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Graham Hunter: David Villa is a man from La Roja’s past – he may need to also be their man of destiny

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Between the media and La Roja’s world champion players there has been much invoking of ‘four years ago’ over the last four days.

Back in South Africa, of course, Spain became the first team in history to win this trophy having lost the opening game.

En route to escaping the group the coincidence is that La Roja also needed to beat Chile back then, and did so.

David Villa (R) celebrates scoring first goal with Xabi Alonso (L) and Xavi 25/6/2010 00439885

COMETH THE HOUR: David Villa wheels away after scoring against Chile in 2010

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Thus it’s only natural, journalistically at least, for some to reach for comparisons and draw positive conclusions.

But there’s a snag.

  • Four years ago Spain lost 1-0 to Switzerland having totally dominated the game, shot at goal 24 times, put eight efforts on target, won 12 corners and suffered defeat only because it was one of those days when, as they say in La Liga, ‘the ball didn’t want to go in’.

Last Friday they were thrashed.

Four years ago Vicente Del Bosque’s men had Honduras, frankly a soft touch, as their second group rivals, and Chile third.

Chile also decided to abandon competitive football for the last 15 minutes of that game in Pretoria because they were sure that their progression was safe given the scoreline between Switzerland and Honduras and, at all costs, they didn’t want to surrender more goals to Spain. Del Bosque later called it the most placid 15 minutes of his tournament.

But let me remind anyone who’s forgotten the other parts of that game were anything but. Chile pressed and harassed like attack-dogs for the first chunk of the match, making their opponents feel like Marcelo Bielsa had somehow deployed 15 men on the pitch.

I fear it will be similar at the Maracana.

So, back to invoking the spirit of South Africa. I think it’s natural, but flawed.

Jean Beausejour (L) and Xabi Alonso in action 25/6/2010 00439884

SEEING RED: I’d expect this to be an aggressive game, in tackling and attacking

  • Betting: Slide into the latest Spain v Chile odds >

There are very few similarities and, already, del Bosque needs to be looking for men who are not stuck in the past – men of destiny.

The last two results in Brazil, defeated 3-0 by Brazil in the Confeds Cup a year ago and humiliated 5-1 in Salvador last week, have left La Roja looking like victims.

The air of invincibility has been stripped and, suddenly, those who cowered back will be queuing up to show that they are now the ‘fastest gun’.

It was ever thus. However ‘great’ you are/were, once the young bucks are after you the past counts for nothing.

As far as the world and European champions’ prospects go, Chile have one central tenet which is both welcome and threatening: they like to attack.

Spain have for the longest time been sick of teams who ‘park the bus’.

Those who attack La Roja reap benefits

The paradox is that the last two sides who have really ‘got after’ La Roja – Brazil and Holland – have reaped major benefits.

Xabi Alonso, Pedro, Juan Mata – each of them over the last 24 hours has spoken about the fact that Chile are a brave, daring and attacking side.

The word ‘aggressive’ has been used repeatedly too – all of which leads you to suppose that this might be yet another toe-to-toe match in this slugfest of a World Cup.

Good value for the fans.

They mean ‘aggressive’ in both senses of the word. In football terms every ball is a prisoner, energy is spent trying to overrun opponents and the team likes to buzz towards the opponent’s goal.

But they play by street rules.

Eduardo Vargas celebrates with Arturo Vidal after scoring 5/6/2014 00817155

DANGER MEN: Chile’s Eduardo Vargas celebrates with Arturo Vidal

In the last three games against Spain, Chile have seen three red cards, two of which came in a relatively unimportant friendly which really boiled over.

Perhaps that was because having never beaten La Roja and having been 2-0 up in St Gallen, Switzerland, Chile were horrified at being hauled back and overtaken 3-2 in Autumn 2011.

It was one of those games which proved to Vicente del Bosque that the effects of the ‘Clásico war’ were dying down and the feeling of ‘all for one’ had been re-established between his players. They went on to prove him right by winning Euro 2012.

There was a moment in that game when Iniesta was being bullied at the edge of the pitch by Arturo Vidal. Instantly two pretty entrenched rivals, Alvaro Arbeloa and Sergio Busquets, joined forces to rush across and ‘dive in’ on Iniesta’s behalf.

Danger men

There may be traces of that on Wednesday night. Players to watch for would include Iniesta who’s scored twice against Chile in the last three meetings and Eduardo Vargas. Vargas scored twice to rescue Chile in a pre-tournament friendly against Egypt which they threatened to lose and has also scored three times against Spain in the last three meetings.

By the day, training has gone from ghostly silent to boisterous and intense. The impact of the defeat against Holland was there, plain to see, but it has dissipated.

The words from del Bosque’s men have been bellicose. They want their pride restored, they want to get out of this group and, frankly, they think they will beat Chile.

I suspect they will. But this is one of those matches when if things go wrong, if nerves (of which there will be plenty) gnaw away at precision and confidence then the playing field will be pretty even.

David Villa

  • Betting: David Villa 9/5 to score anytime against Chile >

If David Villa doesn’t start then I’ll be confused. In training he’s looked sharper and sharper, he’s been scoring goals and right now he looks to be not only Spain’s all-time leading scorer but their most in-form striker.

This is a tournament for athletes. The weather, the tiredness of long flights – these are elements which give a premium to those who are strong, fast and quick to recover. As such there has to be a place, soon, for Javi Martínez in Spain’s attempts to retain their trophy.

This is a battle for survival. Expect the niceties to be abandoned. David Villa is a man from La Roja’s past – he may need to also be their man of destiny.

Graham Hunter is the author of ‘Spain: The Inside Story of La Roja’s Historic Treble’ and ‘Barca’. You can follow him on Twitter here

 

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Graham Hunter: Will Ronaldo return to Manchester United? Here’s what you need to know…

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Graham Hunter byline

Spanish football expert Graham Hunter reveals the role Chevrolet and Nike could play in Ronaldo’s transfer to Manchester United from Real Madrid, but suggests it still might not be enough, due to the influence of the great Zinedine Zidane…

Here is a stone cold fact. There is a much-better-than-evens chance that Cristiano Ronaldo will return to play for Manchester United.

In fact, right now, that idea is very much part of the plans of both the Old Trafford legend and his immensely powerful agent Jorge Mendes.

However, that’s only the ‘whether’. The ‘how’ and the ‘when’ very much remain subject to whim, vast sums of money, the player’s will and an absolutely fascinating battle – Sir Alex Ferguson v Zinedine Zidane.

Fergie, when he was young, had a much more elegant and cultured left foot than people now recall. It was WELL within his talents to exceed 1000 keepie uppies before the ball hit the ground.

But, Zizou he was not.

Ronaldo’s goal stats for Man United and Real Madrid

Ronaldo statsbomb

Why Ronaldo and Ferguson are bound forever

However Ferguson is patently the Zidane of modern football management. He also inspires trust, affection and respect from Ronaldo. As disparate are the two men’s attitudes as to how life is to be led, what constitutes ‘fashionable’ and whether conspicuous consumption is or isn’t the eighth deadly sin, the Portuguese and the Scot are unified by one thing above all else: an ability to dedicate themselves ruthlessly to winning.

Many talk about it, very few are capable of it.

Like MENSA members (or Masons), such people instantly recognize each other and either bond forever or become implacable enemies.

Ronaldo and Ferguson are bound forever.

United know, have known for a long, long time, that life at Real Madrid is NOT the dream ticket Ronaldo imagined it would be.

While they benefitted from an £80m transfer fee, the real reason Ferguson and United allowed Ronaldo to leave for the Spanish capital is directly equated to the reason Ferguson let Carlos Queiroz go there too.

Some, particularly in Iberia, don’t simply view, but feel in their soul, that Real Madrid is the most toweringly important club in the history of football.

His problems at Real Madrid

Yes, yes, okay. Ronaldo was going to earn shedloads of money for going there, as was his agent. But the trigger, the reason for yearning to go was not cash.

Ronaldo desperately wanted to play for Madrid, add his name alongside (even above) those of Gento, Di Stefano, Raúl, Figo and Zidane.

Ferguson understood.

Unless you get that concept, then you won’t get what’s going on in his mind right now.

While in Spain Ronaldo has seen his Ballon D’Or status evaporated by Messi and, professionally, he’s endured more frustration than elation.

His personal form doesn’t need discussing. He’s scored more than a goal per game, very nearly as many away as at home, and he’s certainly a more complete team player now, aged 28, than when he left Old Trafford.

But Real Madrid has been a let down. He has three medals from his four seasons, but only one that would rank of supreme importance to him (despite his brilliant winning header in the Copa Del Rey final of 2010), which is the exceptional Liga victory of 2011/12.

Zinedine Zidane

INFLUENCE: Ferguson, in his new role, is up against Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane

Internal politics rage in the Perez fiefdom

Was United under Sir Alex a fiefdom? Yes, in a wholly positive sense, it probably was. There Ronaldo felt protected, developed, trusted, backed in public with coruscating rhetoric – valued. United felt like a high performance organisation.

Madrid hasn’t. It’s currently Florentino Pérez’s fiefdom and, now, will be for a further four years given the uncontested Presidential elections earlier this summer.

But it’s a place where internal politics rage, where Jose Mourinho’s putsch to gain precisely the overall power which Sir Alex earned over the years at Old Trafford didn’t end up benefitting Ronaldo – it’s a high performance organisation, which is under performing.

It’s also a mirage that because Mourinho and Ronaldo share a nationality and an agent that all was sweetness and light between them. It wasn’t.

Ronaldo, coincidentally, is constructed the same way as Ferguson. Dominate opponents, thrash opponents when you can, play on the front foot all the time, add goals when the chance is there, entertain – adhere to the ruthless need to win, but do it via attacking football.

If you asked Ronaldo what Mourinho would have done on the touchline of the Camp Nou in 1999 when Teddy Sheringham equalised in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich and assistant Steve McClaren was urging closing the 90 minutes out so that extra time was a guarantee, he’d know the answer alright. And he’d disagree.

Mourinho got it wrong at Real

The sad thing for Madrid fans is that Ronaldo, while setting new standards of professionalism, dedication, excellence and scoring, has made it clear where he diverges from the party line at Madrid.

It was Ronaldo waving his team forward, against team orders, when they went on to lose 0-2 at home to Barca in the 2010 Champions League semi final.

His idea was right, it was the Madridista idea – Mourinho proved to have got it wrong.

When he admitted he was ‘sad’ last Autumn he underlined with complete sincerity, that he wasn’t asking for more money, for a better contract.

It was true.

He was making it clear that a) he didn’t feel that there was the right unity and desire at the club b) that Real Madrid was repeatedly guilty of not ‘protecting’ him in public, (even the President not accompanying him to institutional events) and c) he yearned for more spectacular football.

Ronaldo v Barcelona calm down

The options for Ronaldo now

Ronaldo has two more years on his Madrid contract.

Now, right now, is the red ‘danger’ zone for the club if they don’t renew him. IF they cannot convince him to renew before the end of the season then…

  • a) The summer will be eaten up by the World Cup and then holidays and he’ll return for duty just a few months from being able to sign for anyone he pleased on January 1 2015. For free.
  • b) They will be faced with the thorny choice of selling him cut price in late summer 2014 or taking the ‘Hail Mary’ approach of letting him enter his last year of contract in the hope of persuading him to stay – but with the risk of needing to sell.

Their main weapons, now, are not only new coach Carlo Ancelotti (whose words “we need to play spectacularly, this is Real Madrid” won’t have displeased Ronaldo) and Zidane.

Zizou is assistant coach to Ancelotti but he’s also someone who is now guiding the President, talking to the players, influencing who signs for them (Varane, Isco) and attempting to return grandeur to the nine time European Champions.

Zidane can, in theory, begin to sculpt the kind of Real Madrid Ronaldo always wanted.

However at United, Sir Alex Ferguson can still, from his new role, do the same for Ronaldo.

The fact that he is still involved, not fully retired, is a bonus to the Reds as far as Ronaldo is concerned.

Their kit sponsors, Nike, want Ronaldo back and are willing to financially influence that.

Their shirt sponsors, Chevrolet, view Ronaldo as not only a huge boost to the football operation but a massive marketing magnet all over the planet – but most particularly in the US.

Florentino would be lynched for selling CR7

If Real Madrid can be convinced to sell before the end of this market, I’ll be amazed. The fans now adore him, he’s the club’s best player by a zillion miles and he’s someone around whom a charge for la Decima, the tenth European Cup, can be mounted.

Florentino would be lynched for selling. But can the deal be constructed and put in place for next summer: Yes.

Would United be the leading candidate to sign him if he left for free in 2015: Yes.

Hundreds of millions of pounds are involved in this, share prices are involved in this, Presidential ego is involved. Predict with a voice of total certainty  how it will play out at your own risk.

But there is a race to convince Ronaldo about how he spends most of the next five years of his playing life. And United are right in it.

  • Betting: Can Manchester United win the Premier League title race without Ronaldo?

Graham Hunter is the author of the award-winning book, Barca: The Making of the Greatest Team in the World. He is a regular contributor to the Paddy Power Blog on football and an all-round good guy. Follow him on Twitter here

Dive into Hunter’s archives on the Paddy Power Blog here


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Dutch need instant response

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Holland take on Germany in the second round of Group B matches at Euro 2012 on Wednesday desperate for a positive result after their shock defeat to Denmark. The Germans know that victory could seal their passage into the last eight and it looks set to be a cracking encounter in Kharkiv (Holland 2/1, Germany 11/8, draw 12/5 Match Prices).

A solid start in the group stages of tournament football is always essential and the Dutch began in the worst possible way by spurning a host of chances to go down 1-0 to the Danes. The one positive for the Oranje is that they played well for most of the game and could have scored a bag full of goals if things had gone differently in front of goal.

But the result leaves them with the proverbial mountain to climb to qualify as they face their old enemy in a match that is sure to see plenty of drama and controversy (Holland 21/10 To Qualify). The rivalry between these two footballing nations makes the north London derby seem like a Sunday morning kick about and Wednesday’s affair has now taken on even more meaning after the first round of games in Group B.

The Dutch have a history of infighting among their squad at major tournaments and it has not taken long for unrest to rear its ugly head this time around. Rafael van der Vaart clearly felt he should have been playing from the start against Denmark and vented his spleen to journalists after Saturday’s reverse.

Coach Bert van Marwijk has come in for some criticism for selecting two defensive midfielders against, on paper, the weakest side in the group, and has hinted at changes against the Germans. Whether or not Van der Vaart gets the nod only time will tell but whoever takes the field will certainly have to be at the top of their game to get one over on one of the form teams at the tournament.

Robin van Persie missed several chances in the opener but will doubtless keep his place and it may just be case of getting one goal for the Arsenal man before the floodgates open. But he does not look the same player at international level as he does domestically and was criticised by some sections of the media for making a phone call on the pitch immediately after the final whistle last time out.

Has the uncertainty over his future at club level started playing on the 28-year-old’s mind?

All is not good in the Dutch camp and they will need to regroup and bounce back straight away otherwise it will be an early exit from Poland and Ukraine.

The Germans did what German sides do first up and bided their time before Mario Gomez netted the all-important goal late in the match to beat Portugal. It was no more than an efficient performance from Joachim Loew’s side and there is surely more to come from the European powerhouse as they possess all sorts of talent in their ranks.

Gomez is many people’s tip to top the scoring charts in the competition and he will be a constant threat to the Dutch in mid-week, while Lukas Podolski will have to make sure he has his shooting boots on this time (Gomez 5/1 Top Goalscorer). Bastian Schweinsteiger will look to dominate the middle of the park and his battles with Mark van Bommel and Wesley Sneijder will be key to the outcome.

The Portuguese did get at the German rearguard last Saturday and hit the woodwork twice and so the Dutch stars will be encouraged to go forward and try to get an early goal to see how the opposition respond.

The Netherlands should obviously have had a penalty against the Danes after a late handball by defender Lars Jacobsen and a draw in that match would have made things a touch easier. But they will be feeling the pressure against the three-time World Cup winners and there is no better side at putting the nail in the coffin that the ruthless Germans.

This will be a feisty affair with plenty of bookings and incidents and it would be no surprise to see honours even after 90 minutes.

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Azerbaijan in need of home help

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After a packed weekend of international fixtures, the Euro 2012 qualifiers continue on Tuesday with a number of potentially explosive fixtures that could have massive implications for next summer’s tournament to be held in Poland and Ukraine, with Germany and Sweden both in action (Sweden 8/1 – Group E winner).

A number of groups still hang in the balance after an unpredictable weekend and with only a limited fixture list, teams will be looking to build momentum as they look to make it through the arduous qualification process.

The first game of note is Germany’s trip to Baku to face Azerbaijan in a game that could seal their qualification to next summer’s championship. Germany have been nothing short of exceptional during qualifying and are one of only six sides to boast a 100 per cent record in qualifying. Azerbaijan on the other hand have had a poor qualifying campaign and still remain without a single major championship appearance since they gained independence in 1991.

Azerbaijan are currently coached by Germany legend Berti Vogts who was part of the German side that won the World Cup in 1974 as well as coaching them to victory in Euro 1996 and he will be looking to spring a few surprises.

Vagif Javadov will be the man they will be looking for fire them to victory against what has so far been an unforgiving German defence (Germany 1/12 – match prices).

Germany will be looking to their superb front line, including the likes Thomas Muller, Mesut Ozil and Lukas Podolski, to fire them to victory as they look to qualify for an amazing 26th consecutive major tournament (Germany 4/1 – Euro 2012 outright winner).

Germany should win the tie comfortably but you never know what could happen when a big side faces a former Soviet country as Belarus’ draw with France demonstrated on Friday. However, Germany should win by a comfortable margin.

The other qualifier that catches the eye on Tuesday sees Finland travel to neighbours Sweden in a fixture that could have major implications for qualification.

Sweden currently sit in second position in Group E and will have all but given up hope of automatic qualification with the Netherlands in their group. However, they’re currently one of the teams in second place with the highest points totals and victory could see them through to the championships as one of the best second-placed teams.

They will be looking to captain and talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic who has recently returned to the international fold and is by far their most talented player. He’ll be ably assisted by Bolton striker Johan Elmander and they’ll be looking to score the goals to help their side qualify after missed out qualification for last summer’s World Cup (Sweden 1/4 – match prices).

Finland on the other hand have struggled so-far in qualification and are unlikely to qualify. However, they will be determined to make an impact in this local derby and Mixu Paatelainen’s side will be looking to Mikael Forssell to help them cause an upset (Finland 8/1 draw 4/1 – match prices).

However, the Sweden’s attacking superiority should be enough to see them home and they should seal the points that could help them secure a place in next summer’s competition.

Both games have the potential to be thrillers and whatever the outcome it will have implications for the other teams in their groups.

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Leeds need Good Friday

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Reading’s bid to continue their surge up the Championship table on the back of eight consecutive victories will be tested to the full at Leeds United on Good Friday as the season near its dramatic conclusion.

The Royals looked all set for a mid-table finish a couple of months ago, but since then Brian McDermott’s side have purred into top gear and won eight on the spin to not only move into the play-off places, but also into contention for automatic promotion.

Winger Jimmy Kebe has been inspirational in that superb run, with Irish strikers Shane Long and Noel Hunt eagerly waiting to put away the chances, with the latter having scored five times in his last eight games and priced 6/1 to open the scoring at Elland Road.

Leeds’ own automatic promotion hopes have all but disappeared during a nervy run of results and they now need to get back on track to ensure that they do not compound their misery by missing out on the play-offs altogether.

A loss at home to the Royals would open the door for Nottingham Forest to overtake the Whites by winning at home to East Midlands rivals Leicester City.

Earlier this season an Andy King goal settled a tense derby at the Walkers Stadium and another tight encounter is on the cards, albeit with a few more goals due to both teams’ defences having started to creak at the wrong time of the season.

The odds of both sides finding the net during the game are 4/5.

Relegation matters also feature heavily, with both Doncaster Rovers and Crystal Palace hoping that Scunthorpe United come unstuck at Coventry City.

The Iron currently occupy the final relegation spot, being three points adrift of Rovers and five behind the Eagles with just four games to play, having won 2-1 at Crystal Palace last weekend.

However, with Doncaster and Palace meeting at the Keepmoat Stadium, a Scunthorpe win at the Ricoh Arena could make things very hairy.

The arrival of new manager Alan Knill, who previously made his name with Bury, has provided a much-needed spark, even if his reign at Glanford Park started in a 6-0 thrashing at Norwich City.

Loan striker Joe Garner could have made the difference at Coventry, but his red card at Palace could prove costly, with Scunthorpe available at 8/5 to score first in the game.

No doubt phones and radios at the Keepmoat Stadium will be relaying news of events in Coventry back to the nervous fans of both teams in action, with the Rovers faithful particularly on edge after a run of eight games without a win.

Palace, like Rovers, appeared to be safe a matter of weeks ago, but a 2-1 home loss to Scunthorpe last time out plunged them right back into the mire and having won just once on their travels this term, they cannot head to South Yorkshire full of confidence.

The Eagles have shipped 44 goals away from home this term and netted a mere 15 and so can be backed at 11/4 to keep a rare clean sheet.

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Bologna need to solve defensive woes

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Harold Wilson once said a week was a long time in politics. But it is a short time in football, particularly when you’re Bologna coach Alberto Malesani (Bologna 10/3 to beat Parma) .

Before last week’s game against AC Milan, the Rossoblu had looked like being able to pull away from the foot of the Serie A table, with three wins in four games.

But even Malesani was forced to admit the 3-0 defeat to Milan was a “defensive disaster”, and the question is whether he will have been able to do anything about that by the time they visit Parma on Sunday.

The Rossoblu are 14th in the table, just four points outside the relegation zone, and Malesani said about the Milan game: “I had demanded that my players put more pressure on the ball but they didn’t do it.

“We have to be more focused and remain humble if we are to avoid the drop this season.”

Problem for Malesani is that his team are poor travellers. While at home they only average 0.75 goals conceded per game, on the road it is 2.12.

One of the things that could come to Bologna’s rescue is that their defeats have come against quality teams.

The Rossoblu have not lost to a team below 11th in the table (in fact their 1-1 draw against Catania is the only time they have not won such a game), so they aim to keep that run going against a Parma side who are currently 16th.

Parma have an extra bounce in their step after beating Fiorentina 2-1 in midweek to make it through to the quarter finals of the Coppa Italia (Parma 3/ 4 to beat Bologna).

Parma coach Pasquale Marino hopes the victory will help erase the memory of last weekend’s 3-1 defeat at Palermo – the club’s second in three games.

“The victory against Fiorentina was important for the morale of my players,” said Marino.

“The Coppa Italia is one of our aims. We now have a very important game against Bologna.We have to ride the wave of enthusiasm and take three points on Sunday.”

The visitors will be without midfielder Gaby Mundigayi, who is suspended.

Only one of Parma’s defeats so far this season has come at home – the 1-0 defeat to AC Milan on October 2.

Atletico Madrid can forget all about the Europa League and concentrate on qualifying for the Champions League when they take on lowly Malaga (Atletico 23/20 to beat Malaga).

Atletico’s hopes of defending their Europa League crown ended on Thursday when a 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen saw them exit at the group stage.

It was their previous match, at home to Aris Thessaloniki, that was key to their downfall as they conceded twice in the second half to lose 3-2.

Now they  travel to third-bottom Malaga, where a victory could help them close the five-point gap to Espanyol in the fourth Champions League spot.

Atletico coach Quique Sanchez Flores said: “Now the only thing that we have to do is accept the consequences and forget about it as soon as possible. We hope that the return to Europe will be through the front door and into Champions League.”

Atletico bounced back from successive league defeats to beat Deportivo La Coruna 2-0 last weekend, lifting them up to sixth.

Malaga, under new coach Manuel Pellegrini, have won their last two home Primera Liga games including a 4-1 win over Racing Santander (Malaga 23/10 to beat Atletico).

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Inter need win at Lazio

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Inter (13/8 in match betting) can close the gap on rivals AC Milan at the top of Serie A tonight as they travel to the capital to face Lazio in a fixture which they have dominated recently.

The Nerazurri are undefeated when taking on Lazio at the Olimpico since December 2003 and have not conceded a goal in their last three visits, scoring seven goals in the process.

Rafael Benitez’s side bounced back to form with a convincing 5-2 home win over Parma last week – without the suspended Samuel Eto’o.

But they are going to have to cope without him again for this clash with second-placed Lazio, plus key absentees Julio Cesar, Maicon and Walter Samuel.

Wesley Sneijder (6/1 First Goalscorer) is expected to be handed the ‘Steven Gerrard’ role in the formation Benitez found moderate success with at Liverpool.

Sneijder has been pushed up to play with Goran Pandev (11/2) but it was Dejan Stankovic (15/2) who found all the space as he bagged a hat-trick last week at the San Siro.

Lazio’s Brazilian schemer Hernanes and Argentinian hitman Mauro Zarate were marked out of last week’s 1-1 home draw with lowly Catania and must have an impact on the match if the Biancoceleste are to avoid dropping points for the third straight week.

The Spanish title race continues on Saturday when Barcelona (2/9) travel to Pamplona to face struggling Osasuna and Real Madrid (1/3) entertain dangerous Valencia.

Jose Mourinho must ensure his side do not suffer another blow to their morale following the 5-0 Monday night humbling at the hands of the champions.

The Portuguese coach will bring Alvaro Arbeloa in for the suspended Sergio Ramos and bank on a much better performance from Real than the hollow showing at the Nou Camp.

Ricardo Carvalho is also suspended while Gonzalo Higuain has been ruled out for two months because of a back problem.

Lionel Messi is expected to shake off a knock picked up in the ‘Clasico’ to be fit for the trip to Pamplona, but Gabi Milito remains sidelined.

Osasuna have been unable to use their training ground due to heavy snow in the north of Spain this morning.

The pitch at the club’s Reyno de Navarra stadium was also covered in thick snow, but ground staff are working hard to clear the surface for Saturday’s game which is not thought to be under threat at the moment.

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Injury-hit Inter need win in Cagliari

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Serie A champions Inter Milan travel to face Cagliari (3/1 to beat the Nerazzurri) on Sunday without key men Esteban Cambiasso and Diego Milito.

Rafael Benitez’s men have picked up one point from their last two league matches and will be desperate to get their title defence back on track, particularly after rivals AC Milan and AS Roma won on Saturday night.

Cambiasso and Milito were injured on international duty with Argentina and are joined on Inter’s injury list by Thiago Motta, Ivan Cordoba, Goran Pandev and David Suazo. Youngsters Jonathan Biabiany and Philippe Coutinho are expected to start on the wings once more, having excelled against Bremen, while Samuel Eto’o is freed up to play down the middle.

But Inter’s problems pale in comparison to those of the hosts, who were beset by internal strife before the international break.

Cagliari coach Pierpaolo Bisoli froze out his captain Daniele Conti and his vice-captain Alessandro Agostini after the pair came to blows.

The club claims the issue has been resolved, although both players are expected to be on the bench on Sunday. The row was the last thing Bisoli needed after rumours emerged suggesting that the players were unhappy with his methods and that his job was at threat.

Cagliari were known for their attacking style under ex-coach Massimiliano Allegri, but they have lost their verve and Bisoli must rediscover it soon, for his own sake and that of the team.

Four of the six Serie A fixtures the Sardinians have played this season have ended 0-0.

However, Cagliari are free from injury and suspension worries.

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Cole – Reds need to improve

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Joe Cole says Liverpool will need to improve on the form they showed against FK Rabotnicki in the Europa League qualifer if they are to beat Arsenal in the Premier League opener next Sunday (Cole 14/1 to be Liverpool top scorer this season).

New signing Cole enjoyed a fine debut on Thursday evening at Anfield when he was at the heart of most of the Reds’ best moves in the 2-0 second-leg win over the Macedonian minnows, that set up a 4-0 overall victory in the tie.

However, despite the comfortable win and the impressive passing and movement on show in the game from Roy Hodgson’s side, the former Chelsea ace insists it will be a whole different kettle of fish against the Gunners and they will need to be better if they are also to kick off their domestic campaign with a win.

Liverpool’s new number 10 says the return of World Cup finalists Fernando Torres, Dirk Kuyt and Pepe Reina will automatically raise the quality level but he is well aware there is plenty of hard work to be done on the training pitch as well ahead of the clash against Arsene Wenger’s men (Liverpool 5/4, Arsenal 7/4 to win – 90 minutes).

“We’ve had two (competitive) games now and we’ve got Fernando Torres, Dirk Kuyt, Pepe Reina and the others to come back,” he said.

“We’ve got a lot to work on and there is a lot for us to do. We’ve got to come together and continue to improve.

“We have to keep working hard every day on the training pitch and go from there. We know we’ve got a long way to go.”

Cole appears to revel in the role Hodgson played him in on Thursday – just ahead of England colleague Steven Gerrard in a central attacking position – but he stresses it is far too early to assess his performance or that of the side in general until at least six games into the new campaign.

“You can’t assess anything on the first six games of the season, you have to judge us in May,” he added.

Liverpool have been drawn against Trabzonspor in the final play-off before the Europa League (Reds 9/1 – Outright) reverts to a group format and will be strong favourites to progress despite a tricky second leg in Turkey at the end of the month.

Meanwhile, Juventus midfielder Christian Poulsen is expected to complete a move to Anfield early next week in a deal that could cost the Reds up to £6million.

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