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Raul resigned to life on the Real bench

Real Madrid captain Raul Gonzalez said Tuesday he has come to terms with his new role as a subsitute.

“It’s not an ideal situation for any player. For 15 years I have won practically everything, and in the last three months I have played less. Sooner or later I had to come to this point,” he told a news conference.

The 32-year-old Real icon, who with 66 goals is still the Champions League’s top scorer, had been a regular in the first team since he made his debut with the club at 17.

But coach Manuel Pellegrini has left him on the bench in recent months in favour of France’s Karim Benzema and Argentine Gonzalo Higuain, and he has scored only five goals in 26 matches this season.

Raul said he hopes to remain at Real “for now” and “there will be time to talk” about “what may happen” in the future.

The striker has won more than 100 caps for Spain. But he has not appeared for the national side since September 2006 when he was controversially dropped by former Spain coach Luis Aragones.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: bench, caps, champions league, coach, debut, favour, gonzalo higuain, Karim Benzema, Luis Aragones, manuel pellegrini, news conference, raul gonzalez, real madrid, Spain, striker, subsitute, three months, top scorer

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Spain coach opens World Cup door for Guti

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque believes there may be a place for Real Madrid midfielder Guti in his World Cup squad after the 33-year-old’s return to form.

A sublime backheel by Guti set up French striker Karim Benzema to score against Deportivo La Coruna at the weekend, winning him praise in the Spanish media just weeks after he appeared to be out of favour with Real coach Manuel Pellegrini.

Guti himself said he still hopes to play for Spain in the World Cup in South Africa despite his age and the strong competition for midfield places.

“What he said is good,” Del Bosque told the sports daily Marca on Tuesday. “That means he’s motivated. The door is open to his joining the squad. I look at a player’s current form.”

A product of Real’s youth system and one of the longest-serving members of Real’s squad, Guti has 15 caps for Spain but last played for the national team in 2005.

He did not feature for Real for more than two months following a bust-up with Pellegrini during the club’s embarrassing 4-0 Spanish Cup defeat against third-division side Alcorcon on October 27.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: alcorcon, bust, caps, Del Bosque, favour, Karim, Karim Benzema, la coruna, MADRID, manuel pellegrini, midfielder, october 27, real madrid, South Africa, Spain, spanish cup, spanish media, striker, vicente del bosque, world cup squad

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Arsenal´s Senderos set for Everton loan

Arsenal’s Swiss defender Philippe Senderos is set to join Premiership rivals Everton on loan until the end of the season, according to the Goodison Park club.

The 24-year-old Swiss international joined the Gunners in December 2002, but has found himself surplus to requirements and spent last season on loan at Serie A side AC Milan.

A statement on Everton’s website, www.evertonfc.com, confirmed the deal is expected to be concluded in the coming days.

“Everton and Arsenal have agreed a deal to bring Swiss international defender Philippe Senderos to Goodison Park,” it said.

“The formalities of the transfer will be finalised in the next 48 hours and Senderos will be on Merseyside this afternoon (Saturday) to watch his new team in action against Birmingham in the FA Cup fourth round.”

Senderos was a part of the Arsenal side which won the 2005 FA Cup at the expense of Manchester United, and has 33 caps for Switzerland.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, caps, everton, evertonfc com, FA Cup, formalities, Goodison Park, gunners, london, manchester united, philippe senderos, premiership rivals, side ac, swiss, Switzerland, website www

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No surgery for Dempsey eases US World Cup fears

Fulham striker Clint Dempsey will not require surgery to repair his injured right knee, the English Premier League side announced Tuesday, easing US fears that he might be lost for the World Cup.

Dempsey, who plays forward as well as attacking midfielder, suffered moderate ligament damage but an MRI scan indicated there was not a torn ligament and that he might play for Fulham before the end of the season.

That means he should be healthy when the Americans face England on June 12 in their World Cup opener in South Africa.

“The news about Clint’s injury is positive, especially given the fact that he will not require surgery,” US coach Bob Bradley said. “We are confident that Clint will be ready to be an important part of our team during the World Cup.”

Dempsey, 26, was injured during a 2-0 Fulham loss Sunday at Blackburn. US team medical staff have spoken daily with Fulham officials since then and will monitor Dempsey’s progress in the months of rehabilitation to come.

Dempsey has 17 goals in 60 caps for the Americans and seven goals for Fulham this season.

The US side is already dealing with injuries to star defender Oguchi Onyewu, who is rehabilitating after knee surgery, and forward Charlie Davies, who suffered two broken right leg bones and a lacerated bladder in a car crash.

CHICAGO (AFP)

Tags: blackburn, bladder, bob bradley, caps, car crash, Charlie, Chicago, Clint, Clint Dempsey, coach bob, England, English Premier League, face england, fulham, knee surgery, leg bones, ligament damage, medical staff, midfielder, mri scan, premier league, South Africa, striker, torn ligament, U.S., world cup opener

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Lovren joins Olympique Lyon

Olympique Lyon have completed the signing of Croatian starlet Dejan Lovren. The 20-year-old defender costs several millions.

Olympique Lyon has a lot of confidence in Lovren, considering the heigth of the transfer fee. Dinamo Zagreb will get €8 million for the centre half, who has signed a contract which will see him remain at Stade Gerland until 2014.

Lovren, who has won two caps so far, made his debut for Dinamo Zagreb in the 2005/2006 season. He returned to Dinamo after a spell at Inter Zapresic and became a regular for the Croatian top club.

Tags: caps, confidence, debut, Dinamo, gerland, heigth, Inter, inter zapresic, Lyon, olympique lyon, starlet, transfer, Zagreb, Zapresic

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Congo´s LuaLua rejoins Olympiakos

Greek champions Olympiakos Piraeus announced Thursday that they have signed for the rest of this season Democratic Republic of Congo national team striker Lomana Tresos LuaLua.

The club did not reveal financial details of the deal but said that there is an option on the contract for an additional two years.

LuaLua, 29, had previously played for Olympiakos during the 2007-2008 season and also played for Al-Arabi (2008-2009), Portsmouth FC (2004-2007), Newcastle United (2000-2004) and Colchester United (1998-2000).

He has 31 caps, scoring 18 goals, for the Democratic Republic of Congo national team.

PIRAEUS, Greece (AFP)

Tags: afp congo, Al Arabi, caps, colchester, colchester united, Congo, Democratic Republic, financial details, greece, lualua, NEWCASTLE, newcastle united, Olympiakos, piraeus greece, Portsmouth, portsmouth fc, republic of congo, team striker

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Carragher turned down England approach

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher revealed Friday that he turned down an invitation from Fabio Capello to return to the England team.

Carragher, 31, won 34 caps for his country but announced his international retirement in the summer of 2007.

But after being encouraged by club captain Steven Gerrard he initially agreed to meet Capello’s assistant Franco Baldini, but changed his mind at the last moment.

Carragher told The Times: “I was supposed to meet Franco Baldini for a chat a year ago and at the last minute I pulled out.

“It was more out of courtesy that I was going to do it. Stevie had mentioned it to me a couple of times, so I agreed to the meeting, but at the last minute I just didn’t want to do it.

“I don’t think my situation would change if I got back in the squad. John Terry and Rio Ferdinand are first choice and they are two of the best central defenders in the world.

“Maybe I would have won 10 more caps over the last couple of years because Rio and John have missed a few games, but you couldn’t ask for a better centre-half pairing than those two going into the World Cup.”

Carragher also said he would rather leave Liverpool than play for them when he is past his best.

“I wouldn’t want to get to 34 or 35 with Liverpool and have people thinking, ‘He’s well gone.”‘ he added.

“So I do think about whether it would be better to go while I’m still at a decent level and play out my days at another club.

“Over the next year or two I’ll probably have a decision to make. I’d love to stay at Liverpool – that’s what I want to do – but there are different things that I think about that may compromise that.”

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: caps, captain steven, captain Steven Gerrard, central defenders, club captain, decent level, different things, England, england team, fabio capello, first choice, franco baldini, international retirement, invitation, jamie carragher, john terry, last moment, Liverpool, london, Rio, rio ferdinand, World Cup

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Portugal´s Conceicao hangs up his boots

Former Portuguese international Sergio Conceicao announced Saturday that he is retiring as a player.

“I want to announce today the end of my footballing career. When I look back I’m proud of what I achieved,” Conceicao told the Portuguese press.

The midfielder, who turns 35 on Sunday, will becoming sporting director of Greek club PAOK Salonica where he has played for the past two seasons.

During his career he played for major European clubs including FC Porto, Lazio, Parma, Inter Milan and Standard Liege.

He also notched up 56 caps and scored 13 goals for Portugal between 1996 and 2004. The highlight of his career was the clash against Germany in Euro 2000 when he scored a hattrick during their 3-0 victory.

LISBON (AFP)

Tags: boots, caps, clash, euro 2000, fc porto, Germany, greek club, hattrick, highlight, inter milan, lazio, Liege, Lisbon, midfielder, Milan, paok salonica, parma, PORTO, portugal, portuguese press, sergio conceicao, Standard, two seasons, victory

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Luke Young retires from international football

Luke Young has announced his retirement from international football after rejecting the chance to replace Glen Johnson in the England squad for this weekend’s game with Brazil.

The Aston Villa ace, who has only recently returned to action after injury and personal problems, was offered the chance to link up with the Three Lions for the glamour game with Brazil after Liverpool’s Glen Johnson was forced to pull out of the squad due to injury.

However, Young has snubbed the overture from manager Fabio Capello and has decided to quit the international scene.

The 30-year-old has made the decision to quit England to focus on playing for Premier League outfit Villa.

The former Tottenham and Charlton defender won seven caps for England, with his last appearance coming against Argentina in 2005.

The loss of Johnson leaves England with Wes Brown as the only recognised right-back in the squad for the game with Brazil.

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: abhimanyu, Ace, appearance, Argentina, aston villa, brazil, capello, caps, charlton, England, england squad, fabio capello, glamour, glen johnson, international football, Johnson, Liverpool, luke young, personal problems, premier league, rajput, retirement, three lions, tottenham, wes brown

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Germany striker Cacau out for three weeks

Stuttgart’s Germany striker Cacau will be out for three weeks with a hip injury, the Bundesliga side announced on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old attacker was hurt in Tuesday’s 3-1 Champions League defeat at home to Sevilla which effectively rules out the Germans chances of making the competition’s knock-out phase.

The Brazilian-born forward qualified for Germany through residency here and won the first of his four caps against China in Shanghai last May.

BERLIN (AFP)

Tags: AFP, berlin, caps, China, Germany, hip injury, league defeat, SEVILLA, Shanghai, stuttgart

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