Talking points from the midweek games

Ger McCarthy
 
You can never watch enough El Clasico’s
WEDNESDAY night’s Copa Del Ray quarter final second leg between Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Camp Nou delivered one of the most intense, high octane, action-packed and downright mad El Clasico’s of the season. Despite the final 4-3 aggregate score in favour of the Catalans, the two legs re-established Real Madrid as Barca’s only true competitor in domestic tournaments and probably the Champions League as well. Concern that the bitter rivals playing one another so often in the recent months might dilute the relevance of ‘El Clasico’ was dispelled following Wednesday night’s ultra-competitive encounter. More of the same in 2012 please.
 
Reaching a domestic final still matters
KENNY Dalglish has plenty of critics and didn’t endear himself to the football authorities or supporters of certain clubs outside of Liverpool with his handling of the Luis Suarez affair. Yet the tears shed by the Liverpool manager at full time in Wednesday night’s Carling Cup second-leg 2-2 draw with Manchester City were genuine and gave a momentary glimpse into the insane pressures endured by modern day football managers. The sheer relief at guiding Liverpool back to Wembley for the first time in 16 years was evident and Dalglish deserves credit for reaching a final despite Liverpool’s less than stellar league form this year. A man who has had to endure the horrors of Hillsborough and Heysel whilst both playing for and managing the club he loves deserved his moment of celebration.
 
Cardiff’s stock continues to rise
A penalty shoot-out victory over fellow Championship side Crystal Palace secured Cardiff’s place in the Carling League Cup final on Tuesday night. Malky Mackay’s side were full value for their win having struck the woodwork on three separate occasions before cementing their place in the decider against Liverpool. The Bluebirds success in reaching the latter stages of knockout competitions has overshadowed an inability to make the breakthrough from Championship to the Premier League in recent seasons. Mackay’s team are currently positioned just one point outside the automatic promotion places (behind Southampton and West Ham United) and must not let another Wembley appearance distract from the ultimate prize of gaining promotion to England’s top division.

Pressure is mounting on Roberto Mancini
A difficult week for the Premier League leaders saw Roberto Mancini’s brooding striker Mario Balotelli served with a four-match ban for lashing out at Scott Parker and Manchester City exit the Carling Cup at the semi-final stage. Worse still, the individual who orchestrated Liverpool’s two-legged victory was Craig Bellamy, a player Mancini allowed to leave Eastlands on a free transfer. Carlos Tevez and his agents refuse to go away and only serve as an annoying distraction to Mancini’s title ambitions. The Premier League crown is all that Mancini’s expensively assembled squad has left to contest. Although the club’s mega-rich owners publicly back their manager they are unlikely to tolerate another trophy less season only further adding to the pressure Mancini and his side will face in the title-run in with an experienced Manchester United.

Libya makes headlines for all the right reasons
AN unplayable, rain-sodden pitch couldn’t prevent Libya from securing one of the most historic results in the country’s football history at the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this week. A 2-2 draw with a Zambian side that had defeated the much-fancied Senegal in their group opener maintained the Libyan’s hopes of progressing to the knockout phase of the tournament. Ahmed Saad’s brace of goals earned his a point but the sight of the Libyan defenders heroically blocking a succession of late Zambian goal attempts underlined a side led by Brazilian Coach Marcos Paqueta’s determination to make their mark. Civil war has devastated Libya in the past 12 months but an opportunity to qualify for the quarter finals (as 35/1 outsiders) of the Africa Cup of Nations would lift the spirits of the war ravaged country.
 
Show me the money
NOT content with earning a one million dollar bonus for defeating Libya in their Africa Cup of Nations opening fixture, Equatorial Guinea went one better in their second Group A match on Wednesday night by knocking Senegal out of the tournament. The decision of President’s son Teodorin Obiang to lavish the co-host’s squad with outrageous bonuses has had the desired effect as Equatorial Guinea are now certain to make the knockout stages of the tournament following a famous 2-1 win. Moussa Sow appeared to have earned Senegal a point with a 90th minute equaliser until a marvellous long range effort from Kily won it for Equatorial Guinea to spark off wild celebrations and even a pitch invasion from the co-hosts delirious fans. Alan Pardew will be delighted with Senegal’s exit as it means an earlier than expected return for three of Newcastle United’s first team players Cheick Tiote, Demba Ba and Papiss Demba Cisse.

Follow Ger on Twitter: @offcentrecircle
 

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