Football Dispatch

Monday Football
11 June 2007
Real Madrid are poised to win their first La Liga title in four years. Ruud Van Nistelrooy scored twice to cancel a brace from Alberto Diego Milito as Madrid earned a crucial point away to Real Zaragoza. It was truly a striker's showcase at Estadio La Romareda on Saturday. Both Milito and Van Nistelrooy are involved in a three-way battle with Sevilla's Freddie Kanoute for the goal-scoring championship this season in Spain's top flight. With Barcelona having drawn at home to Espanyol, Madrid looked about to fall off the pace as Zaragoza held a 2-1 advantage with added-time approaching. In the 89th-minute, however, Van Nistelrooy equalized for the visitors -- ensuring that a win at home to Mallorca in a week's time would see the title return to the Bernabeu for the first time since 2003. The Dutchman and his former Manchester United teammate David Beckham have been Madrid's most influential contributors down the stretch. Van Nistelrooy, in particular, has been the club's driving force; and Holland manager Marco Van Basten appears resigned to re-calling the hit-man into the squad for the remainder of the EURO 2008 qualification campaign.

While Madrid salvaged a result in the final moments at Zaragoza, Barcelona saw three, well-deserved points evaporate in stoppage-time. With the hosts 2-1 up over local rivals Espanyol at the Nou Camp, Saturday, Raul Tamudo's second goal of the evening and 16th of the domestic season earned a draw for the UEFA Cup runners-up and produced a potentially devastating blow for Barcelona. Lionel Messi scored on each side of the interval for the hosts -- his first in the 43rd-minute emulated, almost identically, the hand-of-God-goal scored by Maradona against England in the 1986 World Cup. His second put Barcelona ahead just prior to the hour-mark. Still, what looked a sure victory as injury-time approached became a disappointing draw when Tamudo struck an equalizer and kept Barcelona a point adrift of the league lead. With the final round of fixtures to be played at the weekend, both Real Madrid and Barcelona sit atop La Liga with 73-points. Madrid, however, stand to win the title by virtue of their superior head-to-head record.

Madrid's resurgence has, not coincidentally, corresponded with David Beckham's return to Fabio Capello's starting-XI. Apparently mindful of this, Madrid president Ramon Calderon is making every attempt to scuttle the former England captain's impending move to Los Angeles Galaxy. "The Madrid fans love him and I would like him to stay in the team," remarked Calderon over the weekend. "In the contract he signed with LA Galaxy, there is a clause allowing the player to back out." Galaxy, however, are denying that such a clause exists and are continuing to resist Madrid's blank-cheque approach. Calderon is also open to the possibility of taking Beckham on loan for two more seasons -- at which time the midfielder would complete the final 3-years of his contract in America. Galaxy, so far, have resisted any notion of Beckham playing elsewhere over the next five years.

Manchester United are attempting to cut a deal for Carlos Tevez. The 23-year-old Argentina striker almost single-handedly kept West Ham in the Premiership, last season, and scored the match-winner against United on Old Trafford on the final day of the domestic campaign. Still, Tevez was Sir Alex Ferguson's 3rd-choice option to partner Wayne Rooney; but neither Dimitar Berbatov nor Fernando Torres appear likely to depart Tottenham Hotspur or Atletico Madrid, respectively, in the near future. As it happens, Tevez was offered to United last summer -- a proposal which was rejected when officials at Old Trafford become concerned over the legality of the transfer. Ironically, West Ham were plunged into controversy after signing the player and countryman Javier Mascherano and are unlikely to make a profit should Tevez be sold. Inter Milan are also in the running for his services. Roberto Mancini has reportedly made a bid of 35M-pounds.

The consortium which nearly bought Liverpool Football Club is considering a similar move on Arsenal. Mohammed Al Hashimi, the driving-force behind Sheik Muhammed Al Maktoun's bid for Liverpool, is set to open discussions with the Arsenal board. American businessman Stan Kroenke could be a stumbling-block in any deal, though. Kroenke bought a 10% stake in the London club over the winter for an estimated 65M-pounds. At the time, he was believed to be prepared to pursue a complete takeover at the club. But with the board hostile to foreign ownership, his inside man, David Dein, was forced to resign. The goings-on at Emirates Stadium have been somewhat cloudy ever since.

Sam Allardyce is hoping to lure Ludovic Giuly to St. James' Park, this summer. The 30-year-old French midfielder is set to be released by Barcelona as the Spanish giants pursue a new, younger combination of players. Should Allardyce bring Giuly to Newcastle for a reported 1.5M-pounds, it would extend a pattern of transactions in which the former Bolton Wanderers manager acquires high-risk, high-return players and gives them a second chance at a new club.