The beleaguered Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger, could find himself in a confrontation with another coach next week, and one with pedigree, too. Johan Cruyff the Dutchman who has just taken on the job of picking and coaching the Catalonia representative XI, wants to choose a full-strength side for his first match in charge, against Argentina on December 22. That would mean calling up Arsenal’s captain, Cesc Fabregas. Arsenal have no fixture that day but will be in the middle of a sequence of six games in 19 days.

Red card for Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo's first home match in two months, last night’s 4-2 win against Almeria, could not have been more eventful. The former Manchester United winger won an 82nd-minute penalty when he threw himself over keeper Diego Alves. Ronaldo’s spot kick was saved but Karim Benzema converted the rebound. Ronaldo scored Madrid’s fourth goal, but was booked for taking his shirt off. Then in the last minute he kicked Almeria’s Juanma Ortiz and was sent off. All this in a space of eight minutes at the end of the game. Real had fallen 2-1 behind after Sergio Ramos’ header had given them a first-half lead

Hackers take on Totti
Poor Francesco Totti. The iconic captain of Roma launches his new website on the back of his return from injury and a flurry of goals only to find hackers have broken into it almost immediately. Cyberjackers with a fondness for Lazio are suspected. Today is Rome derby day, after all.

Quote of the week

‘The Calciopoli scandal? As far as I’m concerned, it didn’t exist. Referees make mistakes’ — Luciano Moggi, the banned former Juventus director, insists he never nobbled referees during the 2006 Serie A wiretapping scandal