The rise of César Azpilicueta

Azpilicueta is Mourinho's new favourite.

When Jose Mourinho returned to Chelsea, few expected him to keep César Azpilicueta. The right-back had only demonstrated his worth for Chelsea in occasional flashes, and, behind Branislav Ivanović in the pecking order, things were looking gloomy for the young Spaniard.

Fast forward several months, and nobody could have predicted how things would turn out for Azpilicueta. He is now one of the most established players in Mourinho's new-look Chelsea side, having started 17 Premier League games this season, and has become a key part of the team. Instead of playing in his favoured position on the right-hand side of defence however, Azpilicueta has succeeded in displacing the stagnating Ashley Cole at left-back, and has adapted seamlessly to this new role. So much so, in fact, that he is now a Mourinho favourite.

In an interview last month, the Portuguese manager described how '11 Azpilicuetas would probably win [the Champions League] because football is not just about pure talent, football is also about character and personality, and Azpilicueta has all the traces of that winning personality'. High praise indeed.

Above all, Azpilicueta is a team player, and Mourinho has taken a shine to him for precisely this reason. Some have compared his situation to that of Álvaro Arbeloa, who, despite not being the most flashy of right-backs, was largely consistent during Mourinho's tenure at Real Madrid, and consequently became one of the manager's favourites. However, comparing Azpilicueta to Arbeloa is futile. It is true that Arbeloa occasionally played at left-back for Madrid, but that is about as far as the comparisons go. The Chelsea full-back offers much more in terms of attack, and arguably more in defence as well.

Azpilicueta has sometimes been criticised for this feature of his game, but it seems that his defending is improving at left-back, where he has rarely been caught out this season, making an average of 3.6 tackles every Premier League game. Attacking remains one of Azpilicueta's key strengths, but it is disappointing to see that the 24-year old has yet to register a single goal or assist this season in the league. On the other hand, it could be interpreted as a sign that Azpilicueta is adapting to his role as a team player. He has tended to stay back this season, preferring to leave the marauding to fellow full-back Ivanović. The signs point to Azpilicueta maturing and becoming a more complete player under Mourinho's tutelage.

Right-back has become a problem position for Spain recently, with Arbeloa declining and seemingly out-of-favour at Madrid, and so there is every chance that Azpilicueta could be called up for La Roja ahead of the World Cup if he keeps up his current form. Del Bosque is assessing his options at right-back in the run-up to the tournament, demonstrated in the way that he decided to play Azpilicueta against Italy on Wednesday. The Chelsea full-back was outstanding, and the likelihood is that Arbeloa is now an outside bet to make the Spain squad after Azpilicueta's performance. He faces stiff competition from the impressive Atlético right-back Juanfran to cement a place in the squad, but if he continues to mature in the way he has done over the last few months at Chelsea, a call from Vicente Del Bosque is highly likely.

César Azpilicueta has been one of Chelsea's unsung heroes this season. While he may not be the long-term solution to replacing Ashley Cole (Mourinho seems to be interested in signing Luke Shaw), it will be interesting to see whether he is moved back to his more familiar position in the future, or whether Mourinho sees his future at left-back . From looking as if he might be offloaded at the beginning of the season to becoming a key player, Azpilicueta is simply making the most of each opportunity.

By Tomás Hill López-Menchero

This article first appeared on Back Page Football.

Spanish sides are favourites in Round of 16 ties

Could Ancelotti deliver La Decima?

Last year saw Barcelona and Real Madrid humiliated in the Champions League semi-finals, but will the teams from La Liga have the last laugh?

Atlético Madrid

Before this tie was announced, Sulley Muntari had suggested that Atlético Madrid were the weakest team still left in the Champions League, saying that he would be happy for Milan to draw Los Rojiblancos in the round of 16. Muntari got his wish, but Atleti will certainly be no pushovers. They have been one of the best sides in Europe this season, but a combination of injury, fatigue and squad rotation has culminated in a series of uncharacteristic performances from Diego Simeone's side recently, including a loss to lowly Almería and two humbling defeats to city rivals Real in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey. In contrast, Milan started the season awfully and are only just beginning to show signs of improvement under new coach and ex-player Clarence Seedorf. Needless to say, Simeone will pick his strongest eleven for Wednesday's game against Milan, and will give Seedorf little breathing space in his first Champions League tie as manager. Atlético were brilliant in the group stages, collecting 16 points, a total only matched by Real Madrid this season. Many have touted them as dark horses for this competition, and, while this may be going a step too far, El Cholo will relish the chance for his team to progress to the latter stages of the competition. 

Real Madrid 

Despite his unrivalled credentials and calm exterior, some Madridistas had doubts about Carlo Ancelotti at first. They felt that his style of play was 'boring' compared to last season under Mourinho, and pointed to a limp Clásico defeat in which Ancelotti had named a defensive lineup, with Los Blancos rarely threatening the Barcelona defence . Any of these doubts have now been completely dispelled. Ancelotti's side are in imperious form, scoring goals for fun in La Liga and arguably reclaiming their status as Madrid's best team. La Décima has become an obsession for Real Madrid in recent years, and there is the growing sense in the capital that Ancelotti could be the manager to deliver the mythical tenth European cup, perhaps even this season. Schalke, for all of their qualities, should not represent too much of a test for Madrid, but the greater challenge will lie in the next two rounds, in which Real Madrid could find themselves facing another German team, the dreaded Bayern Munich. Pep Guardiola has moulded the Bavarian team into an even more formidable outfit than last season, and, if any team can stop the likes of Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, it will be them. Real Madrid have bad memories of Bayern, and Ancelotti will be hoping they do not come up against the Germans in the next round. 

Barcelona

Barça are in equally devastating form. Tata Martino was another manager who had his doubters when he was put in charge of Barcelona last summer, but on Saturday his side evoked memories of Guardiola's dream team, thumping Rayo Vallecano 6-0. It is just as well that the Catalan team are at their best, as they are up against none other than Manchester City. Manuel Pellegrini has transformed City into a formidable attacking force, and this will be Martino's toughest assignment yet. Barça are far from invincible, and the loss against Valencia a few weeks ago demonstrated that. However, while there are still weaknesses at the back, Barcelona have more than enough firepower themselves to eliminate City. It promises to be a mouth-watering tie.

By Tomás Hill López-Menchero

Be careful what you wish for- Foreign owners in the Premier League

As Fulham Football Club embarks on yet another managerial change, is an ambitious ownership change really worth the risk?

Foreigners. They just don’t get it. Put simply, football is a concept too complex and mind-blowingly intricate for any feeble Johnny-come-lately interloper to even think about getting involved in. We need more British owners in the British game, like Ken Bates, or Peter Ridsdale.

Of course, many people who don’t read The Daily Mail might disagree with that statement. Ask a Manchester City fan of forty years what they think about Sheikh Mansour, and they’ll doubtless give you a glowing reference concerning the sizeable benefits of oil-rich ownership. As an Everton fan myself, I am familiar with the frequent demands for the weathered, local (but ultimately – by Premier League terms – broke) owner to be deposed, for a richer and more ambitious replacement. But the events at Fulham this season have taught me more than ever to be careful what you wish for. Because, in many ways, Shahid Khan is the theoretical perfect owner. With a reported worth of $3.8 billion, and a history in sports ownership (with NFL side Jacksonville Jaguars), Shahid Khan has always seemed a very prudent, patient and intelligent man. Take his November interview with BBC’s Football Focus, for instance (when Martin Jol was still manager), where he stated, “One thing I’ve learned, it’s not the right thing to be impetuous. As times are getting hard, I don’t think the solution is to be doing something rash.” Well then, what changed Shahid?

I don’t believe many people were too surprised when Venky’s made an unmitigated mess of Blackburn Rovers. For many, Vincent Tan is an undisputed comedy figure. But Shahid Khan isn’t. His model of ownership (if he genuinely applies his self-proclaimed values) should be working. Even for success stories – Manchester City, or particularly Chelsea – is your decade in decadence really worth the cost? Even refraining from formulating a viewpoint on an ideological level (I'm looking at you, Roman), what happens when Sheikh Mansour or Abramovich decides they have had enough? Surely Manchester City and Chelsea will suddenly become massively financially unviable, and fall into an extremely dark and possibly permanent abyss?

There are, undeniably, a multitude of cases where foreign ownership is working well, and,  to an extent, I am an advocate of it. In my eyes, it is a good thing to bring multiculturalism and diversity in football in as many aspects as possible. But where foreign ownership is working, for example at Liverpool, the success is often seemingly being founded on patience and relative stability. Fulham are working through managers and staff at a rapid rate, and will probably be relegated. Cardiff have acted similarly, and will probably share an identical fate. Gold and Sullivan, despite being contemptible, have taken a different approach, and it seems as if it will pay off. I know Everton need an ownership change, but I am preparing myself for the price we might unfortunately have to pay.

By Alex Jennings

Rayo Vallecano- destined for the drop?

On Saturday, Rayo Vallecano, the lowly team from the working-class region of Madrid, played perhaps their most important game of the season against Malaga. Lose this, and they would surely be doomed to relegation.

Two days before the game, the club released a motivational video, encouraging fans to get behind the team. The message at the end of the video was simple: 'juntos podemos'. Together we can.

It could be a phrase used to describe Rayo's entire stint in La Liga since promotion in 2011. The club has always relied on fervent support from its long-suffering fans, who have seen Rayo fall into administration in recent times, and, as any follower of La Liga can testify, boasts a stadium with arguably the best atmosphere in the league.

The atmosphere at Vallecas propelled Los Franjirrojos to an eighth-placed finish last season.

Vallecas is a cauldron of sound on match days, and was one of the main reasons why the side managed an incredible eighth-placed finish last season, despite largely being made up of journeymen, free transfers and loan signings.

What's more, Rayo Vallecano are one of the most liked teams in the whole of La Liga. They are seen as the last of the barrio (neighbourhood) teams in Madrid, and are a breath of fresh air in a league dominated by money, with one of the lowest budgets in La Liga.

But this season has been an entirely different challenge for last year's surprise package. Los Franjirrojos find themselves in 19th place, with many pundits already having earmarked them for the drop. Unlike last year, Rayo's attacking style hasn't troubled La Liga's other teams as much, and their fragility in defence has become even more of a problem.

What's more, the team from Vallecas lack a true goalscorer. Where in recent years they have had the likes of Michu, Diego Costa and Piti, this term their top scorer is Jonathan Viera, with a measly eight goals.

Diego Costa and Michu have now moved on to bigger and better things.

Paco Jemez insists on a near-suicidal style of play, which, though entertaining to watch, could ultimately cost his team. Many commentators have made the point that when Jemez' methods succeed, Rayo are a joy to watch, but when they fail, they do so in spectacular fashion.

Take the 5-0 defeats to both Atletico Madrid and Malaga earlier this season, or the 5-2 loss against Villarreal, for example. Even the Vallecas faithful have their limits, and they have voiced their discontent at Jemez' stubborn adherence to a system which doesn't seem to be working. His response was typical of a manager with the utmost confidence in his own philosophy: "The jeers will not change the way this team plays football".

There are glimmers of hope: on Saturday everything fell into place for Rayo as they beat Malaga with a resounding 4-1 scoreline. But while Paco Jemez should be praised for his commitment to entertaining football, a more pragmatic approach would have been the wiser option this season. Rayo may have won many admirers since promotion to La Liga, but it will count for little if they descend to the dreaded Segunda. Sometimes football can be cruel, and one can't help feeling that this hugely likeable team are destined for the drop.

By Tomás Hill López-Menchero

This article first appeared on Back Page Football. 

How far can Atlético Madrid go this season?

Simeone has moulded the team in his image.

Atlético Madrid have been one of the best sides in Europe this season. Diego Simeone has employed a ruthless high-pressure game which has made spectators sit up around Europe, and this week they set up a Copa del Rey semi-final clash with none other than Real Madrid. Today they leapfrogged Barcelona to top the table for the first time in 18 years, and with a last 16 clash against Milan also awaiting them in the Champions League, there is a genuine sense among Colchoneros that this could be Atleti's year.

It wasn't meant to be this way. After all, this was the summer that Real Madrid and Barcelona dealt out huge amounts of money to secure the services of Gareth Bale and Neymar, two of the brightest attacking talents in world football. Atlético, meanwhile, sold one of their best players in Radamel Falcao. Even with the impressive capture of David Villa from Barcelona, would they really be a match for Spain's top two?

Six months on, the question now is not whether Atlético can keep up with Barcelona and Real Madrid, but just how far they can go this season. 

It is clear that Simeone is intent on success in all competitions, however, this could ultimately undermine his side. Questions have been raised over Atlético Madrid's squad depth, and Simeone refuses to rest key players in the Copa del Rey. For Real Madrid and Barcelona, Atlético's progress in the Copa del Rey and the Champions League could be a blessing in disguise. The further Atlético Madrid advance, the more tired players will become due to the pressing game that Simeone chooses to adopt. Injuries are also starting to become a problem, with Filipe Luis recently being ruled out for up to 6 weeks.

Simeone wants success on all three fronts.

A situation could arise similar to that of Marcelo Bielsa's Athletic Bilbao side a few years ago, who reached two finals in 2012, only to crumble and lose them both. The reason was simple: El Loco's tactics had run his side into the ground, and in the final weeks of the season Athletic had just run out of steam. 

But Atlético have a better squad than most people realise. The likes of Aranzubia, Insua, Cristian Rodriguez, Alderweireld and Jose Sosa have plenty of experience, while promising players such as Manquillo can step up when called upon. The signing of Diego, on loan again at the Vicente Calderon, is already proving to be inspired, as demonstrated with his excellent performance in the 4-0 mauling of Real Sociedad tonight, capped with a goal. The Brazilian can be much more than a replacement for the injured Arda Turan, and may well go on to be a fixture in Simeone's first-choice eleven. 

Yet even if Atleti do make it to the later stages of the Champions League, it will be impossible to hold on to all of their star players in the summer due to their precarious financial situation. The sale of strikers, in particular, has set a horrible precedent for fans, who have seen the likes of Fernando Torres, Diego Forlán, Sergio Agüero, and of course Radamel Falcao leave the club in recent years. There is already talk of Diego Costa moving to Chelsea, and the recently nationalised Spaniard won't be the only one to attract attention from other clubs. Arda Turan's transformation into one of Europe's best attacking midfielders won't have gone unnoticed, and the extremely promising Koke is also a player on many European clubs' wishlists. Mourinho will want Thibaut Courtois to stay at Stamford Bridge next season rather than go out on loan again, and the departure of the big Belgian could be a huge blow for the Rojiblancos.

Last year's big departure was star striker Radamel Falcao, but Atleti have done even better without him.

Whatever the financial situation at the club, we should enjoy this Atlético Madrid side while we still can. There is every chance that Simeone's side could make it to the semi-finals of the Champions League, and, who knows, maybe even beyond. Likewise, don't rule out Atleti securing top spot in La Liga just yet. 

By Tomás Hill López-Menchero

This article first appeared on Vavel.

Why Real Madrid shouldn't buy Luis Suárez

Luis Suarez has divided opinion during his time at Liverpool.

Signing Luis Suárez should be a no-brainer for the world's richest club. The Uruguayan striker has 22 goals in 17 Premier League appearances, and Real Madrid yearn for a world-class forward. But that is before taking a glance at the Liverpool striker's various hi-jinks, and considering whether a world-class striker is even necessary. 

After all, this is the man who racially abused Patrice Evra, bit Branislav Ivanovic and dragged an entire club into the mire with his antics. Add to this the fact that Madrid are only just recovering from the negative influence a certain Portuguese manager had on their image, and it is easy to see why things aren't so straightforward for the Spanish giants.

While Real Madrid cannot truly claim to be a 'gentleman's' club anymore, this is still an institution that cares about its public perception. It is one of the reasons why Pérez hired the classy, unassuming Carlo Ancelotti after the departure of the volatile, unscrupulous Mourinho. It is also the reason why the club are looking to get rid of the radical Ultras Sur group (a sensible initiative which I fully hope the club goes through with- after all, what club wants to be associated with a group of neo-Nazis?). Why buy a player who could potentially destroy the whole post-Mourinho rebuilding process in a matter of seconds on the field?

It is true that the club has been looking for a world-class centre-forward for some time. When Mourinho was at the helm, he demanded a top quality striker from Florentino Pérez, frustrated with having only Karim Benzema as an option up front. The response? Emmanuel Adebayor, signed on loan until the end of the season.

Although Benzema is often criticised, he is a vital part of Real Madrid's front three.

Benzema himself has never really endeared himself to the Bernabéu faithful. Too often the Frenchman has been accused of being overweight, of not pulling his weight up front, or of only starting because he is one of the president's favourites (Pérez flew out to Benzema's home in France to secure his signature in 2009, and has demonstrated a huge amount of faith in the striker ever since). Various other digs have been levelled at him over the years, some fairer than others, but overall many think that Benzema has not lived up to the potential he had when he arrived at Real Madrid as a 21-year old recommended by none other than club legend Zinedine Zidane.

But, against Granada on Saturday, Benzema still reached the 101-goal mark for Real Madrid and scored his fifth goal in six matches. After a frustrating start to the season Benzema is experiencing something of a renaissance, even beginning to track back and press the opposition, something which he has often been criticised for. Crucially, he is about far more than just goals, remaining a vital point of Madrid's attack even when he is not scoring. He is selfless in build-up play and is often the one who plays the killer one-two with Cristiano Ronaldo to set the Portuguese forward up for a goal. Some would even go as far as saying that Benzema was one of the main reasons Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or this year. 

Morata is hugely promising and a fans' favourite.

Add to that the fact that Morata is an extremely promising forward, even if he is raw at this moment in time, and that Los Blancos boast two of the most direct wingers in the world in Bale and Ronaldo, and you can see why buying Luis Suárez doesn't make sense. This is still a forward line capable of great things, even without a truly world-class striker playing through the middle.

By Tomás Hill López-Menchero

Alvaro Negredo: a different kind of beast

'La Fiera de Vallecas'

Álvaro Negredo's appearance does him few favours. You could be mistaken for thinking he was a typically 'British' centre-forward if you had never seen the burly Spaniard play before- the kind of player who constantly torments defences with his sheer strength. In fact, the Fiera de Vallecas, as he was nicknamed by his Sevilla team-mates, offers much, much more than just that, and he has proven this in his first few months in England.

Some Manchester City fans were skeptical when Negredo signed in the summer. £20.6 million seemed like a lot, especially with the impending arrival of Stevan Jovetic and Edin Dzeko also at the club. Indeed, the Sevilla president del Nido was extremely pleased with the amount of money he was able to coax out of City. Five months later, nobody can say that Manuel Pellegrini did not know what he was doing when he signed the former Real Madrid youth-team player.

Against Liverpool last Thursday, Negredo showcased a fine piece of skill, chipping Simon Mignolet with the outside of his boot for his side's second goal as City continued their fine form at the top of the league. It was an outstanding goal, even if Mignolet did flap at the shot, and further proof that Negredo has a footballing brain that transcends his size. At Sevilla this was evident in the occasional bicycle kick, for instance, but it is at Manchester City that this aspect of his game has flourished.

But of course, the physical side of Negredo's game cannot be overlooked. His brawn gives him an edge over defenders, and Negredo himself has admitted that he enjoys this aspect of English football the most. It also makes him the perfect partner for the diminutive Agüero. The pair have struck up a great partnership, which has seen them score 21 goals this season in the Premier League. As two polar opposites, they complement each other brilliantly, and they, along with the rest of Pellegrini's side, show no signs of slowing down.

This could very well be Álvaro Negredo's annus mirabilis with the World Cup fast approaching and City looking like title favourites. Negredo's fine form in the Premier League has given Del Bosque a serious headache as to who should play up front for Spain, but it will be one he relishes given the lack of options Spain had up front this time last year. At the moment Negredo and the recently nationalised Diego Costa appear to be the main contenders for a starting spot, and the next five months will be crucial in deciding which of the two will start. Costa may have the upper hand on Negredo due to playing in Spain (Del Bosque has seemed to favour Spaniards playing in La Liga in recent years) but there have been suggestions that Del Bosque could field Diego Costa and Álvaro Negredo in the same formation, with Costa playing as a false nine behind Negredo. Whether this is viable is debatable, but Del Bosque will take both to Brazil if they can keep their current form up. Negredo's battle with Diego Costa to be Spain's starting striker will be intriguing. 

There were of course questions as to whether Negredo could play in such a stylish Spain team, but so far he has dispelled these doubts, like those when he joined Manchester City, scoring a number of times upon starting for Spain. In fact, he was the team's most efficient scorer in the World Cup qualifiers, scoring a goal every 56 minutes for Spain. At times Negredo is a battering ram, at others an artist. He is playing some of the best football of his career alongside Agüero, and is enjoying life in the Premier League. Long may it continue. 

By Tomás Hill López-Menchero