Huntelaar and Flamini staying at San Siro

February 1, 2010

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Mathieu Flamini will not be leaving Milan during the winter transfer window.

Dutch striker Huntelaar had been widely tipped to leave the San Siro after limited opportunities which has seen him make only 12 appearances and scoring three goals since his summer move from Real Madrid.

But the striker has stated that he will remain with the Serie A side despite interest from Everton, Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal.

He said: “I have decided to remain at Milan because there are so many people here with whom I have built a great rapport. And I am happy in this club.”

Former Arsenal midfielder Flamini, identified as a target by Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini, has also indicated he will be staying in Milan.

“There are so many clubs that have shown an interest in my services,” the 25-year-old told the club’s official website.

“But for the time being, I am happy here.”

Tags: arsenal, city boss, everton liverpool, klaas jan huntelaar, manchester city, Mathieu Flamini, Milan, real madrid, roberto mancini, San, san siro, staying in milan, striker, target, tottenham

Flamini: ‘Inter on top because they are lucky’

January 15, 2010

Milan midfielder Mathieu Flamini has hit out at rivals Internazionale by saying that their success is born from the seed of luck.

“Inter are catchable,” said the former Arsenal player. “But they have been really lucky, or we would have decreased the gap by now.”

Inter are eight points ahead of rival Milan, who do have a game in hand.

“We have to stay focused ahead of the derby, which is just around the corner.”

Flamini’s lack of regular playing time has seen him linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur, but he hopes to stay at the San Siro and convince coach Leonardo.

“I am waiting for Leonardo to make his decisions. I am always ready for the team, but the decisions whether I play are with him,” he concluded.

Tags: arsenal, arsenal player, coach, decisions, game, gap, Hotspur, Inter, internazionale, leonardo, Mathieu Flamini, midfielder, Milan, playing, playing time, rivals, San, san siro

Milan edge minnows Novara as Juve bounce back

January 14, 2010

Mathieu Flamini scored the winner nine minutes from time as a second-string AC Milan team beat third division Novara 2-1 at the San Siro on Wednesday to reach the Coppa Italia quarter-finals.

The rossoneri were joined by Juventus and Catania after they recorded victories over Napoli and Genoa respectively.

Milan coach Leonardo made 11 changes to the team that won 3-0 at Juventus on Sunday with Ronaldinho, loan signing David Beckham, Andrea Pirlo and Alessandro Nesta not even included on the bench.

Veteran striker Filippo Inzaghi opened the scoring on 12 minutes but in the first minute of the second period Pablo Gonzalez stunned the San Siro by drawing Novara level.

Flamini had the last word, though, and Milan will play Udinese or Lumezzane in the next round.

Eight people, amongst them two children, were taken to hospital after 20 people were injured in a motorway crash between a lorry and a coach carrying Novara supporters to the game – Novara lies just 40km west of Milan.

Juventus bounced back from their weekend humbling as an Alessandro Del Piero brace, one from the spot, helped them to a 3-0 victory in Turin.

Diego scored the first as a full-strength and attacking Juve blew away Napoli’s 14-match unbeaten run under coach Walter Mazzarri, although he did rest many first team regulars in a competition few teams take seriously in Italy.

Catania recorded an impressive 2-1 win away to Genoa to reach the last eight. Inter Milan and AS Roma had previously also qualified for the quarters, with the final three qualifiers to be decided on Thursday.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, Alessandro Del Piero, Alessandro Nesta, andrea pirlo, catania, coppa italia, David Beckham, Diego, filippo inzaghi, full strength, genoa, inter milan, Italy, juventus, leonardo, lorry, Mathieu Flamini, Milan, milan juventus, milan team, napoli, pablo gonzalez, quarter finals, Roma, ROME, ronaldinho, rossoneri, San, san siro, second period, second string, turin, veteran striker, Walter Mazzarri

Unhappy Gattuso drops exit hint

November 27, 2009

AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso dropped a clear hint on Thursday that he will be looking for a transfer during the January window.

Gattuso is unhappy at no longer being an automatic first choice in the Milan team after 11 seasons at the club.

“I’m Rino Gattuso and I shouldn’t have to wait until someone is injured to be able to play,” he told reporters.

“I still feel strong and I’m disappointed to not be showing that but I won’t accept the thought that I am no longer indispensible.

“Will I go? There’s still five or six matches to go before the Christmas break, I have to talk to the club and with (vice-president Adriano) Galliani because it’s not nice after 11 years to play only occasionally.”

Gattuso has made only seven starts in Milan’s 20 matches this season and has played only 37 minutes of their five Champions League matches, although he has had some small injuries and a suspension.

In coach Leonardo’s preferred 4-4-3 formation he has been competing with club captain Massimo Ambrosini and Mathieu Flamini for the third midfield spot alongside Andrea Pirlo and Clarence Seedorf.

And with former England captain David Beckham due to arrive in the new year, midfield competition is set to get even tougher for the former Rangers player.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: 11 years, ac milan, andrea pirlo, captain david, captain David Beckham, champions league, clarence seedorf, club captain, David Beckham, england captain, first choice, flamini, former rangers, Galliani, gennaro gattuso, leonardo, massimo ambrosini, Mathieu Flamini, midfielder, Milan, milan team, ROME

Ronaldinho rescues point for Milan as Juventus crash

October 5, 2009

Substitute Ronaldinho popped up seven minutes from time to salvage a point for AC Milan in a 1-1 draw at 10-man Atalanta on Sunday but that might not be enough to save coach Leonardo from the chop.

Meanwhile, the last unbeaten record in Serie A disappeared as Juventus were beaten 2-0 at Palermo to drop to third in the table.

Milan may have come from behind to earn a draw but their hosts played almost an hour with 10 men and it took the seven-time European champions 45 minutes to break down their lowly opponents with a numerical advantage.

It was also only Milan’s fourth goal in seven league matches in which the struggling giants have managed just two wins.

In Europe and at home they have failed to win in their last four matches, a bleak statistic which has piled the pressure onto Leonardo.

But centre-back Alessandro Nesta insisted the Brazilian boss should not be blamed for the club’s woes.

“These are two points dropped. We put our heart into this match but if it seemed as if we weren’t trying it’s because we’re not working well. We’re not managing to cover all areas of the pitch,” he said.

“It’s a difficult moment but we’re right behind Leonardo. You win and you lose all together. It’s not one single person’s failure.”

Atalanta deservedly took the lead on 21 minutes as Simone Padoin’s cross from the right caused confusion in the Milan backline.

Centre-backs Nesta and Giuseppe Favalli were both drawn to Cristiano Doni at the neat post, leaving Simone Tiribocchi free behind them as Ignazio Abate had failed to cover from right-back.

When Doni missed the ball it fell to Tiribocchi, who had time to pick his spot and beat Marco Storari in the Milan goal.

Serbian midfielder Ivan Radovanovic then made the hosts’ hopes of holding out for victory look decidedly tougher as he was sent off six minutes before the break for a needless second booking, pulling Pato’s shirt when the forward was practically on the halfway line.

Milan were expected to come out firing after the break as Leonardo replaced French midfielder Mathieu Flamini with Ronaldinho.

The former European champions did fashion an early chance as Thomas Manfredini over-committed himself in trying to reach an Andrea Pirlo cross leaving Pato free to shoot from 10 yards but Consigli came to the rescue, making a point blank stop.

Atalanta then survived a double scare 17 minutes from time.

Following a slick Milan passing move, Consigli saved well from Ronaldinho before Pato’s volleyed follow-up bounced into the ground and over the goalkeeper, only to come back off the bar.

Milan played much of the second half just in front of Atalanta’s penalty box and the 10 men finally cracked on 83 minutes when Nesta lifted the ball over the backline and Ronaldinho volleyed home in one brilliant movement.

Juve could have gone top if they had won in Sicily but that never looked likely in a game in which they were clearly second-best.

First half goals from Brazilians Edison Cavani and Simplicio within five minutes of each other gave Palermo a deserved 2-0 lead at the break after dominating the first half.

Juve’s Brazilian playmaker Diego came closest for the visitors, hitting the woodwork with a free-kick.

Sampdoria failed to take back top spot from Inter Milan, who beat Udinese 2-1 on Saturday, as they were held to a 1-1 home draw by Parma.

Francesco Totti scored a brace in AS Roma’s 2-1 victory over Napoli that saw him move level with former Argentina, Roma and Fiorentina striker Gabriel Batistuta in eighth place on the all-time top Serie A goalscorers list.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, Alessandro Nesta, andrea pirlo, Argentina, atalanta, backline, chop, Diego, doni, Edison, Europe, francesco totti, Gabriel Batistuta, Giuseppe Favalli, Ignazio Abate, ivan radovanovic, leonardo, Marco Storari, Mathieu Flamini, Milan, napoli, nesta, numerical advantage, Palermo, Roma, ROME, salvage, Simone Padoin, Simone Tiribocchi, six minutes, statistic, storari, Thomas Manfredini, unbeaten record, woes

Champions Inter hand four-goal mauling to 10-man Milan

August 30, 2009

Champions Inter Milan claimed derby honours by hammering city rivals AC Milan 4-0 after Gennaro Gattuso was sent off in the first half.

Milan, and Gattuso in particular, self-destructed in spectacular fashion during a 10-minute first half period in a match that suggests the loss of Kaka to Real Madrid has hit the red and black half of the city harder than they thought.

Thiago Motta scored his first goal for Inter and fellow new-recruit from Genoa Diego Milito added a penalty before Brazilian full-back Maicon’s strike had all but ended the contest by half time.

Serbian Dejan Stankovic’s second half rocket put the gloss on an accomplished performance as coach Leonardo suffered a miserable first derby in charge of Milan.

Inter coach Jose Mourinho gave a debut to Dutch attacking midfielder Wesley Sneijder following his move from Real.

He showed his worth on six minutes, testing Milan goalkeeper Marco Storari with a curling effort from outside the box.

On 13 minutes Ronaldinho should have done better when teed up by Pato but after skying his shot miles off target and falling over in the process, the Brazilian tried claiming a penalty despite there being no contact from Stankovic when he tripped over his own feet.

Milan looked lively at that time but the first goal on 29 minutes changed everything.

It came from a sweeping team move on the edge of the Milan box as Motta fed Samuel Eto’o, who shifted the ball on to Milito before the Argentine played the ball behind the backline where Motta, who had continued his forward run, unchecked by either Mathieu Flamini or Marek Jankulovski, curled a shot beyond Storari.

Six minutes later and Milan fell to pieces.

From a Milan free-kick Inter broke at pace with Maicon lumping a long ball down the line for Eto’o to chase. The Cameroon forward skinned Gattuso who slung his arm around the Inter man’s neck and hauled him down inside the box for a clear professional foul.

Inexplicably the referee only showed Gattuso a yellow card but Milito exacted adequate punishment by smashing his penalty home, straight down the middle.

Captain Gattuso had already signalled to the bench that he wanted to come off before the goal but his attempts to leave the field were hampered as substitute Clarence Seedorf wasn’t ready.

Play continued and on 40 minutes Gattuso hacked down Sneijder, earning a second yellow before Seedorf had a chance to enter the fray.

Gattuso was irate and blasted his bench as he trudged off, leaving his team a man down.

To add insult to injury, Maicon scored a third on the stroke of half-time after a one-two with Milito as Flamini once again failed to track a forward run.

Stankovic’s howitzer from 25 yards halfway through the second period was the final nail in Milan’s coffin but tellingly, the nominal hosts at the San Siro — a ground the two teams share — had a hand in their own downfall as Andrea Pirlo failed to close down the Serbian, giving him time and space to pick his spot.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, andrea pirlo, Argentine, backline, black half, cameroon, Captain Gattuso, city rivals, clarence seedorf, dejan stankovic, gennaro gattuso, genoa, half period, jose mourinho, MADRID, Marco Storari, Marek Jankulovski, Mathieu Flamini, Milan, new recruit, real madrid, ROME, samuel eto o, San, spectacular fashion, target, team move, Thiago Motta, Wesley Sneijder

Sunday’s transfer rumours

July 5, 2009

‘Manchester City are said to be preparing a final £35m bid for England captain Terry.’ – Daily Mail

‘Barcelona are closing in on the signing of Liverpool’s Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano.’ – News of the World

‘Mascherano’s departure looks imminent after he fell out with Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez towards the end of last season.’ – Daily Mail

‘New Manchester United striker Michael Owen has revealed how he would have taken a £100,000 pay cut to rejoin old club Liverpool.’ – News of the World

‘Manchester United winger Nani fears for his future at the club following the arrival of Antonio Valencia. Both Atletico Madrid and Villarreal are interested in the Portuguese 22-year-old.’ – News of the World

‘New Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is set to be handed a transfer kitty of £60m when he officially takes over on Monday.’ – Daily Star

‘Chelsea could use some of that cash to make a move for Real Madrid winger Wesley Sneijder.’ – News of the World

‘And the Stamford Bridge club could make a last-ditch attempt to sign Argentine forward Carlos Tevez who is on the verge of joining Manchester City.’ – News of the World

‘Newcastle United are lining up a double swoop for Manchester United striker Fraizer Campbell and Manchester City forward Ched Evans.’ – News of the World

‘Liverpool will have to battle it out with Real Madrid for Valencia midfielder David Silva.’ – News of the World

‘Real Madrid are set to bid £55m for Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery. Frenchman Ribery is also wanted by Chelsea and Manchester United.’ – Daily Star on Sunday

‘AC Milan are ready to offer £20m plus former Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini for Gunners striker Emmanuel Adebayor.’ – Sunday Mirror

‘But Adebayor’s agent Stephane Courbis has said the 25-year-old will remain at the club, ending speculation of a move to Italian side AC Milan.’ – The Observer

‘AC Milan are pursuing Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who is also a target for Manchester United.’ – Sunday Times

‘Everton manager David Moyes is lining up a move for Manchester United’s veteran midfielder Paul Scholes.’ – Daily Star

‘Everton’s Australian midfielder Tim Cahill has told friends he fancies a move to Italy or Spain as he is fed up with the rain in England. ‘ – Sunday Express

‘Fulham are set to battle it out with Sunderland and AC Milan for Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch.’ – Daily Star

‘But Sunderland appear to have won the race for £14m rated England striker Crouch.’ – The People

‘Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is keeping tabs on Athletico Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente, who has been dubbed Spain’s Peter Crouch.’ – News of the World

‘Birmingham are interested in taking Tottenham left-back Gareth Bale on loan next season.’ – Daily Star

‘Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is lining up a £4m bid for Norway striker Moa Abdellaoue from Valarenga.’ – News of the World

‘Wigan are battling it out with Sunderland for Reading winger Stephen Hunt.’ – News of the World

‘Former Arsenal and Portsmouth defender Lauren is wanted by Hull City.’ – News of the World

‘Hull are also keeping tabs on Fulham striker Bobby Zamora having lost out in the race to sign Fraizer Campbell.’ – News of the World

‘Bolton manager Gary Megson is preparing a £3m bid for Manchester City’s Swiss midfielder Gelson Fernandes.’ – News of the World

‘Middlesbrough are lining up Preston keeper Wayne Henderson as a replacement for Chelsea-bound Ross Turnbull.’ – News of the World

‘Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o will drop his wage demands to join Manchester United for £25m.’ – News of the World

‘Chelsea are prepared to sell captain John Terry to Manchester City for £45m.’ – News of the World

‘But central defender Terry will only be allowed to leave if he hands in a written transfer request.’ – News of the World

By: Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: ac milan, Antonio Valencia, Argentine, atletico madrid, bayern munich, Birmingham, Campbell, captain Terry, carlo ancelotti, carlos tevez, Chelsea-bound Ross Turnbull, club liverpool, daily mail, daily star on sunday, David Moyes, David Silva, emmanuel adebayor, English Premier League, Fernando Llorente, fraizer campbell, franck ribery, fulham, Gareth Bale, Harry Redknapp, HULL, hull city, Javier Mascherano, klaas jan huntelaar, LA Liga, last ditch attempt, MADRID, Manchester, manchester city, Mathieu Flamini, michael owen, Milan, nani, new chelsea, newcastle united, paul scholes, peter crouch, Portsmouth, Preston, samuel eto, star on sunday, stephane courbis, Stephen Hunt, Steve Bruce, sunday mirror, Sunderland, tim cahill, Villarreal, Wesley Sneijder

Milan give Maldini perfect send-off

May 31, 2009

ROME (AFP) – AC Milan booked their place in the Champions League group stages and gave Paolo Maldini a winning send-off as they beat Fiorentina 2-0 on Sunday.

The seven-time European champions risked missing out on a top three finish and having to negotiate two qualifying rounds in Europe next season if they lost but goals from Kaka and Pato were enough to secure a win and third place in Serie A.

Fiorentina finished fourth following the defeat and will play those two qualifying rounds next season while Juventus claimed second spot with a 2-0 home win over Lazio.

But while Maldini was afforded a great reception from both sets of fans in Florence to celebrate his 24 years as a Milan player, coach Carlo Ancelotti made what will likely be a more discreet departure.

He too is likely to leave Milan to join Chelsea next season, despite Milan’s fans chanting for him to stay throughout the game.

Fiorentina, who had to win to take a top three finish, started brightly and former Milan forward Alberto Gilardino got on the end of a left-wing cross on 22-minutes but headed wide under pressure.

Just two minutes later former Arsenal star Mathieu Flamini grazed the bar with a vicious shot from 22 yards as Milan demonstrated their potency.

Fiorentina had a good shout for a penalty on 42 minutes when Giuseppe Favalli appeared to haul down Gilardino but the referee gave a foul the other way.

On 48 minutes the striker went close again as he curled a shot just past the post with the outside of his right boot.

But on 55 minutes Milan took the lead with a simple move as Andrea Pirlo released Gianluca Zambrotta down the right and although his cross was blocked by Alessandro Gamberini, Kaka followed up to slide home the ball.

Filippo Inzaghi should have finished things on 62 minutes but he blazed over the bar with only French goalkeeper Sebastien Frey to beat.

However substitute Pato did seal the victory on 76 minutes as he beat the offside trap and then chipped Frey as the Frenchman went to ground.

Champions Inter Milan came back from 3-2 down to beat Atalanta 4-3 at the San Siro as Portugal veteran Luis Figo also bowed out from the game.

Sweden forward Zlatan Ibrahimvoic also took the golden boot award after his two goals took his tally to 25 this season.

Czech veteran Pavel Nedved was another player departing as he played his final game for Juventus, with two Vincenzo Iaquinta goals securing their victory.

Torino joined Reggina and Lecce in being relegated to Serie B after they lost 3-2 at AS Roma and Bologna won 3-1 at home to Catania.

Tags: 24 years, A. Fiorentina, ac milan, Alberto, alberto gilardino, andrea pirlo, Bologna, carlo ancelotti, catania, champions league group, Europe, european champions, filippo inzaghi, Florence, frenchman, Giuseppe Favalli, Goalkeeper, group stages, kaka, lazio, luis figo, Mathieu Flamini, Milan, offside trap, paolo maldini, Pavel Nedved, player coach, portugal, potency, Roma, ROME, San, sebastien frey, Serie A, striker, Sweden, zambrotta, Zlatan

Milan defeat hands Inter fourth straight Italian title

May 17, 2009

ROME (AFP) – Inter Milan won a fourth straight Serie A title on Saturday despite not playing when nearest challengers AC Milan lost 2-1 at Udinese.

Second-placed Milan trail Inter, who host Siena on Sunday, by seven points but the Rossonero have only two matches left to play.

Milan’s defeat meant that Inter boss Jose Mourinho has won the scudetto in his first season in Italian football after joining in June last year.

It is Mourinho’s fifth title in seven years in three different countries having claimed the Portuguese crown with Porto in 2003 and 2004 and the English Premier League trophy in 2005 and 2006 with Chelsea.

Milan went into the game in Udine knowing that they had to get a result to stop their bitter city rivals claiming the title, but they put in one of their worst performances of the season in what could be one of coach Carlo Ancleotti’s final matches in charge with rumours growing that he will join Chelsea next season.

The first half was a drab affair with few notable scoring chances until Udinese opened their account from the penalty spot.

Antonio Floro Flores burst into the Milan box behind the backline to latch on to Geatano D’Agostino’s through ball, but veteran defender Paolo Maldini leaned on him just enough to knock him off balance as he tried to take the ball around goalkeeper Dida.

Maldini, who will play only two more games for Milan this season before retiring, was perhaps lucky to escape with only a booking.

However, the visitors were punished when D’Agostino fired the ball into the net from the spot-kick, high to Dida’s right.

That was the only clear chance of the first half although Andrea Pirlo did clip a free-kick just wide for the visitors, with Udinese goalkeeper Samir Handanovic seemingly having it well covered.

Ancelotti reacted quickly by throwing on striker Filippo Inzaghi for defensive midfielder Mathieu Flamini at the break, but four minutes later Udinese had doubled their advantage.

Milan’s defence went to sleep at a corner and Christian Zapata was left alone at the back post to fire home a dropping ball from barely two yards out.

Ancelotti threw on Ronaldinho and Andrei Shevchenko but it wasn’t until injury time that Milan came alive.

Inzaghi hit the outside of the post before Massimo Ambrosini headed home a consolation but things could have been worse as Fabio Quagliarella crashed a shot against the upright for the hosts with virtually the last kick of the match.

In Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, Christian Panucci scored an injury time winner as AS Roma beat Catania 4-3 to close in on a Europa League place next season.

The hosts had looked likely to be frustrated by their mid-table opponents, who had battled back from a 3-1 half-time deficit to level at 3-3 with 17 minutes to play after Japanese striker Takayuki Morimoto’s equaliser.

But Roma kept pushing and Panucci headed home a David Pizarro cross from close range to snatch the three points.

The game exploded into life on 13 minutes with a spell of three goals in four minutes.

Simone Perrotta gave Roma the lead before Giacomo Tedesco equalised, only for Mirko Vucinic to put the hosts straight back in front.

Just past the half hour mark Perrotta scored his second with a wickedly deflected strike.

But Giuseppe Mascara pulled a goal back for the Sicilians two minutes into the second half and when Morimoto beat the offside trap and fired past Brazilian goalkeeper Artur, Catania looked likely to steal a point.

With the match in injury time, Panucci struck to put sixth-placed Roma five points clear of the competition in the race for the last European qualification position.

Tags: ac milan, andrea pirlo, andrei shevchenko, Antonio Floro, antonio floro flores, Artur, backline, Carlo Ancleotti, catania, challengers, CHELSEA, Christian Panucci, Christian Zapata, city rivals, d agostino, david pizarro, English Premier League, Fabio Quagliarella, filippo inzaghi, flores, free kick, Giacomo Tedesco, Giuseppe Mascara, inter milan, italian football, jose mourinho, league trophy, Mathieu Flamini, Milan, Mirko Vucinic, paolo maldini, PORTO, portuguese crown, premier league, Roma, ROME, rossonero, Samir Handanovic, scudetto, Serie A, seven points, Simone Perrotta, takayuki morimoto, zapa

Arsenal must end trophy drought: Adebayor

April 15, 2009

LONDON (AFP) – Emmanuel Adebayor insists Arsenal must end their four-year trophy drought if they are to reclaim their place among European football’s elite.

Arsene Wenger’s side will attempt to ease their way past Villarreal in Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final second leg, the first leg ended 1-1, before facing Chelsea in the weekend FA Cup semi-final.

After a troubled campaign, the Gunners have rescued their season on the back of a 17-game unbeaten run.

And Adebayor – who is adamant he is settled at the Emirates Stadium after being strongly linked with a move AC Milan last summer – believes Wenger’s young squad is now ready to step up to the next level and restore the club as a trophy-winning force.

“If you want to be a big club, of course you have to win things, which is normal,” the striker said.

“If most of the people say Manchester United are a big club in Europe, it is because they won the Premier League and the Champions League.

“They are the reasons they are big. We are ready for that. We were unlucky to go out in the quarter-finals of the Champions League against Liverpool last season. This season we have the chance to do it and just have to take our chances.

“I’ve been here three years and saying we have to win things and achieve things and now I think it is a real chance to win something because we are in the semi-final of the FA Cup and quarter-final of the Champions League. We just have to stand up and go for it.”

The prospect of Arsenal lifting silverware looked remote after the loss of key players Alexander Hleb and Mathieu Flamini last summer and the reports of a dressing room split that followed William Gallas’s demotion as skipper.

Gallas was critical of the efforts of some of his younger colleagues but Adebayor has no doubt that the squad is now fully united – and that he is ready to shoulder the responsibility for scoring the goals that could make the difference of success and failure this year.

He added: “The pressure is there: all the fans, the newspapers, journalists. That is normal. I can understand that.

“For me as a footballer the most important thing is how I am going to help my team to win. We know Villarreal will be one of the toughest games I will have in my life and we will have to give 100 percent. After that we will talk about other things.

“It’s been difficult with all the problems, Hleb going to Barcelona, Matthieu Flamini going to Milan and everything was struggling a little bit, are we going to buy or not, all these thing, myself going or staying.

“I know we’ve had a difficult season in the Premier League, but we’re still in the Champions League, still in the FA Cup and that’s fantastic.

“For me we are now playing quite well and we enjoy playing together as a team, we are as a team and we are back in business, that is the most important thing.”