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United defensive woes deepen as Vidic stays home

Manchester United have been left with just one regular defender for Tuesday’s Champions League tie with Wolfsburg after Nemanja Vidic failed to recover from flu in time to travel to Germany.

The Serbian centreback was left at home along with Gary Neville and Wes Brown, who both suffered injuries in Saturday’s 4-0 win at West Ham, longer-term absentees Rio Ferdinand, John O’Shea and Jonny Evans, and Brazilian twins Fabio and Rafael da Silva.

France left-back Patrice Evra is the last first-team defender standing and United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is resigned to fielding a makeshift back four against the German champions.

Michael Carrick is expected to stand in in central defence, as he did after Neville went off on Saturday, and his fellow midfielder Darron Gibson is also able to operate at the back.

Alternatively, Ferguson could gamble on handing a debut to Oliver Gill, the 19-year-old son of United’s chief executive David, who is a specialist defender but has made only nine appearances for the reserves this season.

United, who need a point to ensure they finish top of their group, have also opted to travel without Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Ryan Giggs while first-choice goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar remains sidelined by injury.

MANCHESTER, England (AFP)

Tags: alex ferguson, central defence, da silva, darron gibson, David, defensive woes, dimitar berbatov, Edwin van der, edwin van der sar, England, Fabio, France, gary neville, german champions, Germany, john o shea, John O'Shea, league tie, Manchester, Michael Carrick, Neville, patrice evra, Rafael, Rio, rio ferdinand, ryan giggs, sir alex ferguson, van der sar, vidic, wayne rooney, wes brown, west ham

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Barcelona suffer Ibrahimovic injury blow

Barcelona’s Swedish international striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been ruled out of Saturday’s clash with Athletic Bilbao and could also miss Tuesday’s crucial Champions League tie against Inter Milan.

Ibrahimovic, 28, has an injured right leg and is crucial to the defending European champions’ hopes of making the second round of this year’s competition.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: athletic bilbao, Barcelona, champions league, clash, european champions, injury blow, inter milan, league tie, MADRID, striker, swedish international, zlatan ibrahimovic

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Rummenigge to stay at Bayern through 2011

Tags: Bayern, bayern munich, Bordeaux, bordeaux france, champions league, club spokesman, december 31, France, Germany, giants, karl heinz, karl heinz rummenigge, league tie, Markus Horwick, SID, sports, three months

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Chelsea struggle to beat APOEL

Chelsea came through a tricky Champions League tie in Cyprus on Wednesday against Cypriot underdogs APOEL Nicosia with a scrappy 1-0 victory to stay top of Group D.

After a hesitant start in the opening minutes Chelsea quickly found their stride with the intelligent running of Nicolas Anelka on the left and Frank Lampard probing through the middle of the park.

The home side seemed unfazed by the occasion – billed as the biggest game in the club’s 83-year history – but APOEL had little answer to combat Chelsea’s wing play.

And the Cypriots were undone by a weaving run from right-back Branislav Ivanovic, who broke into the box to set up Anelka to calmly curl the shot past keeper Dionisios Chiotis after 18 minutes.

The Frenchman was a constant menace, first on the left, then switching intermittently to the right as he seemed to find space easily behind the defence.

Before Anelka’s strike, Salomon Kalou had a chance to score but put his shot wide of the target and Ashely Cole could have made it two-nil after only 20 minutes gone but his header wide from six yards.

Despite Chelsea pressure the goal was the only shot on target with Chiotis not really called on to repeat the heroics of his clean sheet in Madrid.

His opposite number down the other end also had a quiet first 45 minutes with Petr Cech only called in to service to punch away a Constantinos Charalambides free kick. And the Cyprus international should have done better when he skewed a volley horribly wide when he had a sight on goal.

The Premier League title contenders came out after the interval eager to clinch a second goal that would inevitably kill the game off as a contest. But the extra goal never came while Chelsea were put on the back foot in the second half with some desperate defending thrown in.

And while the visitors failed to create chances, APOEL grew more confident, taking the fight to Chelsea.

They came close to a shock equaliser when a mix up in the defence gave Savvas Poursatides a scoring opportunity but Cech smartly saved with his legs.

Charalambides nearly had the last word in this tie, but his close range header from an angle went the wrong side of the bar five minutes from the end.

As the contest entered the final third, the London club seemed to lose shape and rhythm as passes went astray. Chelsea looked rather ordinary at that stage while the Cypriots played the better football that made a mockery of their minnow status.

This was not Chelsea’s best performance in Europe but manager Carlo Ancelotti demanded three points and his players delivered.

APOEL are only the second Cypriot team to reach the group stage of Europe’s premier club competition – after Anorthosis made it last season – and earned a credible 0-0 opening-day draw away to Atletico Madrid.

Chelsea wanted to cement their place at the top of the table with a second victory in as many games.

No Cypriot team had ever beaten an English side in European competition.

Yet this rarely seemed like a David v Goliath contest with Chelsea’s wealth of talent failing to overpower their hosts.

APOEL were buoyed by their vociferous ‘orange’ supporters, who created an intimidating atmosphere at Nicosia’s GSP stadium.

NICOSIA (AFP)

Tags: apoel nicosia, carlo ancelotti, cech, charalambides, CHELSEA, Cole, constantinos, Constantinos Charalambides, cypriots, Cyprus, D. After, David, equaliser, Europe, frank lampard, free kick, frenchman, heroics, ivanovic, league tie, london, MADRID, Nicolas Anelka, Nicosia, opposite number, Petr Cech, premier league, Salomon Kalou, Savvas Poursatides, target, title contenders, volley

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Rennes on high as French tighten grip on troublemakers

Unheralded Rennes will be raring to prove that they merit their place among the big boys when they travel to champions Bordeaux as the French league returns to action at the weekend under tight security.

Rennes, sitting fourth after a stormy 4-0 win over Grenoble last weekend, are counting on pulling off an exploit at Bordeaux on Sunday after coming from behind to book their place in the last 16 of the League Cup with a 2-1 win over Sochaux on Wednesday.

This weekend’s matches will be the first since the French government announced new security measures following violence which has marred the start of the season.

The measures include increased police surveillance and points reductions for teams whose supporters are involved in violence at matches.

Bordeaux, meanwhile, will be keen to maintain their unbeaten run at their Chaban Delmas stadium this season.

The western French side are on top of the league, two points ahead of former champions Lyon and Marseille with Rennes a further two points behind, after the Brittany outfit made a surprisingly strong start to the season and are unbeaten after six games.

The chasing pack will be looking for the champions, who could be without midfielder Yoann Gourcuff after he suffered a thigh strain, to trip up.

And Didier Deschamps has ordered his Marseille to focus on Valencienes and not next week’s Champions League tie against Spanish giants Real Madrid despite their league rivals having earned just seven points from six games.

“If my players already have Real at the back of their minds, I’m not going to take that away from them. But I’ll remind them that the priority is the championship,” said Deschamps.

Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda added: “It would be a lie to say that we’re not thinking a little about Madrid. We know that this match is looming but today it’s Valenciennes.”

Lyon coach Claude Puel, meanwhile, has injury worries ahead of his side hosting midtable Toulouse and will be without Argentine striker Lisandro Lopez, Brazilian midfielder Michel Bastos and defender Jean-Alain Boumsong.

And midfielder Kim Kallstrom is expecting a tough test against Toulouse, riding high after coming away with a win from Partizan Belgrade in the Europa League recently.

“Toulouse are very strong and are coming off a very good season,” he said. “They also have a great striker (Andre-Pierre Gignac). We have to watch out for this team.”

Elsewhere fifth-placed Monaco host St Etienne, while Paris St Germain travel to Lorient, while Sunday sees Le Mans host Lens and Nice visit Lille.

Tailenders Grenoble travel to Auxerre, as the Burgundy side bid to kickstart their season after their 3-1 League Cup flop to second division strugglers Sedan.

Saturday (all times 17:00 GMT unless stated)

Auxerre v Grenoble

Lorient v PSG

Monaco v St Etienne

Montpellier v Boulogne

AS Nancy v Sochaux

Valenciennes v Marseille

Lyon v Toulouse (19:00)

Sunday

Lille v Nice (15:00)

Le Mans v Lens (15:00)

Bordeaux v Rennes (19:00)

PARIS (AFP)

Tags: Andre-Pierre Gignac, Argentine, Belgrade, big boys, Bordeaux, Boulogne, brazilia, Brittany, claude puel, didier deschamps, french league, french side, Germain, Grenoble, injury worries, jean alain boumsong, kim kallstrom, league rivals, league tie, Lens, Lille, Lorient, Lyon, Mans, Marseille, Michel Bastos, Monaco, Montpellier, Nancy, new security measures, PARIS, police surveillance, real madrid, seven points, six games, sochaux, Steve Mandanda, thigh strain, tight security, Toulouse, valenciennes, western French, yoann gourcuff

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Yakubu back in Everton squad after scoring return

Nigeria star Aiyegbeni Yakubu is in line to make his first Everton appearance in 10 months after recovering from a ruptured Achilles.

Yakubu scored for the Everton reserves in a 3-0 win over Burnley on Tuesday evening and, having come through the match unscathed, was included in the squad to travel to the Czech Republic for a Europa League tie on Thursday.

David Moyes’s side are not expected to have any problems wrapping up a place in the group stage of the competition after beating Sigma Olomouc 4-0 in the first leg of their play-off tie.

The outing with the reserves was Yakubu’s first game since he ruptured his Achilles in a match at Tottenham in November 2008.

LIVERPOOL, England (AFP)

Tags: 10 months, achilles, aiyegbeni yakubu, appearance, burnley, czech republic, David Moyes, England, everton reserves, first game, group stage, league tie, Liverpool, liverpool england, match, nigeria, ruptured achilles, sigma olomouc, tottenham, tuesday evening

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Celtic´s Mowbray turns thoughts to Arsenal

Celtic manager Tony Mowbray says he has already settled on the side that will face Arsenal on Wednesday as he watched the Hoops warm up for their crucial Champions League tie with a 5-2 thrashing of St Johnstone.

The win, which sends the Old Firm giants top of the Scottish Premier League, came four days after they lost the first leg of their play-off match against Arsene Wenger’s side 2-0 in Glasgow.

Now, with a place in the lucrative group stages of the competition at stake, Mowbray knows his side need to score at least twice at the Emirates Stadium if they are to have any hope of going through.

And the former West Bromwich Albion boss says he has already picked the players he thinks can do a job for the Hoops in London and complete a remarkable turnaround.

“When the Arsenal draw came out the hat I think my idea of how the team might play was settled pretty quickly,” Mowbray said.

“Obviously, the result of the first leg alters your thought patterns of how you might set up for the second leg. If we had been sitting here 2-0 ahead I would probably play a different team than if we were 2-0 down. We have to go and score some goals. I am pretty clear in my mind what my team is going to be next Wednesday but wait and see.

“I understand that I get judged. If we lose 2-0 I’ve got the team wrong again. But if we manage to win 3-0 everyone will be pretty happy hopefully.”

Striker Marc-Antoine Fortune got his first goals for Celtic with a double in the match against St Johnstone. And the 3.8 million pound (five million euro) signing from Nancy was delighted to get on the score-sheet for the first time since his summer switch and said he hoped they would earn him a starting spot against Arsenal.

“I am very happy as it was at home and we won. I just try to do my best every match and I knew one day I would score,” Fortune said.

“Every player wants to play in Champions League games against the big sides and I hope to start every game but the team comes first. It will be difficult as Arsenal are a very difficult team to play.

“We did it against Moscow so we will see on Wednesday what will happen.”

Gary Caldwell’s nightmare start to the season continued in the match against Saints with his misjudged header allowing Trinidad and Tobago international Colin Samuel to rifle past Artur Boruc to make it 2-1 just before half-time.

The Scotland defender has already seen red while on international duty against Norway while his own goal made it 2-0 for Arsenal at Parkhead to compound Celtic’s misery. But Mowbray, who was also Caldwell’s gaffer when the player was at Hibernian, says he has no doubts about pitching the player in against Arsenal.

“I’m not concerned at all as he is an outstanding individual,” Mowbray said. “I said to him there ?Don’t become your own worst enemy, don’t feed the monster (of doubt) that’s chasing you. Just do your job, be consistent week in week out.’ He understands that and I’ve got no fear he will have the opportunity week in week out to be a top player for us as he will play most weeks.”

Two goals from Shaun Maloney, one either side of Fortune’s double, and a header from Australian striker Scott McDonald completed the rout against St Johnstone before former Chelsea midfielder Jody Morris scored a consolation for Saints. And Mowbray says it gives his side a boost ahead of their match with Arsenal.

“I would have preferred 5-0 but I think our team is going to be capable of scoring plenty of goals as we go along,” the Celtic manager said.

“The quality we possess in the team it is going to ask lots of questions of the opposition regardless of how many men they play at the back or how many men they put behind the ball. We have some individual talent that can unlock doors for us.”

GLASGOW (AFP)

Tags: arsenal, arsene wenger, Artur Boruc, champions league, CHELSEA, Colin Samuel, Don, Gary Caldwell, Glasgow, group stages, hoops, league games, league tie, london, marc antoine fortune, match, Morris, Moscow, Nancy, Norway, premier league, remarkable turnaround, score sheet, scotland, Scottish Premier League, Shaun Maloney, st johnstone, stake, summer switch, thought patterns, tony mowbray, trinidad and tobago, West Bromwich, west bromwich albion, win 3

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Liverpool complete signing of Greek defender Kyrgiakos

Liverpool completed the signing of Greek international Sotirios Kyrgiakos on Friday in a deal which will help ease the early season defensive worries for coach Rafael Benitez.

The 30-year-old, who has 50 caps, passed a medical to finalise his switch from AEK Athens, and has signed a two-year deal.

He will go straight into the squad for Monday’s Premier League tie against Aston Villa at Anfield where he is likely to partner Jamie Carragher in the heart of defence, taking the place of teenager Daniel Ayala who made his full debut in Wednesday’s 4-0 win over Stoke.

Benitez is already without two key defenders through injury.

Danish centre-back Daniel Agger will have an operation on his back in Germany on Tuesday, and will be out for six weeks.

Martin Skrtel is still struggling with a damaged jaw, sustained at Tottenham last weekend, and is not expected to be fit to face Villa.

The Liverpool boss said Kyrgiakos will be an excellent signing.

“He is a tough defender who is strong and good in the air,” said Benitez. “He has a strong character and we were looking for these things.

“He can score goals and will be a threat from corners and free-kicks. He is very strong in defence but he will need time as always to settle into the Premier League. He will be a very good signing for us.

“We knew the player when he was with Rangers and we’ve been watching videos of him at Frankfurt and the national team.”

LIVERPOOL, England (AFP)

Tags: aek athens, anfield, athens, boss, caps, daniel agger, Daniel Ayala, danish centre, England, FRANKFURT, Germany, jamie carragher, league tie, Liverpool, liverpool england, martin skrtel, partner jamie, premier league, rafael benitez, six weeks, sotirios kyrgiakos, worries

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Lescott dropped from Everton´s Europa League tie

Everton defender Joleon Lescott’s future at Goodison Park is in doubt after he was dropped for Thursday’s Europa League play-off first leg against Czech club Sigma Olomouc.

Lescott did not train with the rest of David Moyes’s first teamers on Wednesday following weeks of transfer speculation linking him with Manchester City, who have had two bids rejected for the defender.

The 27-year-old, who was forced to train with the reserves, has also had a transfer request rejected by Moyes and turned in a below-par performance in Saturday’s 6-1 home defeat by Arsenal.

The Everton boss admitted he was unhappy with his centre-back’s attitude and said: “Joleon’s attitude has not been right these past days, he has disappointed me and he has disappointed his team-mates. He is not in the right frame of mind.”

Moyes insisted he still does not want to sell the player. “I hope this will all be sorted out, after the (transfer) deadline,” he said.

But City are sure to return with an improved offer in the hope of persuading Everton to offload a clearly unhappy player.

With Phil Jagielka still injured, Moyes now has a problem in central defence, and either captain Phil Neville, usually a full-back or midfielder or young midfielder Jack Rodwell will have to step in for Lescott.

LIVERPOOL, England (AFP)

Tags: arsenal, attitude, boss, captain Phil Neville, central defence, CITY, David Moyes, Defender, doubt, England, everton, frame of mind, Jack Rodwell, league tie, Liverpool, liverpool england, manchester city, Phil Jagielka, sigma olomouc, team mates, teamers, transfer deadline, transfer request, transfer speculation

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Chelsea´s brave new world faces first test

The start of a new season is no place for cynicism, but it is small surprise that recent declarations of a brave new world at Chelsea have been met with a large dash of scepticism.

The west Londoners have, after all, been through more new eras in the last five years than some clubs achieve in their entire history.

Five managers have come and gone in that time, some achieving spectacular success, others miserable mediocrity; big-name signings have been paraded at Stamford Bridge one day and then ushered out of the back entrance the next.

Only the owner, Roman Abramovich, has remained a constant, albeit that he remains largely unseen and completely unheard.

That, in itself, should serve as a warning to Carlo Ancelotti as he prepares for his first Premier League outing in charge against Hull on Saturday.

The Italian is a wily character, having survived life under one of the most flamboyant club owners the world game has to offer in AC Milan’s Silvio Berlusconi, but even he might be taken aback by the sheer volatility that comes with being in charge of Chelsea.

Results are essential but, in themselves, not enough. Success must come with a swagger, with football that inspires heartfelt adoration, not merely admiration.

An owner who allegedly fell in love with football after a tumultuous Champions League tie between Manchester United and Real Madrid in 2003 will simply not have it any other way.

The pressure on Ancelotti is intense and while the new manager is undoubtedly being well rewarded for his services at Stamford Bridge, it is clear he will have to earn every penny if he is not to go the way of Claudio Ranieri, Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant and Luiz Felipe Scolari in nine months’ time.

The early signs are promising. Chelsea have been impressive in pre-season, adapting quickly to Ancelotti’s new tactical diamond formation, and dispatching several top teams during their tour of America.

There was also an ominous statement of intent delivered in last weekend’s Community Shield encounter with Manchester United, when Chelsea shrugged off the double-blow of going behind early on and Wayne Rooney’s stoppage-time equaliser to triumph on penalties.

If nothing else, that showed Chelsea’s famous spirit – which has buckled only rarely since the days of Mourinho – is still as strong as ever.

“I have the feeling the good times are coming back,” Michael Essien, the Ghana midfielder, said on his personal blog. “All the players started to feel the good times towards the back end of last season when we got into the winning habit again.

“That’s the Chelsea we are used to and during pre-season I could see that same desire on the faces of everyone. That’s why I strongly believe there is something exciting around the corner.

“We are already enjoying the company of the new boss and his methods. He has been there, done it and got the shirt for it and we are already getting the vibe from him. It’s exciting.”

Of course, Scolari was hailed in the same glowing terms last year, when Chelsea played some thrilling football in the season’s early stages only for their confidence and form to wither and die with the autumn leaves. Ancelotti cannot afford a repeat.

Chelsea’s problems, however, pale in comparison to Hull’s.

They ended last season locked in a disastrous downward spiral that almost ended in relegation – a stunning reversal of fortunes from the start of the season, when Phil Brown’s team looked unlikely European contenders.

Few expect anything other than a survival battle this season, although Brown is striving to avoid that grisly fate. Deals were completed for Stephen Hunt and Kamel Ghilas on Thursday and Alvaro Negredo could be joining from Real Madrid.

“These are additions that will add strength and depth to the squad,” Brown said. He will need it.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, avram grant, back entrance, bridge one, carlo ancelotti, Claudio Ranieri, community shield, diamond formation, first premier, jose mourinho, league outing, league tie, luiz felipe scolari, owner roman abramovich, real madrid, silvio berlusconi, spectacular success, stamford bridge, statement of intent, wily character

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