‘Italy is tougher than Spain’-Ibrahimovic

February 8, 2010

Zlatan Ibrahimovic left Internazionale this summer to join Barcelona. Although the Spanish league is rated higher than the Italian league, the Swedish striker believes it’s harder to score in Italy than in Spain.

Ibrahimovic spent five years in the Serie A. He finished Capocannoniere in his final season with Inter, scoring 25 goals in 35 games in Serie A. In total, Ibra managed to score 80 goals in 142 Serie A matches.

“In Italy they give you three or four chances in one game and you have to be ready not to make a mistake,” Ibrahimovic told El Periodico.

“You can go 80 minutes without touching the ball, but you know that in the end a chance will arrive.

“And you can’t miss it because they will judge you on that chance. For this reason, Italians hold strikers like Inzaghi and Trezeguet in high regard because they are people capable of scoring with only one goal scoring chance.â

Ibrahimovic then reflected on the differences between Italy and Spain.

“Here at Barca it seems like I have returned to the time I spent with Ajax. In Italy, they aren’t interested in good football.

“They only need a 1-0. Nothing else counts other than the victory. And if someone thinks about playing good football, they tell you: âYes, you have played well, but you haven’t won anything, right?

“Good football doesn’t count for anything to them. If you won 1-0 at Ajax then the fans would whistle you. ‘How is it possible?’ I asked myself. Because the people want good football. They want a spectacle.

“In Italy they wanted to imitate the Guardiola model, but it’s not so easy. He thinks like a player. He is very active. He participates a lot in training. In the past I had Coaches who were more passive, people more used to commanding than explaining things.

“Pep is not a policeman who gives orders, a dictator who imposes duties. He is more of a professor who instructs. Capello, Mancini and Mourinho weren’t so active. Capello and Mourinho explain things to you with a blackboard. Pep goes on the pitch. He was a great player and he knows what a footballer is thinking. He lives for football, 24 hours a day.”

Tags: 35 games, Ajax, barca, blackboard, capello, dictator, ibra, Inzaghi, italian league, italians, mancini, mourinho, pep, pitch, policeman, spanish league, spectacle, striker, strikers, trezeguet

Guardiola renews Barca contract for one year: report

January 20, 2010

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has renewed his contract with the European champions, which expires at the end of the season, for one year, the online edition of daily newspaper El Pais reported Wednesday.

“He and the club have reached an agreement to extend his contract, which was to expire in June, which includes a series of clauses which will allow the incoming president to negotiate terms,” it said.

Barcelona have not confirmed the report but the club has called a press conference for 1:30 pm (1230 GMT) which will be attended by Guardiola, Barcelona president Joan Laporta and sporting director Txiki Begiristain.

Guardiola has remained silent on what he wants to do and Spanish media have speculated that the 39-year-old may be waiting to see who will succeed Laporta as president after elections later this year before making a decision.

Laporta said on Monday the club were resigned to rivals trying to lure away Guardiola, who led Barca to an unprecedented six trophies in 2009.

Guardiola took over from Dutchman Frank Rijkaard in June 2008 after being promoted from his job as coach of Barcelona’s B side.

Under his guidance during the 2008-09 season the Catalan side won the Champions League, Spanish league, the Kings Cup, the Spanish Supercup and the European Supercup.

Last month Barcelona also won the Club World Cup final with a 2-1 win over Argentine side Estudiantes.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: 1230 gmt, Argentine, argentine side, b side, Barcelona, champions league, clauses, club world cup, dutchman, european champions, frank rijkaard, incoming president, joan laporta, kings cup, MADRID, pep guardiola, rivals, spanish league, spanish media, trophies, txiki

Zidane: I dream of managing Real Madrid

January 14, 2010

France legend Zinedine Zidane has revealed that he would one day like to manage Real Madrid, and has also praised the impact of the club’s current star, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Zidane, now working as an advisor to Real president Florentino Perez, admitted in an interview with Iznews in China that he has enjoyed life back at the Bernabeu since re-joining the club seven months ago.

“It is a great pleasure to work alongside Florentino Perez, who wants to make another team make history,” Zidane said. “Right now, I am learning and Florentino has given me great freedom to learn all the aspects of Madrid. My dream, some day, is to be manager of the club.”

The 1998 World Cup winner hailed the impact of world record signing, a tag the Frenchman garnered himself after moving from Juventus to Real for €78 million in 2001, Cristiano Ronaldo.

“He fascinates me as a player and it surprises me that he adapted to the Spanish League so quickly,” Zidane said.

“I feel that is a special player, because with his belief, he has infected the rest of the team. It is almost inconceivable all that Cristiano has achieved already, at his age.”

Zidane, widely considered the best player of his generation, was also happy to heap praise on Real’s bitter rivals Barcelona, and the current FIFA World Player of the Year, Lionel Messi.

“I really like Iniesta, for his collective sense of play,” the Frenchman added. “But Messi is special, there is only one. When he gets the ball, everyone knows what is sure to happen: that the ball will finish in the opponent’s goal.”

Former playmaker Zidane played a pivotal role in France’s World Cup victory in 1998, scoring two goals as Les Bleus beat Brazil 3-0 in the final.

But ‘Zizou’ believes that 2008 European Championship winners Spain will be the team to beat at this year’s finals in South Africa.

“I have always thought that they will be the champions” Zidane added.

“I love how they play. It reminds me of France in Euro 2000, who came out champions. It will be difficult to stop them and it will be great if they come up against Portugal or Brazil in the second round.

Tags: Barcelona, bernabeu, best player, bitter rivals, brazil, championship winners, China, cristiano ronaldo, euro 2000, fifa world player, fifa world player of the year, France, heap praise, iniesta, les bleus, lionel messi, MADRID, pivotal role, portugal, real madrid, ronaldo, seven months, South Africa, Spain, spanish league, world cup victory, world cup winner, zinedine zidane

I´ll fit in nicely at Chelsea, insists Aguero

December 18, 2009

Argentina striker Sergio Aguero insisted Friday he would fit in nicely at Premier League side Chelsea.

The 21-year-old Atletico Madrid player has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in the January transfer window.

After initially appearing keen to stay in Spain, Aguero now appears to see Chelsea as a good next step for him.

“Chelsea are interested in me because they think I can play an important role for the team,” Aguero told the Sun.

“And I think I fit with their style of play.

“Of course I watch the Premier League on TV and I think it is the best league in the world, along with the Spanish league.”

Aguero’s possible arrival would help to cover for the absence of Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou on African Nations Cup duty with Ivory Coast, and the former is a player Aguero rates very highly indeed.

“There are a lot of very good players but, right now, the top striker in the Premier League is without doubt, Drogba,” he said.

“After comes Fernando Torres, but Drogba is the best.”

Aguero has scored seven goals in 13 games in La Liga so far this season.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: absence, african nations cup, Argentina, CHELSEA, didier drogba, doubt, Fernando Torres, games, Ivory Coast, london, MADRID, premier league, Salomon Kalou, Sergio Aguero, Spain, spanish league, stamford bridge, striker, Sun, team

Atlante fails to hold early lead, overwhelmed by Barcelona 3-1

December 17, 2009

Atlante failed to hold an early lead and was overwhelmed by Barcelona 3-1 Wednesday in the semifinals of the Club World Cup.

Lionel Messi scored in the 54th, a minute after entering the match, to give Barca the lead and send it to Saturday’s final against Estudiantes of Argentina. Atlante will play the Pohang Steelers o Korea Republic earlier in the day in the third-place match.

Guillermo Rojas capitalized on a defensive lapse to put Atlante ahead in the fifth minute, but Barcelona quickly gained control of the match and dominated to the end.

Sergio Busquets equalized in the 35th minute, and goals by Messi and Pedro in the 67th assured the victory as the CONCACAF champion struggled to create chances.

Barcelona started with eight of the 11 players that began Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Xerez in its most recent Spanish league contest. But Atlante exploited the early nonchalance when goalkeeper Federico Vilar launched a free kick from deep in his own half and Rojas outraced Xavi to a ball that bounced once.

With the Barcelona defense chasing, Rojas got around keeper Victor Valdes at the right post and touched it past with the outside of his left foot.

The goal motivated Barcelona, which immediately began to control the possession and pin Atlante in its own half. Keeping eight players in its own defensive third, Atlante largely limited the European champ to shots from distance.

At times the defense was desperate, with Vilar coming off his touchline to the far touchline to challenge for the ball in the 24th minute.

Barcelona equalized when Xavi’s corner kick was redirected by Yaya Toure’s head to Busquets, who from the back top corner of the six-yard box one-touched the ball under Vilar.

Barca, which is unbeaten in 15 games in the Spanish league this season, continued to dominate at the start of the second half, but took the lead immediately after manager Pep Guardiola inserted Messi for Toure and Gerard Pique for Mexican national team defender Rafael Marquez.

Andres Inestia began Messi’s scoring effort with a wide ball to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who moved central before feeding the diagonally darting Argentine. Messi one-touched past Jose “Chepe” Guerrero before beating Vilar from 10 meters with a left-footed shot.

Inestia set up Pedro for his goal 13 minutes later, sending a short ball between the Atlante defense for an unmarked opportunity.

Rafael Marquez Lugo had a rare opportunity to pull Atlante within a goal in the 75th, running in unmarked against Valdes, but his shot from the right side was knocked away by the Barca keeper.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates

Tags: abu dhabi, Andres Inestia, Argentina, Argentine, Barcelona, champ, club world cup, corner kick, defender rafael marquez, defensive lapse, free kick, gerard pique, Guillermo Rojas, Jose, korea republic, league contest, left foot, lionel messi, nonchalance, Pedro, pep, pohang steelers, rafael marquez, Sergio Busquets, spanish league, touchline, united arab emirates, victor valdes, xerez, yaya toure, zlatan ibrahimovic

Villarreal finally win away as Llorente sinks Atletico

December 14, 2009

Villarreal finally recorded their first away win of the season coming from behind to win 2-1 at Atletico Madrid on Sunday thanks to Joseba Llorente’s last minute winner.

Portuguese international Simao had shot Atletico into a first half lead but David Fuster equalised early in the second period and both sides had chances before Llorente bundled in a 90th minute header to stun the home fans at the Vicente Calderon.

It boosts Villarreal’s chances of European football after enduring the worst start in their history and the club climb to 10th. For Atletico it was a seventh defeat of the campaign and they lie just a point above the relegation zone.

Atletico were without top-scorer Sergio “Kun” Aguero due to injury but winger Simao opened the scoring on 36 minutes. Simao ran onto a great pass from Jose Antonio Reyes and showed good composure to curl home into the corner.

Maxi Rodriguez missed a golden chance to make it 2-0 close to half-time and Villarreal responded by equalising three minutes after the interval with Fuster heading in from close range after some poor defending.

Substitute Llorente then popped up with the winner in stoppage time and Atletico jeered their losing team off after the final whistle.

Earlier Real Mallorca finally notched their first away win of the season with a 1-0 triumph at Osasuna on Sunday to move level on points with fourth-placed Sevilla in the Spanish league standings.

Incredibly Mallorca had never won against Osasuna in Pamplona before but Gonzalo Castro’s fantastic left-footed strike ended that hoodoo and left coach Gregorio Manzano a happy man.

“We have put an end to this poor run which had lasted 17 years and this is a great day for Mallorca because we broke this jinx at a stadium where we had never won before,” said Manzano.

Deportivo La Coruna were leapfrogged by Mallorca after a 1-1 draw at Almeria, as they missed the chance to take advantage of Valencia’s 3-2 loss to Real Madrid on Saturday.

Depor could have moved level on points with third-placed Valencia but had to settle for a point that drops them to sixth place after substitute Pablo Alvarez cancelled out Kalu Uche’s opener.

Elsewhere, Xerez stay rooted to the bottom of the table, six points from safety, after a 3-2 loss at Racing Santander.

Racing moved out of the bottom three with the win, at the expense of Real Zaragoza, who fired coach Marcelino following Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat by Athletic Bilbao.

Barcelona will be be top of the table for Christmas after a 1-0 derby win over Espanyol on Saturday in their final league match of 2009 and now head to the FIFA World Club Cup in Abu Dhabi looking for a sixth trophy inside a year.

“It wasn’t a great game but the three points are what count,” said Barca captain Carles Puyol. “Now we need to focus on the World Club Championship. It is an important tournament for us.”

Real Madrid are five points behind Barca with a game in hand after beating Valencia 3-2 on Saturday but it came at a cost with key defender Pepe sustaining a cruciate knee injury that is expected to rule him out for the rest of the season.

“Pepe is irreplaceable,” said Real general director Jorge Valdano. “There is no-one on the market like him but from tomorrow (Monday) we will discuss if we need to bring someone in.”

Sevilla are also in action later on Sunday, hoping to move back above Valencia into third with a win at high-flying Sporting Gijon.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: abu dhabi, aguero, atletico madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, David Fuster, depor, deportivo la coruna, golden chance, home fans, hoodoo, Jorge Valdano, jose antonio reyes, la coruna, llorente, losing team, MADRID, marcelino, minute header, minute winner, Pablo Alvarez, real madrid, real mallorca, relegation zone, santander, Sergio, SEVILLA, Simao, spanish league, stoppage time, top scorer, Valencia, Vicente Calderon, Zaragoza

Gago ‘wants out of Real Madrid’

December 4, 2009

Argentine international defender Fernando Gago wants to leave Real Madrid because he has been little used this season but the Spanish giants do not want to let him go, sports daily Marca reported Friday.

The 23-year-old, who joined Real at the end of 2006 from Argentine side Boca Juniors, needs more time on the pitch to be be considered for Argentina’s 2010 World Cup squad and has asked his agent to negotiate his move to another club in the winter transfer window, it said.

But Real is counting on the player to make up for the absence of its midfielder and Mali captain Mahamadou Diarra who is scheduled to play for his national team during the 2010 African Cup of Nations between January 10-31.

Gago started for Real during all but two of the club’s 26 Spanish league matches in the 2008-09 season but his time on the pitch has been sharply reduced since Chile’s Manuel Pellegrini took over as coach in July 2009.

Italy’s AC Milan and Fiorentina have reportedly shown interest in signing the midfielder, who joined Real for 21 million euros (31.7 million dollars).

Argentina’s national coach Diego Maradona has described Gago as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world and said that “he should never be left off an Argentina squad list”.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: ac milan, african cup of nations, Argentina, Argentine, argentine side, boca juniors, Chile, diego maradona, fernando gago, fiorentina, giants, Italy, MADRID, mahamadou diarra, mali, manuel pellegrini, marca, midfielder, midfielders, Milan, million dollars, national coach, pitch, real madrid, spanish league, world cup squad

Messi display worthy of Ballon d´Or

November 30, 2009

Lionel Messi is poised to collect the Ballon D’Or accolade on Tuesday and the Argentine showed why with a mesmerising display to help Barcelona defeat Real Madrid 1-0 in a sizzling ‘El Clasico’ at Camp Nou on Sunday.

Substitute Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored the winning goal on 56 minutes but with the world watching on Messi stole the show with his his mazy runs, clever turns and incredible close control all the more impressive given that he was a doubt for the match with a thigh injury.

Messi, still only 22, scored in the previous two Clasicos – which finished 2-0 and 6-2 in Barca’s favour – but could not cap his stellar display with a goal with Iker Casillas denying him with a wonder save in the closing stages.

“I came off against Athletic Bilbao as a precaution but came back tonight and fortunately we got the right result,” said the softly-spoken Messi.

“We couldn’t find space in the first half but in the second half we got better and the result we wanted.

“The win over Inter Milan (2-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday) was important for us to stay in the competition and now we have beaten Real Madrid who are a top side.”

Champions Barca now lead Real by two points at the summit and can stretch that to five points with victory over Xerez on Wednesday in a match brought forward due to Barca’s World Club Championship commitments in Abu Dhabi in mid-December.

Treble winners Barca are unbeaten in the league since the penultimate day of last season and lie top of the table but goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who produced a crucial save from Cristiano Ronaldo, said there was no room for complacency.

“Real played on the counter attack at times but with real quality,” said Valdes.

“The Spanish league is the best in the world and complicated to win. It is not just Real Madrid there are other such as Sevilla.”

Midfielder Xavi, one of four Barca players shortlisted for the Ballon D’Or, paid tribute to Real and saluted his team-mates for a determined defensive display.

“It was a physical game but a great spectacle,” said Xavi. “Real have a great team as well and a lot of talent up front.

“Madrid are always a competitive team. In all my years in football they have always had a team that can compete at the highest level.

“It was a great defensive display from the whole team to keep them out and get a very important win.”

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: abu dhabi, accolade, Argentine, athletic bilbao, Barcelona, Bilbao, camp nou, Casillas, clasicos, close control, complacency, five points, inter milan, lionel messi, MADRID, mazy, Milan, real madrid, ronaldo, SEVILLA, spanish league, team mates, thigh injury, treble winners, victor valdes, world club championship, xerez, zlatan ibrahimovic

Atletico Madrid president appeals for patience

November 24, 2009

Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo on Monday urged fans to be “patient” after the club’s disastrous start to the season which has left it in the relegation zone after just 11 matches.

“We must be patient and start to win. We only have seven points, it is not normal. I hope that we will get out of this complicated crisis,” he said.

Atletico came fourth in La Liga last season to reach the Champions League but this season their form has been dismal and they have had their worst start to a season in 56 years.

The club has already been eliminated from the Champions League and currently lies third from bottom of the league table, just one point off basement side Malaga.

It has the worst defence in the Spanish league, having conceded 24 goals this season.

The club’s two star strikers, Argentina’s Sergio “Kun” Aguero – Diego Maradona’ s son-in-law – and Uruguay’s Diego Forlan, the Spanish league’s top-scorer last season with 32 goals, appeared to have lost their confidence.

And the dismissal at the end of October of Abel Resino as Atletico’s coach and his replacement by Enrico Sanchez Flores, a former Spanish international who has previously been in charge of Getafe and Valencia, has failed to give the club the expected boost it badly needs.

Deportivo La Coruna’s 2-1 win over Atletico over the weekend thanks to a controversial injury time penalty has deepened the pessimism swirling around the club.

Club officials have been criticised for not bringing in new players before the start to the season and they may take advantage of the winter transfer period to bring in new blood.

According to AS, Atletico is planning to sell its French striker Florent Sinama-Pongolle, who has struggled to find his place at the club and who has sparked interest from several French and English sides.

Atletico visit APOEL Nicosia in the Champions League on Wednesday. The club lie third in Group D, behind already qualified Chelsea and Porto, and need a win over the Cypriots to claim a place in the Europa League.

“Our immediate objectives are clear. We must beat APOEL, then Espanyol and Xerez. The solution is to win and the players know it. They have the feeling that things aren’t going right, and they don’t like it,” said Cerezo.

“We must look forwards and get out of this bad moment as soon as possible.”

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: Abel Resino, Argentina, atletico madrid, CHELSEA, club officials, cypriots, deportivo la coruna, diego forlan, diego maradona, Enrico Sanchez, enrique cerezo, flores, getafe, injury time, MADRID, Malaga, new blood, Nicosia, pongolle, PORTO, relegation zone, Sergio, sergio kun aguero, seven points, spanish league, strikers, time penalty, transfer period, uruguay, Valencia

Real Salt Lake down Galaxy for MLS Cup crown

November 23, 2009

Real Salt Lake stunned David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy, winning the Major League Soccer title 5-4 on penalties after the championship match ended 1-1 after extra time.

The defeat foiled Beckham’s bid to earn a title in a third national league, after his English Premiership triumphs with Manchester United and a Spanish League title with Real Madrid.

Robbie Russell scored in the seventh round of penalty kicks to seal the win after Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando made two saves in the shootout and MLS Most Valuable Player Donovan missed over the crossbar.

After Rimando smothered Edson Buddle’s shot, Russell beat the Galaxy’s substitute goalkeeper Josh Saunders into the lower left corner.

Mike Magee gave Galaxy the lead in the 40th minute, firing home a cross from Donovan who had been fed by Beckham. Robbie Findley equalized in the 63rd.

It was the second straight shootout victory for Salt Lake, who beat Chicago 5-4 on penalties last week in the Eastern Conference title match to reach the final.

Beckham’s successful effort opened the shootout as the first four shots were on target.

Jovan Kirovski’s shot was saved by Rimando, but Saunders followed by stopping the effort of Salt Lake captain Kyle Beckerman.

Donovan, the usually sure-footed penalty taker for both the Galaxy and the United States, sailed his attempt over the crossbar.

It was a disappointing finish for the Galaxy, who came in as the overwhelming favorites despite the fact that Beckham was playing with a bone bruise in his right ankle.

The Galaxy’s stars meshed seamlessly to create the opening goal as Beckham found himself with space at midfield and brought the ball forward and passed to a sprinting Donovan, whose cross found Magee unmarked.

Findley, who was rattled in a collision with Los Angeles goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts early in the second half, benefitted from a lucky bounce to get the equalizer as a deflected ball landed at his feet and he slid a left-footed shot past Ricketts.

Several minutes later, Ricketts departed with a right hand injury and Saunders came on in his place.

By the end of the scoreless extra time, both teams looked exhausted, but Rimando was able to continue his strong form in shootouts.

He had made three saves in the penalty shootout against Chicago in the Eastern Conference final, and his performance Sunday was good enough to earn Most Valuable Player honors for the match.

SEATTLE, Washington (AFP)