Why this Clasico could decide La Liga

On Sunday, Real Madrid and Barcelona meet in a game that could decide the outcome of La Liga, and Barça coach Tata Martino’s fate. For Madrid, it is a chance to cement their place at the top of La Liga, while for Barça it represents their last realistic shot at mounting a title challenge. Such is the crazy nature of Spanish football that despite a 7-0 win against Osasuna last weekend, the vultures are circling around the Camp Nou, and if Madrid were to inflict a heavy defeat on the Catalans, it would be the final straw for the directors of the Catalan club, who are said to be looking for a replacement for Martino already.

When these two sides met back in October, it was a very different story. Ancelotti was just finding his feet in the capital, and Madrid succumbed to a limp 2-1 defeat, barely threatening Victor Valdes’ goal. The Italian manager had named a defensive line-up, including Sergio Ramos in midfield, and it was clear that he didn’t yet know his best eleven. Star signing Gareth Bale paled in comparison with Neymar, and the general consensus was that Barça could have scored more. It seemed as if Tata Martino’s side were on the up, whereas there was still a lot of tinkering to do for Ancelotti.

What a difference five months can make. For now, talks of crisis have been subdued after Barça secured their passage to the last eight of the Champions League against Manchester City, but recent defeats against lowly Valladolid and Real Sociedad have put Martino’s position in jeopardy. Madrid, meanwhile, look a different team to the side that played against Barcelona in October. The attacking trio of Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo has finally clicked for Ancelotti, while the team’s defence has improved drastically. Diego López has conceded 26 goals in 28 games, putting him third in Marca’s Zamora rankings for the best Spanish goalkeeper in La Liga, and, while his heroics cannot be understated, this is also down to the solid back four that he has had in front of him.

But there is another reason that this Clásico has taken on so much importance. There is a third team involved. Traditionally Madrid and Barça have occupied the top two places before this clash, but this time the outstanding Atlético Madrid are ahead of Barcelona, in second place. Up until recently, Atlético could rightfully have considered themselves as the best team in Madrid this season, and they have certainly been more impressive than the Catalans. A glance at the points totals in La Liga shows why some have labelled this a three-team Clásico. Real are top with 70 points, while Atlético are second with 67 points, only one point ahead of Barça in third place. The margins for error are extremely tight, and, if Atleti were to win against bottom side Betis on Sunday, and Real Madrid lose against Barça, then they would go top again.

While some have predicted a heavy defeat for Barça, they still remain formidable opponents when it matters the most, as demonstrated in the recent performances against Manchester City and Osasuna last weekend, and they will certainly be no pushovers. However, Ancelotti was right when he said that his team ‘arrive in a really good moment’, and we can expect a Real Madrid performance far removed from the tentative display in October. This promises to be an intriguing Clásico.

Be afraid, Barça, be very afraid.

This article first appeared on Sabotage Times. 

By Tomás Hill López-Menchero

How Angel Di Maria re-invented himself

Di Maria has once again become a key player.

It was early in January. Real Madrid were playing Celta Vigo in La Liga, and the team had looked sluggish after coming back from the winter break. Recently Angel Di Maria had looked devoid of inspiration, and there were strong rumours that he would be sold, with a number of suitors lurking. The Bernabéu was keen to see the introduction of Bale, and, as Di Maria was taken off for the Welshman, boos could be heard in the stadium. The Argentine winger responded with a crude gesture, grabbing his crotch, and with that, his Real Madrid career was pronounced dead. Or at least, that was what most people thought.

                                

After the world-record signing of Bale in the summer, Ancelotti had a decision to make regarding Özil and Di Maria. He needed to sell a star player to cover Bale’s transfer fee, and so was faced with a choice between the two. Eventually, he opted to keep Di Maria, selling Özil to Arsenal, but it would be an uphill struggle for the winger to re-assert himself in the team. Bale was guaranteed a place in the starting line-up due to his transfer fee, and, with opportunities limited for Di Maria, it seemed increasingly as if he was on his way out.

Nobody could have envisaged the transformation that Di Maria has undergone since that seemingly fateful day in January. With Ancelotti switching to a 4-3-3 formation, the Argentine has re-invented himself as a box-to-box midfielder, and has returned to his old, tireless self, once again winning the hearts of the Bernabeu crowd. In the process, he has become one of Madrid's key players, and Ancelotti even admitted recently that he would have trouble picking the team when Sami Khedira comes back from injury. 

'Re-invent' is perhaps too strong a word to use. What Di Maria has done is adapt to a new system, vindicating Ancelotti's decision to keep him in the first place. He still displays all the qualities that he demonstrated on the left-wing, and has a relatively free role on the left side of midfield, alongside Xabi Alonso and Luka Modric.

Di Maria’s never-say-die attitude marks him out from the rest of his team-mates, and it was this determination that initially made him a fans' favourite. At times it is as if he never stops running, and his work-rate is impressive. The finest example of this industriousness came in the Supercopa two years ago (Spain's equivalent of the Community Shield), when the Argentine dispossessed Victor Valdes inside the area and slotted home. 

Although it could be argued that Valdes dawdled on the ball, the goal was largely down to Di Maria closing down the Barça goalkeeper and forcing him into a mistake. 

The Bernabéu is a harsh crowd, but thankfully Di Maria has restored his image in the eyes of most supporters. He deserves credit for having adapted to a new position so seamlessly, and perhaps Ancelotti was right to sell the less versatile Özil instead of him. If Di Maria can help deliver La Decima this season, all will be forgiven.

This article first appeared on Sabotage Times. 

By Tomás Hill López-Menchero

'It's Magic, you know'

The cups still matter.

Unfortunately, as Olivier Giroud slotted home Arsenal’s fourth in their victory over Everton, I couldn't help but feel a sense of Déjà vu. Another FA Cup quarterfinal, another three goal loss (though thankfully this year’s performance wasn't quite as utterly lacklustre and embarrassing as Wigan last year). Everton have not won a cup in my lifetime, the Capital One Cup – in any of its many sponsorship forms – has eluded the Goodison trophy cabinet since its founding (this year saw the mighty Fulham scathing through credit card glory, an honour bestowed last season to Leeds). In fact, many others and I could be forgiven for being completely disenfranchised and, frankly, bored with domestic knockout competitions. However, the last few seasons, despite the galling, depressing failure – just when your hopes are finally raised – have reinvigorated the cups, and my passion for them is stronger than ever.

I often feel many people are slightly greedy with what they desire from the cups. Some vent spleen when Premier League sides don’t play their very strongest eleven, others bemoan the lack of ‘giant-killings’ any more. But as we saw last weekend, the much-feted ‘magic’ of the FA Cup is still alive and kicking, just ask a Wigan fan – top teams can field strong sides, but can still be culled by lesser opposition, even in the latter stages of the competition. Man City started a team with Yaya Touré, Jesús Navas, Sergio Agüero, Samir Nasri and Álvaro Negredo, but Wigan nonetheless pulled off yet another coup in the cup, reminiscent of last year’s Martínez-inspired triumph at Wembley, similarly over City. The spirit of Dave Whelan’s leg lives on.

The FA has received much criticism for the use of Wembley as a semi-final venue. Their motives are evident and financial, and in previous years the placement has been impractical. But surely as a fan of Sheffield United, Hull, Wigan or even Arsenal, playing at Wembley (albeit in a semi-final), is still a major draw? And the famous venue is a partial contributor to what makes the cups so special – the memories, the occasion. Money has become integral to modern football, it is true, and Champions League qualification has evolved into the prized asset for many clubs, but success in traditional competitions is still incredibly important, particularly to long-suffering fans. What do Arsenal fans remember, what will they tell their grandchildren about – the time they beat West Bromwich Albion to finish fourth in the league, or the time they beat Chelsea or Man United at Wembley to win the FA Cup? Admittedly, it is an unoriginal and slightly clichéd argument, but for my part, it rings true.

The Capital One Cup is frequently disregarded as an irrelevancy, an assessment I find unfathomable. In my opinion, people sometimes forget how few trophies there are to win. If you're a Stoke fan, for instance, realistically you're never going to win the Premier League or Champions League – that leaves two cup competitions to win, a season. To ignore one half of feasibly acquirable trophies is slightly silly, especially from the view of someone paying extortionate money for a season ticket every year. Bradford getting to the final is perhaps an indictment for the importance some teams place on the competition, but it is also a fantastic advert for the irrepressible joy such adventures bring. The penalty shoot-out at Old Trafford between Man United and Sunderland was simultaneously one of the most entertaining and bereft-of-quality moments in football I can remember.

The Premier League is important, money is important, the Thai section of the club website nowadays is important too – but so still are the cups. The FA Cup is steeped in tradition, regularly exhilarating and shocking, and, like it or not – teams do still take it seriously. The Capital One Cup is a rollercoaster of a competition, and a trophy that should not be sneered at either. A deluded romantic I may be in this respect, but I'm sure many fans would agree. Come May another set of fans will be celebrating an unforgettable day out at Wembley – but Arsenal fans should be careful, they've not won it yet, and this is the cup after all...

By Alex Jennings

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.