Barca can’t get tired now
Messi did not score
against Osasuna so we may expect the little Argentine maestro to make
up for lost time against Mallorca. It was the often criticised Zlatan
Ibrahimovic that needed to rescue Barcelona from a poor position.
Pep Guardiola was
not impressed with his team and let that out to reporters after the
match. “We struggled to tighten up and support each other. We lacked
the fluency I had imagined. I have made a mistake; I imagined a game
that has not happened. In the sixth minute I decided to change it. When
Pedro plays with Dani Alves, both are good.” But the performances were
not good on the night. He commended Ibrahimovic for rescuing the
situation:
“When he scores we
do well, because he is a goal scorer. His quality depends on himself
and nobody else.” While Mallorca have surprised all Primera League
watchers with their displays this term, they have not faced an
opposition like the Blaugrana in some time. They currently sit in the
fourth position and have contributed goals from all around the park
with Aritz Aduriz accounting for nine goals. Since they will be playing
at ONO Estadi, they will have the support of their 12th man to bolster
them. Barca cannot afford any slip up with the fixture of games before
them. They play Arsenal, Bilbao and Real Madrid in the next two weeks.
Valencia are doing
well amidst their catalogue of financial woes and have a banker in
David Villa. Villa has scored 18 goals in 26 appearances and is
rumoured to be for sale, more goals will mean more money in the
transfer market. Zaragoza may have to go down again this season to
learn how to stay up.
They have always
had squads that pundits say are too good to go down but they have been
relegated in 2002 and 2008 although to their credit, they got promoted
back to the elite division immediately. They are just two points above
the relegation places. Their Nigerian striker, Ikechukwu Uche who might
have helped in scoring the goals is still out injured.
Season defining match on the cards in Serie A
Roma need to beat
Inter to get to within a point of the leaders and defending champions.
That is a tough task but if there is any side in Italy that has the
Indian sign over Inter, it is the Romans. Leaders Inter Milan ended
their recent dip in form with a 3-0 victory over last place, Livorno to
move four points clear at the top of the table while Roma were made to
work hard for their victory over Bologna.
Their last two
matches in the Serie A have been hard fought draws with Inter having to
come from behind to take a point. Francesco Totti is in a race against
time to be fit for the encounter.
The Giallorossi
will be right back in the Scudetto race if they can beat Jose
Mourinho’s men but Inter have developed more steel with the Portuguese
tactician pulling the strings. The Romans have David Pizarro, Philippe
Mexes and Daniele De Rossi back from bans to bolster the team.
Mario Balotelli
continues to be a bone of contention for Mourinho but as long as Jose
continues to get the results, Super Mario will continue to be on the
sidelines. The Italian of Ghanian parentage seems to have lost his
place to another out of favour player, Ricardo Querasma, who started
against Livorno in Inter’s 3-0 win. He had an assist in that match.
Bundesliga
Bayern will hope
to bounce back from a first defeat in 19 matches when they host VFB
Stuttgart at the Allianz Arena. As negotiations with Franck Ribery
continue, Louis Van Gaal will have an eye on Manchester United’s visit
on Tuesday in the quarter finals of the Champions League. Bayern are
coming off the back of a hard fought 1-0 victory over Schalke 04 in the
semi final of the DFB Pokal Cup on Wednesday with another wonder goal
from Arjen Robben winning the game.
Bayer Leverkusen
have faltered in the last weeks and are following the trend of between
1997 and 2002 when they choke in the run in for the title. Becoming
runners-up in 2000 and 2002 were heart-breaking for supporters as on
both occasions the team had the Bundesliga title within grasp as they
have had all this season before losing to Nurnberg two weeks ago –
their first loss of the season. Visitors, Schalke 04 will be a hard nut
to crack and sit second on the log.
Leave a Reply