The “Special One” Jose Mourinho Makes Chelsea Return

Jose Mourinho will make his long-awaited return to the Stamford Bridge dugout after Chelsea FC confirmed the charismatic Portuguese will be in charge of the club for the coming season.

Mourinho who gave a television interview to TV football show Punto Pelota after Real Madrid’s 4-2 win over Osasuna in his last match in charge of the Spanish club claimed he was set to rejoin the club he left in 2007 after he guided them to back to back Premier League titles.

The 50-year-old’s last season with Real Madrid has ended in massive disappointment and a personal low after he failed to secure any major silverware to his name besides the Supercopa de Espana (the equivalent of the English Community Shield).

Mourinho moved to Chelsea in June 2004 after leading Porto to the 2003-04 UEFA Champions League. Upon joining the Blues, the Setubal-born manager held his first press conference where he said, "Please don't call me arrogant, but I'm European champion and I think I'm a special one," and he has been referred to as the “Special One” ever since.

In his first season, he lived up to that tag after leading Chelsea to their first top-flight domestic title in 50 years, in a season that saw the club also achieve records including the most points ever achieved in the Premier League (95), and the fewest goals conceded (15). He helped the club defend the title in the 2005-06 season. During the 2006-07 campaign, Chelsea surrendered the title to Machester United but Mourinho still led the club to League Cup and FA Cup successes.

However, friction between the Portuguese and club owner Roman Abramovic saw Mourinho leave the club for Inter Milan where he won 5 title including two Serie A titles and the 2009-10 UEFA Champions League.

Mourinho made the switch to Spanish capital Madrid in 2010 and guided the team to the 2011-12 La Liga title but added just the Copa Del Rey and Spanish cup to his name before he left to join the Blues.

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UEFA Champioins Leageu : Manchester United Survive Braga Scare as Chelsea Fall to Shakhtar

Celtic's Kenyan international Victor Wanyama Mugubi in action against Barca

Javier Chicharito Hernandez scored a brace either side of Jonny Evans’ 62^nd minute goal to help Manchester United rally from two goals down and eventually see off Sporting Braga 3-2 in a UEFA Champions League Group H encounter at Old Trafford.

Sir Alex Fergusson’s men were trailing 2-0 with only 20 minutes into play after Braga forward Alan had given the visitors a dream start. But Chicharito inspired United to yet another comeback when he nodded home his and United’s first in the 25^th minute before nicking in the winner in the 75^th minute after Jonny Evans had drawn the Red devils even. The win stretched the Old Trafford outfit’s lead in Group H to five points after CFR Cluj and Galatasaray could only muster a 1-1 draw with Burak Yilmaz cancelling out

Chelsea, the other English side playing on the night away to Shakhtar Donetsk however could not replicate United’s fight back. The defending champions fell behind to an Alex Teixeira 3^rd minute goal and Fernandinho added the second in the 52^nd minute to put the home team in control. Oscar pulled one back for the visitors with two minutes to the final whistle but it was a case of too little too late for Di Matteo’s men. The win took the Ukrainian champions to the summit of Group E, 3 points above Chelsea in second place.

Juventus spanned a chance to leapfrog Chelsea into second spot when they could only manage a 1-1 draw away to FC Nordsjaelland. Mikkel Beckmann put the Danes ahead in the 50^th minute but Mirko Vucinic’s 81^st minute strike for the Bianconeri ensured the spoils were shared in Kobenhavn.

Spanish powerhouse FC Barcelona maintained their 100% win record with a labored 2-1 win over Celtic at Camp Nou. The home team fell behind to a Javier Mascherano own goal in the 18^th minute but Andres Iniesta drew level  at the stroke of half-time.

Barca tormented the Hoops’ defence in the second half but were kept at bay by custodian Fraser Forster. But their resistance was finally broken in the last minute of added time with Jordi Alba connecting to Adriano’s cross to give the Catalans a 2-1 win. Spartak beat Benfica 2-1 to register their first points in the competition and move third.

Bundesliga table-toppers Bayern Munich rebounded from their shock loss to BATE Borisov a fortnight ago with a 1-0 win over Lille. Thomas Muller’s 20^th minute penalty was enough for the Bavarians to nick the win. Valencia stormed to the top of the group with a comfortable 3-0 demolition of BATE with Roberto Soldado hitting a hat-trick. The Spanish side, Bayern and BATE are all locked up top on 6 points each while Lille are yet to register a point. 

Wednesday Fixtures

Zenit v Anderlecht
Dinamo Zagreb v Paris St. Germain
Porto v Dynamo Kiev
Arsenal v Schalke
Montpellier v Olympiakos
Malaga v AC Milan
Ajax v Manchester City
Dortmund v Real Madrid       

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El-Clasico Tide Turning Madrid Side

Barcelona and Real Madrid traded blows in the latest El-Clasico encounter but neither the Catalans nor their bitter rivals from the capital landed the knock-out punch as the teams shared a 2-2 draw in a pulsating encounter at the Camp Nou.

In arguably the world’s biggest football (plus political) rivalry, the two teams covered every inch at Camp Nou in a bid to nick the all vital win that means a lot more than bragging rights for either sides. But at the end of 90minutes, neither Cristiano Ronaldo’s nor Lionel Messi’s brace could separate the two teams.

Barcelona fell behind to a Cristiano Ronaldo goal midway into the first half but Lionel Messi, the only player alive who comes closest to being compared to the Portuguese whiz (and vice versa) leveled 8 minutes later. Two of the world’s best players then traded blows again in the second half with Messi scoring first for the Catalans in the 61^st minute before Ronaldo ensured the spoils were evenly shared with his 66^th minute equalizer.

It ended 2-2.

It goes without saying, however, that it’s Jose Mourinho’s men, and not Tito Vilanova’s who left Nou Camp the happier side when the final whistle was blown to end the 6^th El-Clasico encounter this year.

Real Madrid may be 8 points behind the Blaugrana alright but the draw did the former more damage than it did to the latter. First, Barca were having the advantage of playing in their own turf and in front of the home crowd. Second, Tito’s side have had the better start to the season, winning all their matches in La Liga while Madrid have only started picking form right now in a season that has seen them lose two matches in 7 matches.

Although it could be argued that Barca were lacking in defence with Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Eric Abidal and Dani Alves all absent (the latter being substituted after picking up an injury), statistics show that the Barcelona are losing their dominance over their archrivals.

The draw means that Real Madrid have now lost only once in the last five meetings against the Catalans. But even that loss, (a 3-2 win for Barca in the Supercopa in August) wasn’t impactful since Madrid won the title having beaten Barca 2-1 in the first leg.

One player who has stepped up for Jose Mourinho’s side in those fixtures is Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese captain’s brace on Sunday night means that he has become the first player to score in six successive Clasico matches. He has also scored in his last five appearances at Camp Nou, plastering a ‘shut up’ tape across the mouth of those who branded him a big-game flop during his early career days with Madrid.

The record also shows that Barcelona are losing, or rather, have lost, their dominance over Madrid which was at it pinnacle during the reign of Pep Guardiola. Gone are the days of 5-0 drubbings that Madrid was handed on November 29 2010, or even the three straight loses that Barca recorded over the Mourinho’s men between August 17 last year and January 18^th this year.

The tide seems to be turning to Madrid’s side, and against Barcelona. Quite unfortunate that we will have to hold our breath till the weekend of 2^nd and 3^rd March 2013 when the two teams clash at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu for yet another El Clasico. Cometh that day, we will be able to see how true or false this statement is.

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Madrid Hit Top Form in Time for El-Clasico

Real Madrid continued their resurgence after a poor start to the season with a comfortable 4-1 victory over Ajax at the Amsterdam Arena in the UEFA Champions League.

Cristiano Ronaldo netted his second hat-trick in a span of three days adding to Karim Benzema’s superb bicycle kick as Madrid easily dismissed the former European giants in their own turf.

The win comes hot on the heels of Madrid’s 5-1 demolition of Deportivo in the Spanish La Liga as Jose Mourinho’s men finally begin to click just in time for the mother of all derbies, the El Clasico, this Sunday.

Les Merengues have been slow off the blocks this season in the domestic league where they trail leaders and this weekend’s opponents Barcelona with a massive 8 points. It may still be early in the season alright but so competitive are the two teams for the La Liga title that even a point lost earlier in the season could prove the difference come end of the season.

After a poor start to the season which saw Madrid lose two matches against Getafe and Sevilla, the 32-time La Liga champions are now finding their scoring boots and winning mojo. They have won 4 matches on the trot in all competitions scoring 14 goals in the process.

Star man Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 9 of those goals and his second hat-trick in succession is indicative of a player who is putting the early season troubles behind him and sweating it out for the team which pays him hefty wages in a weekly basis.

The Clasico derby this Sunday could as well break or make Madrid’s season. A win will see them reduce the deficit between them and big rivals Barcelona to five points which they can be sure of reducing further as the season progresses. A loss and 11 points behind Barca may be a point too many to curl back.

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