Image by Ricardo Machado design e ilustração via Flickr Portugal Carlos Queiroz was delighted to see his boys maintain the early second half goal where he addressed that his team plays well away than at home. Without the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo in their ranks it was always tense and a 50-50 chances in [. Click to continue reading...

The long, two-year road to South Africa has finally come to a conclusion. So far, 23 teams, including host South Africa, have qualified for the World Cup (here's a list of 2010 world cup teams).

Four will be known after the Nov. 14 matches, while the remaining five will be known after Nov.

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Portugal will most likely be missing Cristiano Ronaldo when it hosts Bosnia-Herzegovina on 11/14/09 as it looks to build some momentum prior to the return leg in Bosnia on the 18th of November. Unfortunately for the Portuguese the latest report claims Ronaldo will be out for about a month which means he will not feature in both matches for the national team.

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Prior to last night's match against Chelsea at the Estadio Vicente Calderon, Footy Factor called in some favors from our Spanish counterparts and shot some telling footage of Atletico Madrid's pre-match warm-up. Do you notice who's missing?

PS. On a side note, check out Jose Antonio Reyes' hop-step-jump over the touchline.

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Halloween will arrive in a few days, but for Atlético Madrid, this season has been a complete nightmare from the beginning. Los rojiblancos hit their low point with a dull thud on Saturday when they could not fend off a nine-man Mallorca team and settled for a 1-1 draw at the Vicente Calderón.

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Portugal walked into the field before the start of this matchup knowing that Denmark had defeated Sweden 1-0 to claim the automatic World Cup spot from the Group but Portugal with a victory would move one point clear of Sweden and into the coveted second spot in the Group. Portugal started strong and an inspired Cristiano Ronaldo set up Simao for the first Portuguese marker at the 18th Click to continue reading...

Two goals from Simao and one from Liedson meant that Portugal ran out winners in this crucial Group 1 game. Cristiano Ronaldo hobbled off early on.

1-0 Simao

Don't forget to check out Online Football Manager!

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Well its been quite the couple of weeks. Sorry about the lack of posting. The Offside did a update and it wasnt agreeing with my computer. But now all is well and you can expect to read my enlightened and grandious opinion once again from week to week.

So how was the week that past.

I guess that it started off sour and then turned out sweet.

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Spanish heavyweights Atletico Madrid are still seeking their first La Liga victory this season. In four games they've drawn two and lost two and they face the daunting task of traveling to Valencia's Mestalla Stadium on Saturday as they attempt to get it right at the fifth attempt.

Over the last couple of weeks my 'game of the week' style articles have focused heavily on English football, being English this is understandable but I will certainly be checking out La Liga action on Saturday night.

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Han pasado ya tres jornadas en la liga española en donde los Colchoneros de Madrid no han conocido aún la victoria y solo tienen un mísero punto, producto de un empate.
La preocupación es mucha pues este arranque de liga se asemeja mucho al inicio de liga en 1999-2000 en donde los primeros tres duelos sumó cero puntos el conjunto de Madrid,despues al final del torneo los colchoneros sufrieron el descenso a la segunda división española.

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"Please, no acclaim, I'm just a humble footballer... who scored twice from two incredible free kicks."

The group stage of the Champions League began on Tuesday evening, and two La Liga outfits looked to initiate the exorcism of their personal demons.

Real Madrid and its galácticos played its first Champions League match of the season against an upstart FC Zürich team who, before the match, seemed more interested in whom they would swap shirts.

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Sergio Agüero and Atlético Madrid cannot see or find their form.

Atlético Madrid prolonged their faltering start with a 1-1 draw against Racing Santander on Saturday. Even with a man advantage for the majority of the second half, they lacked the finishing touch to nip the win from a feisty Santander side.

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GOOD WEEK

Click here to view the embedded video.

Daytime Television

David Beckham showed some trendy pants + skin on the Ellen Degeneres/Guti show reminding American housewives that being stuck home alone with screaming kids all day has its perks.

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Click here to view the embedded video.

GOOD WEEK
Daytime Television

David Beckham showed some trendy pants + skin on the Ellen Degeneres/Guti show reminding people to always check the info guide before setting the DVR.

Icy Hot

Sergio Ramos's tendinitis has been cured and he's fit to return to action starting this weekend.

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Would've been a good buy in my book.

According to a report in Portuguese daily Diario de Noticias, Juventus had set aside €22 million to lure Atletico Madrid winger Simao to the Stadio Olimpico, but could not complete a deal.

The offer was resoundingly rejected by the Spanish club, whose director of sport, Jesus Garcia Pitarch, admitted that several European clubs were keen on the 29-year-old.

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Reina
Johnson Carragher Ayala Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Kuyt Gerrard Benayoun
Torres
Subs:
San Jose for Carra 16'
Babel for Kuyt 61'
Kelly for Johnson 74'
Spearing for Mascherano 79'
Voronin for Benayoun 79'
Ngog for Torres 82'
Goals:
Aguero 15'
Forlan 33'
Lucas 81'
Good riddance to these friendlies. Click to continue reading...

PSNL Fans have spoken and we would like to thank all the fans who took their time to vote over the last two weeks for PSNL's First Fan Based Portuguese Player of the Year for the 2008-09 season.The PSNL fans choice of the year not surprisely is former Man United and now new Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo who took home the honour with 54% of the votes. Click to continue reading...

Portugal once again have a disappointing performance against Estonia being held to a scoreless draw. Portugal was without Ronaldo, Simao, Bosingwa and Deco plus Quieroz only did dress Ricardo Carvalho and Boa Morte from Saturdays starting line up but being held scoreless to Estonia is another poor performance that has many portuguese fans scratching their heads. Click to continue reading...

Today's the biggest match in Valencia CF history.

Ok, I'm being facetious. But in some ways, it's about as important as it gets.
Champions League '09-'10. Economic viability. Keeping our two stars. Keeping the core of our squad together. Getting our new stadium up and running .

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The brief: it's Round 30 of the Spanish 1ºst Division & Deportivo de A Coruña is playing Atletico de Madrid. The latter is leading 0-1, & in the 70th minute SIMAO scores his teams' second...
Read all the news, results, details & comments in English on Spanish Football & Sports. The Spanish Football & Sports Blog for the global fan. Click to continue reading...

(highlights di Real Madrid-Valladolid 2-0)
Il Real Madrid sconfigge, al Bernabeu, il Valladolid, col punteggio di due a zero e resta in scia al Barcellona, primo nella Liga con sei punti di vantaggio sulle merengues. La risposta ai catalani parte dal minuto 44, quando quando Gonzalo Higuaín salta due difensori e serve all'immortale capitano Raúl l'assist per il suo 15esimo gol in campionato. Click to continue reading...

A former teammate of mine that had a style of play "similar" to Steven Gerrard (and would be insulted as he is a Man Utd.  fan)described the ties in one word- mouthwatering.  I will use this term only once as I could sound redundant.  Each one of these ties could end up being the best [...] Click to continue reading...

If you're a Real fan...what more could you ask for, really? A start off the blocks in lightning fashion, mid-game drama worthy of the stage, all culminating in a soul-sucking 96th minute win across town at the hands of your city rivals, whose heads must be spinning out of control after the last few weeks. Click to continue reading...

Who ever thought that in the first and last minute Real Madrid would further sink Atlético into deeper problems after a heated Madrid derby.  With only 35 seconds gone by in the match Ruud Van Nistelrooy smacked a shot from 25 yards out to beat Leo Franco on the left post. Overall the match was not [. Click to continue reading...

  Another masterful, comfortable victory in front of the Atleti Faithful Coupet; Seitaridis, Ujfalusi, Perea, Antonio López; Maniche (Éver 68'), Raul García, Simão (Luis García 56'), Maxi; Sinama-Pongolle & Kun Agüero (Miguel 60') GOALS 8′ Agüero, set-piece taken by Simao. 52′ Maniche, incredible effort. Click to continue reading...

  Back to Champions, in style! Leo Franco; Perea, Ujfalusi, Heitinga, Antonio López; Assunçao, Maniche (54′ Banega), Luis García, Simao; Forlán (31′ Sinama) & Agüero (63′ Raúl García). THE GOOD 8′ Agüero, assisted by Luis García. 35′Agüero, great effort by Sinama. Click to continue reading...

I've finally recovered from that disastrous 2-1 loss to Valladolid. ONWARDS. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP STAGE FINALLY! Players experienced with Champions: Coupet, Forlán, Simao, Luis García, Seitaridis, Maniche, Assunçao, Heitinga, Sinama, & Leo Franco. Excluded players: Maxi & Pernía (suspension) and Pablo (injury). Click to continue reading...

Liga is finally back, thankfully, after a week of World Cup qualifiers. "FIFA VIRUS" Atleti players who served for their respective national teams (8 in total): Ujfalusi, Kun, Forlán, Perea, Seitaridis, Maniche, Simao, Heitinga. Plus, Raúl García has been active with the Spain U-21 team. A LOT of key players will be returning to Spain exhausted from international duty, [. Click to continue reading...

DIRK KUYT has warned that Liverpool's luck will run out if they continue to under-perform – resulting in an early Champions League exit.
Yesterday's draw for the group stages paired Fernando Torres with his former club, Atletico Madrid, who finished fourth in La Liga last season.
Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven are also in Group D as well as Marseille, who shocked Liverpool 1-0 in the group stages at Anfield last season. Click to continue reading...

Self-explanatory, eh? Adrian Mutu: Fiorentina v Slavia. Christian Pander: Schalke v Atletico. Alessandro Del Piero: Juventus v Artmedia. Hatem Ben Arfa & Benoit Cheyrou: Marseille v Brann. Simao: Panathinaikos v Sparta. Goal of the Matchday? ( polls) Thanks to 101GreatGoals.com for the vids. Click to continue reading...

RAÚL GARCÍA CAMACHO MOTTA MANICHE CLEBER SANTANA MIGUEL SIMAO MAXI REYES LUIS GARCÍA ASSUNCAO I read recently that Maniche is trying to 'patch things up' with Aguirre, his teammates, and club officials for his wreckless behaviour that led to his loan spell last season. Of course, we all know why he is humbling himself: He's not attracting worthwhile offers! Click to continue reading...

I have to admit that I'm a little surprised that Germany won. Good game though. Germany was able to exploit the soft spot that Portugal had shown in their defense and get some easy goals. I also thought they finally played the right lineup with Podolski, Klose, and Schweinsteiger leading the offense. Click to continue reading...

I have to admit that I'm a little surprised that Germany won. Good game though. Germany was able to exploit the soft spot that Portugal had shown in their defense and get some easy goals. I also thought they finally played the right lineup with Podolski, Klose, and Schweinsteiger leading the offense. Click to continue reading...

Portugal (0) vs Germany (2)

Klose offside Portugal attacking, Cristiano looking for Gomez but Germany counters
Germany now in posession, Podolski rushing but Portugal now gets posession
Portugal regains posession and counters, Cristiano Ronaldo almost scores from the right side but was cleared by German defender
Germany now in posession of the ball
Simao almost gets a close shot but was cleared by Germany
Podolski challenges and Portugal gets free kick
Deco being challenged from just outside penalty
Portugal now in posession as Cristiano Ronaldo dribbles from midfield
Portugal making first half change
Germany regains posession
Simao with a corner kick but gets clear and now setting up again
26' GOAL: Klose scores another Goal for Germany via a header from a free kick from Schweinsteiger
Yellow card on Petit
Moutinho hurt from a Ballack tackle. Click to continue reading...

Portugal 3-1 Czech Republic
Cristiano Ronaldo and co. have made easy work of the group stages so far. They got off to a good start in this game as well, with an early goal. Ronaldo was played into the box via a one-two with Nuno Gomes; Petr Cech did well to just barely tip the ball away from him, but it fell to Deco and he scrambled it across the goal line. Click to continue reading...