VS.
The drama of World Cup qualifying reaches its apex in the next 7 days as the final spots for South Africa 2010 will be set. Nations will be paralyzed as their teams fight for footballing glory. The CONCACAF vs. CONMEBOL playoff features Los Ticos of Costa Rica vs. Click to continue reading...

VS.

The drama of World Cup qualifying reaches its apex in the next 7 days as the final spots for South Africa 2010 will be set.� Nations will be paralyzed as their teams fight for footballing glory.� The CONCACAF vs. CONMEBOL playoff features Los Ticos of Costa Rica vs.

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Vamos con otra de las debilidades de Retrofootball, para nosotros uno de los mejores delanteros centro de la historia, Hugo Sánchez Márquez. Ahora que Negredo es la principal actualidad del fútbol español, nos ha gustado el detalle que ha tenido alrecordar como Hugo Sánchez le ayudó en el año en el que coincidieron en el Almería a rematar en carrera y al primer toque.

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Por Halftown

[El fútbol indoor está creciendo en España a base de morriña de los 90 y un poquito de realidad paralela a lo Regreso al futuro: Iván y Alfonso Pérez triunfando por fin en el Madrid, Juan Sánchez Pichichi en Valencia, Bonano levantando un título para el Barça... Y, a todo esto, Arsenio a los mandos del Superdépor.

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Hoy se juega la cuarta jornada de la liga de las estrellas de España y tenemos un partido importante para las aspiraciones del Barcelona, ya que se enfrentan al Racing en Santander.
Como sabemos, los culés vienen de golear de locales a el Atlético de Madrid, victoria que lo coloca como líder general compartiendo honores con su archirival Real Madrid y la cenicienta del torneo el Athletic.

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For those Ibrahimovic supporters, you have finally gotten your first dose of what he has to offer in big games. When the deal went down, George and I mentioned that Ibrahimovic was not a big-game player. Part of what he was brought to do was score in those games and he will have to surpass the player he was replacing. Click to continue reading...

Continuing the La Liga preview, part three will discuss the final six teams in alphabetical order: Tenerife, Valencia, Valladolid, Villarreal, Xerez, and Zaragoza.

Tenerife

Will the tandem of Juan Francisco Martinez, commonly known as Nino, and Alejandro Alfaro translate their scoring prowess from the Segunda División to La Liga?

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Once upon a time, Italian football was the centre of the universe. As recently as the turn of the decade, Serie A was the preferred destination for pretty much all of the world's top talents. From Maradona to Zico, Platini to Zidane, greats from all over the world flocked.

Nowadays things have changed slightly, and Italian football- despite the 2006 World Cup success- has fallen a bit behind its English & Spanish counterparts in terms of glamour and European prestige.

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The uneasy relationship between Samuel Eto'o and Pep Guardiola seems to have come to an end with Barca's manager categorically saying that the striker's future in the club was bleak. His place will be taken by Zlatan Ibrahamovic. It is part of a swap deal with €45 million in cash and Hleb's loan as an additional sweetener.

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The Spanish media is all over this. Inter get Samuel Eto'o, Hleb on loan and €40 million in cash.

Wait! Samuel Eto'o who was running neck to neck with Diego Forlan for the Pichichi and was Barca's top scorer this season is at a conservative estimate half the value of Zlatan Ibrahamovic?

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In this third and final part of my look at some of the finest players to have ever been produced by football's most successful nation, I focus on players who reached their peak during the 1990s and 2000s.

Brazilian successes in both the 1994 and 2002 World Cups have ensured that this era is rich with talent from which to add to this select list.

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Di Stefano uses his trophies to carry water to his drought stricken village

The player most associated with Real's glittering success turned 83 years old yesterday but he has competition from the most expensive signing in football history.

Ronaldo, who was signed from Manchester United for 80 million pounds (C$152 million), was quoted as telling sports daily Marca on Sunday:

"Some day I would like to have a winning record similar to Alfredo di Stefano.

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Finally, the lads can rest.

Nearly a month after Our Beloved's last competitive match, VCF's six (sorry, 5 ... Raul Albiol is now a Madridista) international players are back from South Africa and the 2009 Confederations Cup, ready to commence their vacations.

Congrats, Juan Mata, David Villa, David Silva, Carlos Marchena and Pablo Hernandez.

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NOTW brings to us news that Man City has all but signed Carlos Tevez and Samuel Eto'o to the Eastlands. The total sum, a whopping £55 million. All great and wonderful. City should have enough firepower to sink Kim Jong Il all by themselves. But here is the headscratcher. Who is ready to sit on the bench?

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Real Madrid's alleged pursuit of Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso took yet another twist this morning after reports in Spain suggested the deal is far from over.
Yesterday's speculation intimated that the former Real Sociedad star wanted to leave Anfield, but Liverpool boss Rafa Beintez would definitely not sanction a move unless the Spanish giants offered ‘ludicrous' money for the player. Click to continue reading...

While Kaka stirs the "transfer" market, local sports daily "AS"speculate that ATLETICO DE MADRID European Golden Boot &"Pichichi" forward DIEGO FORLAN is on the mind of REAL MADRID.The rumours are strong because Real Madrid new Coach ManuelPellegrini had Forlan under his wings at Villareal & knows well theUruguayan. Click to continue reading...

My Catalan isn't great but I believe the picture says "Players, Fans, Everyone United Makes Strength, Thanks To Everyone" Barcelona wrapped up its 19th La Liga title and all the European cup spots are pretty much sewn up. The final week of the La Liga season still has some drama left with 5 teams still fighting to avoid relegation.

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Diego Forlán scored his 32nd Liga goal of the season during Club Atlético de Madrid's 3-0 win over UD Almería on Saturday to claim the ESM Golden Shoe as Europe's top goalscorer as well as Spain's Pichichi award for the second time.

The 30-year-old's 50th-minute strike took his tally for the season to 32 in 33 appearances and equalled Prudencio Sánchez's 1940/41 club record of scoring in eight successive league games.

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Diego es de Oro

Liga Española- El uruguayo Diego Forlán ganó el trofeo 'Pichichi', que premia al máximo goleador de la Liga española de fútbol, al terminar con 32 tantos, tras la 38ª y última jornada de la competición, lo que también le dará la 'Bota de Oro' como máximo goleador europeo.

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Diego es de Oro

Liga Española- El uruguayo Diego Forlán ganó el trofeo 'Pichichi', que premia al máximo goleador de la Liga española de fútbol, al terminar con 32 tantos, tras la 38ª y última jornada de la competición, lo que también le dará la 'Bota de Oro' como máximo goleador europeo.

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It´s his second "Pichichi" - maximum Spanish League goalscorer - &"European Golden Boot" award. ATLETICO DE MADRID Uruguayanforward DIEGO FORLAN repeats his feat when at Villareal to finish this season with an outstanding 32 goals.CONGRATULATIONS "CRACK"!TOP "10" European Goalscorers:1. FORLÁN (At. Click to continue reading...

So much for going out of the season in style.
Really, for such a strong lineup against such a side as Deportivo, you'd think the team would at least win this match, if not by a wide margin, after all Barca have already done this season. But the final match ends with a draw... barely a draw, too. Click to continue reading...

I went back to my 2008/09 Season Preview from late August '08 today and here's what I thought Valencia would do this season.

So although my heart says we'll win La Liga, the UEFA Cup and storm into next season's Champions League, my brain tells me we'll finish mid-table and be forced to buy what we needed this season next season.

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Diego Forlán anotó tres goles en la victoria del Atlético en San Mamés, llegando a 31 tantos, dos más que el camerunés Samuel Eto'o, su más cercano perseguidor, que no pudo anotar esta jornada en la derrota del Barcelona ante Osasuna en el Camp Nou.

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Diego Forlán anotó tres goles en la victoria del Atlético en San Mamés, llegando a 31 tantos, dos más que el camerunés Samuel Eto'o, su más cercano perseguidor, que no pudo anotar esta jornada en la derrota del Barcelona ante Osasuna en el Camp Nou.

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Sounds like a suitable title for another Indiana Jones movie.But it is not.It's Samuel Eto'o in pursuit of the trophy awarded by Spanish sports newspaper Marca to the top goalscorer for each league season.The award is named after the famous Athletic Bilbao player, Rafael Moreno "Pichichi".
The chances of him getting it however are fairly dim as he did not score in Barca's last match and Diego Forlan of Atletico Madrid scored a hat trick in their last game.

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REUTERS/Albert Gea

There was much anticipation in the Camp Nou today as FC Barcelona were to play the last home match of the season and receive the La Liga Trophy. The team had wrapped up the league last week but the festivities would have to wait until the team returned home.

With head coach Pep Guardiola making the decision that the three final league games would feature most of the youth academy there was little expectation going into today's match.

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FC Barcelona would be playing the match against Osasuna with only one thing on mind - The Final in Rome. May be that is what Osasuna also wants. Osasuna lies in the 18th position with 37 points. A victory at camp Nou will do them a world of good in staying afloat in the Premier league. Guardiola would be in much more trickier situation. Click to continue reading...

Eto'o en busca del Pichichi

Faltan solo 2 Jornada para terminar la liga española 08-09 y aun esta pendiente la definición del pichichi, tan solo separan a Eto'o a 180 minutos de lograrlo.

El Barcelona se enfrentará al Osasuna y al Deportivo en estas 2 últimas fechas en las que Samuel Eto'o buscará mantener el liderato de goleo y lograr el Pichichi, trofeo que ya ganó en la 2005-2006 con la suma de 23 goles.

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Eto'o en busca del Pichichi

Faltan solo 2 Jornada para terminar la liga española 08-09 y aun esta pendiente la definición del pichichi, tan solo separan a Eto'o a 180 minutos de lograrlo.

El Barcelona se enfrentará al Osasuna y al Deportivo en estas 2 últimas fechas en las que Samuel Eto'o buscará mantener el liderato de goleo y lograr el Pichichi, trofeo que ya ganó en la 2005-2006 con la suma de 23 goles.

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Well the title is finally wrapped up and now La Liga's attention will focus on the races for European cup spots as well as to see who stays in the Spanish top flight and who does not. Also the race for the Pichichi will have a very interesting turn in the days and weeks ahead.

Barcelona were given the honor guard in Mallorca, although they would end up losing after former home team star (Eto'o) missed a penalty in the dying moments of the match.

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Well, we've won the Liga so last night's isn't of much importance, however we're still a tad annoyed that the boys lost.
.Why? Good question. Well, Pep fielded a team of substitutes and B-teamers, looking to rest the starters up for the final in Roma, and perhaps not much is expected of a team of youngsters up against a Mallorca side who are still taking things seriously. Click to continue reading...

Diego Forlán scored the only goal from the penalty spot against Valencia CF as Club Atlético de Madrid improved their chances of a return to the UEFA Champions League next season.

Prolific season
César Sánchez was adjudged to have brought down Sergio Agüero as the Argentinian attempted to round the Valencia goalkeeper and that allowed Forlán (30) to tuck away his 28th league goal of the campaign, leaving him one behind FC Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o in the race for the Pichichi.

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Fernando Torres. Never missed him. Atletico have Diego Forlan another reason why La Liga still retains an edge in world class talent even with the EPL soaked with all that money.

In 30 league matches the Uruguayan has scored 27 goals. Against Espanyol he scored two including the match winner.

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The magic number for Week 35 action in La Liga was 3. That number was massive as 7 of the 10 matches this weekend had at least 3 goals scored, in those matches 7 teams scored at least 3 goals by themselves including the stunning 3-3 draw at the Camp Nou. Barcelona led Villarreal 3-1 deep into the 2nd half but late goals Matias Fernández & Joseba Llorente prevented a Blaugrana celebration of a 19th La Liga title while Villarreal maintains the last UEFA Europa League spot on goal differential over Deportivo La Coruna.

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