FRENCH YOUNGSTER AIMS FOR THE TOP WITH REAL MADRID

Raphael Verane completed his £8.5 million move to Real Madrid during the summer, having played just 23 first team games for French outfit, Lens.

He had also only just completed his high-school economics paper.

After being pursued by Manchester United for months, as well as being monitored by many more top sides across Europe, it was Zinedine Zidane – now an ‘advisor’ for Madrid – that actively encouraged the move to theBernabeu. The French legend convinced Jose Mourinho and Florentino Perez to make sure they made the youngster wear the famous white shirt.

Highly-rated he may be, but in terms of experience, Varane is a complete novice. So, the question as to whether he can make the huge step up is very much on the agenda.

At 18-years-old, with just a handful of league games under his belt, many are asking if Verane made his first big career move too soon.

The fact that Real already have an abundance of options in central defence; Pepe, Carvalho, Sergio Ramos and Albiol – means he may have limited chances of playing regularly in the immediate future.

Varane’s rise to the top began after impressing the Lens coaching staff with assured performances beyond his years. He ascended through the youth teams, even playing for the club’s under-19s despite being two years younger than some of his team mates. Lens’ youth coach Eric Assadourian described Varane as a “truly first class player” who is “comfortable on both the tactical and technical level.”

Such praise from his youth mentors convinced first-team manager, Jean-Guy Wallemme to call him into the senior side’s training sessions. In November 2010, the French youngster with Martiniquais heritage got his break when Lens suffered a defensive injury crisis.

Verane made his debut against Montpellier, earning praise from his team mates for his impressive performance. He continued to start for the side, even moving into defensive midfield and looking equally as comfortable.

In his first season at Lens, Varane had shown that he was more than capable of becoming a truly special player. Possessing strength in the air, speed, positional awareness and elegant grace on the ball – he has been likened to former France captain Marcel Desailly.

These qualities show just why Real Madrid made their move. But just how successful can he be?

You would have to say that, with playing time, he could go on to be one of the world’s top defenders. However, with regular football unlikely at present – he has made only two appearances so far – there are question marks about the wisdom of moving to a club with so much competition.

After all, he has stepped up from a failing French side to one of the world’s leading football clubs – that is not an easy thing to do, and the pressure is on.

A likely option for both parties is that Varane makes a loan move to another club to help aid his development as a player. This, currently, seems to be the best outcome for the French under-21 international. He needs game time if he is to continue progressing as he has done over the past year or so, and that seems to be the only way he will achieve that.

To add to the dilemma however, Spanish daily Marca have reported that certain Real youth coaches are unhappy that Varane is leapfrogging home-grown defenders such as Nacho and David Mateos. Despite this, it is clear that Real Madrid and Jose Mourinho have faith in him.

When he signed for the club, it was on a six year deal – highlighting just how highly regarded he is for the club’s future.

Whether he stays and fights seasoned internationals for a first-team place, or makes a loan move, Varane simply needs to be playing football. He is far too talented to sit on a bench week in, week out wasting his talent.

Jose Mourinho will have plans for him, that is certain.

Verane’s former coach Wallemmesummed up the player’s situation perfectly when he said: “Real Madrid are not crazy, they would have looked at the market for young central defenders and decided that there aren’t many of Varane’s calibre.

“Apart from his tremendous abilities, he’s amazingly calm, intelligent and a great listener. He faces a huge challenge at Real, but if anyone can make it, it’s him.”

There is a feeling that he can’t be held back much longer, and wether it is at the Bernabeu or out on loan, Raphael Verane is sure to  carry on his meteoric rise to the top of the game.

ALVES: “SOME SHOOTING AND ROCKETS BUT NOW THE GLASSES ARE NOT DELIVERED”

Dani Alves took his winning side at a press conference and said that “the team will fight to the death” saying the game at the Bernabeu as important by the distance that now separates Barcelona to Madrid

Dani Alves called for calm and sent a reassuring message for all those who tremble at the situation of the team in the league, in which Real Madrid has distanced six point lead, iron and took issue with an optimistic message.

“There is still a great deal, while not deliver the Cup to the winner no life. Lots of it is handed over and are throwing rockets, but the challenge is exciting and it fascinates us. Is not given any drink at this time, fortunately for us is much yet and one of the keys to this team is that it does not give up ever, “he said.

However, they noted that the match at the Bernabeu as a vital meeting the aspirations of the Catalans league should continue as at present all the time to visit to Real Madrid. ”The distance of nine points if they lose at the Bernabeu would be tremendous, but I do not think about that, I’ll respond. We will go and compete as we know.”

Alves did not hide the point of self-criticism that should make the team stating that “the margin of error and is over” and surely the team “has done something wrong” but said that this group still has a lot of credit remaining true to his style.

“You can go from being the rehostia to be nothing. People go to extremes, we must find the balance. They are circumstances. Never change the way we play for results, we have a philosophy and if we must die to die it, “he said.

He added: “At home we have a balance important, we make a few goals and was not, are things that need improvement. A little more care when defending set pieces because we are a team of midgets. There to be more focused on that. ”

The Brazilian showed his full support for Pep Guardiola and warned they will feel pressure from now on. ”Psychologically we are going to try to lower the soil, but we are very strong and very broad back. Any opinion that does not help have a super shield. Most would give them the title and Madrid and we know it,” he warned.

Alves also revealed that they have maintained a conversation with Pep but will never know its contents. The plot of the wardrobe is complete. ”What Guardiola has told us we will keep it under lock and key. You will not never know what Pep has told us,” he said.

THE VERDICT OF THE CROWD

Barca lost Getafe on Saturday and defeat seems to have affected the Barça fans

From the SPORT website we have proposed four surveys to our readers, to know the feeling after the defeat at FC Barcelona Getafe. And the truth is that, at least in these first hours after the KO, the defeat seems to have done harm among Barcelona fans.

For example, it is understood that the defeat was entirely fair. That’s the opinion of 65% of those who responded to the question: “Do you think that the defeat of Barcelona in Getafe is just?”.Only 35% of respondents believe that Barca deserved a better result on Saturday night.

Fans understand that Fernando Texeira Vitienes arbitration influenced the outcome of the game, but you can not say that there is a significant majority think so. In fact, 52% are those who have answered yes to the question of whether the arbitration had conditioned the outcome, while 48% think that not influenced.

And the future is that you can not look with great optimism. Thus, 74% of respondents think the team will arrive at the Bernabeu with the six points behind (regardless that the club will have a game more played, on Tuesday against Rayo Vallecano) and only 26% thinks it will win at Levante, Real Madrid will not expire in the field of Sporting Gijon and therefore the difference the 10-D may be less than six points.

Finally, the Catalans feel pessimistic about whether the team can still win the league. 57% thought that no, the league and you can not win, and only 43% still hopes that Pep Guardiola will win their fourth consecutive league title.

FC Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta’s low will cause the next league match against Getafe

Pep Guardiola will be without for the match against Getafe midfielder with manchego, limping from the concussion he dragged from the match against Zaragoza.

“Despite the improvement, the left leg pain persists. Therefore, it is thought appropriate that the player is low for Saturday’s game. The evolution of the bruise mark the availability for the next matches,” said the statement offered by the club doctor.

Santpedor coach, however, recovered Adriano, who has been discharged.

The squad for the next league match, therefore, is as follows:

Valdés
Pinto
Alves
Pique
Fàbregas 
Puyol
Xavi 
Villa
Alexis
Messi 
Thiago
Mascherano
Keita
Sergio
Peter
Maxwell
Adriano
Abidal
Fontàs
I. Basin

GUARDIOLA: “THE NEXT THREE GAMES ARE A DANGEROUS PHASE”

“What we’re waiting until the end of the year is fascinating, and it all starts winning tomorrow,” said FC Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola, who described the match against Getafe on “vital and fundamental”

Getafe, Levante Ray and cross into the path of the boat before the visit to the Bernabeu. Then came the great event of the end of year: the World Club Cup in Japan. Guardiola knows that to get the classic live, your team must win the next three league games. ”This is a very dangerous stage and we have to focus. We put a lot of mental effort to not allow ourselves to points along the way,” he said.

Although the coach of Barça victory account for visits to the Coliseum Alfonso Perez, warned that the team of Luis Garcia, as always, will not easy.”The coach who now heads the Getafe is the one that was on the east coast last year, and we had a hard time beating the two parties. It’s a team that has been bolstered this year and are at that stage to finish adjusting the parts, but the things I do do well, “he argued Guardiola, who stressed that all Madrid is better than showing the classification, it” has lost many games and tied in the final minutes. ”

In Getafe, Barca travel without Andres Iniesta, also in San Siro absent because of a bruised left thigh suffered in the last league match against Zaragoza. Guardiola said that Iniesta “is nothing serious,” but “not just be fine” and prefers to reserve “given what we have before Christmas and then in January when we will play most of the Cup.”

Nor will travel to Madrid his assistant Tito Vilanova, recovering from surgery who underwent the last Wednesday in the parotid gland. ”He’s following the usual steps in a post-operative, but is encouraged. He is strong and this will make you even stronger,” Guardiola said after visiting the Thursday at the Hospital Vall d’Hebron.

DEFENSE OF THREE

One of the questions will be whether in Getafe, Barcelona will play to the defense of three, which has suffered more than the account in the latest appointments, or return to the four. In this sense, Guardiola recalled that at San Siro, after 37 minutes, his players “had been shot five times at one meter Abbiati” thanks to the offensive power of 3-4-3. ”With three back we have never lost, but the day we lose I have assumed that up to give me an ID card,” he added.

Guardiola also praised the renewal until 2015 Barcelona B midfielder Jonathan dos Santos: “Barça could not miss.’s A player too good, too high to go so young (21 years) from here.”

Finally, the Barça coach downplayed the fact that goalkeeper Iker Casillas, captain of the Spanish team Jose Mourinho has voted, Vicente del Bosque and André Villas-Boas as coach of the year.

“The three that voted are fantastic. And everyone is entitled to vote for whomever you please, just be missing,” he said Pep Guardiola.

Chelsea FC: 10 Greatest Blues Captains of All Time

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Chelsea Football Club have had many captains during their illustrious 106-year history.

In this article I will list, in my opinion, the 10 greatest Blues captains of all time.

You may or may not agree with my selections, but feel free to debate in the comments below, and perhaps suggest your own players who should be in the top 10.

Conclusion

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Agree? Disagree?

Should someone have been higher up? Should other players have made the list?

Feel free to discuss in the comments section below.

1. John Terry

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This man needs little introduction.

Arguably one of the most recognisable figures in world football today, the 30-year-old is the most successful Chelsea captain ever and also the club’s all-time highest scoring defender.

The English centre-back has also surpassed 450 appearances for the Blues.

Having lifted the Premier League trophy three times, it’s an absolute certainty that Terry will most go down as a club legend.

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Wenger not for qutting

Arsene Wenger has dismissed speculation over his future in a message to Arsenalsupporters in his programme notes ahead of their Champions League game with Borrussia Dortmund.

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