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Hello and welcome back to The SoccerNation Report.  Today we have tons of news and insight on the world of football.  Now, let's get started.

 

 

 

Barca in for Villa?- Barcelona could be in for Valencia target David Villa.  Barca's president, Joan Laporta, has lodged a 40 million euro bid for the Spanish striker.  Valencia, who is in desperate need of money, pretty much have to sell both David Silva and David Villa to help account for the massive debt in the club.  Valencia have been very successful in recent years and it's a shame that it's come to this for them.  But that isn't why we are here.  We're here to talk about Barca picking up the scraps before Real can.  Real have supposedly "given up" on the prospect of signing Villa after signing the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, and Karim Benzema.  Real are also still looking at bringing in Franck Ribery, so that might be why.  As for Barca, I think this is a good move.  Villa is a great striker and it will do two-times the good if he doesn't go to Real Madrid.  For Villa, the move is excellent because he'll play alongside the world's best team and player in Lionel Messi.  He'll also have Xavi Hernandez behind him to control the team.  But there is a small problem for Barca.  His name is Eto'o.  Eto'o has done absolutely no wrong here.  Last season, he did NOT underperform.  In fact, he probably overperformed.  But if you are Barca, you can't have both on the roster.  Eto'o can't sit the bench and Villa shouldn't either.  Then that would mean that Henry or Messi would have to.  And neither of those two would want to sit the bench.  So, if this move does happen (which I now expect it to) Eto'o is going to be leaving Barca.  Barca need to get the most out of Eto'o and the place to sell him to would be Manchester City.  City have alreadt tried to sign him and I fully expect them to be the front-runners to sign him.  I will have further updates in the coming weeks regarding this story.

 

 

Liverpool News- A few things regarding Liverpool, so I'll clump them in together.  Steven Gerrard, Liverpool's captain center mid, has signed a 4 year extension and will see out the remainder of his career with Liverpool.  Gerrard has never been with another team and signed with the club at the ripe old age of 7.  Fabio Aurelio, one of Liverpool's surplus outside backs, will need surgery on his knee after twisting it while playing with his kids.  Aurelio was set to be the back-up to Emiliano Insua, and this only confirms that Insua will be the #1.  

 

 

 

 

Quick Headlines- 

 

Marc-Antoine Fortune has signed with Celtic from Nancy.  Fortune was also being chased by West Bromwich Albion.

 

Sergio Asenjo signs with Atletico Madrid.  The highly-rated young goalkeeper has moved from Real Valladolid and into Madrid.  Expect a lot from this kid, he looks promising.

 

Shunsuke Nakamura expects a baptism by fire in La Liga this coming term. 

 

 

 

 

Results

 

 

 

 

Uruguayan National Championship: Nacional 3, Defensor Sporting 0

The Championship will now continue on into another two-legged final, but it could end after two further matches due to the complicated system that the league is using.  GOLTV will have the match of sometime.

 

 

 

CONCACAF Gold Cup Group A (played Monday)

 

Jamaica 0, Costa Rica 1.  Celso Borges scored the winner for Costa Rica.

 

El Salvador 0, Canada 1.  Ali Gerba scored in his second straight match to win it for the Canucks.

 

Canada- 6 pts

El Salvador- 3 pts

Costa Rica- 3 pts

Jamaica- 0 pts

 

Matchday 3 Fixtures: Costa Rica v. Canada, El Salvador v. Jamaica

 

 

CONCACAF Gold Cup Group B (played Tuesday)

 

Haiti 2, Grenada 0.  Fabrice Noel and James Marcelin scored for Haiti to win it.

 

United States 2, Honduras 0.  The US finally scored in the 73rd via Santino Quaranta and then Brian Ching scored 6 minutes later.  

 

United States- 6 pts

Haiti- 3 pts

Honduras- 3 pts

Grenanda- 0 pts 

 

Matchday 3 Fixtures: United States v. Haiti, Honduras v. Grenada

 

 

 

CONCACAF Gold Cup Group C (to be played tonight)

 

Guadeloupe v. Nicaragua

 

Mexico v. Panama

 

 

 

 

 Europa League Action- The second leg of all 23 Europa League 1st Round Qualifying matches are today.  Check one out if you can.  Here are the scores from the first leg.

 

 

Final FC Tbilisi 2 - 0 B36 Torshavn Qualifying Round
Final Dinaburg 2 - 1 Nomme Kalju Qualifying Round Celtnieks Final Simurg 0 - 1 Bnei Yehuda Qualifying Round
Final Banants 0 - 2 Siroki Brijeg Qualifying Round Republican Stadium Final Valletta 3 - 0 Keflavik Qualifying Round National, Ta' Qali Final FC Lahti 4 - 1 Dinamo Tirana Qualifying Round Lahden Stadion Final Sutjeska 1 - 1 MTZ-RIPO Qualifying Round Gradski Stadium Final Trans Narva 0 - 3 Rudar Velenje Qualifying Round Trans Narva Stadium Final Zimbru Chisinau 1 - 2 Okzhetpes Kokshetau Qualifying Round Zimbru Stadium Final Dinamo Minsk 2 - 1 Renova Qualifying Round Dinamo Stadion Final Randers FC 4 - 0 Linfield Qualifying Round Essex Park Randers Final FC Spartak Trnava 2 - 1 Inter Qualifying Round Antona Malatinskeho Final CS Grevenmacher 0 - 2 FK Vetra Qualifying Round
Final Szombathelyi Haladas 1 - 0 Irtysh Pavlodar Qualifying Round
Final Anorthosis Famagusta 5 - 0 UN 97 Kaerjeng Qualifying Round Antonis Papadopoulos Final NK Slaven Koprivnica 1 - 0 Birkirkara Qualifying Round Gradski Final Sligo 1 - 2 Vllaznia Shkoder Qualifying Round The Showgrounds Final NSI Runavik 0 - 3 Rosenborg Qualifying Round vid Lokin Stadium Final Buducnost Podgorica 0 - 2 Polonia Warsaw Qualifying Round Pod Goricom Final Lisburn Distillery 1 - 5 FC Zestafoni Qualifying Round New Grosvenor Stadium Final Helsingborg 3 - 1 Mika Ashtarak Qualifying Round Olympia Stadion Final Fram Reykjavik 2 - 1 T.N.S. Qualifying Round Laugardalsvollur Final Motherwell 0 - 1 Llanelli Qualifying Round Fir Park Stadium (4,307)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, I hope you liked it.  It's been Keeper and I'm out.