Filed under: Quiniela | Tags: Argentina, football, futbol, la liga, Quiniela, soccer, spain
Josep Lago/AFP/Getty Images
Abbreviated finals week version.
Jornada 34 – 7/11
Season – 98/180 (54%)
HOME WIN = 1; AWAY WIN = 2; DRAW = X
1. Malaga (17th) v.. Sporting de Gijon (14th) – X
2. Valladolid (18th) v. Getafe (7th) – X
3. Tenerife (19th) v. Racing de Santander (15th) – 1
4. Sevilla (5th) v. Atletico de Madrid (10th) – 1
5. Villarreal (15th) v. Barcelona (1st) – X
6. Espanyol (11th) v. Valencia (3rd) – 2
7. Xerez (20th) v. Almeria (13th) – 1
8. Deportivo de La Coruna (9th) v. Zaragoza (16th) – 1
9. Real Madrid (2nd) v. Osasuna (12th) – 1
10. Athletic de Bilbao (7th) v. Mallorca (4th) – 1
11. Independiente (4th) v. Boca Juniors (15th) – 1
Filed under: Quiniela | Tags: Argentina, boca, espana, football, futbol, jornada, la liga, Quiniela, soccer, spain
Jornada 313– 6/11
Season – 91/169 (54%)
HOME WIN = 1; AWAY WIN = 2; DRAW = X
Boca Juniors (17th) v. San Lorenzo (15th) 
The drama surrounding Boca reached a crescendo this week. Juan Román Riquelme broke his silence over his rocky relationship with Martín Palermo while Estudiantes captain Juan Sebastián Verón opened the door for Palermo’s return to his first club. Palermo is Boca’s captain who recently became the club’s all-time leading scorer. The record-breaking goal celebration was all the rage in Argentina: Riquelme provided the assist but did not celebrate with Palermo, instead acknowledging the fans. Unfortunately for his fans, myself included, controversy seems to follow Riquelme. He sulked his way out of Spain’s Villarreal and recently has found himself embroiled in another telenovela. Boca has been trying to recruit former Xeneize legend Guillermo Barros Schelotto, currently with MLS club Columbus Crew, to become their new manager. However, Riquelme made it clear that should Schelotto take the reigns he would no longer wear the #10 shirt for Boca. News this week confirmed that Schelotto has rejected the offer and will remain in the USA. Attention now turns to a derby match against fellow Big Five club San Lorenzo. Can Boca keep their focus on the pitch or will they be too worried about goal celebrations? Refer back to their Superclásico performance for the answer. PICK: 1
Filed under: Quiniela | Tags: Argentina, espana, football, futbol, la liga, Quiniela, soccer, spain
Jornada 31 – 5/11
Season – 85/158 (54%)
HOME WIN = 1; AWAY WIN = 2; DRAW = X
Espanyol (14th) v. Barcelona (1st) 
All matches involving Barcelona and Real Madrid are usually the highlights of the La Liga weekend and this weekend both matches involving the sides are top billing. Real Madrid faces third-place Valencia while Barcelona travels across town for the Catalan derby. This is Espanyol’s biggest match every year and it is their only meaningful one left to play for this season. They are three points away from the usually relegation-proof 40 points and are not involved in the King’s Cup. This is the first Catalan derby in Espanyol’s new stadium and they will be motivated to christened it with a win over their city rivals, putting a serious doubt into Barça’s title ambitions. However, they are missing key players, notably their captain Iván de la Peña. Barcelona, meanwhile, must win all their remaining matches to win La Liga, according to manager Pep Guardiola. They will be missing Andres Ineista again (who seems a little fragile this season) and the first leg of their Champions League semi-final showdown with Inter Milan looms on Tuesday. Barcelona has a steely focus and should grab the full three points. PICK: 2
Villarreal (8th) v. Atlético Madrid (10th) 
Both teams are coming off deflating mid-week losses. The Yellow Submarine were trouced 3-0 away to Getafe while Atlético’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde season continued, losing 2-1 at home to last-place Xerez. Amazingly, Atlético is the only Spanish club still involved in three competitions (La Liga, Europa League, Copa del Rey) but their priorities are the last two since they have little chance of a European finish in the league. Villarreal still has a shot at 6th place in La Liga, guaranteeing European football next season. They are currently six points adrift Athletic Bilbao and will need to earn maximum points in their remaining games. This match will be a joy to watch and you can catch in on the renamed ESPN3.com. PICK: 1
Racing Club (15th) v. Vélez Sársfield (9th) 
Disappointingly, Fox Soccer Channel’s Argentine match of the week is not the Rosario derby between Rosario Central and Newell’s Old Boys. Instead, FSC gives us a match-up between two Buenos Aires clubs. I need to brush up on the relegation system used in Argentine soccer but I understand correctly Racing Club is in danger of playing in the relegation/promotion match. This is disconcerting for Racing fans as they have a proud history as one of Argentina’s Big Five. Their manager has stated many changes are in order after losing 4-0 against Estudiantes this week. Late-season personnel changes are desperate measures. Vélez has not won a league match in April but they got a big win this past week to secure qualification for the knockout stage in the Copa Libertadores (South America’s version of the Champions League). The likely will rest key players to gear up for a deep Copa run and I believe Racing has some inspired play in them to provide relief to their loyal support. PICK: 1
Keep reading for the other picks . . .
Filed under: Recuerdos | Tags: Argentina, Buenos Aires, casa rosada, plaza de mayo
Casa Rosada en la Plaza de Mayo
Buenos Aires, Argentina
April 10, 2008
Filed under: Quiniela | Tags: Argentina, Boca Juniors, espana, football, futbol, Quiniela, river plate, soccer, spain, superclasico
The flavor of this week’s quiniela is Argentine as arguably the most intense rivalry in world sport takes place in Buenos Aires. El Superclásico between Boca Juniors and River Plate divides not only a city but perhaps the country – nearly 3/4 of Argentina supports one of the two teams. The derby developed a socio-economic bent with Boca supporters known as Xeneizes (Genoese) and River Plate earning the nickname los millonarios. The class sentiment still exists but both clubs have supporters from all walks of life. The main ingredient of the rivalry is excellence – it pits Argentina’s two most successful clubs (River Plate 33 national championships, Boca 23). Boca trumps River internationally, however, with a world record (tied with A.C. Milan) 18 international titles.
Flickr user LUCHO :9
That historical excellence is lacking this year and the passionate support from both sides will have to suffice. Boca Juniors sit in 17th place with only one win in the 2010 Clasura. River sat in the same position before a key 2-0 victory over Huracán on Sunday propelled them to 11th in the table. That win dovetailed an impressive weekend for myself, garnering a personal best 9 of 11 quiniela. I’ll save the gloating for next week if I pull it off again. Instead, educate yourself about El Superclásico after the break.
Flickr user LUCHO :9
Jornada 26 – 9/11
Season – 74/136 (54%)
Filed under: Quiniela | Tags: Argentina, espana, football, futbol, la liga, Quiniela, soccer, spain
Jasper Juinen/Getty Images
I hope Manuel Pellegrini’s newspaper delivery boy took it easy on the old Chilean and skipped his delivery box this week. All the news in Spain this week has centered squarely on the shoulders of Pellegrini after Real Madrid crashed out of the Champions League in the first knockout round. French side Lyon grabbed a late goal at the Bernabéu to win the tie on aggregate, 2-1, ending the madridista dream of playing in the Champions League final which just happens to be at their home ground this year. La Marca, a pro-Madrid rag and the biggest daily in Spain, immediately called for the manager’s sacking and is now throwing the names of footballers, such as former Barcelona youth player and current Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas, against the wall just to see if anything sticks. Real Madrid higher-ups have given Pellegrini the dreaded vote of confidence. Despite the impressive work he did with small-budget Villarreal, Pellegrini has never been taken seriously as the manager of the new version of los galaticos. The Madrid media machine and die-hard madridistas feel that their club of superstars demands a superstar manager. High-profile names such has José Mourinho and Arsène Wenger have been mentioned as targets should Pellegrini face the axe. However, Pellegrini remains in charge and takes his club on the road to struggling Valladolid. Poor Pucela, they really have no chance this weekend, do they?
Now, that introduction was quite long and the only honest answer I can give is that I want to avoid discussing another subpar quiniela performance last week. Barcelona didn’t help matters, stumbling to a draw away to improving Almería and giving Real Madrid an opening to overtake first place in La Liga. Los merengues did just that, fighting back from a two-goal deficit at home to Sevilla to earn a dramatic 3-2 victory that made the mid-week humiliation so surprising. I picked both of those matches incorrectly and my misery was deepened when last-place Xerez won their first road game of the year against Málaga. Across the Atlantic in Argentine, I rode Independiente to another correct pick as they beat River Plate 2-0. Another win mid-week against Tigre puts Independiente alone atop the Clasura 2010 table.
Jornada 26 – 5/11
Season – 65/125 (52%)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/maryloosemore/
Have you ever been watching the news and felt the urge to travel to a place that is making headlines? Witnessing the newsworthy gives a completely different perspective than two-dimensional television. Unfortunately, if you’re not a local, foreign correspondents are usually the lucky few who experience the vogue destinations. Unless you’re wealthy, you cannot afford to buy the first ticket for Timbuktu.
Instead, you can now come to www.sethfromsomewhere.com! I am starting a new series that covers the travel situation in the places you hear about from the BBC World Service. I will continue to focus on the Hispanic world but will branch out to other parts of the world. So the next time you are watching the news with your mother and say, “I want to go there!” you will have evidence to refute her claims that Colombia is a dangerous country full of narco-traffickers and leftist rebels.
Filed under: Quiniela | Tags: Argentina, espana, football, futbol, la liga, Quiniela, soccer, spain
What can I say about last week. Saturday was a decent two for three but Sunday was another story. I picked all seven Spanish matches incorrectly, the only saving grace was Independiente beating Racing Club in Argentina’s Avellaneda Derby. Forgive me for wanting to forget last week.
This week is another week to pretend I know something about Spanish and Argentine soccer. The match of the week, Read Madrid v. Sevilla, is on Saturday but unfortunately not on ESPN360.com. Instead, I’ll be treated to another Buenos Aires rivalry on Fox Soccer Channel by Roger Valdivieso as Independiente host downtrodden River Plate.
Jornada 24 – 3/11
Season – 60/114 (53%)
Filed under: Quiniela | Tags: Argentina, avellaneda, espana, football, futbol, la liga, primera division, Quiniela, soccer, spain
Sevilla, Mallorca-Sevilla (Getty Images)
Catching up and getting this week’s picks in. It’s a short one without any eye candy. Time is money.
