Sneijder dreams of CL final against Real

February 24, 2010

Internazionale midfielder Wesley Sneijder dreams of meeting his former club Real Madrid in the Champions League final
Wesley Sneijder is hoping to guide Internazionale to European glory.

To get there, Inter will first of all have to see off Chelsea. The Dutch playmaker is confident Inter can knock the Blues out of the Champions League and already dreams of meeting his former club Real Madrid in the final.

The Nerazzurri are set to take on Chelsea in the eight final with the first leg of an intriguing contest set to take place at the Giuseppe Meazza on Wednesday.

Sneijder is wary of Chelsea’s class but he’s also convinced Jose Mourinho’s side are capable of making it all the way to the final, where he would love to meet Real- the side who offloaded him last summer.

“I left Real Madrid to win titles with Inter and I dream of a Champions League final date with Real in the Bernabeu,” Sneijder told skysports.com.

“For that to happen we have to eliminate Chelsea and remain in the competition. I am confident we can do that.

“This round will be very tough and will require a lot of effort and determination. To advance we will have to pass a difficult test.

“The key to the game will be in midfield. The team that is able to dominate possession will make the quarter-finals.”

“It is vital Inter win in the San Siro and that we make the stadium a fortress. Our fans understand this and will do all they can to help us to victory,” added the Dutch international.

“The important thing is to win and take an advantage to Stamford Bridge, forcing Chelsea to change their tactics.

“If we are able to keep a clean sheet that would be helpfully, but it is not essential as we have the attacking firepower to score goals in London.”

Sneijder is convinced Inter can match Chelsea in every area of the field and insists they have nothing to fear from Carlo Ancelotti’s men.

“The battle in midfield will be terrific because there will be people like Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack and Deco who are very experienced in these situations,” he said.

“We need to make sure we avoid making any mistakes and try to create as many opportunities as possible.

“I am certain that, man for man, Inter are not inferior to Chelsea and over the course of 180 minutes it is possible for us to secure a passage into the next round.”

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Cristiano Ronaldo ruled out of Portugal WC play-offs

November 11, 2009


Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo is officially ruled out the Portugal world cup play-off’s after further examination in Lisbon revealed him unfit to play due to his ankle injury.

Ronaldo, 24, had been called up by Portugal to play in next week’s World Cup play-offs against Bosnia, despite his club, Real Madrid, insisting that he was injured.

Real were upset that Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz had named the £80million winger in his squad for the double-header against Bosnia-Herzegovina as Ronaldo had not played for them since September with an ankle injury which he aggravated in the last round of international games.

However, Ronaldo travelled to Lisbon on Tuesday to undergo tests with the Portugal medical team, who subsequently ruled the player out of the tie.

Portugal’s football federation said on its official website, “After clinical evaluation and imaging, it was concluded that the player is not physically able to take part with the national team for these games.”

Portugal’s coach, Carlos Queiroz, defending his decision to ask Ronaldo to return to Portugal for assessment said, “Based on the rules and principles governing clubs and associations, we have put Cristiano in the squad.”

“Cristiano and everyone will be observed. Our medical team are competent and responsible, and you will see what happens. I do not understand the nervousness in some sectors. It is a decision that is non-negotiable, unavoidable, a decision that protects the interests of the player.

But this fact cannot compel me to put any club below or above the others. All clubs and players deserve equal treatment.”

Portugal were drawn to play Bosnia-Herzegovina in the play-off with the first leg to be played in Leiria on Saturday.

Anurada Bhat

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Queiroz defiant on Ronaldo call-up

November 7, 2009


Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz insisted Saturday that he intends to call up Cristiano Ronaldo for crucial World Cup play-offs against Bosnia-Herzegovina despite the opposition of the player’s club Real Madrid.

Real Madrid doctors have estimated that the striker will be out of action for at least two more weeks as he recovers from an ankle injury which has forced him to miss the club’s last seven matches.

Ronaldo initially injured his right ankle in Real’s 3-0 Champions League victory over Marseille at the end of September and aggravated the problem while playing for Portugal on October 10.

But Quieroz is not convinced that he is unable to play, and said that the Real Madrid star “will be examined by doctors who will decide if he can or not contribute to the national team.”

“I’m going to call up Cristiano Ronaldo. He’s an important player for us and I hope he can help us even if it’s only for a few minutes,” Queiroz told televsion channel TVI24.

“We want a great Cristiano, in form, and that’s our priority – to know if he is fit,” said the Portugal coach.

“Can he miss the first leg and play the second? It’s still too early to know,” said Queiroz, who is expected to name his team on Sunday to play Bosnia on November 14 in Lisbon and November 18 in Zenica.

Real Madrid have told Queiroz in no uncertain terms they will not make the star striker available.

“It’s impossible for Ronaldo to play with Portugal,” said Real coach Manuel Pellegrini. “I feel sorry for the Portugal squad and for the player, but he hasn’t trained for a long time now and he is still in pain.”

LISBON (AFP)

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Van der Vaart to stay at Real – player

September 1, 2009


Real Madrid have decided to keep midfielder Rafael van der Vaart, the player himself has announced, despite reports he was set to join the Dutch exodus at the club.

Real Madrid “assured me that they believe in my qualities, and they want me to stay in the club,” van der Vaart said on his official website late Monday, the last day of the official summer transfer window.

The 26-year-old has reportedly been among a number of players on the transfer list as new club president Florentino Perez sought to recoup some of the more than 250 million euros he has splashed out on the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso.

Three Dutch players — Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar — have already left Real in the close season.

Spanish news reports said last week that van der Vaart rejected a lucrative offer from Turkish champions Besiktas and was insisting that, if he had to move, it should be to the English Premiership.

The reports said Real also had a plan to offer him to Bayern Munich as part of a deal in which the German club’s French midfielder Franck Ribery would move the other way.

The sports newspaper Marca said Tuesday that Real’s failure to sign Ribery had worked in van der Vaart’s favour.

“Real Madrid told me it was never a question about my qualifications as a player, but only a matter of the many new players,” the Dutchman said on his website.

“They like my attitude towards wanting to play, and told me very clearly in a meeting Monday 31th of August, that they need me, and they see me as a important part of the team.”

He said he will be keeping the number 23 jersey previously worn by David Beckham.

He added that his wife, Sylvie, a well-known model and television personality, is particularly relieved that the family is staying in the Spanish capital, where she is undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

Real signed van der Vaart from Bundesliga side Hamburg last year in a deal reportedly worth 13 million euros.

He is now one of three Dutch survivors of the summer overhaul at Real, the others being midfielder Royston Drenthe and striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.

MADRID (AFP)

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Ronaldo opens his account for Real as ´The Pirate´ steals the show

July 29, 2009

The world’s most expensive footballer Cristiano Ronaldo got off the mark for his club Real Madrid here on Tuesday as they ran out 4-2 winners over Ecuadorean side Liga de Quito in the Peace Cup.

The 23-year-old Portuguese star – who cost Real around 94million euros when he joined from Manchester United – won and then converted a penalty in the 48th minute as Real set up a semi-final on Friday with Italian giants Juventus.

However, it was one of Real’s less high profile signings of the close season Esteban Granero otherwise known as El Pirata or The Pirate, bought from Getafe, who stole the show with a goal and created another for German international defender Christoph Metzelder.

It will have come as something of a relief to both the Real fans and Ronaldo himself that he showed soem semblance of form as he had failed to shine in the first few friendlies including a 1-0 win over Irish semi-professional outfit Shamrock Rovers last week and had been taken off at half-time.

There was one concern for Real Madrid as another of their signings French international striker Karim Benzema – who scored the goal against Shamrock Rovers – limped off on the hour mark after shooting with his right leg.

Juventus had earlier become the first team into the last four when they disposed of Korean side Seongnam.

Brazilian playmaker Diego – a 24.5million euros signing from German side Werder Bremen in May – was the architect of their victory creating the first goal for Vincenzo Iaquinta, then scored the second in the 53rd minute while Nicola Legrottaglie added the third 20 minutes from fulltime.

MADRID (AFP)

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Johnson signs four year deal with Liverpool

June 26, 2009


Glen Johnson has become the most expensive defender in Liverpool’s history by sealing his £17million move from Portsmouth.

The right-back signed a four-year contract at Anfield today and becomes Rafael Benitez’s first major signing of the summer.

The move has been welcomed by legendary Liverpool right-back Phil Neal, who believes the England international’s arrival can bring the best out of ace goalscorer Fernando Torres.

Neal said: “He reminds me of the great attacking right-backs we have had at the club during the time I was there – and before me as well.

“He is a quality addition and he will provide a lot more ammunition for the forwards, that’s for sure.

“Torres will benefit form having Glen in the side more often than not.”

He added: “He gets forward well and crosses a decent ball. I watched him closely during the recent England v Andorra and was suitably impressed. He was bubbling with confidence and is a player that catches the eye.

“He’s probably got as much defensive quality as I had and he is quite capable of doing a very good job for Liverpool.

“I really do think he’s a top quality addition.”

Johnson’s move is now likely to speed up Alvaro Arbeloa’s exit, with the Spaniard linked to a move back to his homeland, likely to be to former club Real Madrid.

Written by: Abhimanyu Rajput

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