Ferguson wary of Beckham ‘media circus’
February 3, 2010
David Beckham’s return to Old Trafford will add some spice to the confrontation between Milan and Manchester United. Sir Alex Ferguson will warn his players not to get caught up in the ‘David Beckham media circus’.
“Our job is to concentrate on the football match and let the David Beckham media circus carry on,” Ferguson told United’s club magazine. “He’s such a high-profile celebrity – not just a high-profile footballer – and we haven’t really seen anybody else return to the club in that situation.”
Beckham is in his second loan spell at Milan. The 34-year-old Los Angeles Galaxy player hopes his performances will persuade England boss Fabio Capello to include him in the squad for this summer’s World Cup.
“I think I told him myself last year when I saw him before our game against Inter that he should be thinking about getting back to Europe if he wanted to go to the World Cup,” said Ferguson.
“It looks like he might just get his wish now. He had a good spell with Milan last time, so it made sense to me to see him back there again.”
Manchester United and Milan will face each other on February 16 and March 10. United starts with an away match. “The European Cup is always special to us and we’ve had some marvellous nights at Old Trafford. I just hope we have another one.
“We’re away from home in the first leg, which won’t be easy, but I’m certain the tie will be decided back at Old Trafford.”
Tags: boss, celebrity, confrontation, David Beckham, Europe, fabio capello, footballer, galaxy player, game, high profile, last time, los angeles galaxy, manchester united, media circus, Milan, old trafford, sir alex ferguson, spice, World CupRelated posts
France miss out on being World Cup seeds
December 3, 2009
France, winners in 1998 and finalists last time, will not be one of the eight top seeds at next June’s World Cup.
FIFA said the decision was based on world rankings and had nothing to do with Thierry Henry’s handball.
Just looking at the pots, a very weak-looking group could emerge from Friday’s draw.
South Africa, North Korea, Paraguay, Slovenia anyone?
Then again… Italy, USA, Ivory Coast, France could be a nightmare for all!
Tags: africa north, FIFA, France, Italy, Ivory Coast, last time, nightmare, North Korea, paraguay, pots, seeds, South Africa, thierry henry, USA, World Cup, world rankingsRelated posts
Ligue 1: Marseille – Sochaux fixture postponed
November 26, 2009
The Ligue 1 game between Sochaux and Olympique Marseille is postponed to ensure Marseille gets ample time to prepare for their decisive Champions League game against Real Madrid.
“The game between Olympique Marseille and Sochaux, which was scheduled on December 2, is postponed to a later date,” the LFP said in a statement, without giving a new date.
“This decision has been made to put Marseille in the best conditions before their crucial game against Real Madrid.”
Marseille will go through to the knockout phase of the Champions League if they manage to beat Real Madrid in the league fixture on December 8. The last time the two teams faced eachother in October 2009, Real defeated ‘L’OM’ (3-0) and climbed to the peak of Champions League Group C.
Marseille carved out a 1-1 draw with Italian giants AC Milan in their last Champions League outing.
Anurada Bhat
Tags: ac milan, ample time, bhat, C. Marseille, champions league group, december 8, giants, knockout, last time, league fixture, league game, league outing, lfp, Ligue 1, MADRID, marseille sochaux, Milan, new date, olympique marseille, real madrid, sochauxRelated posts
Revenge and qualification on the line in Milan
November 25, 2009
AC Milan can secure qualification to the Champions League knock-out stages and gain an element of revenge if they beat Marseille at the San Siro in Group C on Wednesday.
Marseille beat Milan 1-0 in the first Champions League final in 1993 to become the first and only French team to win Europe’s premier competition.
That was the last time the two sides had met until September’s clash on the Cote d’Azur, with Milan running out 2-1 winners.
That was a game that Milan came into in poor form and in which Marseille dominated but were stung by two typically predatory finishes from Filippo Inzaghi.
Having lost that game and then been well beaten away to Real Madrid, Marseille’s hopes of advancing seemed small, but they have responded well, beating FC Zurich home and away to push themselves to within a point of Milan and Madrid.
If the Italians and Spaniards both win, they will qualify for the second round, so Marseille have to get something out of this game to ensure they stay in the hunt.
They will also be looking for revenge on Milan having lost a game they should have won on the south coast.
And given the recent goalscoring form of both teams, this promises to be an entertaining encounter.
Prior to Friday’s 1-0 win over Paris St Germain, Marseille had banged in 11 goals in their previous two matches while Milan showed in their 4-3 defeat of Cagliari on Sunday that they can be irresistible going forward.
What could make this match equally interesting, though, is the difficulties both teams have at times at the back.
Marseille’s 11 goals came in a 6-1 win in Zurich and then a 5-5 draw away to Lyon in which they had actually held a 4-2 lead with 10 minutes left.
The south coast club have been at best inconsistent this season, although there have been signs under coach Didier Deschamps that they are headed in the right direction.
And Deschamps is no stranger to beating Milan having captained that Marseille side that won the Champions League in 1993.
He also put one over Milan coach Leonardo on the field in 1998 in the World Cup final in Paris when France beat Brazil 3-0.
But Leonardo arrives at this match with a much improved reputation to the one he had when the sides first met this season.
The rookie looked like a fish out of water at the beginning of the season as his team managed only six goals in their first nine matches, failing to find the net in five of those and winning only three of them.
But for Milan’s financial difficulties, he might well have been a candidate for an early sacking.
Yet Milan kept faith and Leonardo’s record and standing have been heading in the right direction.
The rossoneri have not lost in nine matches and won six of the last eight.
Perhaps more important is how they have been playing, particularly in attack.
Ronaldinho, who had looked like a shadow of his former self throughout much of 2009, has benefitted from the faith Leonardo has been showing him and although his turn of pace has gone, he has not lost any of his ability on the ball.
Leonardo’s three-pronged attack is also working wonders with the injury-prone Marco Borriello – who is a doubt for Wednesday with a knee problem – proving the perfect foil for Ronaldinho and Pato either side of him.
Borriello’s strength and ability to hold up play and bring others into the game has proved a better combination with the two Brazilians than Inzaghi’s style of hovering on the edge of the offside line.
Pato has also rediscovered his scoring touch after a lean spell and with Clarence Seedorf and Andrea Pirlo in the side, Milan are firing.
But it is at the back where they are suffering, particularly in the absence of centre-half Alessandro Nesta and defensive midfielder Gennaro Gattuso.
Both should be missing again on Wednesday and that could help ensure a spectacular occasion.
MILAN, Italy (AFP)
Tags: ac milan, cagliari, champions league, clash, cote d azur, didier deschamps, fc zurich, filippo inzaghi, french team, italians, knock out, last time, Lyon, paris st germain, real madrid, revenge, right direction, san siro, south coast club, strangerRelated posts
France and Ireland face off for potential group decider
October 24, 2009
The Women’s World Cup qualifier between France and Iceland, to be played this Saturday, may well shape the way Group 1 of the European zone looks until the end of the campaign.
Although only a few games have been played in the European qualifiers, it is clear that France and Iceland are the main contenders in this group.
The French started convincingly with a 0-7 victory in and against Croatia, which should allow them to recover from the slightly disappointing UEFA Euro 2009 campaign, where France lost to the Netherlands in the quarter finals.
The French squad is relatively young as only five players have an age of 26 or above. Team veteran is without a doubt Sandrine Soubeyrand, who despite her 36 years begins yet another qualification cycle for her country.
Iceland beat Serbia 5-0 in their opening qualifier, and went on to trash Estonia 12-0 last month. The Icelandic ladies aim to once again prove themselves as one of Europe’s powers. Things didn’t quite go so well at this summer’s European championships though, as the group games with France, Norway and Germany were all lost.
The match with France was also the last time the two met, but there have been several other meetings in recent years. The nations shared groups in both of the last two qualifying campaigns for European championships, with France winning three times and Iceland once.
The match between France and Iceland will be played at Lyon’s Stade de Gerland and starts at 16:30 local time.
Jonathan Roorda
Tags: campaigns, croatia, doubt, Estonia, Europe, european zone, face off, France, french squad, Germany, group games, Iceland, Ireland, jonathan, last time, local time, Lyon, match, Norway, roorda, stade de gerland, the Netherlands, three times, veteran, world cup qualifierRelated posts
Berbatov uses criticism to fuel United´s title charge
October 3, 2009
Dimitar Berbatov insists he has learned plenty from even his fiercest critics since arriving at Manchester United.
And the Bulgarian maintains he is satisfied as long as Sir Alex Ferguson is happy and his team are winning trophies.
Berbatov, 28, has divided fans since making a 30.75 million pounds move to Old Trafford from Tottenham 13 months ago.
The former Bayer Leverkusen striker, who has scored 16 goals in 53 United appearances, has regularly been labelled lazy by both pundits and critics during his first year at United.
But Ferguson has always stood by the player and is sure that Berbatov will thrive in a more advanced roles this season.
The ex-Spurs man admits he is irritated by the constant questions about what he brings to United, after helping the club to a third straight Premier League title and the Champions League final in his first season.
But he is adamant he will continue to justify the heavy price Ferguson paid to bring him to Old Trafford despite the constant criticism.
“It does frustrate me but you will never hear me complaining about it,” Berbatov told AFP. “I’ve spent all my life justifying myself and it’s not easy.
“But I try to work hard and I’m playing with the best players in the world for the best team in the world so you will never hear me complain, never.
“As long as the manager is happy, that’s it for me. No matter what you do there will always be somebody to criticise you but that’s ok.
“Even the meanest critics, you can see something and think ‘Yes, I need to work on that’ so I try to take the good stuff from it all and get better.
“I don’t put targets on goals about myself because the one thing that’s important for us is to win the title and obviously the Champions League which we didn’t win last time and if we win the title again it will be four titles in a row which nobody has ever done before.
“If I can help my team, assist them in any way, to help them win the championship then I’ll be happy.”
After the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo in June, Berbatov is relishing doing his bit to fill the void left by the free-scoring Portuguese star.
But he insists he will still drop into deep positions if he feels he can make key contributions and has revealed that life under Ferguson has brought a few surprises.
Berbatov, speaking on behalf of United sponsors Betfair, added: “He jokes around a lot and he’s always singing, you can hear him singing around Carrington and that really surprised me but all of a sudden the game comes.
“Literally when you talk before the game, it’s like, click, and he’s a different person.
“He’s fully concentrated on the game and he knows how to prepare for the game. I’ve been to pre-match talks and I’ve never heard anything like it in my life. He wants you to go out and destroy the opposition.
“I don’t sing with him though. He sings only opera stuff and that’s not my thing.”
Berbatov is settling into life in Manchester and admits he has enjoyed getting used to being a home player at Old Trafford.
The Bulgarian has experienced being a visitor to United’s home ground and now enjoys picking up on the tension in away players.
He said: “Every team that faces us is going on to the pitch with all the respect they have for us and sometimes they are a little afraid.
“That’s especially at Old Trafford but that?s normal because we?re the best team in the world.
“You can see it, honestly and I know that because when I was at Tottenham you would come here and you were against United, the best team, and some of the best players.
“I know that now when opposition come to Old Trafford, they’re a bit scared, they have respect, and we try to take advantage of that in the first minutes of games.”
MANCHESTER, England (AFP)
Tags: berbatov, champions league, good stuff, last time, manchester united, old trafford, premier league, pundits, ronaldo, sir alex ferguson, spurs, striker, targets, trophiesRelated posts
Mexico seeks redemption against Honduras
September 9, 2009
Some stared into the distance with a stale expression.
Others stared at the ground while they walked off the field.
Their body language depicted what had just occurred at Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano.
Honduras had beaten a deflated Mexico squad 3-1. Mexico players were in what appeared to be in disbelief.
It was a moment coach Javier Aguirre’s team would like to forget and the same time perhaps keep in mind as a rejuvenated El Tri seeks retribution in Wednesday’s World Cup qualifying match against Honduras.
This time the contest will be at Estadio Azteca with the possibility of more than 100,000 screaming fans behind its beloved Tri.
This time it will be a different Mexico facing what is also a different Honduras squad, one that comes into the match on a hot streak.
“We anticipate an intense game,” Aguirre told Mexican newspaper El Record. “Both teams should play a good game. We want revenge. They beat us in the away game and we are in a position where all the points possible are in dispute because it is do or die at this point. There is no tomorrow. We need the three points.”
The top three teams earn an automatic berth to next year’s World Cup in South Africa. The fourth place team will face South America’s fifth place team in a home-and-away playoff.
Mexico (12 points) sits behind Honduras and the United Status (both 13 points) in the standings of the hexagonal round of the region’s qualifiying tournament.
The last time both teams played, Mexico was headed to the bottom of the group with a loss to El Salvador to follow its defeat to Los Catrachos.
That was in April. The coach was Sven Goran Ericksson, who was fired and replaced by Aguirre soon after the loss to Honduras.
Aguirre now in his second term as Mexico’s coach is close to accomplishing what he was asked to do in 2002: rescue El Tri from possible elimination and qualify to the World Cup.
Since losing to Honduras and El Salvador (Aguirre’s re-debut), El Tri is 3-0 during a stretch that includes wins against the United States and last week’s 3-0 convincing win at Costa Rica.
Indeed, this is a different Mexico team led by rising star Giovani Dos Santos, a 20-year-old forward, and veteran Cuauhtemoc Blanco.
It appears Mexico has found the fluid brand of soccer that enabled the team to dominate the region during the 1980s and 90s.
But El Tri will face perhaps its toughest challenge yet.
Honduras comes into the match riding a three-game win streak in qualifying.
Coach Reinaldo Rueda’s team has outscored its opponents 9 to 1 during those games, all at home in San Pedro Sula. A 4-0 rout of Costa Rica, group leader at the time, highlighted the Hondurans’ fine form.
Honduras has shown its best attack in recent years in this qualifying tournament. Even 33-year-old veteran midfielder Amado Guevara added a goal of his own in a 4-1 against Trinidad and Tobago on Saturday.
Guevara is the all-time caps leader for Honduras with 127.
Mexico will be without a couple of veterans against Los Catrachos.
Team captain Gerardo Torrado and Guillermo Franco will serve a one-game suspension each for yellow card accumulation.
Mexican players who will step on the field hope this time they won’t have to walk out of the stadium with their heads bowed or have to stare into the distance.
By Ivan Orozco
Tags: aguirre, amado guevara, automatic berth, azteca, body language, captain Gerardo Torrado, catrachos, Costa Rica, disbelief, el tri, ericksson, estadio olimpico, good game, Guillermo Franco, Honduras, hot streak, intense game, Ivan Orozco, Javier Aguirre, last time, metropolitano, Mexico, retribution, revenge, san pedro sula, Santos, second term, South Africa, South America, trinidad and tobago, United, United States, World CupRelated posts
Emotional good-bye for Michel Salgado
August 25, 2009
Michel Salgado has left Santiago Bernabeu stadium for the last time, after an emotional good-bye prior to Monday’s friendly match with Rosenborg.
The 33-year-old was applauded and chanted to by the fans, who had created banners containing phrases as ‘Ten years of Madrid courage’ and ‘Michel, unique and irreplaceable’.
The trophies won by Real Madrid during Salgado’s stay in the Spanish capital, awaited the defender on the pitch, as if to show how important he has been since joining the club from Celta de Vigo in 1999.
“It has been a wonderful ten years at this great club,” Salgado told LaSexta television after the homage. “I thank the club for what it has given me and I wish it all the best. I hope that it will be a ’see you later’ and not a ‘farewell’. I leave with the pride and privilege of having played at this team.”
The Galician is set to continue his career at English Premiership side Blackburn Rovers.
Jonathan Roorda
Tags: celta de vigo, courage, english premiership, farewell, friendly match, Galician, good bye, homage, last time, MADRID, Michel, Michel Salgado, phrases, pitch, premiership side, privilege, real madrid, Santiago, santiago bernabeu stadium, spanish capital, trophies, VigoRelated posts
German Super Cup to be reinstated
July 31, 2009
The German Super Cup should become an official fixture on the calendar from next season after the German Football League today unanimously agreed on its reintroduction.
The event was scrapped 14 years ago and made way for a multi-club pre-season League Cup competition.
That was held for the last time two years ago, since when the previous two Bundesliga champions and DFB-Pokal winners have pushed for a Super Cup to be reintroduced.
Bayern Munich defeated Borussia Dortmund last summer and Werder Bremen beat Wolfsburg earlier this month in an event billed as the Super Cup but which was not officially recognised by the domestic football governing bodies.
However, the German Football League (DFL) are set to revive the competition officially next summer.
“The clash between the German champion and the DFB-Pokal winner is very prestigious and it will excite the fans,” said DFL president Dr Reinhard Rauball after a board meeting produced a unanimous vote in favour of its reintroduction.
“We want to build on an old tradition which is particularly popular in other European countries.”
Abhimanyu Rajput
Tags: Bayern, board meeting, Bremen, Bundesliga, clash, cup competition, dfb pokal, dfl, domestic football, Dr Reinhard Rauball, european countries, favour, german champion, german football league, governing bodies, last time, Munich, president dr, Reinhard Rauball, summer, tradition, unanimous vote, Werder, werder bremen, WolfsburgRelated posts
Carvalho stresses desire to quit Chelsea
July 8, 2009
ROME (AFP) – Portugal centre-back Ricardo Carvalho has reiterated his desire to leave Chelsea in an interview published in Tuesday’s Corriere dello Sport.
The 31-year-old former Porto defender had a miserable season in London last time out, largely due to injuries which saw him lose his place in the Chelsea team.
And now he has set his heart on a move away from Stamford Bridge with Inter his preferred destination, although the two teams cannot agree on a fee.
“I want to start a new cycle in my career, I feel ready to do so,” he said.
“I have spoken to Chelsea’s bosses and they know what I want, we’ll see what happens now.
“I’ve been in London for five years and I’ve had some great times. I won many things and the only thing that was missing was the Champions League, which last year (2008) escaped us only on penalties.
“The first four seasons were fantastic but the last one was really difficult. It’s only right that our paths (his and Chelsea’s) separate.”
Carvalho has a very clear idea of where he wants to go to and more or less ruled out a move to moneybags Manchester City, who have reportedly offered three times more than Inter to try to secure his services.
“My agent Jorge Mendes knows what I want. If I leave Chelsea I only want to play for a top club, otherwise I’ll stay in London and respect my contract,” he added.
“I’m not saying that because I’m being presumptuous but because over the last few seasons I’ve played at a certain level and I can still do so.
“Inter are a top club, even a ’special’ one. I’ve heard great things about them,” he said alluding to Inter boss Jose Mourinho’s self-proclaimed nickname: The Special One.
Carvalho played under Mourinho for two years at Porto, winning the Champions League together in 2004, and his countryman even brought him to London when he moved to Chelsea.
Carvalho is keen to secure a reunion.
“I don’t need to speak with Mourinho because he knows me well. When he arrived at Porto we started winning.
“They were two and a half unforgettable years and then we went together to England.
“Playing for someone who does everything to win is an important stimulant.”
As well as rejoining his former boss, Carvalho hopes that Chelsea team-mate Deco follows suit and another fellow Portugal international Ricardo Quaresma stays put in Milan.
Both players, also formerly of Porto, are coming off seasons to forget with Deco failing to find his best form at Chelsea and Quaresma struggling likewise during his first season in Milan.
In January he then opted for a loan move to Chelsea but that too turned sour and he hardly ever played.
“Rest assured that he’s a special player and I’m not just saying that because he’s my friend and we played together in the national team and at Chelsea.
“His first five months at Inter were difficult but he’s quality and you don’t lose quality in half a season.
“Deco is fantastic and even if he didn’t play as he can in London, he’s still one of the best midfielders in Europe.”
Tags: AFP, boss, champions league, CHELSEA, corriere dello sport, countryman, England, English Premier League, Europe, four seasons, jorge mendes, jose mourinho, last time, london, manchester city, many things, Milan, miserable season, nickname, PORTO, portugal, preferred destination, ricardo carvalho, ricardo quaresma, ROME, stamford bridge, three times, time outRelated posts
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