It’s the 10th anniversary of the A-League this season, and interest in football in Australia has never been stronger in the wake of a captivating World Cup in Brazil. At the beginning of the A-League’s inception ten years ago, many thought the league would fail to make an impression in Australia’s diverse sporting landscape. However, […]

The summer transfer of Radamel Falcao from Atletico Madrid to AS Monaco has been well documented. The world class striker was sold to the French club for £52.8 million ($85.4 million). Over the course of two seasons with the Spanish club, Falcao had scored 52 goals in 67 appearances and helped the club win the […]

Through the first six rounds in La Liga, Valencia CF led the way at the top of the ladder with sixteen points, one point ahead of Villarreal, two points ahead of Real Madrid, and three points ahead of FC Barcelona.  Along with Real Madrid, Valencia remained only one of two teams still undefeated in the […]

David Villa became the talisman for the Spanish national football team, scoring five of Spain's six goals in the tournament.  Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta controlled the midfield with their incisive passing and ball possession.  Fernando Torres could not get into stride as he struggled for form from his April knee surgery and was eventually […]

When Spain fell to the hands of Switzerland in the opening match of World Cup 2010, the vultures suddenly appeared from the sky and circled around their "dying" carcass.  No team has ever won the World Cup after losing its first match.  The ghosts from yesteryear are rising from the dead and haunting this current […]

With an unfathomable yet realistic possibility of an unceremonious exit from FIFA World Cup 2010, the Spanish national football team tussled with a Chilean side that has been one of the most impressive teams in this tournament thus far.  Marcelo Bielsa, Chile's manager, insisted on a positive approach with an indirect emphasis on flair that […]

The rumors, for once, came to fruition, as FC Barcelona will pay a transfer fee of €40 million to Valencia for Spanish international striker David Villa.  This tango (or the sardana for a more local, Catalunyan flair) danced by the two clubs since the previous offseason will finally end as outgoing Barça president Joan Laporta […]

In the last few years, the top six teams have distanced themselves from the rest of La Liga.  Real Madrid and FC Barcelona represent the top two, and Villarreal, Atlético Madrid, Sevilla, and Valencia compete for the next four places.  Atlético Madrid continues their bumbling start into the Christmas break, and Villarreal picked themselves up […]

Based on their records coming into this fixture, the Valencia – Atlético Madrid Saturday fixture did not look to be an appetizing match, but knowing each team's penchant to go forward, their stature in Spanish football, and their performances over the past few years, this game was the one to watch, and they did not […]

As has been well documented over the past few seasons, Valencia CF have seen better days.  A dismal 10th place finish in 2008 was followed by a respectable, but still disappointing 6th place finish in 2009.  On the field, a love hate relationship with David Villa, spats with Quique Sánchez Flores,  the epic flop of […]

Continuing the La Liga preview, part three will discuss the final six teams in alphabetical order: Tenerife, Valencia, Valladolid, Villarreal, Xerez, and Zaragoza. Tenerife Will the tandem of Juan Francisco Martinez, commonly known as Nino, and Alejandro Alfaro translate their scoring prowess from the Segunda División to La Liga?  After seven seasons in the Segunda […]

Amid all the rumors of David Villa potentially playing for numerous wealthy teams across Europe, Villa expressed this past week that he never sees himself leaving the Mestalla. According to his words to the Spanish press, “I was told I should leave Valencia for the good of the club, soon after that everything changed and […]

  What on earth is happening at Liverpool this week? There seems to some major leaking going on behind the scenes that seem to point to two camps eager to try and score points against each other. News has begun to circulate this morning that the chief executive, Rick Parry is to leave his position at Liverpool […]

Manchester City’s new ownership sent chairman Garry Cook, brimming with billions, to build a super-club capable of Champions League qualification.  The club’s £91m bid for Kaka was a noted fiasco, but, as details have emerged, that’s hardly been their only activity. City reportedly made an equally irresponsible bid for Spain and Valencia star David Villa, […]