Footy for the Soul

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2010-11-20T00:17:00.000-05:00

New site. New features. More fun.

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Weekend Couch Guide

2010-11-19T10:48:00.000-05:00

(Apologies, but the ESPN website is "unsure" which matches they will be showing. Be sure to check ESPN Deportes throughout the weekend for a handful more to watch)

Saturday, November 20
7:30am Arsenal vs Tottenham (ESPN2)
9:30am Schalke 04 vs Werder Bremen (GolTV)
10:00am Manchester United vs Wigan (FSC)
10:00am Birmingham City vs Chelsea (FSC Plus)
12:00pm Roma vs Udinese (FSC Plus)
12:30pm Liverpool vs West Ham (FSC)
2:30pm AC Milan vs Fiorentina (FSC)
4:00pm Real Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao(GolTV)
4:00pm West Brom vs Stoke City - tape delay (FSC Plus)
5:00pm Bolton vs Newcastle United - tape delay (FSC)
6:00pm Blackpool vs Wolverhampton - tape delay (FSC Plus)

Sunday, November 21
6:30am Genoa vs Juventus (FSC Plus)
8:30am Blackburn vs Aston Villa (FSC Plus)
9:00am Chievo vs Inter Milan(FSC)
11:00am Stuttgart vs Cologne- tape delay (GolTV)
11:00am Fulham vs Manchester City (FSC)
1:00pm Sevilla vs Mallorca (GolTV)
2:30pm Napoli vs Bologna (FSC)
3:00pm Real Sociedad vs Atletico Madrid (GolTV)
3:00pm RC Lens vs Olympique Lyon (FSC Plus)

Five years ago today - a standing ovation for Ronaldinho in Madrid

2010-11-19T10:03:00.000-05:00

On November 19, 2005, Frank Rijkaard took his Barcelona side to Madrid for another incarnation of El Clasico, which the visitors won 3-0. At the time, nobody would have guessed Rijkaard and his side would finish the season hoisting the La Liga and Champions League Trophy. Neither could anyone have foreseen the unprecedented events which transpired on the field.

A Samuel Eto'o goal 14 minutes into the match put the visitors ahead, but this night would belong to Ronaldinho. The first was a scintillating run down the left flank, leaving Sergio Ramos on his ass, and Iván Helguera and Iker Casillas helpless. For the second goal, he again made Ramos look pedestrian finishing ever so calmly to seal the win. Then the unthinkable - the Bernabéu rose to its feet to give the Brazilian, a Barcelona player, a standing ovation in one of the very few classy gestures in this extremely fierce rivalry.

Ronaldinho later capped off that season with the FIFA World Player of the Year award.

Worst goalkeeper in the world

2010-11-18T16:56:00.000-05:00

No questions asked, this guy is the worst. Either he was drunk, or high, or had trouble seeing the ball during a evening match without lights.

I don't buy the excuses. Anything short of "this guy is embarrassingly bad" won't be accepted.

Ronaldo robbed of wonder goal

2010-11-18T10:35:00.000-05:00

My personal feelings aside, you can't argue with the ability of this guy. Cristiano Ronaldo, in the midst of his country's utter shellacking of World Champion Spain, created one of the most jaw dropping "goals" you will ever see. The problem is, it didn't count.

After stopping short on Pique, flicking the ball behind him to his stronger right foot, Ronaldo then dragged the ball ever so slightly and chipped a flat footed Casillas. Unfortunately, his teammate thought it important to make sure the goal-bound ball really crossed the line with some gusto and headed it home. Nani flagged for offsides and the goal waved off.

After watching about fifty replays, and you should too, watch the drag before the chip. Usually Ronaldo adds twinkle toe accessories to his moves for the sake of pissing people off. However, the drag is what kept Puyol and an onrushing Xabi Alonso on edge for that split second to prevent them from blocking the shot. It also occurred to me that if Nani was the shooter, Ronaldo probably would have done the exact same thing by heading the ball into the net.

But hey, Portugal still won 4-0 and Captain Ronaldo didn't celebrate a single goal with his teammates. Why? Because he wasn't the one who scored them....duh.

Italian racism strikes yet again

2010-11-18T09:57:00.001-05:00

Mario Balotelli always seems to find the headlines for the wrong reasons. Whether spats with the coaching staff or reckless play on the pitch, the 20 year old never seems to get the benefit of the doubt from anyone. Which is why his most recent comments are a bit baffling:

Until June I am certainly at Manchester City. I have a five-year contract and can’t say anything.

What do I think of Zlatan Ibrahimovic? Ah, Ibra and I would make a very strong pairing

They are not baffling because of the nature of his remarks - a lack of complete commitment to his current squad and always hinting at moving to other clubs. They are baffling because of what awaits him at home, and he is fully aware of it.

Yesterday's international friendly between Italy and Romania took place in Austria. Balotelli made a much anticipated start for his country, but any pre-match excitement was immediately squashed. Every time he touched the ball, whistles filled the stadium as Romanian supporters spewed racist chants and slogans at the Italian striker born of Ghanaian immigrants. However, this was not even the tip of the iceberg.

In the 60th minute, Balotelli was substituted off. What happened next speaks volumes of Italian culture and sets society back decades. A small contingent of Italian supporters unfurled a banner that read: "No alla nazionale multietnica" - no to a multi-ethnic national team. Naturally, monkey chants and more disgusting songs followed as he left the field.

There are two issues here. One, of course, is the racism. Balotelli heard it both in Milan and a number of other cities around the country, and Samuel Eto'o continues to get abused. There is no sense in discussing what should be done, because nothing will be done. The Italians have proven impotent and gutless to address the issue of racism. Yes, referees were given authority prior to this season to stop matches if they heard racist chants. A few weeks ago, the referee stopped the Cagliari vs Inter Milan match, but obviously let it continue after three minutes. The President of Cagliari later said, "I never heard the chants. Our fans are not racist so there is no way the accusations are true." Really?

The other issue is Balotelli himself, nothing more than a kid at the moment (albeit built like a tank) who needs to get avoid this behavior for his own sanity and development. "Honestly, I don't know what to say," Balotelli told Mediaset. "If I have to hear those chants every time, you can't go forward like that." So why is he stirring up stories about returning to Italy?! What good will come of that?

I hope he continues to play for the national team, and he has indicated he will. Quite frankly, he can be as good as some of the best strikers we've seen in a while. But until Italy finds a way to fix this problem - and the excuse that punishing a full stadium for the actions of so few is unfair, is complete bullshit - Balotelli needs to stay in England.

FIFA unveils Puskas Award shortlist

2010-11-17T11:43:00.000-05:00

FIFA has unveiled the 10 finalists for the 2010 Puskas Award for goal of the year.

Established only last year at the behest of FIFA President Sepp Blatter, the award is given to the best goal of the year scored by a man or woman. It is named for Ferenc Puskás, captain of the Hungarian national side in the 1950s and scorer of 84 goals in 85 international appearances at one point.

Ibrahimovic and his agent go too far - Barcelona block payments

2010-11-17T09:21:00.000-05:00

There has been to decrease of pathetic, classless, insulting remarks from former Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and his stupid, gluttonous agent Mino Raiola. To start with, the gangly Swede has used every breathe over the past few weeks and months to slander the Barcelona manager and his image.

He has repeatedly mocked Pep Guardiola calling him a "philosopher" - claiming he is no better than any other manager or player in the game - that he barely had anything to do with Barcelona's success. Just a few days ago, he told reporters that Guardiola thinks of himself as Ghandi. "He seems to think he invented Barcelona's style of play."

As if that wasn't enough, his agent joined the fray yesterday stating, "I think [Johan] Cruyff and Guardiola should go to a mental institution, shut their mouths, and play cards. They would be doing a great favor to Barcelona and the modern game."

Enough is enough. For all the bad blood and supposed bust-ups between manager and player, Ibra is long gone and has almost single-handedly carried AC Milan to the top of Serie A. Upon transferring to Milan, he and his agent made out like bandits with Barcelona's money. So why must they keep pestering and badgering?

There is no rational answer. And luckily, Barcelona Football Club have slammed their fists in response. In an official statement, the club defended their coach and, effective immediately, threw the book at Raiola:

Futbol Club Barcelona considers inadmissible the recent statements issued by Mino Raiola, which have attacked the honor and moral integrity of our manager, Pep Guardiola, and Mr. Johan Cruyff.

These statements have been published by the Swedish daily newspaper "Expressen" and widely reported by numerous agencies and international media.

In this regard, the Legal Department is considering legal action against Mr. Mino Raiola, including criminal proceedings.Taking effect immediately, FC Barcelona has blocked all outstanding payments to Mr. Raiola as per his contractual agreement with the club.

I do wish they had mentioned Ibrahimovic in here, but on second thought, that would only bring the club down to his level. Everyone in their right mind knows that the stupidity coming from Ibra's mouth is exactly that. He's the one looking like an ass. Raiola is a different story altogether - a businessman and an agent. He deserves everything the club has threatened him with.

WAG Wednesday Part 13 - Dorien Rose

2010-11-17T00:05:00.000-05:00

And what a lucky 13 this is.

Barcelona recently secured the services of PSV Eindhoven captain, and Dutch international winger, Ibrahim Afellay. The 24 year brings creativity, skill, depth to Barcelona's depleted squad, and oh yeh, his okay looking girlfriend Dorien Rose.

The 27 year old former Dutch Playmate of the Year will turn plenty of heads on the streets of Barcelona. She also bears a striking resemblance to Angelina Jolie. Unfortunately, Jolie ain't no WAG so there's no place for her here.

If Afellay's impact on the sqaud is as good as his girlfriend's looks, Barcelona will be licking their chops for years to come.

Sporting Gijon supporters let loose on CR7

2010-11-16T12:17:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend, Real Madrid traveled to Gijon for an anger fueled match after Gijon's manager Manolo Prediado called Mourinho a "scoundrel." And while Mourinho enjoyed the confines of an enclosed box seat after receiving a two match suspension, his players faced the most vile of vitriol from the supporters who packed El Molinón all evening.

Needless to say, Cristiano Ronaldo is not one of their favorites.

If you need more, right this way.

Don't give up on La Liga just yet

2010-11-15T14:35:00.000-05:00

Only eleven matches in and the gap is six. Villarreal, with a chance to choose contender or pretender, were put to the sword by an emphatic Barcelona. Cynics would look at the result of that match without a blink of an eye and promote La Liga as a two horse race here on out. However, such people would be incredibly dumb to do so.

Those who watched can tell you it was probably the most artistic and technically gifted match of any played this season in Europe, or the rest of the world. The visitors matched their hosts in every facet of the game - high defensive lines to push forward, neat and tidy possession, wing play and attacking fullbacks. What they lacked, though no fault of their own, was the world class brilliance of Messi and Villa whose goals may go down as the best of the season.

With that in mind, don't be fooled by the final 3-1 tally. Villarreal taught us more in a loss than you would expect. And if you look ahead to the next few weeks, yesterday's match was but a prelude to the true deciders as to whether this league will be a two or three horse race.

Pep Guardiola referred to his defeated opponent after the game as ""una joya de equipo (a gem of a team)." Their performance was "brutal" - tough and hard nosed yet pleasing to the eye. Villarreal possess two intelligent and lightning quick forwards who have the third most goals of any two strikers in La Liga. Their midfield of Borja Valero, Bruno, and Jefferson Montero continue to play the beautiful, short pass football ingrained in the squad by former manager Manuel Pelligrini. Throw in sensational captain Santi Cazorla on the wing and a physical defensive back four with attack minded left/right backs, and Villarreal look good enough to beat anyone in the league. They played an excellent match against Barcelona. Unfortunately, they came up against a squad that much better.

Back at the top of the table, Real Madrid left it late in Gijon to secure a difficult three points. Mourinho also secured the best ever start for a new manager in Spain. Shaking in your boots yet? I surely hope not. Eight of their eleven matches have come against teams sitting in the bottom half of the table. Except for Atletico Madrid (whose resistance against their neighbors has produced a whopping ZERO wins since 1999), they have played nobody - the minnows of La Liga. To say Real Madrid are running away with Barcelona is foolish. To say they are as good as their Champions League matches is also foolish. You don't have to be Einstein to understand that Mourinho, Florentina Perez, and Madrid put continental supremacy as priority over winning a domestic title (which is obviously a must as well).

Meanwhile, Barcelona are just as good as everyone expects them to be. On a night when a great team showed up at their front door, they were simply greater (to borrow the words of Sid Lowe). Barcelona have already defeated Atletico, Villarreal, Valencia, and Sevilla by a combined score of 12-3.When the top clubs in Spain come knocking, Barcelona often produce sensational clinics to reinforce their role as champion. There should be no doubts about their potential. Real Madrid simply haven't had a chance to show that.

However, the question remains, did Villarreal waste an opportunity to make the championship race in La Liga enthralling? The scoreline says no. The performance says otherwise.

El Clasico is two weeks from today. Madrid then face Valencia, Villarreal, and Sevilla in three of their following five matches. Don't draw negative conclusions from Villarreal's defeat yesterday.

The next month will be the true barometer to the future of La Liga this season.

Must see matches on the weekend

2010-11-12T11:03:00.000-05:00

All eyes turn to Italy this weekend in what is a top heavy fixture list of massive encounters. Quite simply, all of the top six clubs will face each other (including the Milan derby), not to mention the Sicilian derby on Sunday. Not to sell the other leagues short, but aside from Serie A, there is really only one other match of note and that is in Spain where a true test of contender/pretender faces Villarreal. Inasmuch as I obviously support Barcelona, I'm sick of the two horse race and all the flack La Liga receives. Spain needs a Villarreal win or draw, and to be honest it would not be all that bad in my mind.

But hey, that's why they play the game. Buckle up for a roller coaster Italian style weekend:

INTER MILAN VS AC MILAN (Sunday, 2:30pm FSC)
La Derby della Madonnina. Italy's most famous derby finds the "visiting" team sitting atop the table while Inter sit in fourth with an astounding five draws to match their five victories. It will be Zlatan Ibrahimovic's first crack at his old team as he joins a relatively short list of players to have played for both Milan clubs. That idiot also complained last week that playing alongside his Brazilian teammates decreases his mobility, and that he would prefer Pippo Inzaghi to partner with him up front. Well Zlatan, Pippo is out for the season so your stuck with those terrible Brazilians - Pato, Ronaldinho, Robinho. Life is so tough playing with such horrendous footballers... Prediction: 2-2

JUVENTUS VS ROMA (Saturday, 2:30pm FSC)
After terrible runs of form over the past few seasons, it is nice to finally see these two great clubs back in the fight for the Scudetto. Sitting 5th and 6th respectively, Juventus and Roma look continue their climb up the table for those Champions League spots. Both teams know they can't afford to lose ground on the leaders, so expect a lively attacking game and a fight for the three points. Prediction: 2-1 Juventus

LAZIO VS NAPOLI (Sunday, 6:30am FSC Plus)
Perhaps less sexy than most fixtures, but Lazio has led Serie A the entire season until last week. Napoli continue their resurgence and sit one point behind Lazio in third. Lazio is coming off a frustrating loss to their cross-city rivals last weekend and a week where transfer rumors are abound for star striker Mauro Zarate. Prediction: 1-1

PALERMO VS CATANIA (Sunday, 9:00am FSC)
La Derby di Sicilia. There are few derbies which pack the intensity and hatred amongst both clubs. For these reasons, away fans have been banned from this fixture a number of times, including 2007 when a police officer was killed in post-match rioting. As for the football itself, both clubs are level on points and sit mid table. Don't miss your opportunity to catch a glimpse of Javier Pastore, Palermo's start attacking midfielder who just recently received a £60 million price tag. Prediction: 1-0 Palermo

BARCELONA VS VILLARREAL (Saturday, 4:00pm ESPN Deportes)
Everyone in Spain is pulling for the yellow submarine. Even myself to an extent! They have planted themselves in the fight between Barcelona and Real Madrid and are desperately trying to give Spain something more than a two horse race. Now they have a chance to prove themselves, Saturday evening at the Camp Nou. Barcelona have not had an easy run against Villarreal in the last five encounters winning twice, drawing twice, and losing once. Is Villarreal for real? Perhaps, but I don't think they get it done this weekend. Prediction: 3-1 Barcelona

A Veterans Day Tribute

2010-11-12T09:17:00.000-05:00

So I'm a day late, relax. I was clearly just looking for the perfect story to honor the veterans of war and now I've got it: The Amputee World Cup

This year's tournament was held in Argentina, and for the second straight year, Uzbekistan took home the championship. However, it is the English squad which included a number of men who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. After war, bloodshed, and missing limbs, these men are still able and motivated to compete in a sport that they love. It is truly a heroic and touching tale of human sacrifice and the strength of the human heart.

(Video courtesy of The Guardian)

Weekend Couch Guide

2010-11-12T00:21:00.000-05:00

Saturday, November 13
7:30am Aston Villa vs Manchester United (ESPN2)
9:45am Wolfsburg vs Schalke 04 (ESPN Deportes)
10:00am Manchester City vs Birmingham City (FSC)
10:00am Tottenham vs Blackburn (FSC Plus)
12:00pm Fiorentina vs Cesena (FSC Plus)
12:30pm Stoke City vs Liverpool (FSC)
2:00pm Atletico Madrid vs Osasuna (GolTV)
2:30pm Juventus vs Roma (FSC)
4:00pm West Ham vs Blackpool(FSC Plus)
4:00pm Barcelona vs Villarreal (ESPN Deportes)
5:00pm Newcastle United vs Fulham - tape delay (FSC)
8:30pm Mainz vs Hannover - tape delay (GolTV)
9:30pm Colorado Rapids vs San Jose Earthquakes - MLS Eastern Conference Final (FSC)

Sunday, November 14
6:30am Lazio vs Napoli (FSC Plus)
8:30am AZ Alkmaar vs Ajax (ESPN Deportes)
9:00am Everton vs Arsenal (FSC Plus)
9:00am Palermo vs Catania (FSC)
11:00am Mallorca vs Deportivo La Coruña (ESPN Deportes)
11:00am Chelsea vs Sunderland (FSC)
11:00am Zaragoza vs Sevilla(GolTV)
1:00pm Sporting Gijon vs Real Madrid (GolTV)
2:30pm Inter Milan vs AC Milan (FSC)
3:00pm Valencia vs Getafe (ESPN Deportes)
3:00pm Olympique Lyonnais v Nice (FSC Plus)

Man love at the Manchester Derby

2010-11-11T14:20:00.000-05:00

I can barely find the words to describe this. It looks like Carlito is looking for a pot of gold up Rio's ass. Or simply a way in...

Here's a side view:

El Clásico to be contested on a MONDAY

2010-11-11T11:29:00.000-05:00

Barcelona, Real Madrid, and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) have agreed to move El Clásico to Monday, November 29th. On Sunday, the originally scheduled date of the match, Catalan elections are set to be held, and the local authorities had reservations about security for both occasions (and getting people to vote).

On the one hand, I completely understand why Barcelona did not want the game staged on Sunday. Although it would kick off around 10pm local time at the Camp Nou and polls would be long closed, there is the issue of security. At the stadium itself and around the city, there will be plenty of Madrileños aka targets for violence and vitriol. Security forces will need to be at their fullest capacity. The problem is, 10pm is around the time when results could come in. And even if they came in earlier, there is the issue of celebrations and election parties where security would also be necessary. Frankly, it's a logistical nightmare and the RFEF could ill afford risking a lax in security for one of the most heated derbies on Earth.

Then we have the RFEF itself who were, in my opinion, too weak to assert any influence here. We all know every decision made in this sport revolves around money, and nothing more. Not the supporters, not attendance levels, not the squads (and in some cases not even security). Money and revenue only. So how could the Federation allow the biggest, and most anticipated game on the planet, to be played on a workday?! When ratings will drop. When interest will dwindle. Catalans would have complained (or at least the candidates would have) were the game held on Sunday. And I doubt many people would have argued with their reasoning to do so. But the RFEF needs to do what is in the best interest of their league - a league with the potential to be the most exciting in Europe. This is their grand spectacle to the world, and most won't be able to watch.

You could say that having it on a Monday makes it even more engaging. They will have their own Clásico day. That's just crap though. Spain missed an opportunity here to reach a record number of televisions in every corner of the world. I can't think of a bigger inconvenience in history than this.

WAG Wednesday Part 12 - Gina Lisa Lohfink

2010-11-10T19:26:00.000-05:00

I know you are probably thinking from the name and photo that Gina Lisa must be a porn star name. Okay, so she may have released a sex tape in 2008 and featured in Playboy. HOWEVER, Lisa is a former contestant on Germany's Next Top Model and a notorious serial WAG.

Her current conquest is VfB Stuttgart's Ivorian left back Arthur Boka.

Lucky bastard:

WAG Wednesday Part 11 - Melissa Castagnoli

2010-11-10T09:07:00.000-05:00

Mario Ballotelli made his Premier League debut over the weekend with two goals and a red card. The Italian kicked out at an opponent prompting his marching orders, and a three match suspension which unfortunately rules him out of today's enormous derby with Manchester United.

In his absence over the next few weeks, it seems only fitting to feature his wonderfully adorable girlfriend today, Melissa Castagnoli. The 19 year old former Miss Italy finalist was once brutally attacked by another girl jealous of her looks, resulting in a broken nose and some bruises.

Looks like she found the right guy to prevent that from happening again any time soon.

A beautiful and unblemished Ms. Castagnoli after the jump:

Why England won't win Euro 2012

2010-11-09T15:29:00.000-05:00

Tactics, formations, players, subs, starters, weather, opponents. You can dissect them all and still not find the main reason England will not succeed at the European Championships in 2012.

All you need is this:

More goalie blunders

2010-11-09T11:35:00.000-05:00

Nobody wants to be a goalkeeper these days. Ever since Robert Green set the position on a tormenting downward spiral during the World Cup into levels of pathetic ineptitude we have not seen in years, other keepers appear to be falling down with him. From those bozos in Morocco, to Heurelho Gomes against Manchester United, to any keeper Arsenal has fielded, the blunders in the net have reached every corner of the globe.

I figured it would be easiest to condense some of these events, as they appear to take place every weekend in mass numbers. First up is another keeper getting too excited, too early. After watching his opponent lash the ball off the crossbar, the goalkeeper peeled away thanking the heavens. Little did he know, as apparently the penalty kick taker and the referee did, the ball ricocheted straight up into the air and bounced into the back of the net. His reaction upon realizing his mistake is priceless.

In Moldova, Edgars Gauračs (number 11) showed off his wily and cunning abilities for FC Sheriff Tiraspol. After his teammate missed a PK and the rebound, Gauračs quietly tip-toed out of the net, waiting for the keeper to get rid of the ball. Now, the goalie could have punted the ball instead of dropping it on the ground. He also could have LOOKED OVER HIS SHOULDER to make sure there were no stragglers behind him. Smart goalkeepers with awareness make that a habit like breathing.

You can imagine what happens next, Gauračs steals the ball immediately and slots home the goal.

Scouse in the City - Kim Cattrall attends Liverpool match

2010-11-09T10:29:00.000-05:00

Once a scouse, always a scouse. Kim Cattrall, better known as Samantha Jones having more than plenty of sex in the city, re-embraced her childhood roots by attending the Liverpool vs Chelsea match over the weekend at Anfield.

Liverpool captain Stevie Gerrard invited Cattrall as his guest to sit in his private box, just in front of the skipper's bodacious blonde wife, Alex Curran. And while Curran undoubtedly recognized the Sex in the City star, I can assure you the feeling wasn't mutual. I guess making the back pages for prancing around in Gucci handbags with your children dressed in Louis Vuitton outfits is not breaking news outside of England.

You're probably unaware of the fact that Cattrall was born in Liverpool and promptly relocated with her family to Canada at 3 months. However, she returned at the age of 11 when her grandmother became ill, until departing once again at the age of 16. The year of her departure saw Liverpool win the English First Division and UEFA Cup, a nice sending off for the aspiring actress.

Scheduled to perform in a production of Antony and Cleopatra in Liverpool's Playhouse theater, Cattrall could be seen belting out the club's anthem, "You'll Never Walk Alone" both before and after the match. And rightfully so, as her club defeated league leading Chelsea 2-0 off two splendid Fernando Torres goals.

More photos of Kim's afternoon after the jump:

(Photos courtesy of the Daily Mail)

It's raining tennis balls in Switzerland!

2010-11-08T14:33:00.000-05:00

We've seen protests in Greece by disgruntled supporters who resorted to vandalism and destruction of their own team's pitch to have games suspended or re-scheduled. Classless and pathetic to say the least. We've also seen supporters in Italy protest lunch time kick-offs by bringing packed lunches to the matches.

It appears the Swiss also have a knack for the creative and non-violent approach. On Sunday, Swiss television wished to broadcast the final of the Swiss indoor tennis tournament in addition to the match between FC Basel and FC Luzern, the top two teams in Switzerland's Super League. So, they moved the football match to an earlier than expected 12:45pm kick-off, much to the dismay of Basel fans.

Their response? Litter the field with tennis balls!! Ultras behind the goal heaved countless tennis balls onto the field, suspending the game for a few minutes until they were cleared.

You see? Lighting things on fire and trashing cities is not the only way to advertise your disgust and discontent. Sometimes a little humor goes a long way, and at the end of the day the Basel supporters left with a 90 minute equalizer to retain their lead atop the table, and no more balls for their mid-week tennis games at the gym.

Schweinsteiger's topless female doppelgänger

2010-11-08T11:52:00.000-05:00

Germany's Bild is running a doppelgänger campaign for a number of players and managers both in Germany and the rest of Europe. Of them all, the above takes first prize.

Bastian Schweinsteiger has never been cast in such embarrassing light, or at least not since he bleached his hair white to resemble Paul Bettany as Silas in The Da Vinci Code. Nor has Schweiny been one to flatter the cameras either (probably why he clings to his girlfriend at every opportunity).

I just hope that isn't a picture of his mother from her college years as a free-spirited topless sunbather surrounded by storm troopers in motorcycle boots (don't worry - she's actually a woman on a postcard in Ithaca, Greece and a creepy farmer with a handlebar mustache looking down on her.)

Click here and scroll down for the rest of the doppelgängers (FYI - the above picture isn't censored on the site).

Facebook has spoken: Puyol will play until 40

2010-11-05T12:43:00.000-04:00

About a month ago, reports claimed that Carles Puyol had confided in a friend that he would play until 40 if a Facebook group for the cause attracted 250,000 followers. Well, it appears the power of Facebook has succeeded once again.

As of today, November 5th, the group named Carles Puyol: "If this gets 250,000 I will retire at 40", has surpassed the benchmark and currently boasts 251,082 followers. Carles has not released an official statement as of yet, but Barcelona, Spanish, and giant hair supporters around the globe will be thrilled with the opportunity to watch the Rock of Gibraltar compete for another EIGHT years.

Why not? The guy still plays at an extremely high level and his partnership with Pique has grown exponentially in a relatively short period of time. He does not appear to be slowing, nor has Guardiola ceased to put him at right back when needed. It's safe to assume that Facebook or not, Puyol probably anticipated playing a few more seasons as long as injuries did not get in the way (and he has been pretty healthy over the past few years).

I attribute his endurance to Malena Costa - his young brand new, super hot girlfriend.

Must see matches of the weekend

2010-11-05T11:59:00.014-04:00

We've got a few derbies of note coming up. Midweek European hangovers will surely be in effect, taking the bite out of a number of clubs over the weekend (put ALL your money on Bolton to defeat Tottenham). Most people may see this weekend as simply a layover before the colossal tussle between Manchester United and Manchester City on Wednesday.

But don't sell it short! There is plenty of action you cannot miss over the next two days so let's get right into it starting with Liverpool and Chelsea.

LIVERPOOL VS CHELSEA (Sunday, 11:00am FSC)
Since Chelsea beat Liverpool in the 2009 Champions League Quarterfinals 7-5 on aggregate, both clubs have moved in completely different directions. Liverpool are lucky to currently sit mid-table after occupying relegation spots for much of the season, while Chelsea continue to march on atop the league. The past seven encounters have produced 24 goals. Liverpool need this one more, but Chelsea are much too good. Prediction: 3-1 Chelsea

REAL MADRID VS ATLETICO MADRID (Sunday, 3:00pm GolTV)
This is quite possibly one of the most lopsided derbies on the planet. Atletico last defeated their crosstown rival way back on October 30, 1999. Since returning to La Liga in 2003, they have played Real Madrid 17 times recording eleven defeats and six draws. Not to mention the fact that Mourinho has not lost a home league match since February 23, 2002 when Beira Mar beat Porto in his sixth game in charge. Still, there is absolutely no love lost between the clubs and for the first time in a very long time, Atletico have a European trophy to boast. For what it's worth, Madrid have played NOBODY to date in the league - every opponent sitting in the bottom half of the table. Rival journalists already prepared themselves with a foosball competition. Prediction: 2-1 Real Madrid

LAZIO VS ROMA - Derby della Capitale (Sunday, 9:00am FSC)
Speaking of no love lost, these two Roman clubs HATE each other. Francesco Totti, suspended for the match, has already began the pre-match "tough talk" claiming Roma will lose. Lazio currently sit top of the league and will remain there no matter what happens as they enjoy a four point lead over Inter. They will attempt to avenge a winless campaign against their crosstown rivals last season. Prediction: 2-2

PARIS ST GERMAIN VS MARSEILLES - Le Classique (Sunday, 3:00pm FSC Plus)
How hardcore is this derby? Away fans have been banned from traveling for both meetings this season, after violence has ravaged previous encounters. Marseilles has defeated their fierce rival the past four matches, but both clubs are moving their way towards the top of the table this season.

CARDIFF VS SWANSEA - (Sunday, 12:30pm - tape delay FSC Plus)
It is being dubbed the biggest south Wales derby in history - so much for lowered expectations. But why not?! Gareth Bale has put Wales on the map, Cardiff top the English Championship at the moment, and Swansea sit third. Both clubs have never sat so high in the table simultaneously for one of these clashes, as they attempt to move to England top flight together for the first time in history.

BARCELONA B VS VILLARREAL B - (Saturday, 1:00pm)
On first look, you may be wondering why I would mention a reserve team match between scrubs? Not the case folks. Spain allows B teams to compete in the main football system. These two sit in Spain's second division - and Barcelona actually hold 4th position which would qualify them for promotion playoffs. Not surprisingly, A and B teams cannot compete in the same league so the B squads simply play for pride and experience. A win could move Barcelona as high as 2nd.

Weekend Couch Guide

2010-11-05T09:05:00.000-04:00

Saturday, November 6
8:30am Bolton vs Tottenham (ESPN2)
10:40am Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Bayern Munich - joined in progress (ESPN Deportes)
11:00am Manchester United vs Wolverhampton (FSC)
11:00am Fulham vs Aston Villa (FSC Plus)
1:00pm Sunderland vs Stoke City - tape delay (FSC)
1:00pm Bologna vs Lecce (FSC Plus)
3:00pm Real Sociedad vs Racing Santander (GolTV)
3:30pm Inter Milan vs Brescia (GolTV)
4:00pm Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Bayern Munich - tape delay (ESPN Deportes)
5:00pm Blackpool vs Everton - tape delay (FSC Plus)
10:00pm Real Salt Lake vs FC Dallas - Western Conference Semifinal Leg 2 (FSC)

Sunday, November 7
6:30am Fiorentina vs Chievo (FSC Plus)
8:30am Arsenal vs Newcastle United (FSC Plus)
8:30am FC Utrecht vs. PSV Eindhoven (ESPN Deportes)
9:00am Lazio vs Roma (FSC)
11:00am Villarreal vs Athletic Bilbao (GolTV)
11:00am Liverpool vs Chelsea (FSC)
11:00am Levante vs. Deportivo La Coruña (ESPN Deportes)
12:30pm Cardiff City vs Swansea City- tape delay (FSC Plus)
1:00pm Getafe vs. Barcelona (ESPN Deportes)
1:00pm Stuttgart vs Werder Bremen - tape delay (GolTV)
2:30pm Palermo vs Genoa (FSC)
3:00pm Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid (GolTV)
3:00pm Paris Saint-Germain vs Marseille (FSC Plus)
5:00pm West Brom vs Manchester City- tape delay (FSC)
9:00pm Seattle Sounders FC vs. LA Galaxy - Western Conference Semifinal Leg 2 (ESPN)

Top 30 U-21 Players

2010-11-04T16:44:00.001-04:00

A Portuguese football finance company has released its list of the top 30 players under 21 years of age, and their minimum/maximum value. Many of you may think these numbers are low, but you've simply been brainwashed by the inflated and astronomical transfers fees we've seen over the past two years. I give a lot of credit to this company who gave an honest estimate on these players' worth - especially for kids no older than 21.

There are also a number of surprising names missing from this list, but after looking it over, a majority of the players who made the list have been performing at a high level for some time on both the club and international level. So in some ways you can reduce the list of names not on this list if looking at those credentials only.

Either way, think what you will of it. Here's a quick breakdown followed by the list itself:

Breakdown by Nationality
5 Brazilians
5 Spaniards
4 Germans
3 French
2 each from Italy, Belgium, England
1 each from Montenegro, Argentina, Bosnia, Greece, Denmark, Wales, Russia

Breakdown by League

6 Bundesliga (Germany)
5 each in Ligue 1 (France) and La Liga (Spain)
4 each in Serie A (Italy) and EPL (England)
3 Campeonato Brasileiro (Brazil)
1 each in Jupiler League (Belgium), Russian Premier League, Superleague (Greece)

Name / Place of Birth / Age / Club / Min Value / Max Value

1. Alexandre Pato – Brazil – 21 - Ac Milan - € 25,000,000 - € 40,000,000

2. Mario Balotelli – Italy – 20 - Manchester City - € 22,000,000 - € 33,000,000

3. Tomas Muller – Germany – 21 – B. Munich - € 18,500,000 - € 28,500,000

4. Stevan Jovetic – Montenegro – 20 – Fiorentina - € 14,000,000 - € 21,000,000

5. Eden Hazard – Belgium -19 – Lille - € 13,000,000 - € 19,000,000

6. Bojan Krkic – Spain – 20 – Barcelona - € 12,000,000€ - 18,000,000

7. Marko Marin – Germany – 21 - Werder Bremen - €11,000,000 - € 17,000,000

8. Neymar – Brazil- 18 – Santos - € 11,000,000 - € 17,000,000

9. Gareth Bale - Wales – 21 – Tottenham - € 10,500,000 - € 16,500,000

10. Javier Pastore – Argentina – 21 – Palermo - € 10,000,000 - € 15,000,000

11. Miralem Pjanic – Bosnia – 20 – Lyon - € 10,000,000 - € 15,000,000

12. Moussa Sissoko – France – 21 – Toulouse - € 10,000,000 - € 15,000,000

13. Toni Kroos – Germany – 20 - B Munich - € 9,500,000 - € 14,500,000

14. Simon Kjaer – Denmark – 21 – Wolfsburg - € 9,500,000 - € 14,500,000

15. Theo Walcott – England – 21 – Arsenal - € 9,500,000 - € 14,500,000

16. Jack Rodwell – England – 19 – Everton - € 9,500,000 - € 14,500,000

17. David De Gea – Spain – 19 - At.Madrid - € 9,500,000 - € 14,500,000

18. Alan Dzagoev – Russia – 20 - CSKA Moscow - € 9,500,000 - € 14,500,000

19. Holger Badstuber – Germany – 21 – B Munich - € 8,000,000 - € 12,000,000

20. Alvaro Dominguez – Spain – 21 - At.Madrid - € 8,000,000 - € 12,000,000

21. Ander Herrera – Spain – 21 – Zaragoza - € 8,000,000 - € 12,000,000

22. Romelu Lukaku – Belgium – 17 – Anderlecht - € 8,000,000 - € 12,000,000

23. Davide Santon - Italy – 19 – Internazionale - € 8,000,000€ - 12,000,000

24. Mamadou Sakho – France – 20 - Paris SG - € 7,500,000 - € 11,500,000

25. Breno – Brazil – 21 - Bayern Munich - € 6,500,000 - € 9,500,000

26. Sergio Canales – Spain – 19 - Real Madrid € 6,500,000 - € 9,500,000

27. Paul Goose – Brazil – 21 – Santos - € 6,500,000 - € 9,500,000

28. Giuliano – Brazil – 20 – International - € 6,500,000- € 9,500,000

29. Yann MVIL – France- 20 – Rennes - € 6,500,000 - € 9,500,000

30. Sotiria Ninis – Greece – 20 – Panathinaikos - € 6,000,000 - € 9,000,000

How many more screw ups before replay is introduced?

2010-11-04T15:06:00.002-04:00

As Pippo Inzaghi started his run, I screamed at Gattuso to get rid of the ball and play him through. Whether he didn't see his teammate or simply thought the ball would never reach the Pippo is anyone's guess. Regardless, when he finally released the ball, I got up to go to the bathroom as he had missed the opportunity and Inzaghi was visibly two yards offsides. Next thing I know, the commentator is screaming "Goooool" on my television screen - Milan had taken the lead.

If you watched the match, the error was crystal clear. Senile grandparents going blind could have seen the gap between Inzaghi and Madrid's back four. Nevertheless, Howard Webb's "world class" linesman kept his flag down for one of the worst offsides goals you will ever see. Football cannot continue like this.

As a fervent Barcelona supporter, I was thrilled to see the Madridistas cheated and robbed. As a football supporter though, I was shocked and humbled by the realization that this travesty could very well happen to my own team on any given day. Or to yours.

Even more vexing was the fact that up in the stands, sitting in the very best seat in the house, was UEFA President Michel Platini - the stubborn grump who paraded himself in front of the Scottish FA proclaiming the initiation of video replay would result in "Playstation football."

"The referee has to be helped by the clubs, the fans, by players, by the media and also by the authorities – everyone has a responsibility. It is why we have added two assistants for Champions League games this season. It is a logical step with so many cameras that can pick up incidents: the more eyes there are to assist the referee, the better the chance of spotting those incidents."

Logical step? Logic would state that the 5th official standing on the end-line would have an actual flag on his stick, and the ability to call fouls or handballs. Logic would state that with so many cameras providing extensive and numerous angles, video replay would be used. Logic would state that anything coming from Platini's mouth on the subject is moronic.

Do you want a logical recommendation to embrace technology? Baby steps. We can all agree it would be rather presumptuous and unrealistic to expect Sepp Blatter and Platini to allow video replay for everything immediately. Referees have a place in the game and their discretion must remain in tact (we cannot start overruling fouls and hand balls). Instead, start slowly. Start with something like offsides goals. The ebb and flow of the match would not be affected, as Platini often fears. In fact, the scoring team would probably waste more time celebrating at the corner flag than video replay would. Find the mistake, call the offsides, disallow the goal, and give the other team (in this case Madrid) a free kick at the spot.

The integrity of the sport is at stake here. Something must be done.

Where do you stand on the issue?

CR7 is a disgrace to this sport

2010-11-04T11:51:00.002-04:00

"Who is the best player on the planet: Messi or Ronaldo?"

You can produce volumes upon volumes of text debating this very topic. It is a question of football philosophy and personal preference. I will not attempt to defend one man against the other here (although my response should be quite obvious to you). What I will do, however, is expose the degenerate and disgusting aspect of Cristiano Ronaldo's game which should make any proper football fan loathe him.

There are plenty of athletes throughout sports who are cancers - Terrell Owens and Albert Haynesworth in the NFL, Manny Ramirez in baseball, Sean Avery in hockey. They are all excellent talents and add a competitive advantage to whichever team they play for. What they have in common though, is that all (or at least 95%) of the headaches they cause are off the field or on the sideline. When they have a chance to prove their doubters wrong, they enter the fray and give their all.

Ronaldo falls into a different category, which makes him a pathetic human being. His ability is mesmerizing. I'll give him that. But to give up on plays - to CHEAT the game itself by feinting injury and collapsing like a heap of bricks from the slightest of contact is an issue that will forever cement him as the second best player in the world. I don't care what happens during halftime, or in the dugout, or at a night club. But when you step on that pitch, and 10 other guys are relying on you to be an honest player and make the best decisions for the team, you owe it to them to act in an upstanding manner.

He is an unprofessional primma donna who attracts more viewers than any player on the planet, and conversely plays into the very reason most people hate the sport.

Yellow cards are given for diving. Why not the above clip? The minute Ronaldo gets up and reveals he is unblemished in an attempt to deceive the referee, give him a card!! No medic, no stretcher, no blood, no magic spray, no limp. Nothing. He is trying to cheat the ref and the game. That is a card-able offense.

Say what you will about his shooting, and speed, and sexy looks, and stepovers (which get him nowhere 90% of the time). The bottom line is, he is a disgrace to football. Lifting a Balon d'Or and being nominated for the most prestigious awards year after year carries with it an expectation of professionalism. The poster boy of the sport, should act in a way that reflects the dignity of the sport.

He doesn't. And he should never earn your respect.

UCL Matchday 4 Day 2 Top Goals

2010-11-04T11:26:00.000-04:00

They may not be the best goals you've ever seen, and there may not be very many, but they were tops for the day. Only three made the cut:

Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea) vs Spartak Moscow

Gabriel Heinze (Marseilles) vs MSK Zilina

Pinheiro Moisés (Braga) vs Partizan Belgrade

WAG Wednesday Part 10 - Abbey Clancy

2010-11-03T11:04:00.000-04:00

One of my favorites, Abigail Rose "Abbey" Clancy is a luxurious lingerie model and quite the eye popper. She is currently carrying what I can only imagine is a gumby-like figure in her stomach as she and fiance Peter Crouch are expecting a child in March. Crouch is that gangly a-hole who cheated on Abbey a few months ago with some extremely ugly tramps. Forgetting for a moment that they were ugly, why on earth would he ever cheat on her?!?! Some guys would part with limbs just to get an hour with her in the bedroom (although that might be a littttle too extreme even for me).

But hey, this column is not meant to judge character flaws and commitment issues - just bodies. So as far as Abbey is concerned, she gets an A++.

Pep Guardiola and Stale Solbakken almost come to blows

2010-11-03T09:12:00.001-04:00

I love my manager - one of the classiest and humble perfectionists on the planet, who always takes the high road and never gets mired in the childlike banter many managers employ. However last night, Guardiola's patience reached its breaking point as the Barcelona manager confronted FC Copengan's Stale Solbakken in a very heated exchange that almost got physical. Apparently, Guardiola was pissed at Solbakken for attempting to infringe on the Barcelona man's unflappable sense of style - shaved head and stubble, scarf, tapered coat, tie, and vest. It is a look that sends shivers down my spine every time I see Pep on the sideline. However, the Copenhagen man wears it with a little less class and sets an extremely bad example for that look...

Okay, I only wish that was the issue at hand. But in all seriousness, Solbakken had made a number of remarks before the match in reference to José Manuel Pinto, the Barcelona keeper suspended two matches by UEFA for unsportsmanlike conduct after he imitated the referee's whistle to stop a Copenhagen player from advancing on a break-away, who thought the ref blew for offsides and stopped playing. In an unprecedented scene in the career of one of the quieter managers, Pep stood up for his man.

(Details of the exchange and the video after the jump)

"Ask him (Solbakken) what happened, he knows how to manipulate the media very well," Guardiola barked after the incident. "I think he has behaved very badly in this situation."

Before the match, Solbakken made comments to the extent that Pinto's suspension was not enough.

"What he cannot do is ask for a four-match ban for Pinto and say that Pinto is a bad apple," Guardiola said.

"Pinto is a player who goes in for fair play and he's an important part of our dressing room...I don't think a coach should do something like that."

The Copenhagen manager, on the other hand, tried to douse the flames by saying everything was taken out of context, and that his remarks were simply bad humor.

"I don't care if Pinto is sitting on the bench or on the sofa at home. We wanted to protect Cesar because he looked stupid and had a bad time after that."

"After we had shaken hands he started to say something about UEFA and I think he meant the whistling incident," said Solbakken.

"I said that he (Pinto) should have got five games, that was just a bad Norwegian joke...Maybe he doesn't understand Norwegian humour, I'll have to take that on me...I really respect Guardiola, he's one of the finest coaches but I think he was told something wrong."

Norwegian humor my ass. At least stand behind what you said. But as for Guardiola, watching that video should put an huge smile on any Barcelona supporter's face. Not that we ever doubted his passion and obsession with winning. But it's always nice to see the man in charge lose his cool (finally!) and confront an opponent in defense of his players.

UCL Matchday 4 Day 1 Top Goals

2010-11-02T23:30:00.000-04:00

Highlighting the best goals from Tuesday's Champions League action. Not too shabby.

Samuel Eto'o (Inter Milan) vs Tottenham

Rafael Van Der Vaart (Tottenham) vs Inter Milan

Gabriel Obertan (Manchester United) vs Bursaspor

Fábio Coentrão (Benfica) vs Lyon #1

Fábio Coentrão (Benfica) vs Lyon #2

Yoann Gourcuff (Lyon) vs Benfica

Stop, drop, and roll

2010-11-02T13:24:00.000-04:00

Over the years, we've witnessed some jaw dropping spectacles on the field. From goal celebrations, to pre-match rituals, to violent confrontations among players and/or fans, the sport has produced moments etched in history which leave every viewer wondering, "what the fuck just happened?!"

This video, for me, could very well be my top "wtf" moment (it's a close contest with toothbrush guy from the Chelsea match).

In a match televised around the world, Lisen battled Jihlava B in an epic Czech 3rd division tussle. Already up 3-0, the Lisen players decided to add a little fun to their romp. As one of the center-backs booted the ball in the air, someone on the sidelines screamed out "Kotoul," or "roll" at which point the entire team dropped into a forward roll.

Granted this was a 3rd division match, the stunt was actually somewhat humorous, and I would imagine most of the players are part time professionals. However, as an opponent, I would have pummeled every player on the Lisen squad - both on the field and in the dugout. There is a certain level of respect that this game warrants, and the Lisen players showed none. It's one thing to celebrate a goal while the game is stopped. But during the run of play?! They deserved a proper ass kicking.

U-S-A!! U-S-A!!

2010-11-01T13:50:00.000-04:00

It was a great weekend to be an American playing football abroad. Marcus Hahnemann helped Wolves secure only their second victory of the season in a shocker against Manchester City. It should be noted that of City's 19 shots, only two were on goal - and one of those got past him. Either way, Hahnemann gets a victory no matter how many stops he made.

Now to Craven Cottage where the most in-form American can't stop scoring. Clint Dempsey netted a brace in Fulham's 2-0 over Wigan. He has now tallied four goals this season, and very much on pace to better his total of seven all of last season. I would imagine a number of Americans cringed at the sight of Dempsey's embrace with Carlos Salcido. The Mexican international frustrated Wigan all game, wreaking havoc down the left side and setting up Dempsey's first. For what it's worth, this pair could be extremely menacing for opponents going forward. Highlights of both goals right this way.

One of the continent's big matches took place in Belgium as league leaders Racing Genk hosted second place Anderlicht. And wouldn't you know, Sacha Kljestan opened the scoring for the visitors with a poacher's goal. Kljestan signed a four year deal with the Belgian champions and has scored twice in five appearances (the first came in his debut for the club). Sacha's goal here.

MORE goals from Maurice Edu, and luckily not for the other team. The Rangers man put the home side up 1-0 against Inverness Caledonian Thistle (arguably the best name of any team on the planet). Edu showed great composure rifling the ball on the volley past the goalkeeper. Perhaps the best of all the American goals this weekend.

And although it was midweek, we should give Jozy Altidore a shout-out. The big striker who has struggled to impress anywhere in the past year finally scored for Villarreal in a Copa del Rey match. Playing time has been sparse for Altidore with his New Jersey counterpart Giuseppe Rossi and Nilmar being the preferred strikers. Let's hope this goal is the start of something good for him.

And while we are on the subject of American goals, remember when Landon scored that winner in the World Cup? This montage never gets old.

Beach. Football. Women.

2010-10-29T15:56:00.000-04:00

A nice little video to take you into the weekend. The title pretty much explains everything you need to know.

Happy Halloween to you all!

(Thanks to The Spoiler for the video)

Halloween hell - a torrent weekend of must see matches

2010-10-29T11:35:00.001-04:00

WHAT. A. WEEKEND. AHEAD. Tricks and treats for everyone. After what was a rather boring weekend of football last week, the next two days are sure to be memorable in many respects: Two of the most famous and fiercely contested derbies in England. One of the most fiercely contested derby in Europe. Five - that's right - five top leagues will see #1 face #2. Pretenders will attempt to stake their claim as contenders.

Have I wet your appetite enough? Sit back and lick your chops as we preview the matches that will set this weekend alight.

Let's start with in the top leagues:

MANCHESTER UNITED VS TOTTENHAM (Saturday, 12:30pm FSC)
Rooney's back...on the injury list. In his stead, Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez has filled the void quite nicely scoring three goals in his last two games (one of them a winner in the Carling Cup). Can Berbatov continue his fine run of form? Back in North London, Hawwy's boys sit two places and two points below United in fifth. Plain and simple, they need a spark. After an emotional triumph in Milan (albeit they lost the match) , they came home to a painfully dull draw against Everton. However, Tottenham defeated both Villa and Fulham before that. In any event, Van der Vaart will get to show the Manchester faithful what they missed out on. The way he's playing, you'd have to fancy Tottenham. Oh, and that Bale guy? He's pretty decent as well. Whoever plays at right back for United will get toasted quite easily. United has yet to lose at home, but I think that will change tomorrow. Prediction: 2-1 Tottenham

BARCELONA VS SEVILLA (Saturday, 4:00pm ESPN Deportes)
I love when these two clubs meet. The speed which Sevilla possess make for intriguing offensive forays against Barcelona's high defensive line. Coming off a riveting win over Bilbao 4-3, and a midweek thrashing of 4-0 in the league cup, Sevilla appear willing and able to go for it. I wish I could say the same for my Blaugrana. It's been edge of your seat watching them this season. Scoring, consistency, and fluidity have been terribly difficult to come by. However, and I've said it many times yet I always emerge justified, these are the matches Barcelona get up for - the matches to silence the critics and reclaim their place as the world's best. Sevilla will give it a fight, but Barcelona will probably overwhelm them (Sevilla has only won six times in 66 visits to the Camp Nou). Prediction: 3-1 Barcelona

AC MILAN VS JUVENTUS (Saturday, 2:30pm FSC)
It's always a roller coaster when the greats in Italy face off, and this will hopefully be one of them. Juventus is on a relatively good run of form recently, and look to climb the table where they currently sit in fifth. Meanwhile, Milan will be looking for three points to leapfrog league leaders Lazio. But is Milan truly for real? Are these orthopedic hips and surgically repaired knees running around the field going to hold up? At least Robinho looks fresh and Ibrahimovic can't stop scoring. Ronaldinho will be absent as will Milos Krasic, Amauri, and Vincenzo Iaquinta for Juventus. The Old Lady earned an extremely boring draw at the San Siro against Inter a few weeks back. They'll need to score this time to emerge with points. Prediction: 3-2 Milan

#1 MAINZ VS #2 BORUSSIA DORTMUND (Sunday, 10:30am ESPN3 - catch it on tape delay at 2:00 on ESPN Deportes)
If you have not watched a single Bundesliga match this year, you're an idiot. Not only do they boast the highest average attendance in Europe, but tickets are available for the top clubs for extremely affordable prices. Supporters are happy and the intensity on the pitch is unrivaled. Then there's Mainz - the darlings who tied the best start in the league's history with seven wins on the trot. And Dortmund, the team which has scored more goals than anyone else and has conceded the fewest. Oh, both teams sit 1 and 2, five points clear of third place. Do your best to watch this match. Both are coming off shocking midweek defeats in the league cup to second and third division clubs, so there should be a fire brewing on both sides. Prediction: 2-2

ASTON VILLA VS BIRMINGHAM (Sunday, 11:30am FSC Plus)
England's second city derby is always tasty. Ultimate pride is on the line at Villa Park as Birmingham seek their first win since 2005. They've lost the previous six encounters.

NEWCASTLE VS SUNDERLAND (Sunday, 9:30am FSC Plus)
The 142nd Tyne-Wear. This northeast derby always packs an extra punch, in a region of the most ardent and start-raving mad football supporters in England.

#1 PSV EINDHOVEN VS #2 FC TWENTE (Saturday, 6:00pm ESPN Deportes)
Ibrahim Afellay is the main reason not to miss this match. The most sought after 24 year old in Europe at the moment, who has scored six goals in ten matches. He recently announced he'd like to leave at the end of the season and Barcelona is already nipping at his heels.

Now for the rest of the weekend's darlings:

#1 MARSEILLES VS #2 RENNES
#1 PANATHINAIKOS VS #2 OLYMPIAKOS - "Derby of the Eternal Enemies" "Mother of all Battles" Call it what you will but you can bet that riot gear and extra police will be necessities.
#1 RACING GENK VS #2 ANDERLECHT
#3 BREST VS #4 ST. ETIENNE

Weekend Couch Guide

2010-10-29T10:24:00.000-04:00

Friday, October 29
2:30pm Bayern Munich vs Freiburg (GolTV)
2:30pm Genoa vs Inter Milan (FSC Plus)

Saturday, October 30
9:30am Wolfsburg vs Stuttgart (GolTV)
10:00am Blackburn vs Chelsea (ESPN2)
10:00am Arsenal vs West Ham (FSC)
10:00am Wolverhampton vs Manchester City (FSC Plus)
12:00pm Valencia vs Zaragoza (ESPN Deportes)
12:00pm Roma vs Lecce (FSC Plus)
12:30pm Manchester United vs Tottenham (FSC)
2:00pm Hercules vs Real Madrid (GolTV)
2:30pm AC Milan vs Juventus (FSC)
4:00pm Barcelona vs Sevilla (ESPN Deportes)
5:00pm FC Dallas vs Real Salt Lake - Western Conference Semifinal (FSC)
6:00pm PSV Eindhoven vs FC Twente - tape delay (ESPN Deportes)
7:30pm Everton vs Stoke City - tape delay (FSC)
8:00pm Fulham vs Wigan - tape delay (FSC Plus)

Sunday, October 31
7:30am Palermo vs Lazio (FSC Plus)
9:30am Newcastle United vs Sunderland (FSC Plus)
10:00am Brescia vs Napoli (FSC)
11:30am Aston Villa vs Birmingham - tape delay (FSC Plus)
12:00pm Deportivo La Coruña vs Espanyol (ESPN Deportes)
12:00pm Bolton vs Liverpool (FSC)
12:00pm Sporting Gijon vs Villarreal (GolTV)
2:00pm Mainz vs. Borussia Dortmund - tape delay (ESPN Deportes)
2:00pm Atletico Madrid vs Almeria (GolTV)
3:30pm Catania vs Fiorentina (FSC)
4:00pm Montpellier vs Paris Saint-Germain (FSC Plus)
4:00pm Hoffenheim vs Hannover 96 (GolTV)

Most lucrative shirt sponsorships in Europe

2010-10-29T10:05:00.000-04:00

UK based SPORT+MARKT has released its 12th annual European Football Jersey Report - evaluating and ranking the most lucrative shirt sponsorships in Europe for the current season. Not surprisingly, the Premier League regained first place over Germany while Spain, arguably the most indebted of the big leagues in Europe, sits in fifth. Such deals may not solve all your problems, but they serve as a vital source of revenue for certain clubs. These numbers should also come as a warning to certain leagues (ahem - Spain) that they may need to try a bit harder in order to garner enthusiasm and worldwide popularity, or face perilous economic decisions.

Top revenue generating leagues:

1. English Premier League- €128 million (€83.5 million last year)
2. German Bundesliga - €118.5 million (€108.6 million last year)
3. Italian Serie A - €65.9 million (the only league to record a revenue drop)
4. French Ligue 1 - €58.8 million
5. Spanish La Liga - €57.5 million (€48.6 million last year)

6. Dutch Eredivisie - €42 million

Top revenue generating clubs:

1. Manchester United and Aon - €23.6 million
2. Liverpool and Standard Chartered bank - €23.6 million
3. Real Madrid and Bwin - €23 million
4. Bayern Munich and Deutsche Telekom - €22 million
5. Chelsea and Samsung - - €16.3 million

More food for thought:

- La Liga - why are you so dumb?! On the one hand, the Spanish currently sit atop the world and european football thrones so why the pressure to do more? However, their period of greatness will soon dissipate and reality will set in. Barcelona, the most popular team on the planet at the moment, is in serious debt and has never worn a sponsor until 2006. However, Barcelona pays UNICEF to the tune of €1.5 million a year. It is inexcusable for La Liga to sit in 5th position.

- Lazio and Fiorentina, two of the bigger clubs in Italy, do not have sponsorship deals.

- Getafe is still sponsored by Burger King.

The curse of goalkeeping in North Africa

2010-10-27T16:04:00.001-04:00

What is it with North African goalkeepers? Are they all really this dumb? Remember Khalid Askri of FAR Rabat? The keeper for the Moroccan club side celebrated stopping a penalty kick a bit too early, and then realized the ball rolled into the net behind him. A few weeks later, Askri tried dribbling away from a defender only to have the ball tackled directly into the net. He subsequently took himself out of the game in a fury.

Now, a new keeper wishes to top the list of bonehead plays.

Nadim Thabet, goalkeeper for Étoile Sportive du Sahel in Tunisia, decided on his own that the ball went over the end-line. Little did he know it was still in play, and upon retrieving a new ball from behind the net for a goal kick, he realized his blunder. Luckily, one of his defenders heroically defended the empty net and prevented Thabet from being tarred and feathered in the town square afterwards.

I think Arsene Wenger has found the right place to ship off every pathetic goalkeeper he's had since Lehmann.

WAG Wednesday Part 9 - Michela Quattrociocche

2010-10-27T14:56:00.000-04:00

This adorable 21 year old was only recently granted permission to drink booze in the United States, although I'm sure Alberto Aquilani bought her plenty before that point. Luckily for Michela, Alberto has been loaned out to Juventus this season so she need not worry about spending the year in beautiful and picturesque Liverpool.

A Mediterranean climate and a Mediterranean diet for a tight Mediterranean body:

Platini claims goal-line technology will lead to "PlayStation football"

2010-10-27T11:24:00.000-04:00

Michel Platini is an idiot. Plain and simple. His remarks regarding the use of goal-line are completely irrational inasmuch as they are rooted in a prehistoric mentality that football has been, and always should be decided by human ~~error~~. Platini told the Scottish FA's website on a visit to Glasgow that should FIFA initiate the use of video replay, "then we will have PlayStation football."

Platini believes that two extra officials on the end line are more than enough to assist the referees. He continued:

"The referee has to be helped by the clubs, the fans, by players, by the media and also by the authorities – everyone has a responsibility. It is why we have added two assistants for Champions League games this season. It is a logical step with so many cameras that can pick up incidents: the more eyes there are to assist the referee, the better the chance of spotting those incidents."

Did anyone else not catch the bullshit here? The "logical step" with such advanced and extensive video capabilities is to add another referee?! If it is the duty of everyone to help the referees, shouldn't we allow video evidence to prevent their screw-ups, which sometimes lead to death threats and violent reprisals by fans?!

Apparently not. Platini wants to save these officials by simply adding more, so that when they miss calls, which they inevitably will, we can still say we did everything possible to help them. Got it.

Now forgive me for my ignorance, but that extra referee on the end-line is an extra pair of eyes? If you've watched Champions League and Europa League matches then you will know that the extra officials do absolutely nothing. They don't even have flags on their sticks!! (In the case of the official pictured below, he doesn't even have a stick...) Clear cut fouls or dives in the box go completely by the wayside with these extra officials. They stand there like statues. And if their role is simply to see if the ball has crossed the end-line, then what exactly is the point of their existence on the field? What are they doing that video replay can't?

At least Playstation gets the calls right.

In Memorium - Paul the Octopus 2008-2010

2010-10-27T09:24:00.002-04:00

Since Paul never had a chance to complete his will, please help determine what should be done with him by answering the question above.

Are or you're an asshole, you can start following Maradona on Twitter who supposedly wrote "I'm glad you're dead" in response to Paul's passing.

WAG Wednesday Part 8 - Sarah Brandner

2010-10-27T09:12:00.000-04:00

Here's another one of those head-scratchers. With all do respect to the abilities of Bastian Schweinsteiger who is a phenomenal player, the bleached hair and his overall gentlemanly look don't really flatter. And yet, he has dated the very sensual, blonde bombshell Sarah Brandner for some time.

She looks good in pictures with him. She looks good at World Cup matches. She looks even BETTER double fisting two beers at World Cup matches. I guess you could say, she's pretty good looking.

Barcelona arrives in style

2010-10-26T15:13:00.000-04:00

About a month ago, I mind-numbingly outlined the issues surrounding Barcelona's predicament in traveling to Ceuta for today's Copa del Rey match. Ceuta, as you may or may not know, sits on the northern tip of Africa across the Straight of Gibralter. Well after a quick flight south, they chose the most flamboyant of means of transportation. Like kings, the team crossed the Straight in a helicopter and landed at their own little helipad.

Hey, when you're the best, you deserve the best.

Sociedad players celebrate in a car

2010-10-26T10:43:00.000-04:00

Move over Stjarnan - there's a new sheriff in town taking goal celebrations to the next level. Real Sociedad, mired in relegation, took an easy three points off pathetic Deportivo la Coruna on Monday, and in the process produced a celebration to be remembered.

Already up 1-0, Antoine Griezmann headed home Sociedad's second and immediately ran to the meaningless running track behind the goal. Awaiting him was a car on display with doors ajar. Once the rest of the carpool arrived, everyone jumped in for a scene straight out of the Flinstones.

You must credit the creativity, as I'm sure these players are aware of the cars sitting back there every match. It would have been nice if he threw it into neutral and took the car for a nice 10 foot joy ride. Although from the looks of it, Griezmann is not the most relaxed behind the wheel.

Chinese cartoons of Liverpool

2010-10-22T09:55:00.002-04:00

You gotta love the Chinese. Check out their cartoon rendition of Gillett and Hicks' takeover of Liverpool, its demise, and eventual sale.

Courtesy of The Telegraph

Weekend Couch Guide

2010-10-22T09:07:00.001-04:00

Friday, October 22
2:30pm Hamburg vs Bayern Munich (ESPN Deportes)

Saturday, October 23
7:30am Tottenham vs Everton (ESPN2)
9:30am Borussia Monchengladbach vs Werder Bremen (GolTV)
10:00am Chelsea vs Wolverhampton (FSC)
10:00am Sunderland vs Aston Villa (FSC Plus)
12:00pm Zaragoza vs Barcelona (GolTV)
12:30pm West Ham vs Newcastle (FSC)
2:00pm Real Madrid vs Racing Santander (ESPN Deportes)
2:30pm Fiorentina vs Bari (FSC)
4:00pm Valencia vs Mallorca (GolTV)
5:00pm West Brom vs Fulham - tape delay (FSC)
6:00pm Birmingham vs Blackpool - tape delay (FSC)

Sunday, October 24
6:30am Parma vs Roma (FSC Plus)
8:30am Stoke City vs Manchester United (FSC)
8:30am PSV Eindhoven vs Feyenoord (ESPN Deportes)
9:00am Bologna vs Juventus (FSC Plus)
11:00am Manchester City vs Arsenal (FSC)
11:00am Almeria vs Hercules (ESPN Deportes)
1:00pm Sevilla vs Athletic Bilbao(GolTV)
2:30pm Inter Milan vs Sampdoria (FSC)
3:00pm Lille vs Marseille (FSC Plus)
3:00pm Villarreal vs Atlético Madrid (ESPN Deportes)
5:00pm Liverpool vs Blackburn - tape delay (FSC)
5:00pm Bayer Leverkusen vs Mainz- tape delay (GolTV)

Rooney isn't making many friends

2010-10-21T16:22:00.001-04:00

United fans were none too pleased to hear of their star striker's intention to leave the club, and made their opinions known last night.

UCL Matchday 3, Day 2 Top Goals

2010-10-21T11:06:00.001-04:00

After Tuesday's display, one would think the bar was set a bit high for the best goals of the week. However, yesterday saw a bit more finesse and technique which, for the purists like myself, are just as impressive as thunderous volleys.

Not to mention one of the most impressive hat tricks you will ever see on this level:

Gareth Bale (Tottenham) hat trick vs Inte

Dejan Stankovic (Inter Milan) vs Tottenham

Nani (Manchester United) vs Bursaspor

Messi (Barcelona) vs Copenhagen

Jurado (Schalke) vs Hapoel Tel-Aviv

Turkish Airlines unveils Manchester United in-flight entertainment

2010-10-20T15:27:00.000-04:00

Flying Turkish Airlines just got MUCH cooler.

WAG Wednesday Part 7 - Malena Costa

2010-10-20T15:26:00.000-04:00

We're kicking it Spanish WAG style today. Next up - Malena Costa, the charming and adorable girlfriend of one of the most unattractive men in the game today - Carles Puyol. Don't get me wrong, I love the guy for everything he has given to Barcelona. But you can't argue with the evidence: here, here, and here.

But who cares what I think? As they say, looks aren't everything. It's obviously about fame and fortune and sugar daddies, of which Puyol can boast all three characteristics.

Whatever you do Carles, don't let this chick get away:

Four players drugged by rival opponents

2010-10-20T10:02:00.000-04:00

I've heard of fans sabotaging their own stadiums, or attacking team buses before and after the match. But this recent development trumps them all by a long shot. Sport Áncash faced off against Acosvinchos in the Peruvian Second Division in a crucial promotion match, and the visitors made sure their local rivals didn't gain an advantage to reach the top tier of Peruvian football. It appears that the kit-men dropped sleeping pills into a number of water bottles, causing four Acosvinchos players to collapse unconscious during the match. Sport Áncash went on to win 3-0 and secure promotion.

Upon further testing at the hospital, doctors confirmed the presence of a drug causing a neurological condition that decreases a person's level of consciousness (aka sleeping pills). Acosvinchos directors are demanding an investigation and the match forfeited in their favor.

Sport Áncash president Pepe Mallqui responded with his own interpretation that a big meal before the match caused the players to collapse:

"They ate barbecued chicken with spices and ended up taking indigestion tablets afterwards. I'm sure these four men fainted because of that and the physical effort they put in."

Just like Alberto Contador tested positive for performance enhancing drugs because of bad meat?

Give me a break. Blaming spicy chicken, a players' digestive track, and lack of fitness as a triumvirate triple conspiracy is one of the worst excuses I've ever heard. They should replay the match, but have both teams stuff their faces with a BBQ chicken buffet beforehand. You know, level the playing field a bit.

WAG Wednesday Part 6 - Zaira Nara

2010-10-20T00:22:00.009-04:00

Zaira Nara is an Argentine model and the girlfriend of Atletico Madrid's Diego Forlan - a guy with 123 goals in his last 212 club appearances. A guy with at least 16 goals in each of the past four seasons. Needless to say he's got the goods, and deserves the goods that come with being a superstar.

In fact, the contract of their relationship requires him to score double digit goals each season or else she'll ditch him for a more prolific scorer. Don't you just hate high maintenance chicks?

I guess I can make an exception for her based on the following:

UCL Matchday 3, Day 1 Top Goals

2010-10-19T23:46:00.003-04:00

If you're seeking delicate footwork, finesse, or sleek interplay, look elsewhere. The best of yesterday's goals had a common theme - violence and power. Thunderous volleys from set pieces. Thunderous volleys from the field of play. And the poor goalies left helpless in their wake.

Video evidence after the jump:

Yuri Zhirkov (Chelsea) vs CSKA Moscow:

Alexander Frei (Basel) vs Roma:

Demy de Zeeuw (Ajax) vs Auxerre:

Lima (Braga) vs Partizan Belgrade:

Valter Birsa (Auxerre) vs Ajax:

Samuel Inkoom (Basel) vs Roma:

Kick to the nuts gets 4 match suspension

2010-10-19T14:05:00.000-04:00

Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder Juan Arango has been suspended four matches after kicking Hoffenheim's Sejad Salihović over the weekend. A deserved straight red and an even more deserved suspension.

But just watch Salihović. The kick doesn't even hurt him!! After impact, he remains on his feet unharmed until falling like a sack of bricks a few seconds later. Arango knows it too.

So either Salihović wore a chastity belt or he's got no balls. Pretty pathetic either way.

Fat Ronaldo returns with a BANG

2010-10-15T10:53:00.000-04:00

Fat Ronaldo, sidelined with an injury and incessant trips to McDonalds, held a press conference yesterday to announce his intentions of returning to the field for Corinthians this weekend.

At the conclusion of his remarks, Ronaldo lit a smoke bomb on stage with a little shit-smirk on his face. He later explained, "It was given to me by a comedian. I play poorly, and then disappear into the mist."

Well that sure is promising for Corinthians fans. The guy is already making his own jokes about how bad he'll be when he returns to the field! Unfortunately for Ronaldo, he may need a little bit more than smoke to make his plump frame disappear. Something more along the lines of fruits and vegetables might do...

Matches you can't miss this weekend

2010-10-15T10:15:00.000-04:00

Club football is finally back!! After a rather dreadful international break which would have been even worse had the Liverpool saga not entertained us, clubs finally return to the trenches for battle. There are two monster affairs taking place this weekend which you surely cannot miss. We begin, of course, with the biggest monster of them all on Merseyside.

EVERTON VS LIVERPOOL (Sunday, 8:30am Fox Soccer Plus)
Could the gods have set this up any better for us? As Liverpool trudge along with the sale of the club to NESV, which should go through today, they must now prepare themselves for their most bitter of rivals across Stanley Park. Throw out the record books this Sunday - previous head-to-head encounters mean nothing. Performances this season mean nothing since both teams stink. Who would have thought this match would be a relegation 6 pointer? Liverpool sit in the drop zone while Everton, who are even on points but enjoy a better goal differential, lie one spot ahead of their rivals in 16th. It's safe to say Everton are much better than their record would tell you, since they begin every season terribly. Liverpool on the other hand are as bad as their record shows. Most of their transfer acquisitions over the summer have been duds and Torres cannot remain healthy. And after all the anti-American vitriol spewed from the mouths of Liverpool supporters, they finally got their wish and now must turn all their attention to the field. Unfortunately, new owners won't bring them out of this relegation fight any time soon. Prediction: 2-1 Everton

BARCELONA VS VALENCIA (Sunday, 12:00pm ESPN Deportes)
The league leaders are coming to town...and it's not Barcelona. Yup, Valencia have defied every preseason prediction after losing the spine of their club, and sit top of the table with an unblemished away record to boast. Meanwhile, things are not very rosy in the Camp Nou. Xavi is expected to miss this match while David Villa is trying to stay healthy ahead the reunion with his old club. Their home form has been dreadful to say the least, 1-1-1. While many people would say this is one of those games where Barcelona is prime for the taking, I would have to completely disagree. We have seen all too often over the past few years in any competition that when Barcelona need to win, they produce the kind of performance that squashes any doubt of who is the best team on the planet. Sunday will be one of those days (or at least it needs to be!) Prediction: 2-0 Barcelona

MAINZ VS HAMBURG (Saturday, 9:30am)
The hosts and surprising league leaders go for history tomorrow. A win would be eight in eight, a new record for the Bundesliga. Aside from that, Mainz are a very entertaining side to watch and have one of the most lively and energetic managers of any club in Europe.

AC MILAN VS CHIEVO (Saturday, 12:00pm Fox Soccer Plus)
An interesting match as 4th place Milan host 5th place Chievo. With the superstars peppering the Milan roster, any match of theirs is must see theater. But they have yet to look convincing since the arrivals of Ibrahimovic and Robinho. This will be a great litmus test for how good Milan truly are.

SCHALKE VS STUTTGART (Saturday, 9:30am)
A battle of the losers for teams that finished 2nd and 6th respectively last season. They now occupy the very bottom of the Bundesliga table. Let's just hope one, if not both of these teams can turn it around.

Weekend Couch Guide

2010-10-15T09:10:00.000-04:00

Friday, October 15
2:00pm Cologne vs Dortmund (GolTV)

Saturday, October 16
9:30am Bayern Munich vs Hannover (GolTV)
10:00am Arsenal vs Birmingham (FSC)
10:00am Fulham vs Tottenham (FSC+)
10:00am Manchester United vs West Brom (ESPN2)
12:00pm AC Milan vs Chievo (FSC+)
12:00pm Atletico Madrid vs Getafe (GolTV)
12:30pm Aston Villa vs Chelsea (FSC)
2:00pm Barcelona vs Valencia (ESPN Deportes)
2:30pm Roma vs Genoa (FSC)
3:50pm Malaga vs Real Madrid (GolTV)
4:00pm Wolverhampton vs West Ham (FSC+)
8:30pm Newcastle vs Wigan - tape delay (FSC)

Sunday, October 17
2:00am Gold Coast United vs Adelaide United (FSC)
6:30am Cagliari vs Inter Milan (FSC+)
8:30am Everton vs Liverpool (FSC+)
8:30am Willem II vs PSV Eindhoven (ESPN Deportes)
9:00am Juventus vs Lecce (FSC)
11:00am Blackpool vs Manchester City (FSC)
11:00am Deportivo La Coruña vs Osasuna (ESPN Deportes)
11:30am Hoffenheim vs Borussia Monchenglasbach (GolTV)
1:00pm Athletic Bilbao vs Real Zaragoza (ESPN Deportes)
2:30pm Bari vs Lazio (FSC)
3:00pm Sporting Gijon vs Sevilla (GolTV)
3:00pm Lyon vs Lille (FSC+)

Chile's 33 miners finally taste freedom - so who do they all support?

2010-10-14T09:06:00.000-04:00

Unless you're an idiot living in a dark hole, you probably heard the miraculous news out of Chile as all 33 miners were finally brought to the surface after two months and nine days underground. Well, now that they are healthy and free, it's back to the pub on weekends to watch their clubs compete in the Chilean Primera División. Who do they all support? I thought you'd never ask.

We must start with Franklin Lobos, the former Chilean footballer and the 27th man lifted out of the mine. He bounced around quite often throughout his career - ten teams over fifteen years. His only title came in 1983 winning promotion to the first division with Cobresal - coincidentally a team from a mining region with a miner's helmet on the crest. Upon exiting the capsul, Lobos was presented with a signed ball by his daughter.

Omar Reygadas came out of the mine and was promptly given his club's flag - Colo Colo (pictured at the top). He is one of the twenty miners who support the Santiago side. The team sent an autographed jersey to each and every one of the twenty miners.

Jimmy Sanchez and eleven others support Universidad de Chile, based in the capital of Santiago as well. After Sanchez wrote a letter to the players of his beloved club, the directors decided to award him and the eleven others lifetime entrance to the stadium for all matches. Sanchez also exited the capsule with the flag of his "most beloved club."

Daniel Herrera Campos was the sixteenth miner rescued. An avid supporter of Audax Italiano, he too received an autographed jersey from the club, pictured below with manager Omar Labruna. Upon hearing the news that the team was trapped and Daniel was a supporter, they signed the shirt and sent it to the mine shaft.

What are they returning to? Well, after 26 matches, Colo Colo sit top of the table with 57 points. Universidad de Chile are only three points back in 2nd place. And Audax Italiano sit 4th on 47 points.

I hope all these men enjoy what will surely be a lifetime of free football matches.

Turkish fans are a little upset

2010-10-13T14:04:00.001-04:00

It's safe to say Turkish supporters are a bit frustrated with the shocking loss to Azerbaijan yesterday 1-0 (this after a 3-0 smacking by Germany on Friday). Sports paper Fanatik printed the above cover, picturing manager Guss Hiddink and his assistants with black eyes and other facial wounds. Hiddink himself called the loss, "the worst day of my career."

After this reaction, it doesn't look as though the team will have many more excuses to avoid public rebuke. It seems their patience has already worn thin.

Turkey currently sit third in Group A with six points - one behind Austria and six behind the leaders, Germany.

Photo courtesy of Bild

WAG Wednesday Part 5 - Ronaldinho's very own Sara Tommasi

2010-10-13T11:01:00.002-04:00

Sara Tommasi is Ronaldinho's newest arm candy. I know, it is barely believable how a man so ugly could score such a woman. However, fame and fortune have their influence in the world of WAGs and this man has as much as any footballer out there.

Well done 'dinho. You've made all us decent looking guys feel completely inadequate. Thanks.

More pics and a video after the jump:

Pandemonium in Genoa

2010-10-13T09:14:00.000-04:00

It was supposed to be an intriguing and hotly contested match between Italy v Serbia. Instead, the dark side of football reared its ugly head in a manner we have not seen in some time. After a delayed start and another stoppage, the ref deemed the match unsafe for the players (some players made that decision themselves) and called it off.

The violence began before the match outside the stadium as Serbian Ultras attacked their own team bus prompting goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic to withdraw as he was reportedly hit with a firework. Clashes with police ensued until they were able to enter the stadium.

Once inside, the antics continued. Fireworks, flares, and missiles pelted the field. A "Kosovo is Serbia" flag was unfurled which gave a hint to which group of supporters are suspected (this isn't the place for a history lesson but you're a quick google search away from one of the worst genocides since WWII). Then there's the masked ringleader - the tattoed idiot who sat atop the partition throughout the ordeal cutting the security netting and egging on the Ultras. He has since been arrested and identified as Ivan Bogdanov - a leader of one of Red Star Belgrade's supporter groups.

Serbia's players tried to calm the traveling supporters but to no avail. They set out with a purpose to sabotage this match and nothing would stop them.

The implications of this will be severe as UEFA weigh up their options - forfeiting the match (which is obvious) and possibly tossing Serbia from the qualification. A harsh proposition but fair nonetheless. Much more to follow but for now, here's a video and plenty more photos after the jump:

Incredible goal from kick-off!!

2010-10-12T15:11:00.000-04:00

Scotland are known for not scoring goals. In fact, their senior squad deployed a striker-less formation in their weekend European qualifier. So I guess it is only fitting that they would score a goal like this. U21 Chris Maguire took the second half kick-off and launched it 50 yards into the back of the net.

It was short lived as Iceland sealed the win four minutes later with a thunderous strike of their own from Hoffenheim's Gylfi Sigurdsson:

All in all, a great day for the neutral.

Follow Liverpool's D-Day LIVE on the Guardian!!

2010-10-12T10:02:00.000-04:00

On the most important day in Liverpool Football Club's history, Gillett and Hicks are off to the high court to block the sale of their club to NESV.

Follow the play-by-play account of proceedings from individuals in attendance at the court. CLICK HERE

Mourinho lashes out at Madrid press: "They'll kill you."

2010-10-11T23:27:00.000-04:00

This is by far the best quote yet from Mourinho since arriving at Real Madrid. In an interview with GolTV, Mourinho exclaimed:

"I think that Real Madrid cannot have a coach with no track record. Right now there is a coach in place with 2 Champions Leagues...championships in different countries including league cups and 17 championships. Then I arrive here and create so much doubt [among the press], that if you are a title-less manager coming to manage [Madrid], they'll kill you"

Just brilliant. First of all, how many people out there can pull off talking in the third person with such arrogance and grace better than this guy? And for all the soundbites that come out of his mouth, this one really hits out at the Madrid base more than others.

If God managed Real Madrid but couldn't produce the spectacular, he'd be crucified. Other than owning Liverpool, managing Madrid is the most futile and nonsensical job a person can have in football. But at the moment, Madrid have the BEST manager in the world at the helm. A guy who craved Real Madrid as a dream job.

So get off his ass. This is as good as it gets.

England keeper gets obliterated two days before Montenegro clash

2010-10-11T09:54:00.000-04:00

The English never learn. The coaching staff never learns. The manager never learns. The players still haven't learned.

The backlash from this summer's World Cup was very straight forward - these players are thrust into fame and fortune at such a young age and don't know any better. They are irresponsible, rash, aggressive, hot-headed, and believe they as individuals are bigger than the game itself. So you'd think Capello would have cracked down on this type of behavior by those representing the Three Lions, especially the young ones new to the squad.

Not a chance. England's most talented goalkeeper, Joe Hart, spent his weekend at Puerto Banús in Marbella to celebrate (exactly what I'm not sure). Only days before a European qualifying clash against Montenegro, Hart was caught on video dancing atop a bar with two ladies and singing into a fake microphone. I don't know if you could qualify it as dancing, but it was some sort of bodily movement nonetheless. In fact, it was a significant improvement from the last dance routine he subjected the world to.

Just another example of entitlement and irresponsibility from the England camp, and a failure by the leaders of the team to prevent it. For England's sake, I hope he's better in goal than he is with his dance moves.

Who said celebrating with clothes on was cool?

2010-10-10T22:03:00.000-04:00

Roma's Mirko Vucinic scored the winner and only goal for Montenegro on Friday to defeat the Swiss in a Euro qualifier. What happened next can be described as nothing short of an audition for Chippendales (video here). In a moment of ecstasy after an admittedly well worked and splendid finish, Vucinic wheeled away to the left, removed his shorts, and put them on his head.

It seems the home fans had become restless over the past year or so for having never seen his junk in person. You see Vucinic is a serial underwear offender and only the Roma supporters have been privy to his family jewels. This was his opportunity to settle the score with the home fans as he thrust...Montenegro to the top of Group G with three wins in three.

Looks like tighty-whities and junk are the winning formula. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!!

France sponsors want their money back - Part 2

2010-10-08T10:36:00.001-04:00

As reported a little over a week ago, three of the main sponsors of the French national team were demanding compensation for the repulsive behavior of the team during the World Cup while donning their logos. As if that was not embarrassing enough, the situation has only worsened.

Now, everybody wants a piece of the FFF. All twelve of the team's sponsors have agreed on a payment scale in which "there will be bonuses and penalties based on results and image," according to FFF vice-president Noel Le Graet. The sponsors can reward a 10-15% bonus if the team starts winning games and, in the process, conducts themselves like normal, civilized, human beings. If not, they will reduce their contributions by the same amount.

Does this not hark back to your childhood? I remember my mother offering me cookies and sweets when I behaved well. Obviously, time-out in the corner resulted from being a brat. This is exactly what has transpired in France, and it is so pathetic yet hilarious all at once.

If you act like a baby, you'll be treated like one. Come to think of it, I'd throw lots of money behind a Toddler XI to beat this current French squad any day of the week. Then the sponsors would pull the plug on France and the new fad in world football would be Pampers!

It could happen ya know...

Breathtaking free kick from Dani Alves vs Iran

2010-10-08T01:43:00.001-04:00

Meaningless international friendless are, quite frankly, meaningless. And so, Brazil faced off against Iran in Abu Dhabi yesterday to wow the spectators, especially the Iranian supporters who were able to make the short trip.

Luckily for everyone in attendance, Brazil was playing, which meant the chances of a memorable highlight were about 100%. Only 14 minutes in, Dani Alves produced one with his right foot:

Nigel de Jong's ONLY career red card

2010-10-07T14:44:00.000-04:00

Here it is ladies and gentleman. In an 18 year career, Nigel de Jong has broken more bones than Bruce Lee and put more players' careers in jeopardy than appearing on Who's The Boss. However, he has only ONCE been sent off from the field of play for his actions - and it wasn't even a straight red.

Waaaay back in 2006 while playing for Hamburg, De Jong dug his cleats into two Rapid Bucureşti players during a UEFA cup match. Both challenges are absolutely disgusting and in typical fashion, he is utterly perplexed the referee thought they warranted bookings.

Hm. Some things just never change.

VfB Stuttgart attend beer festival despite sitting bottom of the table

2010-10-07T14:24:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, clubs set standards for themselves. And when those standards are not met, there are consequences - privileges are taken away. Case in point: Bayern Munich. After defeat in Dortmund and tumbling down to 12th position in the league, Coach Luis van Gaal canceled the team's annual trip to Oktoberfest for beer and bustiers. Understandably, the performances on the pitch did not warrant such reward.

Then there's VfB Stuttgart. Dead last in the Bundesliga. They have won a single game all season and lost six. A sixth place finisher last season, one would expect this horrific start to qualify as not meeting the club's preseason goals...not quite.

Instead of spending extra time training and working on fundamentals, or tweaking the existing tactics and formations, the team decided on a better course of action to raise their standard of play - BEER FEST!!!

So, the team set off for the Stuttgart Beer Festival prepared to drink away their sorrows and dine on bratwursts, knackwursts, potatoes, and sauerkraut. Players and coaches received warm welcome and applause from the 3,000 in attendance. Then the President got up to address the crowd, prompting a fury of boos and whistling. All he could muster up was, "We're gonna work our asses off to get out of the relegation zone."

Well said! You convinced me that's for sure. Especially since that "we" you speak of is sharing benches with the locals in a tent, drowning themselves in pints of beer. To me, that looks like working their asses off. Rumor has it they've already booked a trip to Disney World for the Christmas break, and plan to take an African safari when relegation is confirmed in the Spring. Isn't it just great being a loser?!

More pics to follow:

Mauro Camoranesi must LOVE Germany. Back in Italy, failure is met with fans assaulting their own players and setting fires to public buildings, if not the stadium itself.

Drink up Christian. Your days are numbered.

(photos courtesy of bild.de)

The 2010/11 Football Rich List

2010-10-07T11:44:00.000-04:00

Four Four Two has released its annual "Football Rich List" ranking the wealthiest players, managers, and owners in England.

Not surprising, the top of the list has Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan's name all over it. The Manchester City owner, with an estimated worth of £20bn, has brought in a new age of foreign ownership to the English Premier League and will undoubtedly ruin the sport as we know it (but that's a discussion for another day).

Today we celebrate the oil barons, oligarchs, steel magnates, industrialists, stock market kings, marketing magnates, mommy and daddy's lucky boy, adulterers, cheapskates, profit mongers, and any other term you wish to label football's rich and famous.

Before reading on, Four Four Two was kind enough to explain how they go about compiling these lists so they are as accurate as possible. Clearly we would be furious if they were £1bn off.

So without further ado, here are the top ten richest owners, managers, and players for 2010/11:

OWNERS

1. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan - Manchester City - Age 40 - £20bn (Last year £17bn, 2nd)
2. Lakshmi Mittal & family - Queens Park Rangers - Age 60 - £17bn (Last year £18.4bn, 1st)
3. Alisher Usmanov - Arsenal - Age 57 - £8bn (Last year £1.3bn, 9th)
4. Roman Abramovich - Chelsea - Age 43 - £7.4bn (Last year £7.8bn, 3rd)
5. The Liebherr Family - Southampton - Various Ages - £3bn
6. Joe Lewis - Tottenham Hotspur - Age 63 - £2.7bn (Last year £2.5bn, 4th)
7. Denis O'Brien - Celtic - Age 52 - £1.87bn (Last year £1.73bn, 6th)
8. Stanley Kroenke - Arsenal - Age 62 - £1.85bn (Last year £2.079bn, 5th)
9. Malcolm Glazer & family - Manchester United - Age 82 - £1.53bn (Last year £1.5bn, 7th)
10. Bernie Ecclestone - Queens Park Rangers - Age 79 - £1.4bn (Last year £1.466bn, 8th)

PLAYERS

1. David & Victoria Beckham - Age 35 & 38 - £100m (Last year £125m, 38th)

2. Michael Owen - Manchester United - Age 30 - £40m (Last year £38m, 64th)

3. Rio Ferdinand - Manchester United - Age 31 - £34m (Last year £30m, 85th)

4. Sol Campbell - Newcastle United - Age 36 - £31m (Re-entry)

5. Ryan Giggs - Manchester United - Age 36 - £27m (Last year £24m, 85th)

6. Wayne Rooney - Manchester United - Age 24 - £25m (Last year £37m, 65th)

7. Steven Gerrard - Liverpool - Age 30 - £22m (Last year £20m, 90th)

7. Frank Lampard - Chelsea - Age 32 - £22m (Last year £21m, 88th)

9. John Terry - Chelsea - Age 29 - £19m (Last year £18m, 9th)

10. Patrick Vieira - Manchester City - Age 34 - £18m (New entry)

MANAGERS

1. Fabio Capello - England - Age 64 £36m (Last year £30m)

2. Roy Keane - Ipswich Town - Age 39 - £28m (Last year £27m)

3. Sir Alex Ferguson - Manchester United - Age 68 - £26m (Last year £22m)

4. Carlo Ancelotti - Chelsea - Age 51 - £21m (Last year £17m)

5. Arsene Wenger - Arsenal - Age 61 - £17m (Last year £15m)

6. Sven-Goran Eriksson - Leicester City - Age 62 - £15m (Last year £15m)

6. Roberto Mancini - Manchester City - Age 46 - £15m (New entry)

8. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - Manchester United - Age 37 - £10m (New entry)

8. Mark Hughes - Fulham - Age 46 - £10m (Last year £8m)

8. Harry Redknapp - Tottenham Hotspur - Age 63 - £10m (Last year £10m)

Anchorette Update

2010-10-07T11:01:00.001-04:00

Karina Kvasniova is not only a beautiful sports journalist for La Sexta, she also happens to be born and raised in Lithuania - Spain's upcoming opponent in their European qualifier. "It is a luxury to play against the world champion," she explained in a recent interview.

She left for Spain to pursue a Masters degree in sports journalism and decided to re-settle upon completion.

Kvasniova claims basketball is Lithuania's biggest contribution to the sports world. I think she's just being modest...

(Photos courtesy of elmundodeportivo.es)

World's closest stadiums

2010-10-07T09:00:00.000-04:00

There is truly nothing like it - calling home just across the street from your most hated and reviled nemesis. You could argue that party lines are blurred when the stadia are so close, whereas places with grounds on opposite sides of the city make it easier to claim "your side of the tracks." It allows for social and cultural lines to be drawn between the clubs.

And to be honest I prefer it that way. But such proximity brings a different element the former does not have. Imagine walking to your ground having to pass your rival's stadium. Perhaps they are the more successful club, and purposely flaunt their trophies and accolades for all to see, especially their struggling neighbor. Imagine gameday when both teams host matches. Sub-consciously, each club and their supporters would hate to face the specter of losing when the other wins. The following work week would be hell!

Such proximity breeds more bitterness and resentment between the supporters - not the hatred and fundamental loathing rival supporters of different social classes would exhibit.

It's a tough way to live as a supporter, but fascinating nonetheless. Here are the world's closest venues:

Dundee United's Tannadine Park (top) and Dundee FC's Dens Park

Notts County's Meadow Lane (top) and Nottingham Forest's City Ground

Liverpool's Anfield Road (top) and Everton's Goodison Park

Partizan Belgrade's Partizan Stadium (top) and Red Star Belgrade's Crvena Zvezda aka the Marakana

Sporting Lisbon's Estádio José Alvalade (top right) and Benfica's Estádio da Luz

WAG Wednesday Part 4 - Cristina De Pin

2010-10-06T14:41:00.000-04:00

Riccardo Montolivo has not scored many goals in five years with Fiorentina. Needless to say, the only score that really matters is his girlfriend, former playmate Cristina De Pin.

Things are looking up for the 25 year old - scoring twice already this season and being named the captain. It also doesn't hurt to have this little playmate waiting for you at home every night.

Cheers to you Riccardo! Now if you don't mind, here's more pictures of your lady:

World Cup champs receive their weight...in beer

2010-10-06T13:41:00.000-04:00

Trophies...keys to the city...medals...videos...photos - the spoils of war for winning the World Cup. But let's be honest, all these things will hang on the wall or sit in a case and remain untouched and unused for years to come. That is what winning the World Cup gets you? Nonsense!!

Thank heavens the Spaniards have other options. Cruzcampo, one la selección's main sponsors, has decided to reward their champions with a different type of memento. Something that won't collect dust and become obsolete in a year's time. Something that will generate continued celebration and debauchery for months and months to come - BEER.

Yesterday, one by one, the squad stepped onto the "beer scale," which measured their weight in kilos and converted that into liters. However much brawn you brought to the table determined the number of cases you walked out with.

In total, the team amassed 1,734 liters of beer. The most went to Basque striker Fernando Llorente, pictured above, weighing in at 94.6kg (approx 209 lbs). Poor little Jesús Navas who weighs all of 60kg (approx 132lbs) only went home with 180 beers...

Oktoberfest?! Pff. Looks like Novemberfest, Decemberfest, and maybe even Januaryfest are in order for the world champions.

Mohawks ravage the city of Naples

2010-10-06T11:18:00.004-04:00

Without question, Napoli's Marek Hamsik has the BEST mohawk in all of football. Hamsik, in all his kindness, brought a photographer to his hair appointment the other day to show us the process of creating such a masterpiece.

The story does not end there, however. Accordingly, others who frequent this hair dresser want to look like their hero and shark fin madness has broken out. Young boys can't take their eyes off autographed pictures of the midfielder hanging in front of them on the mirror, as the barber does his magic. Pretty soon, walking through Naples will be a dangerous proposition if you're looking to get your eyes poked out.

Then again, it could be worse.

More photos of Hamsik and the mohawk orgy after the jump:

(Photos courtesy of CorrieredelloSport.it)

WAG Wednesday Part 3 - Sylvie van der Vaart

2010-10-05T23:50:00.000-04:00

The absolutely stunning and glamorous wife of Tottenham's Rafael van der Vaart is today's treat. But before you all jump to the photos, let's do the right thing first

Van Der Vaart was diagnosed with breast cancer in mid-2009 and subsequently underwent extensive chemotherapy. She can now proudly claim to be cancer free. And as breast cancer awareness month gets underway this October, take a quick moment and learn something, and perhaps donate a bit to the cause.

NOW, enjoy the rest of the photos:

More trouble with the French squad

2010-10-05T14:56:00.000-04:00

There is never a dull moment in the soap opera that is French football. This time it involves two well-known trouble makers - Karim Benzema and Lass Diarra. The Real Madrid duo arrived late to Clairefontaine where the French team is preparing for European qualifiers against Romania and Luxemburg. This came after Laurent Blanc had already postponed the deadline twice.

Blanc was understandably furious with both players who claimed to have missed their flight. He didn't buy it:

"If you miss your flight from another country, you will obviously be late. We are professionals and therefore must make sure we arrive on time for any flight. Benzema did not play in Real Madrid's match over the weekend, so there's no reason he should have arrived late."

Poor Blanc - a proven and successful manager who will no doubt bring the French team back to glory at some point. But not with these classless bums at his disposal. They have zero respect for the manager, the squad, or the institution. Self indulgence and individualism seem to be their only virtues.

When asked if the two would be sanctioned, the manager responded by saying:

"We already have players suspended. We're not going to throw stones at our own house."

HA!! In other words, he unfortunately has no choice but to play the pair since France has limited options and CANNOT afford to lose either of these games. Otherwise, it seems like he probably would have sent them home. And the last thing Blanc needs is more turmoil to tear apart the French team as he tries to rebuild it.

David Villa and Dwight Howard swap jerseys

2010-10-05T10:40:00.001-04:00

Adidas just released a new advertisement for their official jersey of the NBA, featuring the World Cup champ and Dwight Howard. Howard congratulates Villa on winning the World Cup and subsequently switches jerseys with him.

It is amazing that Howard is even able to get the jersey on - the guy's shoulders are so broad I can only guess he needs to turn his body to get through doorways. Villa actually has some skill with the basketball, although I'm a bit upset he didn't wear his short soccer shorts. It would have been a fitting tribute to the good ol' days of the NBA.

Bolivian president knees an opponent in the nuts during match

2010-10-05T09:55:00.000-04:00

It doesn't get much better than this. Bolivia's first indigenous president, Evo Morales, teamed up with his bodyguards and officials to face a team of political rivals which included the mayor of La Paz in a match to inaugurate new renovations to a stadium in the capital. As expected, the match devolved into a physical display of brutality after the ceremonial handshakes and smiles before the match.

Just five minutes in, Daniel Gustavo Cartagena caught the president very late and cut his leg. Not one to shy away from a rash challenge, the president approached Cartagena, showed him the blood, and promptly delivered a crushing knee into the unsuspecting opponent's groin.

By the time the match ended 4-4, two players had been sent off from either squad. One of Morales' bodyguards supposedly tried to arrest Cartagena after the match but the mayor intervened to prevent it.

Why can't these things happen in this country? Just imagine if W threw on some pads and a helmet to inaugurate the new Cowboys stadium a few years back...

Are Barcelona becoming Arsenal?

2010-10-05T01:03:00.000-04:00

The concept seems preposterous, especially coming from a Barcelona supporter. Yet after watching Arsenal's display at Stamford Bridge followed by Barcelona's draw at home to Mallorca, you could not help but notice some cringing similarities between the flag bearers of beautiful football. And whereas during the past few seasons you could characterize the North London side as a Barcelona "B team" of sorts - an identical style of play but just a class below the Catalan giants - the first six matches of the La Liga season have revealed that the "A team" may not warrant the pleasure of such a title.

Excessive passing, wasted opportunities, soft defending, conceding midfield possession, lack of desire and thrust, failing to finish off opponents. No, I am not bashing the Gooners but rather Barcelona. Each and every limitation has plagued the Spanish side all season. Over the weekend, Messi bagged another picturesque goal twenty minutes into the match, and it looked as though Mallorca would be put to the sword. But thirteen shots later, none of which finding the back of the net, Mallorca found an opening and equalized from a set piece.

Then the unthinkable happened. Barcelona looked timid and nervous in the face of adversity. The ball did not move as quickly and smoothly along the floor as it once did. Mallorca out-muscled and pressured Iniesta, Keita and Mascherano off the ball to gain an advantage in midfield and create chances of their own. When Barcelona did get the ball back, they passed and passed and passed, and got as far as their opponent's 18. They lacked creativity and ingenuity. Sound familiar Arsenal fans?

Injuries and depth also add kindle to this argument. Eighty-one minutes into the match, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas replaced Wilshere. At nineteen years old, it was only his 2nd appearance for the club as he entered such a massive derby. Sixty-six minutes in, Thiago (19) replaced Seydou Keita to make his 4th ever appearance with the Barcelona's first team. Twelve minutes later, Nolito replaced an injured Pedro to make his first debut with the club after a career on the B squad. These are the answers?!

Were it the Carling Cup or Copa Del Rey, you would understand such decisions by the manager. But this is Chelsea. This is a sub-par, debt laden Mallorca bossing the champs on their own turf. Fans expect quality in the ranks when the starters are injured, and these kids were all the teams could muster. Unfortunately, reality dictates that these teenagers, as gifted and promising as they may be, cannot replace seasoned professionals on teams fighting for trophies.

Barcelona sit in 4th position behind Valencia, Villareal, and Real Madrid. Arsenal sit 4th behind Chelsea, City, and United. Both have conceded more than the teams in front of them (Arsenal is tied with United at 9). Barcelona has scored less than any team in front of them. Even worse, they have dropped all their points at home and have been outscored in the process.

I am beginning to wonder if Arsenal should still aspire to match the level of Barcelona, because at the moment, you will be hard pressed to find a reason how that would be an improvement.

Top goals of the weekend

2010-10-03T20:54:00.001-04:00

A great weekend for goals. Here's but a few of the best:

Srdjan Lakic of Kaiserslautern vs Hamburg:

Jordi Gomez of Wigan vs Wolverhampton:

Alex of Chelsea vs Arsenal:

Andrea Pirlo of Milan vs Parma:

Nuri Sahin of Dortmund vs Bayern Munich:

Viktor Vasin of Spartak Nalchik vs Zenit:

Florent Sinama-Pongolle of Zaragoza vs Sporting Gijon:

Others which may catch your eye:

Adam Johnson of Manchester City vs Newcastle
Lionel Messi vs Mallorca
Siem de Jong of Ajax vs Utrecht

Weekend Couch Guide

2010-10-01T00:05:00.001-04:00

All the matches available to you this weekend in the US. And you don't even need a satellite!!

Friday, October 1

2:30pm Hannover vs St. Pauli (GolTV)

Saturday, October 2
7:45am Wigan vs Wolverhampton (ESPN Deportes)

9:30am Hamburg vs Kaiserslautern (GolTV)

9:45am Sunderland vs Manchester United (ESPN2)

10:00am Tottenham vs Aston Villa (Fox Soccer Channel)

10:00am West Ham vs Fulham (Fox Soccer Plus)

12:00pm Udinese vs Cesena (Fox Soccer Plus)

12:00pm Birmingham vs Everton (Fox Soccer Channel)

12:00pm Real Zaragoza vs Sporting Gijon (ESPN Deportes)

2:00pm Real Sociedad vs Espanyol (GolTV)

2:00pm Crystal Palace vs QPR (Fox Soccer Plus)

2:30pm Parma vs AC Milan (Fox Soccer Channel)

4:00pm Valencia vs Athletic Bilbao (GolTV)

4:00pm Stoke City vs Blackburn – tape delay (Fox Soccer Plus)

Sunday, October 3

6:30am Lecce vs Catania (Fox Soccer Plus)

8:30am Manchester City vs Newcastle (Fox Soccer Plus)

9:00am Napoli vs Roma (Fox Soccer Channel)

11:00am Chelsea vs Arsenal (Fox Soccer Channel)

11:00am Sevilla vs Atletico Madrid (ESPN Deportes)

1:00pm Barcelona vs Mallorca (GolTV)

1:00pm Dortmund vs Bayern Munich

2:30pm Inter vs Juventus (Fox Soccer Channel)
3:00pm Real Madrid vs Deportivo la Coruña

3:00pm Rennes vs Toulouse (Fox Soccer Plus)

5:00pm Liverpool vs Blackpool – tape delay (Fox Soccer Channel)

Matches you can't miss this weekend

2010-10-01T00:04:00.001-04:00

CHELSEA VS ARSENAL (Sunday, 11:00am Fox Soccer Channel)
What a better way to start your Sunday than a good ol' London Derby? Of course with Arsenal, questions and drama loom. Flappy Handski looks to start in net after "impressing" midweek. (Watch the replays again. It was a poorly taken PK that he saved and the shot he "pushed" aside wasn't pushed at all. He completely miss-hit the ball with weak hands and got lucky it went wide.) Fabregas and Diaby are in doubt as well. Would it make a difference though? We don't know how a full strength Arsenal would fare because they haven't been full strength in a decade. But based on what they bring to the table, and what Chelsea bring to the table, the Arsenal look to be outmatched. They've only beaten Chelsea twice in the past 17 meetings, and were demolished last season 5-0 on aggregate. I doubt we'll see any surprises. Prediction: 3-1 Chelsea comfortably.

INTER MILAN VS JUVENTUS (Sunday, 2:30pm Fox Soccer Channel)
Juventus, although they sit in ninth position, are only three points behind the leaders in what is an extremely even Serie A table. Can the old lady regain some momentum and start playing consistently? Last weekend was Roma's chance and they seized the opportunity over Inter. Something tells me the league leaders won't let up again, especially at home. Prediction: 2-0 Inter

RENNES VS TOULOUSE (Sunday, 3:00pm Fox Soccer Plus)
2 vs 3 in a battle for top of the table. Who would have thought these two would be battling for top spots at this point in the season? So sell the Ligue 1 short. Outside of Germany it has been the most entertaining league in Europe. Last year Rennes won their home leg 4-1 and lost away 3-2. So, I'll go with the home side for this one. Prediction: 3-1 Rennes

SUNDERLAND VS MANCHESTER UNITED (Saturday, 9:45am ESPN2)
The Black Cats already scalped Arsenal this season with a very late equalizer. Now come the kings of letting in late goals - Manchester United. The atmosphere will be cranked up and should be quite an enjoyable match. Prediction: 2-1 United

TOTTENHAM VS ASTON VILLA (Saturday, 10:00am Fox Soccer Channel)
Another edition of "who wants fourth position?" Villa currently claim fifth while a lackluster Tottenham of late sit only two points back in eighth. Tottenham is fresh off their Champions League spanking of Twente at White Hart Lane. Let's see if they're able to channel that European energy to an important league match against Villa. Prediction: 1-1

SEVILLA VS ATLETICO MADRID (Sunday, 11:00am ESPN Deportes)

First match for new Sevilla manager Gregorio Manzano. Atlético Madrid pose a stern test, currently sitting two places and two points above Sevilla. With Barcelona and Real Madrid off to stuttering starts, and Valencia and Villareal sitting 1-2, neither club can afford to drop points in this one. Expect plenty of open, attacking play. Prediction: 2-2

BORUSSIA DORTMUND VS BAYERN MUNICH (Sunday 1:00pm ESPN Deportes)
League leaders Mainz went into Bayern's house last week and beat them 2-1 to stay top of the table. Now the Bavarian outfit travels to the 2nd place team in the Bundesliga. If Bayern wants to remain optimistic about challenging for the title this season, they must win this match at Dortmund. Prediction: 2-2.

Barcelona's Travel Woes

2010-09-30T11:08:00.000-04:00

Aaaah logistics. Nitty gritty minutiae that deal with the most mundane of subjects and content. Nobody really enjoys dealing with them, but at the end of the day, they are the glue that hold together any planned outing. So, I will now bore you with a problem that is receiving ample space in local newspapers in Barcelona: How to get to Ceuta?

Ceuta is Barcelona's opponent later this month in the Copa del Rey. The problem is, Ceuta is not located in Spain...it's in Morocco. Located just across the Straight of Gibralter, this autonomous city of 75,000 has dealt the Catalans a bit of a headache. You can't fly there because there is no airport. You can't take a train because the Straight is in the way. And you can't walk because, well, that's just not possible. So, here are the options being considered:

OPTION 1: Fly to Málaga in southern Spain, take a coach to the coastal city of Algeciras, ride the ferry to Ceuta.

OPTION 2: Fly to Málaga, coach to Algeciras, helicopter into Ceuta.

OPTION 3: Fly to Tetouan, Morocco, coach to Ceuta

The helicopter ride would take only 10 minutes compared to the 30 by boat. Also, it would avoid any potential sea sickness problems along the way as the meeting point of the Atlantic and Mediterranean isn't always the smoothest. We wouldn't want the players to be wretching just hours before the match! However, the helicopters can only hold 12-15 passengers or even less, which means the team would have to commandeer an entire fleet. Oh, and the helicopters are 95 euros each way.

Believe it or not, this is practically front page material in Barcelona. How poor old Barcelona will get to Ceuta to field a youth squad against the third division side. Although there is something rather arrogant yet dashing about flying in on helicopters, landing just next to the stadium, and walking out like FBI agents in any movie ever made. Yet it also degrades the local side a bit - arriving to take care of business and then leaving right out of the parking lot in their fancy helicopters.

Judge as you will, but it's rather obvious option 2 is their best bet. How could you NOT take helicopters to a match?!

UCL Matchday 2, Day 2 Top Goals

2010-09-30T00:46:00.001-04:00

The best very best goals from Wednesday's Champions League action.

Michel Bastos' 2nd vs Hapoel Tel Aviv. The BEST GOAL OF THE DAY:

Rafael Van der Vaart vs FC Twente:

Samuel Eto'o's 2nd vs Werder Bremen. Exquisite control and a clinical finish - the Eto'o special:

Steven Naismith vs Bursaspor:

WAG Wednesday Part 2 - Adriana Karembeu

2010-09-29T15:58:00.001-04:00

Adriana Karembeu is the face of the French Football Association's newest advertisement for women's football. To be honest, they'll likely find more men than women signing up to play.

When she's not looking fine in a football uniform, the Slovakian actress/model usually clings to the arm of her husband, former French international Christian Karembeu (they met on an airplane). Not bad Christian. Not bad at all.

France sponsors want their money back

2010-09-29T13:03:00.000-04:00

The principal sponsors of the French Football Federation (FFF) - Adidas, GDF Suez, and Crédit Agricole - are pissed off at the French World Cup team. Most sponsors expect their clients to represent them with professionalism, dignity, and integrity. Unfortunately, none of those endearing qualities can be attributed to any of the 23 men in South Africa over the summer.

Now, the three sponsors would like to be reimbursed to the tune of €4.5 million (I'm surprised it's not more) for unwillingly being the face of the French insurrection. This marks the very first time a country's major sponsors have asked for compensation of their investment.

A spokesman for GDF Suez issued the following remarks:

"We are outraged by what has happened. It is a lack of respect for everyone, and something we have never seen before. We well henceforth examine all contracts [with the FFF] through 2014. We cannot ignore what has happened here, as it is very serious. The French team have completely defaced the sport and their country."

Tell us how you really feel. If I were them, I'd completely pull out of the deal completely. Adidas is doing pretty without this, as are the other two major corporations. And if they aren't, find a different team since nobody in their right mind is clearing time on their schedules to watch the French national team compete. You're probably getting less exposure with that team than you would with Slovenia or Lichtenstein.

WAG Wednesday Part 1 - Orsi Feher

2010-09-29T09:50:00.001-04:00

Hungarian model Orsi Feher is the girlfriend of Atlético Madrid manager Quique Sánchez Flores aka the Spanish James Bond. Would you expect any less from him?

The best part is she doesn't just shop and look good. She watches every match whether in person or on television. And according to her, all they talk about is football - tactics, players, positives and negatives.

A hot girl with a football IQ? No better way to start this new Wednesday series.

More shots of Ms. Feher after the jump:

UCL Matchday 2, Day 1 Top Goals

2010-09-29T00:39:00.001-04:00

The best very best goals from Tuesday's Champions League action.

Andrei Arshavin vs Partizan Belgrade. It's Wilshire's back heel that makes this so good:

Mounir El Hamdaoui vs AC Milan. Suarez's nutmeg of Nesta is quality:

Zlatan Ibrahimović vs Ajax. You don't see the long ball from Pirlo, but Ibra's scissor kick is still classic:

Marco Borriello vs Cluj. An incredible volley.

Alexander Frei vs Bayern Munich. Another back heel and a great finish.

The perfect girlfriend

2010-09-28T12:11:00.000-04:00

Meet Mélody Donchet. The 20 year old Frenchie has freestyle skills that make your jaw drop. She also happens to be rather cute.

She is: the perfect girlfriend.

The Spirit of Shankly take their protests worldwide

2010-09-28T09:35:00.003-04:00

There is never a dull moment with Liverpool - especially when the Spirit of Shankly is running things. You know in Argentina and other parts of South America, the barra bravas (their hooligan ultras) actually have a say in club policy. It is common knowledge that these supporter groups can nominate candidates and manipulate elections and club policy. The Spirit of Shankly is simply a bunch of idiots who have zero say in any matter of Liverpool Football Club and resort to bullying tactics and pathetic displays of protest against their American owners. Nothing they do, or have ever done, has forced the club to act one way or another. As one Daily Mail columnist explained a few months back in response to a planned march, the fans were marching from a bar they would be at anyway before the match to a stadium they were planning to be at anyway for the match. Great planning guys.

The Spirit of Shankly has made the Liverpool ownership position the most undesirable job on the planet. Who in their right mind would want to buy this club? One wrong decision and they'll take to the streets, or they will sing to the demise of the owner's home country, or spit in his face, or stage sit-ins after the game, or carry out a real protest by not - o wait, they've never once boycotted matches.

And let's just say the club are sold, all is well? Liverpool magically climb from 16th position? The team miraculously stops sucking? No. They will continue to lose and be a sub-par team. But at least the Yanks would be out.

Now that we've covered that, the Spirit of Shankly has carried out a new audacious campaign barring Hicks and Gillette from every corner of the world. It is actually mildly humorous, but also a sure sign of the pathetic desperation these fans have resorted to.

More photos after the jump:

(Photos courtesy of Marca)

Barcelona Man Love

2010-09-27T23:17:00.000-04:00

Dani Alves and Victor Valdes share a very similar last name. The other day, they decided to share a little bit more than just a name. In a moment of uncensored aggresive and passionate lust, Valdes thrusted himself into the Barcelona right back.

If Victor ever wondered why women always wanted to turn the lights off during sex, he need only look at this picture. Look at Busquets! He can't get away fast enough!

You don't become one of the best clubs in recent memory without off the field bonding and team unity. This union may be a bit too much for comfort though.

Charlie Davies recounts the moment he regained consciousness after his accident: "I'm in a hostel and they're trying to steal my organs"

2010-09-27T18:27:00.000-04:00

The pictures speak for themselves. On October 13, 2009, Charlie Davies found himself in a horrific car crash, which claimed the life of one of the passengers. His injuries blow your mind and make you wonder how he is still alive: broken tibia and fibula, broken femer, lacerated bladder, fractured and dislocated left elbow, shattered nose, cheeks and forehead (for which they pulled down skin from the top of his head down to the chin to reconstruct). He probably has more metal in his body now than Wolverine.

Somehow, some way, Davies has recovered in a shockingly short time frame. He has already played a number of matches for the Sochaux reserve team and hopes to be back fully fit to play again for the United States in next year's Gold Cup.
In an interview on World Football Daily last week, Charlie went into chilling detail about the very first moments when he regained consciousness after the accident:

"I woke up and I was in the hospital. I had no idea where I was, though. I thought I was actually in Honduras. And I looked down and the first thing I saw was all these staples down my stomach, and the first thought that ran through my head was 'I'm in a hostel and they're trying to steal my organs.'

So I started to take the staples out of my stomach, and I maybe got to the fifth one and said okay, I'm gonna try and make a run for it now. And as soon as I raised up a little a nurse saw me and sprinted over. She told me [I] was in a serious car accident and that I was in Washington DC. That's when it all hit me."

If that doesn't make your spine tingle, I don't know what else could.

Charlie Davies is an extremely lucky man to be with us today. Throughout the rest of the interview, he amazed me with his positive attitude and his fighting spirit. He understands the ramifications of his actions, and can only grow from the new outlook he has on life. Best wishes to Charlie for a speedy recovery.

And as for all you readers, a simple word of advice: while we grovel at the feet of our footballing heroes every weekend and make light of their social lives, a large majority of them are stupid and irresponsible. All too often we've seen cars ripped to shreds by footballers speeding home, some drunk. So do yourselves a favor. Wear a seat belt, don't drink and drive, and aspire to be the complete opposite of every "too cool for school" footballer out there.

And to be fair and accurate - Davies was not driving nor was he under the influence of alcohol or any drug at the time.

Kid gets a face full of goal post

2010-09-27T14:22:00.001-04:00

Here's a prime example of following your shot. After taking a rather dreadful PK, the shooter chases down the rebound hoping to slot the ball into an empty net with the goalie having lunged in the opposite direction. Problem is, the shooter is TERRIBLY slow and allows the goalie to scramble back and tackle the ball away...

What happens next is fabulous. The poor kid eats the post with an emphatic clank, sending head and body flying backwards. At least his teammate was around to knock the ball in off the other team for a well deserved own goal. From all accounts, the kid may have the post tattooed on his face for a little.

David Villa sees red for left jab

2010-09-27T10:52:00.000-04:00

Lost in Barcelona's 3-1 win over Athletic Bilbao on the weekend was David Villa's straight red card which will very likely result in a 2-3 game suspension. In some fairness to Villa, Gurpegi was riding him like a jockey and somehow avoided a whistle himself with the referee standing nearby. However, Villa lashed out with his left fist and was immediately sent off. An end to a frustrating evening no doubt.

And a frustrating season as well, as Villa has only found the back of the net three times in all competitions. For some players that would be a thrill. But not the calibre of Villa. 31 shots, two posts, nine turned aside by great goalkeeping. He's also given the ball away 61 times, most of any player on the team.

You can only really point to bad luck. Obviously, his summer was a successful one and it seemed as though he could score blindfolded at the World Cup. He has had a number of guilt-edged chances so far this season but simply can't score, and we all know he is one the deadliest strikers on the planet. This punch was expected at some point, I imagine, and the Barcelona press have practically ignored the entire episode. Their only worry is that he may miss his first opportunity to face former club Valencia. It only goes to show that they, and any Barcelona fan for that matter, are confident he will start scoring at some point. He is just too good not too.

Hopefully this is the first and last such episode from Villa. A team already thinned out at the forward position can ill afford less options.

Sara Carbonero slips, almost falls, gives the audience a revealing shot

2010-09-27T09:16:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday! We'll get to the football in a bit but I thought there is no better way to start the week than with Footy for the Soul's favorite gal - Sara Carbonero.

A couple days ago Sara was backstage at a talk show, strutting her stuff, and looking incredible doing so. Suddenly, her left heel gave way and she headed for the floor. However, Sara showed great balance and athleticism to keep herself from making a complete fool of herself, and in the process gave us a rather revealing glimpse up her skirt. In fact, she actually paused for a split second to make sure everyone noticed. Thank you, Sara. Thank you.

Full video with slow motion replay after the jump:

League leaders Mainz put Bayern to the sword with two cracking goals

2010-09-25T11:51:00.000-04:00

They came for the day to take care of business. No, seriously. With Oktoberfest ongoing, no hotel offered peace and quiet for the visiting team. So instead, they flew to Munich Saturday morning, out classed and shut down Bayern, then jumped on a plane to head home. Six matches. Six wins. Ten points clear of last year's champs.

In what was an open and very lively affair, Mainz impressed and showed no nerves whatsoever. They also claimed two superb highlights for goals.

Allagui's cheeky back heel for the first:

Szalai's classy winner: