Match Centre

By Tom Flatt, follow him on Twitter @ZolasBackHeeel

Chelsea are 15 points behind Manchester Utd with under a third of the season left to play. Alex Ferguson has risked getting blue egg all over his face this week by claiming Chelsea are out of the title race, and to all but the most optimistic (stupid) Chelsea fans, they are. But, at the risk of sounding deluded, there is still a slight, far-away, barely visible glimmer of hope for the Londoners.  

We have been inundated in recent days and weeks with inspirational messages from the likes of Frank Lampard and John Terry, the latter claiming: “It is a must-win game [against United] for us and the fans are going to be up for it. If we can win, who knows, it could put a little bit of pressure on them and the teams around us.”  This is reminiscent of the words of some of the Bayern Munich players and staff this week, who boasted their chances of catching Borussia Dortmund in the title race, only to refute that belief after succumbing to a 3-1 defeat, backtracking somewhat afterwards, saying they had really given up hope weeks ago.

Likely lineups:

Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Cole; Ramires, Essien, Lampard; Anelka, Torres, Malouda

Man Utd: Van Der Sar; O’Shea, Vidic, Smalling, Evra; Carrick, Fletcher, Scoles; Rooney, Berbatov, Nani

With tomorrow’s match the first meeting in the Premier League this season between the two, that is already 6 points to play for. Oh, and Chelsea have a game in hand. That’s already 9 points closer to United, narrowing the gap to four! Oops, I’ve lost track of my optimism. Impartiality is difficult to maintain when stakes are so high. It’s win or bust for Chelsea, after all.

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By Ulysse Pasquier, writing from Montreal

There will be much more than just golden statuettes distributed on Sunday as Arsenal will look to end their 6 year trophy drought against Birmingham in the Carling Cup final. Arsenal’s lack of silverware since 2005 has been a talking point in the press - for what seems like forever for us Gooners - and yet it will be Alex McLeish who will have the task of ending the longest winless run with Birmingham lifting their only major trophy back in 1963. Puts things in perpective doesn’t it? However Arsene Wenger has evidently felt under pressure this season breaking off with his nonchalant attitude toward the League Cup and lining up stronger sides. The Gunners will be eager to silence the critics but will first have to get past a strong Birmingham side and do so without the injured Theo Walcott and Cesc Fabregas. 

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By Saheli RC, writing from Singapore

After 15 games, an eight point gap has emerged between second placed Real Madrid and third placed Villarreal. Gone are the days where Valencia led the championship race and Deportivo La Coruña fielded an actual football team.

The real excitement in La Liga these days lie in the battle for the remaining European spots; as Espanyol, Valencia, Atlético Madrid, Getafe and Athletic Bilbao all vie for the last Champions League slot, and the subsequent Europa League places. This is the last round of play before the winter break starts and La Liga will pick up again in the first week of the New Year. This upcoming match day has an exciting series of line ups including the Catalan derby, and some truly sleep inducing ones as well where you’d be better off doing your laundry instead.

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By Dominic Vieira, writing from Lancaster

The first El Clasico of the season will be played at the Camp Nou and is one of the most anticipated clashes between Barcelona and Real Madrid in recent years. Twenty two of the world’s most established footballers will be playing and entertaining tonight, including several World Cup champions and the last 2 Fifa Award winners. Here is 5 possible player battles to watch out for:

Valdes vs Casillas

The Spanish pair are La Liga’s top keepers; Valdes has conceded 8 times and the Real captain 6 goals in 12 league fixtures. The stoppers are both cantera products, quality goalkeepers and two of the most experiences players on the field tonight. Iker Casillas is regarded as the world’s best goalkeeper and Spain’s number one choice, these two factors will motivate Valdes to deliver a breathtaking performance for his supporters. It won’t be a surprise seeing Casillas demonstrate his ability and leadership in a match of this importance. 

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By Elizabeth Hanchett, writing from Toronto

As I’m sure everyone knows by now, today, Monday 29 November is one of the biggest days in Spanish football, possibly football as a whole.  It is the big clásico, the classic, FC Barcelona vs. Real Madrid, the two biggest clubs in Spain, and the most successful.  Sure, there will be another one coming up next April, but at the moment, this is what’s on everyone’s mind, especially that of those who follow FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.

And if you don’t…I’m sure you’re wishing the entire thing would just be over so you can enjoy the rest of the Liga in peace, because you know that Barça-Madrid isn’t all that important, that there are other teams in the Liga.  But bear with us, please.

I’m going to attempt a match preview between the clash of the Spanish giants; this one in particular is viewed by many as not just a match between the two biggest clubs in Spain but it is also a clash of ideologies, especially this season, with José Mourinho bringing a no-holds-barred, no-nonsense (or all nonsense, depending on your opinions of the Portuguese manager), take-no-prisoners approach commonly employed by Real Madrid’s highest-profile signing of last summer, and Pep Guardiola, the careful, patient, perfectionist, tactical vision of Barcelona’s homegrown Catalan coach.  Mourinho focuses on winning the match as efficiently as possible, Guardiola on winning the match as beautifully as possible.

Mourinho, it has been argued, was signed this summer expressly for this match, the clash against Barcelona.  Real Madrid has not beaten Barcelona, in either stadium (the Camp Nou in Barcelona or the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid) since 8 May, 2008, when the Catalan side fell 1-4.  Since then, Barcelona has won every single encounter, with only two goals having been conceded in four matches, and eleven goals scored in favor of the Catalans.  After Mourinho’s Inter Milan side last season managed to beat Barcelona 3-1 in the first round of the semifinals of the Champions League earlier this year, Florentino Pérez knew that he had to sign the one coach who had managed to stop the Catalan juggernaut in its heyday.

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By Dominic Vieira, writing from Lancaster

Invincibility is an astronomical challenge which very few managers achieve in a season or career, especially in the 21st century where the fixture list is condensed with dozens of highly competitive encounters. The most consistent team in recent times would be Arsenal who were unbeaten for 49 consecutive Premier League matches under Arsene Wenger. This season Alex Ferguson (Aged 68), Jose Mourinho (Aged 47) and Andre Villas-Boas (Aged 33) are the remaining undefeated managers in Europe. Manchester United hasn’t lost in 20 games, FC Porto’s unbeaten run has stretched to 19 matches and Real Madrid’s tally stands at 17.

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By Gordon Fleetwood, writing from New York City 

 A little over four months ago the World Cup hopes of Brazil and Argentina were dashed within twenty-four hours of each other. O Selecão fell 2-1 to the Netherlands in a game where a mental collapse was their undoing. A day later Argentina were booking their flights home, as they were ripped apart by the rampaging Germans. Since then, their have been tears, inquiries, quarrels, and coaching changes, not to mention lots of finger pointing. Now with both juggernauts early in their redevelopment process, the rivals face each other in a midweek friendly, on the Arabian Peninsula, in Doha, Qatar. Though, as we all know, the tag of friendly can never be attached to any clash between these two giants of our game.

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By Oliver Sparrow and Ulysse Pasquier, writing from London and Montreal

Join Oli and Ulysse as they foretell of a Wellington versus Napoleon-esque encounter between the two old foes of England and France at Wembley tomorrow evening (8pm GMT)

“Friends, football fans, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Blanc.

I address you at a time of great peril for our nation, for our Gallic foes from across the Channel have signalled an attack on our fine fortress of Wembley, and their arrival is imminent. This is a call to arms, a plea to the great and strong of these lands to make your way to northwest London and help repel these foul assailants.

For those who fear not our French foes after their ill-fated and audacious attempt to plunder the galleon of Rimet on the shores of the South African Cape, take heed. At their helm now is a man whose subjects dare not defy. Rather, they admire and respect him. He is a leader of men, one who was once befit to grace Laird Ferguson’s red army of Manchester.

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