Month: March 2010

Two Sides of Madrid

Real Madrid came from behind strongly against its eternal city rival to maintain pace with Barcelona over the week-end. Dead even on points, both clubs now appear to be looking forward to the April 11 direct clash that, in all…

MLS, Red Bulls NY Kick-Off

With the players’ strike averted a couple of days ago, as it never fully evolved into a crisis, the 2010 MLS season kicked off last night in Seattle. The opening match between the newest member of the MLS, Philadelphia Union,…

Roundabout

Manchester United’s win over Liverpool avenged the bitterness of last November, while Chelsea completed one of the most difficult weeks of Carlo Ancelotti’s era, with Arsenal, Tottenham and Man City marching on. After the usual anticipation and explosiveness, the greatest…

De Que Planeta Viniste?

Leo Messi scored TEN important, if not spectacular, goals in Barcelona’s last four matches. Ten, eight in La Liga and two in the Champions League against Stuttgart. His extraordinary form has generated worldwide awe, particularly because he often makes it…

On Tap – Super-Classicos

This Sunday two great clashes that require no supplemental billing: Boca – River and Man Utd – Liverpool. Regardless of the positions in the table, these are the crucial encounters that weigh as much as all the other matches combined…

Champions League Notes – Last 8 Set

Spending hundreds of millions of euros on players provides no guaranty for success. Champions League glory continues to elude Florentino Perez’s Real Madrid and Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea, correctly so. Their elimination courtesy of Olimpique Lyon and Internazionale Milano demonstrated that…

Two Emerging Stars

Marouane Chamakh and Romelu Lukako are not yet familiar names, but both are on the direct trajectory to Premiership star status. While Marouane is ten years older than Romelu, they are enjoying tremendous seasons and seem poised for big club…

Sensational Snejder, Chelsea out

Chelsea followed Real Madrid out of the Champions League competition, following a gripping match at Stamford Bridge that was decided by two dominant factors: the exceptional form of Wesley Snejder and the aggressive, physical play of Inter’s back duo, Lucio…

Hold Up

Ivory Coast fired national team coach Vahid Halilhodzic last week, a little more than three months before the start of the World Cup. The move was not unexpected, following the team’s poor showing in the African Cup of Nations in…

Aguante Madrid – Roundabout

Real Madrid supporters are electrified as their club finds itself at the top of La Liga, now edging Barcelona on goal difference, after a spectacular injury time victory at the Bernabeu against Sevilla. Milan’s visit to Roma ended just the…

On Tap

With many players returning to their clubs following the midweek international action, there are a couple of big matches in Serie A this week-end, both on Saturday. Roma will host Milan at the Olimpico in a match with big implications…

Again, Independiente Wins the Super-Classico of Avellaneda

Independiente – Racing is a special occasion in Argentina, the second or third biggest classico after Boca- River and Rosario Central – Newell’s. As always, the electricity surrounding the match was palpable. The atmosphere superseded the match itself on a…

Roundabout

Well well … Man City’s victory in London was a match with multiple connotations that certainly stirred the Premiership pot, tightening things at the top. Manchester United celebrated its first trophy of 2010, the Carling Cup, with a 2-1 win…