Brazilian duo extend deals at Bordeaux

February 2, 2010


Brazilian midfielders Fernando Menegazzo and Jussie have extended their current deals with French league champions Bordeaux, the club said on Tuesday.

Fernando had been courted by several Italian clubs, including Genoa, during the close season, but he has negotiated a three-year extension and will now stay in south-west France until 2014.

Jussie, formerly of Cruzeiro and Japanese side Kashiwa Reysol, agreed a four-year extension that will see him stay with Laurent Blanc’s side until 2015.

BORDEAUX, France (AFP)

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Four-star Rooney sends United top

January 23, 2010


Wayne Rooney’s four-goal performance helped ensure Manchester United’s focus returned to on-field affairs as the defending Premier League champions moved to the top of the table for the first time in more than three months with a 4-0 victory over Hull.

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson has spoken of the need to give Rooney a rest but the England forward’s form and importance to his team make such a move unlikely any time soon.

It took Rooney just seven minutes against struggling Hull to illustrate the point perfectly to his manager and also to ease the pressure and growing dissatisfaction around Old Trafford in the wake of recent developments off the field surrounding American owners the Glazer family.

The announcement this week that United’s debts stand at 716 million pounds did not impress many of the club’s supporters, even though a successful 500 million bond issue will allow the Glazers to re-structure that debt.

Ferguson felt moved, in his pre-match programme notes, to call upon supporters to show unity behind their club and cease their anti-Glazer agitating.

However, as long as Rooney remains fit and in the sort of goal-scoring form he showed against Hull, United’s future does not look quite so precarious.

United’s first goal came after Park Ji-Sung played the ball into the path of Paul Scholes, who drilled in a vicious shot which Hull goal keeper Boaz Myhill could only parry.

Rooney responded more quickly than anyone else on the field, gathering the loose ball and steadying himself before burying his 17th goal of the season into the gaping goal.

Goal number 18 came in the 82nd minute after Myhill had made a poor job of dealing with a long-range Nani free-kick. Rooney himself kept the loose ball in play and Nani found the forward, who finished clinically from 15 yards.

The hat-trick was just three minutes away as the irrepressible forward ran in to meet Nani’s hanging cross and head into the goal from six yards.

For good measure, the 20th goal of Rooney’s increasingly remarkable season followed in injury-time as he collected Dimitar Berbatov’s neat flick, saw three defenders back off, and converted his shot from 12 yards.

Rooney, partnered by Michael Owen, who was making just his fifth league start of the campaign, was comfortably his team’s greatest threat, from early in the contest, and, midway through the first half, almost had a hand in two more goals.

First, he met Nani’s cross with a devastating shot on the turn which looped off a defender and behind for a corner. Then, seconds later, Rooney produced an audacious back heel which played in Owen but the former England striker was slow to respond and Andy Dawson made the recovering tackle.

Rooney was again the threat, just after the half hour, when George Boateng brought down Park on the edge of the area and Rooney curled a free-kick beyond the Hull wall and inches past Myhill’s right-hand post.

While United only led by a goal, there was still anxiety, not aided when Jonny Evans’ weak back header almost allowed Nick Barmby to equalize, his shot being saved well by Edwin van der Sar.

The other side of Rooney’s football personality was on display just before the half-time whistle when he was booked for hacking at Stephen Hunt out of frustration having just lost the ball badly to Ricardo Garcia.

Also before the interval, Owen was on the end of the move of the match, a flowing passing sequence which ended with Nani’s neat through ball and a weak tap straight at Myhill from the out-of-sorts striker.

It was a similar story after the re-start with United creating enough chances to win the game comfortably before Rooney put the outcome beyond all doubt with a devastating spell of three more goals in the final eight minutes.

MANCHESTER (AFP)

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Ronaldo sale boosts Man Utd earnings

January 11, 2010


English giants Manchester United on Monday reported pre-tax profits of 48.2 million pounds (53.6 million euros) for the year to June 30, 2009.

The figure includes the world record 80 million pounds (90 million euros) fee they pocketed for the sale of star forward Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid and also 41.9 million pounds paid out in interest on a mammoth loan of 509.5 million pounds.

Turnover was also up, from 80.4 million pounds in 2008 to 91.3 million pounds a year later.

The figures were released on a morning when United officially confirmed their intention to raise 500million pounds through bonds in order to refinance their debts.

Without the world record sale of Ronaldo, the reigning English Premier League champions would have been reporting a loss of 31.8 million pounds, a situation that clearly is unsustainable over the long term, hence the bonds issue.

“Manchester United today announced that it will be seeking to raise approximately 500million pounds aggregate principal amount from an offering of senior secured notes due 2017,” said a United statement.

“The notes, whose proceeds will be used to refinance existing debt secured against the club, will be issued by MU Finance plc.”

LONDON (AFP)

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Man United stress Leeds is top priority

January 3, 2010


Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher insists that Sunday’s FA Cup duel with historic rivals Leeds is his immediate concern rather than a Premier League-Champions League double.

Leeds, former English champions but currently playing in the third tier of domestic football after a spectacular fall from grace, will be the first in a series of key games for United.

After Sunday comes a meeting with Manchester City in the League Cup semi-finals before Premier League battle resumes again at Birmingham on January 9.

AC Milan are then on the agenda in the Champions League in February.

“Everyone looks ahead and speaks about the Christmas period but the matches we are into now straight afterwards are just as important,” said Fletcher.

“I just take each game as it comes and think all the other players do the same thing.

“You can look too far ahead of yourself and start thinking about what is to come whether you have an easy run of games.

“But it never works out like that. We have the FA Cup, the League Cup semi-final and then more important league games. The best thing to do is try to win them all.”

Teammate Michael Carrick said he is relishing United’s clash with Leeds and feels Sir Alex Ferguson’s side are on the verge of a fine burst of form.

United go into the new year two points off the Premier League leaders Chelsea and safely through to the knock-out phase of the Champions League.

Even so, England midfielder Carrick accepts United have not hit top gear yet during the campaign.

The Old Trafford club have lost five matches in the Premier League and have been beset by defensive injuries.

Those problems at the back are starting to clear up, with Wes Brown and Nemanja Vidic forming what looks like a solid central defensive partnership.

Ferguson intends to use his youngsters in the League Cup against City but has said he will opt for a strong selection against League One leaders Leeds.

The Yorkshire club, who pipped Ferguson’s men to the domestic title in 1992, have been in the third division of English football for three years but as recently as a decade ago were significant top-flight contenders.

The teams’ first meeting since Leeds were relegated in 2004 is eagerly awaited and the visitors are set to bring 9,000 supporters to Old Trafford.

But Carrick is looking forward to his first taste of this most intense of fixtures.

“Experiencing those types of feisty atmospheres are why you play football,” Carrick said.

“Rivalries like that add extra spice. It is great for the fans and good for the players.

“No matter where you play, or whether the atmosphere is for or against you, it is a great feeling to play.

“Besiktas were very hostile when we went there earlier this season (in the Champions League) but it was still terrific to play in.

“Leeds are bringing a lot of fans and we are looking forward to it. It should be a cracking game.”

United have lost two of their last five matches at home but beat Wigan 5-0 last time out and Carrick is desperate for them to continue their improvement at Old Trafford against Leeds.

“We have not hit top form all season, especially at home,” Carrick conceded. “We have just been doing enough to get through. We know we are better than that and now is the time to do it.”

Ferguson has hinted that Gary Neville will play against Leeds and he will use a similar side to the one that thrashed Wigan.

Leeds have not won at Old Trafford since 1981 and they go into Sunday’s match as huge underdogs.

But midfielder Jonny Howson insists they have nothing to fear, having narrowly lost 1-0 to Liverpool in the League Cup earlier this season.

“They have big players but we want to test ourselves and impress against these players,” Howson said.

“We have players who can hurt and you saw that against Liverpool (in the League Cup). We caused them problems.

“I saw an interview with Jamie Carragher where he said we were their toughest game up to that point so I don’t see why we can’t cause them (United) problems on Sunday.”

MANCHESTER, England (AFP)

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Ben Arfa interests Man United

December 24, 2009


Premier League champions Manchester United are interested in signing Hatem Ben Arfa, according to sources in France.

The one-time starlet of French football impressed in his youth and was seen as a potential successor of Zinedine Zidane as he came through the ranks at Lyon.

Ben Arfa was linked with a move to one of Europe’s top clubs in 2008 but he opted to stay in France and ended up accepting a move to Olympique Marseille.

Ferguson has dug into the French market recently having already snapped up Gabriel Obertan from Bordeaux last summer and he is now reportedly interested in bringing Ben Arfa to Old Trafford.

United are reported to have made contact with Ben Arfa’s representatives. Sources say that United are offering for a loan deal with a view to making it a permanent move.

Other clubs interested in signing Ben Arfa on loan in January include Sevilla, Olympiakos and Tottenham Hotspur.

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Chelsea to face Everton test

December 12, 2009


There’s no crisis talk at Stamford Bridge but events in the last fortnight have prompted Chelsea’s first bout of soul-searching since the pre-season arrival of manager Carlo Ancelotti.

The Blues saw out November with an emphatic 3-0 victory at Arsenal that led to Ancelotti’s side being hailed as Premier League champions-elect in some quarters.

But the mood has darkened since that game with a league defeat at Manchester City following a League Cup loss to Blackburn before this week’s scrambled home Champions League draw with APOEL Nicosia that the manager described as the worst performance since he took charge.

Suddenly the poise that accompanied Chelsea’s controlled start to the season looks a little less assured and there will be an added edge to their home meeting with Everton this weekend.

Manchester United’s victory at West Ham last weekend meant the champions capitalised on Chelsea’s loss at City, cutting the London club’s advantage at the head of the Premier League to just two points.

Another slip against Everton and the two leading clubs could be back on level terms, with the balance of power shifting towards Old Trafford.

No wonder, then, that Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole saw the meeting with the Merseysiders as a key match.

“We need to bounce back at the weekend and get back to winning ways,” the England international said. “Hopefully, we can do that on Saturday.

“The next five Premier League games are very important. The Christmas period is always vital. We want to still be sitting on top of the league at the start of January. If we do that we’ll be very happy.

“Any team can beat you in the Premier League and it’s very difficult to win games. There are no excuses. We’re sitting on top of the league now and need to be sitting there on January 1.”

Chelsea will be without influential midfielder Michael Essien after the Ghana star tore his right hamstring against Nicosia.

Essien will be out for up to four weeks, after which he will be leaving for international duty at the African Cup of Nations.

That tournament looms large for Chelsea, who won’t want to concede ground in the title race when they are set to be without Essien, Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and John Obi Mikel early in the New Year.

Everton visit west London on the back of last weekend’s dramatic draw against Tottenham, when they recovered from a two-goal deficit.

Their season was in danger of entering a serious decline but the spirit demonstrated by David Moyes’s men squad against Spurs gave hope that the Toffees were about to get themselves out of a sticky situation.

Everton could soon be bolstered by the arrival of the Los Angeles Galaxy’s United States international midfielder Landon Donovan on loan, a welcome addition given the injury problems at Goodison Park.

Joseph Yobo is likely to miss the rest of December with a hamstring injury but at least manager Moyes can call on John Heitinga after the Dutchman missed the 2-2 draw with Tottenham through suspension.

Even though Republic of Ireland Under-21 international Seamus Coleman impressed as a substitute against Spurs, the defender is not expecting a starting spot at Stamford Bridge.

“I’m not going to look too far ahead of myself. I want to play, everyone wants to play, but I’m not going to be unrealistic,” he said.

“It (the Spurs game) is only one game and one game is not going to make me a player, so I need to push on.”

LONDON (AFP)

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Cole ´not for sale at any price´: West Ham

November 14, 2009


West Ham have warned Manchester United that England striker Carlton Cole is not for sale at any price.

Premier League champions United are the latest club to be linked with a 20 million pounds (22.3 million euros) bid for Cole when the transfer window reopens in January.

Former Chelsea youth academy product Cole has scored six times this season and reports in the English press on Saturday suggested United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to make a massive offer for the 26-year-old.

However a West Ham spokesman insisted that Cole is “not for sale” and added: “We want to keep all our best players and the suggestion that we need to sell because of a financial crisis is not true.”

LONDON (AFP)

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Referees´ rep slams ban on United boss Ferguson

November 13, 2009


Sir Alex Ferguson was told he’d “got off lightly” by the union representing England’s top referees after receiving a four-game touchline ban for an outspoken attack on referee Alan Wiley.

The Manchester United manager, who admitted a Football Association (FA) charge of improper conduct, publicly labelled Wiley as “unfit” after his Premier League champions were held to a 2-2 draw by Sunderland at Old Trafford on October 3.

But on Thursday he was banned for four games, of which two are suspended until the end of the 2010/11 season, fined 20,000 pounds (33,148 dollars) and warned as to his future conduct following his “grossly improper and wholly inappropriate” comments about Wiley.

However, Alan Leighton, national secretary of officials’ union Prospect, accused the FA of “flunking” the issue by not imposing a harsher punishment upon the 67-year-old Scot and so undermining their own ‘Respect’ campaign, designed to encourage better behaviour towards referees.

“From our point of view it is disappointing. The Football Association had a chance to make a point and they flunked it,” Leighton said. “We don’t think this is sending the right message out to other managers.

“This is not a personal vendetta against Sir Alex but he has a particular stature within the game and if he is seen to be getting off lightly other managers may think what he said was not beyond the pale.”

Peter Griffiths, chairman of the commission which imposed the ban on Ferguson, said after Thursday’s hearing: “Each member of the commission recognised Sir Alex Ferguson’s achievements and stature within the game.

“Having said that, it was made clear to Sir Alex that with such stature comes increased responsibilities.

“The commission considered his admitted remarks, in the context in which they were made, were not just improper but were grossly improper and wholly inappropriate. He should never have said what he did say.”

Ferguson, who will receive the commission’s full findings on Friday, has the right of appeal.

But should he accept the ban, Ferguson is now set to be barred from the dug-out for United’s Premier League matches later this month at home to Everton and away to Portsmouth

The commission said the suspended sanction would be automatically activated should Ferguson be found guilty of a similar charge before the end of the 2010/11 season on top of any sanction imposed for that offence.

Ferguson accused Wiley of not being “fit enough for a game of that standard” and of “walking up the pitch for the second goal needing a rest”.

Soon after the original incident, Ferguson apologised to Wiley for speaking out, although, significantly, not for the content of his remarks.

“I apologise to Mr Wiley for any personal embarrassment that my remarks may have caused and to the FA for going public with my views,” Ferguson said.

“My only intention in speaking publicly was to highlight what I believe to be a serious and important issue in the game, namely that the fitness levels of referees must match the ever-increasing demands of the modern game.”

Following his side’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool last month, Ferguson questioned whether Andre Marriner, who took charge of the game at Anfield, had the required experience for a match of such significance.

He also accused Martin Atkinson of being in an “absolutely ridiculous” position when he awarded Chelsea the free-kick that led to their winner against United at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

LONDON (AFP)

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Table-topping Blues excite Ancelotti

November 1, 2009


Carlo Ancelotti said he was thrilled by Chelsea’s response to their early-season setbacks after a 4-0 win over Bolton Wanderers left them two points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

The Blues lost back to back away league games against Wigan and Aston Villa to raise doubts about whether they were genuine challengers for the title.

But they have responded to the 2-1 loss at Villa with four straight wins, including 17 goals and four clean sheets.

Ancelotti’s team now have a trip to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League ahead of a crucial game against Premier League champions Manchester United.

And although Ancelotti insisted he was not looking beyond the game in Spain, he was pleased with the way the Londoners have bounced back in the league.

“It was our aim to stay top and we maintained the two points lead before this game and now we have to think about Atletico Madrid and prepare for a fantastic match against Manchester United,” said Ancelotti after Chelsea made it eight goals in a matter of days against Bolton after a 4-0 midweek League Cup win.

“Usually people think about the game against Manchester United but we have another important game during the week and we want to prepare well,” the Italian manager explained.

“We have time to prepare for Manchester United but it’s very easy to prepare for this game.

“It’s a very important match but we have to maintain our concentration on the Champions League group at this moment.”

Ancelotti added: “I think that we accepted the criticism before because we had self criticism and that’s normal when you don’t do well.”

Frank Lampard’s penalty, after Jlloyd Samuel was sent-off for tripping Didier Drogba, sent Chelsea on their way here at the Reebok Stadium.

Second-half goals from Deco, Zat Knight’s own goal and Drogba gave Saturday’s scoreline a comfortable feel.

Joe Cole, much praised since returning from a knee injury, was left on the bench with Deco given the chance to impress against Bolton.

And Ancelotti said the veteran Portuguese was a vital player for the west London club.

“He is doing what he knows,” Ancelotti explained. “It is nothing special, he can do this and is doing it for the team and this is important.

“He’s an unselfish player. Usually offensive players with quality are a little bit selfish but I’ve found an unselfish offensive midfielder.

“We did a good performance and it was a difficult first-half because Bolton played a very strong match in the first-half, with lots of pressure on our midfielders.

“We maintained good concentration, good intensity and we won a very important match.”

Despite being beaten by the same margin in midweek, Bolton manager Gary Megson was far happier with his team after this match.

His formation mirrored Chelsea’s ‘diamond’ set-up and he was pleased with the way his side competed.

“I know we’ve been beaten 4-0 but I thought we were terrific. The diamond, we struggled with on Wednesday we didn’t struggle with today (Saturday),” Megson said.

“Whereas they had Lampard in it, we had Chris Basham. Whereas they had Michael Ballack, we had Tamir Cohen.

“They’ve spent all that money and quality on that diamond. We tried to rev our lads up to compete man for man with all of those.”

Megson, however, may find himself in trouble with the Football Association after criticising referee Peter Walton for awarding the penalty that led to the opening goal.

He added: “It is a soft penalty. I thought it was engineered well. If Drogba keeps it on his right hand side Jlloyd would not get sent-off trying to get to it. He brings it to his left hand side and with Peter Walton and penalties and Bolton there is only one thing that can happen.”

BOLTON, England (AFP)

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ManUnited in search of Rovers´ revival

October 31, 2009


Sir Alex Ferguson wants a comprehensive performance from Manchester United against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday to prove they have from last weekend’s loss at Anfield.

Liverpool beat Premier League champions United 2-0 in a thunderous atmosphere on Merseyside to not only keep their own threadbare title ambitions alive but also end their arch-rivals’ 11-match unbeaten run.

A comfortable enough victory at Barnsley during the week put United into the last eight of the League Cup and seemed to prove the Liverpool result has not left any mental hangovers at Old Trafford.

“Part of the challenge is how you react to disappointment,” said Ferguson. “We lost 4-1 to Liverpool at home last season, which was a travesty but the players buckled down and we went on to win the league.”

During last Sunday’s Liverpool encounter, former Anfield star Michael Owen looked United?s most potent force and he also scored in the win at Barnsley.

The England striker may have been a surprise pre-season acquisition by Ferguson but he continues to impress at Old Trafford.

“Michael is always looking and always on the move,” United assistant manager Mike Phelan said. “That is the quality of Michael Owen and those qualities are of benefit to us.

“Michael has come to Manchester United as it a fresh challenge for him and we can use him as and when we need to use him.”

Blackburn will arrive at Old Trafford after one of the most testing weeks for a Premier League football club in recent memory due to the swine-flu problems that have affected their squad in the build-up to this encounter.

Two players missed last weekend’s 5-0 thrashing by Chelsea due to the condition, while a further player and two members of staff have also contracted the illness to disrupt Sam Allardyce’s plans.

The Rovers manager also knows he has significant problems on the pitch because his side is currently incapable of winning on the road, having lost their last nine encounters away from Ewood Park.

Allardyce admitted: “The difference between the team at Ewood and the team away from home is unrecognisable.

“If you beat Aston Villa with 10-men at home you are showing some real quality style, grit and determination.

“But if you then lose 6-2 and 5-0 at Arsenal and Chelsea then you see a team you just can’t recognise.

“It is a baffling problem that I need to resolve immediately before Manchester United.

“I have to resolve it because, if I don’t, it becomes like the ‘yips’ (a nervous and uncertain putting stroke) in golf if you like.

“The ‘yips’ can become a greater and greater problem as time goes on and on and on so we have to resolve it by the time we are at Old Trafford.”

He added: “We need to be organised and resilient enough to make sure that no matter what happens, with 10 minutes to go we are still in with a chance.”

United will be without Park Ji-sung (knee) while Darren Fletcher has yet to play since injuring his foot on international duty with Scotland but could be in contention.

Blackburn defender Christopher Samba is still struggling with swine-flu, but Rovers say they are monitoring the situation day-by-day.

Meanwhile right-back Pascal Chimbonda (calf) and midfielder Vince Grella (thigh) are also doubts.

MANCHESTER, England (AFP)

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