Match Preview: FC Barcelona vs Levante UD | totalBarça

The clock is ticking. FC Barcelona will now begin its quest for 9 points with which the team can win the league. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich is waiting on Tuesday and both Puyol and Mascherano are out with injuries. Can Bartra partner well with Pique? Or will Tito utilize Adriano in the heart of defense once again?

Levante will visit Camp Nou in Round 32 of La Liga this Saturday night in a slump of form, having suffered two consecutive defeats at the hands of Real Madrid and Deportivo. Their away form is even more abysmal with 3 draws and 3 losses in their last 6 away games. They are relatively safe from relegation and are currently sitting in 12th place. Knowing this, Tito will rest most of the key players as the youngsters should be hungry enough for the three points.

In the first encounter with Levante, Barcelona won 4-0 courtesy of goals from Lionel Messi (2), Iniesta, and Fabregas. The scoreline was deceiving though as Levante didn't go down easily. In fact, Barcelona scored their first goal in the second half which opened the game up. Iniesta and Messi were the difference, but it's unlikely that both players will start on Saturday. Before the first goal, Barcelona was having difficulty penetrating Levante's back four as the defenders refused to take the bait and leave their positions.

Messi had trouble finding space as there were no number 9 occupying the defender's attention. Fabregas tried to make runs but he was easily nullified as Levante knew what to expect from him. This made Fabregas reluctant to keep trying the runs and in effect Barcelona's attack became monotonous and one dimensional. Fortunately, Iniesta found a very small opening and was able to create a chance for Messi.

Tito Vilanova is showing reluctance in pairing Bartra and Pique as he sees the two as being alike. Both are not the fastest players on the pitch, but are very technically sound. They are ball-playing defenders and usually a team only starts one. Of course, Bartra can be instructed to play more traditionally and giving him match experience could prove more valuable than retraining Adriano or Song at the heart of defense.

Jordi Alba will get some rest and Montoya or Adriano will deputize in the left back position. In midfield Xavi, Busquets, and Iniesta must rest, which means Song, Thiago, and Fabregas will play once again. The strike force of Pedro, Villa, and Tello should give Messi and Alexis enough rest. Alexis played very well in the number 9 position this season, so it's expected that he'll start against Bayern.

Mascherano and Puyol are still out with injuries, meanwhile Messi have been given the green light to resume training with the squad. Pinto is also injured but it's unclear if he's been given permission to continue training. The rest of the team will be available.

Vicente Iborra is unavailable through injury, but everyone else is available for selection. Ruben Garcia and Barkero are their top scorers after Obafemi Martins left for the Seattle Sounders.

Predicted Starting XI : Munua; Ballesteros, Navarro, Lell, Juanfran; Michel, P. Diop, Pedro Rios, Ruben Garcia, Barkero; Acquafresca

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Mike Trout Hits for the Cycle vs. Seattle Mariners

Coming into the contest, Trout had been hitting .293 with nine home runs, 34 RBI, 31 runs and nine stolen bases. He's hitting .308 with six home runs, 13 RBI, 14 runs and four stolen bases in May.

The 21-year-old has been phenomenal for the Angels since getting regular playing time last season. In 2012, he batted .326 with 30 home runs, 83 RBI, 129 runs and 49 stolen bases as the AL Rookie of the Year.

Trout's impact on the baseball field was on full display Tuesday. After striking out looking in the first inning, he roared back. First, it was an infield single in the third inning. Then, it was a triple in the fourth. Then, it was a double in the sixth inning.

The second-year pro saved the best for last versus Seattle, homering to center field in the bottom of the eighth to help the Angels on its way to the 12-0 victory over their division foes.

And so continues the story of Mike Trout, a true five-tool player whose legend only continues to grow. He's certainly done what he can to help the ailing Angels this season.

Perhaps Trout's wonderful achievement will help rejuvenate the team. Los Angeles is now just 18-27 after the victory—far below expectations, to say the least.

One thing's for sure: If Mike Trout keeps this up, it's going to be difficult for the Angels to lose ballgames. Tack on another accolade for the young star.

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Aguero symptoms one-year Manchester City agreement extension - Goal. com.

The Argentine commits to the new deal, running right until 2017, as the Premier League runners-up check out avoid interest from L . a . Liga giants Real Madrid materialising come early july

As exclusively revealed just by Goal in April, the Premier League side designed to tie the Argentine as small as a new deal so as to ward off interest because of Real Madrid.

The 24-year-old scored seventeen goals in 40 games for the Etihad Stadium outfit within 2012-13, a slight dip in form from their 30-goal debut season, that the last of his goals won the league concept for City in dramatic fashion.

Aguero had pledged his future to your club on Friday, telling reporters that "there isn't an reason to go" in the face of a disappointing campaign that ended with manager Roberto Mancini's sacking.

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Chargers Be prepared for Dwight Freeney.

After to be a free agent for times, former Indianapolis Colts shielding end Dwight Freeney has found an exciting new home. Freeney has be prepared for the San Diego Chargers for a two year deal. The offer is worth $8. 75 million.

"It's great to provide a solid veteran whom brings valuable experience to your defense, " said Chargers coach Simon McCoy. "His proven pass-rush ability is mostly a perfect fit for some of our defense. "

Chargers second year linebacker Melvin Ingram took his anterior cruciate ligament in practice on Tuesday. This made the Chargers' need on the pass rusher even much more desperate.

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Sunderland Manager Paolo Di Canio Is Walking A Tightrope

Since he burst controversially into the Stadium of Light dugout, Paolo di Canio has been box office. His knee sliding, air punching celebrations have endeared him to the Sunderland faithful but his latest press conference has placed him on a narrow, treacherous path as we head into the summer transfer window.

His public shaming of the culture amongst the squad has pleased the majority of fans who have grown sick of season after season of mediocrity and in the case of this year, dangerous flirting with the bottom three. However it is unlikely the players share the fans enthusiasm.

In an explosive post match conference at White Hart Lane on Sunday, di Canio confirmed he had fined seven players in the previous week, something that the player's union, the PFA, have announced they will look into. Phil Bardsley is almost certain never to play for Sunderland again after the pictures of him covered in money angered the Italian. Titus Bramble and Matt Kilgallon have also fallen foul of the new regime.

On the face of it there is little to say against di Canio's tactics. He has inherited a group of players who clearly have grown used to having a pretty easy life. Fitness and energy levels were poor and judging by di canio's descriptions of what he has found in his first few weeks, the level of professionalism at the club was incredibly low.

In his outburst he spoke of two players who arrived 20 minutes late for a meeting and did not seem to care. He mentioned one player who declared himself unfit for training and promptly switched his phone off so as to be uncontactable by the club's medical staff. If these stories are true, and there is little to nothing for di Canio to gain by lying, then there were clearly serious problems at the club.

And yet, as with most things in modern football, it is not that simple. By publicly slating not only individuals but also the general culture at the club, di Canio has set his stall out very clearly. Those not willing to tow his line are not welcome. The complexity in the situation is the players. Those who are unwilling to embrace the new methodology are likely to be on good contracts and not that willing to leave in a cut price deal. And having players hanging around a club where they are not welcome is never a good situation.

There is also the probability that not all of those who do accept the changes are going to be good enough players to improve Sunderland. After all there is more to a good side than professionalism. Sunderland have lacked quality this season and if players such as Stephane Sessegnon and Adam Johnson decide they do not like the challenge of working with di Canio then almost all of what little quality there is will have gone.

And so the challenge for the fiery Italian is one of balance. He must create an environment where unprofessional behaviour is not tolerated whilst making Sunderland an attractive place not only for those already at the club but also potential new signings. He must also balance the undoubted desire of the fans to see a full scale revolution sweep the club with the practicalities of being in charge of a top flight football club. Whatever happens this summer on Wearside I doubt it will be dull.

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Emmanuel Adebayor: Manchester City will crack under pressure ...

The Togo striker reckons the more pressure you put on Roberto Mancini's players the more they start to crack... at each other!

And as he plots the visitors' downfall this weekend Adebayor, 29, has revealed the in-fighting that sparks in their dressing room.

Adebayor was a £25million City player for three years before sealing his permanent £5m switch to White Hart Lane this season.

"I was there and I can tell you whenever things are not going their way there will definitely be a fight or an argument on the pitch and that is how we can take them down."

But things turned sour for the striker when Sparky was sacked five months later and replaced by Mancini, who soon made it clear the frontman was not part of his plans. Adebayor insists he has nothing to prove to Mancini — or City.

He added: "Things happened at Man City but I've moved on. For me now Mancini is just a manager I respect like Arsene Wenger, like Harry Redknapp and that's it. Everything stops there.

"I don't have anything to prove to City, they are a sacred club. I have a huge respect for the players because some there I call family — Yaya and Kolo Toure, Vincent Kompany, they are very good friends.

"But do I have any pressure that says I have to beat Man City because of the way they treated me, because they bought me expensively and sold me for cheap? No."

Spurs looked nailed on for a top-four finish. But after a run of poor results — that also saw them knocked out of the Europa League by Basel last week — they could be sixth by the time they face second-placed City on Sunday.

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Rudi Voller slams Borussia Dortmund over Sokratis Papastathopoulos deal -- Sports Mole.

Voller said that Dortmund's behaviour next their disgust at Bayern Munich's recent capture of Mario Gotze makes them look hypocritical.

"We had an agreement while using player and also along with Werder Bremen, too, inches Sky Sports News estimates Voller as saying.

"Everyone knows that [Dortmund] were aggrieved by the news that Mario Gotze linked Bayern Munich, and then usually they are hypocritical. I can smile at this. That's how things are usually in business. "

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