La Liga wrap: Valencia break Deportivo hearts

Spanish Liga - Costa strikes to sink nine-man Deportivo

Ricardo Costa nodded the winner in stoppage time as Valencia came from behind to complete a 3-2 win over nine-man Deportivo La Coruna at the Riazor.

Valencia struck with their first attack of the night when Jonas rose to head home Pablo Piatti's corner in the opening minute before Riki netted twice to give Deportivo the lead as he nodded in Pizzi's free-kick and then thumped a shot into the net from the edge of the visiting box in stoppage time in the first period.

The mood of the game changed when Silvio Pereira was sent off for a second booking after he caught Piatti with a wretched late challenge on 53 minutes.

Substitute Nelson Valdez flicked home Juan Bernat's cross for the equaliser before Ricardo Costa rose unmarked to head the winner from Andres Guardado's cross to complete the victory for Valencia, who move up to fifth in the table.

Paulo Assuncao was sent off for Deportivo for aiming an elbow at Valdez off the ball in six minutes of stoppage time to complete a miserable evening for the home team, who remain stuck at the foot of the table.

Valencia vs. Real Madrid: Final score 1-1

Madrid advance despite a injury to Casillas and two red cards

espite losing Iker Casillas to an injury and having two players sent off in the second half, Real Madrid were more than up to the task of slowing down Valencia and booking their place in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey. Madrid will now wait for the result of tomorrow's match between Barcelona and Malaga (currently tied 2-2) to learn who they will face in the next round.

Valencia got off to a fast start and earned a free kick from 30-yards out after Xabi Alonso picked up an early yellow for a hard tackle. Tino Costa's curling free kick deflected slightly off Cristiano Ronaldo and over the cross bar.

Madrid responded with two good chances. The first came as Alonso found Ronaldo in the box who smashed a shot on frame that was pushed away by Vicente Guaita. Two minutes later they were back as Álvaro Arbeloa made an overlapping run down the left before sending a cross in to the six yard box that trickled past the far post untouched.

In the 15th minute Arbeola accidentally kicked Iker Casillas' hand or wrist as he attempted to clear the ball from danger. Casillas was down for several minutes as the physio's worked on his wrist and hand. At first it looked like they might tape it up, but after some discussion Casillas shook his head and left the match, replaced by Antonio Adán.

Just when it looked like Valencia would get through the half, Madrid struck and ended the tie. in the 44th minute Madrid took a quick throw-in to Xabi Alonso who sent a quick past right to the feet of Karim Benzema. The striker ran in o the Valencia box and put the ball in the bottom left corner.

The door opened ever so slightly for Valencia in the 51st minute when Fábio Coentrão was show his second yellow card of the match for a deliberate handball, leaving Madrid to finish the match a man down.

Los Che pulled a goal back in the 55th minute when Tino Costa's free kick evaded everyone in the box and past Adán to make it 1-1 on the day.

In the 88th minute, Madrid lost another player. This time it was Ángel Di María who lost his temper and needlessly kicked out at Joao Pereira. The referee showed him a straight red leaving Madrid with nine men for the final couple of minutes of the match. It was too little, too late to help Valencia but it will affect Madrid in the next round with two suspended players.

Valencia vs. Real Madrid, 2013 Copa del Rey: Preview

Los Che probably don't have a way back into their Copa del Rey tie against Real Madrid.

Valencia have failed to score in 180 minutes of football in the last week against Real Madrid, spanning two stadiums and two competitions. They've indicated that Roberto Soldado will rest for the Copa del Rey return leg against Los Merengues, so they'll probably lack a bit of scoring punch. Sofiane Feghouli is away at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Jeremy Mathieu is sitting out and David Albelda is in doubt.

Even though Real Madrid could take this opportunity to give him a day off, Real Madrid are expected to give a start to Cristiano Ronaldo, as always. If they can add a goal in the first half at the Mestalla, the tie should be over fairly quickly.

It would be stunning if Los Merengues failed to hold up their end of the quarterfinal bargain and do their part to set up a semifinal Clasico. Whether or not Barcelona can do the same against Malaga on Thursday is an entirely different story.

Match date/time: Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. local, 3:30 p.m. ET

Venue: Mestalla, Valencia, Spain

Valencia's Costa takes long road to the top

"Those who tell me I can relax because I've made it clearly don't know me." Midfielder Tino Costa speaks to Champions Matchday about the odd path that took him to Valencia CF.

"The first thing they told me was that I was crazy. The second thing was that I was completely crazy. In a way, I was." That was how Alberto 'Tino' Costa's friends and relatives reacted when he told them he wanted to leave Argentina and travel to the Caribbean to pursue his dream of playing professional football.

Born in Las Flores, 187km from Buenos Aires, Costa was only 15 when he left home for Guadeloupe. "A friend of the family had a football club there and invited me," says Costa. "I didn't know anything about the island. They had no professional football but I told everybody it was the best way to get a transfer to Europe. And they told me I was… crazy."

Twelve years later Costa is lighting up the UEFA Champions League for Valencia CF. At the heart of the Blanquinegros' victories on matchday two and three, the playmaker appreciates his place all the more because of the unorthodox route he took to Mestalla.

His transition to life in Guadeloupe at Racing Club de Basse-Terre was not an easy one. "I often packed my suitcase and vowed to leave the next day," he admits. "But I'd wake up with more willpower to remain." Originally a left-back, Costa was so accomplished he was asked to switch to left midfield and unsuccessful trials with a number of European clubs followed, including at AJ Auxerre, Olympique de Marseille, LOSC Lille, Olympique Lyonnais and SC Bastia.

"I had to wait two more years for another chance, and Racing Club Paris finally signed me." However, moving to Paris was not the happy ending he was expecting. Living in an empty flat, he did not even have a bed. "It was hard to sleep anyway. There was a butcher on the ground floor and he started chopping at 4am!"

After spells at two more French sides, Costa caught the eye of Montpellier Hérault SC, then in Ligue 2, who signed him in 2008. His match winner against RC Strasbourg clinched Montpellier's promotion to Ligue 1 and was glorious proof that Costa was not crazy. "That day I felt like a professional footballer for the first time," he remembers.

In 2010, Valencia paid Montpellier €6m for Costa. "The first season was difficult. I was playing in the world's best league," he says. But he adapted and his UEFA Champions League debut, against Bursaspor in September 2010, was an emotional occasion. "I couldn't believe I was playing in the competition. Not that long before I'd been watching the games with friends. Now I was playing in them, listening to that unique melody."

Having earned a first call-up to the Argentina national side in October, it may seem that the hard part of his journey is over, but the 27-year-old refuses to ease off. "Those who tell me I can relax because I've made it clearly don't know me. I'm always setting new goals. It's how I've kept busy these past ten years."

uefa.com

Файлообменный сервис Mega запущен официально

      Основатель популярного хостинг-сервиса Megaupload Ким Дотком (Kim Dotcom) запустил новый файлообменный ресурс Mega. Просочившаяся вчера в Сеть информация полностью подтвердилась: сайт действительно предлагает пользователям 50 Гбайт пространства бесплатно, а шифрование проводится при помощи 2048-битных ключей, которые генерируются в зависимости от того, как пользователь взаимодействует с мышью и клавиатурой.

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    Помимо прочего, авторы проекта порекомендовали пользователям установить на свои компьютеры интернет-обозреватель Google Chrome, поскольку в настоящее время «ни один из других распространенных браузеров не поддерживает необходимый набор функций». В скором времени разработчики планируют выпустить API, клиент для стационарных компьютеров и мобильных устройств, а также приложение для мгновенного обмена сообщениями между пользователями сервиса. 

Valencia 0 - Real 5 : Full Shit

Valencia hits rock bottom

If there is one thing that coaches fear, it is allowing one loss to beat their team twice. In the case of Valencia, who were coming off a midweek 2-0 loss to Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey, Sunday's league contest versus Los Blancos was a chance to avoid such a fate.

But after Valencia's pathetic display on Sunday night in front of their home fans at the Mestalla, one can only deduce that Valencia's thoughts were still centered on the first leg Copa tie and not on the task at hand.

Madrid hammered Los Che for five goals in the first half, a massive embarrassment for Valencia president Manuel Llorente who had to sit through another protest of waving white handkerchiefs from the home fans.

In the two matches versus Madrid in the last five days, Valencia have been outscored 7-0. Arguably Valencia's best action of the game came when one of their spectators hit a nifty volley of an Andrés Guardado shot that had sailed wide and into the stands.

So how does Valencia approach their second leg Copa tie this week? Clearly the psychological advantage will be with Jose Mourinho's team. Another early goal from Madrid in the return leg on Wednesday could provoke yet another avalanche of goals from the visitors.

To start, Valencia manager Ernesto Valverde needs his team to be more physical with Madrid. Also, more cohesion in the midfield is needed. The linking from the defense up to the forwards was nonexistent on Sunday. Simply put, this team needs a swift kick in the behind if they want any chance at saving face and at least putting together a decent effort against Madrid on Wednesday.

Valverde mentioned in his post-match press conference that his team "will learn from this experience". It better happen quickly, as time is ticking with another Madrid match looming.

LIGA BBVA Valencia CF-Real Madrid (Previa)

Cuatro puntos pueden separar esta noche al Valencia de la tercera posición en la clasificación si logra imponerse a los de Mourinho en Mestalla. Resulta curioso pero, siendo la peor primera vuelta del último lustro, hace mucho que no estaba el Real Madrid tan a tiro a estas alturas de temporada. Es algo además impensable cuando Llorente despedía el pasado 1 de diciembre a Mauricio Pellegrino. Ni siquiera es necesario irse tan lejos. Hace apenas tres semanas, cuando en la jornada 16 el Valencia caía derrotado ante el Rayo, era undécimo en la clasificación con 12 puntos de desventaja respecto al rival de esta noche, sin duda el que más motiva a la afición en Mestalla.

Emparedado entre los dos duelos al KO en la Copa, no puede tener más atractivo el partido que nos tocará vivir esta noche: ver por fin al Valencia cerca del lugar que merece y, por si fuera poco, a costa de la crisis del rival más odioso para el valencianismo. Son muchos ingredientes los que convierten la segunda entrega de esta Trilogía en algo más que un partido. Es la revancha que exige Mestalla por el último atraco en Madrid, uno más en la larga historia, pero es ante todo una oportunidad, quizá la gran oportunidad, para engancharse a la Liga y volver a ilusionar de pleno a su gente, que esta noche convertirá su viejo estadio en el mejor aliado. Equipo y afición irán por fin juntos y a toda máquina en busca de los puestos de Champions. Con los resultados de ayer sábado, el Valencia podría acabar hoy por delante del Málaga y a solo un punto del cuarto clasificado. Vivir para ver.

La hora del cambio
Es el valencianismo que mira todavía con recelo la marcha del equipo y con motivos más que de sobra. que repasa la clasificación pero no le acaban de cuadrar las cuentas. El aficionado que ha llegado a ver las cosas muy mal y ahora quiere creer, ve que este Valencia ya sabe a qué quiere jugar y hacia dónde quiere ir, pero todavía no acaba de tenerlas todas consigo. Esa sensación, para qué engañarse, sólo se puede cambiar en estos dos partidos seguidos en Mestalla. Volviendo a dar la cara como el martes, jugando con personalidad, con entrega y, por qué no, derrotando al Real Madrid, que sería el no va más.

Se ha hablado mucho de errores arbitrales y poco de fútbol, tiene razón Valverde, pero visto lo visto el martes en el Bernabéu existe el convencimiento de que esta vez es posible, de que este Valencia tiene el suficiente fútbol y empuje para ganarle al Real Madrid y meterse de lleno en la lucha por la Liga de Campeones. Sobre el terreno de juego, aunque no en el marcador por desaciertos de Muñiz Fernández y Jonas, su equipo „el de Valverde„ fue mejor. Controló, generó sus ocasiones y al menos hasta que al final fue presa del desasosiego concedió pocas. Es así como se plantean y ganan estos partidos. No es únicamente una cuestión de números. Después de dos enfrentamientos en lo que va de temporada, ambos en la cueva madridista, las sensaciones situan a los dos equipos muy cerca futbolísticamente el uno del otro.

Así, es posible
Todo eso, sin embargo, hay que confirmarlo en el campo, con todos los inconvenientes en forma de lesiones y demás. Toca también olvidarse del árbitro, por difícil que parezca, transformar la indignación en furia, la impotencia en determinación, la frustración en atrevimiento. Teixeira Vitienes y sus asistentes seguramente ayudarán poco, al menos que no quiten nada, pero este es el camino hacia la victoria ante el Real Madrid y el camino de regreso a la Champions, que creíamos casi perdida pero que el Valencia ha vuelto a encontrar con Ernesto Valverde después de algunos meses de navegar sin rumbo fijo. Esla hora de volver a hacerlo a toda máquina.

Alineaciones probables:
Valencia: Alves; Barragán, Rami, Ricardo Costa, Guardado; Tino Costa, Gago, Banega; Piatti, Jonás y Soldado.

Real Madrid: Adán; Arbeloa, Albiol, Varane, Coentrao; Essien, Khedira o Xabi Alonso; Di María, Özil o Modric; Cristiano o Callejón; e Higuaín.

Árbitro: Teixeira Vitienes (colegio cántabro).

Estadio: Mestalla.

Valencia - Real Preview

Valencia y Real Madrid han jugado 76 veces en Liga en Mestalla y volverán a hacerlo hoy. Sus once partidos más intensos por juego, resultado o trascendencia clasificatoria han sido los siguientes:

1.- 20.12.1931 (1-1)
Estreno de los Valencia-Real Madrid en Primera División. El partido se jugó con un lleno absoluto en Mestalla. Lazcano hizo el 0-1 y Juan Costa, de penalti, estableció la igualada en el segundo tiempo.

2.- 26.9.1948 (4-4)
El empate con más goles de un Valencia-Real Madrid se fraguó en un partido que llegó al descanso con ventaja visitante por 1-3. En el minuto 86 el Valencia empató a cuatro y poco después el árbitro anuló un gol a Molowny que pudo ser el 4-5. Igoa y Seguí, con dos tantos cada uno, marcaron por el Valencia y Molowny (2), Miguel Muñoz y Pahiño, por el Real Madrid.

3.- 3.1.1971 (1-0)
José Vicente Forment hizo en el primer tiempo el único gol del partido, que permitió al Valencia ponerse líder en una campaña en la que finalmente se proclamó campeón de Liga.

4.- 19.3.1972 (1-2)
El día de San José, último de las fiestas falleras en Valencia, el Real Madrid ganó en Mestalla. Grosso hizo el 0-1, Antón empató y Aguilar marcó el 1-2. Hubo protestas y almohadillas y el árbitro Pablo Sánchez Ibáñez suspendió el choque a dos minutos del final. Aquellos dos puntos marcaron al final de la Liga la diferencia entre ambos equipos. El Real Madrid se proclamó campeón.

5.- 19.3.1978 (2-0)
También durante las Fallas se enfrentaron ambos equipos en un partido completo del conjunto local, que se impuso por 2-0 con tantos de los argentinos Óscar Rubén Valdez, en la primera mitad, y Mario Kempes, de penalti, en la segunda. Se recaudaron veintidós millones de pesetas (132.000 euros).

6.- 1.5.1983 (1-0)
El partido más intenso de todos los jugados en Mestalla. Fue en la última jornada de Liga. El Valencia necesitaba ganar y verse favorecido por otros marcadores para no descender y al Real Madrid, entrenado por Alfredo di Stéfano, le bastaba un empate para ser campeón de Liga. Un gol de Miguel Tendillo (m.39), dio una agónica victoria y la permanencia al Valencia y dejó sin el título al Real Madrid.

7.- 18.1.1992 (2-1)
Míchel, de penalti, puso por delante al Real Madrid, pero con el encuentro prácticamente finalizado, el Valencia dio la vuelta al marcador con goles de Fernando Gómez y Roberto Fernández (minutos 88 y 89).

8.- 4.10.1995 (4-3)
El partido tuvo siete goles en una campaña en la que el Valencia de Luis Aragonés fue subcampeón y el Real Madrid, séptimo. Gálvez, Fernando y Mijatovic llevaron el partido al descanso con ventaja local por 3-0. Laudrup, de penalti, y Alkorta pusieron el 3-2, mientras que Arroyo hizo el 4-2 y Míchel cerró el partido con el 4-3.

9. 31.10.2007 (1-5)
El Real Madrid goleó con dos tantos de Van Nistelrooy y uno de Raúl, Sergio Ramos y Robinho al Valencia en el que marcó Angulo en un partido de superioridad absoluta del equipo entrenado por Bernd Schsuter, en un momento de transición en el Valencia entre la destitución de Quique Sánchez Flores y la llegada de Ronald Koeman.

10.- 23.4.2011 (3-6)
Fue un festín para el equipo madrileño, que tres días antes se había proclamado campeón de Copa del Rey en el mismo Mestalla. El partido llegó al descanso con ventaja forastera de 0-4. Por el Valencia marcaron Soldado, Jonas y Jordi Alba y por el Real Madrid, Higuaín logró tres tantos, Benzema, dos y Kaká, uno.

11.- 19.11.11 (2-3)
El último partido acabó con polémica por unas posibles manos de Gonzalo Higuaín en el área madridista en el último minuto del choque cuando el equipo madrileño ya ganaba por 2-3. Benzema abrió el marcador, pero en el minuto 73 Sergio Ramos hizo el 0-2. Soldado acortó distancias, Cristiano Ronaldo hizo el 1-3 y nuevamente Soldado cerró la cuenta.

Valverde moves on from referee controversy

Valencia coach Ernesto Valverde says they have distanced themselves from the refereeing controversy in their Cope del Rey loss to Real Madrid.Valencia fell to a 2-0 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu last week after a Karim Benzema strike and an own goal from Andres Guardado gave Real the victory. 
Valverde was also sent to the stands by the referee after the second goal, but the 48-year-old said his team need to move on from the contentious decisions as they prepare to meet Real again - this time at home - in league action on Sunday.
"There has been a lot of talk about the referee and not too much about the game," the former Olympiakos trainer told Marca.
"We have tried to keep out of the row these last few days. We had a good game but there were also mistakes. Our plan is to concentrate on sporting aspects, as that is the only thing we can control. I understand that refereeing mistakes are part and parcel of the game.
"We can't say too much because if we protest then Granada might then come along and say one of their players was sent off for no reason," he said, alluding to Valencia's 2-1 victory earlier this month.
Valverde's men sit seventh in La Liga and he insists Sunday's encounter holds great significance for both teams.
"It's a game in which both teams have a lot to play for," he said.
"The three points would raise us up a few places, and Real Madrid will be looking for them to keep a safe distance between themselves and their rivals."
Valencia are seven points behind Real Madrid, who occupy third spot with 37 points from 19 games.

Проект Microsoft под названием "Play for Windows 8" дарит пользователям 15 новых игр

  «Новая ОС Windows 8 – отличная платформа для геймеров», - под таким девизом прошла реализация инициативы Play for Windows 8 от корпорации Microsoft. В рамках проекта представлено сразу 15 увлекательных игр для операционной системы.

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PLATÓ MESTALLA

Real Madrid intimidate referees, says Valencia's Banega

The midfielder has slammed Jose Mourinho's men for continuing to influence the way officials give important decisions as Los Blancos always contest their calls and talk about them

Valencia midfielder Ever Banega believes Real Madrid delberately attempt to undermine referees which has an impact when the two teams meet.

Los Blancos beat Valencia 2-0 in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday with controversial decisions given by the officials in the match.

And Banega insists it is because Jose Mourinho's men put extra pressure on the referee.

He told reporters: “The story is always the same, there are teams like Real Madrid that just constantly talk about referees during the week.

“And so when it comes to the game, it's hard. The images are there for everyone to see, but we are focusing on the next game."

Valencia play Real Madrid again this weekend, this time in La Liga, and Banega does not think that the result of the last match will have any bearing on this one.

“We know we can hurt them and we will try our best.”

Banega has featured 12 times for Valencia in the Primera Division but has yet to find the net for Los Che.

There is match-fixing in La Liga, claims LFP vice-president

The LFP vice-president has voiced his opinion that match-fixing has spread to the Spanish top flight, while he refuses to blame the schedule for low attendance figures

Javier Tebas, vice-president of the Liga de Futbol Profesional (LFP), believes that there is match-fixing in La Liga, and fears that a similar scandal to the Scommessopoli controversy that has rocked Italian football could be on the cards.

Tebas has little doubt that the results of certain games have been fixed, but has admitted that he has no evidence to back his claims.

"Games are being sold in La Liga and the cheaters must be exposed," the LFP vice-president told Onda Cero in an interview.

"Unfortunately, I cannot prove it, but games are being fixed in Spain. I cannot rule out a similar scandal to the ones in Italy."

Tebas also had his say on the low attendance figures in Spain, and blamed the country's financial crisis for the lack of crowds.

"The low attendances do not have anything to do with the schedule," he said. 

"It's the logical result of the economic crisis. And numbers have dropped by only 3.5 per cent."

Ernesto Valverde, the coach of Valencia, showed resigned after the defeat suffered by his team at the Santiago Bernabeu by two goals to nil in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey.

“On the refereeing errors I can not comment because I don’t know them. On television it is easier and we have to get into the skin of the referee. Referees are wrong for one side or another. This time, as I discussed, they were wrong against us”, said the technician on the arbitration proceedings.

Valverde said that “maybe it hurts a little more when you see it on TV. We are not aware of these errors in the field. The only thing with which I prefer is that we are losing two to zero. Today we should have marked here a goal or more. We have had occasions and that is what hurts me. We cannot control the theme of the referee”.

About his expulsion in minute 73, after the second goal from Real Madrid, he noted that “I don’t protest much. He had requested change, we had an injured player and the move entailed some risk. At the end we did not change and the move made us goal. Why I was the head and I protested the fourth referee and the umpire threw me”.

Then, the Arbitration Act picked up that the technician “was ejected for angrily protesting a decision by lifting the arms and throwing gloves at the height of the feet of the fourth referee”.

“You can play well but there will be defined and we have not been successful at times and we have been lacking nerve to generate more scoring chances. I think the tie is not convicted, carry a very adverse score, but I think the possibilities of my team”, said Valverde on the second leg in Valencia.