Tag: spain

[SPAIN] Giuseppe Rossi, a 20-year-old New Jersey product who now represents Italy, scored in his Spanish La Liga debut for Villarreal, converting a penalty kick in a 3-0 win over regional rival Valencia. Rossi left the USA at age 13 for the youth program of Italian club Parma, which sold him in 2004 to Manchester United. Last season he was back in Parma, saving it from relegation with nine goals in 19 games. Also on the first weekend of the La Liga season Sevilla defender Antonio Puerta suffered two cardiac arrests during his team’s 4-1 win over Getafe. And Barcelona disappointed.

Worried about China’s image abroad, Beijing police warned fans attending Sunday’s friendly between Barcelona and Beijing Guoan that they would detain those who swore.

The Spanish league race, one of the most memorable in history, produced more dramatics on Saturday when all three games involving the title contenders ended in ties. Ruud van Nistelrooy, Lionel Messi and Raul Tamudo played starring roles with two goals apiece in key games. Real Madrid, the leader by virtue of its edge in the tiebreaker with Barcelona, needed a last-minute goal from its Dutch scoring ace, van Nistelrooy, to tie Real Zaragoza, 2-2, on the road. It looked like Barcelona would take a three-point lead into the last day of the season, but Raul Tamudo scored with 25 seconds remaining to give neighbor Espanyol a 2-2 tie with Barca, leaving the defending champion tied with Real Madrid going into the final day. Messi emulated his hero Diego Maradona with a goal similar to Maradona’s first goal against England at the 1986 World Cup — the famous Hand of God.

[TV PREVIEW] Real Madrid fans are dreaming of what was only unthinkable just a few short months ago. The Merengues could end a four-year drought without a trophy on Saturday by clinching Spain’s La Liga title if they beat Real Zaragoza away and Barcelona and Sevilla lose their matches against Espanyol and Real Mallorca, respectively.

Real Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla all won to remain in contention for the 2007 La Liga title. Real beat Deportivo Coruna, 3-1, to remain in control of the race with two games to play. It is tied with Barcelona, 1-0 winner over Getafe, but has won the tie-breaker (head-to-head record). Barcelona’s title chances took a blow when star Ronaldinho was sent off late in the first half against Getafe and faces the prospect of missing the last two games of the season if Barcelona’s appeal isn’t upheld

[TV PREVIEW] Which Barcelona team will show at the Camp Nou on Saturday against Getafe? The team that won at Atletico Madrid, 6-0, in La Liga last weekend? Or the team that fell to Getafe, 4-0, in the Copa del Rey a week and a half earlier?

Barcelona needs to win if it is to have any hope of keeping the Spanish league title. It is tied with Real Madrid with three games to play, but Madrid has already clinched the tiebreaker (head-to-head play).

Real Madrid, which became famous for its long preseason tours abroad, will not be doing a high-profile pre-season promotional tour to allow the team to focus on its preparations for next season. Under former president Florentino Perez, Real embarked on extensive pre-season tours of the Far East and the United States as part of the club’s policy to develop and expand its image across the globe. Real Madrid played in the United States in 2005 and 2006. David Beckham, who will leave Real Madrid for MLS’s Los Angeles Galaxy in July, was the central figure in Real’s promotion of its Galacticos in recent years.

For the third straight league game, Real Madrid pulled out a last-gasp victory, beating Recreativo Huelva, 3-2, on Sunday to maintain its edge over Barcelona in the race for Spain’s La Liga title. With Barcelona cruising to a shocking 6-0 win at Atletico Madrid — the worst defeat at home in Atletico history — Real Madrid looked to be in trouble when it blew a 2-0 lead at Recre. With three games left, Real and Barcelona are tied with 69 points, but Real Madrid has won the tiebreaker (better head-to-head). UEFA Cup champion Sevilla remained just two points further back with a 2-1 comeback win at Deportivo Coruna.