Juventus confirm Candreva signing

January 21, 2010


Juventus on Wednesday confirmed the signing of Italy midfielder Antonio Candreva from Udinese following complicated three-way negotiations.

The 22-year-old has signed on loan until the end of the season with an option to then buy him outright.

According to the Italian press Juventus will pay 7.5 million euros to buy a half share in the player until the season’s end with the option to then buy the other half in the summer.

Candreva was on a season-long loan at Livorno, who will also receive a million euros from Juve, according to reports.

The midfielder has one Italy cap to his name having been picked by Marcello Lippi for a 0-0 friendly draw against the Netherlands last year.

He was also a part of the Italian Olympic squad in Beijing in 2008.

He began his career in Serie B with Ternana in 2004 before he was sold to Udinese three years later.

Last season he was loaned out to Livorno and helped them secure promotion from Serie B, after which the club extended his loan deal for a further season.

He will come straight into the Juve squad for Saturday’s visit of AS Roma as Felipe Melo is suspended, Christian Poulsen and Mauro Camoranesi are injured and Mohamed Sissoko will only recently have returned from African Nations Cup duty.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

Inter reach quarters after Livorno win

December 17, 2009


Inter Milan eased into the Coppa Italia quarter-finals with a controlled and disciplined 1-0 win against Livorno at the San Siro on Wednesday.

Wesley Sneijder’s free-kick on the hour mark settled the affair in front of hoards of empty seats.

The hosts deserved their victory having dominated throughout and twice hit the woodwork in the first period.

Inter coach Jose Mourinho resisted the temptation to make too many changes for a match his side were always likely to win, although he did hand a debut to right-back Giulio Danilo from the club’s youth team.

A subdued Mourinho, who has been under fire these last few days in the Italian press after insulting a journalist, said his team were worthy of the result.

“I think we deserved to win. We played a serious match, we were compact, had no problems and defensively we were in control,” he said.

“We had some early chances and then after the break we had more chances to make this match a little calmer.”

With captain Javier Zanetti, Ivan Cordoba and Marco Materazzi injured and Walter Samuel injured, Inter were left a little short at the back and Mourinho selected Muntari Sulley in an unfamiliar left-back role.

There were also rare starts for Patrick Vieira, David Suazo and goalkeeper Francesco Toldo as the likes of Samuel Eto’o, Diego Milito and Esteban Cambiasso were rested.

Dejan Stankovic came closest to opening the scoring as he struck a shot from 20 yards against the upright.

Sneijder was then denied from a free-kick by Livorno goalkeeper Francesco Benussi, who tipped the ball onto the post.

But on the hour the Dutch international scored the only goal of the game as Benussi turned from hero to villain, stepping the wrong way as Sneijder took another shot from a dead ball and leaving himself rooted to the spot as the ball sailed into the top corner of his net.

Suazo then wasted a couple of chances to stake a claim on a regular first team spot before he was replaced by Milito, who proved equally profligate.

The remaining last 16 ties will all be played in mid January.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

Mourinho admits insulting Italian journalist

December 16, 2009


Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho on Tuesday owned up to verbally attacking an Italian journalist in a bust-up that is being investigated by the Italian Football Federation.

Mourinho set on Andrea Ramazzotti after he came across the Corriere dello Sport reporter in an area used for interviews by Inter’s television station Inter Channel after Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Bergamo.

“It’s true that I insulted one of your colleagues and that I used a word that I can’t repeat here, but there was no physical assault,” he told a press conference ahead of Wednesday’s Italian Cup clash with Livorno.

“I hope that it’s the first and last time in my career that I use this word,” he told the media briefing which was partially boycotted by sections of the Italian press.

Mourinho resorted to a touch of humour to try and diffuse the row.

“Today I would like to end this story and the best way to do that is in good spirits by saying that I’m waiting for a Christmas present from him because up to this moment the only famous Ramazzotti was (signer) Eros, but since the last couple of days it’s been Andrea.”

The Portuguese manager said he would accept any punishment handed down to him by his club, but said he considered it “ridiculous” that the matter should be the subject of an official Italian Football Federation inquiry.

“It’s got nothing to do with them,” he insisted.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

Lazio warned off Aimar

October 13, 2009


Pablo Aimar’s agent has revealed Lazio are interested in his client, but Benfica have stressed they do not wish to sell the Argentine.

Aimar has made an excellent start to the season with Benfica, earning a recall to the Argentina national team under Diego Maradona.

But his performances have not gone unnoticed and Lazio are thought to be keen on a January transfer window swoop.

“I have been contacted by (Lazio president) Claudio Lotito and he asked me about Aimar,” the player’s representative Gustavo Mascardi told the Italian press.

“I have a meeting with him in November to talk about it.”

Benfica have reacted to the speculation by insisting they have no plans to cash in on one of their star players.

“Right now Aimar is a key man in our scheme of work and it is impossible to think of a sale in January,” said Benfica sport director Rui Costa.

While Aimar has been linked with a move to Lazio in the New Year, Goran Pandev has been tipped to leave the Stadio Olimpico.

Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti claimed last week he had yet to approach Lazio in regards to Pandev.

However, Lazio counterpart Lotito has now admitted he would be prepared to listen to offers for the Macedonian forward.

“At the moment the transfer market is closed so we can’t really talk about it,” said Lotito.

“When the window opens we will be happy to consider his departure. Lazio are willing to accept any offer which satisfies our and the player’s request.

“However, it is too early to talk about a fee for his move. We will have to discuss and see.”

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

Italians only know how to criticise, says Mourinho

September 19, 2009


Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho hit out on Saturday claiming Italians prefer to criticise rather than look for solutions.

Speaking at Saturday’s pre-match press conference ahead of the trip to Cagliari in Sardinia on Sunday, Mourinho launched an attack on his adopted home.

“When I see the Italian press criticising their own teams playing in European competition it’s easy to see that we are a country that knows only how to criticise and not how to find solutions,” he said.

“We’re a country that loves crying floods of tears over problems and doesn’t do anything to solve them.

“When we play against another country we can see they have the opposite approach.

“When it comes to playing in Europe everyone pushes in the same direction. Here it’s the opposite.

“We’re always negative and never positive; Portuguese and Italians are twins in that respect,” added Mourinho.

Mourinho also hit out at those in the press who criticised his team for their performance in the 0-0 draw at home to title-holders Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday, such as former coach Alberto Zaccheroni.

“Luckily I’m someone who either gets mad or laughs about what these greats write in the press, like the person who lost 5-1 at home to Arsenal (Zaccheroni in the 2003/04 season),” said the former Chelsea coach.

“In these situations I prefer to laugh and to keep on doing what I’m doing and to remember that our last three Champions League matches were against the last two European champions (Barca and Manchester United).

“To conclude the debate about the Champions League I can advise you all to look at the statistics regarding (goalkeepers) Julio Cesar (of Inter), (Juventus’s Gianluigi) Buffon, (AC Milan’s Marco) Storari and (Fiorentina’s Sebastien) Frey to understand that tomorrow Julio won’t be able to play because he’s really tired from watching the (Barca) game,” Mourinho added ironically.

Inter were criticised for being second best to Barcelona on their own pitch, although despite the Spaniards dominating possession they created little more than Inter and Julio Cesar made only one significant save in the game, tipping over a shot from outside the box from Lionel Messi.

Mourinho could restore Serbian Dejan Stankovic to the starting line-up for the trip to Cagliari while Argentine midfielder Esteban Cambiasso is also pushing for a recall after injury.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

Wins more important than scorers for Italy´s Lippi

September 8, 2009


Italy coach Marcello Lippi said on Tuesday that he doesn’t care which of his players finds the net in the World Cup qualifier against Bulgaria on Wednesday, as long as his team scores a goal.

Italy’s strikers have come under fire from the Italian press recently as they have failed to convert any chances in their last four matches.

No Italian player has scored a goal in that period, with the country’s only successful strikes coming from Georgia captain Kakha Kaladze, who netted two own goals in Italy’s 2-0 win in Tbilisi on Saturday.

But despite his forwards’ recent drought, Lippi said he would just as happily see his goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon hit the back of the net as long as his team wins.

“I don’t care, even if it’s a Buffon header or some other fantasy, I don’t care,” said Lippi.

“I just want it to go in, even if it deflects off a Bulgaria defender, the important thing is it goes in and we win.”

The reigning world champions head into their Group Eight match knowing a victory would virtually assure them of qualification for South Africa next year.

They lead the Republic of Ireland by one point with a game in hand while Bulgaria are a further five points back.

Victory would mean Italy needing to either draw away to Ireland or beat Cyprus at home in their last two matches to ensure they top the group.

“This match is not just important for me but also for the team and for the federation. It’s important because, although it can’t make us mathematically qualified, it can put us in a great position,” Lippi added.

Lippi says he will make changes to the team that struggled to break down Georgia, but insists that it is to do with fatigue rather than poor form.

“You have to change players when you have two games in a few days at the beginning of the season,” he said.

“In previous years I’ve always changed several players in September matches. With respect to other teams, our players don’t have 90 minutes in their legs and they aren’t able to recover enough, hence it gives me the chance to change several players.”

Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi and Juventus left-back Fabio Grosso could both come into the side, while Lippi said he would freshen things up in attack to introduce some energy into the side.

Villarreal forward Giuseppe Rossi looks likely to step aside in favour of Napoli’s Fabio Quagliarella while Vincenzo Iaquinta could also lose his place to Alberto Gilardino.

As for Bulgaria, Lippi is wary of Manchester United forward Dimitar Berbatov.

“Berbatov plays for a great team and when great players play for great teams it brings out the best in them,” said the veteran Italy coach, who led his side to glory at the last World Cup in Germany.

“He’s a great player, he has very good technique and he knows how to score and create goals.

“We already played him in the return fixture (in Bulgaria) and he kept our players busy.”

Bulgaria come into the match off a positive result, having beaten Montenegro 4-1 in Sofia.

It was only their second win of the qualifying campaign, although like Italy and Ireland they are unbeaten.

But despite that result, Lippi said he wasn’t too worried by their performance.

“They got a good result but it was also a struggle. Montenegro played well in the first half and created several chances.

“But Bulgaria have quality and they’re unbeaten. If there’s a chance to bounce back they’ll do everything they can to get second place.

“We’re not afraid, we never fear anyone, although that’s not to say that we believe ourselves to be superior.

“No one should ever be afraid in a football match. You should always respect your opponents because the less you give them respect the better they become whereas the more you respect them, the less problems you have.”

TURIN, Italy (AFP)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

Grosso Juve deal agreed, say press

September 1, 2009


Juventus have come to agreement over the three-million-euro transfer of Italy full-back Fabio Grosso from Lyon, according to Italian press reports on Monday.

The 32-year-old, a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, will sign a two-year deal with the Turin club.

The news contradicted and earlier claim from Grosso’s agent Beppe Bozzo that a miracle would be needed to complete the switch before the end of Monday’s transfer deadline.

“Juve have made an offer that Lyon believe is too low. As the hours pass and the end of the window approaches, it gets harder to reach a deal,” Bozzo told Rai.

“Grosso wants to return to Italy but it’s down to Lyon. I’m not optimistic, it would need a miracle for this transfer to be completed today.”

Grosso won a French league title and a cup during his two-year stint in the Rhone-Alps region but was pushed out of the first team by the arrival of Frenchman Aly Cissokho from Porto.

Grosso began his career in the lower divisions with Chieti before moving to Perugia and then on to Palermo.

He spent the 2006/07 season with Inter Milan, winning the Serie A title but was sold to Lyon as he was not first choice at the San Siro.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

Sneijder Inter signing imminent: press

August 25, 2009


Wesley Sneijder is on the verge of joining Inter Milan, according to Italian press reports on Tuesday.

The Dutch attacking midfielder is surplus to requirements at Real Madrid following the big-money signings of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka and has been linked with a move to the Italian champions for several weeks.

Inter coach Jose Mourinho is known to be in the market for an attacking midfielder who can play at the head of his midfield diamond formation and now seems to have got his man.

“The agreement between Inter and Sneijder is imminent,” said La Gazzetta dello Sport on its website.

“Real Madrid’s Dutch midfielder is expected in Italy in the afternoon to finalise the deal’s last details and then the nerazzurro will be able to make the official announcement.”

If Sneijder, 25, does join he will complete an impressive set of aquisitions during the off-season by Mourinho, who has already added Samuel Eto’o, Diego Milito, Thiago Motta, Lucio and Marco Arnautovic to his squad.

The first four of those all started as Inter were held to a disappointing 1-1 home draw against newly-promoted Bari on Sunday.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

Football star Eto´o signs Inter Milan deal – agent

July 24, 2009


Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o has agreed terms on his transfer from Barcelona to Inter Milan, the Cameroon international star’s agent Jose Maria Mesalles said on Thursday.

Mesalles emerged from two hours of talks with Inter representatives to tell the waiting press that a deal had been agreed, which was later confirmed by Inter’s transfer specialist Marco Branca.

“The only problem is his loyalty bonus with Barcelona,” said Mesalles.

Eto’o is due to arrive in Milan on either Monday or Tuesday to put pen to paper.

“It was a really long negotiation but it was always conducted with respect and for that I have to thank Inter,” said Mesalles.

The agent spent three days negotiating with Inter before a deal was reached which will see Eto’o switch from Barcelona while Inter’s Sweden forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic joins the Spanish champions.

As well as Eto’o, the Catalans would pay the Italians 50 million euros and allow Belarusian winger Alexander Hleb to go on a season-loan to the San Siro.

According to the Gazzetta dello Sport, Eto’o will sign a five-year deal worth between 10-10.5 million euros a year.

The 28-year-old Eto’o, who joined the Catalan side in 2004, has a year left in his contract with Barcelona.

He was the club’s top scorer in the Spanish league last season, with 30 goals.

Inter president Massimo Moratti told the club’s website that the transfer was ‘nearly finalised’ and said he would not comment more until it has been completed.

But Moratti moved to deny speculation in the Italian press that Inter coach Jose Mourinho doesn’t want the Cameroon star at the club.

“That’s completely untrue, I’ve spoken with Mourinho on the telephone and he has been a part of this process all along,” said Moratti.

“As for the Ibrahimovic question, that was something that he (Mourinho) always knew might happen.

“Obviously the coach made it clear he didn’t believe the Swedish striker could go to another club but he is a big admirer of Eto’o and he is very satisfied and happy about this possibility, this exchange.”

Since then the club website also revealed that Ibrahimovic, who has injured his wrist, has left the club’s pre-season training camp in the United States and returned to his native Sweden, possibly with the view to finalising his move to Spain.

Ibrahimovic was the top scorer in Serie A last season and has been Inter’s best player since joining the club in 2006 when Juventus were demoted to Serie B for match-fixing.

But while he has often dazzled on the Serie A stage, scoring some spectacular goals, he has been much criticised for failing to produce on the biggest stages, such as the Champions League.

He has also made it clear that he is not happy at Inter’s failure to mount a serious Champions League challenge having been knocked out in the second round in each of the last three seasons, by Valencia, Liverpool and then Manchester United.

Eto’o by contrast has twice risen to the occasion on the biggest club stage of all, scoring goals in the Champions League final in both Barcelona’s last two triumphs.

He scored in the 2-1 victory over Arsenal in Paris in 2006 and he opened the scoring in the 2-0 success against United in Rome in May.

He is the only African player ever to score in two Champions League finals.

Meanwhile, Barcelona striker Thierry Henry said on Thursday he was looking forward to playing alongside Ibrahimovic.

“Technically he can keep whatever ball you throw at him,” Henry said. “And what I like about him is his character. For some people it is a bit too much but I don’t mind. To be a player like that you have to have it.”

Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola had already admitted that it would be better if Eto’o left.

“I fully understand that people ask why. He is a wonderful player. Everyone knows there are no ‘football’ reasons. So why? It is a question of feeling,” Guardiola said earlier this week.

“I feel that it is the best for the team, for the club, but I don’t dare say that it is best for Samuel. I am very grateful to Samuel, not for this year but for the five years he has spent here.

“The coach’s job is not to change the personality of players but it is my job to decide who to work with. It’s my responsibility and I think we need to change something.”

ROME (AFP)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

Eto´o poised to sign Inter deal

July 23, 2009


Samuel Eto’o is on the verge of signing a deal to join Inter Milan, according to Italian press reports on Thursday.

The Cameroon striker’s agent spent a second day in talks with Inter bosses on Wednesday and emerged to say that a transaction could be completed on Thursday.

Eto’o is likely to switch from Barcelona in a swap deal that will see Inter’s Sweden forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic join the Catalans with 50 million euros, Eto’o and Alexander Hleb (on loan) moving in the other direction.

“We’ve made progress, we will see each other again (on Thursday) and I think we’ll come to an agreement with Inter,” said Jose Maria Mesalles.

“But that doesn’t mean the player will sign because it’s a pretty big deal.

“But what is sure is that Eto’o, who I’m keeping constantly informed of developments, is very happy to be joining Inter.”

According to the Gazzetta dello Sport, Eto’o will arrive in Milan on Thursday to undertake a medical.

He will sign a five-year deal worth between 10-10.5 million euros a year.

According to press in Italy and Spain, Eto’o’s transfer has been delayed by a dispute with Barcelona over a five million euro loyalty bonus.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

Next Page »

 



Calendar

Related Sites

Free Page Rank Tool

eXTReMe Tracker


TinyPic Image and Video Hosting

Click Here

Categories

.