Mourinho To leave Real Madrid?

Save on Delicious

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has rejected reports that he is planning to quit the Spanish champions at the end of this season.

The 49-year-old has struggled to regain the heights of last season, with Real 11 points behind Barcelona after only 14 games in La Liga.

Los Blancos go into Tuesday's Champions League clash with Ajax already qualified for the last 16 of a competition that Mourinho has won twice before -- but that his club has not triumphed in since its record ninth success in 2002.

The former Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan boss dismissed suggestions he wants to join another top European club at his Monday prematch press conference.

"My future is that tomorrow I'll have my 101st Champions League match, and UEFA will confirm that," he said.

"Neither I nor I think the president will say a word about it. I have nothing to say about what we talked about. My relationship with him is very good and I will not be giving any substance to this situation. You have no story."

Mourinho has been linked with a move to big-spending French club Paris Saint-Germain, where one of his Chelsea successors -- Carlo Ancelotti -- is coach.

"About PSG I will say that one of my assistants will go to watch the match tomorrow because they are a potential opponent," he said.

"They're playing against Porto and both of them could be drawn against us. That's the only thing that I am bothered about in Paris."

Mourinho was recently praised by his former English Premier League rival Alex Ferguson, who said the Portuguese has the credentials to one day succeed him as Manchester United's manager.

"That is what friends are like, they always speak nicely about each other," Mourinho said.

"Some people think that there is room for betrayal in friendship and others have a deep respect. His succession is a long way off and it will be 10 years away because he is stronger every year. What would he want to retire for?"

Mourinho has been booed by his club's own fans this season, and he said that was the reason he went out onto the pitch before Saturday's Madrid derby win at home to second-placed Atletico.

"I was watching Casillas and the other goalkeepers warming up. I went out early because I was expecting lots of whistles and some sort of animosity towards me," he said.

"I preferred that it happened before the match and was addressed personally towards me so that during the match they would support the team and have positive feelings and help their players and their team."

Eight teams playing in the Champions League on Tuesday have already qualified for the knockout stage, but first and second places have yet to be decided in two of the four groups in action.

Porto and PSG are fighting for top spot in Group A, while Schalke has a one-point lead over Arsenal in Group B.

Malaga will go through top of Group C ahead of AC Milan, while Real will finish second behind Borussia Dortmund in Group D.

Three places in the last 16 will be decided in Wednesday's matches, in which Barcelona's Lionel Messi has the chance to match Gerd Muller's record of 85 goals in a calendar year.

In Monday's La Liga action, Real Valladolid climbed to seventh place with a 2-1 win at 10-man Sevilla.

Patrick Ebert and Oscar Gonzalez scored in the first 12 minutes for Valladolid, but Manucho put through his own net soon after halftime before teammate Gary Medel was sent off for a second booking on 63.

In England, Newcastle moved up to 14th place in the Premier League with a 3-0 win over struggling Wigan, who had defender Maynor Figueroa sent off after only 12 minutes.

Figueroa was red-carded alter fouling Papiss Cisse, and the Senegal international's strike partner Demba Ba scored from the resulting penalty.

Ba then took his league tally to 10 this season, matching the leading totals of Michu, Robin van Persie and Luis Suarez, before Gael Bigirimana sealed the result in the second half to end a run of four defeats.

Messi scores his 90 goals world history

Save on Delicious

It was billed as the battle of the heavyweights.

In the red corner -- Radamel Falcao -- one of the most coveted strikers in world football and one of the most lethal finishers around.

Only last week, Falcao hit five in his side's demolition of Deportivo to add to his already burgeoning reputation.

In the blue corner -- Lionel Messi -- perhaps the greatest to have ever played the game. The man with 88 goals to his name in 2012.

The magical and mesmerizing feet of Messi going up against the pace and predatory instincts of Falcao. It had all the ingredients of a classic.

Between them they have run La Liga and European defenses ragged, scoring goals at will and leaving defenders trailing in their wake.

Going into the clash, Messi had plundered 23 league goals to Falcao's 16. It was time for the two to go head-to-head.

For Barcelona, victory over Atletico would place it nine points clear of its closest title rival and surely allow the Catalan club to wrestle the title away from defending champion Real Madrid.

A win for Atletico would finally confirm that Diego Simeone's men could be taken seriously as a championship challenger.

Atletico and Falcao -- the pretenders to Barcelona and Messi's crown.

And pretenders they will remain.

In the end, the chasm could scarcely have been greater as Simeone's men were put in their place without any sign of mercy from Tito Vilanova's side.

Barca has now won 15 of its opening 16 league games, taking an astonishing 46 points from a possible 48.

With Real Madrid only managing to draw with Espanyol earlier Sunday, Barca moved 13 points clear of its great rival.

It was Messi who stole the show once again as the little magician emerged out of the shadows to crush Atletico.

Two second-half strikes took his total to 90 for the calendar year and 25 league goals for the season as Barca came from behind to win 4-1.

And yet for the opening 30 minutes it appeared that the Messi's evening might have not been so enjoyable.

Instead it was Falcao who took center stage, bullying Barcelona's defenders at every opportunity.

It was the Colombia star who had the first opportunity of the contest, heading against the post after just nine minutes as Atletico signaled its intentions.

Falcao then went close again after firing narrowly wide when well placed, while Messi seemed to vanish as Atletico took control of the contest.

Barcelona was finally undone just after the half-hour mark when Falcao produced an exquisite finish to silence the majorityof those packed inside the Camp Nou.

After taking the ball in his stride, Falcao burst past Barcelona's central defenders before lifting the ball over the stranded Victor Valdes to net his 17th league goal of the season.

It was no less than Atletico deserved, but that strike only served to awaken Barca from its slumber.

No less than five minutes had elapsed before Barca drew level in spectacular style thanks to Adriano's stunning curling effort.

The right-back turned onto his left-foot, before unleashing a wonderful rasping effort into the top corner to bring his side level.

And with just seconds of the first half remaining, Busquets lashed home from close-range after Atletico had failed to clear.

From dominating the game, Atletico had been rumbled in the blink of an eye.

Worse was to follow as Messi began to find time and space as Atletico started to lose its way.

Just 12 minutes of the second half had passed before the Argentine finally grabbed his trademark goal, firing home his 89th of the year with a neat curling effort.

He reached 90 late on, taking advantage of a horrific defensive mistake to slot home his 25th league goal of the season.

Incredibly, Messi has scored 58 out of Barcelona's 116 league goals in 2012.

Meanwhile, the pressure continues to build on Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho after he all but conceded defeat in the race for the title.

Real fell further off the pace after being held to a 2-2 draw at home by lowly Espanyol and are 13 points off the lead.

Espanyol had taken a shock lead through Sergio Garcia after 31 minutes before strikes from Cristiano Ronaldo and Fabio Coentrao put the home side in control.

But with just two minutes remaining, Juan Albin popped up to steal a precious point for relegation-threatened Espanyol and leave Real reeling.

"The league is now impossible," Mourinho told reporters.

"It is the first time that I have been in a situation like this where my team are a long way off their objectives.

"But I don't want to make a drama out of it, I will treat it as another stage of my life."

Elsewhere in La Liga, Valencia was beaten 1-0 at home by Rayo Vallecano, while Levante claimed a 1-0 victory at Real Zaragoza.

Chelsea 3- 1 Sunderland

Save on Delicious

Fernando Torres scored twice as Chelsea secured a first Premier League win in eight games and ensured Sunderland dropped into the relegation zone.

The Blues dominated early on and a classy Torres volley made it 1-0.
Sunderland responded but a rash tackle by Sebastian Larsson gifted Torres a second from the penalty spot and Juan Mata drove in a third after the break.
Adam Johnson's fine shot gave the hosts hope but Chelsea held on to give Rafael Benitez a first league win as boss.

It was the Spaniard's first Premier League victory in four attempts but it increases the pressure on counterpart Martin O'Neill, whose side have won only two games in 23 league matches and have slipped to 18th place in the table following Southampton's win over Reading.

A dismal run of form had left a 10-point gap between Chelsea and leaders Manchester United at the start of the day.
Benitez had insisted the deficit at the top of the table was not insurmountable.
But with no wins in seven league games and an enforced break because of the World Club Cup in Japan, defeat against a hopelessly out-of-form Black Cats side would surely have ended their title chances.
That never looked likely as Chelsea established control from the outset.
Eden Hazard appeared unfortunate not to win a penalty when Larsson tugged him back as the Belgian raced through on goal and Mata and Torres and the Spaniard both had decent openings.
But Torres soon steered the visitors ahead with a beautifully controlled volley from Hazard's cross and a flowing move.
Chelsea's rhythm was disrupted when holding midfielder Oriol Romeu was forced off after 20 minutes with what appeared to be a knee injury.

And, having been completely outplayed, Sunderland suddenly upped the tempo.

They started to press further up the pitch, denying the visitors space in their own half and forcing mistakes.
O'Neill's side still struggled to create clear chances, but Stephane Sessegnon tested keeper Petr Cech with a swerving long-range effort and there were a couple of nervy moments in the Blues defence.
However, any fears of a repeat of last week's second-half capitulation against West Ham all but disappeared as Chelsea scored either side of the interval.
Larsson raced back and needlessly chopped down Ramires on the goal-line in first-half injury-time.
And Torres showed renewed confidence to assume spot-kick responsibilities and found the corner with his first penalty in English football.
Three minutes after the restart Mata had made it 3-0, calmly shooting into the far when after an instinctive first-time Torres strike crashed back off the bar after a Phil Bardsley mis-kick.
Moses almost added a fourth soon after but Johnson's breathtaking strike across Cech gave the hosts hope with 25 minutes left.
And suddenly Chelsea started to look shaky.
David Luiz and Gary Cahill both made important defensive interceptions as Sunderland dominated territory.
Johnson forced a fine save from Cech from a 25-yard free-kick, Wickham - who replaced the injured Steven Fletcher up front - went close with a low shot across goal and Craig Gardner struck the bar with a powerful free-kick.
But Sunderland were left to rue their defensive shortcomings and unable to prevent a 15th defeat in 16 games against Chelsea, who head off to Japan in a much better frame of mind and with Torres suddenly in form.

Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool

Save on Delicious

uis Suarez struck his 11th goal of the season to help Liverpool earn a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea dominated the first half and took the lead when John Terry headed home from a corner.
Suarez nodded a leveller with just under 20 minutes remaining and though the Reds had chances to go on and claim all three points during an excellent finish, they wouldn't have been too downhearted as they left the capital.
Liverpool went into the game having recorded successive league doubles over their hosts, a statistic which gave Roberto Di Matteo cause to classify the Reds as a 'bogey team' in his pre-match press conference.
His side almost made the ideal start in shaking off that tag when Joe Allen lost possession in midfield on six minutes, inviting Eden Hazard to play Oscar through on goal. The Brazilian was under pressure from Andre Wisdom but should have tested Brad Jones, who was again standing in for the injured Pepe Reina.
Operating with three centre-backs in the first half, Liverpool controlled the early possession, but it was Chelsea who looked most threatening in the final third.
Branislav Ivanovic was next with an attempt, arrowing over from 30 yards.
The opener came from a Juan Mata corner on 20 minutes when Terry, afforded room to spare at the near post, powered a header beyond the reach of Jones.
It might have been 2-0 seven minutes later when Hazard ran clear of Allen in midfield before side-footing to Torres. The Spaniard tried to place the ball beyond Jones but was denied by a good reaction stop before Hazard skewed the rebound.
The closest Liverpool came to any kind of response was a drive along the ground from Nuri Sahin. Wide.
The game was brought to a lengthy stop 10 minutes before the interval when Suarez stumbled out of a challenge and into Terry, whose leg was bent backwards in the collision. The former England skipper left the field on a stretcher and was replaced by Gary Cahill.
The disruption did little to alter the flow of the game, and again it was Chelsea who came the closest to finding the net prior to half-time when Mata went one-on-one with Jones. A few seconds later he was smacking the turf in frustration after directing the ball over the crossbar.
Liverpool were in need of a spark, but it was Chelsea who were first to probe after the break, Mata not coming as close with a long-range effort as the gasps from the home crowd suggested.
Jones displayed excellent reflexes to stop Torres heading home his first goal against his former employers since departing in January 2011. The save prompted a round of pinball in the Liverpool box but those in red eventually cleared their lines.
Brendan Rodgers replaced Sahin with Suso just before the hour mark, and while the impact wasn't instant, the 18-year-old was to play his part in an equaliser that hadn't looked likely. It was his corner on 72 minutes that was flicked from the near post to the far by Jamie Carragher. Suarez reacted quicker than Ramires and, from a yard or two out, nodded home before celebrating in front of the travelling supporters.
From here the game could have gone either way, with the away team looking more impressive after reverting to four at the back. Suso might have won it for Liverpool had he shown a little more composure from a Raheem Sterling cross.
Suarez had Petr Cech scampering back to his goal line with an effort from just inside the Chelsea half, while Ivanovic almost headed the winner from a corner.
Enrique then played Suarez clean through but Cech was quick off his line and got a decisive touch.
The final chance for the hosts was created and executed by Hazard, who angled just wide of the top corner. At the other end Suarez gave an onrushing Enrique the chance to shoot towards the bottom corner but the effort was saved.

Machester United 3-2 Aston Villa

Save on Delicious

Javier Hernandez says Manchester United's incredible comeback against Aston Villa was inspired by manager Sir Alex Ferguson's unshakeable belief.

The striker scored twice as the Premier League leaders came from two goals down to snatch a 3-2 win at Villa Park.

"We've never given up in the history of Manchester United," Hernandez said after his eighth strike of the season.

"That's what the gaffer and all the legends show you. You learn the game is 90 minutes, so you fight to the end."
Villa forward Andreas Weimann had scored either side of half-time to put the hosts 2-0 ahead and threaten United's 17-year unbeaten record at Villa Park. But Ferguson's decision to replace Ashley Young with Hernandez at half-time changed the game.
Hernandez, known as Chicharito, dug the ball out of his feet to poke the ball in for United's first before another of the Mexican's efforts was deflected into his own net by Villa defender Ron Vlaar to level the scores.
Then, with three minutes remaining, Hernandez headed in Robin van Persie's perfectly placed free-kick to complete the incredible turnaround.
When asked how he felt when he came on at half-time, Hernandez said, "I thought 'we can do it'."

Ferguson on 'fantastic' Villa win

Hernandez was only denied a hat-trick by Vlaar's intervention but the United striker said he believed he should be credited with all three goals.
"Of course (I will claim the hat-trick)," he said. "I shot on target, the defender tried to kick it away but he kicked it in the same direction I shot. That's the decision of the referee but I've just seen the replay and that was definitely hitting the target."
"But it doesn't matter who scored the goals. The most important thing is who is top of the league and that we came back from two goals down to win."
Ferguson was delighted with the fighting qualities shown by his side.
"It was a fantastic game," he said. "Villa will be feeling gutted with the effort they put in. They ran their socks off. In the second half our game was fantastic. Once we got that first goal I felt like we were going to do it.
"It just wasn't happening for any of us in the first half. I just felt Chicharito's pace and movement around the box can change games. Once again, as he has been doing all season, he was fantastic. When you score a hat-trick like that he has picked himself next week."
Ferguson echoed his striker's thoughts on the goals and said he hoped he would be allowed to claim a hat-trick. "He deserved that. It would be silly to take it away. It was a great strike. He got himself in a good position. I think he deserves it," Ferguson added.
Defeat leaves Villa just one place above the bottom three and with only two wins to their name this season.
But manager Paul Lambert refused to lay the blame with his players, despite them letting slip a two-goal advantage.
"We gave it absolutely everything, we were brilliant," he said.
"I can't fault the team. We've got lots of young lads in the team and they were great. I can't ask for any more from them."

Will Rio get carried away: Manchester United

Save on Delicious

Rio won't get carried away

Rio Ferdinand is refusing to get carried away with United sitting at the top of both the Barclays Premier League table and Champions League Group H ahead of Saturday's domestic trip to Aston Villa.
The experienced centre-back, who turned 34 this week, is convinced a run of clean sheets is just around the corner as the Reds focus, first and foremost, on getting three points in the Midlands.
"I wouldn't say we are over-happy [at the moment]," he said. "We are in the position we want to be. We set our stall out at the beginning of the Champions League to make sure we qualify comfortably. We have done that with games to spare. We are sitting nicely in the group.
"In the league, Christmas-time is when we really evaluate it, through the January period and the turn of the year. If we are in the same position then as we are now, we would say it is a good start to the season. But it is still too early to look at the league table and start singing and dancing.
"We always know Villa is a tough game and they always save their best for us. We always feel we have to perform to our strongest to make sure we get a result there. That is how it has been for the last few years. Long may it continue."
With qualification for the knockout stages in Europe already assured, Ferdinand can perhaps expect to be rested for the final two group games, although he has no problem playing midweek matches - as he proved when coming on as a substitute in Braga.
"I have not been speaking about my injuries because there haven't been any," he stressed. "Over the last 18 months, I have managed it really well. The club have helped me.
"It is testament to the club, and the medical and science department for helping me along. I am just happy to be playing consistently week in, week out. If the manager needs me to play during the week, that is fine as well. I am more than capable of doing that as I have proved over the past 18 months."
Ferdinand feels a settled defence will ensure things tighten up at the back as the squad have been working hard on becoming more difficult to break down.
"I just think no matter what goes on with the team, when you have a bit of stability in terms of personnel, results start forming a bit more consistently," he explained. "The manager has not been able to do that this season with players getting injured in various different areas. That is what it has been like for about 18 months.
"We have not been able to find the same level of consistency and put the same team out every week. That is unfortunate when you play so many games and are in the later stages of tournaments. You have to be able to deal with that and we do it better than anyone else.
"We are working on keeping clean sheets and defending as a team. I have seen good signs in the last few weeks. We are getting a better shape, becoming harder to break down and conceding fewer chances. It is only a matter of time before you start seeing a consistent run of clean sheets."

LA Laker sacks coach: NBA

Save on Delicious

The Los Angeles Lakers' 0-8 preseason and 1-4 start to the regular season was too much for the front office to take.

The NBA team on Friday fired second-year head coach Mike Brown, whose efforts to implement a new offense and mesh free-agent signings with stars who won a title two years ago didn't turn into wins.

"Really, it came down to ownership and management looking at the record, looking at the improvement level, and wondering a month or two or three down the road, will we be in the same spot," General Manager Mitch Kupchak told reporters.

Assistant coach Bernie Bickerstaff will be interim head coach for Friday night's game against the Golden State Warriors, the Lakers said.

The Lakers, just two years removed from an NBA championship, are loaded with high-profile talent with the likes of all-stars Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, and they added former league MVP Steve Nash and former Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard in the off-season.

But Nash has missed most of the season's early games with an injury, and the Lakers struggled with a complex new offense Brown was implementing.

"I never thought we got to the point where the offense was flowing," Kupchak said. "You could see flashes of it, but we never got to a point (where it was consistent through a game)."

A reporter asked Kupchak whether a desire to make Howard's first year a smooth one was a factor in the decision. The star center would be a free agent at season's end if he doesn't sign an extension.

"Obviously, we know he is a free agent this summer, and you want to make the experience for him as good as possible, but we have a lot of other people we need to (please) as well," Kupchak said.

Kupchak said the team's management decided Thursday night to make the move, a day after the Lakers lost a 95-86 game at Utah.

Brown released a statement saying he had great respect for the family of Lakers owner Jerry Buss "and the Lakers' storied tradition, and I thank them for the opportunity they afforded me."

"I have a deep appreciation for the coaches and players that I worked with this past year and I wish the organization nothing but success as they move forward," Brown said.

Before taking the Lakers job in May 2011, Brown, 42, compiled a 272-138 regular-season record in five seasons as head coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Did Lewis Hamilton chose money over good car

Save on Delicious

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh has questioned the reasons behind Lewis Hamilton's imminent move to Mercedes, suggesting the 2008 world champion's switch is money motivated.

Hamilton announced in September he would be ending his career-long association with McLaren, with Mexico's Sergio Perez set to replace him at the British team.

Whitmarsh claims McLaren, with whom Hamilton made his F1 debut in 2007, put a contract on the table which would have made the Briton the highest paid driver on the grid.

But Hamilton instead opted to join Mercedes on a three-year deal, where he will replace retiring seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher.

"We made Lewis an offer," Whitmarsh told the sport's official website. "An offer, which I believe is more money than any other driver at the moment is being paid.

"That leads us to suspect that our competitor and our partner Mercedes-Benz offered a bit more money. I don't know that, but I think for Lewis [sic] made his decision. I am disappointed in one sense, but you have to focus on going forward."

Hamilton, who reportedly earned $24m this year with McLaren, has endured a frustrating 2012 season.

Despite winning three grands prix, his title challenge has been dented by four retirements in 18 races, leaving him fifth in the drivers' standings with two races of the season remaining.

The news of Hamilton's move came just three months after Whitmarsh had scotched talk of the two parties ending their association.

Hamilton worked his way up through McLaren's young driver program having introduced himself to then team principal Ron Dennis at the age of nine.

"In fairness, if I had said three months ago that Lewis might leave I probably would have made some fantastic headlines, but that wouldn't have been in our interest," explained Whitmarsh.

"The media try to create entertainment from our faux pas. Imagine if I had said Lewis was going to leave. It would have been immensely destabilizing and honestly I didn't think that he was going to leave. I was surprised, but I was not shocked."

Whitmarsh also speculated Hamilton's decision could have been influenced by the Singapore Grand Prix, in which he was forced to retire due to a gearbox problem after starting the race in pole position.

" I am pretty sure he hadn't made up his mind until after Singapore. He told me the Monday or Tuesday after Singapore," continued Whitmarsh.

"I think it is always bad to make a decision in the aftermath of a bad race. He was pretty sure that he was going to win that race and it was a disappointment and as I just said it is never good to make a decision in such a situation."

Hamilton made a huge impact as a rookie in 2007, coming close to clinching the championship title which was eventually won by Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, despite continually clashing with teammate Fernando Alonso.

Whitmarsh is hoping McLaren can enjoy more success with an inexperienced driver when Perez joins the team in 2013, having impressed with Sauber since making his F1 debut in 2011.

"Some of the greatest moments in my life I've had when working with Mika (Hakkinen) when he was young. And we won the world championship with Mika," he said.

"And with Lewis, when he was young, so I am excited. It is a risk taking on a young driver. Bear in mind that when we took on Lewis he was the same age as Sergio is today and he was incredibly young, incredibly raw and incredibly talented.

"Now when Sergio gets to Australia in 2013 he will arrive with the kind of pressure that he can't imagine right now."

Borussia Dortmund 2-2 RealMadrid

Save on Delicious

Cristiano Ronaldo stood over a free kick late in Real Madrid's Champions League battle against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, and the former world player of the year stepped aside for Mesut Ozil.
Ozil did not waste the opportunity.
The German international drove a free kick from 22 yards over the wall and off the inside of the right post in the 89th minute, giving Real Madrid a 2-2 draw at the Bernabeu that left the Spanish side in contention for first in Group D.
Dortmund had its first lead on a strike from Marco Reus just before the half- hour mark and, after a goal from Real defender Pepe, restored a one-goal edge with an own goal late in the first half.
With Dortmund poised to finish off a sweep of their two matches against Madrid in group play, Ozil lined up a left-footed shot while Ronaldo stood a few feet to his left.
With everyone expecting Ronaldo to take the free kick, as he usually does, the hosts gave Ozil the shot and he fooled Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller. The shot went perfectly past the wall and kissed off the inside of the post.
Real Madrid used the point to remain within one point of Dortmund for first in their group, while Ajax remained three points back in third after a 2-2 tie in England against Manchester City in the other match in the group.
Dortmund would have opened a four-point cushion with a win, but the group will remain up for grabs headed into the final two matches.
Siem De Jong scored twice inside 17 minutes as Ajax grabbed a two-goal lead at Etihad Stadium, but Yaya Toure cut the deficit in the 22nd for City and Sergio Aguero tied the match with 16 minutes remaining.
City was denied a late penalty appeal from Mario Balotelli as its hopes of the knockout round remain in doubt as it is five points behind Real and six behind Dortmund with two matches to play.
In Group B, Schalke maintained its one-point lead over Arsenal thanks to a 2-2 draw at Veltins Arena, but Olympiacos joined the knockout race with a 3-1 win over Montpellier.
Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud had Arsenal ahead by two just 26 minutes into the match in Germany, but Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored in first-half extra time and Jefferson Farfan followed midway through the second half for Schalke.
Leandro Greco and Kostas Mitroglou scored two minutes apart late in the match, and Olympiacos remained third but moved within two points of Schalke for first and just one point of Arsenal.
In Group C, Alexandre Pato scored with 17 minutes remaining as AC Milan denied Malaga with a 1-1 draw at the San Siro in Italy, but the Spanish side clinched a spot in the knockout stage anyway.
Eliseu scored five minutes before half for Malaga, which will finish among the top two in the group. Milan is second on five points, but has competition for the other spot.
Dieudonne Mbokani scored as Anderlecht beat Zenit, 1-0, to move to four points with two matches remaining. Zenit is also alive with three points.
In Group A, FC Porto also punched its ticket to the knockout round with a 0-0 draw against Dynamo Kyiv, and PSG inched closer to a spot in the next round as it crushed Dinamo Zagreb, 4-0.
Porto has 10 points with two matches remaining, and only PSG can overtake the current leaders in the group.
Alex, Blaise Matuidi, Jeremy Menez and Guillaume Hoarau scored for PSG, all on assists from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, as the French side remained one point behind Porto in second place.

Malaga drew 1-1 at AC Milan:UEAFA

Save on Delicious

Malaga and Porto became the first teams to clinch their places in the knockout phase of the Champions League.

Group C leaders Malaga drew 1-1 at AC Milan, while Porto also earned a point at Dynamo Kiev in Group A, as both progressed with two matches remaining.
Real Madrid's late equaliser against Borussia Dortmund in Manchester City's Group D means the German champions must wait to seal qualification.
Olympiakos moved to within a point of Arsenal after beating Montpellier 3-1.

Ronaldo backs Messi, Mourinho for FIFA awards

Save on Delicious

Brazilian legend Ronaldo says if he could vote, he would nominate Barcelona's Lionel Messi as his choice for the FIFA Ballon d'Or award.
Ronaldo, a three-time winner of the FIFA World Player of Year award, which merged with France Football' s Ballon d'Or in 2010, said the Argentinian striker deserved to win ahead of Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo.
"It' s still a battle between those two - Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo," he said on Monday.
"Messi would get my vote because, in addition to being decisive, scoring loads of goals and winning trophies, he' s able to bring a special and different kind of magic to football.
"Cristiano Ronaldo is a very technical, very skillful and very pragmatic player, but Messi continues to produce the unexpected on a regular basis."
The 36-year-old said he would vote for Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho as coach of the year.
"He is the coach I' d vote for because it' s not easy to handle 25 players so well on a daily basis," Ronaldo said.

"He' d get my vote for his tactical organization, his planning and his training methods."
The FIFA Ballon d'Or and World Coach of the Year awards are voted for by the captains and head coaches of national teams as well as selected international journalists.
The 2012 winners will be announced during a televised event in Zurich, Switzerland, on January 7.

PGA Grand Slam: Padraig Harrington wins in Bermuda

Save on Delicious

Padraig Harrington held off a final-day charge from Webb Simpson to clinch the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda at his third attempt.

Five under-par overnight, the Dubliner birdied the 11th, 12th and 13th and, despite a bogey on the last, was still able to take the £375,000 prize. 
The Grand Slam features the winners of the season's four majors.
Harrington was a late replacement for Open winner Ernie Els, who withdrew from the event with an ankle injury.

World number one Rory McIlroy was also absent, preferring to defend the BMW Masters title in Shanghai, and being replaced by Keegan Bradley.

Last year's winner Bradley finished tied third with Masters champion Bubba Watson at Port Royal, and it was left to US Open winner Simpson to lead the American charge.
His six-under 65, the best round from any player at Bermuda, kept Harrington under pressure to the end, but the three-time major winner held on to take the win.
Success in the Grand Slam is Harrington's first on the tour since 2010.
He had participated unsuccessfully at Bermuda twice before, losing to Angel Cabrera in 2007 and the following year to Jim Furyk.

Why Ferrari is struggling ?

Save on Delicious

Ferrari have spent the last few races watching helplessly as a once-commanding championship lead for their driver Fernando Alonso has been turned into a narrow deficit by the revived steamroller that is Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel.

Where Red Bull have significantly improved their car, Ferrari have effectively stood still, and they have been quite open about the fact that they are struggling to introduce new aerodynamic developments.
This, they say, is a result of a lack of correlation between the results they are getting from their wind tunnel, a crucial tool where new parts are tested, and the effect when those new parts are put on the car on the track.

 

“I don't think the problem Ferrari are trying to fix can be fixed”

That is a major concern - and especially so because it has been going on for two years, with Ferrari intermittently thinking they have got to the bottom of the problem, and then realising again that they haven't.

An F1 car's performance is 80% dictated by aerodynamics. They are developed by a wind tunnel and by using a computer programme known as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) .
If a wind tunnel is running correctly, it is the best way to develop a car, while CFD is a good tool for understanding airflow around the car.
A wind tunnel is a complicated device used to simulate a complicated phenomenon.
In effect, a racing car is travelling at a speed over the track but the mass of the car is moving slower because it is pushing air in front of it, with the exception of the parts that are producing downforce - such as the front wing, diffuser and rear wing, which energise airflow and make it go faster.
What you're trying to do is minimise the amount of air the car is pushing forward and maximise the speed of the airflow over it, because that creates downforce.

Ferrari's wind tunnel at their Maranello factory

In a wind tunnel, you have air being blown by a fan, the road rolling and the car sitting still. It's a very different environment from the track.
You want the airflow in front of the car - what is called the boundary layer - and the rolling road to be at the same speed.
To do that is an absolute nightmare, and they never will be the same.
Another problem is that the size of the models the teams use has increased over the years - most now use a 60% scale model - but the size of the wind tunnels themselves has not.
That can mean that the airflow coming off the car hits the wall or the roof, which changes the airflow over the car.
The result of all that is that, in reality, the wind tunnel and the track will never completely correlate.
To successfully read the wind tunnel results, therefore, the group of people running it has to understand what is important - you need the people there to see past the raw data and understand what it means.
In short, I don't think the problem Ferrari are trying to fix can be fixed. And they created another problem for themselves by going to use another wind tunnel - Toyota's in Germany, left over from the now defunct Toyota works F1 team.

Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg study Mercedes' wind tunnel model

So they have results from one wind tunnel, different results from another, and more results from CFD and they're standing in the middle scratching their heads.
Shutting down their own wind tunnel, as they are going to do, is the right thing. It takes out of the equation one extra thing that can mess them up.
Before India, they also went off and did some straight-line testing. That is very important - you can do a ride-height map and match that to the wind tunnel, you can see when the diffuser and front wing stall more accurately.
You'll see a lot of stuff that will help you understand the aerodynamic map of the car a bit better but you won't see what happens when the driver turns the steering wheel, and that is the important bit. It defines how fast a car goes around a corner.
It's very difficult to simulate how the airflow works as a car goes around a race track, so you need a group of people who can read the data you do get and understand the off-sets. Otherwise, you are wasting all your time at a race track and you'll never get it sorted.
I still believe Ferrari missed the basics of the aerodynamic package of the car this year - the exhaust outlets still compromise the airflow too much in the important 'coke-bottle' area between the rear tyres.
When they changed it for the Spanish Grand Prix in May, they made it better and said there was another step to come. But they haven't taken that next step. Red Bull, by contrast, have developed their car from being not so good at the start of the year, to one that was better and which they could develop further.
Red Bull have been making small changes all the time. You had to look twice to see the change they made to the rear of the sidepods in Korea, but the effect of it was big enough to justify a completely new rear bodywork package, which is not cheap or easy.

Alonso optimistic on title chances

And the small amount of change needed to make the 'coke-bottle' work better, Ferrari could do that tomorrow, and make 10 times that change, but they haven't. So there is a lack of vision there in terms of seeing where they're trying to get to with the car.
And that's the main problem. Ferrari lack a visionary - someone like Red Bull's chief technical officer Adrian Newey.
That doesn't mean they can't build a good car. They have - it started bad and it got better. Since the Spanish Grand Prix it has been there or thereabouts, but never actually the quickest.
Combined with Alonso's consistency it was enough to build a decent championship lead by mid-season. But as Red Bull have come on strong, Alonso has lost his advantage - not helped by being taken off at the first corner in two of the last five races.
But as this year has proven, whether that is enough to beat Red Bull over a full season is another matter.
They might have to take a step backwards to go forwards. They stated ahead of this season that they had taken a deliberately aggressive approach to the design of their car. But I don't understand what that is.
You only design something that is going to be better - stiffer, lighter or produces more downforce.
If it isn't at least one of those three things you can be as aggressive as you like, you're not going to progress.

Vettel fastest in Indian GP first practice

Save on Delicious

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel headed McLaren's Jenson Button and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso in first practice at the Indian Grand Prix.

The German, who took the world championship lead with victory in the last race in Korea ended up 0.310 seconds clear of Button.
Alonso was 0.435 seconds behind his main title rival, with McLaren's Lewis Hamilton 0.002secs behind the Ferrari.
Red Bull's Mark Webber was fifth ahead of Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg.

Indian GP first practice top 10

1 Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull 1:27.619secs
2 Jenson Button - McLaren 1:27.929 +0.310
3 Fernando Alonso - Ferrari 1:28.044 +0.425
4 Lewis Hamilton - McLaren 1:28.046 +0.427
5 Mark Webber - Red Bull 1:28.175 +0.556
6 Nico Rosberg - Mercedes 1:28.447 +0.828
7 Felipe Massa - Ferrari 1:28.542 +0.923
8 Michael Schumacher - Mercedes 1:28.993 +1.374
9 Daniel Ricciardo - Toro Rosso 1:29.204 +1.585
10 Kimi Räikkönen - Lotus 1:29.291 +1.672

Ferrari's Felipe Massa was seventh, ahead of Mercedes driver Michael Schumacher, Toro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo and Lotus's Kimi Raikkonen 10th.

Mexican Esteban Gutierrez, standing in during the first session for regular driver Sergio Perez, was 20th fastest, 1.4secs slower than his team-mate Kamui Kobayashi.
He had one near-miss when he lost the car through the fast chicane at Turns Eight and Nine but managed to recover it before hitting the wall.
Sauber said Gutierrez drove because Perez was "unwell", but Perez said on his Twitter account that while he had a cold on Thursday he was feeling well on Friday morning.
The teams seem closely matched - although Vettel's time of one minute 27.619 seconds was faster by a significant amount with a lap he produced right at the end of the session, Hamilton aborted a lap earlier on that looked as if it would have been a similar time.

Alonso and Ferrari spent the session comparing different designs of front and rear wing as they attempt to claw back some of the advantage Red Bull have created with developments introduced over the last three races, all of which Vettel has won.

BBC F1 technical analyst Gary Anderson said: "This race will be won on pure speed. I don't think there will be much tactics or strategy involved, so all the teams will be concentrating on ensuring the cars are as fast as possible in qualifying trim. It will be important to be a the front of the grid."
The track was very dusty at the start of the session and the teams took some time before they started to do any extensive running.
But although a few drivers ran wide, there were no major incidents.

Lewis Hamilton Has Moved To Mercedes

Save on Delicious

Lewis Hamilton is to leave McLaren after signing a three-year deal to race for Mercedes from next season.

The move, predicted  Eddie Jordan earlier this month, was announced on Friday, causing huge repercussions throughout Formula 1.
It has forced Michael Schumacher out of Mercedes but it is not clear whether the German legend will go back into retirement or look for another team.
Sauber driver Sergio Perez has signed as Hamilton's replacement at McLaren.
"It is now time for me to take on a fresh challenge and I am very excited to begin a new chapter," said 2008 world champion Hamilton, who will partner Nico Rosberg at Mercedes.
"Mercedes-Benz has such an incredible heritage in motorsport, along with a passion for winning which I share.
"Together, we can grow and rise to this new challenge. I believe that I can help steer the Silver Arrows to the top and achieve our joint ambitions of winning the world championships."
Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn said: "I believe that the combination of Lewis and Nico will be the most dynamic and exciting pairing on the grid next year and I am looking forward to what we can achieve together.

Hamilton's career

• Makes his debut in 2007 at the Australian Grand Prix for McLaren, qualifying fourth and finishing third
• Wins the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix after finishing on the podium in each of his first five races
• In 2008 signs a lucrative five-year contract to race for McLaren until the end of the 2012 season
• The same year he becomes, at the time, F1's youngest world champion
• A disappointing 2009 sees him finish fifth with only two wins
• Still searching for his second World Championship title after finishing fourth and fifth in 2010 and 2011 respectively
• Signs to race for Mercedes from the 2013 season

"Over the past three years, we have been putting in place the foundations and building blocks that are needed to compete regularly for the world championship. The potential is now there to match any other team on the grid."

The 27-year-old's new team-mate Rosberg tweeted:  "Very cool that Lewis will be my new team-mate! Gonna be another great challenge!"
Hamilton's decision is a huge blow to McLaren, who will now have to do without the speed and inspirational talent of a man they have nurtured since he was 13 years old.
McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh said the Briton had written "a huge chapter of his life and career with us", adding: "It goes without saying that we all wish him well for the future."
Hamilton added: "I will be forever grateful for the opportunity that they have given me and for their support throughout the years.
"I have had the pleasure of working with a fantastic team of genuine people and would like to thank them all for their hard work and support."
Although Hamilton's salary at Mercedes will be larger than the one he was offered by McLaren - and he has more opportunity to earn money through personal sponsorships and endorsements - sources close to the Englishman insist he has switched teams with a view to long-term performance.
McLaren have the fastest car this season, while Mercedes have slipped backwards after a promising start to the year.
But Mercedes have sold the move to Hamilton on the basis that they are preparing for a huge push in 2014, when new chassis and engine rules are introduced.
"Mercedes-Benz has supported Lewis throughout his career, from karting, to Formula 3, to our successful partnership with McLaren," said Norbert Haug, vice president of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport.

Murray Walker on Lewis Hamilton

"It will be a very nice moment for all of us in the team to see him at the wheel of a works Silver Arrow next season, following in the tradition of British Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix drivers Sir Stirling Moss and Richard Seaman."
Schumacher's future is uncertain. Sauber team boss Peter Sauber said a week ago that he would offer the seven-time champion a drive if he became available.
Despite the Swiss team's strong displays this season, that would be seen as a significant comedown for a man who was expected to win on his return.
Instead, Schumacher's comeback after three years in retirement has been a huge disappointment. The 43-year-old German has scored only one podium finish in three years.
In a statement, Schumacher thanked Mercedes for their "trust" and "unconditonal commitment".
"I have had three nice years with the team which unfortunately did not go as well as we all would have wanted on the sporting side," he said.
"I wish Lewis well and for the team to achieve the success we worked so hard for in the build-up. I will now concentrate on the next races."
In another development at Mercedes, triple world champion Niki Lauda has been tipped to take a senior management role at the team.

New McLaren Sporty Cars, for personal use

Save on Delicious

Welcome the McLaren P1 -- the British maker's first supercar since the all-dominating F1 of the 1990s, and from the first trio of photos McLaren released today, the P1 will be one of the most striking vehicles on the road just sitting still. We don't know yet how much power it packs or how well it will perform, but McLaren promises the P1 will be nothing less than the best, ever.

Known as McLaren designer Frank Stephenson's first clean-sheet design for McLaren after the MP4-12C, the P1 is expected to combine the 3.8-liter V8 from the MP4-12C with some kind of hybrid system that could approach 1,000 hp total. In a statement, McLaren managing director Antony Sherriff says the P1 will be "the most exciting, most capable, most technologically advanced and most dynamically accomplished supercar ever made -- not necessarily to be the fastest in absolute top speed but to be the quickest and most rewarding series production road car on a circuit."

The rest of the details will be unveiled in Paris next Thursday, with the production model expected about a year from now.

Serena William is dating her Coach

Save on Delicious

Serena Williams has been spending a lot on time on the court with coach Patrick Mouratouglou this season, winning Wimbledon, gold at the Olympics and the U.S. Open to cap an impressive 2012 season.
But based on these photos from a French tennis website, Williams and Mouratouglou may be spending time together off the course as well. The two were spotted cozying up to each other on the streets of Paris recently, leading many to believe there's a budding relationship going on between player and coach.
Mouratouglou, who runs a tennis academy in France, started working with Williams after the French Open, and based solely on the number of major trophies she's won since he came on board, there's no question the switch has been beneficial.
PKTennis.fr
I guess it could now be beneficial in other ways as well. Are they really dating? Who knows for sure. We'd all like to believe a photo or two tells the whole story, but maybe this is just two friends hanging out together in the City of Love, arms around each other ... with Williams putting her hand in Mouratouglou's back pocket.
OK, I'm not one to jump to conclusions, but I'm going out on a limb and saying the Williams-Mouratouglou are dating. It's hard to say otherwise after checking out the second picture of them looking at international properties in a storefront window.

Atl Madrid 4 - 1 Chelsea

Save on Delicious

Chelsea were comprehensively beaten in the Super Cup as Radamel Falcao scored a hat-trick to inspire c to victory in Monaco.

Falcao struck a shot against the crossbar before beautifully dinking in his first past keeper Petr Cech.
He curled in a shot with Chelsea in disarray and ended a counter attack with a left-foot finish for his third.
Miranda slotted in a ruthless Atletico's fourth, while Gary Cahill lashed in a shot for the Blues.
In a match pitting European champions Chelsea against the Europa League winners, it was the latter who deservedly came out on top with Falcao in irresistible form.

The Colombian, who scored 24 La Liga goals and 12 in Europe last season, came into the game on the back of a hat-trick and quickly took advantage of a lethargic Chelsea defence.

Having seen an early shot come back off the crossbar, he expertly lifted the ball over the on-rushing Cech when played through on goal.
A stunned Chelsea were being overrun and another incisive move ended with Falcao curling a left-foot shot into the top corner from just inside the box.
Roberto Di Matteo's side were exposed time and again, the scale of their defeat coming as a surprise given they had gone into the game leading the Premier League after three straight wins.
But Atletico had an intensity and urgency missing from Chelsea's play, and Falcao was again denied by the woodwork when he headed against the post.
However, he did not have long to wait to complete his hat-trick as Atletico countered, Chelsea backtracked and Falcao latched on to an Arda Turan pass before slotting past Cech.
Chelsea's lacklustre play was epitomised by their lazy response to a free-kick as Mario Suarez diverted the set-piece to Miranda, who steered home a shot.
Cahill scored a late goal for Chelsea but it did nothing to disguise the dominance of Atletico.

Getafe Beat real Madrid : 2-1

Save on Delicious

 
Real Madrid crashed to a shock 2-1 defeat to city neighbors Getafe in the second round of the Spanish La Liga season Sunday.

After being held 1-1 by Valencia in their opener, Jose Mourinho's champions are left with a solitary point after two games, trailing arch rivals Barcelona by five points.

Gonzalo Higuain put Real ahead after 26 minutes and they appeared set for a routine derby victory.

But Juan Valera was unmarked as he headed Getafe level after 52 minutes from a free kick.

Real's star-studded attack led by Cristiano Ronaldo pressed for the winner, but it was the home side who grabbed their second with Abdelaziz Barrada scoring in the 74th minute after an assist by Adrian Colunga.

Earlier, Lionel Messi came to Barcelona's rescue with a late double as they beat Osasuna 2-1 to go top of the standings on goal difference from Rayo Vallecano after two games.

New Barca coach Tito Vilanova had been sent off for complaining to the referee as they trailed to a 17th-minute goal from Joseba Llorente.

The former European champions had wasted a string of chances until Messi struck in the 75th and 80th minutes.

Osasuna's Francisco Punal was shown red for his protests after Messi's first goal, claiming he was offside.

Barcelona and Real Madrid will resume their rivalry Wednesday as the Catalans take a 3-2 lead to the Santiago Bernabeu after first leg of the Spanish Super Cup.

In Serie A, the start of the season has seen contrasting fortunes for the Milan clubs.

AC Milan lost 1-0 in the San Siro to newly promoted Sampdoria with Andrea Costa scoring the winner in the second half.

But Inter Milan showed their city rivals how it should be done with a 3-0 win at another promoted side Pescara to top the early standings with Napoli, who won 3-0 at Palermo.

On Saturday, Juventus began their defense of the title with a 2-0 victory at home to Parma.

Valentino Rossi To Go back to Yamaha in 2013

Save on Delicious

They are two of the biggest names in motorcycle racing, and tensions were high the last time they were on the same team, but Jorge Lorenzo says rival Valentino Rossi's return to Yamaha is "good news."

Rossi left the Japanese team in 2010 after Lorenzo won his first world MotoGP championship, ending the Italian's two seasons of dominance.

Rossi, who won the world title four times with Yamaha and three with Honda, has struggled to be competitive since joining Ducati, managing just two podium placings in 28 races.

The 33-year-old has agreed a deal for the 2013 and 2014 seasons, resuming a partnership which Yamaha described as a "super team" when the news was announced last Friday."I think our relationship has got better, though maybe it's got better because we were in different teams," Lorenzo said on the MotoGP website ahead of this weekend's Indianapolis Grand Prix.

"It's good news for Yamaha because we achieved a lot of good results together. It's a big motivation to have him back because I always like to have the best riders in my garage.

"Valentino is one of them. I assume trying to beat me will be a big motivation for him. For Yamaha, it will be a good thing, that's the most important thing."

Rossi won 46 races in his seven years at Yamaha, but his final season was blighted by injuries and Lorenzo took full advantage.

The Spaniard lost his crown to Casey Stoner last year but tops this season's standings by 23 points from Honda's Dani Pedrosa with five wins and four second-placings from 10 of the 18 races so far.

Rossi is eighth overall, but still ahead of Lorenzo's 10th-placed American teammate Ben Spies, who will leave Yamaha at the end of this season.

"Someone who has talent normally keeps it and doesn't lose it like this in two years," Lorenzo said of Rossi.

"He is still young enough. He is 33, he has won a lot of races. With the Yamaha a better bike this year, it will be easier for him.

"It's true that us younger riders are getting stronger, more experienced and more consistent, but we have to remember that Valentino has won a lot of races. We have to respect that and keep it in mind."

The 25-year-old missed out on a podium place at Indianapolis last year when Spies passed him to take third, but won the U.S. race in 2009 and has twice been third himself.

"I really enjoy riding the Indy track, and have good memories here from my podiums in 2008 and 2010 and my great win in 2009," Lorenzo said.

"Last year I really struggled with grip in the race so I hope we can improve that this year. I've had a nice break but also been training to make sure I'm fit for this weekend!"

Honda's Stoner and Pedrosa have won the last two Indianapolis races, and both are seeking to cut Lorenzo's lead following MotoGP's midseason break.

"In these two weeks I was able to relax a little, enjoy time with friends and get back into my training," Pedrosa said.

"At this time of year, Indianapolis is normally very hot so fitness is always key. I enjoy riding at this track and I've had good results in the past. I am really looking forward to this race and will fight to win and maintain the consistency we have showed in the first part of the championship."

Stoner is 32 points adrift of Lorenzo in third place despite winning four races this season, which will be his last as he plans to retire after the final race in Valencia at the relatively young age of 27.

"I'm not the biggest fan of Indy, mainly because we don't go on the historical track but the infield and in the wrong direction," said Australia's two-time world champion.

"The track is very flat and plain, also very tight. There are a couple of corners that can be fun but the majority are difficult, tight and there isn't any natural flow to the track."

Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid

Save on Delicious

he Spanish Super Cup remains delicately poised after Barcelona claimed a pulsating 3-2 win against Real Madrid in the first leg.
Real's Cristiano Ronaldo first headed in a corner, which Pedro levelled immediately from the kick-off.
Lionel Messi scored a penalty after Andres Iniesta was fouled, before Xavi slotted home a sublime third.
Angel Di Maria then pounced on keeper Victor Valdes' mistake to breathe life into next Wednesday's second leg.

The match was the first time the two giants had met since Pep Guardiola ended his reign as Barcelona manager and was replaced by assistant Tito Vilanova.

Jose Mourinho's Madrid side looked to pounce on the counter attack from the off, and could have gone ahead if former Manchester United winger Ronaldo had played a firmer pass to Karim Benzema on the edge of the penalty box.
Reigning Fifa World Player of the Year Messi - already on the receiving end of a strong challenge from the visiting defender Fabio Coentrao - then blazed over from 20 yards before Pedro tested Iker Casillas.
The first half continued in the standard tempo of a 'Clasico' as Spanish Cup holders Barcelona dominated the ball with their relentless 'Tiki-taka' passing, and La Liga champions Real threatened with their incisive speed and power on the break.
Their patience was rewarded in the 55th minute as Ronaldo freed himself from marker Sergio Busquets and headed in a Mesut Ozil corner to claim a goal in his fourth successive visit to the Nou Camp. Barcelona hit back one minute late as Javier Mascherano played in Pedro to slot under Casillas for a quickfire equaliser.
Messi then put Barcelona ahead from 12-yards after Sergio Ramos' clumsy foul, before midfield pair Xavi and Iniesta produced the move of the night as their artistry cut open Real for the latter to score a potentially decisive third goal.
Barcelona seemed to have the trophy sewn up, before Valdes dawdled on the ball and substitute Di Maria robbed him to slot home a vital away goal.
Mourinho jabbed Vilanova in the eye in a melee at the end of last year's Super Cup, but there was no repeat of that controversial scene on the final whistle ahead of next week's decider.

Alex Song has moved to Barcelona

Save on Delicious

Alex Song has completed his move to Barcelona from Arsenal.

The 24-year-old Cameroon international midfielder has signed a five-year contract at the Nou Camp after the clubs agreed a £15m deal.
Song, whose contract will contain a release clause of 80m euros (£63m), passed a medical on Monday.
Arsenal are close to signing 23-year-old Turkey international midfielder Nuri Sahin on a season-long loan deal from Real Madrid as a replacement.
Song did not play in Saturday's 0-0 draw with Sunderland, after which Arsenal confirmed an agreement had been reached with Barca.
The Spaniards will present him to the media on 11:00 BST on Tuesday.
"It's always frustrating losing good players, but we have plenty of players in midfield," said Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.
"We are looking to bring one more midfielder in, and maybe one defender as well because we still feel we are short in some positions."
Sahin joined Real Madrid from Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund last summer but struggled to make an impact, and head coach Jose Mourinho has said he is free to find a new club.

Song stats

• Born: 9 September 1987 in Douala, Cameroon.
• Clubs: Bastia (2004-2006), Arsenal (2005-2006, loan), Arsenal (2006-2012), Charlton (2007, loan) Barcelona (2012-)
• International caps: 30

Song, who had two years left on his contract, joined Arsenal as a 17-year-old from French side Bastia in 2005.

He initially arrived on a one-year loan deal, with a £2.75m fee agreed to make the move permanent.
Song went on to make more than 200 appearances for Arsenal, including 34 in the Premier League last season.
With Abou Diaby, Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky returning to match fitness, Wenger says he is happy with his midfield options.
Arsenal have signed striker Olivier Giroud, forward Lukas Podolski and midfielder Santi Cazorla, but captain Robin van Persie - who scored 30 league goals last season - has joined Manchester United.

Barcelona wins Real Sociedad 5-1

Save on Delicious

Three-time world player of the year Lionel Messi outlined his and Barcelona's intention to win back the club's Spanish and European crowns after Sunday's season-opening 5-1 victory over Real Sociedad.

The Argentine forward, who scored 50 league goals last season and 73 overall for the Catalan side, netted twice in the opening 15 minutes of Barca's first competitive match under new coach Tito Vilanova.

It gave Barca an early edge in the title race as defending champions Real Madrid drew 1-1 with Valencia ahead of Thursday's first leg of the Spanish Super Cup -- which will be the first "El Clasico" clash of the 2012-13 campaign.

Sunday's match also saw Spain striker David Villa make a goalscoring comeback from a broken leg which had sidelined him since December and caused him to miss his country's triumph at Euro 2012.

"We are a team that wants to keep on winning important titles for the club," Messi told BarcaTV.

Under previous coach Pep Guardiola, Barca won three league titles and the European Champions League on two occasions but last season the Catalans' only success came in the Spanish Cup.

"I want to win it all, just like Tito," the 25-year-old Messi said. "It will be difficult, but we'll try. It's important to start off winning."

Barca will face Jose Mourinho's Real at the Camp Nou on Thursday, with Messi and his teammates looking to win the Spanish season's annual curtain-raiser for the fourth year in a row.

"Despite having a new manager, the team continues to play with the same philosophy," said Messi. "We're playing with the same style of play.

"It will be a complicated match because they are an experienced rival. The key to success is that all players actively participate so that we can score goals."

After the win over Sociedad, Barca's players spoke of their delight at seeing Spain's all-time leading goalscorer Villa return to action as a late substitute.

"Villa's return is the best piece of news of the game," said Spain forward Pedro, who scored Barca's fourth goal just before halftime. "He scored a goal and it's an absolute joy to have him with us."

Barca captain Carles Puyol opened the scoring with an early header on his return to competitive action after missing Euro 2012 due to knee surgery.

"I'm really happy that we won and that El Guaje (Villa) scored!" the veteran defender wrote on Twitter.

Meanwhile, midfielder Alex Song arrived in Barcelona on Monday to complete his switch from English Premier League team Arsenal. The Cameroon star was set to undergo a medical ahead of move worth a reported $23.5 million.

The 24-year-old becomes the second high-profile exit from the Emirates Stadium in the last week, following Robin van Persie's transfer to Manchester United.

"He's a footballer that gives us a bit of height. He'll surprise us with his skill, he's a great player," said Vilanova, who added that Song would provide backup for holding midfielder Sergio Busquets and would also be used as a central defender.

Serena Williams in brief !!!

Save on Delicious

Williams has now won 35 of her last 36 singles matches, having claimed the Olympic women's title for the first time as well as defending her doubles crown with older sister Venus.

France football sex scandal

Save on Delicious

French football stars Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema are to be called before a judge over allegations that they solicited an underage prostitute.

The pair, both due to play for France against Uruguay on Wednesday, were put under investigation two years ago.
They both deny the claims and the girl involved, Zahia Dehar, has said neither player knew she was 16 at the time.
An investigating magistrate has ruled that they should testify but has not yet set a date.
Magistrate Andre Dandot's decision contradicts the recommendation of Paris prosecutors who said in November 2011 that the case should be closed because the players did not realise she was underage.
Six other individuals have also been called before the tribunal and some of them are facing allegations of aggravating pimping.
Under French law, paid sex with someone under the age of 18 can prompt a punishment of three years in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros (£35,000; $55,000). However, the accused has to be aware of the minor's age.
The Zahia affair, as it became known, emerged two years ago as police investigated claims that a Paris nightclub had given access to underage prostitutes. But the allegations date back to 2008 and 2009.
Representing Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, lawyer Sylvain Cormier said his client was innocent "and he will give his explanation before the tribunal".
France coach Didier Deschamps said the matter was in judicial hands and did not affect their role on the football pitch or in the national team.

Olympics basketball: USA beat Spain

Save on Delicious

The favourites powered ahead in the first quarter before Spain recovered to within a point at the interval.

But Spain could not contain the Americans' powerful attack and LeBron James and Kevin Durant scored crucial baskets in the final period.

Durant led USA's offence with 30 points, while Spain's Pau Gasol scored 24 at London's North Greenwich Arena.
Spain applied pressure to the USA defence for long periods to keep in touch but with their wealth of experienced NBA players the Americans ultimately had too much strength in depth.
The United States had scored over 100 points in five of their seven matches leading to the final, including a record 158 against Nigeria, and they continued their imperious form as they strode to a 35-27 lead by the end of the first quarter.

However, Spain were determined to give everything in an attempt to dethrone them and as they clawed back the deficit tempers began to flare, with the game becoming more vocal and aggressive.

Juan-Carlos Navarro caught USA on the break to reduce the lead to four with two minutes left to half-time and with three seconds of the half remaining, Andre Iguodala gave away a pair of free throws for an unsportsmanlike foul to enable Spain to go in at the interval just 59-58 down.
As 13,000 supporters looked on, including American actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mayor of London Boris Johnson, the USA began to relax and a much-needed three points from Durant put them six points up at 93-86 with 06:25 on the clock.
Another crucial three from James, on his way to 19 on the night, made it a nine-point game with under two minutes left to play and despite a Marc Gasol basket in the closing seconds the Americans ultimately won with a degree of comfort.
Kobe Bryant said: "It was a good journey for us. It was just tough. So to be standing here at the moment having played a tough opponent in Spain, with another gold medal, it's a huge accomplishment.
"We have a lot of talented players coming up. Hopefully we will continue to build our programme, continue to mentor the young fellas coming up, the college ranks and the young fellas in the pro ranks and continue to carry on the tradition."

Luis Suarez agrees new long-term deal with Liverpool

Save on Delicious

The 25-year-old Uruguayan had four years left on the five-and-a-half-year deal he signed when he moved from Ajax in January 2011.
But the Anfield side were keen to tie up the striker's future with other clubs showing interest in him.
Manager Brendan Rodgers said: "There were certainly a few clubs interested in him but he's committed himself for the long term here now."
He added: "I'm delighted. When you have the opportunity to work with world-class players it's fantastic."
Suarez told Liverpoolfc.com: "To sign a new contract with Liverpool is unbelievable for me because I am so happy here at both the club and also in the city.
"That is important for me and I am very happy with my new contract.
"When you are a kid, everybody wants to play for Liverpool. I am here now and it is a dream for me, and now I am a Liverpool fan."
Suarez only returned to the club on Tuesday following Olympic football duty with Uruguay. He trained with his team-mates for the first time since Rodgers was appointed manager.
Contract negotiations have been ongoing for some time with both the player and the club determined to secure his future at Anfield.
Suarez joined Liverpool in January of last year, but, despite scoring 21 goals in 52 games, has endured a tough time during his spell in England.
He was found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra, banned for eight games and then widely criticised for his decision to refuse Evra's handshake when the two came face-to-face at Old Trafford.
The player is regularly on the receiving end of abuse from opposition fans and he was booed when he appeared for Uruguay at Old Trafford during the Olympic football tournament.

Williams sisters wins Olympic doubles gold for america

Save on Delicious

--

 Serena Williams teamed with big sister Venus to win the women's doubles title at the Olympics on Sunday, adding to the singles gold she won on Centre Court at Wimbledon a day earlier.
The American sisters beat Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-4 under the roof on a rainy afternoon at the All England Club. Venus - with her red, white and blue braids pulled back into a bun - closed out the match with a backhand volley winner after the Czechs saved a pair of match points.
"We all talk about this, 'We have so many medals,' but to be able to add to that, it's like an unbelievable feeling," Venus said. "You know that in that count, there you are. It feels amazing."
On Saturday, Serena beat Maria Sharapova 6-0, 6-1 for the singles gold. She joined Steffi Graf as the only women to complete the Golden Slam - winning the Olympics and the four majors.
When the Americans in the crowd at Centre Court broke into a chant of "U-S-A! U-S-A!" as the players left the court, the sisters each pumped their fists, turned around to wave, then slapped a high-five. The medal ceremony had to wait for the outdoor bronze-medal match, which was delayed by rain.
With Bob and Mike Bryan capturing gold in men's doubles Saturday, make it three golds for U.S. tennis in two days.
"It's great because America's added three gold medals to our medal count just in the tennis," Venus said. "I feel great to be a part of this U.S. team this year."
Serena became tennis' first double gold medalist at an Olympics since Venus won singles and doubles at the 2000 Sydney Games. The sisters also won the doubles gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"Crazy," Serena said. "I'm always copying her. I forgot that she did it in Sydney and I do it here. We're the same doubles team, we just split this to singles, so it's cool."
Now, they each have a record four Olympic tennis gold medals, and the sisters didn't drop a set through their five matches at the London Games.
The Williamses also became the first tennis players to win Olympic gold indoors since the 1912 Stockholm Games, a match played in a pavilion on wood courts painted black.
On Sunday, they won the fourth game of the second set at love on Venus' ace, the first of three straight games in which they didn't lose a point.
Serena overcame two break points trailing 1-0 in the second set. She pumped her fist and cheered after a forehand winner down the alley past a poaching Hradecka, who was aggressive at the net all afternoon.
The Czechs held in four of their first five service games, including Hlavackova's first that went to deuce four times.
Venus Williams joins Conchita Martinez of Spain as the only tennis players to win medals at three different Olympics. Martinez's medals all came in doubles - silver in Barcelona in 1992, bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Games and silver in Athens in 2004.
Gigi Fernandez and current U.S. coach Mary Joe Fernandez are the only others to win back-to-back Olympic tennis gold medals after they teamed for doubles titles in 1992 and 1996.
And the sisters insist they're not done yet.
"We're looking forward to Rio and trying to get some sort of medal there," Serena said.

Serena Williams win gold medal in Olympic for America

Save on Delicious

Serena Williams of the United States thrashed Russia's Maria Sharapova 6-0 6-1 in 63 minutes to win the women's singles gold medal at London 2012.

Williams dropped 17 games all week and has won all of her 17 matches since losing to Virginie Razzano at the French Open on 29 May.
It was the most comprehensive Olympic women's singles final win.

Making history

• Williams joins Germany's Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi of the United States and Spain's Rafael Nadal as only players to have won all four Grand Slams and Olympic gold in singles
• The USA are now the most successful nation in women's singles with five golds and four bronze medals
• Russia have now won five of 12 women's singles medals in the four Olympic Games held this century
• Victoria Azarenka won bronze to hand Belarus their first medal in tennis

French Open champion Sharapova takes the silver medal and world number one Victoria Azarenka of Belarus bronze.

"I didn't think I would be this happy," said Williams, who plays in the doubles semi-finals with her sister Venus later on Saturday.
"Oh my gosh, I got the gold. I've never played better. Playing against someone like Maria you have to be at your best. I knew that, so it was like I had nothing to lose.
"I never expected gold in singles. I was so happy with my doubles golds [in Sydney 2000 and Beijing 2008]. I thought, 'If my career's over I have my gold medal and now I have everything.'
"I have singles, doubles, actually everything there is to win in tennis. Where do I go from here?"
Sharapova added: "Serena played some incredible tennis, with the form she was in during Wimbledon and afterwards.
"With every match she has played she has played great, she has improved and become better, and that showed today."
Top seed Azarenka beat Maria Kirilenko of Russia to take bronze.
"It is just like everything came off my shoulders," said the Australian Open champion. "It was an incredible match.
"I felt so nervous because it is not very usual for a tennis player once you lose to come back the next day and play, so it was incredibly hard but I am so glad I did it and it was worth it."