Line-up confirmed / Alineació confirmada / Alineación confirmada:
Bravo, Dani Alves, Piqué, Mathieu, Jordi Alba, Sergio, Rakitic, Rafinha, Pedro, Munir, Messi 

Substitutes / Suplents / Suplentes:
Masip, Montoya, Xavi, Neymar Jr, Marc Bartra, Sergi Roberto, Sandro

Villarreal-Barça: La Liga BBVA, en directo

  • Sigue el partido de la Liga BBVA entre el Villarreal y el Barça en directo



Los jugadores de ambos equipos ultiman los ejercicios de calentamiento. En apenas veinte minutos echará a  rodar el balón 18:32El Barça no pierde en El Madrigal desde la temporada 2007-2008, con  Rijkaard en el banquillo. Desde entonces 4 vitorias y dos empates. 18:29Varios jugadores del equipo local han estado en la órbita del Barça en el pasado. Es el caso del central Musacchio y de Bruno Soriano 18:25En la rueda de prensa previa al partido, Luis Enrique calificó al rival del Barça de hoy como "uno de los más potentes de la Liga. Nos exigirá jugar al cien por cien. Tiene un buen técnico y se ha reforzado bien", aseguró el asturiano. 18:20El Villarreal llega pletórico tras solventar por la vía rápida su eliminatoria previa de la Europa League ante el Astaná. En la vuelta, los de Marcelino pasaron por encima de un rival (4-0), al que ya golearon en la ida (0-3) 18:16

 
MundoDeportivo.comLuis Enrique presenta una variación táctica con respecto al debut ante el Elche en el Camp Nou. Rafinha, que jugó de extremo en el estreno, es otra vez titular, pero esta vez ocupará la posición del lesionado Iniesta   18:11Hace 4 meses el Barça jugó en El Madrigal dos días después de la muerte de Tito Vilanova. En el partido, Alves se comió un plátano lanzado desde la grada y comenzó una campaña contra el racismo. 18:08Piqué vuelve al once inicial tras quedar fuera de la lista de convocados de Del Bosque para los encuentros ante Francia y Macedonia. Luis Enrique salió ayer en defensa de su central y aseguró que "está perfecto". 18:05ElVillarreal saldrá con  Asenjo, Mario, Musacchio, V. Ruiz, J. Costa; Pina, Bruno, Trigueros, Cani; Cheryshev y Giovani. 18:03Giovani representa la principal amenaza del 'submarino amarillo'. El ex azulgrana es la gran figura del equipo de Marcelino y con su velocidad puede causar problemas a los centrales azulgrana. 18:01Luis Enrique y Marcelino han estado conversando sobre el terreno de juego. Buen rollo entre los dos técnicos.   17:57Ya tenemos once del Barça: Bravo, Dani Alves, Piqué, Mathieu, Jordi Alba, Sergio, Rakitic, Rafinha, Pedro, Munir y Messi 17:50En algo más de una hora dará inicio el encuentro entre el Villarreal y el FC Barcelona. El césped de El Madrigal no presenta un buen aspecto y dificultará el fútbol de toque de los azulgrana 09:44El Villarreal mide (19h - C+Liga/GolT)) la fiabilidad del Barcelona de Luis Enrique y confirmar de paso el buen momento que viven los castellonenses, después de que el equipo de Marcelino García Toral ha arrancado con fuerza el campeonato.

El Barcelona, líder de la Liga tras el 3-0 al Elche en la primera jornada, visita el feudo de un sólido Villarreal, en donde el renovado equipo de Luis Enrique Martínez buscará refrendar, antes del parón por los partidos de selecciones, las buenas sensaciones mostradas hace siete días.

El azar del calendario ha provocado que el primer desplazamiento de los azulgrana sea ante un rival competitivo, en la que para muchos es una de las primeras pruebas de nivel que deberá sortear antes del inicio de la Liga de Campeones.

El partido frente al Barcelona promete ser de lo más intenso, si se tiene en cuenta los precedentes de anteriores temporadas, ya que el Madrigal pasa por ser uno de los campos en el que el equipo blaugrana se ha visto bastante exigido desde que el Villarreal milita en la máxima categoría.

Los enfrentamientos entre ambos equipos con los castellonenses de locales, estos se reparten en cinco victorias locales, dos empates y siete victorias visitantes, y aunque el Barcelona ha sido capaz de sumar más victorias como visitante, el Villarreal ha logrado no perder en la mitad de los enfrentamientos de ambos equipos.

Si bien el Barça no pierde en El Madrigal desde la temporada 2007-2008, no se deberán fiar los de Luis Enrique del equipo castellonense, pues en sus filas cuenta con Javier Espinosa, así como con los hermanos Jonathan y Giovani Dos Sanotos, tres jugadores criados en 'La Masia'.

Para consolidar las buenas sensaciones de la primera jornada, recupera Luis Enrique al brasileño Neymar Júnior, quien hoy recibió el alta médica después de causar baja en el debut liguero de su equipo por un esguince en el tobillo izquierdo. No obstante, pierde a Andrés Iniesta en el centro del campo, que arrastra molestias en la rodilla izquierda.

Así las cosas, una de las principales dudas en la alineación es saber quién suple al manchego. Luis Enrique deberá escoger entre la veteranía de Xavi Hernández o la juventud de Sergi Roberto para completar la medular formada por Rakitic y Sergio Busquets. También falta conocer a los acompañantes de Leo Messi en ataque. Todas las quinielas apuntan a que Neymar entrará en el once.

Por ello, el técnico cuenta con el trabajo de Pedro Rodríguez, la visión de juego de Rafinha Alcántara y el olfato goleador del joven Munir El Haddadi para ocupar una de las tres posiciones de ataque. Tampoco está clara la pareja de Jeremy Mathieu en el eje de la zaga.

Mascherano es baja por sanción y hasta ayer todo hacía pensar que Gerard Piqué ocuparía su lugar en el once. Pero las declaraciones del seleccionador español, Vicente del Bosque, asegurando que el central catalán arrastra molestias en la cadera no cierran las puertas de la titularidad a Marc Bartra. El Villarreal quiere seguir con su buena racha inicial de campeonato, tras haber ganado sus tres primeros partidos oficiales.

Con ello, y tras ganar al Levante 0-2, a lo que se suma las goleadas en los dos partidos de la Liga Europa frente al Astana, llega a este cuarto partido oficial frente al Barcelona con muy buenas sensaciones.

Además, este será el estreno del equipo como local en el campeonato de Liga, tras ganar en el Ciudad de Valencia al Levante en la primera jornada.



Torres loan complete 




Fernando Torres has today finalised the loan that will see the striker spend the next two years at AC Milan. 

The 30-year-old will now play for the Serie A side following three-and-a-half years at Stamford Bridge, in which time he helped Chelsea lift the Champions League, the Europa League and the FA Cup. 

A World Cup-winner, Torres joined Chelsea from Liverpool in January 2011. Memorable highlights include his Champions League semi-final breakaway against Barcelona at the Nou Camp and the goal that helped beat Benfica to lift the Europa League trophy a year later. A hat-trick against neighbours QPR in April 2012 is his biggest Chelsea haul in one game. 

Torres continued to share in Spain’s international success while at Chelsea. He helped his country to a second successive European Championship in 2012, securing the Golden Boot in the process thanks to his three goals, one of which came in the final where he also teed up club-mate Juan Mata to put the icing on a 4-0 win over Italy. 

In the busy 2012/13 season his 22 goals were spread over seven different competitions, a club record. In the Europa League he scored key goals against Steaua Bucharest and Rubin Kazan before his opener in the final in Amsterdam. 

He also netted Chelsea’s final goal of last season, a late winner at Cardiff, having earlier in the season raised the roof at Stamford Bridge with an even later goal that defeated Manchester City in the 90th minute. 

Chelsea Football Club thanks Fernando for his service during the past four seasons and wishes him the very best for his loan in Italy. 

Tottenham 0 Liverpool 3: Balotelli makes bright start in debut win




Mario Balotelli made a promising debut as Brendan Rodgers celebrated his 100th game in charge of Liverpool with a 3-0 win at Tottenham.

Rodgers insisted in the build-up to Sunday's fixture that his club would not become 'the Balotelli show' but the controversial striker went straight into the starting line-up at the expense of Philippe Coutinho.
Captain Steven Gerrard also joked that the Italy international had already made an impact with his new team-mates by changing the pre-match music in the dressing room and he certainly looked at ease from the outset.
An early header almost gave Balotelli a dream start and he linked up well with fellow forwards Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge for the hour he was on to help Liverpool bounce back from Monday's 3-1 defeat at Manchester City and follow up last season's 5-0 and 4-0 victories over Tottenham with another emphatic Premier League romp.
It was England starlet Sterling, with Roy Hodgson watching on from the White Hart Lane stands ahead of the upcoming double-header against Norway and Switzerland, who put the visitors on the road to victory when finishing off a neat early break.  
Gerrard, who will not be involved in England's matches after recently calling time on his international career, doubled the lead from the penalty spot four minutes into the second half and Alberto Moreno opened his account for Liverpool in some style as Tottenham fell to their first defeat under Mauricio Pochettino.
As well as bringing in Balotelli, Liverpool also made two changes in defence, with Mamadou Sakho and Javier Manquillo replacing Glen Johnson and Martin Skrtel, but Adam Lallana did not make the squad despite travelling to London after recovering from injury.
Having shuffled his pack for Thursday's Europa League defeat of AEL, Pochettino reverted to the same starting line-up that crushed QPR last weekend.
Balotelli almost made a sensational start when heading on target from a Sturridge cross after just two minutes, but Hugo Lloris did well to save.
However, the visitors were ahead five minutes later when Sterling sprinted in at the back post to slot a low shot home after good work from Jordan Henderson and Sturridge.
Emmanuel Adebayor had a chance to hit back immediately when put through by Nabil Bentaleb but his lob sailed over both Simon Mignolet and the crossbar.
Eric Dier had the home fans on their feet when a crunching tackle sent Balotelli sprawling, while the striker attracted more jeers when hooking wildly wide of an open goal after a poor clearance by Lloris, who had raced out of his area.
At the other end, Mignolet had to display strong hands to keep out a ferocious Nacer Chadli strike, but Liverpool remained in front at the break.
The visitors were quick out of the blocks again in the second period and were awarded a penalty when Dier pulled back Joe Allen in the box, with Gerrard taking full advantage by striking firmly past Lloris into the bottom-left corner of the net.
Pochettino introduced Andros Townsend and Mousa Dembele but the hosts were three down on 60 minutes when Moreno dispossessed the former and raced down the left before cutting in to fire past Lloris on the other side of the goal.
Balotelli left the field soon after, to rapturous applause from the away fans, and Liverpool could have gone further ahead when Sterling waltzed through some woeful defending before hitting his shot tamely at Lloris.
Tottenham, who went into the game on the back of wins over West Ham and QPR, should have had a late penalty as Dejan Lovren was guilty of grabbing Adebayor's shirt but a goal would have provided little consolation for the hosts.

Aston Villa 2 Hull City 1: Agbonlahor, Weimann condemn visitors to defeat




Aston Villa held off late pressure from Hull City to cap the visitors' disappointing week with a 2-1 defeat on Sunday.

Steve Bruce's side bowed out of the UEFA Europa League to Lokeren on Thursday, and first-half goals from Gabriel Agbonlahor and Andreas Weimann gave a lacklustre Hull a mountain to climb at Villa Park.
Villa's strong start to the game was rewarded when Agbonlahor opened the scoring with a smart finish after 16 minutes.
Weimann played a significant role in the opener and the Austrian got on the scoresheet shortly after the half-hour mark.
Kieran Richardson cut the ball back from the left and Weimann, who netted twice in the corresponding fixture last season, put Villa in control. 
Hull rallied in the second half and pulled one back through Nikica Jelavic, but the damage had been done as Paul Lambert's men continued their unbeaten Premier League start to the season and banished memories of their midweek League Cup defeat to Leyton Orient.
Fabian Delph, fresh from his maiden England call-up, started well, clipping the crossbar early on and keeping Villa ticking over in the centre of the park.  
Hull were sluggish following their European exit, and were punished when Agbonlahor turned smartly and fired home from inside the area. 
The striker opened his account for the season after a neat pass from Weimann around the point that Hull appeared to be growing into the game. 
Agbonlahor then forced Hull debutant Michael Dawson into a hurried clearance following a dangerous cross from the left before the visitors went close shortly after when Tom Huddlestone's shot from distance deflected marginally wide off Delph.
However, Dawson's first outing since joining from Tottenham got worse when he sloppily gave the ball away on the edge of the penalty area.
Richardson then attacked down the left and crossed for Weimann, who had time to pick his spot and send Villa in 2-0 up at the break, although it could have been three when Ashley Westwood's free-kick hit the post late in the half.
Hull began the second half brighter but struggled to create chances - Bruce opting to replace Tom Ince with Robbie Brady in an attempt to get a foothold in the game.
Amid late pressure, Lambert's defence conceded their first goal of the top-flight campaign when Jelavic headed home via a deflection off Aly Cissokho from a corner with 16 minutes remaining. 
That proved no more than a consolation, however, with Bruce likely to consider his attacking options ahead of the transfer window's closure following a largely under-par display in the West Midlands.
Jake Livermore's late free-kick that hit the bar was as close as Hull came to snatching a point, and a laboured attacking showing may prompt Bruce to delve into the transfer market before the window’s closure on Monday.

Dundee 1 Celtic 1: Champions held at Dens Park




Celtic's spluttering start to the season continued as they were held to a 1-1 Scottish Premiership draw by Dundee.

Ronny Deila's side found themselves behind immediately at Dens Park on Sunday as James McPake's first-minute header gave the hosts a dream start.
The leveller did not come until Leigh Griffiths fired home in the 55th minute, with neither team able to find a winner.
A draw means Celtic have now collected only seven points from four games, with this result coming on the back of a 1-0 loss to Inverness Caledonian Thistle and an exit from the UEFA Champions League in midweek.
Things could not have started much worse for Celtic, McPake rising highest in the box to head home Philip Roberts' corner.
The game took on an end-to-end nature thereafter as both sides spurned opportunities.
But Celtic equalised just after half-time when Griffiths' effort deflected off Thomas Konrad and into the net.
Dundee almost went back in front afterwards, Martin Boyle forcing a fine save from Craig Gordon.
The home side were relieved to pick up a point by the end, Celtic's Anthony Stokes rattling the woodwork late on.

Wenger: Campbell going nowhere



Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says Joel Campbell will not be leaving the club on loan despite plenty of interest in the striker.


The Costa Rica international returned to the Emirates Stadium ahead of the new season following a loan spell at Olympiacos - the latest in a series of temporary moves away from Arsenal. 
Campbell has also been loaned out to Lorient and Real Betis in recent years but is expected to challenge for a first-team place at Arsenal this season following a strong World Cup with Costa Rica.
While Campbell is yet to start for Arsenal this season, Wenger maintains the 22-year-old will not leave on loan again ahead of the transfer window closing on Monday.
"We have had a lot of offers for Joel and have turned them all down," Wenger is quoted as telling The Sunday People.
"There are plenty of clubs - I don't know exactly how many because I said to my assistants, 'He will not go out on loan'. 
"If somebody calls them they don't even tell me any more because, when I say no, it's no.
"But he is definitely a player wanted by many clubs."