Match Report: Valencia 2 Hércules 0

FT: Valencia 2 (Aduriz 43, Tino Costa 53) – Hércules 0

Valencia consolidated their position the race for Champions League football next season with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Hércules.

Another Tino Costa wonder strike and an altogether more scrappy effort from Aduriz were enough to give Unai Emery a confortable evening – for once victory assured without any need for last minute heroics.

Both managers had surprised with their team selections. Emery again utilising his squad, five changes this time from the side that started in Santander on Monday night, however, it was a surprise to see Aritz Aduriz paired with Roberto Soldado. Los Che’s two principal frontmen have proved good buys this season but have rarely been given the opportunity to form a partnership. Emery also surprised by excluding all of his natural wide players, a midfield diamond of Costa, Ever Banega, Mehmet Topal and Chori Dominguez chosen instead.

Esteban Vigo also made a change up front with top scorer David Trezeguet dropped to the bench. In fairness to the Hercules boss the Frenchman has yet to score on the road this season but Nelson Valdez looked far less effective playing as the main striker than he has in a supporting role for most of the season.

The early stages were, like most derby matches, littered with fouls and a number of yellow cards. Amazingly the second-half passed without a single card after five in the first had appeared the make the possibility of a red a matter of when, not if.

Unsurprisingly, Valencia were suffering from a lack of width whilst Valdez was left too isolated when the visitors had possession high up the field.

The first real chance didn’t arrive until the 38th minute. Topal’s effort striking the post after a poor clearance from Abel Aguilar had given him the opportunity from Costa’s corner. Yet, the hosts had to wait only five minutes before they did break the deadlock. Soldado for once providing some width on the right-hand side and his low cross into the near post was hooked into the net by Aduriz.

The hosts were considerably better in the second period and killed the game off within seven minutes of the restart. Aduriz had already been denied by Juan Calatayud before Costa fired in the second with a trademark, curling free-kick from 25 yards.

Vigo turned to Royston Drenthe, after his (hardly unjusitifed) strike action had seen him excluded from the side in recent weeks, and old Valencia favourite Rufete to try and turn the tide but strangely left Trezeguet on the sidelines. The introductions did offer more width and support to Valdez in attack but also opened up the visitors to a number of effective counter-attacks from the hosts.

Juanra denied the home side a third on two occasions, firstly, stopping Aduriz in his tracks after a wonderful through ball from Banega and then clearing off the line from Soldado.

In between Vicente Guaita had to make his first decent save of the game, beating away a fierce Matias Fritzler drive.

Overall, a deserved win for Los Che who closed the gap on Villarreal to just the one point. Hércules continue their abysmal run on the road – just the one victory away all season (and yes it was that one) – and now find themselves very much in a relegation fight, now locked in a group of five sides only a point outside the relegation zone.

Match Report: Villarreal 0 Levante 1

FT: Villarreal 0 – Levante 1 (Valdo 47)

Levante produced one of the shocks of the season to defeat local rivals Villarreal 1-0 at El Madrigal.

Valdo scored the only goal for the visitors who fully merited only their second away win of the season against a lethargic and extremely disappointing home side.

The hosts welcomed back Brazilian striker Nilmar and Carlos Marchena started at centre-back but both demonstrated a severe lack of match sharpness after long spells out with injury.

Villarreal had come into the game with the league’s second best home record, 10 victories and one draw from 11 games, but you couldn’t have guessed which side was going for the Champions League and which was fighting relegation in the opening 20 minutes.

The visitors, inspired by last weekend’s 2-0 victory over Getafe, started very positively. Christian Stuani headed wide and Juanfran was denied by Diego Lopez before Valdo had a goal rightly disallowed for offside.

Villarreal began to get going as the half went on, Giuseppe Rossi and Nilmar beginning to get their partnership back up and running, and it was some good link-up play between the two that created the home side’s first real opportunity. Gustavo Munua in the Levante goal doing exceptionally well to parry Rossi’s volley.

Levante started the second-half like they had the first and used their pace up front to particularly good effect. Stuani got in behind the struggling centre-back pairing of Marchena and Gonzalo but his chip didn’t quite have the legs to arch over the giant frame of Lopez. However, less than a minute later the visitors deservedly had their lead. This time it was Valdo who left Marchena in his wake to round Lopez and fire high into the empty net.

The reaction from Villarreal following the goal was particularly disappointing for those that have seen them shine this season. Levante did exceptionally well to maintain their pressure on the ball high up the field, particularly on Bruno and Borja Valero in the midfield. This had the major advantage of asphyxiating the service that those two normally provide for Cani and Cazorla ahead of them. Consequently Rossi and Nilmar didn’t get the normal, accurate balls into the channels to run into or even allow the front two to get involved in the intricate play around the box that the yellow submarine have used to such great effect at home this season. Moreover, the Villareal full-backs, Joan Capdevila and Mario, (their only source of width given how narrow Cani and Cazorla play) didn’t provide the attacking threat they have done regularly this term.

Indeed, recognising the dual problems of Marchena’s lack of pace being exposed and the disappointing performance of his full-backs, Juan Carlos Garrido substituted Marchena and Capdevila and moved Mario to centre-back with Cicinho coming on to play at right-back.

Yet, the changes made no real effect as remarkably Villarreal didn’t register a single shot on target in the second-half.

Levante should have made the game safe on a number of occasions but a combination of a lack of composure and confidence saw promising counter-attacks wasted time after time. The impressive Xavi Torres coming closest on 73 minutes when his low effort forced Lopez into a smart save.

Those being critical of Levante’s display would rightfully say that they managed to destroy the spectacle with constant tactical fouling and time-wasting. Problem was that Villarreal’s performance meant there was no spectacle to destroy. A rare off night for Garrido’s men costing them the chance to close the gap on Real Madrid to just three points.

Levante won’t care about that or indeed any criticism of how they went about their business. A second consecutive victory allowing them to climb to within one point of safety.

Match Report: Real Madrid 2 Sevilla 0

FT: Real Madrid 2 (Ozil 80, Adebayor 90 +3) – Sevilla 0
Real Madrid ensured that for the first time in 21 years the Copa del Rey final will be a Classico with a breathless, if not breathtaking, 2-0 victory over Sevilla.

Following a 1-0 win for the 17-time winners at the Sanchez Pizjuan last week many thought tonight’s encounter would be nothing but a formality. Yet, it was anything but in a hard-fought first half.

Real started the game with a high-tempo synonomous with Mourinho’s most successful sides over the past few years. The return of Xabi Alonso alongside Sami Khedira in midfield helping to put the Sevilla midfield under pressure and the hosts should have been ahead inside five minutes.

After Angel Di Maria’s left foot shot had been parried by Javi Varas, Karim Benzema was left with an open goal. However, in what was to be the first miss in a night of comically poor finishing by the Frenchman, he managed to stroke the ball wide.

Thereafter, Sevilla grew into what became a half litered with free-kicks and yellow cards. Alvaro Negredo coming closest for the visitors when his smart finish was ruled out for offside on 10 minutes – replays showing it was an extrmely close call.

At the other end, Sevilla had Varas to thank again for keeping the scoreline blank, this time denying Ronaldo from a one-on-one following a flowing counter-attack involving Ozil, Benzema and Di Maria.

The second half was a very different affair as both sides evacuated midfield – allowing the match to take on the appearance of a game between school kids, played at 100 miles an hour. However, the pattern was to prove much more to the home side’s liking as they consistently exposed Sevilla’s ludicrously high line.

Benzema further displayed his exhibition in how not to finish; firstly, by running the ball out of play after turning Sergio Sanchez, then firing over after a long ball had found him behind the Sevilla defence and, finally, by somehow manging to turn the ball over from three yards after Ozil and Ronaldo had done brilliantly in the build-up.

Ronaldo was then unlucky to be ruled offside from another Ozil slide-rule through ball but eventually the holders suicidal offisde line caught up with them. After seeing those in front of him fail time after time, Ozil showed his strikers how to do it. Played through by compatriot Khedira, the German cooly rounded Varas and tapped into the empty net.

With the Bernabeu now in party mode Benzema was removed (arguably, putting the Madristas in even greater party mood but that would be too harsh after all he did do this in the first-leg) to allow Emmanuel Adebayor his home debut. Within two minutes the former Togolese international had been cynically taken out by Sanchez and the game had what it most deserved – a red card. Sanchez’s second yellow the seventh of the evening in what was an ill-tempered affair.

Only a further two minutes had passed when Adebayor showed Benzema the way to goal (and it should be noted made Mourinho a very happy and smug man of the touchline - yes, even more than usual). The Manchester City loanee controlling Lass Diarra’s cross expertly on his chest before firing a thunderous volley into the roof of the net.

The 3-0 aggregate win allows Mournho to continue his excellent record in domestic cup competitions and his current employers to head back to the final after an eight year absence. Set your diary for April 20th, another meeting of Spain’s two titans awaits.

Match Report: Hércules 0 Barcelona 3

FT: Hércules 0 - Barcelona 3 (Pedro 43, Messi 87 & 89)

So, there was to be no repeat. No second hit, no second bolt of lightning, no fuck me did that just happen?

Instead it was the regular Saturday night out for Barcelona. Another three points, another three goals, another clean sheet and another quality performance, without ever stretching beyond third gear.

Hércules started brightly, attempting to replicate the game plan that had brought them victory at the Nou Camp in September. Nelson Valdez and Kiko, playing either side of David Trezeguet, pushed high up the field to pressure Barcelona's back four when in possession. This initially allowed the hosts to prevent Victor Valdes distributing the ball from the back in the manner he is accustomed to. However, as Hércules tired in the second-half the downside of this tactic was cruelly exposed - Valdes able to deliver the ball beyond these three front players to Sergio Busquets, Maxwell or Dani Alves - leaving Hércules with three fewer players behind the ball.

Yet, whilst the Alicantans energy levels were still brimming in the first-half, their aggressive pressing style did have a modicum of success. Despite early warning shots from Leo Messi and Pedro the home defence was relatively untroubled. And the hosts could have been ahead on 21 minutes. An accurate diagonal ball found Valdez in the area and his clever back-header left Trezeguet with the goal at his mercy. However, with the ball bouncing awkwardly, the former French international was unable to wrap his foot around it and only succeeded in proding wide.

Having been let of the hook Barcelona then started to dominate. Pedro was denied by Peña before Alves and David Villa failed to find the target. It wasn't long, though, before the visitors were in front. Xavi, almost inevitably, the creator with a wonderful first time pass through for Pedro to fire home.

The goal was the Canarian's 19th of the season, the sixth league game in a row in which he has hit the back of the net. I seem to repeat this every week but Pedro has become an integral member of the Barca starting XI and any talk of Fernando Torres heading to Catalonia fails to acknowledge just how good he has been for the past 18 months.

The second-half was much more comfortable for the champions as Hércules' intensity dropped. The visitors enjoyed upwards of 70% of the possession and could and should have killed the game off long before they did.

Xavi fired just wide after he and Messi had worked space on the edge of the area five minutes after the break before Valdez had Hércules' only effort of the second period. However, his tame volley bobbled into the hands of his namesake in the Barcelona goal.

Messi then went agonisingly close on two occasions, shooting wide of both Catalayud's posts, before the Hércules keeper produced a fine save from the Argentine.

Despite the dominance of his side Pep Guardiola couldn't relax until the final five minutes when a hat-trick of nails were hammered into the Hércules coffin. Firstly, substitute Francisco Farinos was sent-off for two yellow cards following an ill-advised lunge on Busquets. Messi then eventually did get his goal with a trademark shimmy and finish on his left foot. And within two minutes he had a second, the rampaging Alves with a terrific run and cross allowing the Argentine the simplest of finishes.

It was a 15th consecutive league victory for Pep's boys who, let's face it, look like they could easily win another 15 on the trot. The gap over Real Madrid has again been extended to seven points and with a tricky trip to Pamplona in store for Mourinho's men tomorrow night the pressure has been pushed up a notch.

As for Hércules, well Trezeguet said it better than I could:

"We play in a different league from Barcelona. We can just continue to prepare for Valencia next week."

Match Preview: Hércules v Barcelona

Unsurprisingly the build up to Barca’s trip to Alicante has been dominated by talk of the last time these teams met. It was the shock, if not the result and performance, of the season. The newly promoted, unheralded Hércules taking the Nou Camp by storm and winning 2-0.

The most surprising element of the game being that it could have been more. This was no means the smash and grab method of getting a result against the champions – the manner in which those few teams who have taken points of Pep Guardiola’s men in recent seasons have found most fruitful. But for Victor Valdes and occasionally erratic finishing the score would have been even more jaw-dropping. So, if Hercules displayed the perfect game plan in combating Barcelona’s tiqui-taca style, can lightning really strike twice?

The smart money wouldn’t be on a repeat. Arguably the performance of the Catalans that day gave more of an insight into how brilliant they have been the rest of the season. It is not always as easy as they make it look and when they are not firing on all cylinders it is possible for mere mortals, or even mythical figures, to overpower them. It would also be fair to mention that over half of the Barca team that day had just arrived back from a 13,000 mile round-trip to Buenos Aires for Argentina’s 4-1 friendly victory over Spain.

Since that fabled day in early September the leaders have not been defeated in the league and are looking for a league record 15th consecutive victory this evening. Dani Alves is likely to return at right-back with Eric Abidal deputising again for injured captain, Carlos Puyol, at cente-back. Sergio Busquets, who signed a new five-year deal in midweek, should also return in place of Javier Mascherano in the holding role. The regular front five of Iniesta, Xavi, Pedro, Villa and Messi all expected to start again after coming through Wednesday’s 5-0 win in the Copa Del Rey semi-final over Almeria unscathed.

The task for Esteban Vigo is much more complicated. Not only does he have to drill his team to deal with that front five that he has been in such sensational form over recent weeks but he must do so without his two first choice central defenders. Mohamed Sarr and Sergio Rodriguez expected to fill in for the injured Abraham Paz and Noe Paramot.

Roston Drenthe is again left out of the squad as the fall-out from his dispute with the club continues but the potent duo of Nelson Valdez and David Trezeguet will start in attack.

Probable Line-Ups:

Hercules (4-2-3-1): Calatayud; Cortes, Sarr, Rodriguez, Pena; Fritzler, Aguilar; Tote, Gomes, Valdez; Trezeguet

Barcelona (4-3-3): Valdes; Maxwell, Abidal, Pique, Alves; Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta; Villa, Messi, Pedro

Match Report: Villarreal 2 Real Sociedad 1

FT: Villarreal 2 (Rossi 40, 47) - Real Sociedad 1 (Aranburu 30)

Villareal kept up their excellent home record this season with a 2-1 win over fellow entertainers Real Sociedad.

Giuseppe Rossi was the key man with a goal either side of half-time but the yellow submarines comeback owed a lot to the returning Santi Cazorla.

The visitors had started brightly with Joseba Llorente looking particularly dangerous against his former club. At the other end Cazorla was the main creator and he nearly broke the deadlock on 12 minutes with a trademark sweet strike that just missed the target. The Spanish international's influence even more important given that Cani was slightly below par, adopting a shoot on sight policy a little too often after his stunning strike from the halfway line last weekend.

Further forward Rossi was his usual busy self dropping deep and wide to provide an option. However, his manager, Juan Carlos Garrido, will be hoping for quick return to action for Nilmar as the pair's combination play has not been replicated in recent weeks with Marco Ruben in the side. The Argentine hasn't done badly, indeed he has scored in four consecutive appearances before Wednesday's 3-0 defeat to Sevilla in the Copa Del Rey, but he also appears to be tiring after his first extended run in the side.

The influence of Cazorla, Borja Valero (who put in another solid display) and Bruno also helped to minimise the threat of La Real's two outstanding performers this season, Xabi Prieto and Antoine Griezmann. However, the visitors did take the lead, slightly against the run of play, on the half hour. Daniel Estrada's deep cross from the right was headed back across goal by Llorente and Mikel Aranburu guided a wonderful header, high past the right hand of Diego Lopez.

The lead only lasted 10 minutes thanks to wonderful play from Cazorla. The Asturian robbing the ball from Markel Bergara before driving forward and playing a wonderfully weighted pass through the heart of the defence for Rossi to smash home.

The two were at it again two minutes after the break to give the hosts the lead. Cazorla again showing his aggressive side to win the ball 40 yards from goal, the ball through again spectacular to allow the Italian striker to get the vital touch over the on-rushing Claudio Bravo.

However, to eulogise Cazorla's passing in the build up is in no way meant to denigrate Rossi's finishing ,on both occasions, was exceptional. His two goals taking his tally for the season to 19. The American born Italian has been one of the players of the season so far and would almost certainly be the first name on the teamsheet of a non Barcelona or Real-Madrid XI of the season so far...oh wait, bugger, our bad.

Rossi's second was to be the end of the scoring but it was by no means the end of the action. Cazorla rattled the woodwork before Jeffrey Sarpong was booked for diving - replays showing that the Dutchman had a good case for a penalty and was extremely unlucky to see a yellow card.

The Basque side threw everyone forward in an attempt to salvage a point but in truth they only succeeded in opening up spaces for Villarreal on the counter-attack who could have added to their slender advantage.

There was even more good news for the yellow submarine with the return of World Cup winner Carlos Marchena for the final quarter.

Victory for Garrido's men sees them move back above Valencia into third place in the table. It may even allow the coach to justify his somewhat bizarre selection for the return leg of the Copa Del Rey quarter-final against Sevilla. With financial pressures to take account of it is of far more importance for the yellow submarine to guarantee Champions League qualification for next season. However, I will not be the sole onlooker who feels slightly robbed at not seeing another two games between Real Madrid and Villarreal in the semi-finals.

Defeat for La Real sees them slip back into the pack in mid-table, still five points adrift of a Europa League qualification spot.

Match Report: Barcelona 3 Racing Santander 0

FT: Barcelona 3 (Pedro 2, Messi (pen) 32, Iniesta 56) Racing Santander 0

Another Saturday night at the Nou Camp, another comfortable win for Barcelona, this time 3-0 over a spirited but limited Racing side.

In the build up to the match the talk had, for once, surrounded the visitors with Indian businessman Ahsan Ali Syed expected to complete his takeover of the Cantabrians within the next week. Mr. Syed may have seen that Racing could do with a few additions to the squad before the end of the January transfer window, but Racing did show a lot of fight - if not a lot of football.

After a first defeat in 28 matches to Real Beits in midweek, Pep Guardiola was able to welcome back most of his star names to the starting XI. Dani Alves was ruled out with a hamstring injury and Gerard Pique was given a rest but otherwise Barca were at full strength.

And it wasn’t long before they were in full flow, the opening goal arriving after only 90 seconds. After more spectacular interplay between Leo Messi and David Villa, the Argentine squared for Pedro to nod into the empty net. In such esteemed company the Canarian doesn’t always get the credit he deserves but the goal was his 16th already this season and he has grown into the perfect foil for Messi and Villa.

With the pattern of the game set it was only thanks to Toño in the Racing goal that Barca weren’t approaching a ‘manita’ by half-time. Villa was wasteful after being played through by Messi before the Racing goalkeeper did exceptionally well to deny Messi, Carlos Puyol and Adriano in quick succession.

The scond goal did arrive just after the half hour mark. Henrique with a clumsy challenge on Villa and Messi stroked home the resulting penalty. The Barca No.10 also showing that all the fame and plaudits haven’t allowed him to forget his roots as he lifted his shirt to reveal a ‘happy birthday mum’ message.

Toño was then on hand to deny Messi again and Villa fired over before Racing were nearly handed a lifeline just before half-time. Adrian’s powerful header turned away by Victor Valdes.

In the second-half Miguel Angel Portugal’s men showed a great deal of desire and hard-work to keep at Barca and try to repel the waves upon waves of attack but in truth they lacked any real threat.

Andres Iniesta made it 3-0 on 56 minutes following another wonderful team move. Villa and Messi again combining before El Guaje’s cross was beautifully back-heeled by Pedro for Iniesta to fire home. It was the World Cup winner’s seventh league goal of the season, one more than he has ever previously managed in one term.

With the game comfortably won Guardiola was able to give a rest to some of his stars. Xavi and Pedro were replaced by Seydou Keita and Bojan whilst Pique had been introduced at half-time to give captain Puyol a rest.

It remains to be seen whether last Wednesday’s defeat in Seville is the worst thing that could have happened for Barcelona’s upcoming opponents. Any chance of complacency slipping in having been wiped away by the Segunda league leaders who showed that when the Champions aren’t 100% focused they are certainly not invincable.

However, in this form they are very close to it. Racing battled bravely but never threatened to cause an upset. Portugal, and hopefully his new boss, will realise that the Nou Camp is not where Racing’s season will be defined. They remain four points above the relegation zone.

Barcelona extend their lead over Real Madrid at the top to seven points ahead of Mallorca’s visit to the Bernabeu tommorrow.

Match Report: Sevilla 4 Levante 1

FT: Sevilla 4 (Luis Fabiano 27, 42 (pen), 67, Escude 37) - Levante (Xisco 57)

A Luis Fabiano hat-trick helped Sevilla seep aside a poor Levante side and move back into the race for Europa League qualification.

In a repeat of the scoreline between these two sides on the opening day of the season, the home side dominated from start to finish and in the returning Jesus Navas and with Fabiano re-discovering his best from Los Rojiblancos had the cutting edge in the final third that they have often lacked this season.

In contrast Levante seemed like a side lacking in confidence, unsurprising given that they have now lost their last five games, and often left record-signing Felipe Caicedo isolated up front.

After a successful outing in the Copa Del Rey midweek, Gregorio Manzano was able to recall captain Andres Palop, Diego Perotti, Navas and Fabiano to the starting XI. Sergio Sanchez also retained his place in defence to make his first league start in 18 months following his recovery from heart problems.

Unsurprisingly Navas was involved as Sevilla made the breakthrough on 27 minutes. The winger clipped the ball over from the right side but Fabiano still had an awful lot to do, bulleting a looping header over Manolo Reina into the net. The hosts then made the game safe with a two goal burst just before half-time. Koffi Romaric’s corners have proved a rich source of goals for Sevilla in recent weeks and they were so again as Julien Escude stooped to head home at the near post. Fernando Navarro was then ‘felled’ by the slightest of contact from Javi Venta inside the area - Fabiano slotting home the spot-kick.

There was some consolation for Levante when Xisco fired into the roof of the net after a neat through ball from Caicedo 12 minutes after the break. However, they didn’t threaten to build on that lifeline and with every passing defeat look destined for a return to the Segunda after one season back in the big league.

Fabiano sealed the three points and his hat-trick with another wonderful finish from 20 yards. After a disappointing first half of the season, O Fabuloso living up to his billing as La Liga turns the corner. Los sevillistas will be hoping the Brazilian international is now over his post World Cup funk with Mourinho’s men heading to the Sanchez Pizjuan on Wednesday.

Murray aiming to go one step better as second week approaches

2011 has already been a successful year for English (and some would say South African) sportsmen in Australia. So can Scotland’s premier sportsman deliver some Scottish success in Melbourne?

Andy Murray headed to Australia a fortnight ago in confident mood – he always does. Murray has made a habit of starting the tennis season with a bang in recent years. Encouraged by gruelling winter training sessions in Miami, he won the season opening tournament in Doha in 2008 and 2009.

However, disappointing defeats in Melbourne, to eventual finalist Jo-Wilfred Tsonga in the first round in ’08, and to Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in at the last-16 stage in ’09, forced a re-think in Murray’s preparation for the year’s opening grand slam tournament. He abandoned his title defence in Doha last year, instead choosing to play in the exhibition Hopman Cup tournament alongside fellow Brit Laura Robson.

A relaxation in the amount of tennis the Scot played in the lead up to Melbourne appeared to work. The man from Dunblane cruised through to his second grand slam final, defeating (albeit an ailing) Rafa Nadal in straight sets in the quarter-finals.

However, Murray appeared to hit a wall in the final against Roger Federer. In an eerily similar performance to that of Murray’s maiden grand slam final, at the US Open in 2008, he was swept aside by his Swiss opponent in straight sets. Whether the result was caused by Murray feeling the pressure or simply the outstanding play of his opponent is hard to judge. What is for certain though is that the defeat hit Murray hard – harder than any in his career to date. Yet, that hurt did reveal one positive - how far Murray had developed.

When he faced Federer in that final at Flushing Meadows two years ago it was written off as a great chance for Murray to gain the experience of playing in a slam final. Almost no one expected him to win – at some stages in the match you felt neither did he. Last January’s clash was quite different. Many pundits believed in Murray, the player himself seemed to have even more than belief – a feeling that his destiny as a grand slam champion was about to be fulfilled. When that didn’t happen, the pain was there to see. The only consolation? The man holding the trophy had been there, done that, got the hankie.

Nevertheless, Murray’s form slumped dramatically throughout the first half of the 2010 season. Only once he got onto the green grass of home at Wimbledon did his game really recover, making his first semi-final appearance since the Australian Open defeat.

Yet, even at the All England Club, in losing again in three sets, this time to Nadal, questions were raised about Murray’s big game belief and temperament.

Questions that are a tad unfair. There is no doubt about how good Murray is. He is almost certainly the best Scottish sportsman of his generation (only Chris Hoy comes close). However, he will only be recognised as such if he wins titles – the big ones.

Whilst it is hard to dismiss his six Masters Series titles (a selection of tournaments ranked just below the four grand slams), they do not penetrate the public interest or, for that matter, the players’ ambitions in the way the slams do.

The problem for Murray is that if he was born at the right time to be recognised as the best Scot of his era then he was certainly not born in the generation most favourable to winning tennis grand slams. He will go down as having competed against the two greatest players ever to have lifted a racket to this point in history.

If 2009 was the year of Federer’s redemption then in 2010 Rafa undoubtedly regained the title belt at the top of men’s tennis. Should Nadal succeed in claiming a second Australian Open title he would become only the second man, after Rod Laver in 1969, to hold all four major titles at the same time.

The worrying fact for Murray and his new buddy, World No. 3 Novak Djokovic, is that Nadal is still only 24. With his knee troubles seemingly resolved and nine grand slams already on the mantelpiece, the Spaniard seems set to bypass Federer’s record of 16 slams in the coming years. As for the Swiss, well his coach, Paul Annacone, warned the competition last week that Federer still has the hunger to win 20 slams before he retires.

This time last year I thought the time was right for Andy to become the Wizard of Aus. A year on and I, and many other commentators, are less convinced. However, it is not only on the court but in the mind that Murray must now follow Federer and Nadal’s example.

Melbourne has been the graveyard of knee-jerk reactions in recent years. Many wrote off Federer when Nadal appeared to have his number in 2009. The same was said of Nadal last January when his knees, not for the first time, caused him to concede his title prematurely. Post Melbourne, Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows, in 2010 the same voices have questioned Murray’s mental fortitude. There is only one way to banish them and the ‘Scottish glorious failure’ tag, once and for all.

Match Report: Sevilla 3 Villarreal 0

FT: Sevilla 3 (Renato 7, Kanoute 47, Alexis 50) - Villarreal 0

Sevilla secured their passage into the Copa Del Rey semi-finals with a comfortable 6-3 aggregate win over Villarreal.

Both managers surprised many onlookers with their line-ups, Gregorio Manzano and Juan Carlos Garrido taking the opportunity to rest some of their star names. Sevilla made four changes to the side that lost 2-1 to Espanyol at the weekend. The most striking omission being that of Jesús Navas, while Sergio Sánchez made his long-awaited return after 13 months out with heart problems. Garrido handed a first start to Cicinho at right-back and surprisingly left Marco Rubén and Bruno on the bench, Jefferson Montero starting on the right side of midfield with Mateo Musacchio in the centre and Jozy Altidore up front alongside Giuseppe Rossi.

That two sides in the top half of La Liga that should be looking for cup success should choose to field weakened teams is a sad reflection, not just on the Copa Del Rey, but on the whole atmosphere surrounding Spanish football. It is more likely that instead of simply prioritising upcoming league and Europa League fixtures both managers saw the likelihood of facing Real Madrid over two-legs in the semi-finals and a potential final against Barcelona as such a daunting task that qualification to the last four does not possess the excitement that it should do.

However, Manzano’s changes ultimately proved inspired. With Sánchez offered the extra protection of Alexis and Fernando Navarro either side of him in a back three, Sevilla switched to a 3-5-2. It was a system that certainly suited Martin Cáceres who was extremely dangerous moving forward from right wing-back.

In contrast Villarreal never really got to grips with the game and looked understandably disjointed. Cani and Borja Valero were unable to exert the influence in midfield that they had in recent weeks and Montero and Altidore did little to boost their chances of further first team action.

The pattern of play was set by an early goal for the hosts. Mouhamadou Dabo played the ball across from the left and Renato was on hand to make sure Álvaro Negredo’s flick over Diego López crossed the line.

Negredo could have added a second five minutes later but headed wide from Cáceres’ excellent cross. Both goalkeepers then ensured the scoreline remained 1-0 at half-time. Firstly, Sevilla’s Javi Varas, deputising for injured captain Andrés Palop, tipped Gonzalo’s header onto the bar before denying Rossi with a wonderful save after Altidore’s only major contribution to the game had sent the Italian through. At the other end, López parried Koffi Romaric’s fierce drive before snatching the loose ball at Negredo’s feet.

However, the Galician’s efforts were to no avail as Sevilla put the tie to bed with two goals within five minutes of the second-half. Villarreal’s propensity to give up goals at set-pieces has been cruelly exposed in recent weeks and it was their Achilles heel here as well. First, Freddie Kanouté thundered home his 13th goal of the season from Romaric’s corner. And three minutes later the Ivorian’s delivery found Alexis, who was credited with the goal despite the fact that Villarreal defender Jose Mauel Catalá appeared to get the final touch.

From then on the tie was over but Garrido’s strange decision making continued as he introduced Marco Rubén and Bruno with little under half an hour remaining.

Negredo should have capped a fine performance with a goal but blazed over having been played in by Kanouté.

Overall, it was another satisfactory night in the cup for the holders - a win that should also ease the pressure of Manzano. A sixth Copa Del Rey success should be a formality. After all, it’s only Real and Barca that stand in the way.