The last 16 Top European Clubs know their next opponent & their next match in the CHAMPIONS LEAGUE. The competition enters the "knock-out" stage & the draw has paired some very interesting clashes that begin with the away leg the 15-16 Feb 2011.
The three Spanish Football Teams have a "relative" easier draw than the other Clubs, with the exception of FC Barcelona who will meet a difficult
Champions League is now down to the last 16 teams & UEFA will celebrate the team match - up draw at Lyon (France) the 17th of December. The procedure is fairly simple: Top Group Clubs in one bowl & second Group placed teams in the other, with Clubs from the same country avoiding each other, ie neither Real Madrid nor Barça can play against Valencia CF
For the three Spanish Clubs (Real Madrid,
The last Spanish Club with CHAMPIONS LEAGUE duties tonight was REAL MADRID hosting French team AUXERRE in their Group G match. The Spanish side lined up an "alternative team" to give some of the substitutes a run while Xabi & Ramos served suspensions & Casillas, Ozil, Di Maria & Khedira had a rest. The opening 11 were:
Dudek; Arbeloa, Albiol, Carvalho, Marcelo; Lass, Granero, Diarra; Pedro León
Two Spanish Clubs participated in their respective Champions League Group matches with relative good results. Both teams assured their presence in the next phase of the competition & will be in the draw on the 17th of December at Lyon (France) to match up the teams for the knock-out home & away legs/stages.
Pablo Hernandez scores
VALENCIA CF was looking for a victory in their Group C match
Two Spanish teams participated & finished well in their respective Group C & D CHAMPIONS LEAGUE matches with both winning well & assuring their place in the next stages.
Juan Mata opens Valencia scoreline
VALENCIA CF steam-rolled BURSASPOR 6 -1 in their Group C game with Valencia CF assuring its place in the next stages of the Champions League independently of it last Group match against
By the massive email request , here is a Video of both Red Cards given to Xabi Alonso & Sergio Ramos yesterday in the Real Madrid - Ajax Champions League match:
Latest is that UEFA will investigate if they were looked for on purpose.
What do you think? Mourinho , Sergio Ramos & Xabi Alonso say that they were unnecessary from the referee. Iker Casillas says he just gave some orders.
As written
REAL MADRID defeated 0 - 4 AJAX OF AMSTERDAM in their Group G CHAMPIONS LEAGUE return leg game. This assures the Spanish Club the top Group position & thus enables them to avoid the "Big Guns" in the next stage after the mini-leagues.
Real Madrid rested habitual players like Khedira, Carvalho & Huguain who did´nt travel & gave Benzema, Leon, Lass & Arbeloa a chance to start from minute zero. The
Here is some trivia that has come to my attention in reference to REAL MADRID CF & European Football (Champions League) participation. The Spanish Club is just 1º goal away from reaching 700 goals scored in the European Cup (Champions League) competition. They are the highest scoring team in its history with currently 699 goals, with the second far behind being Bayern Munich with 453 goals,
Can you lip read what Stolbakken is shouting at Guardiola ?
Video courtesy of "MedioDerecho7"
As mentioned in the below post the FC Copenhague - FC Barcelona Group D match was a heated affair & very physical. It was hot before it started, with the Barça goalkeeper Pinto two game sanction handed down by UEFA after Copenhague Manager Stolbakken claimed that the Camp Nou incident ( Pinto whistled when the Copenhague attacker was heading to goal to act out an offside that wasn´t) was rude &
Two Spanish Clubs had their night of CHAMPIONS LEAGUE with Group C & D action. Valencia CF played hosts to Scottish team Rangers & FC Bareclona travelled to Denmark for their game. Here are the results & scorers of the mentioned European Football clashes.
Roberto Soldado scores for Valencia CF
VALENCIA CF defeated GLASGOW RANGERS 3-0 in their Group C match to put the Spanish team closer to
Two Spanish Football Clubs played their Group CHAMPIONS LEAGUE matches tonight, with one away at Scotland & the other here in Spain.
Rangers Edu scores against Valencia CF
VALENCIA CF travelled to meet GLASGOW RANGERS to play their 3 round Group C clash at Ibrox Park. As expected it was a difficult & rough turf to play Football at but they managed to pull a 1 - 1 draw with some luck on their
REAL MADRID CF practically ensured its qualification onto the next stage of the 2010 - 2011 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE after they defeated 2 - 0 AC MILAN in their Group G match, thus making it three straight wins to secure top spot of the group ladder with 9 points. The result was just as Real Madrid could have scored three - four more clear goals had luck gone their way.
Cristiano Ronaldo scores
REAL MADRID CF faces its first real big season 2010 - 2011 challenge & exam when they meet Italian giants AC Milan today (Tuesday) in their Group G Champions League qualifying match. This match will be a good test to see if Coach Mourinho is progressing with his work to put together a "new look" & younger Real Madrid Team to levels in which they can really hope to aspire & become Spanish League &
Two Spanish Teams played their respective Group CHAMPIONS LEAGUE matches tonight with mixed results & a late sour surprise.FC BARCELONA travelled to visit RUBIN KAZAN to end up drawing 1-1 in their Group D match. The Russians put in 5 defenders, 4 midfelders & 1 forward in a clear sign to build a wall & play counter-attack Football. This makes it difficult for any team to play well, yet alone
Yes the three points are important & yes REAL MADRID won away 0 -1 AUXERRE in their Group G CHAMPIONS LEAGUE qualifier, but the image was sad. The Spanish team looked impotent most of the night & the French had their chances ( post included from a Pepe header in defence) of getting ahead.The French team put up a very organized defence that waited for their chances to counter-attack, which they
REAL MADRID travel to France & visit AUXERRE in their Group G Champions League qualifier. The Spaniards arrive under lots of pressure for heir recent poor play, Coach Mourinho being as controversial as ever & a worrying dry spell in goals. The other news is that Defender Carvalho has pains in his ankle that could leave him out tonight although the decision will be taken before kick-off. Therefore
REAL MADRID defeated AJAX OF AMSTERDAM 2 -0 in the first Group G match of the 2010 - 2011 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE competition. A scoreline that leaves a bitter taste in the fans mouth as it could have easyly been 6-0 or even more. The Dutch team are less effective without their Uruguayan forward Suarez but were very "weak" tonight except for a couple of chances that gave the home team a scare or two.But
Here is a curious piece of information for the FC BARCELONA fan & the Football _ Soccer lover in general. Argentine International & Barça forward LEO MESSI has become the Top Goal Scorer in the History of FC BARCELONA for the Champions League competition. His two goals yesterday against Greek Club Panathianiakos took him pass Brazilian Rivaldo to take his goal tally to 27 goals.List of Top Goal
SPANISH FOOTBALL got off to a great start in the 2010 - 2011 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Group qualifiers with its two representatives tonight winning their respective games & in magnificent fashion with plenty of goals.VALENCIA CF travelled to Turkey for its Group C opener against Turkish Champs BURSASPOR & won 0 -4. Valencia started in spectacular fashion with his "cracker" from TINO COSTA who scored in