The Edmilson burst-up, Ronnie massacre by the press and the fight between two Arsenal FC players in the full glare of the public shows the pressure is on top European teams.


As the season centers around the half-way mark in most leagues, the pressure is on the pre-season favourites of top leagues in Europe to live up to their bidding. FC Barcelona are under great pressure to catch up with leaders Real Madrid, after the Blaugrana were overwhelmingly tipped to lift the La Liga this season with little effort. However, half-way through the Barca are trailing seven points in second place. No doubt, the Catalan giants have the ability to catch up with Madrid and eventually win the league, but this will not be easy. Ronaldinho is being sacrificed by both Barca fans and the world press and being accussed of failing to lift FC Barcelona, while Edmilson, lying on the hospital bed before his injury, attacked all the players and the team with harsh words, ending with the word black sheep to refer to an unnamed player.


Another top European clubside, Arsenal FC, who were not exactly tipped to win the English Premiership before the season started, but who played themselves into the top contender position with fine football, have slipped to the second place position after maintaining top spot since the season began. Manchester United, the traditional English premiership winners are once again in their familiar first position. The pressure showed after Arsenal were drubbed 5-1 in the Carling Cup semi-final match by Tottenham Hotspurs and qualified 6-2 on aggregade. During the match, things got so heated up that two Arsenal players, team-mates Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel Adebayor fought on the pitch while their fans watched in disbelief and the entire TV cameras were focussed in dismay. Caution was thrown to the winds. The pressure is on and still rising.


As FC Barcelona file out against Villarreal in the Copa del Rey, a lot of pressure is on Barca not to lose, as a loss will mean a third straight loss tho Villarreal in El Madrigal. Also, Barca must never lose any game be it in the La Liga or not, so that the Blaugrana will maintain their wining mentality acquired since this year, when the giants have not yet lost any match.A lot remains to be seen. Indeed, the pressure is on. The new battle is no more against arch-rivals, but in addition to that has emerged a battle of nerves, composure, self-control and possible lessons in anger management for all the super stars in Europe's top leagues.

Manolo Jimenez traces Sevilla's defeat to French goal king, Thierry Henry.


While recognizing that his boys played well in both legs against Barca, Manolo Jimenez spotted Rafa Marquez and Thierry Henry as the two players who were responsible for his sides defeat in the Copa del Rey. The coach was not in doubt that both sides had played well, but gave in to the defining moment which went as far back as the first leg when a 24th minute goal by Thierry Henry opened scores and sent Sevilla in the defensive up till the end of the second leg tie. Jimenez admited that:

Thierry Henry's goal was the decider of this two-legged tie between Barca and Sevilla.The tie was very even and was only unbalanced by the ability of two players one who passed the ball and the other who scored a great goal. That was the truning point.

The Coach was not short of praises for his own team as well, and also had some words of praise for the Barca defence:

We caused them a lot of problems and stopped them moving the ball about. We had four chances of our own and even had the ball in the net, only for it to be disallowed, but we just did not have any luck going forward. I think we saw the Sevilla team of old, despite the absences and I am very proud. Barça were very good defensively, but there was only one period when either team was dominant and that was in the second half of the first leg when we were.

Rijkaard praises the contributions made by Thierry Henry. The top coach the Frenchman as a vital element in the Barca squad.


Thierry Henry is back to fitness from a back injury and fit with a much stronger leg. Having been handled by the expert hands of the FC Barcelona medical team, the goal god is once again shinning in form like he had some time back before falling to injury that wasn't well treated, so had to keep the striker out of the game for a long period just before he left Arsenal FC of England. With a sterling display against Mallorca, Henry is back to haunt opponents with his pace and his deft touches, his assists and his great goals. Sevilla are up for this toninght, and Barca manager Frank Rijkaard believes the Former Arsenal ace has a midas touch on the entire team. Rijkaard said:

Thierry Henry has immense effect on the rest of the team. He is a very important player for us. His contributions are clear and evident when he's on the pitch. When a team works well, some players begin to stand out for their ability, workrate and leadership. Henry is one of the ones who can make the difference. Once he's at the top of his game, there's no stopping him.

The Copa Del Rey match between Sevilla and FC Barcelona comes up tongiht at 22:00 hours local time in Sevilla.

Ex-Barca star, Cesc Fabregas looks toward improvement as he was enthrusted with overnight responsibility of leading the Gooners.



The Catalan star who has notched up eleven goals so far is also in high demand for Spanish national team action. All this have come as a result of Fabregas rising up to the occassion after the young lad was seen as the next person to fill in the large boots left by departed goal king, Thierry Henry at North London. Fabregas agrees to his changed lifestyle and status:

Yes, there has been a difference in my life since Henry left. I have more responsibility than before. When you looked at Arsenal a year or two years ago you just saw Thierry Henry. But when he left it was an opportunity for everybody to show we are a team and a good club. We felt sad when Henry left, but we have been able to continue performing well.

On the young Arsenal team, the inspirational Spaniard says:

We are playing well at the moment and will continue to do so. We have an eye on the Premiership and on other trophies this season. We're a young team and even though we're playing very well at the moment, we have not yet attained our best form yet. There's still lots of room for improvement.

A replay fo the 2006 champions league final match looks uncertain after AC Milan clinched top spot to play Arsenal ahead of FC Barcelona.


The likelihood of an FC Barcelona - Arsenal FC clash was high, but in the end, it did not materialize...at least, just yet...perhaps. If Arsenal can overcome the gigantic battle against defending champions AC Milan, there could still be a chance for the Blaugrana to square up against the Gooners, that is going by the assumption that Barca will trample over the warlords of Celtic.


A lot rests on how Arsenal can curtail the effective experience AC Milan often springs up against such big teams and at such stages in the championship. Two key players shall be Kaka of AC Milan, the current European and World Player of The Year and on the otherside, ex-Barca star, Cesc Fabregas. With Fabregas looking at the likelihood of shinning infront of his home fans at Catalonia, this inspiration could see Arsenal through and set up another likelihood of the mcuh awaited FC Barcelona - Arsenal grudge match!