Author Archives | Humaid

Christmas Crackers – the View from Spain

So the apocalypse failed to show on cue. It has a habit of doing that. It was also supposed to take place on December 12 (12.12.12 and all that), but it finally made an appearance on the evening of December 22, when the backside of Saint Iker Casillas was announced by Chendo, an ex-player and […]

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The 100 Best Footballers in the World

The Guardian’s 11-strong international panel of experts set about ranking the best footballers in the world, and end up with their top 100. #99 Diego Forlan Age: 33   Nationality: Uruguayan Team: Internacional The striker became the most capped Uruguayan of all time at the 2011 Copa América and is also the country’s record scorer. That seemed implausible when […]

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Michu Promised Spain Call-up

The Swans’ summer signing is set to be rewarded with international recognition following a prolific start to the Premier League season with Michael Laudrup’s side Spain coach Vicente del Bosque plans to hand an international call-up to Swansea forward Michu. The 26-year-old has scored an impressive 13 goals in 18 league games since moving to the Liberty Stadium from Real Vallecano […]

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Continuity amid Vilanova adversity could push Barcelona to greater heights

The coach will undergo an operation on Thursday, but the Catalans’ philosophy will remain intact thanks to a capable stand-in and a group of players familiar with pulling through Life without Tito Vilanova begins away to Valladolid in the Primera Division on Saturday, but the road to recovery starts at home for both coach and […]

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One day like Barca – an interview with David Silva

For David Silva there is little left to achieve in football. At 26 years of age the Manchester City playmaker is the x-factor in Roberto Mancini’s team and a star in a Spain constellation that is surely the brightest ever to light the international stage. He has won the World Cup and two European Championships, opening the […]

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Blurring the lines between defenders and midfielders

A recent tactical trend is to field midfielders at centre-back, an approach favoured by Barcelona’s Pep Guardiola and Tito Vilanova, who have refused to buy a “traditional” central defender despite needing back-up for Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique. Instead, they’ve converted Javier Mascherano, Alex Song and Sergio Busquets into defenders, with varying levels of regularity […]

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Barcelona’s greatest spine secure

Almost an entire life at just one club. Carles Puyol, Xavi and Lionel Messi have agreed new contracts with Barcelona and their stay at Camp Nou means the side’s spine is now secure for many years to come. Club captain Puyol extends his current contract to 2016, while midfielder Xavi has agreed a two-year prolongation […]

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Inside Barca – Villa to stay and Sanchez’s future

DAVID VILLA IS SET TO STAY – AT LEAST UNTIL THE SUMMER It had been thought by some that David Villa could be packing his bags this winter and moving away from Camp Nou, but the Asturian striker has no intention of leaving Barcelona at this stage and will definitely not be departing in the […]

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Team of the Season so far – La Liga

La Liga has almost reached its halfway point and there is one team well and truly on top as the winter break approaches – Barcelona. The Catalans lead the Primera Division by nine points from Atletico Madrid, with rivals Real a further four back in third. … In goal we find Betis’ Adrian, who has proved […]

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Liverpool Eye Butland as Reina Looks To The Emirates

Liverpool have stepped up their chase of English goalkeeper Jack Butland as Arsenal prepare to make an €10 million (£8m) move to sign Pepe Reina. … Wigan Athletic’s Ali Al-Habsi and Swansea City’s Michel Vorm also feature on Liverpool’s wish-list as they prepare the ground for the increasingly-likely departure of Reina. The Spaniard is believed to be open to a move to […]

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