The Thrill of European Football Leagues

This blog has become a sports niche blog and if you have noticed in the recent posts that I had, 90% of it, I have been writing about sports and majority of it is on a sport that I haven't played a single game ever in my life. I have been writing updates, news and previews about football since March 2011 from the La Liga to Serie A that extends towards the European Champions League games with a brief stopover in the Premier League.

But most of what I wrote is about my favorite team Real Madrid, which you might notice that I have been very biased at some point. There’s just so much to say about the Los Blancos especially their rivalry against Barca and take note that there have been four El Clasico that happened in less than a month. They met each other in three different league games starting from their second Clasico in La Liga going to the finals of Copa del Rey and it ended at their Champions League semifinal meeting that provokes unwarranted circumstances.

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Most of the European League at this time is almost finish and there are only two or three games left to go but only in Serie A that a definite champion is proclaimed already whatever is the outcome of Inter Milan’s game. Even if they will win, there are no enough points to surpass city rival AC Milan in claiming the Scudetto for the first time since 2004. It is even sweeter for they stopped the 5 year reign and dominance of Inter in the domestic league.

Other interesting matches to watch are the games of ManU and Chelsea and Barca against city rival Espanyol. The odds are, if ManU wins it will set them six points clear from Chelsea and needed one more point to claim a record breaking 19 Premier League trophies with two more games remaining. While Barca on the other hand, if they win, it would be near impossible for Real Madrid to catch them up and they can claim the La Liga trophy with a draw at Levante mid of this week.

European Football News and Previews

The Champions League game last night between Manchester United and Schalke came into conclusion in a fantastic fashion of football skills. Although it has long gone decided who would be in the finals after ManU defeated their opponent 2-0 at Veltins Arena. And I thought the game at Old Trafford would just be a formality considering that there are several key players who did not show action and was left to rest for their upcoming Premier League match with Chelsea on Sunday, 8 May. The game is crucial for both teams since ManU is only 3 points clear from the Blues.

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Any slip up could mean disastrous to any of the two but more importantly to the Red Devils. Aside from protecting the 3 points lead, it will also be the deciding factor if Chelsea won and both emerge victorious in their own remaining 2 games. In that case, Chelsea will have an advantage since they could move ahead in goal difference as they are currently tied at 38. But the way ManU are playing last night’s Champions League match, they played a superb and nearly flawless game by thrashing Schalke 4-1. More so that the Red Devils is unbeaten at Old Trafford this season and they have defeated Chelsea in the Champions League quarterfinals and a draw in their first game at Stamford Bridge.

But the Blues are not quite ready to hand over the Premier League title yet, for they have the momentum at their side. The fact sheets would tell that they are unbeaten in their last 11 games and on a 5 games winning streak.

Nonetheless, it is not the only game that a must see match for AC Milan is also banking for its first Scudetto since 2004. And they could clinch it on Saturday by just a draw at AS Roma despite having 2 games more left to play after that as goal difference does not apply in Serie A but the head to head record, instead. A draw will tie them with Inter, granting the Nerazzurri will win their remaining 3 games, but the Rossoneri had a head to head advantage by beating them in their 2 games.

The European football has been jumped packed with superlative football actions starting last month in La Liga with the rare four El Clasico.

Spanish Premier League

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Saturday 2nd January 2010

Spanish Premier League

Valencia	vs	Espanyol	Mestalla	17:00
Barcelona	vs	Villarreal	Camp Nou	19:00
Atletico Madrid	vs	Sevilla	Vicente Calderon	21:00

Premier League offers £90m to Smaller Clubs

The Premier League is to give more than £90m to the Football League over the next three seasons.

This 'solidarity package' will be distributed down the football pyramid, with £31.8m handed out next season.

The funding includes £5.4m for Football League youth development, plus £11.2m to be split between Championship, League One and League Two clubs.

Championship clubs will have an extra £11.2m or £22.4m in seasons with one or three spare parachute payments. Clubs in the second tier of English football will receive an extra £11.2million next season because Sunderland and Birmingham, who made an instant return to the Premier League, will no longer receive parachute payments.

I feel this is actually a nice move and smaller clubs will have the ability to increase investment in critical areas such as youth development.

Though will this money make a real difference?League One clubs will receive £103,480 each, with £68,987 going to League Two clubs?! Top players of Chelsea and Manchester United command more than £100K per week.

Via - BBC