In American sports, pundits and journalists throw around the phrase "trap game" when describing a game that would be looked over in anticipation of more important matters in the immediate future. With a pivotal UEFA Champions League fixture with Inter Milan on Tuesday and El Clásico on Sunday against Real Madrid, it would be human […]

It is Friday, which means it is time to prepare for non-stop action from Spain with La Liga back in the fray. After an intense week of World Cup qualifying playoffs, the focus turns back to the domestic responsibilities. The times listed are Eastern Standard Time (EST) and include the pregame pleasantries, although sometimes the […]

If the Copa del Rey is played, but hardly anyone cares about it, did it really happen? To say that some of the La Liga teams think of the cup as a nuisance would be quite an understatement. With the overloaded fixture list consisting of European and domestic matches, the Copa del Rey is near […]

Halloween will arrive in a few days, but for Atlético Madrid, this season has been a complete nightmare from the beginning. Los rojiblancos hit their low point with a dull thud on Saturday when they could not fend off a nine-man Mallorca team and settled for a 1-1 draw at the Vicente Calderón. Even though […]

After a workmanlike 1-0 victory against Almería and a mediocre showing in their 0-0 draw at the Mestalla against Valencia CF on Saturday, FC Barcelona looked to reverse their form in the Champions League against a supposed weaker team in FK Rubin Kazan. To their credit, Barça did not make any excuses about their performance […]

The theory is that because of the low amount of scoring in football, using particularly protective and cynical tactics ruins the sport whose nature inhibits a high amount of goals per match. Football's common nickname is "The Beautiful Game," but from where did that phrase initially originate? Credit is usually given to 50's and 60's […]

Tuesday and Wednesday brought about Match Day 2 in the UEFA Champions League, and the four representatives from Spain had interesting ties that helped shape their respective groups. On Tuesday, Sevilla FC visited Rangers FC at the Ibrox Stadium, where the European night atmosphere is second to none, buoying their beloved Gers, and FC Barcelona […]

That the EPL is the best championship in the world is plain for everyone to see. The teams are far and away the strongest, most physical, and quickest. With exceptions to super teams like Barcelona, the four Premier League teams involved in the Champions League can (and do) knock off foreign opposition rather easily. Yet […]

Some years, it seems like the UEFA Champions League is one part football, four parts money and twelve parts hype. This year, however, the hype surrounding the Champions League Final certainly seems justified. Manchester United v. Barcelona. Champions of England v. Champions of Spain. Both clubs are goliaths. Both clubs have already won two domestic […]

With four games of the Premier League campaign left, Fulham are leading the 'race' for seventh place and for the Cottagers it will be a rare European adventure. This would of course be via the all singing, all dancing UEFA Europa League. This 'new' competition was created by reformatting and re-branding the ailing UEFA Cup. Normally to fans […]

Earlier this morning, our friend The Gaffer lamented that ESPN's loss of the UEFA Champions League TV rights would be bad for soccer in America. After all, ESPN remains the primary vehicle for sporting culture in this country, and if the "Worldwide Leader in Sports" suddenly doesn't care enough to keep this planet's biggest club […]