The Italian title race is now much more than the formality that it was during the last few years under Roberto Mancini’s tenure at Inter Milan. A change in coaching at the Nerazzurri saw a different approach. Initially there was a love-in with Jose Mourinho, whose personality wooed the Italian press. Then came the comparisons to the original ‘Special One’ and Inter legend Helenio Herrera. After a debut draw away to Sampdoria and a couple of narrow victories, the Milan derby had come along as a major test of Mourinho’s credentials.

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While we hear of (mostly) Liverpool players having their homes invaded and their prized possessions stolen (the victim list now reads: Lucas Leiva, Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt, Xabi Alonso, Ryan Babel, Robbie Keane, Pepe Reina, Daniel Agger, Peter Crouch and Jerzy Dudek), the tables have often turned.  Millionaires too decide to steal. Don’t judge them; they’re obviously trying to get by on whatever comes their way…

Albert Craig

Unfortunately, the first incident in this countdown is the most serious. Chronic gambler Albert Craig, the ex-Newcastle footballer was jailed for 12 months in 2005 after stealing more than £40,000 from a Postal Depot where he worked at. The former Partick Thistle player reportedly spent £69,000 in a casino that same year.

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Last night, Predrag Mijatovic announced in a press conference that Bernd Schuster had been given the dreaded vote of confidence. The German coach has been under pressure following defeats to Juventus at the Bernabeu, as the Turin side recorded their first victory in the Spanish stadium for 46 years.  Even worse was the defeat to third division Spanish side Real Union, the first time Madrid lost a cup tie against a lower league side. The minnows went through on away goals after a 4-3 defeat at the Bernabeu (6-6 on aggregate). The Real Madrid defence had World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro and a spattering of internationals throughout the side.

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Real Madrid have a championship-winning attack and a relegation-suffering defence. Barcelona seem to have excellent quality in both departments. The results of both sides this weekend only strove to emphasise this idea. Barcelona thrashed real Valladolid 6-0, while Real Madrid laboured to a 4-3 success in a whirlwind of a game against Malaga. The stunning parallel between both games was that strikers Samuel Eto’o and Gonzalo Higuain both scored 4 goals.

Real Madrid 4 Malaga 3

The latter was a source of ridicule for a small section of the Bernabeu crowd for his inability to hit the target regularly (and that doesn’t been scoring, but actually not skying his shots over the crossbar). Yet over the last few seasons, the Argentinean has improved his accuracy and his impact on the team. Scoring the title-winning goal last summer for Madrid to win their 31^st title has been the catalyst Higuain has needed. When Real Madrid signed Fernando Gago and the River Plate youth product, many assumed that it was the former Boca Juniors man, who was the better signing. These pundits claimed Gago would replicate the legacy of Fernando Redondo. Instead, it has been Higuain, who has taken on the mantle of rescuer.

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If there was a Venn diagram to describe Luiz Felipe Scolari, it would involve Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger. The Brazilian coach has formed a side which encompasses parts of the ethoses of both the ex-Chelsea coach and the Arsenal manager. There were doubts of the manager’s credentials in club football, having never managed in Europe. Apparently winning a World Cup with a Brazil side that many have called the worst ever to do so is not enough.

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Here are the next five talents, who will be looking to make an impact in the coming seasons. From prolific strikers, to midfielders with expectional technique, here is the next batch:

Bojan Krkic Perez – Barcelona (ST)

When you hit 889 goals for the Barcelona youth team, it is inevitable that you’ll make a career in the game. For this Spaniard, there is no doubt as to how high he can reach in the modern game. A slight figure, he has lit up several youth tournaments for Spain, while his wonderful pace and dribbling ability, coupled with excellent positional awareness and a natural instinct of where the net is, make him a feared opponent.

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The Battle of Ideas 2008 was a two-day festival of high-level, thought-provoking debate organised by the Institute of Ideas and hosted by the Royal College of Art in London. Whilst there many open-ended discussions on a variety of contemporary affairs, from the impending US election to the drink culture in Britain there were two debates that did catch the eye of Libero Football. 

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