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.
Five professional footballers are reported to have contacted a clinic founded by the former Arsenal captain Tony Adams following the death of Gary Speed.
I was going to talk about languages, and the importance of knowing the lingo when you're a manager - and I still might - but the weekend itself has thrown up several talking points that might just need looking at first. Events are certainly lending a lie to the 'Liga de Mierda' accusation that was floating around at the beginning of the season, even though many of the financial inequalities written into the system here still persist. For the time being, however, it would have been difficult to have predicted that after 13 games, Levante would only be two points behind Barcelona, that Valencia were still in with a realistic shout for the title (well - let's get carried away a little!) and that Barcelona would be six points behind Real Madrid, with the clásico only a fortnight away.
An action-packed weekend of Premier League action saw both Manchester clubs held to draws while Tottenham continued their storming run. Leaders City were denied an eighth successive win on Sunday after they were held on Merseyside by Liverpool, while second-placed United shared the spoils with surprise high-fliers Newcastle the day before. Elsewhere, Spurs secured their fifth win on the bounce with a convincing triumph at West Brom but North London rivals Arsenal were held by a resilient Fulham side at Emirates Stadium and Aston Villa's trip to Swansea also ended in a draw. Chelsea got their campaign back on track with victory at home to Wolves, while Stoke were also winners on their own turf, seeing off rock-bottom Blackburn. Struggling Wigan enjoyed a much-needed win at Sunderland, Norwich edged past QPR and Everton worked hard to triumph over 10-man Bolton.
The Wales football manager Gary Speed, who has died at the age of 42 after apparently taking his own life, was an outstanding footballer and promised to be equally successful in this new phase of his career. But while he had been in charge of the national side for only 10 games, his playing career was long and distinguished. A skilful, athletic and versatile left-sided attacking midfield player, Speed was also an exceptional header of the ball and had a healthy knack of scoring goals. He represented Wales and four different Premier League clubs – Leeds United, Everton, Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers – during a 22-year club career.
Chelsea were beaten 2-1 by Bayer Leverkusen after a last-minute header means they must wait to qualify from the Champions League. Valencia will face the Blues in their final group game with a place in the last-16 at stake after a 7-0 thrashing of Genk. Arsenal qualified for the Champions League knockout stages for the 12th consecutive season after Robin van Persie's double gave the Gunners a 2-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates Stadium. Barcelona secured top spot in Group H after leading AC Milan three times to win 3-2 at the San Siro. APOEL Nicosia became the first Cypriot side to qualify for the knockout stages as they dug in for a goalless draw at Zenit St Petersburg.
The standard football cliches have been out in full force in Nicosia in the last few weeks. As the Cypriot press runs headlines like "APOEL Among the Stars", "APOEL - I Have Lost my Mind" and "Living the Dream" to name a few, players and coaching staff at APOEL Nicosia have repeatedly tried to play down expectations of qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League.
Arsenal and Chelsea head into Matchday Five searching for victories that will see them safely into the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League. AC Milan and Barcelona have already booked their place in the last 16, but first place in Group H remains up for grabs and both sides will have their foot on the gas in an encounter that will see Zlatan Ibrahimovic face his former employers for the first time since making an acrimonious departure from Camp Nou.
Manchester City's UEFA Champions League ambitions are hanging by a thread after losing to Napoli, while Manchester United face a tense finale after drawing at home to Benfica. Bayern Munich booked their place in the knockout phase as Group A winners as they extended Villarreal's miserable Champions League record this term. FC Basel go into their final group game at home to the Red Devils just a point adrift of Sir Alex Ferguson's side after scraping past Otelul Galati 3-2. Real Madrid continued their majestic progress through Group D as they extended their 100 per cent record by demolishing whipping boys Dinamo Zagreb 6-2. Ajax look certain to join Real in the next phase after another 0-0 draw against Lyon with the Dutch outfit three points clear of their rivals and boasting a significantly superior goal difference. Lille's 2-0 victory over CSKA Moscow in Russia in the early kick-off in Group B ensured that Inter Milan progressed to the knockout phase before their clash with Trabzonspor.
Last week we said "quite a lot of eyes will be on a seemingly rather mundane clash between Cologne and Mainz", a prediction which unfortunately came true in an unexpected way and for all the wrong reasons.
John Harkes is out and Taylor Twellman is in as ESPN's lead analyst in the booth for MLS and U.S. Soccer broadcasts in 2012, several sources have told SI.com. Harkes, the U.S. Hall of Famer who played in two World Cups, was recently informed that his contract would not be renewed. Twellman, the former New England Revolution star whose playing career was cut short by concussions, has spent this season working in ESPN's studio coverage and as the analyst for local broadcasts of the Philadelphia Union. Ian Darke will continue to be ESPN's lead play-by-play voice for the U.S. national team, the English Premier League, Euro 2012 and select MLS broadcasts. Alexi Lalas will continue in his position as an ESPN studio analyst. Adrian Healey is expected to continue calling MLS games when Darke is not involved.
Manchester City can secure their spot in the knockout stages with a victory over Napoli in Group A after picking up back-to-back wins against Villarreal. Group A leaders Bayern Munich can confirm their progress to the last 16 when they play host to lowly Villarreal at the Allianz Arena with the Spaniards yet to pick up a point. Manchester United will celebrate qualification into the knockout stages by beating old European foes Benfica at Old Trafford. Inter Milan travel to Trabzonspor in Group B knowing a draw will be good enough to secure progression, but Claudio Ranieri's men will be out for revenge after losing their opening game in the group to the Turkish side. In Group D Real Madrid are already assured of their place in the next phase, but they will be aiming to secure top spot in the group when they play host to basement boys Dinamo Zagreb at El Santiago Bernabeu. Lyon play host to Ajax in a must-win encounter for the French side at Stade Gerland as they currently lie three points behind the Dutch giants.
A year ago, when the Soccerex trade fair came to Rio, I ended up taking some BBC bigwigs to a Brazilian league game - Botafogo against Internacional.
| Team | GP | W | D | L | Pts | GF | GA | GD | |
| Manchester City | 12 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 42 | 11 | 31 | |
| Manchester United | 12 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 29 | 29 | 12 | 17 | |
| Tottenham | 11 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 25 | 23 | 15 | 8 | |
| Newcastle United | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 25 | 18 | 11 | 7 | |
| Chelsea | 12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 22 | 25 | 17 | 8 | |
| Liverpool | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 16 | 11 | 5 | |
| Arsenal | 12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 22 | 25 | 22 | 3 | |
| Aston Villa | 12 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 15 | 16 | 17 | -1 | |
| Queens Park Rangers | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 13 | 22 | -9 | |
| West Brom | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 11 | 17 | -6 | |
| Norwich City | 12 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 17 | 20 | -3 | |
| Everton | 11 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 13 | 16 | -3 | |
| Swansea | 12 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 12 | 16 | -4 | |
| Stoke City | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 10 | 22 | -12 | |
| Sunderland | 12 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 1 | |
| Fulham | 12 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 14 | 15 | -1 | |
| Wolverhampton | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 13 | 20 | -7 | |
| Bolton | 12 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 19 | 29 | -10 | |
| Blackburn | 12 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 27 | -11 | |
| Wigan Athletic FC | 12 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 23 | -13 | |
Manchester City are now the only unbeaten side remaining in the Premier League after they inflicted a first defeat on Newcastle. Roberto Mancini's men grabbed a 3-1 win over the third-placed Magpies at the Etihad Stadium. City's lead at the top remains five points after rivals Manchester United claimed a 1-0 win at Swansea, with Javier Hernandez scoring the only goal in the first-half. SuperSunday certainly lived up to its billing this weekend, as Liverpool claimed a 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge, to stun Andre Villas-Boas' Chelsea. Arsenal maintained their charge back up the table and Robin van Persie continued his brilliant form in their 2-1 win over Norwich. The game of the weekend was surely witnessed at the DW Stadium as relegation contenders Wigan and Blackburn shared six goals.
The L.A. Galaxy claimed a 1-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo in the MLS Cup final on Sunday night in what could prove to be David Beckham's last game for the club. Landon Donovan scored the winner after latching onto Robbie Keane's pass in the 72nd minute. Donovan dinked a classy finish over goalkeeper Tally Hall, much to the delight of a sell-out crowd of 30,281 at Home Depot Center.
