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..::Football II::..
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Copa Del Rey Semi-Final 2nd Leg 2013.02.26
Copa Del Rey Semi-Final 2nd Leg 2013.02.26
Agg
(1-1)
Barcelona Vs Real Madrid
Agg
(1-1)
West Ham Match 1ke Bale ge goal 1ka Pattama Patta!
kiyala wadak na bro eka nam, bale mara frm ekaka enne.
next sunday arsenal mach ekath patta gemak yai
Barcelona Vs Real Madrid match 1keth Patta gemak yai!
aniwa bro, R.madrid thamai ethin mama nam
Inter 1-1 AC Milan: El Shaarawy and Schelotto exchange strikes in absorbing derby clash
Aniwakiyala wadak na bro eka nam, bale mara frm ekaka enne.
next sunday arsenal mach ekath patta gemak yai
aniwa bro, R.madrid thamai ethin mama nam
Elazzzz bro
Balanna one ada match 1kaThawa 15 mins thiyenne
මුගටියා;14535527 said:Manchester City are interested in signing Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani, says manager Roberto Mancini
Roberto Mancini is interested in signing a striker to bolster misfiring Manchester City, with Liverpool's Luis Suárez and Napoli's Edinson Cavani his top targets.
Mancini believes City have under-performed in the transfer market since winning the title last season, and is cheered by the arrival of director of football Tkiki Beguiristain and and CEO Ferran Soriano at the club to oversee recruitment.
A striker is a priority for Mancini, who sold Mario Balotelli to AC Milan in January, and securing a deal for Napoli's Edinson Cavani is thought to be his priority.
"I like him [Cavani], but all the world wants him," Mancini said in an interview with The Guardian, before confirming that he is also interested in Luis Suárez.
"I don't know what can happen," Mancini said. "Suárez plays for a top team like Liverpool. Cavani plays for Napoli."
City, trailing Manchester United by 12 points in the Premier League, have endured a disappointing season with the FA Cup their only realistic hope of a trophy after another early exit from the Champions League.
Source: The Telegraph
BRING CAVANI PLSSS
Barcelona 1-3 Real Madrid (Agg 2-4): Relentless Ronaldo demolishes hosts to book Copa final berth
Real Madrid stormed into the Copa Del Rey final in the most stunning manner possible, with an emphatic 3-1 victory over Barcelona at Camp Nou in the second leg of their last-four clash on Tuesday.
With a 1-1 home draw to overcome from the first leg, Jose Mourinho looked on in jubilation as his team executed their gameplan to perfection, frustrating the Catalans at the back, and through an inspirational Cristiano Ronaldo, giving a counterattacking clinic up front.
The Portuguese opened the scoring from the penalty spot 12 minutes in, becoming the first player to score in six successive Clasicos away from home, and finished off a surging break shortly before the hour mark to put Madrid in the driving seat.
Raphael Varane put the finishing touches on an unbelievable night for the visitors when he headed home a corner, with Jordi Alba's late goal coming as little consolation for the hosts, as los Blancos now await either Sevilla or Atletico Madrid in the showpiece event on May 18.
Sergio Busquets, Cesc Fabregas and Xavi returned to start in midfield for the hosts, with Carles Puyol partnering Gerard Pique in defense. For Madrid, Varane, the standout performer from the first leg, started alongside Sergio Ramos at center back.Barca started positively, and with only two minutes on the clock, was nearly ahead. Pedro did brilliantly to turn Fabio Coentrao inside out and square for Lionel Messi, who narrowly missed the target from a tight angle.
But instead, it would be Madrid which would take the lead. Ronaldo was simply too quick for Pique, and was tripped up inside the area, leaving the referee with no choice but to award a penalty, from which the Portuguese forward slotted coolly into the bottom corner.
The Catalans exhibited their customary dominance of the ball, but Mourinho’s men were ready with discipline and numbers at the back, and a pacey threat on the counter whenever they won the ball.
Referee Alberto Undiano, already the villain of the piece in the eyes of the Camp Nou faithful for the decision against Pique, was showered with further venom from the stands after correctly denying penalty appeals for Fabregas and Pedro.And the home fans were left frustrated again moments before halftime, when Messi drilled a free kick agonizingly into the side netting, with half of the stadium already celebrating a goal.
The Blaugrana went close again minutes after the restart when Diego Lopez parried an effort by Busquets, with Alvaro Arbeloa taking the rebound off the toes of Fabregas from point-blank range.But much like the start of the first half, the chance was spurned, and again, Madrid would punish its profligacy on the counterattack, this time putting the tie virtually out of reach.
Sami Khedira’s sublime first-time pass after winning the ball released Angel Di Maria against Puyol. The Barca captain was left on his backside by the skill of the winger, whose initial shot was parried by Jose Pinto, only for Ronaldo to bury the rebound.
And with 22 minutes left, Madrid was in dreamland again, when Varane rose highest to head home Mesut Ozil’s corner in almost identical fashion to his goal in the first leg.Flares were set off in the stands as a few home fans lost patience with events on the ptich, but their mood improved ever so slightly just before injury time when Alba ghosted in behind the fullback to slot Andres Iniesta's clipped pass beyond Lopez.
But the damage was long done by the irrepressible visitors, who will now contest the final in three months. The Clasico drama is not quite done, however, as both sides will lock horns at Santiago Bernabeu in la Liga on Saturday.
Real Madrid stormed into the Copa Del Rey final in the most stunning manner possible, with an emphatic 3-1 victory over Barcelona at Camp Nou in the second leg of their last-four clash on Tuesday.
With a 1-1 home draw to overcome from the first leg, Jose Mourinho looked on in jubilation as his team executed their gameplan to perfection, frustrating the Catalans at the back, and through an inspirational Cristiano Ronaldo, giving a counterattacking clinic up front.
The Portuguese opened the scoring from the penalty spot 12 minutes in, becoming the first player to score in six successive Clasicos away from home, and finished off a surging break shortly before the hour mark to put Madrid in the driving seat.
Raphael Varane put the finishing touches on an unbelievable night for the visitors when he headed home a corner, with Jordi Alba's late goal coming as little consolation for the hosts, as los Blancos now await either Sevilla or Atletico Madrid in the showpiece event on May 18.
Sergio Busquets, Cesc Fabregas and Xavi returned to start in midfield for the hosts, with Carles Puyol partnering Gerard Pique in defense. For Madrid, Varane, the standout performer from the first leg, started alongside Sergio Ramos at center back.Barca started positively, and with only two minutes on the clock, was nearly ahead. Pedro did brilliantly to turn Fabio Coentrao inside out and square for Lionel Messi, who narrowly missed the target from a tight angle.
But instead, it would be Madrid which would take the lead. Ronaldo was simply too quick for Pique, and was tripped up inside the area, leaving the referee with no choice but to award a penalty, from which the Portuguese forward slotted coolly into the bottom corner.
The Catalans exhibited their customary dominance of the ball, but Mourinho’s men were ready with discipline and numbers at the back, and a pacey threat on the counter whenever they won the ball.
Referee Alberto Undiano, already the villain of the piece in the eyes of the Camp Nou faithful for the decision against Pique, was showered with further venom from the stands after correctly denying penalty appeals for Fabregas and Pedro.And the home fans were left frustrated again moments before halftime, when Messi drilled a free kick agonizingly into the side netting, with half of the stadium already celebrating a goal.
The Blaugrana went close again minutes after the restart when Diego Lopez parried an effort by Busquets, with Alvaro Arbeloa taking the rebound off the toes of Fabregas from point-blank range.But much like the start of the first half, the chance was spurned, and again, Madrid would punish its profligacy on the counterattack, this time putting the tie virtually out of reach.
Sami Khedira’s sublime first-time pass after winning the ball released Angel Di Maria against Puyol. The Barca captain was left on his backside by the skill of the winger, whose initial shot was parried by Jose Pinto, only for Ronaldo to bury the rebound.
And with 22 minutes left, Madrid was in dreamland again, when Varane rose highest to head home Mesut Ozil’s corner in almost identical fashion to his goal in the first leg.Flares were set off in the stands as a few home fans lost patience with events on the ptich, but their mood improved ever so slightly just before injury time when Alba ghosted in behind the fullback to slot Andres Iniesta's clipped pass beyond Lopez.
But the damage was long done by the irrepressible visitors, who will now contest the final in three months. The Clasico drama is not quite done, however, as both sides will lock horns at Santiago Bernabeu in la Liga on Saturday.
Everton 3-1 Oldham: Toffees coast into FA Cup sixth round despite Smith onslaught
Goals from Kevin Mirallas, Leighton Baines and Leon Osman fired Everton into a quarterfinal tie with Wigan and ended Oldham's hopes of further FA Cup glory.
Mirallas opened the scoring after 15 minutes with a side-footed half-volley in front of goal before Baines doubled the home side's lead with a successful penalty kick 18 minutes later.
Oldham goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis fumbled Osman's 62nd minute header to gift the home side with a 3-0 lead but FA Cup wonderboy Matt Smith gave the traveling fans something to smile about with a headed goal of his own almost immediately after the restart.
Everton manager David Moyes made two changes from the side that suffered a 2-1 defeat to Norwich on the weekend, with Steven Naismith and the injured Marouane Fellaini dropping out of the starting XI and Kevin Mirallas and skipper Phil Neville coming in.
As for Oldham, caretaker boss Tony Philliskirk named an identical side from Saturday's win over Portsmouth, with former Everton youngster Jose Baxter starting in the center of midfield.
The underdogs started strongly and attempted to take advantage of Everton's recent vulnerability in defense, but Everton managed to find its feet after a few nervy opening minutes and exerted pressure on the away side with a constant stream of possession.
Oldham looked exposed down the flanks from the start and that proved to be the case when Everton scored their opener after 15 minutes. A perfectly placed Darren Gibson cross found Mirallas in front of goal and the Belgian striker broke away from the static defense and half-volleyed the ball past Bouzanis.
The game's intensity continued in the aftermath of Mirallas' opener when a defensive mix up at the other end allowed Oldham's Jose Baxter to strike the post with a great effort from the edge of the penalty area.
The resulting defensive clean up effort led to shouts from the away fans for an Oldham penalty after Neville's clearance hit Gibson's arm in the box, but referee Michael Oliver responded to the cries from the Oldham faithful with a shake of the head.
The home side's continued pressure paid off when another cross caused Oldham problems, this time resulting in a penalty with 33 minutes on the clock after Connor Brown needlessly handled the cross from Seamus Coleman.
Bouzanis got a hand on Baines' poorly placed spot kick but the limp attempt somehow found its way into the back of the net to give Everton a 2-0 lead to take into the half time break.
With no signs of improvement on the horizon, Oldham's super-sub and replay winner Matt Smith entered the fray ten minutes into the second half, and his introduction clearly had a positive effect as the 23-year-old helped the away side carve out their first real chances of the game in quick succession.
But Oldham's pressure was short-lived as Everton made it 3-0 on the 62nd minute after Leon Osman's Steven Pienaar-assisted backwards header was fumbled into the net by Bouzanis.
Not to be upstaged, fan favorite Smith gave Oldham a sense of hope when he headed in himself from a corner just a minute later to make it 3-1, but the goal proved to be too little too late as Everton held out to book its place in the last eight of the competition.
Goals from Kevin Mirallas, Leighton Baines and Leon Osman fired Everton into a quarterfinal tie with Wigan and ended Oldham's hopes of further FA Cup glory.
Mirallas opened the scoring after 15 minutes with a side-footed half-volley in front of goal before Baines doubled the home side's lead with a successful penalty kick 18 minutes later.
Oldham goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis fumbled Osman's 62nd minute header to gift the home side with a 3-0 lead but FA Cup wonderboy Matt Smith gave the traveling fans something to smile about with a headed goal of his own almost immediately after the restart.
Everton manager David Moyes made two changes from the side that suffered a 2-1 defeat to Norwich on the weekend, with Steven Naismith and the injured Marouane Fellaini dropping out of the starting XI and Kevin Mirallas and skipper Phil Neville coming in.
As for Oldham, caretaker boss Tony Philliskirk named an identical side from Saturday's win over Portsmouth, with former Everton youngster Jose Baxter starting in the center of midfield.
The underdogs started strongly and attempted to take advantage of Everton's recent vulnerability in defense, but Everton managed to find its feet after a few nervy opening minutes and exerted pressure on the away side with a constant stream of possession.
Oldham looked exposed down the flanks from the start and that proved to be the case when Everton scored their opener after 15 minutes. A perfectly placed Darren Gibson cross found Mirallas in front of goal and the Belgian striker broke away from the static defense and half-volleyed the ball past Bouzanis.
The game's intensity continued in the aftermath of Mirallas' opener when a defensive mix up at the other end allowed Oldham's Jose Baxter to strike the post with a great effort from the edge of the penalty area.
The resulting defensive clean up effort led to shouts from the away fans for an Oldham penalty after Neville's clearance hit Gibson's arm in the box, but referee Michael Oliver responded to the cries from the Oldham faithful with a shake of the head.
The home side's continued pressure paid off when another cross caused Oldham problems, this time resulting in a penalty with 33 minutes on the clock after Connor Brown needlessly handled the cross from Seamus Coleman.
Bouzanis got a hand on Baines' poorly placed spot kick but the limp attempt somehow found its way into the back of the net to give Everton a 2-0 lead to take into the half time break.
With no signs of improvement on the horizon, Oldham's super-sub and replay winner Matt Smith entered the fray ten minutes into the second half, and his introduction clearly had a positive effect as the 23-year-old helped the away side carve out their first real chances of the game in quick succession.
But Oldham's pressure was short-lived as Everton made it 3-0 on the 62nd minute after Leon Osman's Steven Pienaar-assisted backwards header was fumbled into the net by Bouzanis.
Not to be upstaged, fan favorite Smith gave Oldham a sense of hope when he headed in himself from a corner just a minute later to make it 3-1, but the goal proved to be too little too late as Everton held out to book its place in the last eight of the competition.
Bale can become a Premier League great, says Joe Cole
The West Ham veteran has stated his belief that the Spurs winger possesses the talent to one day be held in the same historical esteem as Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo.Joe Cole believes Gareth Bale has the ability to eventually be regarded as one of the greatest players in Premier League history.
The West Ham midfielder was on the losing side as the Hammers fell victim to a spectacular last-minute strike from Bale, his second goal of the night, giving Tottenham a 3-2 win at Upton Park.
That goal was the Welshman's 15th of a superb league campaign, and Cole feels Bale has the talent required to be considered one of the best ever.
"You can't help the goal from Bale - it's world class and he is in that kind of form at the moment," Cole told TalkSPORT. "He could be up there with the best players in the Premier League's history.
"He has still got some work to do, but he has certainly got the potential to be up there with the (Cristiano) Ronaldos and the (Thierry) Henrys that this country has seen. He is great to watch, but he's a nightmare to play against unfortunately."
The West Ham veteran has stated his belief that the Spurs winger possesses the talent to one day be held in the same historical esteem as Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo.Joe Cole believes Gareth Bale has the ability to eventually be regarded as one of the greatest players in Premier League history.
The West Ham midfielder was on the losing side as the Hammers fell victim to a spectacular last-minute strike from Bale, his second goal of the night, giving Tottenham a 3-2 win at Upton Park.
That goal was the Welshman's 15th of a superb league campaign, and Cole feels Bale has the talent required to be considered one of the best ever.
"You can't help the goal from Bale - it's world class and he is in that kind of form at the moment," Cole told TalkSPORT. "He could be up there with the best players in the Premier League's history.
"He has still got some work to do, but he has certainly got the potential to be up there with the (Cristiano) Ronaldos and the (Thierry) Henrys that this country has seen. He is great to watch, but he's a nightmare to play against unfortunately."
Roura: Madrid was far superior to Barcelona
The stand-in Camp Nou coach condemned the result that knocked the Blaugrana out of the Copa del Rey at the semifinal stage, but he believes his players will bounce back.Stand-in Barcelona coach Jordi Roura said that Real Madrid was far superior to Barcelona on Tuesday in its 3-1 win that knocked the Catalan power out of the Copa del Rey at the semifinal stage.
An early penalty kick goal from Cristiano Ronaldo set the tone before the Portuguese attacker doubled the lead in the second half. Raphael Varane’s header ensured that Jordi Alba’s late effort meant nothing as Los Blancos went through to face Sevilla or Atletico Madrid in the Spanish cup final.
"In the first round and in the Supercopa, the two teams were matched. They were decided by details. [But tonight, Madrid] were far superior and we lacked effectiveness," Roura, who was coaching in place of Tito Vilanova, told reporters after the match. "In football you cannot always control things; it is a game of mistakes. Madrid are one of the best teams around on the break. This is a thing that we knew, and we tried to control it but we lacked wisdom. That makes Madrid a great team.
"In La Liga, we have made a great effort. The first half [of the season] was the best ever. I do not think that this will affect us; perhaps this will give us peace of mind, because we have the league to focus on. But we do not have it won, so we must keep fighting."
Barca faces Madrid again on Saturday, but that match is considered less important as the Liga is almost in Barca’s grasp. It can serve a purpose as a rebound match, though, as early in March Barcelona will be tested against AC Milan in the Champions League.
Roura admitted the defeat in the Copa del Rey is hard to swallow, but he demanded his players turn their frustration into focus as they seek to overturn a two-goal deficit in the second leg of their last-16 tie against the Rossoneri."The attitude of my players was commendable. We will overcome this bump," Roura said. "I have confidence in my team, and we will be helped by our great fans, I'm sure.
"We’ve lost our Copa del Rey title, but our league situation is very favorable. It is essential for us. We also have an important match against AC Milan [to prepare for]. The Champions League and the league are major challenges that we'll fight for.
"When you are eliminated from a competition, players are sad, but still very competitive. We must recover."
The stand-in Camp Nou coach condemned the result that knocked the Blaugrana out of the Copa del Rey at the semifinal stage, but he believes his players will bounce back.Stand-in Barcelona coach Jordi Roura said that Real Madrid was far superior to Barcelona on Tuesday in its 3-1 win that knocked the Catalan power out of the Copa del Rey at the semifinal stage.
An early penalty kick goal from Cristiano Ronaldo set the tone before the Portuguese attacker doubled the lead in the second half. Raphael Varane’s header ensured that Jordi Alba’s late effort meant nothing as Los Blancos went through to face Sevilla or Atletico Madrid in the Spanish cup final.
"In the first round and in the Supercopa, the two teams were matched. They were decided by details. [But tonight, Madrid] were far superior and we lacked effectiveness," Roura, who was coaching in place of Tito Vilanova, told reporters after the match. "In football you cannot always control things; it is a game of mistakes. Madrid are one of the best teams around on the break. This is a thing that we knew, and we tried to control it but we lacked wisdom. That makes Madrid a great team.
"In La Liga, we have made a great effort. The first half [of the season] was the best ever. I do not think that this will affect us; perhaps this will give us peace of mind, because we have the league to focus on. But we do not have it won, so we must keep fighting."
Barca faces Madrid again on Saturday, but that match is considered less important as the Liga is almost in Barca’s grasp. It can serve a purpose as a rebound match, though, as early in March Barcelona will be tested against AC Milan in the Champions League.
Roura admitted the defeat in the Copa del Rey is hard to swallow, but he demanded his players turn their frustration into focus as they seek to overturn a two-goal deficit in the second leg of their last-16 tie against the Rossoneri."The attitude of my players was commendable. We will overcome this bump," Roura said. "I have confidence in my team, and we will be helped by our great fans, I'm sure.
"We’ve lost our Copa del Rey title, but our league situation is very favorable. It is essential for us. We also have an important match against AC Milan [to prepare for]. The Champions League and the league are major challenges that we'll fight for.
"When you are eliminated from a competition, players are sad, but still very competitive. We must recover."
Sergio Ramos: Ronaldo has always shown up for these big games
The defender was full of praise for the Portuguese forward and Raphael Varane following Real Madrid's overwhelming victory over Barcelona to seal a place in the Copa del Rey final.
Sergio Ramos has called teammate Cristiano Ronaldo the best player in the world after his inspirational performance led Real Madrid to an incredible 3-1 win at Barcelona in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal.
The capital outfit will play either Atletico Madrid or Sevilla in the final on May 18 after a pair of goals from Ronaldo and a corner kick header from Raphael Varane saw Los Blancos progress by a 4-2 aggregate scoreline. Jordi Alba’s last-ditch strike came too late for Barcelona to have any consequence, as Madrid coasted to the victory at Camp Nou, with Ronaldo's penalty kick and follow of a saved Angel Di Maria shot providing plenty of road fireworks.
Ramos was full of praise for Ronaldo’s display, telling reporters: “For me, Cristiano is the best in the world, and has always shown up in these types of games.
“We have done very well because against Barcelona it is complicated to find space. The result is deserved.”Ramos also had kind words for the performance of 19-year-old central defensive partner Varane, who scored a goal in each leg of the semifinal and was outstanding defensively throughout the tie.
"Young people like Varane must be given opportunities to play, and tonight, we have seen the positives [of this approach],” Ramos said.
The Spanish rivals will face each other once again on Saturday at Santiago Beranbeu in La Liga in what is sure to be another feisty clash despite Barcelona carrying a 16-point edge with 13 games remaining in the league season.
The defender was full of praise for the Portuguese forward and Raphael Varane following Real Madrid's overwhelming victory over Barcelona to seal a place in the Copa del Rey final.
Sergio Ramos has called teammate Cristiano Ronaldo the best player in the world after his inspirational performance led Real Madrid to an incredible 3-1 win at Barcelona in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal.
The capital outfit will play either Atletico Madrid or Sevilla in the final on May 18 after a pair of goals from Ronaldo and a corner kick header from Raphael Varane saw Los Blancos progress by a 4-2 aggregate scoreline. Jordi Alba’s last-ditch strike came too late for Barcelona to have any consequence, as Madrid coasted to the victory at Camp Nou, with Ronaldo's penalty kick and follow of a saved Angel Di Maria shot providing plenty of road fireworks.
Ramos was full of praise for Ronaldo’s display, telling reporters: “For me, Cristiano is the best in the world, and has always shown up in these types of games.
“We have done very well because against Barcelona it is complicated to find space. The result is deserved.”Ramos also had kind words for the performance of 19-year-old central defensive partner Varane, who scored a goal in each leg of the semifinal and was outstanding defensively throughout the tie.
"Young people like Varane must be given opportunities to play, and tonight, we have seen the positives [of this approach],” Ramos said.
The Spanish rivals will face each other once again on Saturday at Santiago Beranbeu in La Liga in what is sure to be another feisty clash despite Barcelona carrying a 16-point edge with 13 games remaining in the league season.
Mourinho sends captain Casillas to press conference after Barcelona triumph
The goalkeeper, who has been out with an injury since mid-January, hailed Clasico hero Cristiano Ronaldo.Jose Mourinho has made the unorthodox decision to send injured Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas to the post-match Barcelona press conference, and the goalkeeper has hailed Cristiano Ronaldo in the aftermath of the triumphant 3-1 win at Camp Nou.
The Portuguese coach was widely expected to make an appearance after a penalty strike from Ronaldo, a header from the star attacker and a headed goal from Raphael Varane ensured qualification for the Copa del Rey regardless of Jordi Alba’s late consolation.
Casillas, who has been out of action with a hand injury since mid-January and is expected to return two weeks into March, hailed the Portugal international’s impact and hopes this win mends wounds caused by their poor Liga performances.
"We decided it's a good time to bring up the captain," the Spain international said to reporters after the game. "We realize that we will not win the title, but it’s a good time to converse publicly with the Blancos fans considering our level in the league."This gives us more peace for the rest of the season. Barcelona did not look as good as Madrid. The team were brilliant defensively. Cristiano Ronaldo has also been crucial."
Casillas went on to hint that he wants the former Manchester United winger to stay at the Bernabeu despite reports linking him with a move away, and the skipper wants the win to propel the club on to better things this season."Real Madrid have beaten Barcelona tactically," he added. "Cristiano Ronaldo is proving its importance in the Real Madrid. He’s our most important player. He’s already demonstrated his level in other Clasicos, too.
"He will have to deal with [the contract] issue with the club, but for us it would be a joy."
The goalkeeper, who has been out with an injury since mid-January, hailed Clasico hero Cristiano Ronaldo.Jose Mourinho has made the unorthodox decision to send injured Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas to the post-match Barcelona press conference, and the goalkeeper has hailed Cristiano Ronaldo in the aftermath of the triumphant 3-1 win at Camp Nou.
The Portuguese coach was widely expected to make an appearance after a penalty strike from Ronaldo, a header from the star attacker and a headed goal from Raphael Varane ensured qualification for the Copa del Rey regardless of Jordi Alba’s late consolation.
Casillas, who has been out of action with a hand injury since mid-January and is expected to return two weeks into March, hailed the Portugal international’s impact and hopes this win mends wounds caused by their poor Liga performances.
"We decided it's a good time to bring up the captain," the Spain international said to reporters after the game. "We realize that we will not win the title, but it’s a good time to converse publicly with the Blancos fans considering our level in the league."This gives us more peace for the rest of the season. Barcelona did not look as good as Madrid. The team were brilliant defensively. Cristiano Ronaldo has also been crucial."
Casillas went on to hint that he wants the former Manchester United winger to stay at the Bernabeu despite reports linking him with a move away, and the skipper wants the win to propel the club on to better things this season."Real Madrid have beaten Barcelona tactically," he added. "Cristiano Ronaldo is proving its importance in the Real Madrid. He’s our most important player. He’s already demonstrated his level in other Clasicos, too.
"He will have to deal with [the contract] issue with the club, but for us it would be a joy."
Bale winner will deflate Arsenal, says Parker
The Tottenham midfielder believes that the Gunners will have been crushed by witnessing their local rival score a last minute winner against West Ham on Monday night Scott Parker feels Tottenham star Gareth Bale's late winner against West Ham will have deflated neighbors and fellow Champions League chaser Arsenal.
The Welshman netted the opener against the Hammers before an Andy Carroll penalty and a goal from Joe Cole put the hosts ahead. However, Andre Villas-Boas' side rallied, and it was Bale who had the final say in the 90th minute with a spectacular left-footed effort to clinch the points after Gylfi Sigurdsson had leveled.
Spurs now face the Gunners at White Hart Lane on Sunday, and Parker believes the manner of their win at Upton Park will be a blow to the confidence of their bitter rivals going into the game.
Parker told Sporting Life: "I've been in that position where you're watching the scores come up (on television) and it goes 'last minute goal at wherever' and you're praying it's the other team - and it isn't, it's the team that you don't want to score.
"So it is deflating as a player on the opposite end, and I'm sure the Arsenal players are like that.
"I'm sure they'll be thinking they need to concentrate on themselves and try to win the game against us, and if they win the game against us it goes down to a point so it's going to be tight."
The Lilywhites know victory over Arsenal will take them seven points clear of Arsene Wenger's side, which pipped them to Champions League qualification last term, an outcome which Parker is keen to avoid in this campaign.
"What happened last year drives us," added the veteran midfielder. "It's a focus and it's something we're aware of. We've worked really hard this season to get where we've got, and we can't afford to fall off it.
"The race for fourth place isn't over but we fully deserved the win against West Ham. Their goalkeeper had a world class game, but we still managed to get the three points."
The Tottenham midfielder believes that the Gunners will have been crushed by witnessing their local rival score a last minute winner against West Ham on Monday night Scott Parker feels Tottenham star Gareth Bale's late winner against West Ham will have deflated neighbors and fellow Champions League chaser Arsenal.
The Welshman netted the opener against the Hammers before an Andy Carroll penalty and a goal from Joe Cole put the hosts ahead. However, Andre Villas-Boas' side rallied, and it was Bale who had the final say in the 90th minute with a spectacular left-footed effort to clinch the points after Gylfi Sigurdsson had leveled.
Spurs now face the Gunners at White Hart Lane on Sunday, and Parker believes the manner of their win at Upton Park will be a blow to the confidence of their bitter rivals going into the game.
Parker told Sporting Life: "I've been in that position where you're watching the scores come up (on television) and it goes 'last minute goal at wherever' and you're praying it's the other team - and it isn't, it's the team that you don't want to score.
"So it is deflating as a player on the opposite end, and I'm sure the Arsenal players are like that.
"I'm sure they'll be thinking they need to concentrate on themselves and try to win the game against us, and if they win the game against us it goes down to a point so it's going to be tight."
The Lilywhites know victory over Arsenal will take them seven points clear of Arsene Wenger's side, which pipped them to Champions League qualification last term, an outcome which Parker is keen to avoid in this campaign.
"What happened last year drives us," added the veteran midfielder. "It's a focus and it's something we're aware of. We've worked really hard this season to get where we've got, and we can't afford to fall off it.
"The race for fourth place isn't over but we fully deserved the win against West Ham. Their goalkeeper had a world class game, but we still managed to get the three points."
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