Latest La Liga News

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SPAIN CONTINUE RELENTLESS MARCH

Spain continued their seemingly unstoppable march towards next year's World Cup finals after thrashing Belgium 5-0 in La Coruna to record their seventh win out of seven in Group Five.

Although Spain are still not yet assured of a place in South Africa after second-placed Bosnia-Herzegovina beat Armenia 2-0 earlier in the evening, it seems only a matter of time before the European champions seal their spot as they are six points clear with three games to go.

Valencia duo David Villa and David Silva both netted braces in the win, while Gerard Pique added the other. Villa also missed a first-half penalty when the game was goaless.

Spain dominated from the start and the only surprise was that it took them until five minutes before half-time to make the first breakthrough.

With strike duo Fernando Torres and Villa causing Belgium's defence all sorts of problems, Spain could have had the match sewn up inside the opening 35 minutes but a mixture of bad luck, poor finishing and good goalkeeping denied them.

Villa twice went close in the opening 11 minutes, shooting wide and then seeing what seemed a certain goal stopped by the foot of Belgium goalkeeper Jean Francois Gillet.

Torres then took centre stage, smashing a shot against the underside of the crossbar - although it would not have counted due to an infringement - before sending a good chance just wide following a brilliant pass by Xavi.

Spain were then handed a great chance to take the lead in the 22nd minute when Villa was sent crashing in the area by Anthony Vanden Borre after skipping past the Belgium number two.

However, the in-form hitman could not make the most of his good work as he missed the subsequent spot-kick, firing down the middle only to see the diving Gillet deflect the ball away with his foot.

Vicente del Bosque's side must have felt it was not going to be their day when they struck the woodwork for a second time in the 35th minute, Villa deflecting Torres' shot onto the near post, but the home side's dominance finally paid dividends five minutes before the break.

This time Villa turned provider, with his clever pass picking out Valencia club-mate Silva inside the area and the diminutive midfielder made no mistake with his left-footed finish.

That half-time lead was no more than Spain deserved, but it should have been a far more comfortable advantage.

That was not something the European champions needed to be worried about for long though, as they scored twice in the opening five minutes of the second half to put the game to bed.

After Torres had headed a clear chance well wide, Villa doubled Spain's lead in the 49th minute when fired home an unstoppable shot from the edge of the area.

Villa, whose goal was his 32nd for his country, was also involved in his side's third goal, picking out Pique unmarked near the penalty spot, and the big Barcelona centre-back showed good composure to control the pass before coolly slotting past Gillet.

That settled the outcome of the game, but Spain were not finished yet and Silva made it 4-0 in the 67th minute when he fired home from 25 yards out.

Outclassed Belgium, who now have no hope of automatic qualification out of Group Five, must have been hoping for the full-time whistle at that stage, but they almost pulled a goal back with 16 minutes to go when Iker Casillas did well to tip over Kevin Mirallas' shot.

However, it was Spain who looked the more likely scorers in the closing stages and Cesc Fabregas brought a good diving save out of Gillet before the Arsenal man laid his side's fifth goal on a plate for Villa to complete a hugely impressive win.

 

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VAN MARWIJK BACKS VAN DER VAART

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk has backed Rafael van der Vaart's decision to remain at Real Madrid.

Van der Vaart was expected to leave the Bernabeu before the transfer window closed last week but is believed to have shunned several offers to stay in Spain.

The former Ajax and Hamburg midfielder was not in the Madrid squad for their season-opener against Deportivo La Coruna and played for just the final 15 minutes in Holland's weekend friendly win against Japan.

Van Marwijk is entitled to be concerned as to how much club football van der Vaart will play this season but the Oranje boss is adamant the player has made the right decision.

"It's a decision which has a risk attached to it," he said.

"But he has told me he thinks he will get some playing time. For me, it's a good choice.

"He also has some issues in his private life which came into it."

Van der Vaart may take on a more prominent role in Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against Scotland in Glasgow due to Wesley Sneijder's ankle injury which could restrict the Inter Milan playmaker to a place on the bench

And with the Dutch already assured of top spot in Group Nine and a place in South Africa next summer, van Marwijk may shuffle his pack at Hampden Park.

One regular first-teamer who is likely to play, however, is Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.

Stekelenburg injured a finger in training on Friday and missed the weekend clash against the Japanese.

Utrecht stopper Michel Vorm started in his place with Vitesse Arnhem's Piet Velthuizen coming on at half-time but Stekelenburg will return at Hampden.





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WE'RE NOT THERE YET - DEL BOSQUE

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has warned his side not to think the hard work in their quest to reach the World Cup finals is over, despite continuing their 100 per cent record in Group Five.

Spain made it seven wins out of seven on the road to South Africa after thrashing Belgium 5-0 in La Coruna on Saturday night. But they are still not assured of a place in next year's finals, because second-placed Bosnia-Herzegovina are six points behind with three games remaining.

One of those matches sees Spain travel to Bosnia-Herzegovina in the final round of fixtures, and Del Bosque will be hoping his side have their World Cup ticket booked well before that game.

"It's a pity that after seven wins in seven encounters we still aren't qualified, and that's largely because of the pressure by Bosnia - who have won again," said Del Bosque.

"We need to continue pushing on, because there are still four points needed to be mathematically sure of going through - and we cannot take anything for granted until we've achieve it."

If Spain carry on producing the kind of performance they did against Belgium, though, not only will the European champions have no problem reaching South Africa, they will also be hard to stop once they are there.

Saturday's final scoreline could have been much greater - with a hugely impressive Spain side denied by the woodwork, some great goalkeeping and some indifferent finishing. David Villa also missed a first-half penalty.

In the end, two goals from Valencia duo Villa and David Silva - plus another from Gerard Pique - gave Spain the spoils and earned Del Bosque his 16th win in 17 games since he replaced Luis Aragones after Euro 2008.

"The team are carrying on the momentum from the European Championship which they won a year ago. We've played very well, with brilliant moments, against a good opponent who we've overcome with our quality and speed," Del Bosque told AS.

Spain are next in action against Estonia in Merida on Wednesday, when they could secure qualification to the World Cup finals depending on what happens in that match and how Bosnia-Herzegovina do in their tricky home fixture against Turkey.

Del Bosque is hoping the fans in Merida will give his side the same sort of support they received in La Coruna this weekend - and that his players can respond with a similar performance.

"I hope we can enjoy it again. The fans here at the Riazor were magnificent, sensational and extraordinary from the moment we arrived - both in quantity and quality," he said.






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Real Betis Rejected Achille Emana Offers - Agent

Emana Achille may have wanted to leave Betis, but the club did not want him to leave them...

Sep 8, 2009 1:53:15 PM

Real Betis ignored huge bids for Achille Emana over the summer to ensure that the player stayed, despite him telling them that he did not want to play in the second flight.

The Cameroonian international impressed during his first season in Spanish football, despite being unable to help the Andalucian outfit stay in La Primera Division.

After being relegated with Betis, Emana stated that he would have stayed if they had remained in La Liga but felt he had to move on because of the drop.

Unable to accept that they would lose their midfielder, Betis rejected several offers they received for him and he has remained with the club, his agent has revealed.

"Neither CSKA Moscow, who proposed €9 million, nor Stuttgart nor Atletico Madrid received any reply," Herve Tchinda was quoted as saying by L'Equipe.

Everton were also said to be interested, while Birmingham City saw a late bid to take him to the Premier League fail as Betis told them he was not going to move.

 

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Esteban Granero: I Do Not Want To Leave Real Madrid Again

Real Madrid are overdue a successful youth team product, and the midfielder hopes to be that man...
Sep 9, 2009 9:27:25 AM

Esteban Granero does not want to follow in the footsteps of so many Real Madrid youth team products and leave without having a chance to prove himself at the highest level.

The 22-year-old rose through the ranks at the Bernabeu before making a loan move to Getafe permanent only to then be bought back by Los Merengues this summer.

Buoyed by promises that he will be a regular member of the squad, Granero is looking to make his mark this season and hopes that he will not be forced to move on again in a year's time.

"I wouldn’t like to leave next year without having become an important player on the team," he was quoted as saying by the club's official website.

"Players who have been signed by the team are of unquestionable quality, but I used to have a coach who always said that we are all the same on the pitch, that we all have two feet, one heart and one mind. We are all the same.

"It’s our efforts, our confidence and our drive that tell us apart.

"[Director general Jorge] Valdano told me what I wanted to hear: that I am just another player and that I am here to stay. The rest is up to me. As long as everything depends on me I won’t try to blame anyone else.

"I depend on my work and my effort. I’m calm because I know that I will earn whatever happens.

"I spoke to [coach] Manuel Pellegrini after I signed for the team and he said the same as Valdano. He said he had faith in me and told me to work hard.

"I am grateful to him for always being straightforward with me. He always tells me what he believes I should improve on and not what I want to hear."

 

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ROBINHO HAPPY WITH BARCA LINK

Manchester City star Robinho has admitted he is flattered to be linked with a move to Barcelona.

Barca coach Pep Guardiola has confirmed he is an admirer of the Brazil international, fuelling rumours of a possible bid for his services when the transfer window reopens in January.

Robinho, who played for Barcelona's bitter rivals Real Madrid before moving to City, concedes it would be hard to turn down a move to the Nou Camp if Barcelona came calling for his services.

"It's not easy to say no to a team like Barcelona," Robinho told Marca.

"They are the European champions. It is a beautiful city and I like Spain a lot.

"I have always wanted to play at clubs like Barcelona. It's a great club, any player would be happy for them to show an interest.

"I am happy that a club like them have noticed me. Who would not want to play for a club alongside Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta, [Lionel] Messi, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic and all the rest?

"I like Barcelona, they're a great club."



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TORRES - IT SHOULD BE ALL OVER

Fernando Torres admits he can hardly believe Spain have still not booked their place at the World Cup despite winning all seven of their qualifiers to date.

The European Champions defeated Belgium 5-0 in La Coruna on Saturday to maintain their six-point advantage over Bosnia-Herzegovina at the top of Group Five.

With three qualifiers still to play, Vincente Del Bosque's men are still not guaranteed top spot.

"It seems incredible that we are not yet qualified," Liverpool striker Torres told a press conference.

Spain could secure qualification with victory over Estonia in Merida on Wednesday, though, provided Bosnia-Herzegovina do not beat Turkey the same day. Even a draw could be enough if Bosnia-Herzegovina lose.

Their 2-0 defeat to America in the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup in June is their only defeat in almost three years, but Torres believes the team have not yet reached their peak.

"We hope that our best has not come yet," he said.

"We want to improve, keep winning and getting better as a team, adapting to different systems."

Before losing to the United States, Spain had racked up a world record 15 wins in a row.

Midfielder Albert Riera, a club-mate of Torres at Anfield, is unwilling to call the current team the best Spanish side ever.

"We are doing important things and breaking records," he said. "But each selection has its stage, I do not like saying it is the best."

The Spanish federation said defender Gerard Pique, who scored against Belgium, has recovered from a shoulder injury and trained normally on Monday.

Right-back Alvaro Arbeloa is also expecting to be fit to face Estonia, despite picking up a foot injury against the Belgians.




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INTER CHIEF 'CRAZY FOR MESSI'

Inter Milan defender Javier Zanetti has said club president Massimo Moratti is desperate to take Lionel Messi to the San Siro.

The 36-year-old, who is the most capped player in Argentina history, has heaped praise on his countryman - but also says he is settled at Barcelona.

Inter president Moratti, though, is reportedly desperate to sign the young superstar and will do anything to persuade him to move to the Nerazzurri.

"Moratti is crazy for Messi," Zanetti told El Mundo Deportivo.

"He wanted to have him in the team but for the moment it's impossible. With Messi in the team Inter would be extraordinary.

"But Leo doesn't want to move from Barcelona - all the times that we have spoken about that he says that he is very happy, that he has fun and that he loves the way Barca plays football and all their people.

"That shows that he is a leader. But maybe when I am an official of Inter I have the chance to bring him over."




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REAL PLAY DOWN RIBERY TALK

Real Madrid director general Jorge Valdano has played down talk of a January swoop for long-term target Franck Ribery.

Big-spending Real were continually linked with the Bayern Munich star during the summer, but Bayern managed to keep hold of the Frenchman.

A number of Europe's top clubs have been credited with an interest in Ribery with rumours suggesting Real could rekindle their interest in the winger when the transfer window reopens in January.

However, Valdano insists Real are unlikely to make any new move for Ribery in the New Year.

"I do not believe the winter market is for players of the stature of Ribery, but I do not know," Valdano told Marca.

"Ribery is a matter of the past and perhaps something for the future, but the present consists of the 24 players who make up the Real Madrid squad."




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BETIS SHUNNED EMANA BIDS

Achille Emana's agent has revealed Real Betis refused to contemplate selling the midfielder this summer.

After excelling for the Andalusian outfit last term, the 27-year-old was expected to move on during the recent transfer window.

With his performances unable to prevent Betis from slipping out of the Primera Liga, it was predicted they would look to cash in.

There was no shortage of clubs willing to take on his services, with clubs across Europe tracking his availability.

Emana made it clear that he was keen to secure a switch elsewhere, with the 2010 World Cup at the back of his mind.

Betis, though, opted to snub a number of approaches, much to the player's disgust.

The Cameroon ace has since returned to Betis for the new season, and called a truce with the club's hierarchy, but his agent has admitted that a number of suitable bids for his client were never considered.

"Neither CSKA Moscow, who proposed €9million (£7.9m), nor Stuttgart or Atletico Madrid received any reply," Herve Tchinda said in L'Equipe.




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FABIANO OPEN TO SERIE A MOVE - AGENT

Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano has not ruled out a future move to Serie A despite being let down by AC Milan this summer, according to his agent.

Reports in Italy claim Juventus are keen to lure Fabiano to Turin next June as a replacement for French striker David Trezeguet, who recently announced he will leave the Bianconeri next summer.

"The market closed last week and it seems absurd to talk about transfers now," said Fabiano's agent Jose Fuentes to Corriere dello Sport.

"However, if there is an interest from an Italian club then we will sit down and listen.

"We have not had any direct contact with Juventus so far, but it is an honour that such an important club is interested in Luis."

The Brazil international came close to joining the Rossoneri this summer but the move never materialised with the clubs failing to agree on a transfer fee.

"Fabiano was disappointed when the Milan move collapsed," said Fuentes.

"For now he will not be speaking about the transfer market unless there is something concrete.

"He wants to do well with Sevilla and with the national team.

"Whoever wants him will have to get in contact with Sevilla first and then speak to me."

Fabiano has a £26million release clause and is under contract with Sevilla for a further two seasons.




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INIESTA CLOSE TO COMEBACK

Barcelona have revealed that Andres Iniesta could come into contention for Saturday's trip to Getafe.

The gifted playmaker has been out of action for three months with a thigh muscle injury.

He has not featured for Barca since their UEFA Champions League final success over Manchester United at the end of May.

The 25-year-old was also forced to pull out of Spain's Confederations Cup campaign this summer.

He is, however, closing in on full fitness and is expected to be back in the fold at Barca in the near future.

A viral infection has slightly delayed his return, but Pep Guardiola could return him to the heart of his midfield this weekend.




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SPAIN AIM TO SECURE WORLD CUP SPOT

Spain could join the growing list of countries to have secured their spot in the World Cup finals on Wednesday night, although the European champions will need a helping hand from Turkey to achieve that goal.

Despite winning all seven of their Group Five matches so far, the Spanish are still not sure of a place in South Africa.

Indeed, even an eighth win over Estonia in Merida may not be enough unless second-placed Bosnia-Herzegovina slip up against Turkey.

Spain are currently six points clear of Bosnia-Herzegovina with three matches remaining, so the only way Vicente del Bosque's side can guarantee qualification tomorrow is if their nearest rivals drop points against the third-placed Turks.

Del Bosque said: "It would be much better if we could qualify tomorrow. It was almost unthinkable that we could win seven successive games and not be through, but that's how the competition has developed and the most important thing is to finish the work we have done."

Spain go into Wednesday night's game against second-bottom Estonia having won 16 of their 17 matches under Del Bosque since the former Real Madrid coach took over from Luis Aragones after Euro 2008, with the only aberration being the shock 2-0 defeat to the United States in this summer's Confederations Cup.

That loss ended both an unbeaten 35-match run plus a 15-game winning streak for Spain, but it has been business as usual for the Iberian nation since then with successive wins over South Africa, FYR Macedonia and Belgium.

Saturday's 5-0 victory over Belgium was particularly impressive, and worryingly for Estonia and for any of Spain's future opponents, striker David Villa believes there is still to come from the European champions.

"We hope so. We are very happy with the game we played. It was one of the best matches since I've been with the national team, but you can always improve. And I think that we played better in the first half than in the second," said Villa, whose brace against Belgium took his tally with Spain up to 33 goals in just 51 appearances.

That has edged him ever-closer to Raul's national record of 44 goals - made in 102 appearances - and if Villa continues as he has been doing then it may not be too long before he passes the veteran Real Madrid striker's mark.

However, Villa insists his focus is on the short-term and not what might happen down the line, saying in Marca: "Now everybody is talking about the 44 goals, but what's on my mind is goal number 34, which is the next one.

"You never know and with the way things have gone it could happen (break Raul's record soon), but statistics don't help you achieve objectives."

Whereas Spain are closing in on a place in the World Cup finals, Estonia now have no chance of finishing in either of the top two places in Group Five.

Estonia suffered a dismal start to qualifying, losing their opening three matches including a 7-0 mauling at the hands of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Since then Tarmo Ruutli's side have managed to pick up five points, but Saturday's 4-2 loss at Turkey means their already slim hopes of an unlikely top-two finish are now mathematically over.




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FABREGAS HAILS 'INCREDIBLE' SPAIN

Cesc Fabregas hailed Spain's strength in depth after helping the European champions clinch their spot in next year's World Cup finals.

Fabregas netted his side's opening goal in their 3-0 win over Estonia last night, Spain's eighth successive victory in Group Five.

The performance may not have been as impressive as Saturday's 5-0 mauling of Belgium, but it showed that Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has a substitutes bench to envy.

The impressive Fabregas was one of four new faces in the Spain starting line-up compared to the weekend, while two other players, Santi Cazorla and Juan Manuel Mata, came off the bench to net their side's other goals in the final 10 minutes.

Taking into consideration as well that the likes of first-team regulars Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol and Sergio Ramos played no part in the game, and it is easy to see why Spain are considered one of the favourites to lift the World Cup next summer.

"This team is incredible," said Fabregas.

"Not only those that are on the bench, but there are also the players who couldn't make the game and who didn't make the squad despite enjoying the confidence of the coach.

"There isn't space enough for everyone. What's clear is that there is a lot of quality in Spanish football right now. It's a luxury."

Spain's win over Estonia made it 17 victories in 18 matches for Del Bosque since he replaced Euro 2008-winning coach Luis Aragones last summer, while it also continued the team's 100 per cent record in Group Five.

With their place in South Africa now secured it could be that Del Bosque will give more of his fringe players a chance in the remaining two qualifiers, but whatever happens, Fabregas believes it is important to keep the momentum going.

"We are calmer now, but we want to create a record that I don't know if any Spain side has achieved - to win the 10 games in qualifying. This would be great because it would enable is to go to the World Cup with confidence," said the Arsenal captain in AS.



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PEERLESS SPAIN SEAL FINALS SPOT

Spain secured their place at next year's World Cup finals after seeing off Estonia in Merida with goals from Cesc Fabregas, Santi Cazorla and Juan Manuel Mata.

With Bosnia-Herzegovina being held by Turkey earlier in the evening, Spain knew a victory over Estonia would be enough to guarantee themselves top spot in Group Five.

And the European champions made no mistake as they continued their 100 per cent record in qualifying with an eighth win in eight games.

Unlike Saturday's impressive trouncing of Belgium, it was more of a workmanlike display from Spain tonight and although Fabregas gave the hosts a 33rd-minute lead, Vicente del Bosque's men had to wait until the final 10 minutes to wrap up the game thanks to efforts from substitutes Cazorla and Mata.

The final scoreline may have been comfortable enough, but Spain took a while to get going and might easily have found themselves trailing inside the opening 20 minutes as Estonia created some problems for their hosts.

Tarmo Kink had the best chance in the 17th minute but was unable to keep his header down after Konstantin Vassiljev's superb cross from the left had cleared Carlos Marchena and found Estonia's number nine unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box.

Soon after that Sergei Zenjov put another opportunity wide at the near post after Estonia had again done well out wide.

Those were a couple of uncomfortable moments for Spain, but the hosts awoke from their slumber and were soon creating chances of their own.

Strike duo David Villa and Fernando Torres both fired over from decent openings, before the latter was denied by Sergei Pareiko after some Xavi magic had put the Liverpool hitman through on goal.

Torres then saw another effort deflected behind for a corner before Fabregas broke the deadlock just after the half-hour mark.

Fabregas, who was brought into the starting XI by Del Bosque for tonight's match, did well to steal possession deep in Estonia territory and a quick one-two with David Silva left the Arsenal man with only Pareiko to beat, and he did so with aplomb.

That was no more than Spain deserved after moving up through the gears, and it gave them a 1-0 cushion at the break - the same as against Belgium on Saturday.

However, unlike that match in La Coruna where Spain blitzed the Belgians with two goals in five minutes after the break en route to a 5-0 win, Del Bosque's men had to wait until the 81st minute to put more daylight between themselves and Estonia tonight.

Fabregas was also involved in that goal, scooping a pass into the area where Cazorla bundled his way through the challenge of Estonia captain Raio Piiroja before firing a right-footed shot past Pareiko.

That goal ended Spanish fears of a potentially costly late equaliser by Estonia, and Mata wrapped up the win with his side's third goal in stoppage-time.

Cazorla's deep cross picked out Mata at the far post and the Valencia winger showed good control and skill to create a shooting chance for himself before drilling a low effort past Pareiko to complete the triumph.



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INIESTA READY TO RETURN

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta has been given the green light to rejoin Pep Guardiola's side after more than three months out through injury.

The Spain international has not played since the Champions League final win over Manchester United in May due to a thigh problem, which had troubled him even prior to the 2-0 victory in Rome.

An illness then affected his recovery, but the Barcelona medical staff on Wednesday gave Iniesta the all-clear to resume playing and he could be involved in this weekend's Primera Division match against Getafe.



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JOB DONE FOR DEL BOSQUE

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque reflected on a "good day" for his side after seeing them book their place in next year's World Cup finals.

Despite boasting a 100 per cent record after their first seven qualifiers Spain still had not secured their ticket to South Africa, but with second-placed Bosnia-Herzegovina drawing with Turkey earlier on Wednesday night, the European champions knew a win over Estonia in Merida would be enough to guarantee themselves top spot in Group Five.

And the Iberian nation duly obliged, making it eight wins from eight after downing Estonia 3-0 following goals from Cesc Fabregas, Santi Cazorla and Juan Manuel Mata.

It was not a performance on a par with Saturday's impressive 5-0 thrashing of Belgium, but it was mission accomplished for Del Bosque.

"It's a good day. Even though the game hasn't been the best, we've qualified," said Del Bosque.

The Spain coach made four changes to the side that started against Belgium, and one of the newcomers, Fabregas, marked his inclusion with the opening goal in the 33rd minute.

"This goal is very important for me, especially for the confidence it gives me," said the Arsenal playmaker.

"It's a pleasure to play with these players and in front of these fans. Eight wins out of eight, not many countries can say that."

It was also a special night for Valencia youngster Mata, who came off the bench to notch his first goal for his country after firing home late on.

"This goal is for everyone, for my family who have always been there," said Mata, who also had words of praise for his team-mates.

"They are very good players. It's a pleasure and makes me proud to play here," he added on Spanish television after the game.

"At last we have obtained the qualification. Now we can start preparing for the World Cup. I need to have a good season to be able to be with the team in South Africa."




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FORLAN AGREES CONTRACT EXTENSION

Diego Forlan has agreed a new deal at Atletico Madrid after lengthy negotiations.

The former Manchester United striker has been locked in talks for a number of months with Atletico's hierarchy.

Now the Uruguay international has agreed terms on a four-year deal which will make him one of the highest earners at the club.

"He is very integrated in the Atletico project," Forlan's agents commented.

Atletico's sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch confirmed the deal was close, with Forlan expected to put pen-to-paper once he returned from World Cup duty.

With Forlan's new deal done, Ateltico will now turn their attention to Sergio Aguergo, with the hope of persuading him to extend his contract.



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MICHEL TAKES CHALLENGE IN HIS STRIDE

Michel's promising start to life on the Getafe bench will be put to the test this weekend when his early-season pacesetters play host to mighty Barcelona in the second round of Primera Division fixtures.

With no previous top-flight coaching experience and only limited time at Rayo Vallecano and Real Madrid Castilla, Michel may have been considered a surprise choice when relegation-threatened Getafe needed a replacement for the sacked Victor Munoz in April.

But the former Spain international has so far proved an inspired choice, guiding Getafe to safety last term with eight points from their final five games and then leading the club from the outskirts of Madrid to an unbeaten pre-season programme.

Then, in the opening game of this season, Michel masterminded a 4-1 away win over Racing Santander that has left Getafe top of the standings heading into this weekend's games.

It has been a happy marriage, but Michel's honeymoon period could be about to end as all-conquering Barca visit the Coliseum Alfonso Perez this weekend.

That game will provide Michel with a completely different challenge to any he has faced in his fledgling coaching career to date - although the 46-year-old insists he will be treating the fixture the same as any other.

"It's an incentive and something to look forward to, nothing more. There won't be any changes in the way we prepare and we won't be looking at our opponents more than at other times," said Michel in AS.

The former Real Madrid player was not in charge when Barca gave Getafe a footballing masterclass during their last visit to the Coliseum back in April, but he feels his team may be a different proposition this time around.

"If Barcelona play the same as they did in the first half then we will not be able to change many things (from that game), because they played almost perfectly," admitted Michel.

"At Getafe, what has changed is the security of the players, who are more capable and more willing to create things. They believe more in what they are doing.

"My players are not going to stand around watching (Barca's players)."

Barca could be boosted by the return of Andres Iniesta for the match after he was given the all-clear to resume playing this week after more than three months out through injury.

That is great news for Barca coach Pep Guardiola, especially ahead of next week's testing Champions League trip to Inter Milan.

While the top two in La Liga do battle near the capital this weekend, big-spending Real Madrid make the trip to Barca's backyard to take on Espanyol.

The match will be Espanyol's first league game at their new Cornella-El Prat stadium and they will be desperate to mark the occasion by putting one over a Madrid side that was revolutionised this summer to the tune of 250million euros.

There is also set to be a minute's silence prior to kick-off in tribute to Daniel Jarque, the Espanyol captain who died last month at the age of 26.

Ivan de la Pena, who has replaced Jarque as skipper, admits Saturday's game will be special for "the memory of Dani Jarque, because it's the first game in the stadium, and because the visitors are Madrid".

Barca and Madrid are both in action on Saturday night due to their Champions League commitments, as are Atletico Madrid and Sevilla.

Atletico, and in particular their board, look set to face the wrath of their fans as they play host to Racing Santander having lost their opening game 3-0 to Malaga. The Rojiblancos supporters are planning a protest at the match.

Sevilla, having lost to Valencia prior to the international break, will also be hoping to get back on track when they host promoted Real Zaragoza. .

The remaining games are on Sunday, when Malaga travel to Deportivo La Coruna, Villarreal face Real Mallorca, Osasuna are at Tenerife, Sporting Gijon meet Almeria, and Valencia are at Real Valladolid.

Segunda Division champions Xerez play their first ever Primera Division match in front of their own fans when they welcome Athletic Bilbao - a side who have never been out of the top flight - to the Estadio Municipal de Chapin.


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ASSUNCAO CALLS FOR ATLETICO CALM

Atletico Madrid midfielder Paulo Assuncao has urged the club's fans not to panic just yet as the Rojiblancos look to bounce back from their opening Primera Division defeat to Malaga by beating Racing Santander.

Abel Resino's side suffered a 3-0 humiliation at La Rosaleda on August 30 and have been left to mull over that setback for the best part of two weeks due to the international break.

The capital club have their opportunity to set the record straight on Saturday when Racing come to town, and Assuncao reckons Atletico have the quality to prevail in their first home match of the campaign.

"We had a good pre-season and we only lost one game," said the 29-year-old Brazilian, who missed the Malaga match through suspension. "We have an excellent squad with great players who play for the best national teams in the world.

"We have worked very hard and we have a great squad, so if we have a calm match then everything will be all right.

"If we're all united on Saturday, it will be much easier to accomplish our goals. The Atletico supporters have to remain calm."

Assuncao added: "Playing in front of our crowd will make us stronger. It's good to play at our home, with our crowd, which always supports us and will cheer us on once again.

"If we're relaxed and strong, then everyone will be on our side. It's always better to play at home, on our pitch. We players come out more excited in front of our fans and the atmosphere is always warmer, which pushes us on and is more positive for us. I think that we're stronger when we play at the Vicente Calderon."

Atletico have received a lot of criticism from fans since their Malaga mauling, and summer signing Juanito insists the supporters are entitled to their opinion.

"If the fans want to protest, that is their right," he said. "But on the pitch, we are all in the same boat and we need to row in the same direction."

Resino will be without Mariano Pernia, Ignacio Camacho and Raul Garcia through injury tomorrow.

Like Atletico, Racing also started their Primera Division campaign on a disappointing note last month with a heavy 4-1 loss at home to Getafe.

The Cantabrians now face an extremely difficult second match at the Vicente Calderon against a wounded Atletico.

Recent signings Henrique and Xisco could make their debuts with coach Juan Carlos Mandia set to make changes to the team which capitulated against Getafe.

Striker Alex Geijo reckons Racing must look to clean up their image after that result.

"You can't say that losing like that, to a rival that seemed beatable, does not affect you, but now we have to put that behind us and clean the image of the club," he said.

"There is still a long way to go."



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