weekend picks

alright, so it's not mayweather, but for now, it's as good as we're going to get.

apologies for those europa league previews that never materialised, but it's been a busy week. it's also going to be a busy weekend, with a couple of very interesting football matches, and a boxing contest that's more intriguing than many are giving it credit for.

he's often described as a man with no one left to fight. but manny pacquiao deserves praise, and respect, for rising above mayweather's games and moving on. of course the fight will happen, but only when both of them are ready. right now, mayweather ain't. get over it.

although he will be unfamiliar to most casual boxing fans, joshua clottey is no pushover, and there were undoubtedly easier fights available to manny, who, rather wonderfully, has an election to deal with in a couple of weeks. clottey has never been knocked out, and has only lost 3 times in 39 fights. his last loss was to cotto, who was taken apart by pacquiao, but it was a close points decision, which went the distance. at the least, he has the chin, and the stamina, to take this into the later rounds.

much, as ever, depends on pacquiao. he is distracted, and despite what he says, there is nothing left for him to do in boxing, except that blockbuster contest with floyd. you do get the impression that he's fighting for the sheer enjoyment of it, which, depending on your point of view, is worrying or encouraging. there's no question of him losing on saturday night, but i'm still looking forward to this.

elsewhere this weekend...

real valladolid v real madrid, 8pm sunday.

the amusing and somewhat predictable demise of real madrid in midweek has been covered with the requisite level of dramatics and hyperbole. despite the fact that they haven't made it to the quarters for 6 seasons now, apparently defeat to a strong lyon side merits surprise...sigh. there will, of course, be a deep and lasting period of existential soul-searching at the bernabeu, with the most immediate question concerning the length of manuel pellegrini's stay. sunday's game could go a long way towards deciding that. for those at the back, it is not the fault of the players, i repeat, IT IS NOT THE FAULT OF THE PLAYERS (except those signed by ramon calderon). it is the fault of pellegrini.

politics aside, valladolid need a win, and madrid currently resemble that guy stumbling around a festival campsite at 5am on the monday...it could get ugly.

flamengo v vasco da gama, 10.30pm sunday.

much like the fla-flu a few weeks back, this kind of game is worth viewing for the spectacle alone. the rio state championship still has some way to run, and this weekend won't have much influence on the outcome. but there's a social dimension to brazilian football, which just isn't evident in other countries- at least not in the same way. part of this is down to the long-term status of football as an expression of class and identity, an expression which endured throughout years of dictatorial rule.

in footballing terms, both clubs have had a rough start to the season, which only serves to raise the stakes going into sunday's game. they set the early pace, but eventually fell to botafogo in the taca guanabara (the opening tournament in the state championship). that, and the divisions between the clubs which go back to the beginning of rio de janeiro, make this an event which is, to borrow the old cliche, more than just a football match.