by David Wilson on February 10, 2012
Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta remains confident coach Pep Guardiola will continue his successful spell at the helm.
However, he has confirmed the club have drawn up contingency plans should Guardiola decide to leave the Nou Camp.
Zubizarreta is optimistic it will not come to that despite the Catalans, who visit Osasuna on Saturday, trailing arch-rivals Real Madrid by seven points in the La Liga title race.
He told Marca on Saturday:
“The conditions for Pep to renew are favourable.” He claimed, however, that they did have a plan B, adding: “I have a list of potential replacements.” Read more... (164 words, 1 image, estimated 39 secs reading time)
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by David Wilson on February 10, 2012
by David Wilson on February 10, 2012
Barcelona president Sandro Rosell is optimistic that manager Pep Guardiola will put sign a contract extension soon.
Guardiola is known to prefer signing rolling one-year deals and with his current contract expiring at the end of the season, the former Barca skipper has yet to give any clear indications on his future at the Nou Camp.
Barcelona supremo Rosell though, is relaxed about the current stand-off, revealing that Guardiola has never rushed into any sort of commitment. Read more... (142 words, 1 image, estimated 34 secs reading time)
by David Wilson on February 8, 2012
Mirandés’s remarkable Copa del Rey run came to an end at the semi-final stage after Athletic Bilbao thrashed them 6-2 at home to complete an 8-3 aggregate success and book a place in the final against either FC Barcelona or Valencia on 25 May.
Mirandés were bidding to become the first side from the Spanish third tier to reach the Copa del Rey final after up-set victories over Villarreal, Real Racing Club and Espanyol en route to the last four. Read more... (189 words, 1 image, estimated 45 secs reading time)
by David Wilson on February 7, 2012
Not a surprise to hear that Sevilla have hired Jose Miguel Gonzalez, aka Michel, to become their next coach after the firing of Marcelino Garcia Toral on Monday.
Michel will automatically receive an extension to the contract should he guide the 11th-placed side to UEFA Champions League qualification. That is certainly achievable as Seville are only six points behind fourth placed Levante.
Michel managed the Real Madrid B side in 2006 before he went into first-team management three years later taking over the reins at Getafe. Read more... (188 words, 1 image, estimated 45 secs reading time)
by David Wilson on February 7, 2012
Inigo Lopez grabbed a late winner for Granada to give their La Liga survival hopes a big boost as they beat local rivals Malaga on Monday.
Malaga had the better early exchanges as the game started at a fast and furious pace with first Enzo Maresca then Rondon shooting high and wide from good positions in the opening minutes.
Malaga’s Argentine centre-half Demichelis then met a corner with a bullet header that had to be acrobatically saved by Julio Cesar in the Granada goal, before the home team started to create some danger of their own. Read more... (301 words, 1 image, estimated 1:12 mins reading time)
by David Wilson on February 7, 2012
Athletic Bilbao midfielder Oscar de Marcos insists his side will show Mirandes total respect on Tuesday night as the two clubs clash in the Copa del Rey semi-final.
Athletic, whose record of 23 Copa titles is second only to Barcelona (25), are favourites heading into the semi-final second leg after earning a 2-1 lead from last week’s first meeting at Mirandes’ Anduva stadium.
However, De Marcos knows they can take nothing for granted against the third-tier side, who have already knocked out top-flight sides Villarreal, Espanyol and Racing Santander on their fairytale run to the last four. Read more... (251 words, 1 image, estimated 1:00 mins reading time)
by David Wilson on February 6, 2012
Sevilla have fired coach Marcelino García Toral after the 46-year-old failed to halt a run of disappointing results.
Marcelino, who took charge last summer following the departure of Gregorio Manzano, leaves with Sevilla 11th in the standings and just four points above the relegation zone.
Sevilla have picked up just two points from their last seven games, and on Sunday were beaten 2-1 at home by relegation-threatened Villarreal.
A statement on the Sevilla website read
“Sevilla have taken the decision this morning to dismiss the first team coach Marcelino Garcia Toral owing to the negative run of results by the team, with seven matches without a victory, during which time only two points have been won. Read more... (201 words, 1 image, estimated 48 secs reading time)
by David Wilson on February 4, 2012
A goal from Sergio Ramos was enough to gave Real Madrid a slender 1-0 win against city rivals Getafe to maintain their seven-point lead over title rivals Barcelona at the top of the Spanish Liga.
The visitors dominated possession but created few clear-cut opportunities and the match was eventually settled by Ramos’s 18th-minute goal, the Spanish international defender meeting Mesut Özil’s corner with a flying header that powered into the top right coner.
Barcelona looked to be on their way to a comfortable victory against Real Sociedad at Camp Nou. Debutant forward Cristian Tello gave Josep Guardiola’s men a ninth-minute lead, latching on to Lionel Messi’s defence-splitting pass, and slotting an angled shot past the onrushing goalkeeper. Read more... (218 words, 1 image, estimated 52 secs reading time)
by David Wilson on February 4, 2012
Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta remains confident coach Pep Guardiola will continue his successful spell at the helm.
