Another Luis Alberto in the Bag for Liverpool?

According to respected Spanish journalist Guillem Balague, Liverpool are set to make FC Barcelona B striker Luis Alberto Romero their third signing after snapping Kolo Toure from Manchester City on a free transfer and Iago Aspas from Celta Vigo.

The Sky Sports Spanish football expert who is a close friend of former Liverpool coach Rafael Benítez revealed that the talented 20-year-old Seville youth product is likely to join the Merseyside club who seem to be going for early business before the busy summer transfer window officially opens on July 1st.

“Only thing that would stop Luis Alberto signing for Liverpool is if FCB activate a clause. But great football eye by Brendan and LFC,” revealed Balague (who is barely ever wrong) on one of his many Twitter updates about the player.

Cardiz-born Alberto currently plays for Barcelona B on loan from Sevilla where he started his career in 2004.  He made his senior debut for the Andalusian club in April 2011 but was only restricted to 7 appearances before he was loaned out to Barcelona B, FC Barcelona’s reserve team in August 2012.

Thirty five appearances and 11 goals have come since he joined the Catalonian reserve team while he’s also played for the Spain U18, U19 and U21 national teams.

The versatile 5ft11 Spaniard plays in the attacking midfield position but is also quite comfortable playing the ‘false center forward’ role or as a winger.

He is a player in the mould of Barca duo Xavi and Iniesta, but more of the latter. He has quick feet and is a fine dribbler with an eye for goal and will perfectly fit Liverpool’s policy of investing in young, talented players with high resale value. He could prove to be yet another marquee signing by Brendan Rodgers who is reaping the benefits of signing Philippe Coutinho, a player who was used sparingly by his former club Inter Milan but has set the Premier League alight with his jaw-dropping samba football.

Also believed to be on his way to Anfield is Celta Vigo forward Iago Aspas Juncal. The 25-year-old Spaniard is set to join Liverpool on a £8 million deal to be completed when the summer transfer window opens and pending personal terms and a medical. He has 136 appearances under his belt for the Os Celticos since getting promoted from the reserves in 2008 and scored 46 times.

He emerged second best scorer in the 2011-12 Segunda Division, his 23 goals firing the Galicians to the 2012-13 La Liga season where he’s notched up 33 appearances and found the back of the net 12 times.

Looks like another good buy by Liverpool.

And That's thesteifmastertake!!

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.

And That's thesteifmastertake!!