The first year of the post-Manuel Pellegrini era commenced with a startling thud, as through seven rounds last season, Villarreal propped every other Primera División team up at the bottom of the table. This smooth, plucky team from the Valencian Community had not felt such futility since they made their maiden voyage to La Liga […]

Injuries forced Vicente del Bosque to alter his standard squad for Spain's forthcoming Euro 2012 fixtures against Lithuania on Friday and Scotland on Tuesday. Xavi Hernández is suffering from tendinitis, Cesc Fábregas has an ankle injury, Jesús Navas is dealing with a thigh strain, Fernando Torres limped off against Blackpool on Sunday with a groin problem […]

A half-empty stadium. A running track surrounding the pitch that places the fans further away from the action. Supporters that create less noise and din than those at the Vancouver Olympic Centre, where the Olympic Curling competition is contested. The ONO Estadi hardly constitutes as an intimidating atmosphere, but RCD Mallorca has managed to maintain […]

At the crossroads of the Pyrenees and the fruitful Ebro valley lays the Estadio Reyno de Navarra in Pamplona, where RCD Mallorca visited Osasuna in Round 14 of La Liga. A cold, crisp night with a wintry wind whipping through the bones of the players and the supporters, the below freezing weather suits no team […]