Mark Elkington

Spain’s 2-1 friendly victory over Argentina on Saturday was further evidence that the European champions are going to take some stopping if they are to be denied their first ever World Cup triumph.

Vicente del Bosque’s men will have the bruises to show that ‘friendly’ was perhaps not the best word to describe an exciting and competitive match that was lucky to finish with 22 men still on the pitch.

“You are likely to see games like this in the World Cup finals,” Argentina coach Diego Maradona, before receiving his two-month ban from FIFA, said after the game. “Argentina didn’t come to kick their opponents. Argentina played to the limits.”

Argentina may have struggled in qualifying for South Africa but they have lost none of their abrasive edge (committing 23 fouls to Spain’s 7) and gave Spain, who won all 10 of their qualifiers, a run for their money.

But Del Bosque’s side are not easily thrown off their stride. They played the better football and crafted a wonderful opening goal with a slick passing move that Xabi Alonso netted, after David Silva’s shot was parried.

Lionel Messi equalised from the penalty spot before Xabi Alonso sealed the victory with a late penalty for the hosts.

“It was a friendly but we knew it would be tough,” Spain captain Iker Casillas, who won his 100th cap, said. “It’s important to beat the major sides, more so if they are a former world champion.

“Now all we need to do is beat Brazil, because we have already beaten England, Germany, Italy and France. After this result the rest of the world will have more respect for us.”

Spain have recovered well from their shock 2-0 defeat to the United States in the Confederations Cup in June – a result that denied them a shot at Brazil in the final – but it served as a useful reminder that they cannot afford to rest on their laurels.

Before the Argentina game, Del Bosque admitted his greatest concern was preventing any over-confidence, but he appears to have successfully nurtured the competitiveness in the side to keep it fresh.

Since Euro 2008, outstanding new talents have debuted in an already impressive squad, including Barcelona’s Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets, Valencia’s Juan Mata and Pablo Hernandez, and Sevilla’s Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo.

A World Cup showdown between Brazil and Spain next year would be a fascinating encounter, and it is difficult to bet against one of them being the likely winner.

PHOTO: Spain's Joan Capdevilla (L) battles for the ball against Argentina's Fabrizio Coloccini during their friendly soccer match at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, November 14, 2009. REUTERS/Nacho Doce

Gonzalo Higuain reminded Manuel Pellegrini of his worth at the weekend, scoring both goals for 10-man Real Madrid in their 2-0 victory over Getafe.

The Argentine youngster was Real’s top scorer with 22 league goals last season, but was making only his third start in nine league games on Saturday.

Higuain has found his chances limited with the arrival of president Florentino Perez and his new batch of Galacticos including Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema.

He also has to compete with the experienced heads of Raul and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

“We’ve had to integrate Benzema, Ronaldo and all the others into the team,” coach Manuel Pellegrini said after the Getafe game.

“I am sure that this season Higuain will have a major role to play again. For me he is a fundamental player.”

Higuain has pace, loves to run at defenders, and is not afraid of shooting from distance, but against Getafe he showed one of his most valuable assets which is a gutsy ability to score important goals in high-pressure situations.

The Getafe game was a tense affair at the Bernabeu where defeat could have signalled the end for Pellegrini, and the team had to endure a disgruntled home crowd after their humbling 4-0 King’s Cup defeat to third-tier Alcorcon.

Last season, in the same fixture, Higuain scored a screamer in time added on to give Real a 3-2 victory. His strike came as scuffles broke out all around him following Pepe’s spectacular loss of control that led to him getting a 10-match ban.

In 2008 he scored the goal that delivered Real’s 31st league title, when Bernd Schuster’s side came back with 10 men to beat Osasuna 2-1 away.

The year before that, he completed the remarkable comeback from 3-0 down against Espanyol, netting in the last minute for a 4-3 win that proved to be a psychological turning point in Fabio Capello’s title winning campaign.

After being overlooked by Argentina, Diego Maradona finally threw him on for his first cap against Peru last month and Higuain rose to the challenge scoring the first in a 2-1 win.

Higuain may not sell as many shirts around the world as the players in front of him at Real Madrid, but his fighting spirit should keep them on their toes.

PHOTO: Real Madrid's Gonzalo Higuain (R) fights for the ball with Getafe's Cata Diaz during their Spanish First Division soccer match at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid October 31, 2009. REUTERS/Dani Cardona

One swallow does not make a summer, but Sevilla’s bristling 2-1 victory over Real Madrid on Sunday offers hope that the answer to the question posed in Thursday's blog is 'no'.

Three teams can challenge for the La Liga title this year.

Manolo Jimenez’s side inflicted a first defeat on Real with a vibrant, attacking display that was reminiscent of their performances under Juande Ramos when they won back-to-back UEFA Cups.

Sevilla are now level on 15 points with Real, though third due to their inferior goal difference. Barcelona are top with 18 points from six games.

Wingers Jesus Navas and Diego Perotti did the damage at the Sanchez Pizjuan, truly testing Real Madrid’s defence for the first time this season, but it was a strong all-round team performance.

They have strength in depth, are solid at the back and club president Jose Maria del Nido boasts: “the best strike force in Europe” with Frederic Kanoute, Luis Fabiano and Alvaro Negredo. They have now won seven on the trot in all competitions.

Real were without top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo due to an ankle strain, but it was the absence of first choice left back Alvaro Arbeloa that may have been more telling as Navas made a fool of his replacement Marcelo.

Once again, Real lacked fluidity in their play and it was the familiar figure of Iker Casillas who was their outstanding player, pulling off a couple of magnificent saves.

“Real reveal their shortcomings in the first serious test of the year. They have CR9 dependency. They continue to rely excessively on their stars,” Marca wrote on Monday.

Barcelona remain unbeaten after shaking off Almeria 1-0, but the Andalucians made life extremely difficult for them at the Nou Camp with their man-marking of midfield creators Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

“It wasn’t marking, it was an obsession,” Xavi said of Almeria midfielder Chico’s work on Saturday. “All he did was watch me. I felt very important. I told him ‘Why don’t you go and mark Messi?’”

It may not be pretty but it was effective, and as Espanyol and Chelsea showed last year an asphyxiating pressure on the midfield can throw Barca off their game.

“I hope it is a blueprint for a way to play against a team as powerful as Barcelona. I hope they respect my patent,” Almeria coach Hugo Sanchez said.

After six rounds of matches, La Liga could be about to get a bit more interesting with both Real and Barca showing chinks in their armour. Maybe it won’t be the most boring league in Europe after all...

PHOTO: Real Madrid's Kaka (top) falls over Sevilla's Didier Zokora during their Spanish First Division soccer match at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in Seville October 4, 2009. REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

A few days ago, Real Zaragoza president Eduardo Bandres said: “The Spanish league will be a matter totally and absolutely between two teams, among other things because the system for distributing television rights determines that it will be this way. It is unique in Europe and because of this the Spanish league is one of the most boring in Europe."

The television channels would beg to differ, as they regularly run adverts or open their coverage of matches from La Liga claiming it is the ‘best league in the world’ with clips of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi running in the background.

But Bandres has a point. Five games in, and the table has an all-too familiar look about it. There are only two clubs left with a 100 percent record – Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Who has scored the most goals? Real and Barca with 16 apiece.

Who has conceded the fewest? Real with two. Barca have let in three.

Which clubs have the most money? Real and Barca are both working on budgets of over 400 million euros, three to four times greater than their nearest rivals. They rake in around half of the money earned from La Liga’s television rights, which are not negotiated on a collective basis.

At least Valencia’s David Villa bucks the trend in the individual goal-scoring charts, topping the rankings with six, but second behind him with five each are Ibrahimovic, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

There are four clubs expected to be mixing it at the top and competing for Spain’s other two Champions League qualification places: Sevilla, Valencia, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal.

Atletico and Villarreal are in the bottom three without a win from their opening matches, and are already 12 and 13 points adrift of Real and Barca respectively. Valencia have slipped down to seventh without a win in their last three outings.

Only Sevilla are putting up a fight, and they lie third with 12 points from a possible 15. They have a squad that boasts Frederic Kanoute, Luis Fabiano and Alvaro Negredo up front, with the likes of Jesus Navas, Diego Capel and Diego Perotti providing the bullets.

They have won six on the trot in all competitions and will provide Real Madrid with their stiffest test yet when Manuel Pellegrini's side visit the Sanchez Pizjuan on Sunday. As things stand, this is Real’s most difficult league clash of the season outside of their home and away battles with Barca.

A victory for Sevilla could signal the start of a genuine challenge from the Andalucians, and add some much needed spice to the title race. A defeat would leave more people agreeing with Bandres.

PHOTO: Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates his goal against Real Madrid, May 2, 2009. REUTERS/Juan Medina

You are guaranteed goals when Barcelona take on Atletico Madrid each season, and Saturday’s encounter at the Nou Camp was no exception as the European champions romped to a 5-2 victory.

Barca were 4-0 up within 41 minutes after goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Lionel Messi, Daniel Alves and Seydou Keita, before Atletico pulled one back through Sergio Aguero.

Diego Forlan made it 4-2 late on but any thoughts of a late rally disappeared when an inspired Messi grabbed his second at the end.

Whereas most managers think Rorke’s Drift or the Alamo when they go the Nou Camp, Atletico coach Abel Resino went to trade blows with Barca, lining up five attacking players ahead of one holding midfielder.

Their goal was guarded by reserve keeper Roberto, who was making only his second first-team appearance – the first having been four years ago.

Xavi has described Pep Guardiola as a football romantic for his attacking ideals, and perhaps Resino falls into the same category. But his ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’ perhaps owed more to history than good sense.

He could have looked back to their previous meeting at the Calderon last February. When his side fell two goals behind he threw caution to the wind, and the team came back to win 4-3 with a last minute goal from Aguero.

Recent meetings have been littered with goals.

In January, Barca knocked Atletico out of the King’s Cup 5-2 on aggregate, and at the Nou Camp for the first meeting of last season Barcelona trounced Javier Aguirre’s team 6-1.

Two years ago, it was a similar story. Ronaldinho scored his last ever goal for Barcelona with a spectacular overhead kick at the Calderon only for Atletico to storm back and win 4-2. At the Nou Camp, Barca ran out 3-0 winners.

Three years ago, Barcelona smashed six past Atletico without reply in the Calderon after having drawn 1-1 earlier in the season.

Four years ago, Fernando Torres scored three as Atletico did the double over the eventual league and European champions with 2-1 and 3-1 victories.

Anyone got tickets for Barcelona’s visit to the Calderon in February?

PHOTO: Barcelona's Leo Messi (L) is tackled by Atletico Madrid's Pablo Ibanez during their Spanish First Division soccer match at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona September 19, 2009. REUTERS/Gustau Nacarino

It’s hard to believe Spain striker David Villa will not be playing in the Champions League again this season.

The Valencia frontman was in irresistible form against Belgium in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday when the European champions romped to a 5-0 victory in La Coruna.

Villa won and then missed a first-half penalty, before making amends by scoring two and setting up another two as Spain maintained their 100 percent record in qualifying to all but assure themselves of a place in South Africa next year.

Villa was already Spain’s second highest scorer of all time and now has 33 goals from 51 appearances –- just 11 short of Raul’s national record of 44.

What makes his tally even more impressive is that the former owner of Spain’s number seven shirt, Raul, bagged his total over 102 appearances.

Villa has time on his side, he turns 28 in December, and is on course to set a new Spanish benchmark at the World Cup finals.

But at club level, Villa will only be playing in the Europa League after Valencia finished sixth in La Liga last season.

It isn’t as though his talents have not been noticed by Europe’s leading clubs. He was tournament top scorer at Euro 2008, and has averaged almost 20 goals a season in La Liga with Real Zaragoza and then Valencia over the last six years.

Financially-troubled Valencia said they would consider offers that were “scandalously scandalous” over the summer as the big clubs circled.

But reports said Villa was keen to stay in Spain, which left big-spending Real Madrid and treble-winners Barcelona as his only possible destinations.

Real and Barca landed Cristiano Ronaldo (94 million euros) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (66 million euros) respectively, but neither were willing to stump up the money for one of the world’s most complete strikers, despite both clubs registering their interest.

For Real president Florentino Perez, who came closest to landing Villa but baulked at paying more than 40 million euros, the reasoning was thus:

“(Ronaldo and Kaka) are players that have won the Ballon d'Or and FIFA world player of the year awards, who I describe as 'investment' players because they have an international reach which others maybe haven't reached," he said in June.

Villa could be accused of a lack of ambition by wanting to stay in Spain, but Real or Barca may live to regret not signing him come next May.

PHOTO: Spain's David Villa celebrates a goal against Belgium in Coruna, Sept.5 REUTERS/Juan Medina

Jose Antonio Reyes has some work to do to win over Atletico Madrid’s hardcore fans judging by the reception he received on Tuesday, when he came on as a late substitute at the Calderon in their 2-0 Champions League play-off win over Panathinaikos.

The tie was already over by the time Reyes was called up to replace Simao with four minutes left -- Atletico won the away leg 3-2 -- but he was met with a barrage of whistles from around the stadium.

“Reyes! Fuera del Calderon!” (Reyes! Leave the Calderon!) was the chant that came up from Atletico’s radical ‘Frente’ fans behind the goal opposite where I was sitting.

Spanish media also reported fans shouting “Reyes! Hijo de Puta! Muerete!” (Reyes! Son of a whore! Die!) and other abuse.

His first touch was understandably tentative, though a surging run soon after had some fans around me standing and applauding, while others continued to whistle.

Why this treatment? Well he was bought from city rivals Real Madrid after helping them win the Primera Liga title in 2007.

His presentation in the Calderon, which I also attended, saw some fans shouting abuse at him then. He did little to win them over that first season making 26 league appearances, failing to score, and complaining about not being in the starting XI enough.

Reyes played last year on loan with Benfica, but the Portuguese side failed to come up with the money to make the move permanent, so with no other interesting offers on the table, the former Arsenal man is back in Madrid.

After Tuesday’s game, his new coach Abel Resino defended him: “It’s the start of the season and we are going to try to change all this. Reyes is an Atletico player, he works hard, and we will try to help him make his peace with the fans.”

Reyes, who turns 26 next week, is clearly a talented player and has shown that at Sevilla, Arsenal and Real Madrid, albeit inconsistently.

Atletico season-ticket holders I spoke to after the game agreed the treatment he received was harsh, and that with the shortage of creative talent in the side’s midfield it was crucial to have a player like Reyes on board.

The club need him but the only way he will win over doubters is with some strong performances. It remains to be seen whether he has the maturity to ride out the abuse and put in the hard graft necessary.

PHOTO: Jose Reyes (L) fights for the ball while at Benfica, April 19, 2009. REUTERS/Hugo Correia

Barcelona’s new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic was given a glowing report by Pep Guardiola after their Spanish Super Cup victory over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

But the doubts remain as to whether his qualities will be enough to replace or improve upon those the side have lost with the swap deal which sent former number nine Samuel Eto’o to Inter Milan.

The Swedish striker lined up from the start between Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry for the first time, and helped Barca sweep aside the visitors 3-0 to win the curtain-raiser to the new season 5-1 on aggregate.

Messi grabbed the headlines with a brace, and Ibrahimovic's second-half replacement, Bojan Krkic, added the other goal.

"Ibrahimovic was perfect," Guardiola said. "Everyone is worried about how he will pressure our rivals' defences, but I have no doubts.

"Because he's so tall he doesn't appear very dynamic, but he will pressure as required for the team. Step by step he will adapt to our needs."

Ibrahimovic linked up well with his team mates showing some wonderful touches, came close to scoring his first goal on a couple of occasions, and won huge cheers from the fans.

He laid off the ball for Messi’s opener and his physical presence and aerial threat give Barca a new dimension up front. But will they miss Eto’o’s aggression and that ruthless streak in front of goal?

Eto'o netted Barca's opening goals in both their Champions League final victories against Arsenal and Manchester United.

"Without Eto'o Barca look different, with less of the fire that he gave them, but Ibrahimovic is going to have a fantastic partnership with Messi," Alfredo Relano wrote in sports daily AS.

Bilbao coach Joaquin Caparros had his reservations: "Barca's rivals will be able to play out from the back more easily because Eto'o pressured them more. He was a pest."

It’s early days still, but Ibrahimovic and Barca will need to click quickly with an expensively reconstructed Real Madrid raring to go when the season starts next weekend.

Real Madrid’s 250 million euros spending spree has left new coach Manuel Pellegrini with the kind of headache most managers could only dream of.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema, Xabi Alonso, Raul Albiol, Alvaro Arbeloa, Esteban Granero and Ezequiel Garay have all been added to a squad that finished second in the league under Juande Ramos last year.

Pellegrini has made the most of pre-season friendlies to experiment with players and lineups, and they have lost only once in their eight warm up games, against Juventus in the Peace Cup. They have netted 22 goals, and conceded just six.

But with only a week to go until Deportivo Coruna visit the Bernabeu for their opening game of the new Primera Liga campaign, the Chilean has yet to make it clear what his best starting 11 will be, and what formation he will play.

There is no debate over the position of goalkeeper, so Iker Casillas is easy to put first on the team sheet.

In defence he can pick from Garay, Arbeloa, Albiol, Pepe, Christoph Metzelder, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo and Miguel Torres. Royston Drenthe has performed well at fullback in the last couple of matches.

Ronaldo, Kaka and Xabi Alonso will be guaranteed a place in midfield which leaves perhaps Lassana Diarra as the fourth component of a traditional 4-4-2. Arjen Robben and Granero have impressed in pre-season games while Fernando Gago, Guti, Wesley Sneijder, Rafael van der Vaart and Mahamadou Diarra wait in the wings.

And who to play in attack? Raul has topscored with four in the pre-season friendlies, so the evergreen captain and Benzema? Last season’s top scorer Gonzalo Higuain and the returning Ruud van Nistelrooy complete the choices up front.

Assuming everyone was available, the following 4-2-3-1 formation would be a tasty lineup in front of Casillas. Ramos, Pepe, Albiol and Drenthe at the back, Alonso and Lass Diarra holding the centre midfield, leaving Ronaldo, Kaka, and Robben to support Benzema up front.

Is Pellegrini tough enough to put Raul on the bench or does the fans’ favourite have to start? If you were in the hot seat, who would you play?

While Real Madrid were tying up their deal to sign Kaka from AC Milan, Barcelona seemed curiously ambivalent about the possibility of losing one of their big-name players, the  Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o .

The 28-year-old has a contract until 2010 when he will be able to leave free of cost, unless an extension can be agreed or the club decide to cash in on him now.

The first meeting to discuss the issue between his agent Jose Maria Mesalles and Barca's sports director Txiki Begiristain, took place on Monday with very little seemingly resolved.

"The technical staff and the representative have met to try and agree a period of continuity, which is what we would like," Barca president Joan Laporta said on the club website.

Mesalles said no renewal proposal had been forthcoming so far, but insisted Eto'o wanted to continue.

He was quoted in Spanish media as saying: "We are open to every possibility. If we have to look at a renewal we will study it, but if there is another possibility we will study that too."

Inter Milan and Manchester City have been linked with interest for Eto'o, while Barca are reported to have considered a swap deal involving Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and moves for Atletico Madrid's Diego Forlan or Olympique Lyon's Karim Benzema*, or maybe even Bayern Munich;s Luca Toni.

But why would they not want to hang on to a player who scored 30 goals in the Primera Liga last season and netted the opener in their Champions League final victory over Manchester United?

Media reports have suggested there are differences over the terms of a renewal, and that coach Pep Guardiola may want a different style of striker to lead the line along with Thierry Henry and Lionel Messi.

Perhaps Barca's greatest fear is that if they cannot meet the player's demands on an improved contract, or convince him to take up an offer from another club, he could just walk away from them next year denying them a substantial payday.

It is an issue that is unlikely to be resolved quickly, as Mesalles recognised: "The market is open until August 31 and anything can happen before then."

PHOTO: Barcelona's Samuel Etoo scores against Deportivo Coruna during their league match in Coruna May 30, 2009. REUTERS/Miguel Vidal

* corrected at 1730 GMT, June 10 after we originally had wrong first name