yup...cant wait!..Originally Posted by Giggs
Yup...Barcayude tough matches ellaam Champions league matchesinte idakku aayirunnu....Real's matches are in Dec/Jan when there won't be any Champions league matches ...so fixtures Realine kaninjittundu.
Eagerly waiting for the Blockbuster match on Nov 29th
Last edited by Giggs; 11-12-2010 at 11:33 PM.
yup...cant wait!..
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has been handed a two-match touchline ban after seeing red against Real Murcia on Wednesday.
The former Inter Milan boss was sent from the dugout in the 38th minute for protesting too much to referee Jose Luis Paradas Romero during his side's 5-1 Copa del Rey win over Real Murcia.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) have responded by banning the Portuguese for two matches, meaning he will be absent from the dugout for this Sunday's Primera Division trip to Sporting Gijon and the following Saturday's clash with Athletic Bilbao at the Bernabeu.
A statement on Madrid's official website read: "The Competition Committee of the RFEF has handed a two-match suspension to Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho for his dismissal in the second leg of the Copa del Rey match against Real Murcia.
"This body has banned him for the clashes against Sporting and Athletic 'for addressing the referee with contempt-Article 117'."
Barring a successful appeal, Mourinho will return to the dug-out for Madrid's clash with bitter rivals Barcelona at the Nou Camp on Monday, November 29.
Every flight begins with a fall.
Mourinho philosophical about ban
(PA) Friday 12 November 2010
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Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has shrugged off his two-match touchline ban, claiming it is preferable to having a key player suspended.
Mourinho was handed the punishment today following his dismissal during his side's 5-1 Copa del Rey win over Real Murcia on Wednesday. The former Inter Milan boss was sent from the dugout in the 38th minute for protesting too much to referee Jose Luis Paradas Romero. He revealed he would apologise to the official when he next saw him.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) have banned the Portuguese coach for two matches, meaning he will be absent from the dugout for this Sunday's Primera Division trip to Sporting Gijon and the following Saturday's clash with Athletic Bilbao at the Bernabeu.
A statement on Madrid's official website read: "According to the committee, Mourinho was sanctioned 'for formulating observations about the referee' and he has been suspended for the Sporting and Athletic matches 'for addressing the referee with disrespectful vocabulary - Article 117-'."
Barring a successful appeal, Mourinho will return to the dug-out for Madrid's clash with bitter rivals Barcelona at the Nou Camp on Monday, 29 November.
Mourinho took the news in his stride, saying: "There is no problem. It is better that it is me who is sanctioned than an important player. Football is full of situations in which control gets lost. The game against Murcia was very easy to referee but I do not want to apologise. I have to accept my errors. When I see Paradas Romero again I will apologise to him."
Guardiola: “It will be a very good game”
Roger Bogunyà
Because of the way FC Barcelona and Vila-real are playing, Josep Guardiola expects a good game on Saturday night. He has been impressed with what he’s seen of Garrido’s third place outfit.
He said “Vila-real is the team we have found the most difficult in recent seasons. They are a very settled team, and have a recognisable style for many years. They have been playing like this for a long time and they are generally a very good side”. Guardiola is convinced that it will be an enjoyable match for the people that come on Saturday night.
Football associations
Why are Vila-real third? “They have a good goalkeeper. Marchena has added valued experience to the backline, and they have good midfielders. They have depth outside and skill inside, and when a team has such a strong set of midfielders, it associates well. And they have two great strikers in Rossi and Nilmar, they’re very quick and skilful”.
Statistics don’t lie
“I don’t like looking at these kinds of things, but statistics show that they have not lost at the Camp Nou for three years”, said Guardiola. No other team has gone the last three years without losing at Barcelona’s stadium.
Who will join Puyol?
The biggest question at the moment is Puyol’s partner in the middle of defence. Piqué and Milito, suspended and injured respectively, will miss the game and either Abidal or a player from Barça B look set to fill in.
The manager spoke about Bartra and Fontàs’ chances: “One is right-footed and the other left, and they both have plenty of character. Bartra is more explosive, but Andreu is great at getting the ball out and very efficient in the two on one. Both of them cover a lot of ground and are good in the air. I think they’re both ready”.
Puyol and game 500
Josep Guardiola spoke about Carles Puyol’s 500 first team appearances, a figure he looks set to make on Saturday night. “Everything he had when he debuted under Van Gaal is still with him. He is always the man who puts the most effort into training. He is the captain and has shown that through facts. Tomorrow’s his 500th game and he should be congratulated. He has to be ready both physically and psychologically, which is not easy at a club like this, to survive so many years. But he looks after himself and trains well, and has plenty more years in him”.
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Top of the table clash
Roger Bogunyà
The Camp Nou is the venue tonight (22.00, R@dio Barça) for a gripping encounter between Barça and Vila-real, second and third in the table respectively. Without Piqué or Milito, the big mystery is who will partner Puyol in the centre of defence.
After beating Valencia ( 2-1 ) and Sevilla ( 5-0 ), the Camp Nou is now preparing for another visit by one of the strongest teams in the championship: Vila-real. Both sides are enjoying strong form of late, and neither has lost since September. These two sides, and Real Madrid, have moved away from the pack and this year’s Liga title looks set to be a battle between these three. Tonight’s match is therefore of paramount importance to the ultimate destiny of the coveted trophy.
Five in a row?
FC Barcelona are looking to make it five straight victories in domestic games. They have already made victims of Zaragoza, Sevilla and Getafe in the league and Ceuta in the cup. Now comes the next in a series of games against particularly strong opposition at the Camp Nou, and there is still Real Madrid to come in two weeks time. To get 9 out of 9 against Valencia, Sevilla and Vila-real would be some achievement.
Puyol seeks partner
They will have to do that without either Piqué or Milito, who are suspended and injured respectively. Who will fill in for them? It could be Abidal, who has already played at centre back this season, or it could be one of Barça B’s Fontàs and Bartra. Also missing from the line-up is Jeffren, who has yet to regain full fitness.
Vila-real bring full squad
Vila-real are coming to the Camp Nou with no injury concerns. Senna and Jefferson Montero were both doubtful, but both have been named in a team that hasn’t lost since the first game of the season. Since then, they’ve won points in every game (7 wins and 2 draws), a run that has seen Garrido’s charges fly up to one of the highest spots in the table
second to last training session on Friday before playing Vila-real. They were joined by four reserves, including Bartra and Fontàs, who Guardiola may use to cover the gaps in defence.
The focus is still Saturday’s league game at the Camp Nou with Vila-real. Today’s session at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper started behind closed doors at 11.00 am, and the 17 participants included four from the side coached by Luis Enrique.
Piqué and Adriano with group
The only players missing were the injured Milito, and Pinto with special permission to be absent. Jeffren is still recovering from injury, but did join in with all of the non-contact exercises.
Piqué, who is suspended tomorrow, and worked out alone in the gym yesterday, trained normally today, as did Adriano, who has made a quick recovery from gastroenteritis.
Possible selections
The four Barça B players at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper today were goalkeeper Rubén Miño, Thiago Alcántara, Marc Bartra and Andreu Fontàs. Considering Guardiola’s defensive woes against Vila-real, with an injured Milito and suspended Piqué, meaning he only has 16 first team players available, the manager is likely to draw on the B team for centre back cover.
Final training, Saturday at 12.00
The usual warm-up drills were followed by some gentle fitness training. As usual on match days, the squad will train again on the morning of the match at midday, which this time will be behind closed doors at the Camp Nou at 12.00
Thanks Vishnu
Barcelona beat Villarreal (3-1) @ Nou Camp..........two goals for Messi and one for David Villa
22' David Villa
Barcelona 3-1 Villarreal: Lionel Messi Torpedoes The Yellow Submarine
The Argentinian stole the show once again ...
The Blaugrana managed to ascend to the top of the table for at least 24 hours as they picked up three hard-earned points against a spirited Villarreal side at the Camp Nou. David Villa and Nilmar traded goals in the first half and the two teams entered half-time locked in a draw. Ultimately, Barcelona edged the game courtesy of two strikes from Lionel Messi after the break to maintain the pressure on Real Madrid.
The hosts tried to impose their trademark style on the game in the early minutes and occasionally threatened Diego Lopez's goal. The first real chance of the game fell to Messi, who failed to open the scoring from point-blank range after being left with a free header in the box.
The deadlock was broken in the 22nd minute, when David Villa superbly controlled a pass from Andres Iniesta on the left of the penalty area and slotted coolly past Diego Lopez to score his sixth goal in the league.
Three minutes later Barca had the ball in the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside. In the following Villarreal attack, however, the visitors managed to draw the game level after a sublime effort by Nilmar, who left Carles Puyol flat-footed in his wake before applying a great finish that hit the right post before crawling into the net.
The game certainly benefited from this development as the match was becoming an end-to-end affair. Eric Abidal conceded a free-kick in a dangerous position in the 35th minute, but Giuseppe Rossi saw his low shot saved by Victor Valdes.
The Yellow Submarine appealled for a penalty just before half-time after Joan Capdevila was allegedly brought down in the box, but the referee turned it down without hesitation.
Barca went all guns blazing after the break and threatened to take the lead on a couple of occasions after the restart. The visitors seemed unable to repel the constant wave coming from the Catalan juggernauts and it looked increasingly likely that Pep Guardiola's men will score soon.
In the 58th minute Messi finally managed to breach Villarreal's resilient defence to put the Blaugrana infront. The goal came after some breathtaking interplay by the Argentinian and Pedro as Barca managed to neutralise the visitors' backfour with a few simple passes.
The hosts continued to dominate the game after the goal and deservedlyincreased their lead seven minutes from the final whistle when Messi completed his brace with a deft finish from just outside the six-yard box.
The little wizard went close to scoring a third shortly after, but saw a shot from the centre of the box blocked by Mateo Musacchio in what proved to be the final moment of interest for this game.
Following tonight's result, Barcelona are first in the standings before the remaining games from this round, while Villarreal retain their third place. The Yellow Submarine host Valencia in their next league game, while the Blaugrana visit Almeria.
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