In a week when Deportivo La Coruña filed for bankruptcy protection, you would think a club which is €99 million in debt would not have much to smile about. But the Galicians, who currently sit in 19th place in the league table, seem to be slowly turning around their fortunes on the pitch with the help of their new manager. Drafted in during the winter break to replace José Luis Oltra, who was at least not given his marching orders until after he had enjoyed Christmas day, Domingos Paciência got off to the best possible start in his first match in charge when his new team beat high-flying visitors Málaga 1-0 thanks to a goal by Luis Pizzi for their first win in two months. The … [Read more...] about La Liga: Depor find fortune on pitch despite financial woes
spanish football
La Liga: Fallen hero Llorente eyes Bilbao exit
When Athletic Bilbao took to the pitch at the Iberostar Stadium at the weekend, Fernando Llorente was on the bench. It is a place the once-talismanic striker has become accustomed to, as he has been occupying that spot pretty much all season. He wasn’t needed as Aritz Aduriz's 11th-minute header condemned Real Mallorca to defeat – for the ninth time in 11 league games. The visitors went ahead early on at the Iberostar Stadium with their first serious attack as Andoni Iraola – who has returned after missing several weeks through injury – launched a high ball up to the far post, where Aduriz rose to head into the far corner of the goal. However, the visitors had goalkeeper Gorka … [Read more...] about La Liga: Fallen hero Llorente eyes Bilbao exit
Vicente del Bosque
Few international football coaches are blessed with as richly talented a group of players at their disposal as Spain’s. Any team featuring Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta, Iker Casillas and Gerard Piqué will be a force to be reckoned with, but by any standards, Vicente del Bosque has achieved extraordinary things, leading his team to the European Championship title in 2012, two years after lifting the World Cup. Del Bosque’s predecessor, Luis Aragonés, started Spain’s current domination of international football by winning the 2008 European title. But former Real Madrid player and coach Del Bosque has managed to keep his players both united and hungry for further glory. And in the process, he … [Read more...] about Vicente del Bosque
La Liga: Ronaldo sinks Atlético’s hopes in Madrid derby
On Saturday morning, 21,000 people piled into the Vicente Calderón in Madrid to roar support as their team stepped onto the turf, the loudest cheers reserved for golden boy Radamel Falcao. Yet the derbi that was to be played on matchday 14 would take place across town at the Santiago Bernabéu. This was no early kick-off, merely a final training session before the big game, but the fans had been summoned by coach Diego Simeone to show their affection for the players. The huge turnout spoke volumes. While every year since 1999, the question of whether Atlético can finally beat their neighbours Real Madrid was greeted with pessimism, the build-up to this weekend really was different because … [Read more...] about La Liga: Ronaldo sinks Atlético’s hopes in Madrid derby
Nacho a pawn in Mourinho’s battle with the Spanish media
Until a few months ago not many Spanish football fans, even of his own club Real Madrid, were too familiar with the merits of young blancos defender José Ignacio Fernández Iglesias. In recent weeks however, Nacho, as he is known, has become one of the most talked about footballers in the country, an unwitting pawn in yet another battle between Madrid boss José Mourinho and the city’s sporting press. Nacho joined Real Madrid's La Fábrica youth academy in 2001, progressing through juvenil sides and the C team before establishing himself as a first choice in Real Madrid Castilla (the B team) in Spain’s third tier by 2010. The Cádiz born defender made his debut for Mourinho’s senior side in a … [Read more...] about Nacho a pawn in Mourinho’s battle with the Spanish media
La Liga: Espanyol’s Pochettino falls on his sword
It took a little longer than normal for la liga. While several men have been touted for the chop – notably Marcelo Bielsa and Mauricio Pellegrino – jornada 13 provided one loss too many for RCD Espanyol, and in late November, the managerial axe finally fell for the first time this season. Mauricio Pochettino, who had been the longest-serving coach in la liga after three years at Espanyol, took over in late January 2009 when the Barcelona-based side were third from bottom; his only task was to save them from relegation. But the Argentinean, who had plied his trade for his national side, Espanyol, Paris Saint-Germain and Bordeaux as a central defender, did more than that, giving … [Read more...] about La Liga: Espanyol’s Pochettino falls on his sword
La Liga: prodigal Reyes finds form for derby demolition
He has exasperated fans and coaches wherever he has played. Sevilla, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, Benfica and then Sevilla again. He started out as the 16-year-old boy wonder with the world at his feet and while he has reached plenty of heights during his career, in recent years the feeling is that his is a talent unfulfilled. José Antonio Reyes, now 29, has been one of Spanish football’s greatest enigmas of the last decade and some would say one of its biggest disappointments. But on Sunday night, the Sevilla winger reminded la liga why he was once talked about with such awe. It didn’t take him long to make his mark on the Andalusian derby - 14 seconds, in fact. Betis … [Read more...] about La Liga: prodigal Reyes finds form for derby demolition
La Liga: Falcao firepower lets Atlético dream
He struck again at the weekend, scoring the winner, his 10th league goal of the season on match day nine and sending fans into raptures in the Spanish capital. He has done it time and time again this season, carrying his teammates on his back if needs be, turning a game with his individual brilliance and a seemingly insatiable appetite for goals. He has carried his side all the way to the top of the league in joint place with Barcelona on 25 points from a possible 27 and his name is being touted as a possible FIFA Ballon d’Or winner. But what is most astonishing about the man in question, is that he does not play decked in white, he plies his trade for the other team in the city, Atlético … [Read more...] about La Liga: Falcao firepower lets Atlético dream
La Liga: Barça still in the driving seat after thrilling ‘Clásico’
“When Madrid play Barcelona, the world stops” said José Mourinho, who this week took part in his 14th Clásico in two years. The game had the potential to effectively kill off his side’s aspirations of retaining their league title given that a defeat would have put Barcelona 11 points clear, a surely unassailable lead. A poor start to the campaign – Mourinho’s worst ever as a manager – meant this game was almost already a title decider. Win this and Hay Liga, lose and it would be all over at this early stage of the season. As if that was not enough tension, with growing calls for Catalan independence, matchday seven at the Camp Nou was set to be a chance for 100,000 culés to express … [Read more...] about La Liga: Barça still in the driving seat after thrilling ‘Clásico’
La Liga: Mallorca defeat completes sorry week for Valencia
It has been a rather depressing week for Valencia. It began with a loss in their Champions League game, it continued when their new stadium plans were abruptly put on hold due to financial problems and finally, a sorry defeat to Mallorca at the weekend leaves Los Che with just a single victory in six competitive games. At Mallorca’s Iberostar stadium Victor Casadesús fired the hosts into the lead just seven minutes into the game when he squeezed his shot under Diego Alves. The visitors enjoyed more of the ball for the remainder of the first half and were unlucky not to level the score when Nelson Valdez's header came crashing back off the bar. Despite the continual pressure from … [Read more...] about La Liga: Mallorca defeat completes sorry week for Valencia