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Real Madrid’s opponents this weekend, Deportivo La Coruña, once represented perhaps the healthiest years in La Liga history.
They’d scout brilliantly, play superb football, regularly meet and beat teams like Manchester United, Arsenal and Milan. They were a force.
One of their most emblematic traits was that, at the Riazor in La Coruña (3pm, Saturday), Madrid just couldn’t beat them. For 18 long years there was the odd draw but also a regular flow of three, four and five-goal wins for Depo – often coached by an Atlético legend in Jabo Irureta, just to rub salt in the wound.
To put that kind of hex in context this was across a spell when Madrid reached and won three Champions League finals.
Biggest club competition? No problem.
Three points up in Galicia? Forget it.
Roberto Carlos, Beckham, Figo, Zidane (above), Ronaldo never won at the Riazor while they were Galacticos.
The run from 1991/2 to 2009/2010 finally ended thanks to a 3-1 win inspired by two Karim Benzema goals, one of which is now infamous for a sublime Guti backheel into the Frenchman’s path when Guti seemed free to score himself.
Now Depo represent just about all that ails Spanish league football. Held together by player loans and bank debt there have been times in recent months while the team yo-yoed back and forward from the Second Division, when the club was a candidate to go out of business.
The last formal statement was last year when the total was €153m and they recently admitted owing €63m to the Spanish Revenue as part of that.
What has not changed since that January 2010 win for Manuel Pellegrini’s Madrid broke the jinx, however, is that the Riazor remains a place where Los Blancos need to sweat.
Since then there’ve been two whoppings at the Bernabéu, 11-2 aggregate, but a 0-0 draw and 1-2 away win courtesy of an 88th minute second goal for Jose Mourinho’s Madrid.
This weekend attention turns to Albert Lopo (above) if he starts. The big central defender has played all three league fixtures for Victor Fernandez, but the coach, who often put out winning Celta Vigo and Real Zaragoza teams against Madrid in his day, has been rotating the team significantly.
Why Lopo? He’s scored for both Espanyol and Depo against Los Blancos, the last a headed winner against a back five which sported Casillas, Ramos, Pepe and Marcelo.
Madrid fear the ball in the air more than Chicken Licken feared the sky falling on his head. More? Booked in all three of this season’s matches, Lopo hates a card. Just hates one.
Sent off 13 times in his career and booked 136 times he’s not the quickest and referee Pedro Pérez Montero sports a record of 18 reds in 55 Liga matches. One every three games.
Madrid to win, however. In both of their horror defeats, away to La Real and home to Atlético, they made oodles and oodles of good scoring chances but only put three of them away.
The way in which they hammered Basel in midweek and the relief, for Benzema, James and Bale to get on the scoresheet should de-stress their finishing. Worth noting, however, that their second half performance, just as against La Real and Atlético declined.
Ronaldo will be extra motivated to score at one of only two La Liga grounds this season where he’s not celebrated with a goal. Pepe is injured and Rafa Verane will start in his place.
IF Madrid were to lose then a sniff in the direction of next Liga coach to lose his job might be a forward investment.
Munir made his Spain debut here a couple of weeks ago, Busquets and Pedro scored then too, against Macedonia, and the great majority of this squad has twice celebrated clinching the title on this ground in Valencia.
Happy hunting ground? Not necessarily so. Of Barcelona’s last seven Liga visits to the Ciutat De Valencia (8pm, Sunday) there have been four 1-1 draws. What I think makes that all the more significant is that the results have come under four different managers using significantly different XIs.
There’s something about this fierce, proud little community and the tight pitch, which was muddy and sluggish down the middle when Spain beat Macedonia back at the beginning of September, which forces Barcelona to be at their sharpest and most aggressive if they want three points.
Something which hasn’t, yet, been the case under the Luis Enrique revolution. Thus far Leo Messi has contributed four assists and scored two goals. Take them away [for the sake of argument] and Barcelona would have registered just one win, scored just one goal and would be under extreme pressure.
No question, under ‘Lucho’ Barcelona are working harder, beginning to look more fluent and neither keeper, Claudio Bravo nor Marc-Andre ter Stegen, has had to make more than one significant save.
The pressing all over the pitch has helped see to that. But backstage after the 1-0 win over APOEL numerous players and staff used the word ‘espeso’ to describe their performance.
It’s the word you’d use if the sink pipe was blocked – i.e. not particularly fluid. Luis Enrique has used 22 of his 26 man squad, too many changes in too short a time, frankly.
Neymar hobbled out of the stadium on Wednesday and it’d be a surprise if he started. Time for Munir and Pedro again? NB it’s now 369 minutes since Levante scored a league goal… on that form you’d kinda fancy Barcelona to see out a good win, if they got the first goal.
Cholo v Toto. No, it’s not code. It’s how this battle will be seen by many. Diego Simeone v Eduardo Berizzo. Two aggressive Argentinian street-fighters, with half a lifetime in common, doing battle for the first time as opposing coaches.
They played each other as kids for Newells Old Boys and Velez, they took lumps out of each other for Celta and Atlético as players, shared the national shirt of Argentina to good effect and both, in their fledgling years, coached at Estudiantes.
And perhaps, just perhaps, Toto has picked a good time to head back to Kansas.
Atlético lost only one game and conceded just five goals en route to last season’s Champions League final yet in Athens in midweek they lost to Olympiakos, conceded three times and looked as stretched as they’ve done in Europe for several years.
Mario Mandzukic is out for at least a fortnight after a reparative nose operation and you’d bet that Miguel Ángel Moyà will replace Jan Oblak in goal.
Tiredness was a word which Simeone didn’t allow to feature in Atlético’s dictionary last season… but might there be a trace of it this weekend at Vicente Calderon (7pm, Saturday).
Long journey to Athens, beaten in a sweaty, aggressive cauldron, long journey home – still no Simeone on the bench this weekend.
Celta like to play 4-3-3 in possession, 4-1-4-1 without the ball and, like Atleti are taught to press the opposition high up the pitch and to work like hungry dogs.
Atleti, without Mandzukic, will probably use Raul Jiménez and Antoine Griezmann up front leading to more breakaway counter attacks and a return to the ball played quickly over the top or into channel-runs as last season for Diego Costa.
Celta’s best player, Nolito, is fit again but might not start given that Celta host the Galician derby [v Depo] this week… but with Toto you never know.
Between them, the two sides have scored five headed goals already this season so a look at that for first goal, with perhaps Joaquín Larrivey [two goals already this season and a headed goal for Rayo against Atlético last season] or Diego Godín in mind might reward.
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Given that Barcelona won only 12 times in 74 years away to Real Madrid until 2003 it will come as a shock to the unwary, and the stuff of nightmares to Florentino Pérez, that Madrid have won only five of the last 17 Clásicos at the Bernabéu.
Without wishing to ignore Ronaldinho or Etoo, this is testimony to what the era of Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, Victor Valdés Messi and Piqué has been like. Strong, talented, unquenchably hungry. But also, centrally, an era where Barcelona have largely dominated possession and Madrid, if their opponents are on form, become positionally ragged.
It’s not the end, yet, but it’s the beginning of the end. Valdés and Puyol are gone. A few weeks ago Xavi would have been an outsider to start based on Luis Enrique’s extremely sparing use of the midfielder. Piqué admitted to me this week that he’s facing the biggest challenge of his career right now. The challenge to keep his place.
These last ten years have seen 33 Clasicos – in La Liga, La Copa, the Supercopa and the Chamipons League. At the Santiago Bernabeu, at the Camp Nou, at La Mestalla.
These behemoth matches have gifted us 112 goals – almost three and a half per game.
At which point I think it’s fair to look at the credentials of the two sides as they approach this particular Clásico. In theory it’s irresistable force v immoveable object.
Madrid [for which read Cristiano Ronaldo] are scoring at an unparalleled rate. Forty three times this season they’ve hit the net [all comps] while ‘immoveable’ Barça [for which read Claudio Bravo] have yet to concede a goal in La Liga.
Put it all together and the ten year, 112 goal stat tells you that more often it’s the force which is irresistible and the object which is moveable. There have only been ten clean sheets in the last 33 meetings between the sides [in fact only 7 scoreless draws since 1928, and there will NOT be one on Saturday]
Which somewhat puts the focus on one of the battles featuring a Clasico debutant this weekend. Claudio Bravo. Excellent so far this season he’s been only partly responsible for the zero goals conceded given that Barcelona have been pressing like Italian farmers during the olive harvest. But he’s produced several key saves.
Something which has been in short supply in his previous meetings with either Real Madrid or Ronaldo.
Since his debut in 2006 Bravo has:
Played Madrid ten times.
LOST nine
CONCEDED thirty
CONCEDED AWAY fourteen
CONCEDED TO CR7 ten goals in six meetings
WON never.
Doesn’t mean that the horrific run can’t end now that he’s with Barcelona .. but it’s a nasty, nagging thought to carry with you into enemy territory.
His tormentor, Ronaldo took eleven games to score two goals v Barça … and has eleven in thirteen thereafter.
Does Suárez start. Instinct says yes. Football’s conservatism tells you no. The Barcelona players all say he’s ripping it up in training. Luis Enrique seems enchanted with him. He scored two against England in his penultimate competitive match not long after having a surgeon hack about in his knee. He’s remarkable.
But for how long would he last, stamina-wise? Did Pedro do enough against Ajax to correct the impression that he’s been out of form this season.
For Madrid how much does Bale’s absence matter? It’s remarkable that the only Clásico they won last season, the Cup final, was without Ronaldo. That Bale gallop and goal will live long in the memory but won’t be repeated this weekend.
Messi ripped Madrid up again last season – scoring two penalties. An art at which he’s looked increasingly jittery since. Iniesta got the other goal in that stunning 3-4 Barcelona win – he, too, has had an underwhelming season until playing blisteringly well against Ajax.
Worth backing ‘anytime’ are Isco, in his best form at Madrid and very capable of scoring, Benzema who had two in this fixture last season, laid on the opening goal in the Cup final and rocketed a shot off the bar in the Camp Nou Clásico, and Neymar.
In the league last season, only he had as much influence as Messi in Clásicos scoring one, making two and winning a penalty. This season he’s been muscular, quick and much more focussed.
For the ‘over three goals’ mob, I agree. Final score 2-2, Neymar and Benzema, Messi and Isco to feature on the scoresheet.
Right, quiz question. You are betting in play, Elche get a penalty against Valencia – what’s gonna happen?
First of all, so long as he’s not been injured or red carded Edu Albacar will take it. His career stat is thirteen out of thirteen converted. “I know there’s likely to be a day when I miss but I want to be able to retire with the boast that I scored every penalty I took”.
In this instance there’s a little bit more of the old ‘irresistable force, immoveable object’.
Diego Alves, recalled to the Brazil squad this week, is back for Valencia having missed the defeat in la Coruña with gastroenteritis. Alves has saved 16 of the 35 penalties he’s faced in Spanish football. Taking into account the couple which have also gone wide or hit the woodwork the stats say that if you face Alves it’s about 50/50 whether you score or not.
Alvaro Negredo is fit again but only makes the bench. Valencia missed their young Portuguese midfielder André Gomes dramatically in that loss to Depo and his return should be influential. Each team won the home version of this match last season – Valencia will do so again this.
Last time these two teams met here there was a bit of the ‘after you Claude’ feel to the match. Sevilla had the Europa League final in view and Villarreal just needed one point to clinch a return to Uefa competition in their first season after promotion back to La Liga. There was pretty football but few chances, almost no tackles and not a single booking – after the previous two encounters had yielded fifteen yellows and two reds.
Europe was on the agenda this week and it might give the narrowest edge to a strong Villarreal away performance. They were at home while thrashing Zurich 4-1 while Sevilla had to fight out a draining 0-0 draw at Standard Liege. The Yellow Submarine more rested as a result – it’s a narrow call. Both Mbia, who should start, and Kevin Gameiro, who’s still finding match tempo after five months out but who should come on in the second half [he has a goal and a shot off the post in his two comeback matches] look nice for a ‘goal anytime’. For Villarreal Gio Dos Santos is the obvious candidate for a goal against the club who helped him kickstart his career after his nightmare at Spurs. Bruno Soriano too, ‘who should definitely be playing for Spain’ according to his manager, Marcelino, is in fine form and might be worth a punt.
In theory this should be meat and drink to the Spanish champions. Off the back of potentially their best performance of the season, even including two wins over Madrid, and a short trundle across the Spanish capital to face a team which is neither their footballing nor their physical equal. But Geta’s aggressive Romanian coach Cosmin ‘Don’t You Dare Take A Bad Performance Back Into MY Dressing Rom’ Contra doesn’t agree with me.
“They are under the pressure of having to win all the time to fight to retain their title. “We just want to make it tough for the champions. “See if they have a bad day and we have a good one. “They played differently last season, they’ve brought in 12 new guys and they are still adapting. “They aren’t the same as they were last year”.
Which is just as well given that Getafe lost 9-0 on aggregate to Atleti last year.
For los Rojiblancos the fact that Griezmann finally got a goal having hit the bar, the post, defenders and some invisible forcefield for weeks when shooting at goal might release some of his anxiety and you’d not bet against him adding another. If after his two cracking goals in a minute for Geta to win at the Anoeta on Monday you fancy Abdoul Yoda to repeat the feat just remember that two is the magic number. The most he’s ever scored in a season for Servette Sion or Astra Giurgiu before moving to Madrid. In fact he has ten in all matches since July 2008. So good luck with that.
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In September 1999 a young buck by the name of Iker Casillas made his debut for Real Madrid.
From that auspicious day until this he has never lost to Atlético Madrid in a game when he’s been in the starting XI.
The anomaly is that Saint Iker’s debut in a derby came when Andoni Bizarri was sent off and the young Madrileño came on, in Autumn 1999, with the score already 3-1 to Aleti.
A defeat – but his only one against Los Rojiblancos in this brilliant, trophy-laden career of his.
Now clearly there were other factors. Raúl at his peak – ditto Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zidane, Luis Figo, Guti, Roberto Carlos, Ruud Van Nistelrooy. The list of thorns in Atleti’s side is long.
But Casillas gradually became kryptonite to his neighbours. The fact that he has a record of 26 straight city derbies without defeat is pretty remarkable.
What I think is still more tantalizing, in light of the Champions League final in Lisbon, is that Atlético have rid themselves of their ‘Madriditis’, not having won a derby from 1999-2013, with consecutive victories – last season’s Copa final and the first league meeting of this season.
But both those wins were registered when Casillas was on the bench and Diego Lopez the first choice keeper.
As soon as Casillas returned against Los Colchoneros, in the Copa semi final this season, not only did Madrid re-establish their stranglehold by knocking their neighbours out they did so by scoring five times … and not conceding once.
Sometimes a player can have an influence which is exponentially greater than his role should allow.
Casillas is a fine keeper (he’s won the World Cup and the European Championship, this will be his 142nd Champions League match, he’s won this competition twice and he has the best win ratio in the history of international football – 112 wins in 153 matches)
But he’s also made of the winning stuff. He’s not utterly nerveless but he does undergo a kind of transformation in match-defining moments – when his blood turns to ice.
Perhaps he earns some of his ‘luck’ via hard work but what’s undeniable is that beyond the saves he makes thanks to athleticism, hard practice, experience, lightning reactions he does appear to produce moments which underline his ‘San’ Iker (Saint Iker) nickname here in Spain.
We are fortunate to be watching a game in which the guy who I think is going to be the world’s dominant keeper for years to come is defending the other end.
Diego Simeone’s impact on Atlético has been almost immeasurable.
The players feel taller, more handsome, smarter and wittier. That’s the Simeone effect. Average players become good, good become great … one day he may even have the chance to show that he can make a great player the very best.
For all the importance of Diego Costa, Gabi, Koke and Diego Godín, Simeone has been the most important factor in Atlético’s arrival as a genuine player on the European scene.
However in terms of having the beating of Real Madrid there’s a right good case to argue that Courtois is the only player at the Calderón who has had the same value.
Football moves so fast that, to some, the Copa Del Rey final last May might have edged out of the memory slightly. However despite Atleti winning, despite the glorious goal which Radamel Falcao set up for Costa to break through and score …. Madrid absolutely battered their neighbours that night.
Courtois was superhuman. No. Way. Should. He. Have. Kept. Madrid. Out.
Once Ronaldo headed Los Blancos in front (how often to Atleti lose headed goals now?) Madrid made massively more and better chances than the ultimate winners – but the Belgian, effectively, did an Iker.
I hope we get a clear winner, and given the way that players have been dropping like flies in recent weeks, just ahead of the World Cup, I really hope it’s without extra time.
However nobody would be shocked if this ended up 2-2 and a penalty shoot-out. How epic that would be – Casillas’s skills and nerve v Courtois’ ‘thou-shalt-not-pass’ attitude.
On the subject of physical resources this is one area where Atletico SHOULD have an edge.
Ok, great deal of physical and emotional energy will have been expended around last weekend’s Liga-winning match at the Camp Nou. The party started immediately and wound down in the early (early!) hours of Monday morning.
However, thanks to the fitness guru in whom Diego Simeone puts absolute trust Atlético have spent most of this season with a bigger engine than the majority of their opponents.
The second half surge at Stamford Bridge in the semi final was simply another example – as was the all-out assault on Barcelona in the ten minutes before and after half time last weekend. A league winning blitzkreig.
More, Madrid have some issues. The last few matches have suffered from a vague ‘last week at school’ feeling.
Not fully focussed, not giving everything and not expecting to have that demanded of them either.
When we talk about the delicate nuances which influence how a very big match will go, arriving in fully battle-hardened mode – not trying to gee yourself back up after a ‘foot off the pedal’ fortnight – can make a winning difference.
Madrid needed a last-minute equaliser for a point at home to Valencia, conceded the title by conceding an 87th minute equaliser at subsequently-relegated Valladolid, were trampled on in Vigo, never competing properly with Celta (2-0) and conceded an 89th minute goal last week at home to Espanyol.
Now throw in the ‘missing’ and ‘might be missing’ list and it’s troublesome for the club seeking ‘La Decima’
That Alonso is out is pretty nearly as important as the fact that Iker is in.
While the dog-end of the season made him look as if he required a little rest to seek mental and physical freshness it’s still the case that Madrid are less organized, less co-ordinated and less intelligent without him.
Importantly, I believe, of the two defeats Madrid to Atleti have suffered in the last year the only one which was ragged, pallid and pretty much dominated by Los Rojiblancos was the one where Alonso was absent. Just as he will be on Saturday night.
It’s also the case that while this final has been analyzed it seems to me that the Copa ties this season have been ‘handily’ forgotten.
Madrid not only won they got all the luck going, they got tucked into Atleti physically, they were far more intense athletically and they looked as if they had mental dominance too.
They were evidence, I thought, that while Atlético’s work under Simeone has been so intense (Gabi is top equal and Raúl Garcia is second in the list of the top three players who’ve committed the most fouls in this Champions League) that they often make other teams seem like eight stone weaklings, Madrid were still able to bully Atleti in those two matches. Significantly so.
Thus to the referee. Bjorn Kuipers. His record in the Champions League looks as if it might suggest a minor edge for Atleti. He’s pretty liberal, likes to let play flow, tries very hard not to book. Overall he averages just barely over three bookings per match in this competition. Yet if he feels a line has been crossed he’s unafraid of the red.
When Bayern Munich played Napoli in 2011 and when Porto tried to kick Barcelona out of the European Supercup that same year he sent two players off in each match.
Simeone makes no bones about being willing to put opposition off their game with street-smart tactics and Gabi, in particular, revels in that. Kuipers will give them some leeway … but judging the line in the sand will be important for Atletico.
#Madrid still haven’t dealt with their deficiencies, aerially, and Simeone’s side do like a headed goal/set piece.
#The teams’ last three results leave the aggregate score 7-2 in Madrid’s favour
#IF Ancelotti trusts Illarramendi to take over from Alonso the midfielder will need to improve his speed of thought, distribution and his confidence from the player we’ve seen in the last few weeks.
#Gareth Bale might be coping with niggling pain and hasn’t trained full out this week but whenever Cristiano Ronaldo has been out Bale has come to the fore. In Munich he created a wonderful assist for CR7 and his was the Copa Del Rey final winning goal. A man for the moment.
#Just as Alonso’s absence appeared to influence the first league game of the season which Atletico coasted, Pepe was missing for last season’s Copa Final defeat and was influential in Madrid winning the two Copa games this season. He is not fully fit and, I think, is very unlikely to start. A brute, but a brute that Madrid will miss.
Until Madrid started feeling the aches and pains of the season and gifted away points in three of the last four matches I was convinced, wholly that they’d win this final. Principally because of Casillas, Bale and Ronaldo I still slightly favour them. But better get extra beer and pizza in. It might be a long night .. and then spot kicks.
Whatever happens, Europe belongs to Madrid on Saturday night.
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If Blackpool stay in the Premier League this season, Luke Varney will be the man the fans will point two as the key figure – even if he doesn’t play anymore games (check out totesport football outright and match betting markets)!
The former Charlton star was recommended to Ian Holloway by Crewe boss Dario Gradi and what a capture he’s proved to be with five goals already this season.
Blackpool (21/20 to be relegated) say they have a clause in the loan deal, with first option to sign the forward – that may yet be disputed!
2) Marouane Chamakh (Arsenal – free transfer from Bordeaux)
The Morocco international has given a different dimension to the Gunners, with his hard work and ability in the air causing Premier League defences major problems.
Chamakh (12/1 to be Premier League top scorer) has got 10 goals in all competitions to date, and you can bet there will be plenty more to come, especially if he gets a regular strike partner.
3) Javier Hernandez (Manchester United – £6m from Chivas)
The Mexico striker looks like a real star of the future and United are one of those to have found a diamond from the World Cup.
Hernandez is only 22 and has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water, filling in at spells for out-of-form duo Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney.
4) Ben Foster (Birmingham City – £6m from Manchester United)
He and Blackburn’s Paul Robinson have been the most impressive keepers in the league this season and Foster now looks the closest challenger to Joe Hart for the England jersey.
His confidence was dented at Old Trafford but the 27-year-old has kept six clean sheets, in front of a solid Blues (25/1 for top six finish) back four.
5) Rafael Van der Vaart (Tottenham – £8m from Real Madrid)
The Dutchman has inspired Spurs this season after his last-gasp move to White Hart Lane before the summer window closed.
Van der Vaart looks a steal for Harry Redknapp and if he can stay fit, the 27-year-old will surely lead Spurs (8/1 to win FA Cup) to silverware or the top four this season.
6) Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland – £13.25m from Rennes)
His signing may have raised a few eyebrows, but the doubters have already changed their mind about the Ghanaian international.
Despite only four starts to date, Gyan has already shown he can torment even the best of defences and has five goals to his name.
7) Peter Odemwingie (West Brom – £2.5m from Lokomotiv Moscow)
Another surprise arrival to the English top flight, Odemwingie?s electric pace and eye for a goal doesn’t look out of place.
The 29-year-old is the Baggies’ top scorer with six goals, helping Roberto Di Matteo’s men up to ninth in the table (West Brom 13/2 to be relegated).
Raul Meireles (Liverpool – £11.5m from Porto)
After a shaky start to life at Anfield, the Portuguese international looks a class act and is starting to run games from midfield in the absence of Steven Gerrard.
The one thing missing so far has been goals, but with a fierce strike on him, it won?t be long until Meireles is a regular name on the scoresheet.
9) David Silva (Manchester City – £25m from Valencia)
He may not have taken the Premier League by storm, but slowly and surely the Spanish international is showing just why City paid all that money for him.
If given the chance to weave his magic, Silva will become one of the best players in the English top flight but will City (8/1 to win the 2010-11 Premier League title) be patient with the wing wizard???
10) Martin Petrov (Bolton – free transfer from Manchester City)
A bargain free transfer, Petrov has struggled to cement a regular berth in a Wanderers team that is taking huge strides forward this season.
But when the Bulgarian has been given the chance, he has excelled and the highlight so far was a stunning strike in the comeback draw with Blackpool.
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Punters looking for value in the Premier League 2010-11 Top Goalscorer market should not dismiss Wayne Rooney’s chances of claiming the golden boot (Rooney 5/1 jf – golden boot).
The Manchester United striker made his return to pre-season in the first half of his side’s 7-1 victory over an Airtricity League of Ireland selection on Wednesday and will be determined to bury the disappointment of an abysmal tournament for England at the 2010 World Cup.
The 24-year-old failed to find the net in a summer to forget in South Africa and showed his petulance when confronted with boos at the end of the drab and uninspiring goalless draw against Algeria.
However, seasoned match-going United supporters have history with followers of In-Ger-Lund – dating back to the treatment dished out to the likes of former favourite David Beckham – so Rooney will be guaranteed all the love he needs from the Stretford End.
He may also benefit from a head start if his principal market rival and top marksman from last season, Didier Drogba of Chelsea, misses the start of the new season because of recent groin surgery.
A good indicator will be if manager Carlo Ancelotti decides to wrap the Stamford Bridge star up in cotton wool in the Community Shield.
The Ivory Coast international also failed to sparkle at the World Cup, scoring just one goal, but remains unplayable on his day and will run Rooney close even though he is now the wrong side of 30.
Rooney relished in the role of solo striker for United last season, scoring 24 Premier League goals, and only a spate of minor injury lay-offs at the back end of the domestic campaign prevented him from adding to his impressive tally and United (15/8 Community Shield winners) from possibly breaking bitter rivals Liverpool’s record of 18 domestic titles.
Punters considering Rooney should also note he is likely to retain spot-kick duties for his club.
Fernando Torres is next best at 6/1 but he looked a shadow of himself in South Africa because of injury concerns and while he has made all the right noises about staying at Liverpool, questions have been raised about whether his head may have been turned by his World Cup-winning Spain team-mates.
Robin van Persie will be dangerous if Arsenal (7/1 Premier League outright) can finally deliver on their promise but the fact that he has never managed more than 28 games in a single campaign is reflected in his price of 9/1.
Of the rest, Carlos Tevez is more of a team player and Nicolas Anelka can blow hot and cold.
It could pay to side with Rooney in the search for Premier League goals next season.
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Shay Given has been given the green light to step up his rehab work as he looks to be ready for the start of the new Premier League season following a dislocated shoulder (Man City 9/2 – 2010/11 Premier League Outright).
The Manchester City star’s recovery from surgery has gone to plan and he is currently away with his team-mates on their pre-season tour of the USA.
Given’s place in the City XI next term was thought to be under threat following the emergence of Joe Hart, who caught the eye last term on loan at Birmingham City.
But the former Newcastle stalwart insists he has no intention of fading away from the first-team picture as he looks to give Blues boss Roberto Mancini a massive selection headache.
Given told the Daily Mirror: “I saw the specialist last week, he was delighted with it and he told me to kick on with the rehab work.
“If it keeps progressing the way it is then I’m hoping to be playing before we leave America.
“By the second last game or the last game I should be in with a shout of playing and I’m definitely looking to be ready for the start of the new season.”
City kick off the new Premier League season with a trip to Tottenham while Given will also hope to be involved when the Republic of Ireland kick off their Euro 2012 qualification campaign away against Armenia on September 3.
Prior to the new season, Giovanni Trapattoni’s men take on Argentina in a friendly game on August 11 to mark the opening of the new Aviva Stadium which used to be known as Lansdowne Road prior to its redevelopment.
Trapattoni will be determined to make sure his side gives qualifying for Euro 2012 their best shot following their World Cup 2010 play-off heartbreak against France thanks to Thierry Henry’s infamous handball (Ireland 80/1 – Euro 2012 Outright).
But one player who will not be on board is injury-plagued West Brom midfielder Steven Reid who has retired from international football.
Reid said: “I wish the squad every success for the forthcoming European Championship qualifiers and thank the players, the backroom team and the management for their help, support and friendship over the past nine years.
“I would also like to say a massive thank you to all the Irish fans for their support. They always got behind me and it was an honour to represent them.”
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Inter Milan’s Brazilian right back Maicon is one of the most respected right-backs in the world and has just played a crucial role in the treble winning Jose Mourinho Inter side.
Maicon’s ability has meant he was able to successfully replace a World Cup legend in the Brazilian team. The gap left by Cafu’s retirement from the Samba Boys was big, but Maicon is up to the task.
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The 28-year-old was already a big part of the success of Roberto Mancini’s Inter when he finally established himself as the starting right-back of the national team. Now, Maicon is one of the main players of Dunga’s Brazil and won the stiff competition with Daniel Alves to play in the right back role for the national side.
More than that, he hopes to be as successful as his predecessor, one of the players with most titles in the history of football.
According to reports in Italy, Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is hoping to be reunited with the Brazilian and is preparing to offer Inter £30million for the right-back as the Italian hopes to improve his back line during the summer.
It’s also widely reported that Jose Mourinho wants to take Maicon with him from Inter to Real Madrid and intends to make the Brazilian a top transfer target in the summer.
The 28-year-old is unsure as to where he will be playing next season but Maicon is not too worried as his full focus at the moment is on winning the World Cup as part of the Brazil squad.
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“My only thought is about doing the quadruple,” Maicon told the press.
“I dream of winning the World Cup after having won the Champions League, Scudetto and Coppa Italia.
“When the World Cup is over, they will tell me where I’ll play next year.”
As always, Brazil are strong favourites to lift the World Cup again in South Africa. Currently they are 5.50 to do so for the sixth time.
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