Ronaldo passes Euro 2012 exam with flying colours to send Dutch & Danes packing

 

Cristiano Ronaldo answered his critics in stunning style on Sunday night with his virtuoso performance in Portugal's 2-1 victory over Netherlands at Euro 2012.

After enduring a difficult start to the competition, the Real Madrid star scored both goals to book his side's place in the quarter-finals against Czech Republic - sending the Dutch and Denmark home.
That took Ronaldo's tally for the season to an astonishing 65 for club and country, although the 27-year-old will know that his work has only just begun if he is to deny arch-rival Lionel Messi yet another Ballon D'Or.
 

Tweet Follow @omomani

Bendtner takes Ronaldo back to school

 

Portugal may have left it late, but they still did just enough to beat Denmark 3-2 in their Group C clash on Wednesday night.

Both Pepe and Helder Postiga combined to give the Seleccao a commanding two-goal lead, but Nicklas Bendtner gave the Danes a lifeline by maintaining his 100 per cent record against their opponents.

However, talisman Cristiano Ronaldo did not help his country's cause by fluffing a pair of gilt-edged chances to extend his side's lead in the second half, inevitably allowing Bendtner to equalise with a clinical finish.

Nonetheless, Silvestre Varela's dramatic winner secured a vital win, but were it not for the Porto super-sub, the Arsenal striker could have made Ronaldo pay for his inexplicable profligacy in front of goal.
 
Tweet Follow @omomani

Messi steals the limelight from Euro 2012

 

All the attention may be on events at Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine but Lionel Messi still managed to hog the limelight after his hat-trick in Argentina's 4-3 friendly win over Brazil on Saturday.

The Barcelona star's superb treble in front of 82,000 fans at the Meadowlands Stadium in New York - home of American football teams the Giants and the Jets - took his season's tally to a remarkable 82 goals for club and country to single-handedly beat the combined number of times the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and Portugal found the net on the same day.

And with his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo firing blanks, Messi proved once again why he is rated as the world's best player.

Tweet Follow @omomani

Euro 2012 race set to start

 

The day has finally arrived. Euro 2012 will kick off this evening as tournament co-hosts Poland take on Greece in Group A's opening fixture.

With all 16 nations having made all of their final preparations ahead of the tournament, it's now left to us to sit back and enjoy day after day of world-class football.
Tweet Follow @omomani

Euro 2012 squads arrive in need of an immediate health check

 

Euro 2012 has yet to get underway but various nations are already smarting from injuries and withdrawals.

England are first in the casualty queue as Gareth Barry, Frank Lampard and, most recently, Gary Cahill have all been ruled out of the tournament, leaving Roy Hodgson reaching for cover.

Yann M'Vila is a doubt for France's opener against England after suffering from an ankle sprain, while Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has only recently returned to training following a thigh problem.
Elsewhere, Italy defender Andrea Barzagli is a doubt for the tournament due to a calf problem, while Nani is Portugal's biggest injury concern with a knock to his right foot.

Tweet Follow @omomani

Europe's giants take an unlikely beating

 

Saturday saw shock results all over the continent as some of Europe's best and brightest were brought down to Earth by the smaller nations.

Netherlands lost 2-1 at home to Bulgaria, Germany were blown away by Switzerland in an extraordinary 5-3, while Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal could only draw 0-0 with lowly Macedonia.

It was a day in which the Davids of European football delivered some unexpected beatings to the much-fancied Goliaths, putting preconceptions into doubt ahead of Euro 2012...

Tweet Follow @omomani

The Strange Case of Dr Pep and Mr Mourinho

 

In the build-up to this weekend's La Liga action, Jose Mourinho voiced his opinion that he shared plenty of similarities with his Barcelona counterpart, Pep Mourinho. However in response, whilst admitting the pair are both hungry for victory, the Catalan trainer chose to distance himself from the Real Madrid coach's comments, stating that he would have to "revise his behaviour" if Mourinho's views were indeed, true. Is Pep turning into his own worst nightmare

Tweet Follow @omomani

Messi king of the hill

 

Lionel Messi went some way to banishing his Argentina demons on Wednesday night after putting on a virtuoso display to inspire his country to a 3-1 victory against Switzerland in Bern. His well-taken hat-trick also took his international goal tally to 22, surpassing legendary striker Mario Kempes and capping off a memorable night for the 24-year-old.

The fleet-footed attacker has been continually criticised by many for failing to replicate his form with Barcelona on the international stage, but his latest performance should see Portuguese counterpart Cristiano Ronaldo look on in envy following the Seleccao's latest disappointing result - a 0-0 draw in Poland.

Tweet Follow @omomani

AVB's facing the chop

 

Andre Villas-Boas is walking the proverbial tightrope after goals from Ezequiel Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani condemned his error-prone Chelsea side to a damaging defeat at Napoli that leaves their Champions League hopes hanging in the balance. The former Porto coach, whose tactics and team selection in Naples have come under intense criticism, now looks to have exactly 90 minutes of the return leg at Stamford Bridge to salvage his "project" and avoid getting the sack from notoriously impatient owner Roman Abramovich.

Tweet Follow @omomani

yearn for a return of Mourinho

 

Jose Mourinho was the subject of boos from the Santiago Bernabeu faithful earlier this season, but for two of his former clubs, Chelsea and Inter, the Portuguese's reign is remembered fondly. Chants for the 49-year-old rang out at both San Siro and Stamford Bridge at the weekend, and with Real Madrid enjoying a 10-point cushion at the top of La Liga, Los Blancos president Florentino Perez must be anxious that Mourinho doesn't yearn for pastures old ...

Tweet Follow @omomani

La Liga Status

 

Tweet Follow @omomani

Deadline day and it's all quiet on the western front

 

While the end of a transfer window usually heralds a scramble for new players, it became apparent there neither Real Madrid nor Barcelona would make that critical signing to give their club the upper hand in the title race, Arsene Wenger (slightly less surprisingly) would not bring in the enforcements Arsenal needed, and Inter's shock defeat to Lecce did not prompt them to dip into the market. Instead, the deadline day fanatics had to make do with a few questionable loan deals ...

Tweet Follow @omomani

Di Stefano leads Cristiano Ronaldo boo brigade

Tweet Follow @omomani

A Messi vision of the future for Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo

        On Monday evening, Barcelona star Lionel Messi once again stole the show as he was voted the best player in the world for the third year in succession during the annual Fifa Ballon d'Or Gala in Zurich.

The Argentina international thus followed in the footsteps of former France star Michel Platini to become only the second player in history to win the award three years in a row.

Two of the main personalities of the football world who weren't present at the ceremony at the Kongresshaus were Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho and his compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo, nominated for the Coach of the Year and Player of the Year awards respectively.

The duo opted not to attend as they prepare for Tuesday's Copa del Rey away match against Malaga, and was possibly watching the event unfold on television.

Neither of the two won in their respective categories, but perhaps they will have better luck in the next few years ...

 

Tweet Follow @omomani

Mou, CR7 & Perez cannot bear to see Barca scoop more awards

 

PEREZ: Guys, guys! We're losers, guys!

Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo will not be attending the Ballon d'Or gala on Monday in Zurich.

The official line from the club is that the pair will be too busy focusing on the Copa del Rey round of 16 second-leg against Malaga the following evening.

Zinedine Zidane and Emilio Butragueno will represent the Spanish giants at the star-studded event, which will see Ronaldo battle it out with Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Xavi for the prestigious award of best player in the world.

Mourinho will be up against Catalan counterpart Pep Guardiola, with Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson completing the shortlist for best coach.

One has to praise the Portuguese duo's professionalism to shun the glitz and the glamour, yet the pessimist in us all will wonder whether the real reason for the no-show is the unwillingness to watch Barcelona win another double.

Tweet Follow @omomani

Europa League new Arrivals

Tweet Follow @omomani

Real Madrid Balloon

  

Idea By: Hazem Samara - UAE

Tweet Follow @omomani

Mourinho VS the bats

Tweet Follow @omomani

Ibrahimovic book

Tweet Follow @omomani

Fair results

Tweet Follow @omomani