Primera Liga round-up

A stunning treble from the mercurial Lionel Messi helped Barcelona to another big win, but Real Madrid lead the way in Spain. Click below for individual match stats: Valencia 3 Getafe 1 Villarreal 2 Rayo Vallecano 0 Barcelona 5 Mallorca 0 Real Sociedad 0 Real Madrid 1 Elsewhere on Saturday, Valencian maintained their grip on fourth spot and Villarreal clambered out of the drop zone. Messi's hat-trick led Barcelona to a resounding 5-0 victory over Real Mallorca at Camp Nou. The Argentina forward netted three times in 18 first half minutes as his side quickly took control of the game. The second half brought a first senior goal for Isaac Cuenca and a superb late goal from Dani Alves to round off the scoring. Emilio Nsue's handball allowed Messi to score from the spot in the 13th minute. David Villa forced a fine save from Aouate before Barca doubled their lead in the 21st minute when Dani Alves' deep cross and Adriano's mishit across the face of goal presented Messi with a tap-in. And he completed his hat-trick in sumptuous fashion on the half hour, tucking Dani Alves' cross calmly past Aouate with a first-time finish from the edge of the box. Thiago headed wide early in the second half but it was soon 4-0 when the impressive Adriano threaded in Cuenca to open his account. Messi headed wide from Dani Alves' deep cross but the latter added a fitting coat of gloss to the scoreline with a stunning fifth in stoppage time when his dipping 25-yard shot flicked in off the underside of the bar. It was also Barca's eighth consecutive clean sheet in all competitions and their third 5-0 win in a home record in this season's Primera Division which reads played six, won five, drawn one, scored 26, conceded none. Summit Remarkably, taking Barca's home record into account, Real Madrid top the Spanish standings after they edged out Real Sociedad. Jose Mourinho's side were far from their free-flowing best, but got the job done to clamber to the Primera Liga summit. Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain proved to the hero of the hour for Los Blancos on Saturday as his solitary strike was enough to see off plucky Sociedad. He provided a clinical finish just nine minutes into the contest, calmly slotting past Claudio Bravo after being sprung clear inside the box. Real were unable to add to the scoring in the remaining 81 minutes, but Mourinho knows it is points not performances that matter most. Brace Sofiane Feghouli scored his first two goals of the season to help Valencia to a routine 3-1 win over Getafe. The Algerian midfielder put the hosts in front after only 12 minutes as his shot from the edge of the area bounced into the ground and looped over Miguel Angel Moya. The visitors responded with a fine equaliser when Juan Valera's cross from the right was headed back across goal by Dani Guiza and expertly flicked in by Diego Castro. However, Valencia were back in front within two minutes as Feghouli made the most of another ricochet in the Getafe area to side-foot the ball home, and the hosts wrapped up the three points when Artiz Aduriz claimed his first goal of the season with 15 minutes remaining. Villarreal moved out of the relegation zone with a much-needed 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano. Bruno Soriano and Borja Valero scored either side of half-time, whilst Marcos Senna also had a first-half penalty saved. Piti should have brought Rayo back into the game but shot wide moments after the second goal and the Madrid side had goalkeeper David Cobeno to thank for keeping the score down as he saved brilliantly from Hernan Perez in the final stages.

Leon ruled out

Getafe loan ace Pedro Leon has been sidelined for two months with a knee injury. Leon is due to have surgery on a knee injury that he suffered three weeks ago but coach Michel does not blame him or the club's medical staff The 24-year-old winger was caught in training by Cata Diaz last month but he was told that he did not require an operation to repair the damage to his knee and was given the green light to return to playing. Now the injury to his right knee has worsened and he will be out of action until the New Year although Michel does not believe that the club were wrong to continue to let him play. "He has played in recent games because the the medics and him said so," the trainer told reporters. "I do not think that it was a bad thing. "I am going to see what happens with him now. "Now the most important thing is the other players and I wish Pedro a return to action as quickly as is possible." Pedro Leon joined Real Madrid from Getafe in 2010 but Jose Mourinho did not include him in his plans despite reportedly blocking a move by Chelsea to sign him last winter. After making just six first-team appearances for Los Merengues the Spain Under-21 international chose to return to Geta on loan for the current campaign.

Udinese - Sanchez snubbed City

Udinese owner Giampaolo Pozzo has revealed that Alexis Sanchez rejected Manchester City for Barcelona during the summer transfer window. Sanchez, 22, joined Barca from the Italian club on a five-year contract, with Udinese bagging €26million as a transfer fee upfront. That amount could rise to around €37m depending on how the reigning Spanish and European champions fare with the Chile international in their ranks. However, Udinese could have earned as much as €45m right away had Sanchez taken up the offer placed on the table by ambitious English side Manchester City, according to the Udine outfit's chief. "The final price was €26m plus another €11m in variables," Pozzo told Ona FM. "He only wanted to sign for Barcelona and because of that the negotiations were not easy. "There were offers from England that were higher, a €45m one from Manchester City to be precise." Sanchez has recently returned to first-team training with Barcelona, having been out of action since 10th September when he suffered a hamstring injury in the Blaugrana's 2-2 away draw with Real Sociedad.

Diego tells Neymar to join Barca

Atletico Madrid star Diego believes that Barcelona would be the perfect team for Neymar to join when he makes the move from Brazil to Europe. The Blaugrana play the style of football that would suit the highly-rated striker more than any of his other suitors, according to the former Werder Bremen and Juventus playmaker. Barca, Manchester United, Chelsea, AC Milan, Inter and Juventus are all linked with Neymar but Diego believes Spain would be the best option for his compatriot with Real Madrid - who are favourites to land him - also recommended. "For the way that Barcelona play and the style that he has they would be the ideal team for him," Diego added. "They would also be good because they always have great players," he contined. Diego made his name at Santos also before joining Porto in 2004 and thinks that his ex-club have a gem on their hands who needs to play at the highest level. "He is a special player with a quality that you do not often see. He is different class," he added. "What is most important though is that he plays with the best in the Champions League."

Rossi out for six months

Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi is set to be sidelined until April after it was confirmed that he suffered cruciate ligament damage in the 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid. The Italy international was replaced after 60 minutes of the match at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday and scans have revealed the extent of the knee injury. He will now miss most of the rest of the season, including the rest of the UEFA Champions League group campaign. Villarreal's 2-1 defeat at Manchester City last week left them without a point at the bottom of Group A and they welcome Roberto Mancini's men to El Madrigal for the reverse fixture next Wednesday. A statement on Villarreal's official website read: "Worst fears have been confirmed. Villarreal's Italy striker Giuseppe Rossi seriously injured in his right knee in the match against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu and is out for six months." Dreadful start The club said the 24-year-old was set to undergo surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament on Thursday night. The news of the severity of the injury is a major blow to the Yellow Submarine, who have endured a dreadful start to the new Primera Division campaign. Juan Carlos Garrido's side, who have become Champions League regulars, lie in the relegation zone with only seven points from their opening nine matches. Rossi is perhaps the player they can least afford to be without. The former Manchester United forward scored 32 goals in all competitions last season and his form saw him linked with a move to Barcelona in the summer. Villarreal are now seriously short of options in attack as their other senior striker Nilmar is also out with a knee injury for at least another month.

Pele - Messi current best

Brazil legend Pele believes Lionel Messi is currently the best footballer in the world but will need time to be considered as the greatest ever. Some believe the Argentinian ace is on his way to being the best ever player after helping Barcelona dominate European football. While triple World Cup winner Pele believes Messi is the best at present he said every generation produces its greats. Asked what Messi has to do to be remembered as the best ever, Pele told Sky Sports News : "It is time - each generation has your own good player. "Messi no doubt today is one of the best players, no doubt. "You have some time ago (Diego) Maradona, you have (Michel) Platini, you have (Zinedine) Zidane, you know a few years ago Zidane was the best. "In every generation you have one and at the moment Messi is the best." Rooney praise Pele also paid tribute to England striker Wayne Rooney, saying he would always want him in one of his sides. He said: "Some people mention the players for technically but for me, in my team, he (Rooney) has a position because I prefer the player who plays with the heart than the player who plays only beautiful football. "I want a player who plays for the team, and Rooney plays for the team."

Toure tells of Guardiola snub

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure claims he was frozen out of Barcelona by coach Pep Guardiola against his wishes. Ivory Coast international Toure spent three years at Camp Nou prior to completing a big-money switch to City in 2010. He believes he was forced out of the Catalan giants, with Guardiola having given him the cold shoulder after deciding he no longer figured in his first-team plans. Toure claims he would have been willing to stay on had communication between the manager and his players been better, but insists he was left with no choice but to look for a fresh start. "I wanted to stay at Barcelona and would have done so if Guardiola had asked me to, but the door to his office was always closed," Toure told Ona FM. "I did not speak to him in my last year there. There was no communication. "In the end Guardiola spoke to me, but at the start he said nothing. He had no faith in me and did not want me. "I wanted to stay but he did not want that. He left me confused. His explanations were puzzling and he did not pay me any attention until I had the offer from City." System Toure is not the only former Barca star to complain about Guardiola's management style, with Bojan Krkic having revealed that he too was given the silent treatment prior to joining Roma. The striker said: "If Guardiola calls me now I would not go back to Barcelona. "I spent a long time without speaking to Guardiola. I could not find the right words when I used to see him." Meanwhile, Toure believes Barca missed a trick last summer when they allowed City to snap up Spain international David Silva from Valencia, with the World Cup winner currently enjoying a sparkling run of form. "David Silva would be a perfect player to fit into the Barcelona system," Toure said, before stating that City are setting lofty targets this term. "This year City are much stronger with the arrival of (Sergio) Aguero. Now the main aim is to win the Premier League."

Valencia v Ath. Bilbao preview

Valencia goalkeeper Vicente Guaita has urged his side's supporters to play their part as Los Che try to bounce back from their midweek Champions League defeat against Bayer Leverkusen with a three-point haul against Athletic Bilbao. Sky Bet Odds Valencia 7/10, Draw 11/4, Ath. Bilbao 4/1. Bet here. Guaita, who makes way for Diego Alves in European games, was a helpless spectator on the bench as Valencia surrendered a 1-0 half-time lead against Leverkusen to slump to a 2-1 defeat. That loss left Valencia in some trouble in Group E, lying in third place at the midway stage, four points behind second-placed Leverkusen and five adrift of leaders Chelsea. It was also the second time in as many games that Unai Emery's side have failed to hold onto a lead having last weekend seen Real Mallorca equalise in stoppage time to claim a 1-1 draw in La Liga. Valencia, who have only won once in their last six competitive matches, will now be hoping for better when improving Athletic visit the Mestalla, and Guaita wants to see everyone pulling in the same direction. "We did enough (against Leverkusen) to get a good result. The team was pretty annoyed because we had to get a positive result," he said. "What we need to do now is to recover on Sunday, get the win, and leave all the bad stuff aside. "We have to be as high as possible in the table so that next year we can get back into the Champions League. "It's going to be a difficult clash. We need to be united because a push from the fans can give you that extra effort which will keep the three points at home. We need to turn the page." The 24-year-old also hopes Athletic will be feeling the effects of Thursday's Europa League encounter with Salzburg. In that game Athletic recovered from 2-0 down at half-time to salvage a 2-2 draw at San Mames thanks to a brace of Fernando Llorente penalties. "Athletic played on Thursday and they will be tired," added Guaita. Athletic's fightback against Salzburg continued the team's good recent run under new coach Marcelo Bielsa. After a slow start to the campaign which saw them win just once in their opening seven matches in Europe and the Primera Division, Athletic then recorded three successive victories heading into Thursday's game. In Europe they downed big-spending Paris St Germain 2-0 while domestically they defeated local rivals Real Sociedad and Osasuna to climb up to 11th in La Liga. Best bet: Valencia HT/Draw FT - 14/1

Real Betis v Rayo Vallecano preview

Real Betis coach Pepe Mel remains upbeat despite a three-game losing streak ahead of the clash with his former club Rayo Vallecano. Betis won their first four games after returning to the top flight but have lost to Getafe, Levante and 4-1 to Real Madrid since then. SKY BET MATCH ODDS Betis 3/4, Draw 13/5, Vallecano 15/4. Bet now. But Mel told the club's official website: "It is true we have had a three-game losing streak and we want to win, but against Getafe and Levante we could have drawn. Losing to Real Madrid was to be expected but I'm satisfied." Mel is hoping familiarity is to his side's advantage this weekend, particularly after Betis won last season's equivalent fixture in the Segunda Division 4-0. "It is always different when you play against a team against which you have played before. You learn from that for the next game," he said. "In Granada this year the game was completely different. Last year we had a good result against Rayo and we hope the three points will stay here again, but it will be a different game." Knowledge Rayo goalkeeper Dani is also banking on prior knowledge of the opposition, and told his club's official website: "We know Betis, we know many of their players and the coach and we know what Betis' strengths are. "They are having a great start to the league and are strong on their own ground, but we need the three points. "We believe it is a key game for us because the results that we have had in recent weeks have not been good. "It is an away game but against a newly-promoted side like us it is a good opportunity to get three points, to have a little cushion and breathing space for a week." Rayo left-back Raul Bravo trained separately from the squad on Friday due to a muscular injury, while Betis have a full squad to call upon. Best bet:

Alba happy at Mestalla

Manchester United target Jordi Alba insists he is not thinking about leaving Valencia. The highly-rated left-back made his Spain debut against Scotland earlier this month, but he is already believed to be under the gaze of the English champions. United have dispatched scouts to watch him more than four times this season, and the reports sent back to Sir Alex Ferguson have been glowing. Alba is currently contracted to Valencia until 2013, but his buy-out stands at €20million (£17.5million) at the moment and the Spaniards are trying to get him to sign a new deal which would see that almost doubled. "I am happy in Valencia, and want to enjoy this moment," said Alba. "I prefer to avoid the pressure from these rumours and only live each day to try and progress "Now I would see it very difficult to leave Valencia." The player's representatives admitted they had heard of United's scouting of the player but insisted nothing was imminent. "Nobody from Manchester United has contacted us, the kid is calm and is only focused on Valencia," his agents Vicente Fores confirmed to skysports.com.

Barca join hunt for Oscar

Barcelona have joined AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Internacional starlet Oscar after the Brazilian wonderkid was dubbed the new Kaka. The Blaugrana are reported to have had scouts monitor the progress of the 20-year-old playmaker after he rose to prominence with a hat-trick in the final of the 2011 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in the summer. Milan have been linked with the player, whose full name is Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Junior, for several weeks but have yet to make official contact, according to Sport. Internacional have seen scouts from several major European clubs attend their games due to the interest in striker Leandro Damiao and reports soon filtered back about Oscar. Tottenham Hotspur have a partnership agreement with the Porto Algre-based outfit and could have first refusal on the youngster if they want to make their interest concrete. Oscar joined Internacional from Sao Paulo in 2010 and has made only 22 appearances for the first team after playing only as handful of times before making the move. After helping his club win the Copa Libertadores in 2010, the midfielder won the Campeonato Gaucho and Recopa Sudamerica this year. Last month Oscar made his first two appearances for Brazil's first team when he played in the Superclasico de las Americas double header against Argentina.

Abidal plans Barca stay

Eric Abidal has sought to end speculation linking him with a move away from Barcelona by stating that he would like to end his career at Camp Nou as talks over a new deal continue. The France international defender is a reported target for Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan, but if he had his way he would not play anywhere else before hanging up his boots. With his contract due to run out at the end of the current campaign, stories surrounding Abidal's future have been rife, but he is confident of putting pen-to-paper on a deal with the Blaugrana. "I want to retire at Barca," the 32-year-old told a news conference on Monday. "I am sure that we will reach an agreement. Interested "I really want to stay here and hope to sign a two-year deal, but even a one certain with an option for one more season after that would not be bad. "The problem is not about the salary. The problem is about the taxes because after my fifth season here I will have to pay more. "Also, there is the question of the length of the contract that I want and what they are offering me. "There are other clubs that are interested and I am fine with that. But my family is settled here and I like it so I will do everything I can to stay." Abidal joined Barcelona from Lyon in 2007 after spells with Monaco and Lille and has fought back to full fitness after having a tumour removed from his liver earlier this year.

Osasuna star facing season KO

Osasuna midfielder Masoud Shojaei could be sidelined for the rest of the season after undergoing a third operation on his broken foot. The 27 year-old broke the fifth metatarsal of his left foot during a league match against Atletico Madrid in April this year and has since been operated on twice. Unfortunately, the bones did not heal as well as expected and the Iran international will go under the knife again next week at Germany's Hessingpark Clinic. Osasuna's chief doctor Patxi Cipriain is unsure of the player's recovery time but revealed that it would take at least four to five months. "The attention now is to make sure that the affected area is healing well. I cannot confirm if he will be out for four to five months, or that he will miss the entire season," he said on Osasuna's website. "We will need to wait for the assessment results."

Branca not joining Real

Jose Mourinho has dismissed reports Inter Milan sporting director Marco Branca could join him at Real Madrid and is also concerned by the Italian team's form this season. In an unprecedented move at the end of last season, the Spanish giants gave their coach almost complete control over team affairs by parting company with director general Jorge Valdano. Since then, reports have surfaced to suggest Madrid could seek to reintroduce a position between Mourinho and the board by trying to tempt Branca away from Inter. "I worked with him and I like him a lot, he is a great professional," Mourinho said in his pre-match press conference ahead of Tuesday's UEFA Champions League match against Lyon. Optimistic "But he will not come to Real Madrid, that possibility does not exist. "We are happy with the sporting structure that we have. Branca is at Inter and will stay there." Mourinho also expressed his fears over Inter's Serie A form this season as the weekend defeat by Catania left them on four points from their opening six matches and one place above the relegation zone. "I am an Inter fan and I do not like their bad results," he said. "But I am with them and I am optimistic."

Primera Liga round-up

Levante continued their great start to the Primera Liga season as they defeated Malaga at home to go level on points with Barcelona at the top of the table. Click below for individual match stats: Rayo Vallecano 0 Espanyol 1 Real Zaragoza 2 Real Sociedad 0 Levante 3 Malaga 0 Sevilla 2 Sporting Gijon 1 Juan Ignacio Martinez's side went into Sunday's encounter at Ciutat de Valencia three points behind the defending Spanish champions, who defeated Racing Santander 3-0 at Camp Nou on Saturday evening. It was not supposed to be easy for the Granotes against high-spending Malaga, who are striving for a top-four finish this campaign, but the hosts got off to a great start after just 14 minutes when Jose Barkero's shot went in off a deflection of Enzo Maresca. Things went from bad to worse for Malaga on 27 minutes when goalkeeper Wilfredo Caballero was sent off for allegedly handling the ball outside his penalty area. Three minutes later Juanlu doubled Levante's lead and four minutes before the half-time interval Arouna Kone secured the points for the home side with their third goal. The win means that Levante now have 17 points from seven matches, as many as Barca, and one more than Real Madrid. On the other hand, Manuel Pellegrini's Malaga are fifth in the table on 13 points. Sevilla remain unbeaten in the league and continue to rise up the table after a 2-1 win against Sporting Gijon at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. Manu gave the Andalucian giants the lead in the 15th minute and Martin Caceres doubled their advantage three minutes before the hour-mark. David Barral pulled one back for Sporting on 64 minutes but Sevilla survived a late scare to move up to fourth on 15 points. Rayo Vallecano's miserable start to the 2011/12 campaign continued as they lost 1-0 to Espanyol at home, Romaric's goal in the 56th minute proving to be the difference between the two teams. The Madrid outfit are now just a point above the relegation zone, while Espanyol are three points ahead of them in 10th. Basque giants Real Sociedad lost their third game in a row as they went down 2-0 to Real Zaragoza. Helder Postiga broke the deadlock for Zaragoza at La Romareda in the 11th minute with a brilliant overhead kick from the edge of the Sociedad penalty area, and found the target from close range just four minutes into the second session. The result leaves Sociedad on seven points, just two above third-from-bottom Granada, while Zaragoza move up to ninth.

Primera Liga round-up

Barcelona produced another dazzling display to stay top of the table, but Real Madrid remain in hot pursuit. Lionel Messi was again the star of the show as Barcelona swept aside Racing Santander 3-0 at Camp Nou to tighten their grip on first place in the Primera Liga. Messi added the finish following a slick one-two with Andres Iniesta to move clear in second on the Catalan club's list of all-time top goalscorers. And he rounded off the scoring with a simple finish after Iniesta had produced an outrageous piece of skill and shot against a post. Click below for individual match stats: Getafe 0 Villarreal 0 Real Mallorca 1 Valencia 1 Real Madrid 4 Real Betis 1 Barcelona 3 Racing Santander 0 Granada 0 Atletico Madrid 0 Messi's two goals were his 195th and 196th in all competitions for Barca and took him ahead of Laszlo Kubala on the all-time list. Xavi scored with a rare header in between times to keep Barca marching on and leave winless Racing in the bottom three. Gonzalo Higuain scored his second consecutive Primera Liga hat-trick during Real Madrid's 4-1 home defeat of promoted Real Betis. The Argentina striker netted three against Espanyol two weeks ago and scored another treble against Chile while away on international duty, and has now taken his league tally to eight this season. The 23-year-old opened the scoring at the Bernabeu in the 46th minute before Kaka doubled the home side's lead. Betis briefly threatened a fightback when Jorge Molina pulled a goal back, but Higuain struck twice more to complete his hat-trick and keep Madrid within a point of Barca. Real Mallorca enjoyed a dramatic start to life under new coach Joaquin Caparros after snatching a 1-1 draw against Valencia with a last-minute penalty. Valencia looked certain to claim all three points after taking the lead through Adil Rami in the 38th minute. But the home side refused to throw in the towel and were rewarded for their persistence in the dying moments when Mehmet Topal was penalised for handball. Striker Tomer Hemed accepted responsibility for the spot-kick and calmly slotted into the bottom corner to delight the majority of the 15,000-strong crowd. Getafe and Villarreal did little to improve their disappointing starts to the season with a dire goalless draw on Saturday evening. Villarreal looked the more dangerous after snuffing out the hosts' promising start, but both sides desperately lacked a cutting edge. Struggling Granada played out a goalless stalemate with Atletico Madrid in the day's late kick-off at Los Carmenes.

Maduro ruled out

Valencia have lost Dutch star Hedwiges Maduro for around four months. The 26-year-old midfielder damaged ankle ligaments in training with Holland last week, and he has now undergone surgery in Amsterdam. Maduro was expected to be back this year, but he will now not play until 2012. Jorge Candel, Valencia's chief doctor, confirmed: "The recovery time will probably be longer than we had expected. "We thought that it might be a two-month injury but we now realise that this could last for up to four months." Hope Maduro told Voetbal International : "This has come at the wrong time for me. "I was in good form, playing regularly for Valencia and was back in the Holland squad. "I am already thinking of having a strong second half of the season. That should be enough to get me to the European Championships. "I will have to fight and start again from scratch. Much will depend on how I perform for Valencia."

Pinto would favour Prem move

Jose Pinto's agent admits his client would be keen to try his luck in England if Barcelona decide to explore other goalkeeping options. Reports in Catalunya suggest Barca are keen to bring in another goalkeeper next summer. Pinto's contract is set to expire in June 2012, so that would suggest that he will be deemed surplus to requirements. The 35-year-old has been with Barca since 2008, but he has made just 34 appearances during his time at Camp Nou. Victor Valdes remains the undisputed first choice in Pep Guardiola's plans and Pinto has been forced to fill back-up duties. Option His representative insists the veteran shot-stopper would be happy to remain at Barca should a new deal be offered, but has revealed that the Premier League would be his preferred destination if the time comes to move on. "The first option would be to remain at Barca, if the club are interested," Juan Maraver told COMRadio. "If that is not possible, then he would prefer to go to the Premier League. "There have been rumours that Barca are searching for a new keeper for next season, but I don't want to comment on these things. "The player is calm at the moment and rumours will always surface at a club as big as Barcelona."

Abidal played through pain

Eric Abidal admits he pushed himself through the pain barrier in order to help France book their place at Euro 2012. The Barcelona full-back was carrying a hamstring injury when selected by Les Bleus for their final qualifier against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday. He picked up the knocked during a domestic run-out for Barca against Sporting Gijon on 2nd October. The Catalan giants warned France against taking any risks with Abidal in a crucial qualification double-header that also included a meeting with Albania. Laurent Blanc rested the 32-year-old for the first game, but played him for the full 90 minutes against Bosnia-Herzegovina. Live on Sky Sports vs

Albiol to fight for Madrid place

Reported Liverpool, City and Arsenal target to fight for place Real Madrid's Raul Albiol has dashed the hopes of Premier League clubs trying to sign him by committing his future to the Spanish giants. The 26-year-old was a target for Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal over the summer, as they tried to add his defensive expertise to their backlines. Albiol had fallen out of favour with Jose Mourinho last year which had triggered the interest in his services from these suitors. However, the Spain international has no intention of turning his back on the illustrious team from the Spanish capital. He told Spanish radio station Cadena Cope : "The season is like a long-distance race. I haven't had many minutes in the early part of the season but I'm working hard to force the manager to pick me. "It's a difficult challenge but nobody has spoken to me about leaving the club. Football is all about the present and we must work hard. "Between now and December, there are a lot of games and I have to make sure I improve with every game."

Kameni set to leave Espanyol

Espanyol goalkeeper Carlos Kameni is set to leave the Spanish club during the January transfer window and would accept an offer from an English club. Kameni has dropped down in the pecking order at the Catalan side under coach Mauricio Pochettino, who has made it clear terms that he will choose his players, regardless of reputation. "I have three goalkeepers and I will choose the best from a sporting perspective," he stated. The Cameroon international, who has not started a single Primera Liga match for Espanyol this season, is not happy at his situation and wants to leave in January. Premier League sides Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in the 27-year-old, and, according to sources, "if any English club make an offer, then he would accept it without any problem". Kameni joined Espanyol from Le Havre in 2004 and has made more than 200 appearances for the Barcelona outfit. His current contract with Periquitos lasts until June 2013.

Farfan coy on Malaga rumours

Schalke striker Jefferson Farfan has refused to comment on speculation regarding a move to Malaga but admits he intends to return to play in Peru one day. The 26-year-old has been a big hit at the Veltins-Arena since signing from PSV in 2008 but has just a year left on his current deal. The Bundesliga outfit have already offered Farfan and new three-year contract and are expecting a decision from the striker by the end of the month. Rumours have since emerged of a January move to Malaga, who have embarked on an extensive spending spree thanks to the wealth of owner Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nassar Al-Thani. When quizzed on the rumours, Farfan insisted he was concentrating solely on Peru's World Cup qualifier with Paraguay in Lima this weekend. He did, however, admit that one day he would like to return to his homeland and play for former side Alianza Lima. "I know by things that I have read in the Peruvian press that it is being said that I may be transferred to Malaga in the next transfer window," said Farfan. "But I must say that in this moment I have my mind focused on the national team. "On the other hand, I don't dream of playing at Alianza Lima some day because I know that I am going to play at Alianza."

Primera Liga round-up

Barcelona returned to the top of the table, Levante kept pace and Real Madrid continued to give chase. Pep Guardiola's Barcelona scraped past bottom club Sporting Gijon to pick up their first away league win of the season. The defending champions had drawn 2-2 at both Real Sociedad and Valencia in their previous two away matches in La Liga but they returned from Asturias with all three points tonight thanks to Adriano's solitary early strike. Barca are now level on 14 points with surprise package Levante at the summit, while Sporting continue to struggle at the foot of the standings after suffering their fifth defeat in six games. Click below for individual match stats: Atletico Madrid 0 Sevilla 0 Espanyol 0 Real Madrid 4 Real Betis 0 Levante 1 Real Sociedad 1 Athletic Bilbao 2 Sporting Gijon 0 Barcelona 1 Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid continued to chase their old rivals after Gonzalo Higuain's hat-trick helped earn a 4-0 win at Espanyol in the late kick-off. Higuain opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a rifled finish at Cornella-El Prat stadium after being played though by Cristiano Ronaldo. Higuain added a second in the 66th minute, when the Argentine superbly swept home Alvaro Arbeloa's precise pass. Substitute Jose Callejon got his name on the scoresheet with eight minutes remaining, before Higuain completed his treble in the 89th minute. Juanlu's first-half strike was enough for Levante to down Real Betis 1-0 and ensure his side at least a share of top spot in the Primera Division heading into the international break. The visitors who took control as Juanlu opened the scoring with a volley that went through the legs of Betis goalkeeper Casto on 33 minutes. Fernando Llorente's brace earned Athletic Bilbao their first win of the season as they won Sunday's lunchtime Basque derby at the Estadio Anoeta 2-1. The Spain striker scored in each half to sink Real Sociedad and earn Marcelo Bielsa the first victory of his reign at the sixth time of asking. Sociedad had levelled through defender Inigo Martinez's astonishing strike from his own half but were outplayed for the majority of the encounter and had no answer after Llorente's second. Atletico Madrid were left to rue a number of missed chances as Sevilla held on to extend their unbeaten start to the season with a 0-0 draw at the Vicente Calderon. Radamel Falcao was the main culprit for the home side as he inexplicably blazed over from five yards out with the goal at his mercy on 62 minutes.

Jose hit with two-game ban

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has been handed a two-match ban for jabbing his finger into the eye of Barcelona's assistant coach. Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova has been banned for one match for reacting to Mourinho by slapping him during a mass brawl in the final moments of Real Madrid's Super Cup loss to Barcelona on 17th August. The ill feeling between the two bitter rivals boiled over at the end of their match at the Camp Nou, which Barcelona won 3-2, giving them a 5-4 aggregate victory and the Super Cup trophy. Real defender Marcelo's ugly challenge on Cesc Fabregas just before injury-time sparked the altercation between both benches As players from both sides tussled on the field, television pictures showed Mourinho walking over to Pep Guardiola's assistant Vilanova and poking him in the eye. Mourinho later issued a letter apologising for his behaviour to Madrid fans but to no-one else.

Primera Liga round-up

Julio Baptista's stunning overhead kick earned Malaga a 3-2 win over Getafe to send them to the top of the table. Click below for individual match facts and stats: Malaga 3 Getafe 2 Osasuna 2 Real Mallorca 2 Racing Santander 1 Rayo Vallecano Valencia 1 Granada 0 Villarreal 2 Real Zaragoza 2 After a goalless first half Pedro Leon broke the deadlock on 55 minutes for Getafe with a stunning volley from the edge of the box which flew into the top corner. Malaga drew level on 64 minutes when Ruud van Nistelrooy headed home from close range for his first goal for the club. The visitors restored their lead 15 minutes later when Miku headed home, but they were immediately reduced to ten men when Medhi Lacen was sent off for a second bookable offence. Enzo Maresca drew Malaga level two minutes from time when he scrambled the ball home from close range. There was still time left for Baptista to win it for Malaga with a brilliant acrobatic overhead kick deep into injury-time. Valencia maintained their fine start to the season with a 1-0 win over new boys Granada at La Mestalla. On-loan Real Madrid midfielder Sergio Canales was the hero for Valencia with the only goal of the game after just four minutes. Villarreal twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw with Real Zaragoza at El Madrigal. Luis Garcia gave Zaragoza a shock lead on 35 minutes, but Giuseppe Rossi drew the hosts level from the penalty spot six minutes later. On-loan winger Pablo Barrera restored Zaragoza's lead right on the stroke of half-time before Maurizio Lanzaro was sent off for the visitors ten minutes from time. Villarreal made their numerical advantage count when Hernan Perez levelled matters six minutes from time. Racing Santander are still searching for their first win of the season after being held to a 1-1 draw at home to Rayo Vallecano. Raul Tamudo fired Rayo in front after 20 minutes, but Adrian Gonzalez replied for Santander just before the hour mark. Osasuna and Real Mallorca shared the spoils after an entertaining 2-2 draw at Reyno de Navarra. Tomer Hemed gave Mallorca the lead from the penalty spot on 34 minutes only for Raul Garcia to equalise for Osasuna on the stroke of half-time. Garcia netted his second of the game just before the hour to put Osasuna in control, but Hemed netted his second penalty of the game 11 minutes from time to ensure a point for Mallorca.

Negredo signs Sevilla deal

Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo has signed a new contract which will keep him at the club until the summer of 2016. The Spain international's previous deal was due to expire in 2014 and the club have moved to ward off clubs interested in Negredo by offering him an improved two-year extension. Sevilla have also inserted a buy-out clause of €50milion for the 26-year-old who was the subject of interest from Tottenham during the summer. Negredo has established himself as one of the best forward's in Europe after arriving from Real Madrid in 2009 and Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido was delighted to secure the player's long-term future. Important player "Alvaro is a very important player for us and a big part of the future for this," del Nido told the club's official website. "By this move we have discarded his sale." Negredo admitted he was happy to extend his stay at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan after snubbing several offers during the summer transfer window. "I am content because this is the best choice," noted Negredo. "In the summer I received many offers but I wanted to follow here."

Caparros named Mallorca boss

Real Mallorca have confirmed the appointment of Joaquin Caparros as their new coach. Caparros succeeds Michael Laudrup, who stepped down last week just five games into the new La Liga season. The 55-year-old, whose previous clubs include Villarreal, Sevilla, Deportivo La Coruna and Athletic Bilbao, has signed a contract until June 30, 2012. "My team and I are willing to become fully involved in the project. We guarantee that we will give everything 25 hours a day, not 24," he was quoted as saying at his presentation by Spanish newspaper AS. Caparros explained he penned a nine-month deal "because it is important that the two parties, the coaching staff and the board, know where we stand". He added: "Only at Athletic did they sign me for three years. At other clubs I've been signed for one season. We will give it time and we will see." "My team and I are willing to become fully involved in the project. We guarantee that we will give everything 25 hours a day, not 24." Joaquin Caparros Quotes of the week Get involved Caparros briefly took the reins at Neuchatel Xamax in July but lasted only five games with the chaotic Swiss club. "I come to get involved. All I want is to train. It is a privilege that Mallorca has remembered me," said the Andalusian, who will work alongside assistant coach Luci Martin and fitness coach Aurelio Martin. "Going forward, collective effort and unity is a must to win in this league. "What is clear is that we all think and act as a team - and I include managers, players, fans, media - for the good of Mallorca. "I come with a lot of hope. It's a nice challenge. We enjoy our profession, and while the other teams are motivated, we have to have at least the same motivation or more."

Higuain happy to be back

Gonzalo Higuain was understandably delighted to be back in Real Madrid's starting XI on Sunday and back among the goals. The Argentina international was a regular for Real until he suffered a serious back injury last season that required surgery and kept him sidelined from November until April. Since shaking off the problem he has largely been forced to make do with a place on the bench, with Karim Benzema getting the nod in Jose Mourinho's first-team plans. Higuain had started just once this season before being thrust back into the fold for a trip to Espanyol. He made the most of Benzema's absence through injury as he bagged a hat-trick, with his treble ensuring that Real remain just a point adrift of league leaders Barcelona. Speaking after the game, Higuain said: "I'm very happy. I suffered a lot to get back to playing and I'm happy to have a game like that. Also, I was able to complete the entire game, which is very good to help me recover top form. Confidence "Mourinho congratulated me. Everybody knew that I needed this after the injury. Now I'm only thinking of enjoying it and taking it game by game." He added on the club's official website : "This victory helps us continue near the teams at the top. It was a difficult game, but very good for me to continue gaining confidence and playing time and for us to continue moving forward in a very positive manner." Real have already dropped five points this season, in their opening six games, but Higuain insists too much is being made of their early wobble. "There wasn't any crisis, we had two bad games, nothing more," he said in AS. "Against Espanyol it was important to win because we knew if we didn't we would have fallen further away from the leaders. Everybody did a great job."

Sanchez set for Chile trip

Barcelona have given Alexis Sanchez permission to return to Chile as part of his rehabilitation from his thigh injury. Sanchez injured his thigh against Real Sociedad earlier this month and he is not expected to return until November. The injury means Sanchez misses Chile's opening World Cup qualifying clashes with Argentina and Peru, but he was still invited to join the squad by boss Claudio Borghi, a request which Barca have agreed to. "Alexis will be here with us from Monday," Borghi told Radio Agricultura. "He received special permission from Barcelona and will work with someone who will come especially from Spain." Meanwhile, Barcelona have confirmed that Dutch midfielder Ibrahim Afellay will have surgery on Monday. The 25-year-old damaged the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee earlier this week and is set to be sidelined for most of this season.

Kaka never lost Real ambition

Kaka insists he has never given up on his dream of securing success with Real Madrid despite a difficult start to his career in Spain. The midfielder demonstrated the skill that prompted Real to pay a world record £56million for his services when he starred in their 3-0 UEFA Champions League win over Ajax on Tuesday. The Brazilian, who arrived at the Bernabeu from AC Milan in 2009, scored one goal and set up the other two to see off the Dutch champions. That performance fuelled suggestions that Kaka is getting back to his best after a torrid start to life at Real which has seen him struggle with injury and fail to hold down a first-team place. The World Cup winner and former world player of the year is adamant he never thought of leaving the Spanish club and remains completely focused on succeeding under coach Jose Mourinho. "I am indebted to Real Madrid and the club. It would be very easy to have gone, but that is why I raised my game," he said. "I have a dream of winning with Madrid which I want to realise." Tribute The 29-year-old has voiced his gratitude to Mourinho and Real president Florentino Perez, who always wanted him to remain at the Bernabeu. "After the game (Perez) gave me a hug and congratulated me," he added. "He always supported me in bad times. Many have said they wanted to sell, but he said he would not and kept his word. I owe a lot to the president. "Three parties decided. I do not want to leave, Mourinho did not want me to go and the club did not want to sell."

Abidal to bide his time

Eric Abidal is prepared to wait until the end of the season before deciding on his future despite receiving an offer to extend his contract with Barcelona. Earlier this month, the noble Frenchman admitted he did not want to "deceive" the club by signing the deal while doubts surround his physical health. Abidal, whose contract runs out at the end of this season, had surgery to remove a liver tumour in March and is thought to be considering a return to his homeland. That has alerted wealthy Paris Saint Germain and Abidal's agent, David Benditelli, met with the French club's executive Alain Roche to discuss a future option. The 32-year-old, though, is in no rush to make a decision and insists any will be on his own terms. "This is not a question of money," said the defender. "How things work out will be determined at the end of the season and it will be my choice."