Real Madrid can move a big step closer to the Spanish Premier League title today with a win against Levante in one of the day's most anticipated matches.
Barcelona's shocking loss to Levante on Saturday means Real Madrid could extend their lead atop the La Liga standings to a huge ten points.
Manchester City will look to re-take first place in the English Premier League with a win against Robbie Keane and Aston Villa.
In Mexico, Club Tijuana takes on Cruz Azul in one of the better match-ups in the Mexican League as Edgar Castillo and Joey Corona look to knock off the Mexico City side.
If you will be watching today's action, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Today´s TV schedule is after the jump):
TODAY´S SOCCER ON TV
8:30 a.m. - Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer.tv - Wolverhampton vs. West Brom
8:30 a.m. - ESPN3.com - PSV Eindhoven vs. De Graafschap
9 a.m. - Fox Soccer Channel - Inter Milan vs. Novara
9 a.m. - FoxSoccer.tv - Parma vs. Fiorentina
9 a.m. - FoxSoccer.tv - Lille vs. Bordeaux
9 a.m. - ESPN3.com - Catania vs. Genoa
10 a.m. - DirecTV - Malaga vs. Mallorca
10 a.m. - DirecTV - Rayo Vallecano vs. Getafe
11 a.m. - Fox Soccer Channel - Aston Villa vs. Manchester City
11 a.m. - FoxSoccer.tv - Nice vs. Paris-St. Germain
12 p.m. - GOLTV - Valencia vs. Sporting Gijon
1 p.m. - Univision - Pumas UNAM vs. Puebla
1:45 p.m. - DirecTV - Villarreal vs. Granada
2 p.m. - GOLTV - Corinthians vs. Sao Paulo
2:45 p.m. - Fox Soccer Channel - Bologna vs. Juventus
3 p.m. - Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer.tv - Toulouse vs. St. Etienne
3 p.m. - Azteca America - Tijuana vs. Cruz Azul
3:30 p.m. - ESPN3.com - Real Madrid vs. Levante
We’re not telling tall tales here.
Arsenal didn’t have to win in spain. They had already won the first leg by virtue of scoring more goals than barcelona scored.
If things ended the way they were when rvp was sent off, arsenal were through. I don’t know the rules exactly, but I don’t think barca could have appealed just because they held arsenal to zero shots over an arbitrarily selected stretch of the 180 minute series.
It’s the injuries. They’ve had to rely on kids like Thiago, Cuenca and Tello, all at the same time.
Joe Hart is knocking dudes the ****out.
Hart. Stud.
Wait a minute. I see what you did there! You’re trying to compare Serie A teams to the crown jewel of MLS, America’s very own Super Club. Don’t be ridiculous. They’re not in the same category, let alone be mentioned in the same breath.
Finally some excitement in the City Villa match… streaker on the pitch! haha
“Could have won” when they got ZERO shots on goal for over a half with Van Persie, with Barcelona not even playing defensively? “Cool story,” as they say.
I just re-read my post and I realized that I basically described Dempsey, Steven Fletcher is the Irish version of Deuce. They even shop at the same stubble beard farm. No wonder I rate Fletcher so highly. Maybe some pros would have more success if they emulated their attitudes and their 5 o’clock shadows. I’m looking at you Torres and Carrol.
Here’s a boring view and worth considering. Regression to the mean. Yes, Barca has a tremendously talented squad and effective style of play – no doubt. However, given the extreme greatness they achieved, it is inevitable Barca falls back or deteriorates (to a certain degree) from that high performance at some point. Perhaps, this year is just that.
All the Serie A teams play on a university campus and it’s a school night so they can only sell 7500 tickets.
Yeah they did. Odemwingie is boss. But, if wolves go down (fine by me personally, don’t like their brand of soccer), Steven Fletcher will be a GREAT buy for some team next season. I rate him very highly and is one of my favorite forwards in the league; I like everything from his workmans-like style to his unorthodox finishing to his totally unkempt appearance, looks like a normal dude playing the game at the highest level. I love how he just plays and gets on with it. Would be great to see him my Fulham but I doubt we’d go after him.
One man team –when he is not on, they flop!
i think you hit the nail in the head.
At least Wolves got hammered. Better chance for Bolton.
Doesn’t look like of
There was attendance for that game?! I assumed the crowd was banned due to violence or something. There was NO ONE there. Like, no one.
Can someone tell me if Lichaj is in the 18 today or not? Thanks.
Who allowed City to play in those jerseys? From a distance they’re too similar o Villa’s. It’s like when you play FIFA and you make sure your team’s and your opponent’s kits are different enough so you can differentiate the players on the field. Even the same color shorts is throwing me off.
Ives, Real Madrid/Levante is also on ESPN Deportes in addition to ESPN3.
Ray Hudson does not agree with you. “AAAAAHHHHHH!” Sorry, I thought Messi hit a through ball.
As away goals said, Arsenal was up on aggregate. And yes, they did get “owned” – after their best player was unjustly sent off. And even after playing much of the game up a man (at home, mind you), Barca still only advanced 4-3 on aggregate.
Yep. Al-Jazzera Sports USA has the final of Coupe d’Afrique des Nations.
This is not a new phenomenon. I’ve been posting similar comments since I first started watching Serie A on FSC.
Has nothing to do with the weather. I had some Italian on a messageboard explain the reasoning but I can’t recall.
Notoriously of late, Serie A generally has bad attendance throughout the season.
I blame you.
African cup of nation ch 601 on dish …. It’s in Arabic though
The other thing they had going for them was being ahead on aggregate. Which if I recall correctly is an important factor in determining which team would advance.
Not sure where that comes from. You mean the game where Arsenal didn’t get a shot on goal in the 56 minutes before Van Persie was sent off, or in the rest of the game? Arsenal’s entire offense was a Busquets OG on a set piece. Arsenal got owned, but at least they didn’t get owned any worse than Man United in the final, so there they had that going for them.
I’m guessing it’s partly due to the cold weather in Europe, and Italians don’t do cold.
He has played there before.
Can anyone explain to me why attendance in the Serie A is so bad? Bad crowd at the Inter game and 75% of the stadium was empty for Cagliari v Palermo!
Lack of depth, a greater effort to rotate players, complacency, and losing Villa. Real has more interchangeable parts and greater depth.
Anyone know what happend with Tim Ream?
Right, but it’s just a link to the Mirror article which, as we’ve already established, is pure tripe.
agreed.
I can’t think of a US Nats coach that was being tapped for a high profile job? I don’t dispute you but I really don’t recall. Bora?
it will be on first row sports . eu without the spaces obviously
but I agree, looks like it should be a great game
We’ve had coaches in the rumor mill before, but I’m glad he’s there
No mention about african cup of nations final today and no TV coverage..what a shame!! some of the best players on earth and an exciting team like Ivory Coast playing yet this part of the world ignores it…Anyone knows where it might be aired? Thats the only game I’m interested in seeing really
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/gossip
It’s under the gossip section of the BBC website.
I am not sure whether this is right, but the pre-game line-up on the Bundesliga.de web site is showing that Timmy Chandler is starting today at right winger, not right back, which is a move I have been advocating for months. Will find out in a few minutes whether this is accurate.
oh yeah, it’s utter crap. But the fun part is that Klinsy’s in the rumor parade. I feel like we’re part of the soccer consciousness if there are rumors swirling around the coach. 🙂 Cheers.
Please tell me you didn’t just confuse the Mirror with the BBC. The Mirror is a tabloid, plain and simple. Notice that there wasn’t even the hint of a source for that story. It doesn’t even claim that “sources say…” The writer completely fabricated it.
There’s a certain cache to having your national team manager the subject of rumors. I like it.
As great as Barcelona is, I think they are overrated. Let me repeat – they’re great. But the way people slurp them up you’d think they were the ’92 Dream Team and every other team on the planet is Angola, just happy to be there. Remember, if not for an absurd second yellow given to van Persie, Barca may very well have lost to Arsenal in the Round of 16 of last year’s Champions League.
And on an unrelated note, this is on the BBC website, Klinsmann to replace Harry Redknapp at Tottenham if he takes the England job.
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/EXCLUSIVE-Jurgen-Klinsmann-lined-up-to-replace-Harry-Redknapp-as-Tottenham-manager-article864337.html
I think Barca played Osasuna yesterday and lost 3-2.
Just RM being more consistent. They are not dropping points, other than to Barca. It is very strange.
Ives: so Levante played Barca yesterday and Madrid today? Tough scheduling!
Crazy how (as someone who has only casually followed la liga this season) Real Madrid is poised to run away with the title while the “common knowledge” still holds to everything Barca. Who is to blame? Injury? Complacency in the players, poor decisions by Pep? Or Real Madrid simply on the rise?