Higuain Seals Juventus Win Against Roma

The top-table clash between Serie A leaders Juventus and second-placed Roma was decided early on by Gonzalo Higuain's brilliant goal as Juventus now sit with a comfortable seven-point lead at the top of the table. The Argentine had looked dangerous with an early chance saved by Szczesny, and on the fifteen-minute mark he managed to steal possession from Daniele De Rossi before dribbling past the Roma defence and blasting the ball into the net.

It was a tough blow for Roma as the lead let Juventus sit and defend comfortably. Luciano Spalletti's choice of starting with Gerson instead of Mohamed Salah soon proved to be a failed experiment as the giallorossi were ponderous in possession. Having ex-Roma playmaker Miralem Pjanic run the clinical one-touch passing of the Juventus counter-attacks only highlighted Roma's lack of midfield spark.

Spalletti replaced Gerson with Salah at the start of the second half but Massimiliano Allegri's halftime team talk had clearly revved up his players for a strong start to the second half. Alex Sandro had a few good runs on the left side after his fairly muted first half, and Mandzukic was proving to be a large a nuisance for the Roma defence. While in the 50th minute Pjanic had to be substituted by Cuadrado due to a thigh problem, Roma was constantly giving possession away with poorly placed passes.

Spalletti eventually took De Rossi off for El Sharaawy in the 72nd minute, shifting to a much more attacking 4-3-3 in a desperate attempt to grab a late equalizer. Roma pressed high up into Juve's half with Naingolann and Strootman cleaning up any Juventus attempts to counter, and the rest of the team working hard as Juventus players tired in the later stages of the match. Roma began to create chances but couldn't find a goal: Perrotti failed to beat Buffon after a nice setup by Salah and Manolas was only inches away from an unsavable diving header.

In the end, the best chances of the second half came for the Juventus midfielder Sturaro but Szczesny was imperious in stopping the Italian's shots. The first chance came when the midfielder was served a pass into the box by Mandzukic's brilliant backheel, and the second was also provided by the Croatian who headed the ball into Sturaro's path towards goal. While Roma finished the second half strong, Spalletti's experiment of leaving Salah out along with Higuain's early goal were both enough to give Juventus the victory.

Now with a seven-point lead ahead of Roma and a nine-point lead ahead of AC Milan, it looks like Juventus might run away with the scudetto yet another season. While the bianconeri performance wasn't perfect, Allegri's team yet again managed to do just enough to win when it really mattered.

The Weekend in Links - Mourinho and Mata, Ribery the Hero and More

After what has been an interesting pre-Champions League matchday weekend, there are a lot of victories, stories, and players to keep track of. Starting directly from the Premier League, the big clash between Tottenham and Chelsea at White Hart Lane ended 1-1. While some will be pondering whether the result affirms Tottenham as a definite title contender, others will have kept their eye on Jose Mourinho and his half-time substitution which featured Juan Mata. Henry Winter writes about the substitution, and Mourinho's effect on the final result of the match.

While Mourinho could be raising doubts with a few unfavourable results among his Chelsea fans, Franck Ribery remains a definite fan favorite at Bayern Munich says Raphael Honigstein. His article in the Guardian reflects on the Frenchman's career, and his fine form which has continued into this new season under new manager Guardiola. FC Bayern currently share the top of the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund after their latest 1-0 home win over Wolfsburg.

Another manager making a considerable impact at his new club is Rudi Garcia at Roma, who leads the Serie A with six victories in six played. In an article I wrote for World Soccer Talk, I break down the giallorossi's latest 5-0 victory over Bologna, and how they've thrived so well under this new manager. With two big matches coming up against Inter Milan and Napoli, Roma will have a lot to prove on whether they can truly contend for the scudetto.

Returning to England, tactical expert Michael Cox analyzes Liverpool's 3-1 away victory against Sunderland, and in preparation for the FIFA 14 review I'm writing up, In Bed With Maradona has taken a look at the top fives of FIFA 14.

What were your thoughts on this weekend's action? Comment your thoughts on this weekend, and your predictions for the upcoming midweek Champions League matchday below!

Roma Continue to Grow Under Zeman's Rule

After a disappointing summer transfer window for the Serie A, looking around at the possible contenders for the scudetto, it's evident that this season's race will have a few surprises in store. Teams like AC Milan, have lost many key players and weren't able to replace them properly, and others like Juventus and Inter just weren't able to clinch that world class player signing which could've helped set them definitively above the rest. Thanks to this lull in the Serie A's transfer market, this current season should be one of the most competitive we'll see yet. Among the clubs clawing to get a Champions League spot, Roma seems to have solidified themselves as a team ready to do the business after their impressive 3-1 victory over Inter Milan this weekend.

The match at the Stadio Meazza was an important test for Zeman's side. While Inter only finished sixth last season, the team retains a strong core of good players, and the young new manager of the nerazzurri, Andrea Stramaccioni, has been relatively successful thus far. It was a tightly contested start, with Roma showing more grit and speed (most likely due to the brutal pre-season training Zeman made the squad undergo) than the home side. On the 15th minute, Totti curled a delicate cross for Florenzi (who was completely unmarked by the sleepy Inter defence) to simply flick into the back of the net.

Totti and Osvaldo celebrating Roma's second goal

But this Roma team was nowhere close to satisfied, Osvaldo and Destro continuously made runs up front, clearing space for Totti and Florenzi to insert themselves into the box. Yet Roma met resistance as Milito narrowly missed a point blank header, and Cassano equalized against his former club, his shot getting a lucky deflection off of Burdisso's foot to finish up into the back of the goal. It was 1-1 going into the second half, and while Roma had the difficulty of playing away from home, they had the advantage of their superior fitness over Inter, who had also just played a Europa League qualifier in the midweek against Vaslui. 

Soon enough, Totti was able to create another goal, threading a pass through the Inter defence for Osvaldo to chase after and chip into the net to take the lead. The Inter defence was beginning to look tired as Osvaldo and Destro rarely stopped running, being constantly threatening. Roma continued to wear Stramaccioni's team down, and eventually Marquinho sealed the victory with a rocket volley from a narrow angle. A dominant 3-1 victory over Inter Milan at the San Siro for Roma, and while the players celebrated, Zeman seemed pensive of the work that still lay ahead for his side. 

Roma's next three matches seem fairly simple, Bologna, Cagliari, and Sampdoria, after which they'll face the Italian champions Juventus in Turin. While Zeman has plenty of time to prepare for the big clash, he is going to have to solidify any possible flaws which the team has in defence as Juventus are looking mighty after their 4-1 victory over Udinese.

It is very early in the season, but after this important away victory, Zeman's Roma continues to show signs of improvement. If he can continue to push his team forward, in a few weeks time Roma could pose a significant threat to Juventus, and possibly take down the current holders of the scudetto. What are your thoughts? Can Roma rise to the occasion this season under the guidance of Zeman? Share your comments below!

Roma and Liverpool Kings of Summer Transfer Window

This summer transfer window has been fairly generic. We've seen Fabregas go to Barcelona, Atletico Madrid lose De Gea, Aguero and Forlan, along with a myriad of other deals which we all expected and knew were going to happen. There have been very few big surprises regarding signings, and instead we mostly got what we were waiting for as football/soccer fans.

While many clubs made the signings we all knew were going to happen, there have been a few which decided to build things a little differently. Liverpool bought a brilliant list of new players including Stewart Downing, Jose Enrique, and finishing the window off with the arrival of Craig Bellamy. Of course, while experienced players are important, Liverpool have also kept an eye on some younger players. The 20 year-old Uruguayan central defender Sebastian Coates will have time to bed in, play some games as a substitute, and slowly become essential to the Red's backline.

What will also help is the abundance of versatile players Liverpool have signed such as Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam. These new signings strengthen Liverpool's midfield and secure any holes there might be in case of injuries or suspensions throughout the season. A willingness to spend accompanied by an intelligent plan of selling unneeded players have led to a much stronger squad which looks ready to compete on many different levels.

In the Serie A, there was a similar revelation in Roma's financial freedom on the transfer market. The new owner, Thomas Di Benedetto has brought cash and a new coach, Luis Enrique. The Dutch international keeper Maarten Stekelenburg has been bought, along with Heinze, Kjaer (on loan from Wolfsburg), and Jose Angel to solidify what was once a weary defence. Yet what has been even more impressive is Roma's new and improved attack.

From Barcelona's Bojan Krkic to the Argentinean wonderkid Erik Lamela (along with Pablo Osvaldo and Fabio Borini), the new attack looks ready to score plenty of goals. The midfield has also been bolstered significantly thanks to Fernando Gago on loan from Real Madrid and the signing of Miralem Pjanic from Lyon. Mixing these new players with the likes of Totti, Pizarro, and De Rossi should create a very solid midfield, and a formidable attack.

Both Liverpool and Roma have gone about their business to completely replenish their squads with astute signings while keeping the best of the old guard. The new owners brought some fresh air for everyone, making quick and surprising signings which will stir up the pot as the season progresses. Sadly, these are two anomalies in the many European clubs which either don't need to surprise fans with great unexpected signings, or clubs that don't have a board/directors which will make these bold decisions.

While some clubs don't particularly need to strengthen, or need only a couple of smart signings to taper the cracks of the squad, others continue with a very conservative transfer policy regarding signing new players. Instead, Roma and Liverpool have realized that to climb up the Premier League and Serie A tables they'd need to spend, and spend wisely. I expect great things from these two clubs, the two kings of the summer transfer window.

Roma Swoop for Barcelona Star Bojan

Bojan Krkic finalised his move away from Barcelona on Friday as Roma snapped up the enigmatic forward for around €12 million. Barcelona seemed surprisingly willing to let the U-21 Spanish international leave the Nou Camp this summer given his obvious talents, but while the move is permanent, the Catalan club revealed in a statement that a clause had been inserted into the talented youngster’s contract with the Serie A club allowing them to re-sign him at the end of 2012/13 season.

The statement read:

"The cost of the operation is 12 million euros but includes a compulsory buy-out option to be exercised by Barcelona at the end of the 2012/13 campaign, at a cost of 13 million euros. This buy-out option can be blocked by AS Roma but in that case, the total cost of the transfer would be 40million euros."

Bojan found it difficult to break into the Barcelona first XI, and recently expressed his frustrations at not playing regular first team football. The Nike Tiempo Legend wearer had been linked with a move to the Premier League before Roma amerged as the clear favourites for his signature. Bojan admitted that he would have liked to have succeeded with Barcelona, but insisted he was pleased with his move to Roma.

"My dream was to triumph with Barca, but I am very happy that another club has given me the chance to continue succeeding. I'm going from one big club to another and all parties have an interest. That makes me happy. I consider myself privileged."

What are your thoughts on Bojan's move to Italy? Share them in the comments below!

Italian Troubles In Europe: Napoli Out of Europa League

Being a big fan of Italian football, I find it slightly sad watching a constant decline for Italian teams when they play in European competitions. It all started with AC Milan's 1-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur: an ugly game, with Tottenham deservedly winning at the San Siro. After that, the Roma train-wreck crumbled against Shakhtar Donetsk, conceding three away goals in their 3-2 loss at the Stadio Olimpico. Then came Leonardo's turn at the San Siro, and while Inter Milan played well against Bayern Munich, the Germans pulled off a last minute goal to win 1-0. Finally came Napoli, the culmination of this disaster set of matches in Europe for Serie A clubs. A 0-0 draw in the first leg at the San Paolo against Villarreal seemed like a decent result, yet Mazzarri's team was unable to produce the goods away in Spain. A 2-1 comeback from Villarreal silenced any hope of Italian glory in the Europa League.

The Serie A has become like an old acquaintance, slowly falling behind the pack. Some remember the better days while most don't really care about this decline. While Inter Milan won the Champions League last season, it wasn't a victory for Italian football, it was a victory for a few individuals. A victory for Massimo Moratti, a victory for Wesley Sneijder, and especially a victory for Jose Mourinho. It seems like in the records of time, few will remember as an Italian side won the Champions League last season, most will remember it as, "Mourinho showed he was the best, again".

Some say it is the style. They say that the Serie A is too defensive nowadays, and against other European sides this method of play doesn't work. Yet every weekend I see a swashbuckling Roma side, lose 5-3 or 4-3. I see a scintillating Palermo team which plays wonderful football through the nimble feet of Javier Pastore. I see a free-flowing Napoli, with the trio of Hamsik, Lavezzi, and Cavani tearing through defences with rapidity and grace. I see it all in the Serie A, so why don't I see it in Europe?

It seems like fear to me. When a big challenge arises, the Italian instinct seems to be to close up. We don't see Maicon charge up the right wing anymore, instead he (along with the other fullbacks) will be cautious. Instead of seeing passes going towards the opponents goal, we see lateral passes from the defence, too afraid to move forward and maybe lose the ball. Sadly this can eventually become ugly. Tension creeps in as the clock ticks down. After a rough challenge, all of a sudden some Italian pride springs up, and the players argue like madmen with the referee. They yell at him, surround him, tug his shirt, yet the match continues as it was. It continues with an Italian side, too fearful to create anything.

The recent results in the Champions League and Europa League are all very negative. It seems like we could have no Italian teams in European competitions after the return leg of the Champions League. AC Milan need to overcome a spirited Tottenham, Roma need to wake up from their management nightmare to defeat Shakhtar Donetsk, and Inter need to finish the opportunities they create to knock out Bayern. Could it all happen, and three Italian teams progress to the next stages? I doubt it. For fans of Italian football, we'll be lucky if we see one team progress to the next round of the Champions League. A sad demise it has been for the Serie A.

Matches To Watch This Weekend: Chelsea - Manchester United

This weekend is a big one; in all three leagues (Serie A, English Premier League, and La Liga) we have some big matches. What we also have this weekend is the FIFA World Club Cup Final between TP Mazembe and Inter Milan, and it is the first time that an African side has reached the final of this tournament. Could they go on and win it in their first try? I doubt it.

Chelsea - Manchester United


Could we call this a season defining match? I think so. Right now Chelsea are three points behind league-leaders Manchester United (who have a game in hand), and a win for Carlo Ancelotti's side is needed to revive their title run. The match will be played at Stamford Bridge, and it will be an important return to the starting eleven for Frank Lampard, who missed about three and a half months with groin and thigh problems. Lampard played just over ten minutes last weekend against Tottenham, and it's very possible that he will be playing from the first minute against Manchester United. Manchester United on the other hand have the perfect opportunity to ascertain their dominance at the top of the table. After their 1-0 win over Arsenal last week, another win this week against Chelsea would truly set them as favorites as Premier League winners.

How do you think the match will go? I think that it'll be a close Chelsea win, but make sure to share your thoughts regarding the result by commenting below!

AC Milan - Roma


With AC Milan on the verge of completing contract negotiations with Sampdoria reject Antonio Cassano, this big match hasn't been noticed that much. AC Milan are at the top of the table, with a six point lead over second placed teams Juventus, Napoli, and Lazio. Meanwhile Roma are ten points behind the rossoneri, and this win could help patch up a shaky season for the giallorossi. While the match is being played at the San Siro, Roma will have plenty of motivation to win away from home, especially with Marco Borriello getting the chance to prove Milan wrong after they loaned him out to Roma for this season. The injury list for AC Milan is extensive with Gattuso, Zambrotta, Thiago Silva, Inzaghi, Pato, and Flamini all unable to play.

Could Roma pull off a spectacular away win against an injury-ravaged Milan team? It's certainly going to be an exciting game, but I have no idea which way it will go. How do you think the match will end? Comment below!

Espanyol - Barcelona


Espanyol and Barcelona have a fierce rivalry, and often the Catalans slip up when travel to face Espanyol at the Estadi Cornella-El Prat. Espanyol have won all seven home league games this season, conceding only two goals so far, so Barcelona have a big test to face. But it's not like Barcelona are mugs, they're top of the table right now, and the difference between them and Espanyol is 12 points, and Espanyol are in fourth! It's a strange match to call, with Barcelona playing beautiful high-scoring football, but Espanyol with plenty of momentum this season.

It is sure to be exciting, and I truly advise you to watch it, especially if you are a Real Madrid fan. This could be where Barcelona fatally lose, giving Jose Mourinho's side a chance to take first place in La Liga. What is your prediction for this match? Share your comments below!

Matches To Watch This Weekend: Barcelona - Villarreal

Not sure what matches to watch this weekend? Well, I've decided that before every weekend I'll be writing a little preview post entitled, "Matches To Watch This Weekend" where I try and find enticing fixtures for you to watch. I hope you enjoy it.

Barcelona - Villarreal


With two weeks before Barcelona and Real Madrid clash in "El Clasico", Guardiola's team will have to face Villarreal. Villarreal, the team with the nickname "The Yellow Submarine", has done a fairly good job of keeping up with Barcelona and Real Madrid this season, and they surely intend on continuing their good form. Right now the top of the La Liga table looks something like this:


Real Madrid     26
Barcelona        25
Villarreal          23
Espanyol         18
Valencia          17

And while last season Barca and Real were in a league of their own, they're being followed by Juan Carlos Garrido's Villarreal side. So the question is, can Villarreal manage to slow down Barcelona this weekend? Probably not, although the newly-promoted side Hercules managed an epic 2-0 win against Barcelona at the Camp Nou, I don't think that the Catalans will let something like that happen again.

But, no matter how improbable it is that Villarreal manage to get a positive result from this match, it's still one you should watch. The main reason is that watching Barcelona weave their beautiful football, while Villarreal try to squeeze a result with their formidable attacking duo of Giuseppe Rossi and Nilmar, will be exciting without a doubt.

Inter Milan - AC Milan


This match has to be included, it's my favorite derby of the world, mainly because it always has meaning, and there's always a fierce rivalry between the two sides. Right now AC Milan are top of the table in the Serie A, while Inter Milan is in fourth place, but if the nerazzurri manage to win this match, they'll draw level on points with their rossoneri cousins. That also means that this match is the perfect chance for AC Milan to increase their lead on last year's champions to six points, so it's without a doubt, an extremely important fixture for both sides.

If you're interested in a bigger and better preview, with info on which players will manage to play,  make sure to check out my preview here.


Juventus - Roma 


Another big Serie A game, and this is probably the most unpredictable match which is taking place this weekend. Both sides have been doing very well recently, and this clash will probably determine who can go on to challenge for the Serie A title. This match features plenty of tension and rivalry with Ranieri coming back to his old club's stadium with his new and energetic Roma side.

I'll certainly be watching this match because I think that this match will have goals in it, but for which team the goals are, I don't really know. And if you're interested in a more in-depth preview of this match, you can click here.

One of the most epic images I've seen in a long time...

Everton - Arsenal


Arsenal have a tough match to play at Goodison Park, and next week they'll be hosting their long-time rivals Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium. If Arsene Wenger can manage to get his side to churn out a good result this weekend away from home, they'll be able to carry the good form into next week's crucial derby.

But this match is probably more important for Everton, mainly because they haven't been doing too well this season, and defeating the Gunners could be the perfect springboard to get back on track this season. I'll certainly be watching to see how Arsenal play, whether they go for defensive possession, or if they go out there to win the match. Meanwhile I think that Everton will have to play to win, because another loss could seriously impact the club's morale.

I hope you liked this little preview, make sure to share any thoughts by commenting below!

Liverpool Defeat Chelsea with Torres Brace

A week literally full of action! Two fantastic derbies in the Serie A and La Liga, and then a wonderful match between Liverpool and Chelsea. Funnily enough, all three of the matches ended 2-0, and all three of them were entertaining.

Liverpool - Chelsea


While some people think that Chelsea will just run away with the title (I think that it'll be Manchester United who wins it this year), the blues have been halted, by Liverpool! Carlo Ancelotti's team travelled to Anfield to face Roy Hodgson's side which had just defeated Napoli 3-1 in the Europa League in the midweek.

The first half wasn't dominated by any of the two sides, it was more just Chelsea being surprised by Liverpool's intensity and work-rate. These two factors, along with the home crowd spurred the reds to score within the first eleven minutes. Kuyt lifting a good ball for Fernando Torres who controls, stays standing with Cole and Ivanovic on his back, and promptly does the business in front of Cech, giving Liverpool the lead.

There were a couple of okay chances for both sides, but nothing notable as Liverpool played with heart, spirit, and intensity not letting Chelsea get into their stride. And when Fernando Torres scored for a second time for Liverpool, right before halftime, Anfield exploded with joy. The Spaniard received the ball out on the left wing, he cuts in, and then curls a delightful shot onto the far post, unsavable for Cech.

But the second half had Chelsea display more conviction, and Liverpool suffer from the Blues's constant attacks. Reina was forced to make a great save from Zhirkov's close range shot towards the near post, and then Reina pulled off a mind-blowing parry against Malouda who thought he'd tapped in a goal from about a yard from the goal-line.

But Cech had to make a couple of great saves as well, he had to stop Dirk Kuyt's close range volley from a corner by spreading his legs to inhumane lengths. Yet Chelsea continued to push, forcing Liverpool on the back foot, and the reds had some luck when Anelka's low rocket bounced under Reina's body and onto the bottom of the crossbar and back into play. Liverpool finished the match with a counter-attack which ended with Maxi Rodriguez one on one with Cech, but the Argentine gets the ball flicked away from him by Cech's fingers as he tries to earn a penalty with a desperate dive.

And so Liverpool pull off a fantastic result with the team playing with an intensity unseen before this season. Torres is a player reborn as well, a fantastic performance by him is what truly helped Liverpool gather these three important points which raise them up to 9th in the table. Is this the rebirth of Liverpool? And where will Chelsea go from here? The Blues are still top of the table, but Manchester United are just two points away from them. Comment your thoughts regarding this game below!

Real Madrid - Atletico Madrid


And now onto a derby, the Madrid derby! First of all, a quick link to my good friends over at Madrid Atleticos, my favorite Atletico Madrid blog, and certainly one of the best La Liga blogs there is. So if you're looking for an Atleti point of view, go visit them there.

But now onto the game which ended 2-0 for Jose Mourinho's team. They started with a goal in the 13th minute, with Ricardo Carvalho played through into the box and the center-back finishing like a veteran striker past David De Gea. The second goal arrived about six minutes later with Mesut Ozil drilling in a puzzling free kick from the right of the penalty area.

But Aletico Madrid created opportunities as well, first Forlan sent an tap-in wide, and then Casillas had to produce a fantastic save from a corner. After that the Real goalkeeper had to save a curling shot from Reyes which seemed destined for the back of the net.

In the second half Higuain hit the post with a rocket volley, and the Atletico goalkeeper David De Gea was rooted to the spot, only able to watch the ball smash his far post. But minutes later Forlan hit the post as well with a volley from the top of the box, and although Casillas dove to save it, he was about half a meter from the ball when it hit the post.

While there were more opportunities for both sides, in the end Real Madrid created many more dangerous moments for the Atelti faithful. A fantastic win for Jose Mourinho's side, and with El Clasico against Barcelona coming up in a couple of weeks, Real Madrid are looking very powerful at the top of the La Liga table.

Lazio - Roma


There was another derby this weekend, the very exciting Rome derby! And it was all the more exciting with Lazio top of the table, and Roma being on a winning streak. But the match was slightly disappointing, while there were plenty of chances created by both sides, the 2-0 scoreline was marked by two penalties for the giallorossi.

The first was at the beginning of the second half, and Marco Borriello stepped up to take it. Lazio's goalkeeper guessed the direction, and even got to the ball, but unluckily for him, it slipped underneath his body and trickled over the goal-line. The second penalty was awarded in the 87th minute, and this time Mirko Vucinic took it. Muslera didn't get it right this time, and Vucinic scored the penalty easily sending the young Uruguayan keeper the wrong way.

But Lazio fans will be severely disappointed, they had a chance where a player was blatantly brought down in front of goal, but no penalty was awarded. If the two penalties for Roma were penalties, then this chance for Lazio should've been awarded with a penalty.

What are your thoughts regarding all these derbies? Did you expect Liverpool to beat Chelsea? Share your thoughts by commenting below!

Roma Dramatically Defeat Inter and Michael Owen Returns

In case you haven't noticed, there have been some boring games but awesome results this weekend. Roma vs. Inter Milan is one among many which was relatively boring, but the result has huge ramifications for just about every other team in the Serie A. Another example is Real Madrid's 0-0 draw with Levante, which although wasn't extremely exciting, caused Los Blancos to fall behind their rivals, Barcelona.

Another thing which you've hopefully noticed is the poll on the right sidebar. Have your say on who will win the English Premier League, and although Chelsea is running away with it right now, they've just been stopped by Manchester City. This could cause Ancelotti's side to falter, and maybe give away the title, but that's up to you, the voter. So be sure to vote on the poll which is located at the top of the sidebar.

And the last thing I wanted to mention before we move on to the soccer results, is that my review of the Concave PT+ soccer cleats will be up sometime tomorrow. I've already done a preview which goes over the innovative features which the company offers, and if you want to find out more info about the company, Concave Sports, click here. And now, on to the soccer.

Vucinic scored his first goal of the season against Inter

Roma - Inter Milan


While some say Serie A is a boring league with Inter Milan constantly winning, I have to say that they're wrong. And I'd have to point at this result (along with others) which shows that the title race is not boring, and it might provide a new winner this season. The first half was a pretty equal showing by both teams, with the Stadio Olimpico full of charged supporters cheering the giallorossi on. The second half became a stop-start affair, full of stoppages due to fouls. But the magical moment arrived for all those fans who patiently cheered on their team for the full 90 minutes. It was substitute Mirko Vucinic who got on the end of Daniele De Rossi's cross with a diving header, scoring the only goal of the game. This last-gasp goal has not only raised Roma's spirits for their upcoming matches, but it has also lowered Inter's mentality as they prepare to face Werder Bremen in the Champions League, and after that, Juventus.

He has returned...

In Italy, Edinson Cavani scored two fantastic goals in Napoli's 4-1 win away against Cesena, the first was a quick dribble and a perfect finish, the second was spectacular with the Uruguayan hitting the ball first time, curling it into the far right hand corner. AC Milan also got a win, but with a slightly less extravagant scoreline. It was Ibrahimovic who scored the only goal as the rossoneri defeated Genoa 1-0, Zlatan's goal was a fantastic long ball which he volleyed/chipped over Eduardo. Juventus got a big win against Cagliari, the fast Serbian winger, Krasic, scored a hat trick helping the bianconeri win 4-2. And Juventus will be hoping to continue with their good form, especially since they'll have to face Roberto Mancini's Manchester City in the Europa League, and then Inter Milan on the weekend.

An unlikely return to say the least

In England, Michael Owen has returned! Well, not exactly, but he scored an important goal for Manchester United which evened up their match with Bolton, making the final score 2-2. Bolton played well and went in front with Knight, but then Nani equalized, with Bolton then grabbing a second scored by Petrov, it was then that Ferguson played his card and put in Owen, who scored for the Red Devils and salvaged a point. Chelsea also suffered, they lost 1-0 to Manchester City with Carlos Tevez scoring the brilliant goal which finally made Ancelotti's side lose. It was a perfect finish by Tevez, a low diagonal ball which Cech would never have reached, and now we could see Chelsea possibly slipping up again next week at Stamford Bridge against Arsenal.

The Gunners though lost 3-2 at the Emirates Stadium against West Bromwich! Not to doubt West Brom, but I expected at least a 3-0 win by Wenger's side, but the result was going the opposite way for West Brom. The newly-promoted side was 3-0 up by the 71st, with the game securely controlled. After that, Nasri found two goals, but they weren't enough to salvage a point against the mighty West Brom.

The perfect strike

Emile Heskey scored on Gerard Houllier's debut on the Aston Villa bench, the 88th minute winner by Heskey defeated Wolves at Molineux Stadium 2-1. Liverpool drew 2-2 at Anfield against Sunderland, and they were literally given a goal when a muck-up by Michael Turner who passed the ball back so that his keeper could take a free kick, but the ref took it a little differently. The ref (Stuart Attwell) thought that Turner had just taken the free kick, and then Torres leaped on the ball, got in front of Mignolet, and easily squared it to Kuyt for the finish. After that incident, Sunderland fought back with two goals by Darren Bent, making it 2-1, but the wonder-captain Steven Gerrard equalized for his side, making the final result 2-2.

Another unlikely return by a former great striker

In Spain, Jose Mourinho was unable to get Real Madrid to win against newly-promoted Levante, Los Blancos were held to a 0-0 draw, with Gonzalo Higuain missing chances aplenty. Barcelona on the other hand had little trouble winning without their talisman (who is injured) Lionel Messi, 3-1 was the final scoreline against Atheltic Bilbao. The win was fairly straightforward and it was the midfielders' turns to score with Keita, Xavi, and Busquets all scoring for Barcelona. Hercules continue with another surprise win, the newly-promoted side defeated Sevilla 2-0 with ex-Juventus forward David Trezeguet scoring both goals. And Valencia stay top of the table after their 2-0 win away against Sporting Gijon, it took just 10 minutes for Valencia to win the match, with Topal scoring in the 8th, and Soldado in the 10th. Now Valencia are top of the table, one point ahead of Barcelona, two points ahead of Real Madrid, and three ahead of Atletico Madrid.

What were your thoughts on this weekend's action? Share them below, and remember to vote in our poll!

Inter Milan draw newcomers in Champions League group stages

Harry Redknapp's Spurs will have to battle against the holders, Inter Milan

The Champions League groups have been drawn, and there will be plenty of action in the group stages. First, here are the groups for you to look at:

Group A
Inter Milan
Werder Bremen
Tottenham Hotspur
FC Twente

Group B
Olympique Lyonnais
SL Benfica
Schalke 04
Hapoel Tel Aviv


Group C
Manchester United
Valencia
Rangers
Bursaspor

Group D
Barcelona
Panathinaikos
Copenhagen
Rubin Kazan


Group E
Bayern Munich
Roma
FC Basel
CFR Cluj

Group F
Chelsea
Olympique Marseille
Spartak Moskva
MSK Zilina

Group G
AC Milan
Real Madrid
Ajax
Auxerre

Group H
Arsenal
Shakhtar Donetsk
Sporting Braga
FK Partizan

The UEFA Champions League individual awards were also recently awarded, and Inter Milan sweeped them all, with Julio Cesar winning best keeper, Maicon winning best defender, Sneijder winning best midfielder, Diego Milito winning best striker, and Diego Milito again for best player.

Inter Milan have drawn two newcomers to the competition, Werder Bremen and Tottenham Hotspur, but that doesn't mean that their group will be easy. Manchester United will have to face off against Valencia as Bayern Munich will battle Roma for the first place in their group. AC Milan and Real Madrid meet yet again, but this time Ajax might have something to say about how the group goes. Plenty of exciting match-ups, but what are your thoughts on the groups? Comment below!

Inter Milan and Barcelona claim domestic Supercups

Messi and company celebrating

After the update on the English Community Shield, French Supercup, and the German Supercup, Inter Milan and Barcelona won their respective Supercups. Inter defeated Roma 3-1 at the San Siro winning their 5th Italian Supercup, and Barcelona defeated Sevilla in their two leg Supercup, losing the first leg away 3-1, but winning the return leg at the Camp Nou 4-0 with Messi scoring a hat trick (aggregate score 5-3 for Barcelona).

Barcelona lost the first leg in Seville 3-1 (with Ibrahimovic scoring), but they didn't have trouble winning the second leg by more than enough at the Camp Nou. The scoring started in the 13th minute when Pedro dribbled into the Sevilla penalty area, and his shot hit Konko, who unluckily scored against his own team. Then 11 minutes later the Messi show started, his first goal was provided by Xavi who split the Sevilla defense with a sublime through pass, and Messi provided the finish. The second saw Messi served inside the box, with the Argentinean smashing the ball into the roof of the net with no trouble. The fourth goal came in the dying minutes after Iniesta played the ball for Messi to crash into the net, winning the Spanish Supercup with an aggregate score of 5-3 for the Catalans.

As for the Italian Supercup, you can find a match report here, on Serie A Talk. What are your thoughts on the two trophies won? Share your thoughts by commenting below!

Community Shield, and Super Cups

The pre-season is slowly coming to an end, the transfer market drags on into it's nothingness, teams play useless friendlies, and Manchester City buy (with no limit). But what is giving me hope as I wait for the start of the European seasons is the super cup, or community shield. A preview of what will be coming next season, the winner of the domestic cup and the winner of the domestic league pitted against each other for a trophy which can be considered relatively important.

Here's what happened in the English Community Shield, French Super Cup, and the German Super Cup:

Javier Hernandez celebrating his first goal

Manchester United defeated Chelsea 3-1 at Wembley stadium, while the blues had the better of the chances, United put away the opportunities they had. The scoring started with Valencia before the half, Rooney squaring the ball perfectly across the box with his first touch, leaving Valencia to apply the finish. Then after the half the newly bought 22 year-old Mexican, Javier Hernandez, scored his first goal for United on his debut. A strange tap-in with the ball ricocheting of his foot and onto his face to somehow end up in the back of the net. Then Kalou brought one back for Chelsea, but after, Berbatov put an end to the match with a delightful chip, putting the final score at 3-1.

Schweinsteiger lifting the German Super Cup

As for the German Super Cup, Bayern defeated Schalke 04 2-0, thanks to goals from Klose and Muller. The score was 0-0 until the 75th when Muller scored a simple goal while the Schalke defense fell asleep, after that, the second goal came thanks to Olic's rampaging run down the right wing, a couple of step overs and then a simple pass to Klose to finish off Felix Magath's team, and claim the German Super Cup.

Taiwo lifts the French Trophee des Champions

The French Super Cup was a different type of match, Olympique Marseille and Paris Saint Germain battled a tight 0-0 until it came to penalties. After 5 kicks from each team the score was 4-4, and when Giuly missed for PSG, Cisse scored his right after to give Marseille the French Super Cup, or what they call the Trophee des Champions, the Trophy of the Champions.

As for the Italian and the Spanish Super Cups, the Italian one will be played the 21st of August between Inter Milan and Roma, while the Spanish "Super Copa" is a two-legged affair which will take place the 14th of August and the 21st of August between Sevilla and Barcelona.

Leonardo resigns as AC Milan coach

A bit of exciting news has hit the press regarding AC Milan and their coach Leonardo who has resigned as coach of the club. I've got an article up on Serie A Talk which delves into the decision and the possible replacements, so be sure to check it out here.

Also a bit of a preview for La Liga and Serie A and who could win the titles

La Liga


Barcelona are just a point ahead of Real Madrid and the Catalans will be playing the Real Valladolid who's fighting against relegation. Los Blancos on the other hand have to play Malaga, another team fighting relegation and have to hope for Barcelona to drop points against Valladolid for them to win the Spanish title.

Serie A


In Serie A it's also very close with Inter Milan two points ahead of Roma, the nerazzurri are playing Siena away who's president being a Roma fan has allegedly offered bonuses to the Siena players if they were to beat Inter. Roma have to play Chievoverona away which gave Inter Milan a tough game last week which finished 4-3 for Inter. Roma will have to win and hope for Inter Milan to drop points against Siena.

Inter Milan win Coppa Italia, Marseille win French Ligue 1, and more

Just a quick update with midweek action starting with silverware being dealt out in Italy and France.

Coppa Italia


Inter Milan won the Coppa Italia (Italian FA Cup) 1-0 over Roma in the final with a wonder-goal by Diego Milito. But what you should look out for this match is Totti's wild kick at Balotelli, here's a video with the kick below. There was also a fan who after the final whistle ran onto the field and charged towards Cambiasso, but he was quickly stopped.




Ligue 1


Marseille have won the Ligue 1 in midweek after winning 3-1, but also thanks to Lyon who managed to defeat 2nd placed Auxerre 2-1, giving Marseille the title mathematically. This is the first time in 18 years that Marseille win the French title Lyon on the other hand get closer to Champions League football for next season.

Premier League

In the English Premier League, Tottenham beat Manchester City in the battle for fourth 1-0 thanks to a rather late goal by Crouch. The game was fantastic full of chances for both sides, and the Spurs goalkeeper Gomes should be commended for some fantastic saves. With this win Tottenham are assured Champions League football next season and they could even overtake Arsenal for third place if the Gunners lose and Tottenham win on the final day of the season.

La Liga


In La Liga everything remains the same with both Barcelona and Real Madrid winning in midweek, keeping Los Blancos still one point from the Catalans. If there's one place Barcelona will slip up it'll probably be this weekend against Sevilla who will be fielding Luis Fabiano, and Barcelona could be without their center-back Gerard Pique for that important game.

Derby Edition: Real Madrid and Manchester United Catch Up, and Roma Stay Top

All the title races in the big leagues are really starting to heat up now, and with the upcoming World Cup, how a club does could affect major players and their teams when it comes to World Cup Odds. Another interesting reflection on the upcoming summer is about the amount of job movement we'll see by managers, as reported by Goal.com, it seems like plenty of managers will be moving around soon.

Hope you enjoy this weekend's wrap up along with the new layout/color scheme/everything.

Derbys everywhere, all around there are derbys right now, and everywhere they are having a lasting effect on title hopes and much more. Here are some from this weekend which might interest you:

Lazio against Roma was a massive derby which could've seen Inter Milan regain top spot if Roma won, and after going a goal down, it seemed like Roma could be second in the table. But Vucinic scored a penalty right after Lazio's Floccari missed one making it 1-1, and then he scored the winner off of a free kick putting Roma back on top of the table.

The Manchester derby has helped spice up the Premiership, when last week the title seemed Chelsea's, this week after they lost to Tottenham 2-1, Manchester United had a key chance to maybe come back to just a point from first. The red devils took advantage of their chance, but very late on, Paul Scholes's header in the 93rd minute of the game (about to end 0-0) revived United's title hopes.

A massive match took place in La Liga, the derby between Espanyol and Barcelona could have massive effects on the Catalan's title hopes. The match ended 0-0 with Dani Alves being sent off, not only did this allow Real Madrid to catch up to just 1 point from them after winning 2-0 against Valencia, but it puts some bad morale in the locker room for the upcoming Champions League match against Inter Milan.

Barca wins El Clasico and Roma top of Serie A

This weekend has defined the potential champions of La Liga, Serie A, and the Premiership. Barca pull ahead of Real Madrid in El Clasico, Roma overtake Inter Milan to possibly end Inter's scudetto run, and Manchester United drop points at Blackburn giving Chelsea a chance to run even further away with first. Some exciting stuff...

Real Madrid - Barcelona: EL CLASICO


The defining game of the SPL on steroids took place at the Santiago Bernabeu this weekend, and although plenty thought that Real could pull off a win (even I did), Barcelona dominated the galactic match. While some may chant Messi's name, or Pedro's (the two goal-scorers), I proudly chant Xavi's name, the Spaniard who for me is the best midfielder currently playing. After setting up Messi with a sublime chip in the 33rd which the Argentinean controlled and coolly slotted home, Xavi proceeded to dominate the match with what could be called a "buttery" display of passing. Pique had little trouble containing Ronaldo, and Real Madrid had trouble creating and finishing the few chances they had. After the interval it was my favorite midfielder that did all the tough work again, Xavi played a wonderfully weighted ball to Pedro who finished past Casillas, crushing any Real hopes of a comeback. Although Barcelona didn't dominate the match to the extent they did at Arsenal in the first half of the first leg, or other matches, the Catalans realized that much wasn't needed to beat a rather disorganized Real Madrid. Barcelona now take first spot in La Liga, three points ahead of Los Blancos, but basically four due to the head to head result being in Barca's favor.

In Italy, Roma are top of the Serie A after taking advantage of Inter Milan's 2-2 draw at Fiorentina, Inter have a tough schedule ahead and will face Fiorentina away again in midweek, then go against Juventus, followed by Barcelona in the following midweek. Roma on the other hand got a 2-1 win over Atlanta mostly thanks to Atlanta's goalkeeper Consigli not being able to hold an average shot by Vucninc. The Roman's doubled soon after with a header from Cassetti, but they risked being scored on twice by Tiribocchi who could only tuck home one goal. AC Milan haven't taken advantage of Inter Milan's slip up yet again, they were only able to draw 2-2 against Catania, who to their merit played a great match, but AC Milan came back from two down in the second half thanks to a double by Boriello. Bologna Lazio was filled with fantastic goals, and the match ended with the grand scoreline of 3-2 for Lazio, this is surely a match to check out the highlights for because some fantastic long range goals were scored by both sides.

In England, while Chelsea advance to the final of the FA Cup after beating Aston Villa 3-0 at a slippery Wembley pitch, Manchester United were only able to draw 0-0 against Blackburn, without Rooney United were lifeless, and the chances were few and wasted. There were two other 0-0's, Liverpool vs Fulham ended with a goalless draw, and so did Wolverhampton vs. Stoke, and a match which could've ended 0-0 for West Ham was saved by Ilan's goal as the Hammers won 1-0 against Sunderland. Manchester City look comfortable in fourth spot after thrashing Birmingham 5-1 as Tottenham lost to Portsmouth in the FA Cup semi-final 2-0, letting Pompy go on to the final against Chelsea. Another big scoreline affected the relegation zone, Burnley came back from a goal down against Hull City to win 4-1, and the last goal was a peach by Elliott, a wonderful curling free kick which nestled itself into the far corner.

In Spain, Atletico Madrid continue their erratic season after losing 3-0 away against Espanyol, although they aren't performing well in the league, Atletico are doing well in the Europa League and are set to play Liverpool in the semi's. Valencia lost against Mallorca 3-2 as the gap between the two teams is only 5 points now, Mallorca are looking for Champions League football next year, and this result was important for their chances. Sevilla drawn on points with the Islanders after beating Malaga 2-1 thanks to a late goal by Lolo.

What do you think of this week's results? Was Xavi as buttery as I thought he was, and is he the best midfielder in the world for you? Comment below!

Roma only a point away from top and Real win Madrid Derby

Two epic matches this weekend which help shape the future of their leagues, not only this, but the so-called smaller matches also provide an insight to maybe how positions will shift in the table...

Roma - Inter Milan


This match was being described as the biggest match of the year in Italian press, and although 2-1 may seem like a rather dull score-line, it was full of action. Roma started firing on all cylinders, and in the 17th minute, Julio Cesar fumbles a simple catch and De Rossi is able to nip in with his toe to claim the first. With spirits high, Roma went on to play well, but Inter grew with time, not only did Samuel hit the crossbar, but Eto'o scuffed a couple of chances, and Diego Milito forced a great save from Julio Sergio. After halftime, Inter found the equalizer with Diego Milito slapping in a close cross from Sneijder, but just about 5 minutes later, Toni was left unmarked at the top of the box, and the striker turned and struck the ball into the bottom right corner, giving Roma the winner. But Inter came close with their final attacks, so close that Diego Milito even volleyed the ball at close range right into the post, and although Roma won, Inter had more chances which they didn't put away. This win re-opens the Serie A with Roma just one point away from the nerazzurri, hopefully making for a tight finish at the end of the season.

Real Madrid - Atletico Madrid


A fantastic must-win derby for Real Madrid ended up 3-2 for Los Blancos, things were looking good for Atleti when Reyes scored a precision shot which snuck past Casillas from outside of the box. It took Real the rest of the half to get in the game, and after the interval Xabi Alonso tapped one in from the back post, then Arbeloa finished one after some great dribbling, and Higuain took advantage of mistakes made from Atletico's defense, completing the comeback. Although it seemed like Atletico's night after a wonderful blocked shot off the line from Higuain, Forlan's goal from the penalty spot wasn't enough to spur Atletico Madrid for the final comeback, letting Real Madrid keep up with Barcelona.

In England,  Chelsea had no trouble at all with Aston Villa, an easy 7-1 win at Stamford Bridge was marked by a Lampard poker (two penalties), two goals from Malouda, and one from Kalou. Manchester United keep their title push strong against Bolton Wanderers pulling off a 4-0 win without Rooney, Berbatov scored two, Gibson one, and Samuel scored an own goal. The gunners were halted in their race for first after getting a 1-1 draw with Birmingham, a late goal from subbed on Nasri seemed the clincher, but Philips equalized in the last minutes making it 1-1. Liverpool got a comfy 3-0 win over Sunderland, a must-see wondergoal from Torres started the scoring, the Spaniard dribbled through the left flank then lashed out a shot which looped over Gordon, a sure contender for goal of the season. Johnson soon followed with a deflected effort from outside the box, and Torres scored another after scrambling an elegant finish to make it 3-0 for the reds.

In Italy, AC Milan failed to capitalize on Inter's slip, a 1-1 draw against Lazio was all they could manage, Borriello put them in front with a penalty, but Lichtsteiner equalized soon after giving Lazio an important point. Fiorentina got a great 4-1 win over Udinese, at halftime it seemed all equal after a goal from Vargas and one from Pepe, but Fiorentina came back rejuvenated after the half, first Gilardino, then Santana, and finally Jovetic completed the extravagant win for the Viola.

Diogo celebrating his goal for Zaragoza

In Spain, Villareal move up the table after a 3-0 win over Sevilla, the two teams are now just 5 points apart, and it seems like Sevilla's push for Champions League football is weakening. Rossi started the scoring, and Llorente followed up soon after, both of them fed by Nilmar. Pires put the icing on the cake after being subbed on with a sublime finish past Palop, giving Villareal three important points. Real Zaragoza complete a difficult feat, a 3-0 win over Valencia which was spurred thanks to goals from Diogo, Arizmendi, Jarosik, and Zigic's expulsion, Valencia will be trying to prepare themselves after this bad defeat for Atletico Madrid in the Europa league this wednesday. Barcelona pull off a 1-0 win over Mallorca thanks to Ibrahimovic (or as I like to say: Zibra), the Swede tapped the winner in after Puyol had his effort saved from Aouate. But the biggest news won't be about Zibra, it'll be about Iniesta being out for the Champions League fixture against Arsenal, surely the first leg, and probably the second.

What do you think of this week's action? Will Iniesta's injury hurt Barca in their push for the Champions League? Comment below!

Real Latch onto Barcelona and Inter held to a draw

This weekend was filled with cup action in England, allowing footy fans to watch leagues from around the world. And the only Premiership match that took place was one in which an American scored, hoping that Donovan can continue with Everton.

In England, Everton - Hull City finished 5-1 for the toffees, Arteta netted two, with Donovan scoring one and giving a great assist for Rodwell. Hull scored with Cairney, but Garcia put one past Myhill in an unlucky own goal created by Arteta. The other Premiership fixture was Wigan - Liverpool which finished Wigan 1 Liverpool 0, Torres missed great chances, and eventually Rodallega put one away to make sure that Wigan stay firmly out of the relegation zone.

Roma - AC Milan


Both teams were desperate to gain some points, but in the end they basically cancelled each other out, Roma started with vigour, Julio Baptista shot a rocket in the first ten minutes which swerved towards the top right corner, only to be saved by a brilliant Abbiati. But after their strong start, Roma lost their pace, and Milan started to grow in confidence, raising the tempo of the match which hurt the tired Roma side. Vucinic tried to make the difference but AC Milan was the dominant force throughout the rest of the match, and although they didn't capitalize on their chances, Milan look ready to face Manchester United in midweek.

In Italy, Juventus continue their chase for Champions League football after defeating Fiorentina 2-1, a great goal by Diego, rounding Frey to tap it in, and a powerful close range shot by Grosso let Juventus push for the fourth spot. Inter Milan were held to a 0-0 draw by Genoa, Balotelli started, and disappointed, the youngster slowed down the tempo of the game constantly diving and attracting fouls, and eventually when he was actually fouled in the box, the ref refused to acknowledge it, thinking of it as another dive. Sampdoria came back to win 2-1 against an everfalling Lazio, Floccari started the scoring, but a rocket by Guberti, and a goal by Pazzini helped Sampdoria claim three important points.

In Spain, Real Madrid latch onto Barcelona after an epic 3-2 comeback against Sevilla, Real went two down after Xabi Alonso netted an unfortunate own goal, and Dragutinovic scored, seemingly giving Sevilla the win. But in four minutes Real Madrid were level, Cristiano Ronaldo scored the first in the 60th with Sergio Ramos following in the 64th. Then it was super-sub Van der Vaart who was able to squeeze the ball past Palop in the 93rd minute who gave his side a fantastic win. Barcelona had a slip rarely seen, away to Almeria Barcelona drew 2-2,  Domingo Cisma gave Almeria the lead in the 12th minute, but Messi equalized twice after Puyol let in an own goal. One goal was a beautiful free kick by the Argentinian, just a half step, and the chip swerved beautifully into the back of the net, but what probably stopped Barcelona from winning was Ibrahimovic's direct red card in the 61st, leaving Barcelona to watch Real Madrid latch onto them at the top of the table.

What do you think of this week's action? Comment below!