Malouda rewarded with new contract

June 24, 2009

LONDON (AFP) – Chelsea’s French international midfielder Florent Malouda signed on Tuesday a four-year contract extension with the FA Cup winners.

The 29-year-old, who had two years remaining on his current contract, had been linked with a move to Italian Serie A giants AC Milan despite a generally hugely disappointing spell at Chelsea since joining for 13.5million pounds from French champions Lyon in 2007.

“I am staying. I have four years left on my contract,” commented Malouda, whose performances improved once Guus Hiddink replaced Luis Felipe Scolari at the club earlier this year.

“Every time the transfer window opens there are rumours and I hope in this one people will know what happened,” added Malouda, who was part of the France team that reached the 2006 World Cup final.

Malouda had been widely expected to move on after Chelsea were linked earlier this year with a move for Russia’s far more impressive attacking midfielder Yuri Zhirkov, who plays for CSKA Moscow.

But Malouda found his form under Hiddink and eventually started 31 games for the Blues last season, scoring nine goals.

Tags: ac milan, attacking, CHELSEA, contract extension, cska moscow, English Premier League, fa cup winners, florent, France, france team, french international, giants, italian serie, london, luis felipe scolari, Lyon, malouda, midfielder, Milan, Moscow, new contract, one people, russia, World Cup, yuri, Yuri Zhirkov

English are richer, not better, says Ranieri

March 10, 2009

TURIN, Italy (AFP) – Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri insisted on Monday that Italian teams do not feel inferior to their English counterparts, merely poorer.

The Italian giants host Chelsea in the Champions League second round, second leg at Turin’s Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday looking to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit.

And to qualify they will have to do something that no Italian side has managed against English opposition in the knock-out stages of the last two Champions League competitions: score a goal.

But Ranieri insisted that this does not mean the Italians feel inferior to their English opponents.

"There’s no inferiority complex in Italy, maybe there’s an inferiority complex in terms of money. That’s the only one there is and that’s not really a complex, just a circumstance," he said.

Earlier in the day Chelsea’s Germany midfielder Michael Ballack had said the club had regained its fighting spirit — something they had lost under previous coach Luis Felipe Scolari.

Ranieri agreed with Ballack’s assessment and said that the west Londoners were back to their best.

"It’s true, this (fighting spirit) is one part of the quality of the Chelsea players, while there are also their qualities as individual players," he said.

"Chelsea are back and with the great investments they have made they have a great fighting machine."

Not so many years ago Juventus would have been seen as the favourites against Chelsea but the balance of power has shifted over the last few years.

Juve may have the greater European pedigree but English clubs have slowly pushed themselves to the forefront of continental competition.

It’s a far cry from when Juve captain and lynchpin Alessandro Del Piero was beginning his career in the mid 1990s.

He played in the Juventus team that did the double over Manchester United in the group stages of the 1997 Champions League, in which Juve went on to reach the final only to be stunned by Borussia Dortmund.

"Over the last few years there has been a profound change in English football," he said.

"There has been a great investment, not just economically but also in the quality of players and coaches with many foreigners coming into the game.

"This has given them the ability to mix the typical English qualities with those of the other leagues around Europe so they have been able to improve a lot.

"Before they were strong in specific areas but now they are strong in almost all areas."

A lot of emphasis will be on the veteran Del Piero to conjure up something, as he has already done several times in the competition this season.

He scored vital goals in the group stages including two direct free-kicks, against Real Madrid and Zenit St Petersburg, allowing the Italians to top their group.

And Del Piero said it is his enthusiasm and passion for the game that has allowed him to keep playing at the highest level at 34 years of age.

"Enthusiasm is fundamental, I have a great love and passion for my work and that helps me try to improve every day," he said

"Then there’s also my pride and my skills which are important. But for sure enthusiasm and the love for this sport are the key and the fact that I have played so long at Juventus demonstrates that."

Coming up against the Italians is Dutch coach Guus Hiddink, who was the South Korea boss when the co-hosts knocked Italy and Del Piero out of the 2002 World Cup.

However, Italy gained revenge on Hiddink four years later when he was the coach of Australia and the Azzurri eliminated the Socceroos on the way to lifting their fourth World Cup crown.

"The memory I have of facing him in Korea is not a positive one," admitted Del Piero. "He proved to be an excellent coach then and with Australia and right now has some great players (at Chelsea) so it will be really tough for us."

Written by: AFP

Tags: Alessandro Del Piero, Australia, Azzurri, CHELSEA, Claudio Ranieri, coach claudio, continental competition, Del Piero, english clubs, english counterparts, english opponents, English Premier League, Europe, fighting machine, fighting spirit, Germany, group stages, inferiority complex, italian side, italian teams, Italy, Korea, league competitions, Luis Felipe, luis felipe scolari, lynchpin, MADRID, Manchester, Michael Ballack, mid 1990s, Serie A, south korea, stadio olimpico, turin, turin italy, UEFA Champions League, west Londoners, Zenit

Benitez keeps up Fergie assault

January 10, 2009

STOKE, England (AFP) – Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez stoked his simmering row with Sir Alex Ferguson after his side played out a goalless draw at Stoke.

The Reds passed up the chance to move six points clear of Chelsea ahead of Luis Felipe Scolari’s team’s trip to Manchester United and even though Benitez’s sustained attack on Ferguson on Friday is now being investigated by the Football Association, the Spaniard stood by his claims.

He used his pre-match press conference to claim that Ferguson is never punished over his criticism of referees, was wrong to complain about fixtures and that his staff intimidate referees at Old Trafford.

But despite his team struggling against Stoke, Benitez was happy to re-iterate his view on Ferguson.

He said: "Maybe in 20 years nobody has said these things. Maybe a lot of people are thinking the same but they didn’t want to say it. I don’t regret saying it and I don’t think it had any effect on the players.

"I’ve known him for five years now and people say that he was playing mind games but it’s too early.

"To talk too much about Liverpool isn’t fair so he has to think about his own team, the problems they have and all the things they’ve been doing for the last 15 or 20 years, maybe they will think the same as me.

"He started talking when we won at Chelsea and we’d done a favour to United because we are not contenders so maybe he’s a little bit scared. I have a lot of respect for him because I think he’s a great manager but he was talking too much about Liverpool so he has to stop.

"He started talking a long time ago. It won’t have the same effect on me because if he talks too much and too quickly then I won’t understand so I will be happy."

Although Liverpool passed up the chance to build a significant lead at the top of the Premier League, Benitez insists he is happy with his team’s position.

"It’s a point, we’re still at the top of the table and in a fantastic position," he said.

"I’ve said to my players it will be a long race and at the end of the season maybe we will be in a similar situation."

Stoke assistant manager Dave Kemp admits his side’s home form could be crucial in keeping them in the Premier League.

The Potters’ number two feels the Britannia Stadium is one of the most testing venues in the division.

"No-one coming here gets an easy game. We’ve had Manchester United a couple of weeks ago and they sneaked a 1-0 and it was a similar game," said Kemp.

"It’s not easy for teams to come here and anyone that comes here gets a decent game. Here at the Britannia we’ve performed well and Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal have all had tough games.

"At Chelsea next week we have to try and play with the same tempo."

Matthew Etherington had a decent impact and Kemp feels that the new signing from West Ham will continue to improve.

Kemp added: "He did great. He took the ball down the pitch and you can see he’s going to provide us with chances."

"He ran out of gas in the end and he hasn’t played for a couple of months and getting 65 minutes under his belt, he’ll be a lot better for that now and a lot better next week."

Written by: AFP