SPAIN. Real Madrid, whose last game of 2006 was a embarrassing 3-0 loss Recreativo Huelva, begins the New Year at a venue where it hasn’t won for 15 years.
The Merengues, with new Argentine signings Fernando Gago and Gonzalo Higuain, travel to Deportivo Coruna’s Riazor, where they last won in 1991. Real needs a win to keep pace with league leaders Sevilla and Barcelona, which are nine and eight points ahead of Real. (Barcelona, which travels to Getafe without suspended Ronaldinho and Deco, has a game in hand.)
Real spent $52.69 million on central midfielder Gago, teenage striker Higuain and Brazilian left back Marcelo.
Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy‘s injury increases the chances of Higuain seeing action despite having practiced just a few times with Real. Deportivo is winless in its last nine games.
Television:
Sunday, Deportivo Coruna-Real Madrid, GOL TV, 1 pm ET.
ENGLAND: Premier League teams join the FA Cup as it enters the third round this weekend. The marquee match is on Saturday when defending FA Cup champ Liverpool faces Arsenal.
Three more of the 32 games feature clashes between Premier League teams: Manchester United-Aston Villa, Everton-Blackburn Rovers and Portsmouth-Wigan.
Television:
Friday FA Cup 3rd round Preview Show, FOX SOCCER CHANNEL, 5:30 pm ET.
Saturday, Nottingham Forest-Charlton, FOX SOCCER CHANNEL, 10 am ET.
Saturday, Liverpool-Arsenal, SETANTA PREMIUM, noon ET
Saturday, Tamworth-Norwich City FOX SOCCER CHANNEL, noon ET.
Sunday, Manchester United-Aston Villa, SETANTA PREMIUM, 9 am ET.
Sunday, Cardiff City-Tottenham, FOX SOCCER CHANNEL 11 am ET.
INTERLIGA: Mexico’s annual tournament on U.S. soil to determine two of its three Cope Libertadores berths continues this weekend with back-to-back doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas.
While Toluca has already clinched the first Mexican berth, eight teams are battling in the InterLiga: Monterrey, Tigres, Cruz Azul and Necaxa are in Group A. Chiapas Jaguares, Morelia, UAG Tecos and Club America are in Group B.
In opening action, Club America tied UAG, 1-1, and Chiapas beat Morelia 2-1 in a Houston doubleheader before 10,322 on Thursday. On Wednesday in Houston, Tigres downed crosstown rival Monterrey, 2-0, and Necaxa beat Cruz Azul, 3-2, in front of 20,227.
Television:
Saturday, Tigres-Cruz Azul FOX SPORTS EN ESPANOL, 8 pm ET
Saturday, Necaxa-Monterrey, FOX SPORTS EN ESPANOL, 10:30 pm ET.
Sunday, Morelia-Club America FOX SPORTS EN ESPANOL 5 pm ET.
Sunday, UAG-Chiapas Jaguares FOX SPORTS EN ESPANOL 7:30 pm ET.