La Liga Preview: Real out to break club record at Malaga

27 November 2014 00:02

La Liga leaders Real Madrid can set a new club record of 16 consecutive victories in all competitions when they visit Malaga on Saturday.

Wednesday’s 1-0 UEFA Champions League win over Basel was their 15th successive triumph, with Cristiano Ronaldo netting his 26th goal of the campaign to seal top spot in Group B.

Real have twice achieved 15 straight wins in the past – in the 1960-61 season under Miguel Munoz and in 2011-12 when Jose Mourinho was at the helm.

And three points at La Rosaleda would give the bulk of Carlo Ancelotti’s team that claimed La Decima – a 10th European title – in May another prestigious entry into Real’s catalogue of phenomenal achievements.

Javi Gracia’s Malaga were enjoying a purple patch of their own, five consecutive La Liga wins having fired them up the standings, before Real’s city rivals Atletico Madrid beat them 3-1 in the capital last weekend – a game that saw both team finish with 10 men as Samuel and Gabi each collected a pair of bookings.

Atletico captain Gabi will therefore be missing when the champions host lowly Deportivo La Coruna in Sunday’s early kick-off.

Second-placed Barcelona, meanwhile, are set for a stern examination of their Liga title ambitions when they travel to a stuttering Valencia on Sunday.

Luis Enrique’s side head into the 13th round of fixtures two points adrift of leaders Real Madrid at the summit but appear to have emerged from a difficult spell, with Lionel Messi predictably to the fore.

Barca’s superstar talisman netted a hat-trick in the 5-1 demolition of Sevilla last weekend, becoming La Liga’s all-time record goalscorer in the process.

Messi repeated the dose on Tuesday night, leaving APOEL after a 4-0 Champions League win with the match ball and the distinction of also being the competition’s leading marksman.

If fourth-placed Valencia can stop Messi and co in their tracks they could close to within a point of Barcelona, although following a goalless draw against Athletic Bilbao before the international break with a 2-1 loss at Levante last time out has checked their early-season momentum somewhat.

Real Sociedad welcome fellow strugglers Elche on Friday evening as the second match of David Moyes’ reign in San Sebastian kicks off the weekend action.

Sociedad will aim to end an unusual quirk of their season so far, where their only two La Liga wins have arrived against the high-flying Madrid clubs.

Granada are only a point better off in 15th and face a tricky assignment at fifth-placed Sevilla.

Like Valencia a place and point above them, Sevilla are aiming to bounce back from two winless encounters, while Joaquin Caparros’ Granada have drawn three of their last four but have not tasted victory since mid-September.

Elsewhere on Sunday, basement boys Cordoba welcome Villarreal, who sit eighth having claimed a first league win in four attempts against Getafe a week ago.

Getafe entertain Athletic Bilbao in Saturday’s early match, while Espanyol and Levante clash in something of a six pointer before another team looking anxiously over their shoulder, Eibar, travel to Celta Vigo.

Almeria close out the week’s fixtures with a home game against Rayo Vallecano on Monday.

Ancelotti praises defence after record-equalling win

27 November 2014 00:01

Carlo Ancelotti was pleased to see Real Madrid get the job done, despite not being at their best in a club record-equalling win in Basel.

The prolific Cristiano Ronaldo scored the only goal of the game on Wednesday to ensure Real won UEFA Champions League Group B with a game to spare.

Ronaldo’s 26th goal of what is proving to be another stellar season was enough to give the European champions a 15th consecutive win, matching the achievements of the Real teams in the 1960-61 and 2011-12 campaigns.

Gareth Bale struck the crossbar and Ronaldo spurned a golden opportunity to score his 72nd Champions League goal in the second half to ensure the Portugal forward is three goals adrift of new record holder Lionel Messi.

Ronaldo’s first-half goal drew him level with Real legend Raul’s tally of 71 goals in Europe’s premier club competition and Ancelotti was able to reflect on another victory, but knew his side had failed to match the high standards they have set.

The Italian said: “We have not played as we always do, a little slower, but good defending and we were concentrated. The most important thing was the victory.”

Basel remain in second place and only need to avoid defeat against Liverpool at Anfield to join Real in the last 16.

Ancelotti is backing the Swiss champions, who had their chances to equalise in the second half, to go through.

He said: “Basel played with a lot of heart. They showed an intense game and could therefore put us under pressure in the second half.

“I think Basel is currently better than Liverpool. I see a small advantage for Basel for the last round [of matches].”

Klopp: Arsenal deserved it

26 November 2014 23:50

Jurgen Klopp felt Arsenal were well worth their 2-0 win over his Borussia Dortmund side in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.

The Bundesliga outfit went into the Group D meeting at the Emirates Stadium already assured of their place in the knockout stages with four wins out of four but their perfect record was ended by goals from Yaya Sanogo and Alexis Sanchez.

That means Dortmund need to win at home to Anderlecht on matchday six to guarantee their place as group winners, although given their superior goal difference a draw will likely be enough.

Klopp had no complaints with the final result, conceding Arsene Wenger’s side were good value for their victory.

“Over 90 minutes Arsenal were the better team,” he said. “The positive aspects are no-one has hurt himself and we have not lost the head-to-head comparison [with Arsenal].”

Dortmund conceded inside two minutes to Sanogo, before Alexis’ wonderful curling strike shortly before the hour mark sealed victory.

“That was the worst start that you can imagine,” said Klopp. “But we were still in the game. There were a few situations where the last pass we played was not good.

“We were not courageous enough tonight. We did not close the gaps and we were not close enough to the players. There were a thousand reasons why we were not good enough tonight, but we saw that. There were no other explanations than that.”

Meanwhile, midfielder Ilkay Gundogan echoed the sentiments of his coach.

“This wasn’t necessary,” he said. “We wanted to be very alert from the first seconds but we were overrun by Arsenal in the first 10 minutes.

“In the second half something was missing in our play. It was a deserved defeat.”

Peruvian Primera Division Review: Alianza Lima falter in Clausura race

26 November 2014 23:47

The Clausura campaign will be decided in the final round after Alianza Lima missed the chance to claim top spot.

Alianza Lima conceded 12 minutes from time as fourth-placed Union Comercio emerged 1-0 victors in the penultimate Peruvian Primera Division fixture at the Estadio del IPD de Moyobamba on Wednesday.

After a goalless first half, an unmarked Jesus Chavez was the hero for Union Comercio, side-footing past goalkeeper George Forsyth to seal the points 12 minutes from time.

The defeat left second-placed Alianza Lima two points adrift of leaders Sporting Cristal after 14 rounds.

Sporting Cristal travel to Los Caimanes for their final Clausura outing on Sunday, while Melgar host Alianza Lima.

Lowly Universidad San Martin were also triumphant on Wednesday, coming from behind to claim a rare 2-1 win at home to Inti Gas.

Universidad San Martin – second from bottom in the table – trailed 1-0 at half-time on the back of Oscar Guerra’s 31st-minute opener.

But the home side hit back, with Luis Perea equalising six minutes into the second half before Santiago Silva converted an 89th-minute penalty for Universidad San Martin’s third win of the season.

Meanwhile, Leon de Huanuco extended their winning streak to four matches thanks to a 1-0 victory over Cesar Vallejo, who lost for the first time in three games.

Allegri targeting top spot after Malmo win

26 November 2014 23:34

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri is determined to qualify for the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League in style by winning Group A.

The Serie A champions secured a 2-0 victory at Malmo on Wednesday to ensure they only need a point at home to leaders Atletico Madrid next month to progress.

Second-half goals from strike duo Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez put Juve on the brink of securing a top-two finish with one game remaining.

Allegri knows last year’s beaten finalists Atleti, who hammered Olympiacos 4-0 on Wednesday, will take some beating, but the former Milan coach is eyeing a victory by more than one goal that would see Juve secure top spot.

He said: “In the last round we will be facing a team who were so close to win the Champions League last season so it will be a great game.

“We need a great performance because we need a positive result to qualify and most of all we can still finish first in the group by winning with a two-goal margin.”

Juve midfielder Claudio Marchisio echoed Allegri’s sentiments following a hard-fought win in Sweden, in which Erik Johansson’s late red card for a second bookable offence added insult to injury for the hosts.

“We suffered Malmo’s pressure in the first half, but we improved after the break and got three very important points,” said Marchisio.

“Now we are awaiting the game against Atletico knowing that a draw could be enough, but our aim is to win and clinch the top spot.”