Raul Master-Class Lifts Schalke To A Convincing 4–0 Win.
Saturday's games were representative of how this Bundesliga has gone so far. Goals galore, shock
results, and one clear leader of the pack in the form of Borussia Dortmund. Here are the
results!
Borussia Monchengladbach 2 — 3 Mainz
Mainz have finally ended their poor run of form with a comeback win here against Gladbach.
1. At the start of the 2007/08 season, Rafael scored in 7 consecutive games for SV Hamburg to equal
the club record, set by the legendary Uwe Seeler in the 1963/64 season.2. Despite playing football,
his favorite sport is actually tennis.3. His heroes are footballer Romario and Dutch investigative
journalist and campaigner Peter R de Vries4.
Juventus might have been overshadowed by the 2006 matchfixing scandal and their squad might not
possess the depth and quality of their arch rivals Internazionale but the Old Lady still command
the respect and awe of top players. Just ask Rafael van der Vaart at SV Hamburg. The Dutch
international is already one foot on the [.
Hamburg, Liverpool and Fulham need to overturn deficits at home on Thursday to keep England's flag
flying in the Europa League.
Spanish clubs Atletico Madrid and Valencia also face uphill battles while the German trio of Werder
Bremen, VfL Wolfsburg and SV Hamburg appears well-positioned to reach the quarter-finals.
This evening's Championship play-off semi-final between Reading and Burnley was a battle between
old and new. In the blue corner were Reading, snatched from the jaws of obscurity by John Madjeski,
who dropped them into a brand new stadium and gave them the means to challenge for a place in the
Premier League.
SV Hamburg coach Martin Jol is reportedly considering another move for Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt
in the January transfer window after making an approach this summer for the Dutch International,
which came to nothing due to the asking price from the Reds, according to reports.
28-year-old Kuyt has two years left on his current contract at Anfield after making the switch to
the Premier League from Ererdivisie team Feyenoord in 2006 on a four-year deal to the Merseyside
club.
Amid a cloud of rumours of his possible exit from the club, Liverpool Kuyt has come forward to
praise Rafael Benitez's summer signings.
The Reds have included five new faces to the team so far in the season, namely Republic of Ireland
striker Robbie Keane, David N'Gog from P.S.G, Andrea Dossena from Udinese, plus Phillip Degen and
goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri.
Wasn't Rafael van der Vaart being linked to a move to Italian giants Juventus in January? One month
fast forward and his suitors have changed. Chelsea are now being touted as the player's likely
destination in the summer. Not that Chelsea manager Avram Grant would mind a player of Rafael van
der Vaart's class and calibre.
Over the next five days England have two very important games that will go a long way to
resolving what you'll be doing and where you'll be doing it next Summer. The answer we're all
hoping for is ‘watching England playing in Euro 2012' regardless of whether that's in the Ukraine
and Poland, in an Irish pub somewhere in the Med or (in my case)Â the biennial ritual hiding behind
the sofa with the curtains drawn whilst swearing your head off and trying not to scare the
neighbours.
The word 'legend' has been thrown around a lot these last few days in the pubs of Aberdeen.
There's talk of rekindling the spirit of '83, of domestic success and of fortress Pittodrie around
the Aberdeen FC forums and fansites.
If, as is widely expected, Mark McGhee returns to the club where he more than earned his legend
status, he can expect a mostly warm welcome from the Pittodrie support hankering for success after
many years in the footballing wilderness.
