Real Madrid fans are tingling with excitement at the prospect of seeing Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and company strut their stuff as their new-look Galactico team host Deportivo La Coruna today in the curtain-raiser to the 2009-2010 Spanish league season.
It has been an unforgettable summer with Real splashing around 250 million euros (US$350 million) to build a star-studded team, and there are likely to be a number of debutants against Depor with Ronaldo, Kaka, Xabi Alonso, Karim Benzema, Raul Albiol all expected to start.
French striker Benzema has been firing in the goals in pre-season while Ronaldo has been installed as chief free-kick taker as he was at Manchester United. It will also be Manuel Pellegrini’s first competitive game in charge of Real and everyone will expect the former Villarreal coach to have Real playing attractive winning soccer.
PHOTO: AP
“We have to play a game of two or three touches to play attractive football,” explained Pellegrini. “We have to take it a game at a time but a club of Madrid’s stature has to aspire to win all the competitions.”
Pellegrini will be without center-back Pepe who is suspended for the first four matches as his ten-match ban for stamping is carried over into the new season.
Due to European Super Cup commitments treble winners Barcelona begin their title defense on Monday at home to Sporting Gijon.
Sporting were beaten 6-1 and 3-1 last season so it looks a good game for Barcelona’s 69 million euro club record signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic to make an impact.
Ibrahimovic has to convince Barca fans that he is a worthy replacement for departed striker Samuel Eto’o and shrug off his reputation as someone who often flatters to deceive.
“Ibrahimovic has been adapting to our style of play and I am happy with him,” said Barca coach Pep Guardiola. “He is so tall that sometimes he doesn’t seem so dynamic but he has proven it in the past and will do in the future.”
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and