raul gonzalez: December 2013

HAVE A HAPPY 2014

Quiet day on the Spanish Football news front & most people with their minds on tonights end of year celebrations.

Would like to take the occasion in wishing all the Spanish Football Sports Blog readers a "Happy New Year & a Great 2014". Thanks for all the support during 2013 & will try to keep the standards up for you during 2014. See you back in a couple of days!

FC BARCELONA TELLO MAY GO TO LIVERPOOL FC ON LOAN

The news comes out of Spanish Sports paper "Marca" & places FC Barcelona & Spanish International Winger Cristian Tello in Liverpool FC. The operation would be put of the "Winter Market Transfer" window that opens up the 1st of January 2014 & it would be a loan.

Months back Cristian Tello made some very public announcements that if he could not get regular playing time at Barça that perhaps he

ARGENTINE JOSE SOSA CLOSE TO ATLETICO DE MADRID | ON LOAN

As we get closer to the "Winter Transfer Market" - starts the 1st of January 2014 - speculations & rumours increase & also help sell more Sports papers. Some rumours are false, invented, interested or just published to boost sales, however others are real, in motion & very possible, although in Football nothing is 100% until both parties sign the dotted line.

Spanish Football Club Atletico de

ESPANYOL WINS FINAL 3 - 2 REAL MADRID | XVII INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL 7 U-12 CHAMPIONSHIP

Spanish Football Club RCD Espanyol defeated Real Madrid 3 - 2 in the Final of the XVII International Football 7 aside U- 12 Tournament being held in Arona ( Tenerife, Canary Islands; Spain). The youngsters aged between 11 & 12 years of age gave a great spectacle of Football which went right down to the last second as Espanyol avoided Real Madrid equalizing & forcing extra-time.Espanyol put in a

SPANISH FOOTBALL YOUNG FUTURE PROMISES | PEDRO - KANGIN LEE

Every year around this time in Christmas a very special U-12 Football 7 a side tournament takes place in Spain, concretely in Arona, Island of Tenerife ( Canary Is ). Out of here have came Spanish & World Football stars like Andres Iniesta, Fernando Torres, Gerard Pique ...just to mention three & this XVXII European Futbol 7 edition is highlighting some unique future talent.Teams from all around

TALKS ACCELERATE BETWEEN REAL MADRID & GUNDOGAN OF BORUSSIA DORTMUND

While midfielder & Spanish International Xabi Alonso keeps in limbo his Club Real Madrid while he decides to renew or not his contract, the Spanish Football Club moves its piece just in case they need to find a substitute.

All speculation points at German International & Borussia Dortmund player Gundogan as the Real Madrid target & the Xabi Alonso replacement if the latter decides to leave.

SPANISH FOOTBALL CURRENT LEADING GOALSCORER - GOALKEEPER AFTER ROUND 17

While Spanish Football & La Liga takes its Christmas Break thought it would a good moment to update the leading Spanish Liga Goalscorer ( El Pichichi ) & Goalkeeper ( El Zamora ) after Round 17. In both cases we have Atletico de Madrid players leading the classifications which reflects perfectly how the Club is performing in Liga this season which is currently sharing top spot of the Liga ladder

LA GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT LEAVES OUT MESSI & SPANIARDS FROM "BEST XI 2013"

The below post highlights the "Best Ideal XI Team for 2013" by the French Sports paper "L´Equipe". This post is the "Best XI Team for 2013" by Italian Sports paper "La Gazzetta dello Sports". If the French left out Sergio Ramos, the Italians left out FC Barcelona player Lionel Messi. And while the French at least included a Spaniard in FC Barcelona defender Jordi Alba, the Italian list has no

L´EQUIPE IDEAL 2013 TEAM WITH JORDI ALBA AS ONLY SPANIARD

Hi guys, SFS is back after a few days off with the family. I hope you had a great Christmas & have received lots of presents.

On the bus back home got to read that the French Sports paper "L´Equipe" has published their Best XI of the Year 2013. The surprise, but deserved, is the inclusion of left back defender Jordi Alba of FC Barcelona. Alba is the only Spaniard included in the list, the others

SPANISH FOOTBALL | MERRY CHRISTMAS

Taking a few days off with the family. To all the readers & everyone a Merry Christmas & thank you for all your support!

SPANISH FOOTBALL - LIGA - ROUND 17 SUNDAY GAMES RESULTS

The last 5 matches of Spanish Football Liga Round 17 were played today before the competition goes into its Christmas Break. Plenty of action with the following final results - scores & all the goalscorers.

RCD Espanyol played at noon & managed some needed 3 points with a deserved 4 - 2 win over bottom placed side Valladolid. Entertaining match with Espanyol dominating except the final 15

XABI ALONSO SPECULATED TO LEAVE REAL MADRID

Real Madrid is currently on alert & anxious to know the final decision of their midfielder Xabi Alonso. The player ends contract on June 30th of 2014 & Alonso has still to announce if he will renew or not his contract with the Club. The player will become a "free agent" as of the 1st of January 2014 allowing him to negotiate with any Club he wishes & can leave Real Madrid for free.

These

SPANISH FOOTBALL - LIGA - ROUND 17 SATURDAY GAMES FINAL RESULTS

Spanish Football action tonight with Round 17 Liga games scheduled. One game was played last night & 4 matched were down tonight with the following final results-scores & all the goalscorers.

Friday night kicked off Round 17 of Liga with a match that saw Elche lose 0 - 1 to Malaga FC. The winner came early from Malaga midfielder Camacho in the 6th min. Elche dominated the ball but was

TOP PAID FOOTBALL - SOCCER COACHES MANAGERS IN WORLD FOOTBALL

A Brazilian Consultancy "Pluri" has released the list of top World Football - Soccer Coaches ( Managers ) & their salary before taxes ( that is, Gross ). Spanish Coach Josep Guardiola currently training German Club Bayern Munich is the highest paid Coach in the World with 17.000.000€. The second placed Coach is Chelsea FC Manager Jose Mourinho with 10.030.000€. Another Spanish Coach on the list &

SPANISH CUP - COPA DEL REY - THURSDAY GAMES FINAL RESULTS

The last remaining 2º leg Spanish Cup - Copa de Rey - games were played tonight with the following final results-scores & all the goalscorers from the 4 matches.

Valencia CF with new "intern" Coach Nico Estevez managed to win 1 - 0 Gimnastic & qualify the Club with a 1- 0 aggregate into the next stage of the Spanish Cup. The winner came in the 37th min from Alcacer. The victory was worked &

SPAIN Nº 1 FOOTBALL - SOCCER NATION | SIXTH YEAR IN A ROW | FIFA RANKING

FIFA has released today its monthly World Rankings for December with Spain Nº1. The Spanish Football National Team finishes the year as the "Best Football Nation" & it is the 6th consecutive year that Spain finishes in the Nº1 position.Incredible statistics & achievement which includes back to back European Nations Titles ( 2008 & 2012 ) & the 2010 FIFA World Champions Title. Now the big

MANCHESTER CITY - ARSENAL FC SOUND OUT IKER CASILLAS

News locally & from overseas is mounting speculating about the future of Spanish International & Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas. The situation of the player with his Club is that the "regular" goalkeeper for Real Madrid is Diego Lopez who has been chosen by Coach Ancelotti to be the starting keeper in Spanish Liga. Iker Casillas has been given the keeper role in Champions League & the

SPANISH CUP - COPA DEL REY - WEDNESDAY MATCHES FINAL RESULTS

Spanish Cup - Copa del Rey - 2º leg return games action tonight with 6 encounters scheduled. Following is a brief summary of events, with all the final results-scores along with all the goalscorers.

Atletico de Madrid hosted San Andreu to win 2 - 1 & take tie to a 6 - 1 aggregate to qualify for the next stage of the Copa del Rey. San Andreu gave some initial fight & action that earned them

SPAIN FEMALE NATIONAL TEAM | 15TH IN FIFA RANKING

Football is a relatively a male dominated Sport in the majority of cases, & more so in Spain. The Spanish Male National Football Team is the current European & FIFA World Champions & take all the spotlight. However, there is Female Spanish National Football Team which is doing well & deserves much more media coverage & attention.Thought that I would post up the great news that our Female

SPANISH CUP FINAL RESULTS OF TONIGHTS 2º LEG RETURN GAMES

Spanish Cup - Copa de Rey - 2º leg return matches tonight with 6 matches scheduled, with 6 games scheduled for tomorrow & the remaining on Thursday. Here are all the final results-scores, goalscorers & the Clubs knocked out.

Osasuna drew with Malaga FC 1- 1 in the 2º leg return game. The 1º st leg was another draw 3 - 3 result which gives the tie to Osasuna ( 4-4 agg, away goals ) & knocks

TOP 10 PLAYERS SHOWN RED CARDS IN SPANISH FOOTBALL - LIGA - HISTORY

Last week Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos was sent off with a Red Card, again. The media has been giving the Spanish International "heaps" with headlines that announce that its his 18th Red Card in his career.For those who read these headlines one may be lead to think that Ramos is a "hardman" of Spanish Football, a rough & tough bloke that "eats up forwards & midfielders". Just to clarify the

VALENCIA CF SACKS ITS COACH DJUKIC

It was sensed last night that something would occur at Valencia CF after Atletico de Madrid gave them a Football lesson winning 3-0, a scoreline that could have been greater had Diego Costa not missed his penalty & Atletico converted their numerous occasions.The aftermath is the sacking by Valencia of its Coach Djukic, being temporarily substituted by Valencia B Coach Nico Estevez.

The

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL 16 CLUB DRAW | REAL MADRID - FC BARCELONA - AT MADRID

The draw for the match ups of the last 16 Clubs left in the 2013-2014 UEFA Champions League tournament has been celebrated today with the following results for the three Spanish Football Clubs: Real Madrid, Atletico de Madrid & FC Barcelona.

courtesy of Marca

The 1º st leg matches are scheduled for the 18th/19th & 25th/26th of Febuary with the 2º leg games scheduled for the 11th /12th & 18th/

SPANISH FOOTBALL - LIGA - ROUND 16 SUNDAY GAMES FINAL RESULTS

Spanish Football & Liga continued today with four matches of Round 16. Here are all the final results-scores along with all the goalscorers.

Almeria & RCD Espanyol played out a "boring" 0 - 0 draw. Perhaps both sides were more tense than usual working in order to avoid losing points & preferred not to risk. Very tactical & disciplined from both teams which cancelled out the creative elements

SPANISH FOOTBALL - LIGA - FINAL RESULTS ROUND 16 SATURDAY GAMES

Spanish Football action with Liga back running with Round 16 games. One match was played last night & four encounters today with the final results-scores along with all goalscorers all detailed below.

Levante hosted Elche on Friday night & won 2 - 1 with the home side making a comeback. The opening goal came from the visiting Club which scored in the 28th min with a goal from Sapunara.

CARLO ANCELOTTI FINDS "HIS TEAM" | REAL MADRID

The theory indicates, fill your Football squad with World Class Stars & you're bound to win. However, the model leaves out the "team factor" from the equation & it takes the big spending Clubs time to realise that in practice the reality is that your need to build a TEAM in order to win. Money & stars are not the final answer, obvious but we see it every season.

This has been the case with

CRISTIANO RONALDO WINS WORLD SOCCER BEST PLAYER AWARD 2013

The prestigious Football Magazine, "World Soccer" has released its list of "Best Football Player 2013", "Best Coach 2013" & "Best Football - Soccer Club 2013". The voting comes in from all their journalists around the World & gives the Real Madrid & Portuguese International Cristiano Ronaldo the Award as the "Best Football Player of 2013" ahead of FC Barcelona player Lionel Messi & Bayern Munich

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL RESULTS FOR ATLETICO DE MADRID - FC BARCELONA

UEFA Champions League Football tonight with the last games of the remaining Groups after yesterday matches settled the 8 Clubs from A to D that go through to the next stage of the tournament. Tonight two Spanish Football Clubs had Group duties that were already qualified except for FC Barcelona which was playing for the top spot of Group H something achieved after their victory, along with

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL RESULTS | REAL MADRID - REAL SOCIEDAD

UEFA Champions League had two Spanish Football Clubs in action tonight with their last Group match duties. Real Madrid as expected qualified as leader of Group B while Real Sociedad said goodbye last placed of Group A & without even qualifying for the Europa League.Following are the final results - scores & the goalscorers

Real Madrid won Copenhague 0 - 2 giving the Spanish Football Club 5

FIFPRO - FIFA LIST OF FORWARD CANDIDATES | 4 SPANISH LIGA PLAYERS

After releasing the list of candidates for the Goalkeeper, Defenders & Midfield positions for the "FIFPRO-FIFA Best XI Team", today it was the turn of the 15 candidates for the forward positions. Aparte from the regulars Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Ibrahimovic, Lewandowski etc , Atletico de Madrid player Diego Costa makes his first appearance. This is a quantitative lift from past seasons &

FIFA ANNOUNCE THE FINAL THREE CANDIDATES FOR GOLDEN BALL AWARD 2013

The news released by FIFA - France Football is a "no News". As expected the final three candidates up for the FIFA France Football Golden Ball Award - Best World Footballer 2013 - are Cristiano Ronaldo ( Real Madrid CF ), Franck Ribery ( Bayern Munich ) & Lionel Messi ( FC Barcelona ).

The winner will be announced in Zurich (Switzerland) on the 13th of January 2014. The Award will be given

SPANISH CUP RESULTS SUNDAY GAMES | SPANISH FOOTBALL

Spanish Cup final results of todays 5 games which concludes the 1º st leg encounters of the last 32 team phase. Here are all the scores & goalscorers.

Spanish 2º Division & Madrid Club Alcorcon hosted Liga Club Granada & lost 0 - 2. The two goals were scored in excellent fashion by Granada forward Ighalo in the 30th & 80th min. Granada with this victory has its participation in the next stage

SPANISH CUP RESULTS SATURDAY | SPANISH FOOTBALL

SPANISH CUP continued today with another 5 matches scheduled. Here are all the final results along with all the goalscorers.

Spanish 2º B Division Club Sant Andreu hosted the current Spanish Cup Champions & Liga Club Atletico de Madrid & lost 0 - 4. The visitors were as intense & firm as if this was a Liga match due to the competitive philosophy of Coach Simeone. The goals came in the

REAL MADRID DI MARIA TO LEAVE FOR MONACO ?

Months back the Argentine International & Real Madrid player Angel Di Maria was praised for his determination to stay at the Spanish Football Club even though his regularity was in question. The arrival of Gareth Bale has "displaced" some players with German Ozil taking the decision of going to Arsenal to maintain his playing time. Di Maria months back took the decision to stay at Real Madrid & "

SPANISH CUP RESULTS | SPANISH FOOTBALL

Today began the matches of the last 32 Clubs in the SPANISH CUP were the Liga Clubs make their appearance. The 1ºst leg games fixture is divided into three days with more Spanish Cup games tomorrow - Saturday - & Sunday. Here are tonights Spanish Cup results with all the goalscorers.

Lleida lost 1 - 2 to Real Betis. The visitors reacted after the Club sacked early in the week their Coach Pepe

FIFPRO BEST XI TEAM 2013 MIDFIELDERS CANDIDATES LIST | 5 SPANIARDS

There are 5 Spaniards in the list of 15 midfield candidates to make up the FIFPRO-FIFA XI 2013 team. Few days back the Goalkeeping candidates were release & today it was the turn of the midfielders voted by all the World Football Professionals ( i.e. by their peers ).

List of candidates:
- Francisco Alarcón Isco (Spain, Málaga CF / Real Madrid CF)
- Xabi Alonso (Spain, Real Madrid CF)
- Gareth

SPAIN IN GROUP B WITH HOLLAND, CHILE & AUSTRALIA | WORLD CUP 2014 BRAZIL

The current FIFA World Champions SPAIN knows which Football Nations will be their Group rivals in next years World Cup 2014 to be held in Brazil after the celebration of the draws in Salvador ( Brazil ).Spain will head Group B with Holland , Chile & Australia all joining in what is one of the more difficult Groups of the tournament. The other "death Group" is D with Uruguay, Costa Rica, England

FOOTBALL - SOCCER | BEST 11 OF 2013 | READERS CHOICE

As 2013 "races" to its end & towards the New Year, so do the lists of "Best of " sprout about throughout the media & other reference sources. With Football its the same & fans, websurfers, readers & online media put up surveys, get together their experts into a panel & some may even stick a finger up in the air.

This last is not the case with Spanish Sports paper "Marca" which have called onto

SPECULATION PUTS BORUSSIA GUNDOGAN CLOSE TO REAL MADRID

The news out of Germany & from Borussia Dortmund is concern & speculation about the future of midfielder Ilkay Gundogan. The player ends contract with Dortmund in 2015 & there has been no movement by the player to want to renew his contract with the German Club. Local media speculate with this as a "signal" & that the future of the German International may be at Spanish Football Club Real Madrid.

UEFA TEAM OF THE YEAR 2013 | 9 CANDIDATES SPANISH OR IN SPANISH LIGA

UEFA has made public its 40 candidates for the UEFA Team of the Year 2013. The voting takes place via the UEFA website where users & readers can place their votes.
The selected 40 players had their performance in their domestic Leagues & with their National Teams taken into account to be nominated. The UEFA XI will keep the voting open until the 9th of January 2014. The player which receives the

SPANISH FOOTBALL LEADING GOALSCORER - GOALKEEPER AFTER ROUND 15 OF LIGA

The Spanish Football League - Liga - has just concluded Round 15 & this weekend has Spanish Cup matches. Good moment to have a look at which player is currently the Spanish League leading goalscorer & which goalkeeper has stopped the most goals.

In the race for the "El Pichichi" - name given to the Spanish Liga maximum goalscorer - Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo currently leads after

THE RETURN OF KARIM BENZEMA ¿FOR HOW LONG?

Real Madrid & French International forward Karim Benzema is back in the news. The reasons are all positive as the player seems to have regained form after a terrible start to the season. So troubling was his "kick off" to the season that the Frenchman lost his place in the National Team & was virtually "on sale" at Real Madrid.

One could say weeks back that Benzema could not score even at an

VICTOR VALDES - IKER CASILLAS CANDIDATES FIFA FIFPRO WORLD XI

The candidates in the Goalkeeping category have been released for the FIFA FIFPro World XI to be announced on the 13th of January 2014. Two Spanish Football Players are on the list, FC Barcelona Victor Valdes & Real Madrid Iker Casillas.

The other three candidates are Neuer of Bayern Munich, Buffon of Juventus & Petr Chech of Chelsea FC.The voters are all the World Football Professionals

SPANISH FOOTBALL NEWS | REAL BETIS SACKS COACH PEPE MEL FOR JUAN CARLOS GARRIDO

Cruel game Football. Sweet when your up there & things are going fine, but ruthless when the results do not come & luck leaves you through the back door.Current last placed on the Spanish Liga classification table Real Betis has taken & executed a hard decision. The Spanish Football Club has fired its Coach Pepe Mel after Directives thought that if they were to avoid relegation a change of course

GARETH BALE FIRST HAT-TRICK WITH REAL MADRID

Been out of town this weekend & have´nt had a chance to do - & will not do this Round 15 - the regular Liga updates or summary. If you wish to know details of all the final scores & goalscorers there is an interesting widget on the right hand side that can help you out

Mentioned all this I did manage to catch a few matches via TV, Atletico de Madrid of course & caught the 4-0 performance &