SR: Atletico

Showing posts with label Atletico. Show all posts

May 12, 2018

Soccer Moods

Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane

Sadio Mane

Vinicius Gomes

Michal Zewlakow

Association Football, Soccer, Calcio, Nagomet, balonpie, whatever you call it...

November 17, 2017

浦和レッドダイヤモンズ vs. Al Hilal Saturday Sport

Not your grandfather's Champions League, the Asian Champions League has been heating up in recent weeks, and has become much more interesting since it was started in 2003. Saudi giants Al Hilal will attempt to end years of dominance by East Asian clubs when they take on Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds in the two-legged Asian Champions League final beginning Saturday. Al Hilal are hopeful as they host Urawa in the first competition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Clubs from the Asian Football Confederation's eastern regions have won the last five Champions Leagues, and 10 overall since the competition's first edition in 2003. The west is particularly strong now, though, with both Saudi Arabia and Iran qualifying for Russia, 2018.

Al Hilal captain Osama Hawsawi stated that "in World Cup qualifying we faced both Australia and Japan and we qualified ahead of the former and defeated the latter. There are strong teams in both East and West, of course, but it should be noted that two teams from the West qualified for the World Cup." Al Hilal has never won the Asian Champions League, but hopes to this year. "We are determined to lift this trophy," Hawsawi said. "We reached the final because we worked hard and are intent on reaching this goal."

Urawa captain Yuki Abe was part of the team that won the Champions League in 2007, and he said he now wanted to lift the trophy again in honour of manager Takafumi Hori. "I have had a lot of head coaches in my career, but Hori is one who has helped me improve, so I'd like to help win a big trophy for him," Abe, 36, said." The winner of the final will take their place at the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2017, alongside the likes of European champions Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, back on the continent, Soccer fans are gearing up for the Madrid Derby, Real Madrid vs. Atletico de Madrid. Atletico has been playing in a newly refurbished stadium this season, and so this is the first such Derby played in the Estadio Metropolitano "Wanda". It is an important game, over and above the rivalry, because both Real Madrid and Atletico de Madrid have been playing catch-up against Barcelona. Only 900 of the 67,000 seats have been released to Real Madrid's fans. Phenom Dani Ceballos, 21, will play in his first derby. Real Madrid has won only 7 of the last 11 games, whilst Atletico is undefeated in their past 11 games.

In the standings Madrid, in third, are eight points behind leaders and renegades Barcelona. Atletico, in fourth, are also on 23 points, but has had terrible difficulty scoring. Their last 15 games have featured one or no goals. Seven teams have scored more than Atletico’s 16 in 11 games. But Real have their own problems upfront. Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema have only one league goal each so far this season. Valencia and Real Sociedad have both scored more goals than Real Madrid so far. Attention shifts firmly towards club football for the next four months, with Madrid also featuring in the Fifa Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi next month.

In premiership soccer Champions Chelsea face a stiff challenge to defend their Premier League title from in-form leaders Manchester City but will fight till the end in the race, midfielder Willian has said. City have won 10 of their opening 11 league games and sit at the top of the table, nine points ahead of fourth-placed Chelsea. "It's difficult," Willian told BBC's Football Focus. "Manchester City are playing very well but I think we can fight for the title until the end." Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are second and third respectively, a point ahead of Antonio Conte's men. "It is difficult to play when you were champion last season and to fight for the title again as every team wants to win against Chelsea," added the Brazil international.

Chelsea travel to West Bromwich Albion, who are 16th in the league, on Saturday. Arsenal must win an "electric" North London derby against Tottenham. Arsenal last beat Tottenham in a 2015 League Cup tie but have failed to register a league win over their neighbors since 2014, drawing four and losing two of the last six league meetings between the sides. As Tottenham have risen to prominence over recent years, the derby has become more closely contested. Arsenal are sixth in the standings, four points behind third-placed Tottenham and 12 behind leaders Manchester City, with six wins in 11 league games.

In the United States, in NCAA College Football, there is only one game today between ranked opponents, Number 24 Michigan (8-2, 5-2) at Number 5 Wisconsin (10-0, 7-0). Should Wisconsin go undefeated they would most certainly go into the playoff. Michigan is always a tough opponent, though, and could come away with a win today. Wisconsin beat Iowa 38-14 last week to pick up its first ranked win of the year, and Camp Randall Stadium is always a challenging location, but Michigan is more well-rounded on defense and should be a tougher challenge.

October 13, 2017

Saturday Sport: Baseball, Football, and the Ranji Trophy

Autumn brings back many memories. Fall colours, the smell of burning leaves, and Football are all signs of Fall. A sure sign of early Autumn are the playoffs of Major League Baseball. In the current system, the Wild Card team in each League plays one of the Division champs, while the other two Division champs play each other, the winners of these games then meet in the League Championship Series. The two League Champions then play each other in the World Series.

The World Series actually has many unique and charming features. So many Championships take place in pre determined stadiums, but the World Series is played in the stadiums of the two contesting teams. Normally, in pro sports, the dates of the Finals are set years in advance. The World Series games are set once both teams have been determined, when each team has won four games of seven of the League Championship Series. If both teams win four games straight of the League Championship, then the World Series can be set much earlier. Although the World Series sometimes includes a Canadian team, no other nations are eligible to play. Even countries where excellent baseball is played, in the Caribbean, Mexico, or Japan, no team has yet ever become established enough to propose membership in Major League Baseball.

Although sports commentators were acting as if the Washington Nationals had descended from Mount Olympus and so worthy of worship, that respectable team did not make it into the National League Championship Series. Instead, this year the Chicago Cubs will play the Los Angeles Dodgers in that series, beginning with night games tonight and Sunday at Dodger Stadium. The Cleveland Indians, who have been on fire in recent years, could not prevail against perennial champs the New York Yankees, and so do not advance. Instead, in the American League Championship Series the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros began last night at the Minute Maid Park in Houston, where they will play the second game in their series tonight.

"So come sit by my side if you love me. Do not hasten to bid me adieu. Just remember the Red River Valley, And the cowboy that has loved you so true." So, as the song says, people remember the Red River, at least people in Oklahoma and Texas do. Today is the top day on the Football Calendars of the Univerisities of Oklahoma, the Sooners, and Texas, the Longhorn.

This rivalry and/or blood feud game goes back many decades, and magnifies the many, many, other rivalries the two states hold to their grudge infested hearts! Oklahoma is currently ranked number 12, and Texas is currently unranked, but a usual, the Red River Feud adds its usual, unpredictable layer of deep-fried personal animosity. It should be an exciting game! Other noteworthy games today, will include #6 Texas Christian against Kansas State, #9 Ohio State against Nebraska, clear favorites although they are playing at Nebraska, #21 Michigan State against Minnesota, and Oregon vs. #23 Stanford.

The big news from Nations play in international Soccer this past week was the utter failure of the United States of America. The US National team, lackluster as in most years, outdid itself in ineptitude when facing Trinidad and Tobago. Competition is such, and the weight in the US direction anyway, that the US team could have tied, won by a goal, or even lost by a goal and still have qualified for the Worlds Cup. Instead, the unskilled Americans lost by a couple of goals, because, after all, their motto might as well be "always be mediocre."

Trinidad and Tobago, who had not won one game yet, in any of their previous contests, was overjoyed, and go home with bragging rights, since they did not qualify either. On the upside, FIFA stands to lose tens of millions of dollars, as the American TV market will not support high costs for covering next year's Worlds Cup, which does not include an American team, and will be played in, of all places, Russia.

The Russians will certainly put on an excellent show in 2018, as always, but Americans are notoriously skittish about soccer anyway. In the 1930s Soccer was gaining a foothold in the United States, and that faded quickly around 1950 when the US failed to qualify for those Worlds Cups. That cycle may very well repeat itself in the coming decade... Maybe Americans could set up some youth cycling leagues, then soccer moms would not even have to drive little Johnny and Jeanette to their competitions.

In Cricket, the Ranji Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between teams representing regional cricket associations. The competition currently consists of 28 teams, with 21 of the 29 states in India and Delhi having at least one representation. Almost all of the teams included in the current competition are regional, but two, Railways and Services, include players from throughout India. The competition is named after first Indian cricketer who played international cricket, Ranjitsinhji, who was also known as "Ranji". He played for England and Sussex. Gujarat is the current Ranji Trophy champion, having beaten Mumbai by 5 wickets in the final of the 2016–17 season held in Holkar Stadium, Indore. Today, 12 3-day matches begin in group, round robin play. Eventually, winners in group play will engage in knock out rounds. Our best to all those engaged in the Ranji Trophy this year!

In Spanish La Liga play, competition will take place in a politically charged atmosphere, as fascist politicians at the head of the Catalonia regional government have declared independence, a move termed a "coup d'etat" by the King and the national government. Within that ambiance Barcelona, far and ahead leaders of the current standings, travel to Atletico de Madrid, who were champs a few years ago. You may recall that October 12th, yesterday, was the Spanish National Holiday, and throughout the day politicians from everywhere in Spain, from Avila to Zaragoza, and over every political stripe, from far left to right, paid calls at the Royal Palace to declare their national fervor and unity against the Catalan outrage. Barcelona, then returns from the international break with their toughest game of the league season so far.

So far, they have not had to play quality teams, six of their seven victories have come against teams in the bottom nine, but now will enter the proverbial lion's den. It is Barca's first visit to the superb new Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Spain’s capital and the reaction from the 67,000 capacity crowd, with no away fans this week for “logistical” reasons, will be ferocious. There has never been a shortage of Spain flags flown by Atletico’s Frente ultras, but the current crisis is a mainstream one, so expect a sea of Spanish flags and anti-Catalan. Barca’s players, most of whom are not Catalan, will feel the full force of the invective, as some players have spoken in favor of the illegal referendum. Atletico de Madrid is fourth-placed, and remain unbeaten in this season's La Liga play.

The Spanish players were able to play together in Nations play last week, so at least at the level of the players, no problems are expected. Atletico fans, though, are known to be both patriotic and outspoken, so today's match should be a challenge from that aspect. All around, it is a game not to miss.