Football News

Real Madrid are coming to town and the city of Barcelona is buzzing with anticipation. However, it is not FC Barcelona that the visitors will face, but a Clasico of a slightly different nature as Espanyol prepare to open their brand new stadium, the Estadi Cornella-El Prat, for official competition.

The match has all the hype of the more famous Clasico though, as confrontations between Espanyol and Real Madrid tend to be, this could well be one of the most competitive fixtures that La Liga has to offer during the course of the season.

In this encounter, the ‘Floren Team’ of Galacticos inaugurate the new Perico stadium, providing added incentive for Espanyol to treat their fans, who will have paid a pretty penny (or more precisely, centavo) for tickets and the team hopes for a memorable beginning to a new era.

Besides the a star-studded Madrid coming to town, the match has earned a good deal of international attention, especially in Japan, as Japanese superstar Shunsuke Nakamura makes his home debut for the Blanquiazules. Days in advance of the match, Barcelona has been bouncing with members of the Japanese media and the Saturday’s duel will be broadcast live in Tokyo as fans in the Far East are to be treated to a mouth-watering combination of their idol, top-class Liga football, and a world-renowned Real Madrid.

Finally, Espanyol fans will be given to chance to christen their new stadium by paying tribute to the fallen Dani Jarque after the former captain tragically died of a heart attack during the team’s preseason tour to Italy. A minute of silence will precede the match, but one can be sure that the following 90 minutes will be anything but silent and the new stadium will likely shake in its foundation as fans drive their team on.

Stars Return to the Galaxy

After a week-long international break of World Cup Qualifiers, which left the Madrid training pitch in Valdebebas with only 11 first-team players, Los Blancos could have some problems with fatigue in matching up against a Catalunyan side that has had far more time to prepare.

Thus far, Los Merengues have performed well, having looked strong throughout the pre-season and fighting with admirable zeal to defeat bogey team Deportivo La Coruna in the Liga opener. But in the hiatus of international matches, the Spanish press has had time to develop storylines analysing the team’s new stars, with most popular headlines being speculation over the amount of time it will take for Cristiano Ronaldo to adapt to the style of Liga football.

Unable to provide a convincing performance to lead a lacklustre Portugal to an emphatic victory in the week’s World Cup Qualifying matches, CR9 will be anxious to recover the form of his Manchester United days and a goal from a free kick would serve as a way to begin recovering this confidence.

FORM GUIDE

RCD Espanyol

29/07/2009 Preseason Palafrugell - Espanyol 1-2
02/08/2009 Preseason Espanyol - Liverpool 3-0
05/08/2009 Preseason Napoli - Espanyol 0-0
22/08/2009 Preseason Girona - Espanyol 1-2
30/08/2009 Liga Athletic Bilbao - Espanyol 1-0

Real Madrid

7/08/2009 Preseason D. C. United-Real Madrid 0-3
15/08/2009 Preseason Real Sociedad-Real Madrid 0-2
19/08/2009 Preseason Borussia Dortmund-Real Madrid 0-5
25/08/2009 Preseason Real Madrid-Rosenborg 4-0
29/09/2009 Liga Real Madrid - Deportivo 3-2



TEAM NEWS

RCD Espanyol

Espanyol coach Mauricio Pochettino is set to employ his ‘Barcelona recipe’—a high-pressure system of play in which his team pursues the ball well into the opposition’s half of the pitch; it is this strategy that saw Espanyol beat a seemingly invincible Barca by a 2-1 scoreline at the Camp Nou last season and Madrid showed problems coping with such advanced pressure last year.

Morale is high in the Espanyol camp as the squad is intent upon paying tribute to Dani Jarque and players like striker Luis Garcia have shown confidence that they will beat Madrid to open their new stadium. Pochettino is likely to repeat the same starting XI that played last week against Athletic Bilbao with the hope of achieving a different result than the 1-0 defeat last week at the San Mames. Ivan de la Pena will likely see action off the bench; the aging 'Buddha' tends to play very well against top-class competition and Saturday should be no different.

Probable Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Kameni – Pillud, Forlin, Pareja, Chica – Moises, Verdu – Luis Garcia, Ivan Alonso, Nakamura – Raul Tamudo.


Real Madrid

The big news in Madrid has been the recovery of Sergio Ramos after the player spent over two-and-a-half months out with tendonitis. However, the Sevilla youth product has been left out of the squad for the trip to Barcelona, instead, according to coach Manuel Pellegrini, to debut in next week’s match. Also not making the trip are Rafael Van Der Vaart, who again seems not to fit into Pellegrini’s plans, and Fernando Gago, who has been given a cold shoulder since the Chilean coach arrived at the helm. Pepe also continues to be out, serving the last four matches of a ten-match suspension.

Those that have been included in the squad have been Ruud van Nistelrooy and Mahamadou Diarra who have both recovered from their long-term injuries and are fit enough to play. Both could see extensive action in Saturday’s highly anticipated affair.

Probable Starting XI (4-2-2-2): Casillas – Arbeloa, Albiol, Metzelder, Marcelo - Xabi Alonso, Lass - Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo; Raul, Benzema.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

RCD Espanyol

Former Real Madrid youth product Luis Garcia is a player of exceptional talent and is due to have a season similar to the one that saw him earn a call-up to the Spanish national side two years ago. In goal, Kameni will likely see a barrage of shots come down on his net and the Cameroonian goalkeeper will be called upon more than once to pull out the spectacular saves he frequently makes. Finally, Ivan de la Pena will come off the bench in the hope of adding new life to his team’s attack in the second half. Against Barcelona last season, the Buddha was pivotal in leading Los Pericos to victory.


Real Madrid

After a brilliant showing with Brazil in the World Cup Qualifying match against Argentina last week, Kaka will be looking to continue his awesome form against an Espanyol side that will not easily back down. Cristiano Ronaldo will also be worth one’s eye as the Portuguese will be looking to score his first free kick for Los Blancos. After inexplicably playing only 17 minutes total in the World Cup Qualifying matches with France, Karim Benzema will be fresh and ready fire away at Kameni’s goal. Raul also has a penchant for scoring against Espanyol and it would not surprise if the captain were to find the back of the net again. Finally, the return of Van Nistelrooy and Diarra to official competition could be noteworthy—the former single-handedly won matches for Madrid last season and the latter was an absolute rock in defence before going down with an injury.


PREDICTION

Security is high and tensions are even higher as Madrid come to Barcelona to take on Espanyol in their new stadium’s inauguration. With a minute of silence in honour of Dani Jarque, the ambiance surrounding this encounter has the makings of a real classic.

Espanyol will likely come with everything they have and should Madrid’s expensive star power falter in La Liga, the press will pick up on the story and the pressure will mount. Thus far, Los Blancos have performed well and while, despite the international break, there is no reason that should change, Los Pericos could surprise.

Espanyol face Real Madrid in the Primera Division on Saturday, and their captain is puzzled by the criticism that los Merengues' Portuguese star has received from some quarters.

"Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't have to prove anything," Ivan de la Pena stated in an interview with AS.

"I saw him play against Deportivo La Coruna and I liked him. The fact is any Real Madrid player can turn a game: [Karim] Benzema, Kaka, Cristiano, Raul...

"Xabi Alonso gives the team a lot of options," the 33-year-old added.

While the 'Little Buddha' was full of praise for Saturday night's opposition, he is also quietly confident that Espanyol could find a result against their illustrious opponents.

"We must be ourselves and play our football. If we are able to play a good game, we will get a good result. We want to play a part," he declared.

Speaking at the launch of his official website, David Villa remarked that he was in no hurry to leave his current club, Valencia, despite constant rumours linking him with the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester City.

The €127 million price tag slapped on him by the Mestalla top brass may have played a part, but the striker nonetheless seemed more than happy with his current lot."I am pleased to be here and for now things are going well for me," he said. "I am proud to stay at Valencia."

David Silva, his team-mate, is another one who has been linked with an exit, quite possibly to the Bernabeu. But the Asturian denied that his Canarian colleague was on the way out - for now, at least.

"Silva will play in the 15th matchday against Real Madrid tomorrow," he said.

"That match is an important one for us because we can achieve something more than our 2008 target, which was to end the year with 30 points.

"What's more, we have the chance to hold on to second place."

Europe, too, was on the forward's mind as he was questioned about Valencia's UEFA Cup meeting with Dynamo Kyiv.

"They will be a tough rival because they entered this competition via the Champions League, and also because it's very difficult for us to play in Kiev," he warned.

"But still, we need to knock them out if we want to progress in the UEFA Cup."

Seventh Heaven

Villa's website has the number '7' in pride of place in its address, leading some in the press to question whether or not he's tempting fate: currently the striker wears this number for Spain but such matters are always open to change.

But David said, "I'll always have this question around me, even if I manage 2,000 goals or get called up to every single squad!

"I am the '7' firstly because I am going to be called up that way and secondly because I'm allowed to be. On the day that I'm not called up, it'll be someone else."

Juande Ramos has admitted that he is not happy that Real Madrid were paired against Liverpool in the first knockout round of the Champions League in Switzerland on Friday.Los Merengues' coach had hoped to avoid English opposition and he stated that he was not pleased, but did consider that Rafa Benítez would also not be satisfied.

It will be an even contest though as Ramos knows Liverpool well from his time at Tottenham, while the Reds' manager knows Madrid as he was a coach there before."We have not liked the draw that we have been given and I suppose that they will not have either," Ramos told reporters.

"Rafa Benítez knows Real Madrid very well and I also know Liverpool and Benítez well from my time in England."

Although he is not pleased with the draw, Ramos admitted that while Liverpool are a strong side Madrid should not worried about playing any team in particular.

"They are a complete and difficult team and have some very good players," he continued. "But Real Madrid cannot fear anyone and we have the same chances as them to go through."

Following his heroics for Barcelona against Real Madrid in El Clasico at the weekend, Victor Valdes is set to be richly rewarded as the Blaugrana prepare to open talks to offer him a new contract.With the club having safely tied up the future of midfielders Xavi and Sergio Busquets, they are now eager to ensure that Valdes, considered the best goalkeeper at the Camp Nou since the days of Andoni Zubizaretta back in the late '80s and early '90s, commits his future to the Catalan cause.

Barcelona-based daily Sport reports that initial meetings began several weeks ago between Barca sporting director Txiki Begiristain and the player’s agent and father, Jose Manuel Valdes.
It is believed that a new deal will be offered to the 26-year-old to extend his current agreement, which expires in 2010, until 2014 while maintaining his buy-out clause, which stands at €100 million.

However, negotiations have been put on hold momentarily as Begiristain has been forced to fly out to Japan to attend to his brother who has fallen ill.

Barcelona are also keeping a close eye on Villarreal’s Diego Lopez, should the negotiations with Valdes run into any complications.