Insidefootball.net

THE man at the helm of Spanish football this week won a seventh term in charge
showing the FA there is only one way to taste glory continuity.

Spanish Football Federation chief Angel Maria Villar will have been in power
for a stonking 28 years, if he sees out his four-year term.

Speculation is rife that he will bid to become Uefa president in 2015 when
Michel Platini is expected to step down to pursue his dream of succeeding
Sepp Blatter at the helm of FIFA.

Villar has spearheaded Spanish football’s golden era but his strongman tactics
have made him a polarising figure with strong allies and fierce critics.

One thing is certain – continuity at the top has certainly contributed towards
Spain’s unprecedented success on the pitch.

Reigning European and World Champions at senior level, even their Under-21s
won last summer’s European Championships. Villar appointed Luis Aragones as
Spain boss and after winning Euro 2008 he hired Vicente Del Bosque, who
masterminded their World Cup triumph two years ago.

While Villar has been the sole man in charge of Spanish football the FA have
had FIVE chairmen and SEVEN chief executives. Oh and an
executive director to boot.

Villar became chairman in 1988 when Margaret Thacher was PM and Liverpool were
First Division champs.

Since then the power struggles and the constant clash of personalities at the
top of FA have provided a dramatic backdrop to England’s gut-wrenching
failures on the pitch.

More recently most of you will remember the fall from grace of chief executive
Mark Palios because of the sex scandal also involving then boss Sven-Goran
Eriksson and FA secretary Faria Alam.

Another chief exec Brian Barwick was forced out after a power struggle with
chairman Lord Dave Triesman.

In an ironic twist that could still come back to haunt the FA in the future
Triesman was forced to resign after being secretly taped accusing the
Spanish and Villar by association of collusion with the Russians in the
World Cup vote and of looking to bribe World Cup officials.

That accusation has hurt Villar no end and if, as insiders believe, he bids to
succeed Michel Platini as UEFA president it could work against England.

For presumably Villar would never back an England bid to host the World Cup or
the Euro.

By contrast to the FA’s woes Villar has been the steady hand that has provided
the kind of stability and leadership clearly needed to bring success to
perennial underachievers Spain.

He’s a survivor who’s even won a power struggle with former Spain PM Jose Luis
Rodriguez Zapatero in 2004. This year critics went to court accusing Villar
of calling an early election in violation of the the rules but a judge
decided the election was legal.

Villar won with a North Korean result – attracting 161 of 167 possible votes.

Uefa president Platini turned up at the election and sat next to Villar
confirming he’s one of world football’s most influential powerbrokers.

Platini said: “Villar is the most successful sports leader on the planet if
not the whole galaxy. He’s been in charge for almost a quarter of a century.
All those successes create jealousy and at times insinuations but there is
one implacable constant Spain is a country of football lovers.

The cigar-loving 62-year-old wheeler-dealer is a former Athletic Bilbao and
Spain star.

Villar said: “Hundreds of people from all over the world come to us to see how
we work because we are doing very well.”

For the FA the recipe to follow is simple putting a former England star in
charge for the next quarter of a century.

VALENCIA will host Stoke this week still reeling from the freak injury to Ever
Banega who ran himself over with his own car yesterday.

The gifted Argentina midfielder is out for at least six months after
forgetting to pull the handbreak in a petrol station and being ran over by
his own car.

Jinxed Banega, an unused sub in Valencia’s 1-0 win at the Brittania in midweek
as boss Unay Emery rotated his squad, suffered a double fracture of his
tibia and fibula and was set to be operated this afternoon.

The news got worse as it emerged it was not a clean break and fragments of the
bone had inflamed the injured area so he had to wait for the swelling to go
down instead of undergoing an emergency operation.

A club statement said: “Ever Banega suffered an accident with his own car
coming out of training this Sunday when he had the misfortune to suffer an
injury to his left foot fracturing his tibia and fibula.

“He will be operated this Monday. The prognosis in terms of how long he will
spend recuperating, can be estimated in around six months and after the
operation there will be a new medical update.”

The Spanish outfit were thrashed 5-1 at the Nou Camp last night as Leo Messi
struck four times for Barcelona to keep the distance from leaders Real
Madrid to 10 points.

RAUL reached another milestone as he grabbed his 400th career goal in
Schalke’s 4-0 thrashing of Wolfsburg.

Ironically his goal came against Wolfsburg boss Felix Magath who’d signed
him for Schalke 18 months ago before quitting last season.

Raul, 34, fired 323 goals in 16 years with Real Madrid while he also netted 44
times for Spain. He’s managed to hit 33 goals in just 18 months at
Gelsenkirchen.

The legendary striker said: “I didn’t know it was my 400th goal but I’m
happy, it’s nice the reach this milestone.”

FRANCESCO TOTTI was another legend to reach a historic landmark after making
his 700th appearance for Roma in the 1-0 win over Parma.

Former England No 2 Franco Baldini, now Roma’s technical director, handed
Totti an honorary plaque in recognition of his achievement before kick-off.

The Roma skipper is the club’s record holder for appearances as well as goals
with 266 strikes in all competititions.

Bossed by former Real Madrid and Barcelona hitman Luis Enrique the Italian
outfit have climbed to fifth in Serie A and are eyeing up a Champions League
spot.

Article source: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4139673/Angel-Maria-Villar-ready-for-more-success-with-Spain.html?OTC-RSS&ATTR=Football

Barcelona are on offer at the initially tempting price of 4/9 (1.44) with Paddy Power to win away at the club currently sitting sixth in the Bundesliga.

Those odds may look generous, yet Barca‘s away form this season in La Liga has been exceptionally disappointing with Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at Osasuna gifting Real Madrid a 10 point lead at the top of the table.

While they will never admit it Barca may now have to concede the league is gone, and focus on their European endeavours.

Leverkusen meantime are priced at 7/1 (8.00) to pull off what would still be an unlikely victory, despite Barca’s poor recent form away from home. The draw is on offer at 16/5 (4.20).

For Barca the potential goal scorers are numerous and well documented, but although it almost feels wrong saying so, Lionel Messi does not inspire a great deal of confidence at the moment.

One goal in his last three games is hardly a scoring drought, but even when he has scored, he has missed chances that when on top form he would take without thinking. Instead of Messi then, take his fellow South American Alexis Sanchez to open the scoring at 9/2 (5.50).

The Chilean is always a goal threat, and with eight goals in his last nine games, he is in exceptional form.

Barcelona’s away form has, as mentioned previously, been patchy at best, so this may not be a goal-fest. Paddy Power offer 6/5 (2.20) that the game will see less than three goals scored and that seems generous.

Two out of Barca’s last three away games have seen under 2.5 goals, while five out of Leverkusen’s last eight games have gone under 2.5.

The goal market seems to be the best value bet here, given that it is difficult to back Barca at the moment, but it always feels wrong to back against them. The first of a two-legged Champions League tie is usually a tight affair and this should be no different.

Bet of the Day: Under 2.5 goals 6/5 (2.20) with Paddy Power

Value Bet: Alexis Sanchez to score first at 9/2 (5.50) with Paddy Power

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Phil Kitromilides is a professional sports broadcaster working on radio and TV in London and Madrid, you can also follow Phil on Twitter