Barca VP Godall confident of Fabregas return

February 3, 2010

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas is continuously involved in speculations regarding a possible transfer to Spain. Real Madrid and Barcelona are both linked with the Arsenal captain.

Now, speculation about Fabregas’ future has been stirred up yet again by British tabloid The Sun publishing quotes from Barcelona vice-president Alfons Godall.

Godall is convinced Fabregas will return to the Camp Nou at some point in the future.

The Spain international progressed through the youth ranks at Barcelona before moving to London in 2003.

Arsenal’s frustrations in the Premier League, going from top of the league to six points adrift in the space of a fortnight, together with Barcelona’s ambitions, have been cited as the catalysts that could ensure a £40 million deal is struck in the summer.

Godall, who hopes to succeed Joan Laporta as president, believes that even if Fabregas does not make the move at the end of this season he will one day return to Barcelona.

“Sooner or later Cesc will end up coming back,” Godall said. “We are a club that can sign players because we are respected and solvent.”

Tags: alfons, ambitions, arsenal, british tabloid the sun, camp nou, captain. Now, catalysts, fabregas, fortnight, frustrations, joan laporta, london, MADRID, moving to london, premier league, real madrid, six points, Spain, speculation, speculations, sun publishing, VP Godall, youth ranks

De Rossi warns Inter and praises Ranieri

February 3, 2010

Daniele De Rossi still believes Roma can mount a title challenge despite an eight-point gap with league leaders Internazionale.

Roma are back on track after a struggling start of the season and are unbeaten in seventeen games.

“It’s an incredible thing,” Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “Many factors have tied in together: a maturation of character, serenity, results. It’s credit to the group.

“Other teams would have beaten someone up in the dressing room. Instead we always remained united. We are healthy. Sure, Inter are too, but the Champions League could bother them later on.

“The table says that, together with Milan, we are the anti-Inter. Let six or seven games pass and then we’ll see. Also because there is still a match to play against them at home.”

Asked to explain the difference Claudio Ranieri made since he took over from Luciano Spalletti De Rossi said: “He is an expert. He never gives up the charge.

“Claudio has given us the compactness that we needed. And it’s not true that he doesn’t love good football. Look at the games against Fiorentina and Genoa.”

Finally, De Rossi outlined his ambitions this season: “I would like to win the Europa League, but our objective now is to finish third and return to the Champions League without the preliminaries.

“It’s too important for us as a window and for the club on an economic level.”

Tags: ambitions, champions league, claudio, Claudio Ranieri, compactness, daniele de rossi, dello, dressing room, economic level, fiorentina, gazzetta dello sport, genoa, internazionale, la gazzetta dello sport, league leaders, luciano spalletti, midfielder, point gap, preliminaries, Rossi, serenity, seven games, title challenge

Koller signs for Cannes

January 5, 2010

Former Czech international striker Jan Koller, out of contract with Russian first division side Samara, has signed for 18 months with French third division side Cannes, his agent confirmed Monday.

“He preferred a peaceful life with his family despite offers from German and Chinese clubs,” agent Pavel Paska told the CTK agency.

Koller, 36, was also targetted by German Bundesliga club Hamburg.

The top Czech scorer in the history of the national team with 55 goals in 91 matches, Koller played for Monaco from 2006 to 2008 and owns a home in the Principality along the coast from Cannes.

“At 36 years, I no longer have big ambitions, I want to play football for fun,” said the 2.02m striker.

He started his career at Sparta Prague, also playing for Belgian sides Lokeren and Anderlecht and German clubs Borussia Dortmund and Nuremberg.

PRAGUE (AFP)

Tags: AFP, ambitions, cannes, club hamburg, czech international, dortmund, german bundesliga club, Hamburg, jan koller, Monaco, nuremberg, paska, Pavel Paska, peaceful life, PRAGUE, samara, scorer, signs, sparta prague, striker

Malouda frustrated at lack of action

January 2, 2010

Chelsea’s Florent Malouda has admitted he could leave Stamford Bridge if he is not granted first-team football under Carlo Ancelotti. The Frenchman has found first-team opportunities hard to come by as a result Ancelotti’s changed formation.

Malouda has spoken to Ancelotti about his frustration, but he knows the club will not allow anyone to leave before the end of the season.

Malouda told L’Equipe: “Carlo Ancelotti’s tactical system is physically very demanding. Recently we showed less intensity, the game was less fluid. But that system allowed us to be in our current position. All the players support it.

“Before the match against Birmingham, I talked to the coach. I told him about my frustration.

“I believe I have succeeded in my start to the season, but during the key matches against Arsenal or Man Utd, I was on the bench.

“I have ambitions for the World Cup, and considering my status in the French team it is a little annoying (being on the bench).

“Ancelotti is aware of it. But currently I am paying for that system. It is not that easy for him either, he has a big group to manage.

“My competition with Lampard as left midfielder? It is his best position. He played like that in the England team, and we are in a World Cup year.

“But at a certain point, the status has to be in relationship with the performances.

“Anyway, I am fine so far. I could still be outstanding when I play.

Malouda spoke about the “frustration” that he is feeling as he has been warming the benches for the bigger part of the season so far.

“The frustration is big matches. However, if there is no place for me in that system, I could go somewhere else.

“Finding a new club is not a problem. But the club has closed the door to any departure either in January or in June. The coach relies on me.

“I feel fine at Chelsea. But now, things have to change. When I came I was labelled as Mourinho’s player. I have known five coaches and each time I have had to start again from scratch.

“Last season I earned a key-player status. Today it has been questioned again.”

Tags: ambitions, bench, benches, carlo ancelotti, CHELSEA, current position, england team, florent malouda, french team, frenchman, frustration, intensity, l equipe, Lampard, man utd, midfielder, stamford bridge, team football, team opportunities, World Cup

Wenger looks to prove title point against Pompey

December 30, 2009

Arsene Wenger has long insisted his Arsenal team are good enough to win the English Premier League title.

They go to bottom-placed Portsmouth on Wednesday in a powerful position to prove their manager was right to make that bold assertion.

Wenger was a lone voice in a chorus of pundits predicting the title would be decided between current leaders Chelsea and champions Manchester United.

At the halfway point in an increasingly fascinating season, Arsenal are four points off the lead with a precious game in hand.

Who would have predicted that after an abject defeat at Manchester City earlier in the season when Arsenal looked so lightweight?

“The turning point for us was the second half at Liverpool earlier this month when we won after being behind at half-time,” Wenger said.

“I have been saying for some time the team is talented, is hungry and has a great spirit. There is also, I notice, a desire to be successful,” the Frenchman added.

“Of course, we have won nothing yet but we are in a strong position and it is an interesting situation now at the top of the table.

“We have that belief all winners must have but we are only at the halfway point in the season, there is a long way to go and to win the league we must improve together.”

Wenger’s conviction was fuelled by the way his team demolished top four rivals Aston Villa, one of the league’s up-and-coming teams, 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday after an evenly-contested first half.

One man made a vital difference. Gunners captain Cesc Fabregas came off the substitutes’ bench, scored twice and then went off again some 28 minutes later to nurse his troublesome hamstring injury.

The problem seems certain to keep him out of Wednesday’s match here at Fratton Park and Arsenal’s title ambitions could hinge on the extent of Fabregas’s latest injury.

If a scan shows the problem to be scar tissue, the Spain midfield creator may only be out for a few days. If the hamstring injury is a new one, a pull, he may be out of action for three weeks.

Wenger might also be without the Brazilian midfielder Denilson who has a back injury although the north Londoners will travel to the English south coast anticipating their 13th win in 19 matches.

Opponents Portsmouth have had a poor season, accumulating only 14 points and admitting to debts amounting to 40 million pounds, which could yet ruin them.

Their manager, the Israeli Avram Grant, believes the best way to cope with Arsenal’s smooth passing game is to disrupt it with some fierce tackling.

“We need to be more aggressive,” Grant said. “Sometimes we can be too nice.

“I like Wenger. I like his ideas on how the game should be played and I like the way his team play.

“Arsenal are strong but every team has a weakness. We need to identify that weakness and work on exploiting it.”

As if Pompey didn’t have enough problems, they will be without Jamie O’Hara, who is on loan from Tottenham, but is banned after receiving his fifth booking in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat by fellow relegation candidates West Ham.

Portsmouth will also lose Kanu (Nigeria), Aruna Dindane (Ivory Coast), Hassan Yebda and Nadir Belhadj (both Algeria) to the African Nations Cup.

There is a chance all four will be required by their countries ahead of the Arsenal match, in which case Wenger’s rocky road to the Premier League title should be made all the smoother.

PORTSMOUTH, England (AFP)

Tags: algeria, ambitions, arsenal, aruna dindane, bold assertion, cesc fabregas, CHELSEA, conviction, Emirates Stadium, England, English Premier League, four points, Fratton Park, frenchman, great spirit, gunners, halfway point, Jamie O'Hara, Liverpool, lone voice, Manchester, manchester city, manchester united, midfield, nigeria, north Londoners, one man, Portsmouth, premier league, pundits, scar tissue, Spain, turning point, Wenger, west ham

Doyle helps Wolves earn their Spurs

December 13, 2009

Tottenham Hotspur’s bid for a top four finish suffered a major blow when Kevin Doyle’s third minute goal claimed an unexpected 1-0 win for struggling Wolves at White Hart Lane here on Saturday.

Victory moved Mick McCarthy’s side out of the English Premier League’s bottom three while casting serious doubt over Spurs’ ability to maintain a sustained challenge at the head of the table.

Harry Redknapp’s side were lacking in ideas and their afternoon ended on a sour note when left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto was involved in an ugly clash with a home supporter as he left the field at the final whistle.

The defender appeared to react to taunts from the crowd and had to be restrained and led down the players? tunnel.

This was the latest blow in a frustrating week for Redknapp that began with a draw at Everton that saw Tottenham throw away a two-goal lead.

The Spurs manager knows dropped points could prove crucial at the end of the season when the battle for a Champions League place reaches its climax.

And with Arsenal facing a trip to Liverpool on Sunday, this was an opportunity for Redknapp’s side to leapfrog their north London rivals and move into the top three.

Their chances of doing that were boosted by the return of Luka Modric to the squad for the first time since the Croatia midfielder broke his leg in August.

But there was no place for David Bentley following the midfielder’s midweek row with Redknapp after a friendly with non-league Grays Athletic.

Redknapp criticised the midfielder’s lack of effort and while the manager insisted before the game the matter is now closed, Bentley’s absence from the bench did nothing to counter the growing belief he could be on his way out of the club next month.

It quickly became clear how important Modric’s return could be for Spurs’ ambitions as they laboured against McCarthy’s strugglers after falling behind to an early goal.

Nenad Milijas has struggled to make an impression at Molineux following his pre-season move from Crvena Zvezda but he showed signs he is finally settling into life in the Premier League with his goal-scoring display in the victory over Bolton last weekend.

And the Serbian again showed his qualities with an excellent inswinging free-kick that presented Doyle with the opportunity to head the opening goal in just the third minute.

The Republic of Ireland forward out-jumped his marker and glanced the ball past Heurelho Gomes.

Immediately it became clear this would be a test of Tottenham’s character and, alarmingly for Redknapp, they showed few signs of being capable of rising to the task.

Redknapp had opted to pair Jermain Defoe and Robbie Keane but the forwards looked off the pace and struggled to form an effective partnership.

They weren’t helped by the poor quality of service directed their way with Aaron Lennon uncharacteristically ineffective on the right hand flank.

Keane was presented with a half-chance when Vedran Corluka’s through ball sent him clear on the edge of the box but Jody Craddock’s recovering challenge helped snuff out the danger.

And Defoe was guilty of an even worse miss when he connected with Corluka’s cross, only to steer a close-range shot straight at Wolves goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann.

Spurs were clearly in need of fresh ideas and Modric was finally introduced early in the second half. The Croatian was unable to inspire much of a change, though, and Wolves defended bravely to claim the points.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: Aaron Lennon, ambitions, benoit, Benoit Assou-, croatia, David Bentley, Doyle, English Premier League, everton, Harry Redknapp, Hart Lane, kevin doyle, Liverpool, Marcus Hahnemann, mick mccarthy, midfielder, minute goal, modric, molineux, north London, premier league, republic of ireland, rivals, Robbie Keane, serious doubt, spurs, taunts, tottenham hotspur, white hart lane

Chelsea can dominate title race says Ancelotti

November 30, 2009

Carlo Ancelotti believes Chelsea are capable of running away with the Premier League title race if they maintain focus in the aftermath of their impressive 3-0 victory at Arsenal.

Ancelotti’s side opened up a five point lead at the top of the table thanks to Didier Drogba’s double strike and a Thomas Vermaelen own goal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

The Blues are firmly in control of the fight for the English title after five consecutive league victories and Ancelotti admits it is possible they could keep up their impressive pace for the rest of the season.

Wins over reigning champions United, Liverpool and now Arsenal suggest the Italian could be right.

But Ancelotti was wise enough to couch his claim in a warning that his players cannot afford to rest on their laurels after defeats at Wigan and Aston Villa earlier this season showed what can happen if they take their eye off the ball.

“We know very well our possibilities. We can win every game but if we don’t have concentration we can lose every game. We have to pay attention and maintain good behaviour in our work,” Ancelotti said.

“We started the season believing we can win the title. Our objective is to stay in all the competitions until the end of the season. Then after that, if we can win things, we will try to do it.

“When I signed a contract with Chelsea, I believed we could win something.”

After ruthlessly demolishing the Gunners, Chelsea are now 11 points clear of their London rivals, whose title hopes look all but over for another year.

Ancelotti refused to write off Arsene Wenger’s team, preferring instead to concentrate on his own team’s ambitions.

“It is not so important for me if Arsenal can return to the top,” he said. “It is more important that Chelsea continue to play like this, with determination and concentration.”

The Blues, now unbeaten in nine matches in all competitions, are increasingly carrying the look of champions elect.

Yet Wenger insists they can still be caught, even though he acknowledged it may not be his own team who do the catching.

Once again the Gunners failed to produce on the big occasion as they suffered their first home loss since Chelsea won in north London in May.

Although Arsenal, who have lost two successive league games, were able to sweep aside some undemanding opposition during their recent 14-match unbeaten run, they have lost all their serious tests against Chelsea, United and Manchester City.

Wenger said: “At the moment they are in a very strong position, but this team for me they can drop points. I am convinced of that.

“We are 11 points behind Chelsea so our title hopes have suffered a big blow, Before we speak about Chelsea we need to win games. We can see that the defeat at Sunderland had done more damage confidence-wise than it should have done.

“It is two games for the first time when we didn’t score. We are used to scoring goal after goal but at the moment we don’t score.”

Rather than admit his own team’s failings, Wenger was keen to concentrate on referee Andre Marriner’s decision to rule out Andrey Arshavin’s strike for dangerous play after Eduardo’s high foot flicked the ball away from Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech.

Wenger was adamant that was the turning point as his side had made a bright start to the second half following the shock of conceding two goals in four mintues late in the first period.

Drogba had finished off Ashley Cole’s cross from close-range in the 41st minute before Vermaelen turned another delivery from the England defender into his own net.

After Arshavin’s disallowed goal, Arsenal gradually lost belief and ran out of ideas long before Drogba curled a superb free-kick past Manuel Almunia in the 86th minute.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: aftermath, ambitions, Andre Marriner, aston villa, carlo ancelotti, CHELSEA, competitions, concentration, consecutive league, couch, Drogba, Eduardo, emirates, Emirates Stadium, England, good behaviour, gunners, laurels, Liverpool, london, Manuel Almunia, north London, Petr Cech, possibilities, premier league, rivals, Sunderland, Thomas Vermaelen, United, Wigan

Celtic must make home advantage count: Mowbray

November 28, 2009

Celtic manager Tony Mowbray has targeted a run of three home wins to help turn round his side’s stuttering start to the season.

The Hoops have struggled for form under their new gaffer, who moved from West Bromwich Albion in the summer, and have won just two games out of their last ten in all competitions.

Celtic, who have already exited the League Cup, slipped to second in the Scottish Premier League last weekend after losing 2-1 away to Dundee United and face a fight to stay in the Europa League beyond Christmas.

Mowbray and his men now have three home games in eight days starting with St Mirren on Saturday, followed by Hapoel Tel-Aviv on Wednesday before Aberdeen come calling next weekend.

Celtic could find themselves four points behind rivals Rangers as they run out at Parkhead on Saturday if Rangers pick up a win away to Aberdeen in the early kick-off match.

The run of home games could be crucial to Celtic’s domestic and European ambitions and Mowbray hopes his players can forget their poor form and kick-start their season with a win against the Buddies.

“The very nature of football is that players and managers are going to suffer setbacks frustrations and defeats,” said Mowbray.

“You have got to put it behind you and get back on the training ground. There is always another big game around the corner, and that’s the case with us.

“The message has to be that we have to all stick together.

“We have three home games coming up in the space of eight days, against St Mirren, Hapoel, and Aberdeen. And we have to try to win them all.

“That’s always the target at Celtic, winning matches. We have not done that consistently enough this season, but we will keep working together to find that level of consistency.

“Hopefully, we can get a result against St Mirren and then build on that.”

Celtic could be boosted by the return of midfield pair Zheng Zhi and Paddy McCourt for the visit of the Buddies, with both having missed the defeat at Tannadice.

Scott Brown is missing with an ankle injury as are Shaun Maloney and goalkeeper Artur Boruc. In the early kick-off game on Saturday Old Firm rivals Rangers have to put their European disappointment behind them as they face a difficult away game against Aberdeen.

Rangers gaffer Walter Smith will be without on-loan French winger Jerome Rothen for the trip north after he flew home to receive treatment for a suspected case of swine flu.

The champions have stuggled against the Dons at Pittodrie in recent years and haven’t won there since Smith returned for his second spell in charge in January 2007.

“We go to Pittodrie and that’s going to be difficult. Since I have come back to the club we have not had a great deal of success there so we would hope for better fortune,” Smith said.

“We have a decent record in the league this season but we recognise that it will be a big test for us up there.

“It’s always a good game up at Pittodrie. There is a bit of an edge to the game and hopefully we can come out on top.”

Elsewhere on Saturday Motherwell entertain Dundee United at Fir Park knowing that a win would draw them level on points with their opponents, Hibernian take on Falkirk, Kilmarnock are at home to Hearts and St Johnstone face Hamilton.

Fixtures (1500 GMT unless otherwise stated)

Saturday

Aberdeen v Rangers (1245)

Celtic v St Mirren

Hibernian v Falkirk

Kilmarnock v Hearts

Motherwell v Dundee United

St Johnstone v Hamilton

GLASGOW (AFP)

Tags: Aberdeen, ambitions, Artur Boruc, Aviv, big game, Dundee, dundee united, eight days, Falkirk, Fir Park, four points, frustrations, gaffer, Hamilton, hapoel tel aviv, home games, hoops, jerome rothen, mccourt, Paddy, parkhead, premier league, Scott Brown, Scottish Premier League, setbacks, Shaun Maloney, st mirren, target, tony mowbray, West Bromwich, west bromwich albion, Zhi

Cluj replace Conceição with Mandorlini

November 16, 2009

Romanian leaders CFR 1907 Cluj have bought in Italian coach Andrea Mandorlini to fill in the coaching void after the departure of Portuguese Antonio Conceição, following a disastrous Europa League campaign.

CFR on course for a second Romanian title in three years 13 games into the season but in the UEFA Europa League three defeats in a row have left them bottom of Group K.

The 47-year-old Conceição, who had previously coached Portuguese clubs Braga and Naval, was installed in April and aided victories in the Romanian Cup and Romanian Super Cup, but has given way to 49-year-old former FC Internazionale Milano player Mandorlini.

Mandorlini has considerable coaching experience in Italy dating back to 1993, most notably leading Atalanta BC to promotion from Serie B in 2003/04.

“I came to Cluj because I was convinced by their project and by their ambitions,” Mandorlini said.

“What they have done in the last eight years is almost impossible to be achieved by a club.”

Four points adrift of second-placed AC Sparta Praha in Group K, CFR must win at København on 3 December and beat PSV Eindhoven 13 days later, as well as needing other results to go their way.

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: ac sparta praha, ambitions, Braga, Cluj, coach andrea, fc internazionale milano, four points, games, league campaign, portuguese, romanian cup, uefa

Ancelotti warns of Gunners threat as Fergie fumes

November 9, 2009

Carlo Ancelotti has rubbed salt into Manchester United’s wounds over their controversial defeat at Chelsea by suggesting Arsenal are just as big a threat to his side’s Premier League title ambitions.

Chelsea’s 1-0 win, sealed by John Terry’s late header, allowed Ancelotti’s men to open a five-point lead at the top and left his United counterpart, Sir Alex Ferguson, once again aggrieved over his side’s treatment at the hands of a referee.

While Ferguson admitted his side now face a tough task in attempting to close the gap on a Chelsea squad that is becoming as rich in confidence as it is in experience, Ancelotti was quick to underline the unexpected vibrancy of Arsenal’s challenge as a reminder of the dangers of complacency.

“If Arsenal win their game in hand, they will be within two points of us,” he said when asked to speculate on whether the title race was now a two-horse affair.

“I think also Arsenal is doing very well.

“A five-point lead is important, but at the same time, not so important. We have 30 points in 12 matches but we know the season is very long. We have to stay focused.”

Chelsea fans’ optimism that Ancelotti could emulate Jose Mourinho in wresting the Premier League trophy away from Old Trafford will have been encouraged by the fact that, three months into his first season in England, the Italian has now master-minded wins over both United and Liverpool.

“That is important,” Ancelotti said. “But we lost against Wigan and Aston Villa. This means every game is the same. It is always three points and we have to maintain concentration against Manchester United, against all teams.

“It was very difficult to beat Manchester, the match was very balanced for 90 minutes and it was difficult for both teams to create chances to score. Sometimes we lost with the set plays, this time we won.”

The set play that decided Sunday’s match was a 76th-minute freekick awarded to Chelsea after referee Martin Atkinson — mistakenly — judged that Darren Fletcher, who had been outstanding for United, had fouled Ashley Cole close to the left touchline.

Frank Lampard’s inswinging delivery was glanced into the net by Terry, although Nicolas Anelka also celebrated as if he had got the final touch.

Either way, Chelsea were fortunate to take all three points after a contest that a depleted United side had controlled for long periods, which only contributed to Ferguson’s frustration over the critical free-kick.

“Clearly, Darren Fletcher’s won the ball, Ashley Cole’s never touched and has jumped up in the air, and then (Didier) Drogba’s pulled Brown to the ground for the goal,” Ferguson said.

“The referee’s position to make the decision was absolutely ridiculous, he can’t see anything. He’s got a Chelsea player (Joe Cole) standing right in front of him and he doesn’t even move.

“That goal shoudn’t have been allowed. It was a bad decision, but there’s nothing we can do about it. You lose faith in refereeing sometimes, that’s the way the players are talking in there. It was a bad one.”

Ferguson maintained sufficient composure to acknowledge that United could only blame themselves for failing, over the course of the 90 minutes, to turn their domination of possession into better chances.

“We had great opportunities to get to the edge of the box and some really good chances in and around the box, but we should be finishing it off,” the Scot recognised.

“We’ve only ourselves to blame in that respect. But you do need a break – and we never got the break we needed.”

Ferguson also admitted that the setback at Stamford Bridge was far more significant than last month’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool.

“The fact is Chelsea go five points clear of us,” he said. “The defeat to Liverpool didn’t affect our position in the league, this affects our position in the sense that if we’d have won we’d have gone top.”

LONDON (AFP)