Spiele » simple plays, said Flames center Sean Monahan, who

Ahead of the Champions League final in Milan between Madrid rivals Real and Atletico, Sky Sports Spanish football expert Guillem Balague selects his combined XI... and there is no place for Gareth Bale. Balagues team - 4-3-3: Jan Oblak; Juanfran, Sergio Ramos, Diego Godin, Marcelo; Saul Niguez, Luka Modric, Koke; Antoine Griezmann, Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo. In goal, there is little to choose between Jan Oblak and Keylor Navas, although Oblak has had fewer shots to deal with this season. He is comfortable with the ball at his feet, strong on crosses, good on one-on-one situations and unquestionably the best goalkeeper in La Liga this season. I believe above all he is also a better example of what is expected these days from a modern goalkeeper, although it must also be said that Navas is certainly no slouch. Jan Oblak has been in fine form for Atletico this season In central defence, there is little to choose between the two sides, although in the area of full backs Dani Carvajal and Marcelo are not, in my opinion, as good defensively as Juanfran and Filipe Luis are.One thing is unquestionable; Real Madrids front three is without a single shadow of a doubt more powerful than Atleticos. Saul Niguez makes Balagues combined XI in midfield Granted, with a conversion rate of just 13 per cent, and despite a staggering goal tally this season, Ronaldo is unquestionably less efficient that he was. We look at the best of Real Madrids Cristiano Ronaldo in La Liga this season But nobody in Europe has more shots than him, and he ends the season in a rich vein of goalscoring form. While he is not at his physical peak, he is certainly in better nick than he was before his last Champions League final, and the World Cup back in 2014. Antoine Griezmann has scored 32 goals for Atletico this season He will certainly be looking to make a serious impact on this game and to that end will be ably supported by the excellent Karim Benzema. who has more than compensated for him when he has fallen slightly short. Watch Griezmanns finest moments for Atletico in the Primera Division in 2015/16 The jewel in Atleticos attacking crown comes in the shape of Antoine Griezmann, who just gets better and better. He is now, in my opinion, one of the top five players in world football, not just because of his individual brilliance, but also because of his overall contribution with and without the ball for the teams cause. Welshman Gareth Bale does not make Balagues XI Also See: Ronaldos CL final form Balagues bumper preview Ramos targets CL triumph Ronaldo plays down injury scare Air Max Ireland . Toronto has dropped games to Indiana and Miami since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2. Cheap Air Max Sale .ca! Kerry, Two nights after the Scott-Eriksson incident in Buffalo, the Bruins returned home to play San Jose. In that game, Zdeno Chara put a check on Tommy Wingels that clearly targeted his head. http://www.airmaxireland.com/ . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday. Air Max Free Shipping .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. Cheap Air Max Wholesale . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. CALGARY, Alberta -- Somewhere out there in hockey coach exile, Bob Hartley is quite possibly giggling to himself.Fired after last season because management no longer could motivate the Calgary Flames, Hartley now watches from a safe distance as his old team stumbles out of the gate to start the 2016-17 season.Its been left to new head coach Glen Gulutzan to find a way to light a fire under a team that is off to a 1-3-1 start and in danger of heading into a brutal stretch in their schedule already in a hole.The Flames host the tough St. Louis Blues on Saturday night before they head out to play the Chicago Blackhawks and Blues again next week. Eleven of their next 12 games are against teams that made the playoffs last spring.Calgary is coming off a 4-2 home-ice loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, which left Gulutzan standing in the same spot Hartley found himself after frustrating losses last season, being grilled during his post-game session in the media lounge.It was clear that Gulutzan would have spent Fridays off day trying to figure out how to fix his lame power play, which was 0-for-6 and pedestrian.I dont think were shooting the puck and winning battles enough, he said. You cant shoot the puck if you dont win battles.Gulutzan was then asked if frustration had already set in his dressing room.Just parts of our game are frustrating right now. Whats frustrating me is the specialty teams. It was 3-2 until the last five-on-three. The Hurricanes were one-for-six on the power play and we were zero-for-six. Thats the difference for me.The Flames sttumbled out of the gate under Hartley in October of 2015 and never recovered.dddddddddddd They were 3-8-1 after the first month. After Thursdays loss, a similar start appears quite possible.Whats going on?Were trying to make plays that arent there and weve got to just make those simple plays, said Flames center Sean Monahan, who signed a six-year, $40 million contract in August. It almost feels like were not on the same page. Its not working well right now and weve got to figure it out.Flames general manager Brad Treliving went out and got two veteran goaltenders to try and solve a problem at that position, but through five games nothing has changed.New No. 1 Brian Elliott is 0-3 and gave up three goals on his first 13 shots on Thursday. He was acquired from the Blues at the draft for a second round pick and conditional third round choice.Gulutzan will have to decide whether to go with Elliott against his former team Saturday or switch to Chad Johnson, a free agent signing from Buffalo and a winner against those Sabres in his only start of the season on Tuesday.(Brians) a pro. He will find whatever rhythm he needs. I dont know if he is lacking confidence or anything. I think the focal point is getting some run support for our goalie.The Blues arrive in Calgary with a 3-1-1 record. They got off to a perfect start but lost in overtime in Vancouver on Tuesday and fell 4-1 to the Edmonton Oilers in the Alberta capital on Thursday. ' ' '