Pellegrini’s time at the club is over

REAL Madrid have announced the sacking of manager Manuel Pellegrini, paving the way for Jose Mourinho to take up the vacant Bernabeu hotseat. Chilean boss Pellegrini led Real to their best ever La Liga points total but failed to win a trophy, prompting the board to dismiss him less than a year after arriving. Pellegrini was charged with [...]

La Liga Round-Up: Top three all win, Messi hits hat-trick

LIONEL Messi scored a hat-trick as Barcelona routed Tenerife 5-0 on Sunday to maintain its two-point advantage in the Spanish league after closest rival Real Madrid also won, beating Mallorca 2-0 thanks to goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Esteban Granero. Alejandro Alfaro had three good chances to put the hosts ahead but the Tenerife striker hit [...]

Barcelona back top, Real Madrid keep up pressure

BARCELONA hit three goals in ten late first-half minutes to get back into the game against Tenerife and eventually ran out 5-0 winners. Lionel Messi bagged a hat-trick to send the champions back on top of the league. Victor Valdes had saved three one-on-ones in the early stages, the first deflecting on to the crossbar, before Barca found any [...]

Tenerife 0-5 Barcelona: Messi hat-trick sends Barrca top

LIONEL Messi inspired Barcelona to a 5-0 win at Tenerife as the Catalan giants ended the weekend as they started it: holding a two-point lead at the top of the table. Real Madrid briefly led the way after beating Real Mallorca 2-0 earlier in the evening, but Barça swept back to the summit after brushing aside Tenerife in the Canary [...]

Real Madrid 2-0 Mallorca: Higuain Star

GONZALO Higuain scored one and made the other as Real Madrid kept the pressure on Barcelona in the Primera Division title race with victory over fellow high-fliers Real Mallorca at a snow-covered Bernabeu.. In-form striker Higuain netted the opener and then set up the second for Esteban Granero as Madrid made it nine wins from nine at home this [...]

Sevilla shock Barcelona in King’s Cup

BARCELONA have a mountain to climb to retain their Copa del Rey title after slumping to a 2-1 home defeat in the first leg of their last-16 tie with Sevilla. Barca's Copa del Rey success of last year was the first of a record-breaking six trophies they won in 2009 but Pep Guardiola's men need to do it the hard way if they are to claim a 26th [...]

Real Madrid stays second after Osasuna 0-0 draw

REAL Madrid missed its chance to go top of the Spanish league on Sunday after being held to a 0-0 draw at Osasuna. A win would have put Madrid level on points with Barcelona and ahead on goal difference after the Catalans drew 1-1 against Villarreal on Saturday. Barcelona leads the standings with 40 points after the first round of games [...]

Real Madrid miss chance to go top as they are held at Osasuna

Real Madrid squandered a chance to climb above Barcelona to the top of La Liga when they were held to a 0-0 draw at mid-table Osasuna on Sunday. A win would have put Manuel Pellegrini's side top on goal difference after Barca dropped their first home points of the season in a 1-1 draw with Villarreal on Saturday. However, a gritty [...]

Osasuna 0-0 Real Madrid: Real fail to take top spot

REAL Madrid missed the chance to go top of La Liga as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Osasuna in Pamplona. After Barcelona were held by Villarreal on Saturday night, Manuel Pellegrini's side knew that a win would put them top on goal difference. However they failed to create chances against a well-organised Osasuna side despite naming the [...]

La Liga: Barca drop points, Atletico beat Sevilla

Barcelona dropped points at Camp Nou for the first time in the campaign as they began 2010 with a 1-1 draw against Villarreal. Having shown the fans the six trophies they won during 2009 prior to kick-off, Barca had looked to be on course to get the new year underway in style as Pedro put the ball into the net seven minutes into the match after [...]