MADRID - Spanish football fans are desperate for the players' strike to finally finish and for La Liga to kick off tomorrow.
The Spanish league was supposed to have started on August 20 but did not do so because of the strike called by players' union AFE, in protest at several second division clubs not having paid their players because of their financial problems.
Early yesterday, a marathon meeting between the AFE and the association representing the clubs, LFP - the seventh such meeting in two weeks - broke up without an agreement to end the strike, but with AFE president Jose Luis Astiazaran "fairly optimistic" about a solution being found.
The two organi-sations scheduled another meeting for later yesterday in an attempt to start La Liga tomorrow.
If a last-minute agreement is reached before Saturday, then La Liga will kick off with an interesting clash between Sporting Gijon and Real Sociedad. Later on Saturday, Valencia would host Racing Santander, newly-promoted Granada would take on local rivals Betis and Atletico Madrid would face Osasuna.
Making his debut for Atletico would be club record signing Radamel Falcao, the Colombian striker who guided FC Porto to Europa League glory last season. Falcao will replace veteran Diego Forlan, who has been sold to Inter Milan.
There would be five games on Sunday, if the strike finishes. Real Madrid are away to Zaragoza, Athletic Bilbao are at home to Rayo Vallecano, and Mallorca face Espanyola. Sevilla, would face new-look Malaga, while Getafe take on Levante. The big match would come on Monday, between Barcelona and Villarreal. Barca will be without injured defenders Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol.
Spanish football fans pray for miracle
MADRID - Spanish football fans are desperate for the players' strike to finally finish and for La Liga to kick off tomorrow.
The Spanish league was supposed to have started on August 20 but did not do so because of the strike called by players' union AFE, in protest at several second division clubs not having paid their players because of their financial problems.
Early yesterday, a marathon meeting between the AFE and the association representing the clubs, LFP - the seventh such meeting in two weeks - broke up without an agreement to end the strike, but with AFE president Jose Luis Astiazaran "fairly optimistic" about a solution being found.
The two organi-sations scheduled another meeting for later yesterday in an attempt to start La Liga tomorrow.
If a last-minute agreement is reached before Saturday, then La Liga will kick off with an interesting clash between Sporting Gijon and Real Sociedad. Later on Saturday, Valencia would host Racing Santander, newly-promoted Granada would take on local rivals Betis and Atletico Madrid would face Osasuna.
Making his debut for Atletico would be club record signing Radamel Falcao, the Colombian striker who guided FC Porto to Europa League glory last season. Falcao will replace veteran Diego Forlan, who has been sold to Inter Milan.
There would be five games on Sunday, if the strike finishes. Real Madrid are away to Zaragoza, Athletic Bilbao are at home to Rayo Vallecano, and Mallorca face Espanyola. Sevilla, would face new-look Malaga, while Getafe take on Levante. The big match would come on Monday, between Barcelona and Villarreal. Barca will be without injured defenders Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol.
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