Real Madrid begin their quest to wrest the La Liga title off Barcelona when they travel to Real Mallorca.
Preview
SSN is a digest of the day's soccer/football/futbol articles with a focus on the top European leagues and the United States National Team. Below, you’ll find links to articles and video, as well as additional features and commentary. We locate the top news of the day so you can stay updated with ease.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Spain: La Liga Weekend Preview
Real Madrid begin their quest to wrest the La Liga title off Barcelona when they travel to Real Mallorca.
Preview
Germany: Bundesliga Weekend Preview
Stuttgart and Borussia Dortmund will be bidding to gain their first points when they wrap up the second round of matches on Sunday.
Preview
Eduardo Alvarez's Primera Liga Predictor
After experiencing the indescribable joy of witnessing my own team win the World Cup final, could I be bothered to write about the irrelevant minutiae of a two-horse national competition? (Expletive) yes! True wisdom lies in being able to make the most out of our daily/weekly pleasures, while hoping for something out of the ordinary to happen every once in a while... even if it's only once in a lifetime. Back to our weekly pleasures then. A new La Liga season is about to begin, therefore it's time for the Soccernet Quiniela to return. Let's start. As usual, it's '1' for a home win, 'X' for a draw and '2' for an away win.
Roberto Gotta in Italy
Once again, then, the best way to look at Italian football is by focusing on the pitch. If you really concentrate, you can block out the vision - and thought - of the negative stuff: directors and owners you'd like never to see again, unruly fans, agents who are taking over the airwaves and sports pages with their, er, objective opinion about their own players, financial instability and hyping of moderately interesting transfer deals. Just look at the pitch and follow the ball rolling about: isn't that, after all, why we started loving football in the first place?
Sid Lowe in Spain
Barcelona will again look to rely on graduates of their academy to repel the threat of Real Madrid in the coming La Liga season.
Ideologies clash as Barcelona and Real Madrid prepare for La Liga duel.
Europa League: Aston Villa suffer recurring nightmare as Rapid Vienna inflict damage again
"Your nightmare returns" proclaimed the banner held aloft by the Rapid Vienna supporters beforehand, and so it proved as Aston Villa were knocked out of Europe by the Austrian side for the second successive season on a night of crushing disappointment for the Midlands club. The match was within their grasp when Emile Heskey put them 2-1 up and 3-2 ahead on aggregate but, as was the case last year, Villa pressed the self-destruct button and allowed Rapid back into the game late on.
Emmanuel Adebayor threatens to leave Manchester City
Emmanuel Adebayor has threatened to leave Manchester City before the end of the transfer window. The striker is ready to move on if there is an offer for him before 31 August as he fears spending a large part of the season on the substitutes' bench if he stays.
Hey Ade! These guys might be willing to take you...
Europa League Draw
Manchester City face Italian giants Juventus in the Europa League group stage, while Liverpool tackle Napoli.
Masch Bound for Barcelona
Javier Mascherano has been given permission to open talks with Barcelona after Liverpool agreed terms with the Spanish giants.
Dominic Raynor: Off The Ball
The new season is upon us and Off The Ball will be scratching around the underbelly of professional football for the duration of the campaign to find the most bizarre, humorous and inexplicable stories.
This week, Manchester United's new £7.4 million signing is dropped from the reserves, Panionios fans dig up their own pitch, there is a phantom underpant slasher at Chelsea and Khalid Boulahrouz kicks a ball at a woman's head.
Encounter with Inter fuels Tottenham's Champions League adventure
Tottenham are alone among the four Premier League clubs in having a Champions League group they can really savour.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
UEFA Champions League: The Groups
Group A
Inter Milan
Werder Bremen
Tottenham
FC Twente
Group B
Lyon
Benfica
Schalke
Hapoel Tel Aviv
Group C
Manchester United
Valencia
Rangers
Bursaspor
Group D
Barcelona
Panathinaikos
Copenhagen
Rubin Kazan
Group E
Bayern Munich
Roma
Basel
CFR Cluj
Group F
Chelsea
Marseille
Spartak Moscow
MSK Zilina
Group G
AC Milan
Real Madrid
Ajax
Auxerre
Group F
Arsenal
Shakhtar Donetsk
Braga
Partizan Belgrade
Matches
September 14-15, 28-29; October 19-20; November 2-3, 23-24; December 7-8.
Inter Milan
Werder Bremen
Tottenham
FC Twente
Group B
Lyon
Benfica
Schalke
Hapoel Tel Aviv
Group C
Manchester United
Valencia
Rangers
Bursaspor
Group D
Barcelona
Panathinaikos
Copenhagen
Rubin Kazan
Group E
Bayern Munich
Roma
Basel
CFR Cluj
Group F
Chelsea
Marseille
Spartak Moscow
MSK Zilina
Group G
AC Milan
Real Madrid
Ajax
Auxerre
Group F
Arsenal
Shakhtar Donetsk
Braga
Partizan Belgrade
Matches
September 14-15, 28-29; October 19-20; November 2-3, 23-24; December 7-8.
Eduardo, Jermain Defoe and the Great English Hypocrisy
The crucial second goal of the night came to Spurs through a piece of outrageous cheating from Jermain Defoe. With a high ball coming in, Defoe clearly and deliberately controlled the ball with his hand, bringing the ball down to enable him to score the goal that put Spurs firmly on their way to the group phase.
What consequences then for Defoe?
Why isn't Tottenham's Jermain Defoe suffering the Thierry Henry treatment?
Last night, however, Jim Beglin, on summarising duty for ITV, could barely contain his laughter when replays of Jermain Defoe’s second goal for Tottenham against Young Boys showed the Spurs striker deliberately handled to set himself up for a glorious finish. “He got away with it,” was Beglin’s take on an act of cheating on a par with Henry’s. Back in the studio there were broad smiles all round at half time, “more than a little hint of handball in that second but there’s no denying it’s men against boys,” said Adrian Chiles, as Andy Townsend, another Irishman, sort of, and Gareth Southgate chuckled like school boys.
Jonathan Wilson in Argentina
There is a prevalent sense that playing the right way is more important than adopting a more 'European' approach.
Argentina's romantic view of the beautiful game may be holding them back.
Yes, this is from River Plate's official website...
Clubs await Thursday's Champions League draw
Chelsea, United and the Gunners are in pot one, with Spurs - who beat Young Boys 6-3 on aggregate to qualify on Wednesday - and Rangers in pot three.
Any one of the five British clubs could be drawn with Real in the group stages.
The English sides cannot play each other before the quarter-finals, but the trio of top seeds could face Scottish champions Rangers in the group stages.
Wahl: Is decision on Bradley nearing?
Is the endgame of the stay-or-go saga involving U.S. coach Bob Bradley finally upon us? The U.S. World Cup coach's contract runs out at the end of December, but the uncertainty over Bradley's future was a sizable distraction for the U.S. players in their recent friendly against Brazil (according to team sources), and I'd argue that it needs to be resolved before the U.S. team gathers next in October for exhibitions against Poland and Colombia.
Europa League Special: Tricky Ties In Store For Liverpool And Napoli
A potential banana skin is in store for Walter Mazzari's Napoli who missed a glut of chances in the first leg."We had 31 shots and 14 of those were on target. It is a shame that we only scored one goal," Mazzarri said after the 1-0 victory in Naples.
Liverpool nurse a one goal advantage from the first leg the Reds can coast through to the group stages by keeping a clean sheet in Turkey.
Roy Hodgson will have to do without talismen Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres who will both miss the trip.
"It's going to be a very tough ask for the players in a difficult place but if we come through it we'll come through it stronger," said the new gaffer at Anfield.
Gunners seal Squillaci deal
Squillaci is unlikely to make his Gunners debut until after the international break as he will not be involved against Blackburn in the Premier League on Saturday.
Wenger confirmed: "We needed a centre-back of quality and experience if possible, and at the right price - he was all of that.
Norman Hubbard on Wigan
It is sometimes unwise to voice ambition. The lower half of the Premier League is populated by managers who make it their raison d'etre to downgrade expectations. That way, mediocrity can be presented as achievement. Roberto Martinez, in contrast, has often said that his objective is to take Wigan into Europe.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Glazers fail to pay mortgage on four shopping malls
The four malls are in Houston, Texas; Denver, Colorado and two in Ohio. That means nine, or 13%, of the Glazers' malls are now "delinquent" or insolvent, and a further 29 centres, 43%, have so many units empty the rental income does not cover the mortgage payments.
Former France doctor claims 1998 World Cup team's blood samples suspect
France's battered football reputation has been dealt a new blow with claims from a former national team doctor that several players provided suspect blood samples just before their 1998 World Cup win.
UEFA Champions League Qualifier Preview: Tottenham vs. Young Boys
Tottenham head into their UEFA Champions League qualifier on Wednesday against Young Boys hoping to avoid a disastrous exit at the first hurdle of the competition.
Alberto Aquilani joins Juventus on loan from Liverpool
Aquilani, who has been capped 11 times by Italy but was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, has made only 28 appearances for the Reds, scoring two goals in the process.
Paolo Bandini in Italy: Serie A 2010-11 Season Preview
There were fights on the pitch and in the boardrooms this summer, but the outlook in Italy is far from bleak.
Villa's delaying tactics may prove costly
It may seem early in the season for talk of must-win games - yet Aston Villa are facing two in the space of four days. And they will not only determine the future of caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald, but also test the commitment of American owner-chairman Randy Lerner.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Spain: La Liga 2010-11 Season Preview
Goal.com's KS Leong runs through the prospects of each contender in the Spanish top flight in 2010-11.
McCarra: Fulham show leaders of Premier League pack are no longer unassailable
Unfancied clubs are sensing some of the elite are now vulnerable, a feeling backed up by early results.
Turner: After sleepy World Cup, EPL Offense Refreshing
There is always something to enjoy about a World Cup, and South Africa was no exception. But the verdict this summer was that we'd all seen better. So much of the soccer was mind-numbingly defensive and the final was so teeth-grindingly short of the occasion. We emerged from the tournament nursing something like a hangover, squinting and groggy, with a bit of a thirst on. Happily, the opening two rounds of the Premier League, featuring four -- four! -- 6-0 thrashings have arrived with a plink-plink fizz.
Tim Vickery in South America
Neymar saying no to Chelsea's millions and staying with Santos is being seen as a huge victory for Brazilian football.
This might be going just a little too far but more than anything else, it is a victory for common sense.
The 18-year-old is a magnificent prospect. He is sleek and skilful, able to beat the defender on either side, capable of combining well, and full of tricks he can put to productive use in and around the penalty area.
He is a goalscorer and goal maker but he is still raw.
Americans In The UK: Keepers Take A Beating
Brad Friedel took a pounding on Sunday, ending a tough weekend for the usually sturdy American keepers.
England: Monday Night Football Reports
Manchester City 3 - 0 Liverpool
Phil McNulty at Eastlands
Kevin McCarra at Eastlands
Richard Jolly at Eastlands
The Sheikh likes his new toy...
Sébastien Squillaci unrepentant after forcing transfer to Arsenal
"If a French player receives an offer from Arsène Wenger, it's practically impossible to turn down," he said. "It was a sensational offer for me and I was happy Sevilla let me go. It was a difficult situation but I knew I had to take this chance. I knew if I played against Braga then I would not have been able to play for Arsenal in the Champions League."
Raphael Honigstein in Germany
After a major overhaul on and off the field, Hoffenheim's thrashing of Werder stood out as the best opening-day display.
Hoffenheim start with a bang as Bayern hand McClaren an early lesson.
Gallas eyes title challenge with Spurs
New Tottenham signing William Gallas believes he has joined a side that possesses enough quality to mount a serious Premier League title challenge this season.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Mascherano On Strike
Javier Mascherano is refusing to play for Liverpool against Manchester City on Monday night as he seeks to negotiate a transfer away from the club.
Monday Night Football: Manchester City vs. Liverpool
The battle of the challengers gets underway on Monday night, following their exertions in the Europa League. Both teams have aspirations to be playing at a higher level and, despite the opposing financial fortunes of the clubs, have claims to be pushing for Premier League title.
Top 10 French Players Under 21
Last month, France won the Under-19 European Championships on home soil by beating Spain 2-1 in the final. It was the nation's first youth title since 2005, when a side that contained Yoann Gourcuff, Abou Diaby and Hugo Lloris won the same tournament in Northern Ireland.
As that trio figured in France's ill-fated World Cup campaign this summer, hopes are high that the current crop of youngsters, known as the "1991 generation," after the year of their birth, will go onto great things. Below is a list of the most promising French youngsters under 21, all of whom face important challenges in the coming season.
Top 25 Goal Celebrations: Best and Worst
Telegraph Sport looks back at 25 of the most memorable celebrations, following Joey Barton's close shave with a Nazi salute.
Martin Rogers: Misfiring Rooney Missing in Action
The absence of Wayne Rooney from Manchester United’s first stumble of the season shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise. After all, the English striker has performed the soccer equivalent of a disappearing act for the past five months.
Chuck Norris can find Wayne...
The Fifth Official: Six-Gun Shooters
If the Premier League's all-you-can-eat buffet served up endless trinkets of champagne and caviar for Blackpool after their heroics at Wigan last week, it was buckets of gravel and rainwater this as Arsenal cut through all the confidence they'd gained on the opening day like white spirit on a wall of vomit.
England: Premier League Weekend Review, Reports & Analysis
Another newly-promoted Premier League club stole the limelight as Newcastle United humiliated managerless Aston Villa, while Arsenal and Chelsea also hit Blackpool and Wigan Athletic for six respectively.Elsewhere, Fulham battled back to hold Manchester United, there was controversy and an early contender for Goal of the Season at the Britannia Stadium, West Bromwich Albion earned their first win of the term while Bolton Wanderers stunned West Ham United.
Kevin McCarra at Craven Cottage
Louise Taylor at St. James' Park
David Pleat on Newcastle vs. Aston Villa
Kevin Palmer at the Emirates Stadium
Tim Rich at the DW Stadium
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