The only team missing Ronaldo more than Manchester United are
Updated - now with added Guti swearing at supporters
The Real Madrid dressing room: a place full of fragile egos, littered with haircare products, and reeking of the smell of complacency. The Spanish daily Marca has this morning reported an incident that should serve as a taster, for those who would like nothing more than to press their nose against the glass, and have their own cheeky glance inside.
On entering the dressing room at half time on Tuesday night of their hilarious Copa del Rey spanking (and already three down), veteran midfielder Guti urged his collaborators in this shambles, to try harder and work a bit more. Coach Manuel Pellegrini attempting to assert some Chilean discipline instructed Guti not only to shut it, but also to get changed - he was being taken off. To which Guti simply replied:
Red Devils inch towards another Premier League title
Wigan 1/ Manchester Utd 2
Liverpool fans across the country felt a glimmer of hope as the Latics lead going into the second half, but they inevitably fell apart under the weight of the incumbent 2008/09 Premier League Champions. The highlight of the match was easily Carlos Tevez’s outrageous backheel strike - that’s got to be worth a free transfer, hasn’t it Mr Ferguson?
Spoiler bonus: Although Sky Sports viewers wouldn’t know it, the Copa del Rey final took place last night. See highlights of Athletic Bilbao/ Barcelona after the jump…
Athletic Bilbao/Barcelona, Copa del Rey Final, 9pm BST
There couldn’t be a more fitting final to this year’s Copa del Rey- the two most successful teams in the competition’s history vying to become the first to win it 25 times (if you count 1902 as a Bilbao triumph, that is).
If you were looking forward to the prospect of thousands of Catalan and Basque fans jeering both him and the Spanish national anthem, however, you may be disappointed. Despite showing most of the group stages, Sky have opted not to show the final in the UK, as tennis, cricket and Wigan’s mauling at the hands of Manchester Utd have been given a higher priority.
Barcelona are missing Rafael Marquez, Eric Abidal, Andres Iniesta and Thierry Henry, and are struggling with fatigue ahead of their 12th match in 40 days. Here’s why Athletic Bilbao may be worth backing at a generous 7.2 with Betfair:
» Bilbao are hitting form at the right time having won three and drawn one of their last five, killing off any danger of a relegation battle.
» They also have a massive fitness advantage having played four games less than Barcelona since the start of April.
Athletic Club supporter treats TV reporter to some air humping
Is there a better way to celebrate your club’s first Cope del Rey final appearance since 1985 than by simulating a sex act on television? Will Spanish TV reporter Elena Extebarrieta ever do a live broadcast in front of drunk football fans again?
The answer to both questions is almost certainly ‘no’.
Last night, Real Madrid beat Segunda División B Basque minnows Real Unión 4-3 at the Bernabéu, but crashed out of the Cope del Rey on away goals after losing the first leg 3-2. It represents the first time Los Blancos - who fielded many first team stars including Raul and Wesley Sneijder - have been knocked out of the cup by a third-tier side at home.
The Spanish press are claiming the defeat is the most shameful in Real Madrid’s long and illustrious history, and a poll on Marca’s website (which is a Madrid-based sport newspaper) shows that over 75 per cent of fans believe it is the biggest embarrassment the club has ever faced.
This is the type of defeat that would normally see a La Liga manager lose his job, and Bernd Schuster appears to be feeling the heat. After the game, he defended himself: “I’m not worried about my job, but it is understandable that others have doubts about my work.”
If Madrid do decide to appoint a new gaffer, they will undoubtedly pick one of the biggest names in the game, and probably someone who is currently employed elsewhere. Could Mr Benitez be heading back to his home city? Or maybe Mr Ferguson - we hear he is very popular in the Spanish capital…
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