdes at Barcelona, and Reina's agent, Manuel Garcia Quilon, will now hold talks with the Reds in order to establish where the 30-year-old figures in Brendan Rodgers' plans.
Esta temporada para el club Xolos Tijuana es histórica, primera vez en ser líderes del torneo y en sus filas se encuentra el delantero argentino con más goles en el fútbol mexicano, el goleador Alfredo Moreno (ver entrevista).
Por eso el gol de Duvier Riascos ante Morelia tuvo gran impacto en las estadísticas del Club Tijuana.
España jugará el viernes 12 de octubre Minsk contra Bielorrusia y el martes 16 recibirá a Francia en el estadio Vicente Calderón de Madrid.
El cuadro de Del Bosque, defensor del título mundial obtenido en Sudáfrica 2010 y campeón de Europa en 2008 y 2012, comenzó la fase previa de Brasil 2014 el pasado 11 de septiembre con una victoria por la mínima sobre Georgia en Tiflis, con un gol del valencianista Roberto Soldado en el minuto 86.
Swansea goalkeeper Michael Vorm is said to be on Liverpool's radar as doubts surround the future of Pepe Reina. Reina has not made the best of starts to the new season and after dropping clangers against Hearts and Arsenal, reports have claimed Brendan Rodgers will target a new keeper in January if things do not improve.
