Edmilson returns to Spain with Zaragoza

February 1, 2010

Real Zaragoza have signed Brazilian international Edmilson from Palmeiras until the end of the season, with the option of keeping him for a further year, the Spanish club said on Monday.

The 33-year-old defensive midfielder is no stranger to La Liga, having played for European champions Barcelona for four seasons and then spent six months at Villarreal, before returning to Brazil with Palmeiras last year.

Edmilson has Italian as well as Brazilian citizenship so he will not occupy one of the positions reserved for players from outside the European Union, the club added.

He has earned more than 40 caps for Brazil and was part of the Brazilian side that won the World cup in 2002.

The player becomes the seventh new arrival at struggling Zaragoza since the start of the month, following defender Matteo Contini, goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez, strikers Adrian Colunga and Humberto Suazo, and midfielders Jiri Jarosik and Eliseu.

Zaragoza climbed one place to 18th in the table on Sunday after defeating minnows Tenerife 3-1.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: Adrian Colunga, AFP, Barcelona, brazil, brazilian side, contini, edmilson, european champions, european union, four seasons, Goalkeeper, Humberto Suazo, jiri jarosik, MADRID, matteo contini, midfielders, minnows, new arrival, palmeiras, real zaragoza, Roberto Jimenez, Spain, spanish club, strikers, Tenerife, Villarreal, World Cup, Zaragoza

Barcelona to elect new chairman in June

January 30, 2010

Spanish and European champions Barcelona to elect a new chairman in June 13 to replace Joan Laporta, the club announced Friday.

Under the club’s rules, Laporta, 47, can no longer stand for election again after holding the post since 2003.

Several candidates have already come forward, including vice chairmen Alfons Godall and Jaume Ferrer. Former vice chairman Sandro Rosell is also expected to stand.

Laporta said earlier this month that he was considering creating a political party to seek independence for Spain’s Catalonia region and running for office himself.

BARCELONA, Spain (AFP)

Tags: alfons, Barcelona, barcelona spain, catalonia, catalonia region, european champions, Ferrer, independence, jaume, joan laporta, sandro rosell, Spain, vice chairman, vice chairmen

Time for Spain coach Del Bosque to reward Valdes?

January 27, 2010

It’s hard to believe Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes has yet to win a cap for Spain and that he isn’t even in the running for the World Cup finals this summer.

The 28-year-old has been Barca’s number one since the 2003-4 season and was a fundamental cog in Pep Guardiola’s Barca machine that swept to an unprecedented six trophies last year.

He has two European Champions League and three La Liga titles to his name and the best statistics this season in the Spanish top flight with only 10 goals conceded in 19 games.

Valdes, who looks like a U.S. Marine with his imposing bulk and shaven head, was on top form again on Saturday, making a string of important saves against Real Valladolid before Barca broke out to win 3-0.

“He’s been playing very well for many years now. He’s getting better day by day,” Guardiola said.

“In Tenerife (two weeks ago) he saved us and he has done it again here.”

The problem for Valdes is that European champions Spain have an embarrassment of goalkeeping riches.

Coach Vicente del Bosque has Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas as his number one, Liverpool’s Pepe Reina number two and Villarreal’s Diego Lopez as third choice.

Spain were the only country to have three representatives in the top ten in the 2009 IFFHS (International Federation of Football History and Statistics) rankings for goalkeepers, with Casillas first, Valdes sixth and Reina seventh.

Valdes has shrugged off a reputation for being gaffe-prone, but although he is having perhaps his best season yet, calls for his inclusion in the Spain squad are few and far between.

Has anyone checked whether he’s eligible for England?

PHOTO: Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes reacts during the Club World Cup final against Estudiantes in Abu Dhabi, Dec. 19, 2009. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

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Tags: abdallah, abu dhabi, club world cup, Del Bosque, Diego Lopez, England, england photo, european champions, football history, goalkeepers, iker casillas, international federation of football history and statistics, Liverpool, MADRID, pep guardiola, pepe reina, real madrid, real valladolid, reuters, shaven head, source time, Spain, Tenerife, third choice, U.S. Marine, valladolid, vicente del bosque, victor valdes, win 3, world cup finals

Levein wants Ferguson back in Scotland squad

January 26, 2010

Scotland manager Craig Levein is aiming to convince former captain Barry Ferguson to return to international duty along with Allan McGregor and Kris Boyd.

Levein, whose first game in charge is an international friendly against the Czech Republic on March 3, has confirmed Boyd and McGregor are in his thoughts after discussions with the Rangers duo.

Now he hopes he can have a similar conversation with former Rangers midfielder Ferguson, now playing under former Gers boss Alex McLeish at English Premier League Birmingham City.

“I very much want him to be part of the international set-up, I think he’s one of our best players,” Levein told BBC Radio Scotland on Monday.

Ferguson and Rangers goalkeeper McGregor were banned for life for their behaviour before and during a World Cup qualifier against Iceland in April.

The pair were dropped after an all-night drinking session and then made V signs at photographers from the bench.

Boyd withdrew when former manager George Burley was in charge after being overlooked repeatedly.

Meanwhile former Dundee United manager Levein will look to expand Scotland’s player pool by compiling an extensive dossier of eligible players.

Levein and scout Michael Oliver plan to contact every agent in the UK in a bid to assess who could qualify for the country, either through established bloodline or the new five-year school rule.

“What we are trying to do is establish everybody – in the UK first and foremost – who is eligible to play for Scotland,” Levein told www.scottishfa.co.uk.

“In the past, we’ve relied on word of mouth or maybe speaking to managers, coaches and, sometimes, even physios down in England who say ‘Do you know so-and-so has a Scottish grandmother?’.

“In the past we’ve had some fantastic players for Scotland who were born in England but qualified through parentage or grandparents.

“The rules are there and every other country in the world uses them.

“My main aim is to help Scotland qualify for the European Championships in 2012 and, in order to achieve that, I think that the player database is a fairly sensible idea.

“I want the best players available and, to get the best players available, we need to know who they are and where they are.”

Scotland have not qualified for the finals of a major tournament since the 1998 World Cup in France.

GLASGOW (AFP)

Tags: alex mcleish, Allan McGregor, barry ferguson, birmingham city, bloodline, Boyd, captain barry, captain Barry Ferguson, craig levein, czech republic, drinking session, Dundee, dundee united, eligible players, England, English, English Premier League, european champions, Ferguson, first game, former rangers, France, george burley, Glasgow, Iceland, michael oliver, parentage, player pool, radio scotland, rangers, scotland, scottishfa, world cup qualifier

Guardiola renews Barca contract for one year: report

January 20, 2010

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has renewed his contract with the European champions, which expires at the end of the season, for one year, the online edition of daily newspaper El Pais reported Wednesday.

“He and the club have reached an agreement to extend his contract, which was to expire in June, which includes a series of clauses which will allow the incoming president to negotiate terms,” it said.

Barcelona have not confirmed the report but the club has called a press conference for 1:30 pm (1230 GMT) which will be attended by Guardiola, Barcelona president Joan Laporta and sporting director Txiki Begiristain.

Guardiola has remained silent on what he wants to do and Spanish media have speculated that the 39-year-old may be waiting to see who will succeed Laporta as president after elections later this year before making a decision.

Laporta said on Monday the club were resigned to rivals trying to lure away Guardiola, who led Barca to an unprecedented six trophies in 2009.

Guardiola took over from Dutchman Frank Rijkaard in June 2008 after being promoted from his job as coach of Barcelona’s B side.

Under his guidance during the 2008-09 season the Catalan side won the Champions League, Spanish league, the Kings Cup, the Spanish Supercup and the European Supercup.

Last month Barcelona also won the Club World Cup final with a 2-1 win over Argentine side Estudiantes.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: 1230 gmt, Argentine, argentine side, b side, Barcelona, champions league, clauses, club world cup, dutchman, european champions, frank rijkaard, incoming president, joan laporta, kings cup, MADRID, pep guardiola, rivals, spanish league, spanish media, trophies, txiki

Kuranyi proves his worth to fire Schalke second

January 17, 2010

Ex-Germany striker Kevin Kuranyi proved his worth by sealing Schalke 04’s 1-0 win over Nuremberg on Sunday, to put the Royal Blues second in the Bundesliga, despite nearly being sold over the winter break.

The 27-year-old, who notoriously walked out on the Germany team in October 2008, struck in the 48th minute with his ninth league goal of the season to put Schalke second, a point behind leaders Leverkusen.

Before the game, Schalke coach Felix Magath admitted he had wanted to sell the striker to English side Sunderland earlier this month for a reported four million euros to ease the club’s debts, but the player had scuppered the deal.

“We reached an agreement with a club, but Kevin decided he wanted to stay and achieve something with Schalke this season,” said Magath.

Last December, Kuranyi became one of a select few players to have scored 100 goals in the Bundesliga and is out of contract in June.

On Saturday, VfB Stuttgart kept their unbeaten record under coach Christian Gross with a 3-1 victory over champions VfL Wolfsburg to seal their first Bundesliga win since September.

Former Tottenham boss Gross took over after Markus Babbel was sacked last December and having put his side in the Champions League’s last 16, Gross recorded his first Bundesliga win and it came against the defending champions.

This was Stuttgart’s first win in 11 games with goals by Robert Hilbert, Pavel Pogrebnyak and Timo Gebhart with a consolation from Edin Dzeko.

The win leaves Stuttgart 12th in the league while Wolfsburg are now ninth and will buoy Gross’s side with Stuttgart set to face defending European champions Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League next month.

Earlier, Bayer Leverkusen came from behind to beat mid-table Mainz 4-2 and reclaim top spot after Bayern Munich had temporarily taken charge.

Bayern’s 2-0 win over Hoffenheim on Friday night had briefly given them a one-point advantage, but Leverkusen regained pole position.

Bottom side Hertha Berlin got their 2010 off to a great start as they enjoyed a 3-0 win at Hanover in what was only their second win since the opening day of the season.

Polish midfielder Lukasz Piszczek netted in the 30th minute to get the capital club on the way before Brazil’s Raffael made it 2-0 after 33 minutes and Greek striker Theofanis Gekas hit the third with 10 minutes remaining.

Berlin are still three points from nearest rivals Nuremberg and eight points from escaping the bottom three, but the win will have boosted their confidence.

Hamburg are now fourth after their 2-0 win at home to Freiburg as Germany midfielder Marcell Jansen and Croatia striker Mladen Petric scored either side of half-time.

Werder Bremen are sixth after their 1-0 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt – their fourth straight league defeat.

BERLIN (AFP)

Tags: Barcelona, bayer leverkusen, bayern munich, berlin, bottom side, Bremen, christian gross, croatia, edin dzeko, european champions, felix magath, gebhart, Germany, Hanover, hertha berlin, Hoffenheim, Kevin, Kevin Kuranyi, league goal, markus babbel, mid table, nuremberg, Pavel Pogrebnyak, point advantage, Raffael, robert hilbert, royal blues, schalke 04, stuttgart, Sunderland, Timo Gebhart, unbeaten record, vfb stuttgart

Atletico sign Argentine teen striker: reports

January 12, 2010

Atletico Madrid, looking to recover from a dismal first half of the season, have signed 19-year-old striker Eduardo Salvio from Argentine side Lanus for 8 million euros, Spanish media said Tuesday.

“I have fulfilled the dream of my life, because it is a dream to play alongside players like (fellow Argentine Sergio) Aguero or (Diego) Forlan,” Salvio told the sports newspaper Marca.

“Atletico is one of the greats of Europe and I am joining with the hope of battling for major things.”

Lanus chairman Nicolas Russo confirmed the transfer, lamenting that this “fantastic player” was “irreplaceable.”

The Spanish club have been looking for a striker to replace Frenchman Florent Sinama-Pongolle, who left for Sporting Lisbon earlier this month.

Atletico last week signed Portuguese international midfielder Tiago from Juventus and he was presented to the fans on Tuesday.

“I want to repay the trust that the club has placed in me,” the 29-year-old said.

“With Tiago and Salvio, Atletico is closing its reinforcement programme,” club chairman Enrique Cerezo said on Monday.

Atletico, who finished fourth in the league last season, have been in poor form this season, crashing out of the European Champions League while struggling in the league.

However, wins in their last two league games, against Sevilla and Valladolid, have given cause for optimism.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: argentine side, club chairman, diego forlan, enrique cerezo, european champions, florent sinama pongolle, juventus, lanus, league games, midfielder, reinforcement, salvio, Sergio Aguero, spanish club, spanish media, sporting lisbon, valladolid

Istanbul heads list of Games of the Decade

January 1, 2010

Here’s a total random idea: go and choose the best five matches of the last 10 years – a lot easier said than done.

Where do you begin ? Do you only pick matches you have seen yourself ? As I am based in England, do I pick only matches
played in England, or as I am lucky enough to travel round the world and watch football do I go for international matches too.

Do you allow your personal preferences to come into it? After all, any fan could easily pick five great victories achieved by the team they support.

Well, I’ve weighed it up and gone for the bigger picture: any match played anywhere. It’s a totally subjective list with no “right” or “wrong” choices so here goes: Mike Collett’s Best Five Matches of the last decade:

Liverpool 3 AC Milan 3: The epic 2005 Champions League final which Liverpool won on penalties after fighting back from a 3-0 halftime deficit. Milan thought they had won the title — Liverpool, inspired by Steven Gerrard proved them wrong.

AS Monaco 8 Deportivo Coruna 3: An extraordinary match which set a Champions league scoring record in November 2003 and included four goals from striker Dado Prso on his 29th birthday.

Senegal 1 France 0: The stunning upset in the opening match that set the tone for much of the 2002 World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea.
Papa Bouba Diop scored the solitary goal that beat the reigning world champions.

Manchester United 1 Chelsea 1: On a night of pouring rain and unbearable tension in Moscow in May 2008, the two English teams battled to a draw in the Champions League final before John Terry’s penalty miss in the shootout led to United being crowned European champions for the
second time.

Liverpool 5 Alaves 4: The 2001 UEFA Cup final was a momentous match between the old European aristocrats from England and a little-heralded club from Spain that defied the odds to reach their only final. Liverpool completed a cup treble for the season when Delfi Geli conceded a golden goal own goal in extra time.

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Tags: 2002 world cup finals, ac milan, champions league final, CHELSEA, dado prso, european aristocrats, european champions, geli, halftime deficit, Istanbul, john terry, last decade, Liverpool, Manchester, Mike Collett, Milan, Moscow, papa bouba diop, pouring rain, random idea, Senegal, solitary goal, south korea, Spain, Steven Gerrard, UEFA Cup, wrong choices

Spain to play three friendlies before World Cup

December 24, 2009

Spain will play three international friendlies in the weeks before the World Cup in South Africa next year and will be based near Johannesburg during the tournament, the nation’s football federation said on Tuesday.

The European champions will play two friendlies at home, on May 29 and June 8, and one away on June 5. The squad’s opponents for the matches have not yet been determined.

The Spanish national team will be based in Potchefstroom, a university town about 120 kilometres (75 miles) southwest of Johannesburg during the June 11-July 11 World Cup. They will arrive in South Africa on June 10.

Spain, one of the favourites to win the tournament, are in Group H alongside Chile, Honduras and Switzerland.

They are ranked number one in the year-end FIFA standings for the second straight year, making them the only side to ever occupy the top spot in the rankings without winning a World Cup.

Often accused of under-performing at an international level, their best placing remains fourth in 1950.

Spain would only appear in two more World Cups until 1978, but have qualified for every tournament since then.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: 11 july, Chile, european champions, favourites, football federation, Honduras, international friendlies, johannesburg, MADRID, opponents, play three, play two, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, World Cup, world cups, year end

Messi hits back at Argentina critics

December 21, 2009

Barcelona star Lionel Messi, the favourite to win the FIFA World Player of the Year award on Monday, has hit back at critics in his native Argentina who are angered over his failure to translate his club form to the international stage.

The Argentine media have suggested the striker does not show the same enthusiasm when he plays for the national team as when he hits the pitch for the Catalan side, which he joined at the age of 13 as a youth team player.

“It really gets me when they say I do not feel the Albiceleste. Nothing hurts me more than when they say I am not Argentine,” he said in an interview with daily El Pais, using the Spanish name for the Argentine national team.

“It does not bother me when they call me ‘the Catalan’ but it really bugs me that they think I am not Argentine,” the 22-year-old added.

Messi clinched an extra-time winner as Barcelona beat Estudiantes 2-1 Saturday to win the Club World Cup final, the European champions’ sixth trophy of the year.

Minutes after he hit the winner for Barcelona, fans took to the streets in the Argentine province of La Plata where Estudiantes is based to protest against the player, Argentine daily newspaper Clarin reported.

The fans left insulting graffiti against Messi on walls throughout the province and chanted “Messi is no Argentine”, it said.

Messi told El Pais that the Club World Cup win was one of his best moments of the year.

“It is much better than an individual prize because it is a collective prize that makes many people happy,” he said.

Messi was awarded the Ballon d’Or award for the European player of the year earlier this month, winning the prize by the biggest percentage of votes since it was created in 1956.

He joined Barcelona from Newell’s Old Boys which is based in Rosario, Argentina in 2000.

In September the player signed a two-year contract extension which will keep him at the club until 2016. The deal increased his buy-out clause to 250 million euros from 150 million euros.

MADRID (AFP)