Where should Perez splash Real cash?

May 31, 2009

Florentino Perez is on course for an unopposed return to the Real Madrid presidency on Monday, and is promising to set in motion a major spending spree to build a “spectacular sporting project.”

Speculation on who might be arriving has reached fever pitch in the Madrid-based media, and the architect of the ‘Galacticos’ policy has done everything he can to stoke their enthusiasm, short of naming names.

“We are going to have great players to continue increasing the club’s income in as short a time as possible,” he told sports daily Marca.

“We will go a bit further into debt because I think we have to make up for lost time by doing in one year what should have been done in two or three.”

He told radio station Cadena Ser he expected to make five or six signings.

With a war chest of up to 300 million euros being spoken about in the Spanish media, they have moved quickly to fill in the gaps.

With Arsene Wenger, Carlo Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho slipping off the radar, Villarreal’s Manuel Pellegrini has now emerged as a surprise front runner for the coaching role.

As for players, all the usual names are present. Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo, AC Milan’s Kaka and Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery top the shopping list, along with Liverpool’s Xabi Alonso, and Valencia trio David Villa, David Silva and Juan Mata.

But where do Real really need strengthening if they are win back the initiative from treble-winners Barcelona, and bring the spectacle back to the Bernabeu?

Iker Casillas will continue between the posts, but Fabio Cannavaro’s departure for Juventus leaves them short of a partner for Pepe in the centre of defence. The injury-prone Christoph Metzelder cannot be relied upon.

Left back has also been a problem position with first-choice Gabriel Heinze struggling.

The area where they have suffered most this year is in midfield, where they have lacked the quality and pace to open up defences in the big games.

Arjen Robben spends too much time on the treatment table, the ageing Guti flickers only intermittently, while Wesley Sneijder, Rafael van der Vaart, Marcelo and Royston Drenthe have failed to step up when needed.

In attack, Ruud van Nistelrooy missed most of the campaign with a knee injury and will be 33 by the start of next season. Raul will be 32. Gonzalo Higuain and Klaas Jan Huntelaar are not yet finished articles.

Where would you splash the cash?

PHOTO: Perez speaks during the presentation of his presidential candidature for Real Madrid, May 28, REUTERS/Susana Vera

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Tags: Alonso, arsene wenger, Barcelona, Bayern, bayern munich, carlo ancelotti, christoph metzelder, cristiano ronaldo, David Silva, DAVID VILLA, Drenthe, fabio cannavaro, fever pitch, florentino perez, franck ribery, gabriel heinze, Jose, Juan, juan mata, kaka, klaas jan huntelaar, LA Liga, Liverpool, MADRID, Manchester, manuel pellegrini, Milan, naming names, Rafael van der, raul, ronaldo, ronaldo ac milan, spanish media, spending spree, Susana Vera Go, treble winners, Valencia, war chest, Wesley Sneijder, xabi alonso

United crush Arsenal, reach Champions League final

May 6, 2009

LONDON (AFP) – Manchester United swept back into the Champions League final as the holders produced a stunning 3-1 win over Arsenal in Tuesday’s semi-final second leg.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side arrived at the Emirates Stadium holding only a slender 1-0 lead from last week’s first leg, but United scored twice in the first 11 minutes to set up a 4-1 aggregate triumph that booked their place in the final against Chelsea or Barcelona, who meet in their decider Wednesday.

United, who beat Chelsea in last year’s final, were given a helping hand from Arsenal as South Korea winger Park Ji-Sung punished an embarrassing slip from Kieran Gibbs to open the scoring.

Cristiano Ronaldo then deceived Manuel Almunia with a long-range free-kick, and the Portuguese striker put the result beyond doubt when he added his second goal after half-time.

Arsenal barely tested United keeper Edwin van der Sar until Robin van Persie converted a late penalty after Darren Fletcher was sent off, ruling him out of the final, for a foul on Cesc Fabregas.

Even that couldn’t detract from a fantastic display from United, who are the first defending champions to reach the final since Juventus in 1997.

They were simply outstanding and exposed the flaws in Arsene Wenger’s inexperienced, injury-hit team with ruthless efficiency.

No team has retained the trophy in the Champions League era, but United are hitting new heights and, with the Club World Cup and League Cup already won and the Premier League within touching distance, Ferguson and company are close to a memorable quadruple.

Arsenal were fortunate to be trailing by just one goal after a timid display at Old Trafford and the onus was on Wenger’s side to make a fast start.

For once the normally subdued Emirates crowd were at fever pitch, but Ferguson had talked up United’s intention to press for a crucial away goal and they were true to his word.

In the eighth minute, Anderson slipped a pass to Ronaldo down the left and the Portugal winger proved he had adapted to his new role as a lone forward by finding space in the penalty area to whip in a low cross.

Even then Arsenal should have cleared the danger but Gibbs, a teenage midfielder pressed into service at left-back in the absence of Gael Clichy, slipped over and could only watch from a prone position as Park took a touch before guiding his shot past Almunia.

As Ferguson and his staff danced a jubilant jig you could feel the momentum draining from Arsenal. There was worse to come three minutes later.

When Van Persie fouled Ronaldo way out on the right flank, there appeared little danger.

But Almunia had reckoned without Ronaldo’s flair for the unexpected. Ronaldo had scored from 40 yards to beat Porto in the last round and, from a similar distance, he took aim and launched a thunderous strike towards Almunia, who appeared to lose sight of the ball as it flashed past him at the near post.

Wenger sat ashen-faced on the bench as Arsenal’s proud record of 27 home European matches without defeat fell apart, and the match had barely begun.

United were rampant and it took a superb finger-tip save from Almunia to stop Wayne Rooney curling in a third goal.

The visitors continued to counter-attack imperiously after half-time and in the 61st minute Ronaldo capped a sublime break in clinical style.

He started the move with a backheel to Park, who cleverly spread play wide to Rooney on the left. Rooney’s cross was perfectly weighted for Ronaldo to drive past Almunia.

Game over, and Ferguson could even afford the luxury of substituting Rooney and Patrice Evra to ensure the duo didn’t earn a booking which would have ruled them out of the final.

But Fletcher will miss the final after the Scotland midfielder was sent off in the 76th minute for bringing down Fabregas in the penalty area.

Italian referee Roberto Rosetti ruled the Scotland midfielder had made contact with Fabregas before the ball, although replays suggested otherwise.

Van Persie stepped up to smash home the penalty but it was way too little, too late for Arsenal.