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.

REAL MADRID - FC BARCELONA CLASHES TEARING APART THE SPANISH NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM?

The below photo is the SPANISH NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM that made history & won the FIFA World Cup 2010 with great play, but more importantly,  with a solid friendship base, team mentality & solidarity. The picture shows only 11 of the 23 Squad members, but one can clearly see a divide: most are either REAL MADRID or FC BARCELONA players. Missing from this picture are Albiol & Arbeloa (Real Madrid)

EL CLASICO : REAL MADRID 1 FC BARCELONA 1 | SPANISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE ROUND 32 SATURDAY GAMES RESULTS

SPANISH FOOTBALL has been totally eclipsed by the Round 32 Real Madrid - FC Barcelona match, but three important Spanish League games were played earlier with vital outcomes for the relegation zone Clubs. Here is a brief summary of todays Liga action with all the results & scorers.



Baptista back for Malaga

MALAGA FC are playing for their Spanish 1º Division life & managed an important 3 - 0 

Chinese GP - Vettel Storms to Shanghai Pole

It's been five straight days that I've been posting about football not just because I am an avid fan and follower and I don't want to miss the games of my favorite teams but the month of April is just full of good and great games from its local league to the European competition, the Champions League. And what made this a fantastic month is the classic El Clasico. It is not just the second clasico but it’s “Quatro Clasico”.

Yes… You read it right, it is four El Clasico in just less than a month and the first encounter will start in 30 minutes from now but I will not be writing about it today and I will save it tomorrow as a post-game write ups. Instead, I will write a quick and fast post as quick and fast as the racing cars in Formula One for we (Formula 1 enthusiast) all know that tomorrow is race day in Shanghai.

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With the concluded qualifying race, it’s not unusual to see the defending champion Vettel grabbing another pole position. What’s interesting is that it is his third pole in a row in this season and if ever he wins tomorrow then Vettel will achieve the season’s first hat trick wins. Both the McLarens (button and Hamilton) are behind him in second and third, respectively. The only difference is that the RBR has built a commanding margin of seven tenths of a second from Button. It’s big enough that challenging for pole position is futile and no hope of surpassing Vettel’s blistering pace.

I want to see both the McLarens outclassing Vettel in the race day tomorrow, at least they would show some hope of challenging the RBR for the championship.

THE NIGHT SPAIN STANDS STILL | "EL CLASICO"

The whole Nation of Spain has only one talking issue today: the REAL MADRID - FC BARCELONA Spanish Football League game. Real Madrid still has the 5-0 loss "thorn" at "Camp Nou" stuck on its side & wishes to revenge that night. Apart a win tonight for the home team will give them plenty of confidence as both side will again meet next Wednesday for the Spanish Club Final, & later play twice in the

Second El Clasico - The Classic Derby

Tomorrow's second Clasico is not just an ordinary El Clasico for there are so many at stake whoever emerges victorious in the derby. More so for Real Madrid who has been demolished by Barcelona in their first Clasico last 20 Nov 2010 at Camp Nou. The second Clasico will be a barometer in their next three encounters and El Clasico will no longer be just a local engagement but was brought to a higher level in the European competition.

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Real Madrid will not just seek revenge from their 0-5 demolition, they will also have a psychological edge going to the Copa del Rey finals four days later. Then there are more things to prepare for another classic matchup in the Champions League semifinals. The pride of the Merengues is at stake in the four El Clasico. If ever Real Madrid won on 16 April, they will cut the lead of Barcelona in the Primera Liga in 5 points and there are 6 more games left to go. If Barcelona won the second Clasico, it will further bury Real Madrid and extend the gap for 11 more points. And if that’s the case may be then the Los Blancos and Jose Mourinho are less likely to achieve the treble that they are much longing to have.

Whoever is your bet for tomorrow’s second Clasico, I want to see the Los Blancos in the finals of the Champions League. But what hampers on their way is the hard fact that Real Madrid haven’t won the El Clasico for 2 years now.

16 April 2011 : Not Just Second Clasico

For the El Clasico fans and followers, mark your calendar as 16 April 2011 is the date that everyone should not miss. It is not just the second Clasico but it could be the deciding factor if Real can still catch up the chase with Barca in the championship race. If Real wins, statistically, the race is still on but judging with the way Barcelona have been playing and the 8 points gap is doubtful and near impossible to overcome.

What’s more interesting is that four days later they will face each other again in the finals of the Copa del Rey. So, who ever get the three points on 16 April will have a psychological edge going into the next big games.

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And you think the thrill and excitement just ends right there?

With both teams thrashing their respective opponents in the Champions League first leg quarters by a considerable big margin then there’s a big possibility that both teams will face each other again for the third time in just one month. It could be the fourth Clasico then. It will be decided and wrap up midweek next week whether they will meet each other again in the semis.

If Madrid lost again this weekend’s second Clasico, it is virtually impossible for the Los Blancos to overtake the Blaugrana even if they are going to fight for it until the end. There are only six more games left and the road for the treble is not in Real Madrid’s side for they still have games against top five teams.

Triple Barca - Real Derby Imminent

With Barca's thrashing over Shakhtar Donetsk in their own Champions League quarterfinals first leg, it is now imminent that the Blaugranas and Los Blancos will be meeting each other for at least three times this month. They will face separate opponents first later this week on Saturday (9 April) before the second El Clasico will happen at the Bernabeu. Real was demolished by Barca when they have visited them at Nou Camp for the first Clasico. At the moment, Real is trailing Barca by 8 points after an upset at their own turf by a lowly team Sporting while there are already 8 more games left.

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The result of the second Clasico will have a possible impact in the coming games that they're going to have. Four days after the second Clasico, they will meet again for the Copa del Rey finals. Who will win on 16 April will have a psychological edge in bringing home The King's Cup silverware. Then on 26-27 April is the Champions League semifinals game and possibly both teams will meet again based on the recent results by demolishing their own opponents. Real hammered Tottenham with a 4-0 score while Barca had demolished Shakhtar by a 5-1 score.

I cannot wait to see all those games happened and I am already excited in this situation. And the triple Barca - Real derby can no longer be stopped anymore.

REAL MADRID - FC BARCELONA | CLASICO OVERLOAD

Lets suppose that we can comfortably bet that both Real Madrid & FC Barcelona manage to tie up their 2º leg Q/Finals Champions League games & get into the semi-finals. With this scenario, Spanish Sports paper "Marca" highlight to their readers that we are heading - as spectators - towards 4 big Real Madrid - Barça clashes once a week all in a month.  



Possible upcoming fixture

16th of April :

Second El Clasico is fast approaching...

Real Madrid had a home game on the way now and I can't resist not to follow the game but aren't subscribe and I don't want to waste some fee for only a few games that I may like in a month. So I am just watching, I mean, reading the live text commentary at Yahoo Sports and while making this post... GOOOOAL...! by Benzema in just 6 minutes of playing time.

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Today's game at the Bernabeu, home of the Los Blancos will be a test if they could catch up Barca in the La Liga championship race. Real Madrid is 5 points adrift from Barca. Real is trying to maintain the small gap between them when Barca unexpectedly draw with Sporting de Gijon last week in fact, they almost lost that game if not for the late goal of David Villa. A win will move them with in two points from the league leader Barcelona.

What's more interesting is the second round of El Clasico is fast approaching. We all know how Barcelon thrashed Real in their turf with a demolition score of 5 - 0. That is just so embarrassing knowing how Real Madrid have spent to get star players in their squad. But that's not it, the two bog clubs are fighting for supremacy again in the Copa del Rey on April 20, four days after the second Clasico.

15 minutes more left before half time and the score still remains the same. It looks like Real will salvage another win at home and have a clean record so far at home soil. A win will also extend Jose Mourinho's unbeaten run in home league games to a whooping nine years. 

And just as I about to publish this post and to left you hanging for an update tomorrow if Real will get another win, a GOOOOAL...! from Carvalho coming from Ronaldo could seal the game from here.

And there goes the half time... Looks like the game is over with the way Real Madrid is playing. They have dominated the ball possessions so far.