FAS, Municipal clinch Champions League berths
December 21, 2009
CD FAS won a record 17th El Salvadoran league title to earn a place in next season’s CONCACAF Champions League, outlasting long-time rival Aguila in extra time to claim the country’s Apertura championship.
On own-goal by Arturo Albarran in the 95th minute and an eventual winner by Juan Carlos Moscoso two minutes later gave FAS a 3-2 victory in the title match Sunday, overcoming a pair of goals by Aguila’s Nicholas Addlery.
FAS enters the Champions League field along with Municipal, which drew 0-0 with Comunicaciones on Sunday to claim a record 27th Guatemalan league crown. The draw gave Municipal a 1-0 aggregate victory, having won the first leg of the Apertura final on Thursday, and returns the capital club to the Champions League after its appearance in the inaugural competition.
Both winners assured themselves of places in the knockout Preliminary Round while Municipal can advance to the Group Stage by finishing with the best overall record between the Apertura and Clausura.
The teams become the ninth and 10th clubs to clinch berths in the 2010-2011 Champions League, filling nearly half of the 24-team field. Teams that already have qualified are American sides Real Salt Lake, Columbus, Los Angeles and Seattle; Mexican clubs Monterrey and Cruz Azul; Honduran Apertura champion Marathon; and Arabe Unido of Panama.
FAS’ title was its first since the 2004-2005 Clausura, and gave it three more than Aguila, sending the annual confederation club championship next year to Santa Ana, El Salvador’s second largest city with a population of 275,000.
Municipal will try to improve on its first showing in the Champions League, when it won only one of six Group Stage matches and finished last behind Santos, the Puerto Rico Islanders and Tauro of Panama.
NEW YORK
Concacaf
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Mancini wants Inter repeat at City
December 21, 2009
Roberto Mancini wants to repeat the success he enjoyed as a manager with Inter Milan at Manchester City.
Mancini was installed in the Eastlands hotseat when the Premier League side sacked former manager Mark Hughes just hours after the club’s 4-3 win at home to Sunderland on Saturday.
Speaking to City’s website ahead of his first press conference as the club’s manager here on Monday, the 45-year-old Mancini said he saw parallels between Inter and City.
“I hope history repeats itself,” he said.
“I am proud to get the job because City is a good club with good players. Manchester is similar to Milan in its football passion,” the Italian added.
“In Milan there are two big teams there fighting for supremacy and silverware and here it is the same. I like the challenge of that.”
Mancini guided Inter to three straight Serie A titles between 2005 and 2008.
He has installed the experienced Brian Kidd, a former Manchester United and Manchester City striker who was a coach at United under Sir Alex Ferguson, as his assistant.
Mancini’s backroom staff will also feature compatriot Ivan Carminati, who was England’s fitness coach under their Italian manager Fabio Capello.
“I know Brian, he is a boss in English football,” Mancini said of the former Blackburn Rovers manager.
“I know his record as a top player for City, Everton and (Manchester) United. He was a striker, I was a striker; we share the same football philosophy. He has also has great coaching experience. I am sure we will gel very well.”
Saturday’s win left City, who haven’t won a major trophy since 1976, sixth in the table.
But a run of two wins from 11 league matches wasn’t good enough for the club’s Abu Dhabi-based owner Sheikh Mansour, who has spent some 200 million pounds on bringing players to the club.
MANCHESTER, England (AFP)
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Agents: Big clubs have asked about Silva
December 21, 2009
David Silva’s agents have admitted that ‘big clubs’ have asked about the Valencia star’s situation, although he is only thinking ahead to next summer’s World Cup.
The 23-year-old has previously admitted he was the subject of a large bid from an English club in the summer.
It is thought Manchester United have contacted the player’s agents, Amadeo Rengel and Julio Llorente, to ask about a possible bid, although the club is said to want to wait until next summer to evaluate the situation.
But Real Madrid and Barcelona are also thought to be interested in signing the Spain international.
His agents said: “Now Silva only thinks to play in and arrive well to the 2010 World Cup, but we can not deny that big clubs have asked about his situation and we transmitted the question to Valencia.
“The decision rests with Valencia but Silva will also decide at the right moment – but at this moment we are very calm.”
Silva was expected to depart the Mestalla in the summer, along with team-mate David Villa, as Valencia looked to ease their precarious financial position.
But the pair stayed and Silva is tied to Valencia until 2013, with the club thought to value the 23-year-old at 40 million euros.
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Laporta: Barca won’t bid again for Robinho
December 21, 2009
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has claimed Manchester City have rejected the Spanish club’s initial offer for Robinho.
And Laporta has also made it clear that the Catalonia giants will not bid again for the former Real Madrid player.
The Brazil playmaker has previously indicated he would welcome a move to the Nou Camp, prompting Barca to open negotiations with City.
But the Eastlands club, now under new coach Roberto Mancini, turned down Barca’s opening bid.
Laporta, speaking in an interview with Catalan radio station Rac1, said: “We are very happy with the squad but if we have to make any improvements we will do.
“The conditions we set out for Robinho were not acceptable to City and since the squad are developing so well, unless there are any unforeseen last-minute changes we will not be signing anyone in January.”
Laporta was delighted with the club’s latest success as they clinched the World Club Cup crown – beating Estudiantes 2-1 in Saturday’s final in Abu Dhabi – to record their sixth trophy win of an amazing 2009.
“We must enjoy the moment but also keep going,” he added.
“We have all lived through winning a very special title especially when you bear in mind our predecessors could not manage it.
“It was very emotional, seeing (coach) Pep (Guardiola) crying.
“It’s a huge boost to morale and confirmation that Barca are the best in the world.”
Laporta also suggested central defender Gerard Pique would be offered a new contract before he stands down as president in the summer.
“I hope to do so (renew Pique’s deal) before the end of my mandate,” he said.
“He is one of the best central defenders in the world.”
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Getafe: Soldado not for sale
December 21, 2009
Getafe president Angel Torres has insisted that the club’s Spanish striker Roberto Soldado is fully committed to the club.
The 24-year-old has been strongly linked with a move to Blackburn ahead of the January transfer window, with Rovers reported to be preparing a £10million bid.
Soldado has been made aware of the interest from England, with initial contact believed to have already been made.
However, the former Real Madrid player has told Getafe that he is prepared to stay until at least the end of the season, laying any reports of an imminent exit to rest.
“The issue depended on the views of the players and he has decided to remain at the club,” said Torres.
“This is good news for us because the kid is developing quickly and has had a sensational season so far.”
Soldado is also said to have spurned the opportunity to join ambitious Russian outfit Rubin Kazan, who have also enquired as to his availability.
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Kroenke cranks up Arsenal stake
December 21, 2009
American sports magnate Stan Kroenke has moved to within 17 shares of the threshold requiring him to mount a takeover of Arsenal after upping his stake in the English Premier League club.
The London side said on Monday that Kroenke had acquired 25 more shares last week at a cost of 212,500 pounds (342,099 dollars).
The Denver-based Kroenke increased his stake in Arsenal to 29.9 percent last month.
If he ups his holding to 29.99 percent, Kroenke must, under English company law, make an offer for the remaining shares – in effect, launch a takeover bid.
Kroenke, who has been increasing his holding in Arsenal in recent months, declined an opportunity at the club’s October annual general meeting to clarify his intentions, fuelling speculation a takeover bid could be imminent.
Some of his shares in the club have been purchased from Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood.
That was seen as an indicator of the Arsenal hierarchy’s preference for Kroenke over Arsenal’s second-biggest shareholder, Alisher Usmanov, whose company Red and White Holdings holds a stake of just under 26 percent.
Arsenal, who beat Hull City 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium here on Saturday, are currently third in the Premier League table – six points behind leaders Chelsea but with a game in hand.
LONDON (AFP)
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Bayern captain Van Bommel wants new deal
December 21, 2009
Mark van Bommel has revealed that he is desperate to sign a new contract with Bayern Munich. His deal with the German outfit expires next summer but he expects negotiations to start soon. “I have heard that negotiations will take place during our training camp in Dubai,” the Bayern captain said.
“There are many contracts running out,” Van Bommel told several German media. “I am curious to see what happens. I still feel like I am at home in Munich.
“I had the opportunity to move last season on better conditions and with a longer term, but it is hard to turn your back on FC Bayern. You know what you have got here.
“I could have earned more money elsewhere, but the important thing is the stature of the club you represented when you retire.”
32-year-old Van Bommel is in his fourth season at Bayern. He hopes to end his career at PSV, the club where he already enjoyed a succesful spell between 1999 and 2005 before moving to Barcelona.
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Blanc calls for new stadium for Bordeaux
December 21, 2009
Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc on Monday called for a new stadium to be built for the French champions with a view to France hosting the 2016 European football championships.
“If we don’t take advantage of Bordeaux’s results over the past two and a half years by building a new stadium, new grounds, a new structure which will allow us to have new financial resources, it’s absurd,” said Blanc, a 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 winner.
Bordeaux will be one of 12 cities to feature in France’s bid to host Euro 2016, and have presented a project which would cost between 180 and 200 million euros.
Bordeaux football club whould finance half of the project, which their coach finds unreasonable.
“Do you know many clubs who invest this much in French projects?” said Blanc. “If it doesn’t happen I think personally we’ll have missed a phenomenal opportunity.
“When you don’t go forward in life and football you regress.
“I know that this won’t please many in this gloomy period when there are other priorities. I say that in my area, my sport, football, there are opportunities not to be missed.”
The new stadium would be financed up to the tune of 20 million euros by the state with the city of Bordeaux and the Bordeaux Urban Community (CUB) giving 15 million euros each.
Bordeaux major Alain Juppe has also suggested the possibility of the stadium being named after a sponsor who would pay up to 10 million euros.
The club currently play in the 34,694-seater Jacques-Chaban-Delmas stadium which was overhauled for the 1998 World Cup.
BORDEAUX, France (AFP)
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Man Utd boss rules out transfer window signings
December 21, 2009
Sir Alex Ferguson will not be bringing new players to Manchester United during the January transfer window in a bid to ease the club’s defensive injury problems, the manager said Monday.
English champions United are currently without seven senior defenders – Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Wes Brown, Gary Neville, John O’Shea, Jonny Evans and Rafael da Silva – while goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is also injured.
United lost for the second time in three games when they were well-beaten 3-0 away to Fulham on Saturday and are now four points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea.
There had been speculation Ferguson would make emergency signings, although the Scot appears to have ruled out free agent Sol Campbell, the former Arsenal defender, coming to Old Trafford.
And with the bulk of his injured defenders due back in January, Ferguson said he had no need to bolster his squad.
“That has not come onto the agenda,” Ferguson told Manchester’s Key 103 radio station.
“We hope that Wes Brown will be back in a week or 10 days’ time, Rio Ferdinand is improving, Gary Neville is getting there and Rafael Da Silva has now started training.
“We are not so bad and we are not looking at signing players.”
United’s next league match is away to Hull on December 27 and they are then at home to Wigan three days later.
MANCHESTER, England (AFP)
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England to play Egypt at Wembley
December 21, 2009
England will begin their countdown to next year’s World Cup with a friendly international against Egypt at London’s Wembley Stadium on March 3, the Football Association (FA) announced Monday.
After this month’s draw in Cape Town, England manager Fabio Capello said he wanted the side to play against African opponents – something they’ve yet to do under the Italian – as Algeria will be one of their Group C rivals at next year’s finals in South Africa.
“I think we will play March 3 at Wembley, against Egypt, then we have to find the date to play against Mexico,” Capello said following the draw.
“All the friendly games we played were against European teams and we know the style of these teams. We have to play against South Americans and African teams with a different style.”
However, Monday’s statement from the FA said no other England fixture details had been confirmed at this time.
Group C also features the United States and Slovenia.
Capello would like England to play Mexico in May as he believes they will provide his team with a useful warm-up ahead of their World Cup opener against the United States on June 12 in Rustenburg.
England are planning to play one more friendly ahead of the World Cup, with Japan the likely opponents, following a pre-tournament training camp in Austria.
Egypt, who’ve yet to play at Wembley, only missed out on a place in the 2010 World Cup finals after losing a tense play-off to Algeria last month.
England have played Egypt just twice previously, most recently at the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
Then a goal from England centre-back Mark Wright was all that separated the teams as the late Sir Bobby Robson’s side advanced to the second round.
Four years earlier, again under Robson, England won a friendly in Cairo 4-0.
A home win at Wembley in March would give England their 500th victory.
England have won the World Cup just once in their history, when they beat the then West Germany 4-2 after extra-time at Wembley in the 1966 final.
LONDON (AFP)
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