Bayern Munich winger and France international Franck Ribery (26) claims he will decide his future by the end of March 2010. The long running saga over where he will play next season appears to be coming to a close with a decision on his future now imminent.

Ribery admitted in an interview with Telefoot that “it will be decided within two to three weeks.”

“I’m not 100% going to Real, Barcelona and Chelsea are also interested. We will see,” added the French winger.

Ribery has been subject to constant speculation over his future, with a host of clubs including Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, Manchester United, and Chelsea linked with the 26 year-old. Both the player and Bayern Munich have made it clear for some time that his future will be decided in the near future, perhaps even this month.

Ribery has been plagued by injuries this season but recently made a return to first team action. Last week he scored the winner for Bayern in a 1-0 victory over Hamburg but he only played 34 minutes of the 1-1 draw with Cologne yesterday.

Bayern Munich are desperate to sort out Ribery’s future before the summer, when he will enter the final year of his contract and be available at a knock-down price.

Barcelona’s match against Almeria was blighted by some bizarre refereeing decisions from Carlos Clos Gomez.

The European champions were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterraneos after twice trailing and also playing with a man less for the final half-hour following the controversial Zlatan Ibrahimovic dismissal.

Clos Gomez delayed the start of the match for almost a quarter of an hour as he was unhappy with Almeria’s shirts, which showed a message of support for Chile following the recent earthquake and tsunami. The official then harshly sent off Barca coach Pep Guardiola and Ibrahimovic.

Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes said about the controversies: “I don’t know what happened with the sendings-off, I didn’t see them. I don’t understand the problem with the shirts, especially if it is a message of solidarity.”

Regarding the match, Valdes added: “We tried to fight until the end but it wasn’t to be. It’s a shame. These are important points which have slipped away, and it’s important not to let too many escape due to how close the top two are.”

FC Barcelona midfielder and Ivory Coast international Yaya Toure (26) was also quick to switch his attention to next week’s testing clash with third-placed Valencia after seeing his side drop two points at Almeria on Saturday.

That draw was a setback for Barca, who subsequently lost top spot to arch rivals Real Madrid following their 3-2 win over Sevilla, but Toure was keen not to dwell on it.

“It was a very difficult game, above all due to the good performance of our opponents. Now we need to work hard and prepare for next Sunday’s game against Valencia, which is also very important,” the powerhouse midfielder said.

“The draw isn’t so bad, especially after the sending-off.”

FC Barçelona president Joan Laporta stated that he was “very pleased” with the team after the encounter with Almería because “they always stand up despite all the difficulties.”

The Camp Nou supremo continued: “The players are trying their best even with such adverse conditions. As a Barça fan I am proud that the team did that.”

“We have won a very important point. The fact that we were numerically inferior has meant we have had to work very hard. Almería knew what they were doing against us. We created chances even when we had ten players. We are maintaining our level and I think that we are on the right path.”

FC Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola claimed that he was not upset with his side’s 2-2 draw with Almeria yesterday.

Commenting after the game, Guardiola said:

“I congratulate my players for their efforts throughout the match. Overall I’m not unhappy.”

“Barça should always win, but in this game you can also draw and lose. We went 2-1 behind and had ten players and the team still responded. We played well and I want to congratulate them all because they fought until the end.”

Although the draw allowed arch-rivals Real Madrid to go top of the Primera Division with a last-gasp win over Sevilla, Barcelona coach Guardiola was upbeat about his side’s title chances.

“At times when you have ten it seems that the opposition want to push for the win. We found that it was difficult enough anyway to play against a side that kept their shape and had a good sprit. We had to defend against Piatti and Crusat and I am not unhappy. In general we were good.”

“There is much ahead in the league…not everything is decided in one match.”

Reflecting on Ibrahimovic’s dismissal the trainer added,

“All I can say is that the tackle on Messi appeared to be a penalty. But I have great respect for the referees.”

“Barcelona is the place where I intend to live when I’ve finished my career. Whenever I’m going to party there, I have a home, some business, friendship with the players, with president Joan Laporta. My wife has friends there. I have the idea of being a sort of ambassador of FC Barcelona, working for the club in the city or elsewhere. I’m already working on it.”

Juliano Belletti, former FC Barcelona player, current Chelsea player.

MESSI, “PICHICHI”

Leo scored two more goals and saved a point for Barça, who played with 10 men.

The referee sent Guardiola and Ibrahimovic off and Puyol’s own goal was bad luck.

Almería 2 – 2 Barça

[Non Barça Related]

Madrid 3 – 2 Sevilla. Madrid scores in extra time and caught Barça up.

Espanyol wants to keep on winning at home: Espanyol – Villarreal (17h).

THE LIGA IS AT BOILING POINT

Barça drawn in Almería and left the leader position to Madrid.

Almería 2 – 2 Barça

Messi saved a point and Guardiola and Ibrahimovic were sent off.

[Non Barça Related]

Madrid 3 – 2 Sevilla. Madrid won in extra time. The white ones did a comeback from 0-2 and Van der Vaart scored the goal that gave them the victory in minute 92.

Dupa Almeria - Barcelona 2-2, Kimi noteaza ca Barcelona a pierdut statutul de favorita la titlul in Primera Division in favoarea lui Real Madrid

1. In momentul de fata, Real Madrid este principala favorita la castigarea Primerei Division. Cei doi giganti ai campionatului spaniol sunt la egalitate de puncte, dar calitatea jocului practicat face diferenta in favoarea echipei din capitala. Nu ma refer doar la victoria stralucita a Realului in fata Sevillei, ci si la modul in care trupa lui Pellegrini pare sa gaseasca mult mai simplu solutii contra echipelor inchise ermetic cu care Barcelona se chinuie. Nu arunc cu pietre in echipa Barcelonei dupa o remiza muncita, am incredere ca in finalul sezonului lucrurile se vor imbunatati considerabil, dar cred ca trebuie sa recunoaste cu totii ca Realul este peste noi.

2. Evident, exista posibilitatea ca situatia actuala a celor doua echipe sa se inverseze. Dupa cum se stie, luna februarie si prima parte a lunii martie au fost catastrofale pentru Barcelona si anul trecut, dar odata depasit momentul nefast catalanii au avut evolutii de invidiat. Totusi, un alt atu al madrilenilor este existenta unei banci de rezerve competitive (i-am vazut contra Sevillei pe Guti, Van der Vart sau Raul), in timp ce Guardiola pare blocat in momentul schimbarilor pentru ca Bojan sau Henry (singurele variante ofensive) nu se ridica la inaltimea pretentiilor.

3. In urma cu un an, cand Barcelona defila in Primera si in Europa, una din constantele echipei era Samuel Eto’o. In afara de goluri, camerunezul era intotdeauna prezent in joc, iesind adeseori in banda sau venind spre centrul terenului. In plus, chiar si dupa doua goluri marcate intr-un meci, foamea de gol lui Eto’o parea de neastamparat. Ibrahimovic poate este un jucator “mai complex” dupa cum il caracterizeaza Guardiola, dar pare sa joace inca in Italia, acolo unde e suficient sa fii protagonistul unei faze reusite pe meci dupa care te poti duce linistit acasa. A juca la Barcelona inseamna concentrare si implicare totala timp de 90 de minute.

4. In prima repriza a jocului cu Almeria, Guardiola a incercat din nou sistemul 4-2-3-1. Gasesc o singura posibila explicatie: testarea reactiei anumitor jucatori (Xavi, Iniesta, Messi) in vederea schimbarii sistemului de joc incepand cu sezonul urmator, dupa venirea lui Cesc Fabregas. In opinia mea, pe hartie acesta ar fi sistemul in care actualul jucator al lui Arsenal s-ar adapta cel mai bine, el urmand sa devina acel clasic numar 4 al formatiei blaugrana.

5. Lui Guardiola i se poate imputa faptul ca nu face schimbari. Contra Almeriei a facut o singura modificare, Busquets in locul lui Yaya Toure, lasandu-l in mod inexplicabil pe banca de rezerve pe Bojan Krkic (cel care marcase de doua ori in urma cu un an pe acest stadion) desi Pedro nu a rupt gura targului.

6. Yaya Toure a fost apatic. Veti spune ca nici nu avea mare lucru de facut in acest meci, dar in opinia mea este intr-o evidenta scadere de turatie (mai putin evidenta ca la Henry dar din aceeasi categoria) si pastrarea sa pe banca de rezerve imi pare normala. Busquets nu are valoarea ivorianului, dar pare mai implicat in joc.