Raul resigned to life on the Real bench

February 2, 2010


Real Madrid captain Raul Gonzalez said Tuesday he has come to terms with his new role as a subsitute.

“It’s not an ideal situation for any player. For 15 years I have won practically everything, and in the last three months I have played less. Sooner or later I had to come to this point,” he told a news conference.

The 32-year-old Real icon, who with 66 goals is still the Champions League’s top scorer, had been a regular in the first team since he made his debut with the club at 17.

But coach Manuel Pellegrini has left him on the bench in recent months in favour of France’s Karim Benzema and Argentine Gonzalo Higuain, and he has scored only five goals in 26 matches this season.

Raul said he hopes to remain at Real “for now” and “there will be time to talk” about “what may happen” in the future.

The striker has won more than 100 caps for Spain. But he has not appeared for the national side since September 2006 when he was controversially dropped by former Spain coach Luis Aragones.

MADRID (AFP)

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Heynckes turning talented Leverkusen into title contenders

February 2, 2010


The qualities of the young Leverkusen team were already evident last season. Under Bruno Labbadia, they were exciting to watch for the first half of the campaign but crumbled after the winter break to end up in ninth.

New boss Jupp Heynckes seems to be succeeding where Labbadia failed.

Undefeated and boasting the league’s best attack and defence, they have every right to dream of the Bundesliga title that has eluded them for so long.

Heynckes’ experience and his winning pedigree, including the Champions League with Real Madrid, has helped instil the mental steel needed to turn a losing position around.

His insistence on tall strikers has paid off with interest. After taking over he quickly benched in-form Greece international Fanis Gekas, a former Bundesliga top scorer, and put his faith in the attacking partnership of Stefan Kiessling and Swiss Eren Derdiyok.

Both tall and strong, they are a world apart from Gekas and already have a combined goal tally of 21.

Leverkusen have also shrugged off the absence of striker Patrick Helmes, injured since the start of the season, and captain Simon Rolfes, sidelined by yet another knee injury.

Heynckes was the first coach to give Toni Kroos, arguably the most gifted German player of his generation, enough time on the pitch to shine.

The 20-year-old playmaker, on loan from Bayern Munich where he was warming the bench, has been eye-popping this season, scoring eight goals and setting up seven, and is on a fast track for a spot in Germany’s World Cup squad.

Heynckes brought in defender Sami Hyypia from Liverpool to cement his backline and allow his team’s fast-paced and creative play to flow. The experienced Finn has locked down the Leverkusen defence with raw power and determination and has netted two goals and set up another two.

With the expected return to fitness of Renato August and Helmes, and the addition of Rolfes toward the end of the season in time for what looks like the title crunch match against Bayern in April, Leverkusen may finally shake off their painful “Neverkusen” tag.

PHOTO: Bayer Leverkusen coach Jupp Heynckes reacts during the Bundesliga match at home to Freiburg, Jan. 31. REUTERS/Ina Fassbender.

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Korea star Park more than Monaco marketing success

January 30, 2010


Alongside goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier and Brazilian sensation Nene, South Korean international Park Chu-young has been one of the revelations of the season for French top flight side Monaco.

An Asian Youth Championship winner at the age of 19 in 2004, where he was the top scorer and player of the tournament, Park endured a slow start to his career at the Stade Louis II.

In the summer of 2008 his signing became a number one priority for then-coach Ricardo and his assistant, Jean Petit.

“He was presented to us by intermediaries living in Monaco,” recalls Petit, who now works as an advisor to the club board.

“We found his profile very interesting. We were in need of two forwards. As far as we were concerned, Park had to be one of them.

“Lots of clubs were interested. Ricardo and me had to really force the issue. It wasn’t easy, or straightforward, but it turned out brilliantly.”

Park began last season late, in September, following his return from the Beijing Olympics where he had been representing his country.

His debut campaign, in which he scored five goals in 31 league games, proved something of a learning curve, but Park was already demonstrating his fighting spirit and his desire to knuckle down for the team.

Able to play both as an out-and-out frontman as well as a support striker, he has become an essential component of the team and has already scored six goals in the league and one in the French Cup against Lyon.

“Up front is his best position,” says Petit. “But he can still improve. He doesn’t have enough of a killer instinct.”

Cruelly dismissed in some quarters as a marketing tool brought in by former president Jerome de Bontin in order to capitalise on his huge popularity in South Korea, the Taekwondo enthusiast now looks irreplaceable.

The current Monaco board have acted accordingly and on Friday they announced that he has signed a contract extension tying him to the principality club until 2013.

Shy and retiring, Park has consciously constructed a barrier between himself and the media since his arrival in Europe.

“I only speak Korean,” he says whenever prompted for a comment by the press.

Club insiders, however, say that he communicates with ease in English and French. “He understands everything, he’s cultivated and intelligent,” says one.

His agent, meanwhile, claims he has an IQ of 150.

For Park, who this summer will compete in his second World Cup at the age of just 25, Monaco is just a stepping stone.

“He knows what he wants,” says Petit. “He wants to play for a big club. So he lives healthily and gives everything for the team. And, true to the Asian mentality, he never gives up on anything.”

MONACO (AFP)

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Egypt´s Motaeb doubtful for Nations Cup final

January 30, 2010


Egypt striker Emad Motaeb is likely to miss the final of the Africa Cup of Nations against Ghana on Sunday due to a hamstring strain, team officials said.

“He picked up a hamstring injury and he’s likely to miss the final,” said Egypt assistant coach, Hamada Sedki.

“There is not enough time between the semi-finals and the final, so his chances to be fit for the game are slim.”

The Al Ahly star suffered the injury in Egypt’s 4-0 trouncing of fierce rivals Algeria in the semi-finals on Thursday.

Motaeb, who is reported to have interested English Premier League side Portsmouth after scoring twice thus far in Angola, was forced to give way to Hossam Ghaly in the second half.

His place could well be taken by ENPPI striker Ahmed Raouf as tournament top scorer with four goals, Mohamed ‘Gedo’ Nagy has been used as a substitute. Six-time African champions Egypt are on course to win a third successive Nations Cup title when they tackle Ghana on Sunday in Luanda’s November 11 Stadium.

LUANDA (AFP)

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Rangers hope to cruise to title

January 30, 2010


Steven Davis believes Rangers’ easing injury list means they can maintain their 10-point lead over Celtic in the race for the Scottish Premier League title.

The Northern Irish midfielder was on target for the first time this season in Wednesday’s 2-0 win over St Mirren which saw Rangers increase their advantage at the top.

Victory came as Celtic were slumping to a 2-1 home defeat to Hibernian.

Rangers, who face relegation-haunted Falkirk on Saturday, had looked a little threadbare in recent weeks due to injuries and suspensions to key players.

Davis and his teammates had to rely on a last minute goal to rescue a point against Hearts last weekend as Walter Smith called-up several youth players.

However Nacho Novo, Kenny Miller, Steven Naismith and Pedro Mendes all returned in the midweek win over St Mirren and Davis believes this can boost their title hopes.

“These are difficult times for us at the moment with the number of injuries we have. This month, in particular, has been quite hard for the boys,” Davis said.

“But the boys who have come in have given the manager something to think about and we are starting to get a couple of players back. We have been missing a couple of important players recently and it will be good for us to get them back fit and get going again.”

Davis added: “We had a great run in December, but since then we have had injuries and suspensions and the manager has had to chop and change the side about. That can be disruptive.

“If we get everybody back fit it gives the manager a headache, a selection problem. Hopefully we can start playing better. We are capable of playing better.”

Kenny Miller may struggle to make the match against bottom club Falkirk after going off against St Mirren with a recurrence of his hamstring injury and top scorer Kris Boyd is still out.

Old Firm rivals Celtic head to New Douglas Park to take on Hamilton on the back of a costly defeat to Hibs.

Coach Tony Mowbray has stated that his side need to start winning games with his side only having claimed one victory so far this month and he will be boosted by the news several players have returned to training.

Scott McDonald, Mark Wilson and Shaun Maloney are all pushing for a top team return but the game against Hamilton may come too soon.

The Hoops boss might also be without Daniel Fox who is on the verge of joining English Premier League Burnley, but new signings Ki Sung-Yeung, Jos Hoovield and Morten Rasmussen, who made his debut against Hibs, are all available.

Elsewhere on Saturday only goal difference separates Aberdeen and Motherwell who meet at Pittodrie.

High-flying Hibs host St Mirren at Easter Road. John Hughes’ side sit in third-place, just two points behind Celtic, and any slip up from the Hoops could find Hibs climbing into the Champions League places.

Rugby Park is the destination for Peter Houston in his first game after being confirmed as Dundee United manager until the end of the season.

Kilmarnock are just one point above the relegation zone and are yet to win in the league under Jimmy Calderwood.

St Johnstone welcome a Hearts team looking to bounce back from their midweek thrashing at the hands of Aberdeen to McDiarmid Park.

Fixtures (1500 GMT unless otherwise stated)

Saturday

Aberdeen v Motherwell, Hamilton v Celtic (1230), Hibernian v St Mirren, Kilmarnock v Dundee United, Rangers v Falkirk, St Johnstone v Hearts

GLASGOW (AFP)

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Puel urges Lyon to forget cup heartache

January 30, 2010


Lyon coach Claude Puel has told his players to get over the disappointment of their back-to-back cup exits by returning to winning ways against Paris Saint-Germain in the league on Sunday.

Les Gones went down 1-0 at Lorient in the quarter-finals of the League Cup on Wednesday, having been beaten by Monaco in the last 32 of the French Cup last weekend.

Their hopes of silverware appear to be fading fast, with the team currently sitting 11 points behind league leaders Bordeaux and set to confront the multi-million might of Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League.

“The match against Paris is very important,” said Puel. “We have to digest these two huge disappointments quickly and bounce back.

“The message is to recover well and quickly move onto something else, but you’re never guaranteed to respond well after a defeat.”

PSG beat third-tier Evian last Sunday to qualify for the last 16 of the French Cup but they, unlike Lyon, are still searching for their first league points of 2010.

The capital club have already lost to Lille and Monaco and travel to the Stade Gerland in 11th place, seven points behind fifth-placed Lyon.

Antoine Kombouare’s men can at least take heart from the return to fitness of last season’s top scorer Guillaume Hoarau, who scored against Evian on his first start since October.

Marseille, fourth, have the same number of points as Lyon with a game in hand but life is much rosier at the Stade Velodrome after they came from behind to beat Lille 2-1 on Wednesday to reach the League Cup last four.

The Mediterranean giants face a taxing trip to second-placed local rivals Montpellier on Saturday, but coach Didier Deschamps was enthused by his side’s performance in the victory over Lille.

“I enjoyed it and I think the players did too,” he said. “There were lots of good things; we controlled most aspects of the match, with a lot of movement, technical control and some nice moves.

“We must be capable of repeating this kind of performance against Montpellier on Saturday.”

Deschamps will have to do without France international goalkeeper Steve Mandana, who sustained a heavy knock against Lille, while Brazilian forward Brandao is likely to miss out after injuring his thigh in training.

Montpellier this week finalised the signing of in-form striker Olivier Giroud from Tours, but the 23-year-old was immediately loaned back to the Ligue 2 side until the end of the season.

Runaway league leaders Bordeaux remain in contention for four trophies this season – the league, both domestic cups and the Champions League – and coach Laurent Blanc says they will attempt to win them all.

“We’ll see what happens in the four competitions,” said Blanc, whose team host second-bottom Boulogne on Saturday.

“We have the time, for now we have the squad and not too many injuries. We can allow ourselves to rotate things. But the further we progress, the tighter it’ll get.”

Lille, third, host Lens on Saturday, while fourth-bottom Saint-Etienne will attempt to continue their unbeaten start to the year in the league when they visit seventh-placed Auxerre on Sunday.

Fixtures

Saturday (1800GMT unless otherwise stated)

Bordeaux v Boulogne, Le Mans v Toulouse, Lille v Lens, Monaco v Nice, Nancy v Lorient, Rennes v Grenoble, Montpellier v Marseille (2000GMT)

Sunday (1600GMT unless otherwise stated)

Auxerre v Saint-Etienne, Valenciennes v Sochaux, Lyon v Paris Saint-Germain (2000GMT)

PARIS (AFP)

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Van Nistelrooy keen to succeed at Hamburg

January 25, 2010


Ruud van Nistelrooy was, as expected, linked with various clubs before signing at Hamburger SV. His agent said that there were various English clubs who wanted to land the former Manchester United striker from Real Madrid.

“It’s obvious that Ruud has a big reputation in England, but his glory days are over,” said Van Nistelrooy’s agent Rodger Linse to Dutch magazine Sportweek.

“He was at a big club, became top scorer of the Premier League. That will never happen again of course. He had his doubts but he wants to be important for his new club.

“At Hamburger SV he will be in a new, inspiring surrounding. HSV is a big, ambitious club. He will give his all.”

Van Nistelrooy had an impressive farewell at the Bernabeu stadium before Real’s match against Malaga (2-0). “We already noticed that when we arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu,” Linse added.

“The fans chanted for him at the parking, they wanted to embrace him and it was all very emotional. Ruud has meant a lot for the club.”

Van Nistelrooy’s won’t make his HSV debut before February 6 when they face Köln. The 33-year-old hotman has only played 127 minutes for Real and must first return to match fitness before he can make his first appearance for his new club.

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Fighting-fit Klose keeps the pressure on at Bayern

January 23, 2010


Germany’s Miroslav Klose plans to fire both his country and Bayern Munich to success in the coming weeks as the German giants look to keep up the pressure on Bundesliga leaders Leverkusen.

The 31-year-old, the top-scorer at the 2006 World Cup, scored his first German league goal of the season in last weekend’s 2-0 win over Hoffenheim which leaves Bayern two points behind Leverkusen.

But Saturday’s clash at his former club Bremen promises to be a battle royal and, although he is set to start on the bench, Klose looks sure to be used by Bayern coach Louis van Gaal.

Munich have scored 17 goals in their last five league matches and the return of the killer instinct in front of goal has sent the club off on an impressive winning run as they are now 11 league games without defeat.

Mario Gomez (five goals in the last six games) and Ivica Olic (four in the last five) have claimed regular status up front, but now Klose is pushing hard to win back his place in the starting line-up.

“My goal is to become a regular again as fast as possible,” he said having suffered a string of injuries including ankle surgery and a sprained elbow which hampered his autumn.

“Provided I?m fit and avoid injury I?ll be picked to play, at Bayern and for Germany, because when I?m fit, I?m the best,” he said with the World Cup in South Afria now five months away.

With three quality strikers fighting for two places at Bayern, Klose intends to carry the fight to Germany’s Gomez and Croatia’s Olic.

But Klose may have to be patient in terms of his first start since mid-November, as van Gaal reaffirmed his faith in Gomez and Olic after the Hoffenheim game.

“I won?t change anything for the trip to Bremen,” he said.

Bayern are expected to welcome back midfielder Franck Ribery, but will be up against a tough Bremen midfield which includes rising Germany stars Mesut Oezil and Marko Marin.

Ribery has been out of action with a troublesome knee injury since October 3 and is expected to play some role in the clash against sixth-placed Bremen.

Both Bayern and second-placed Schalke, who are at Bochum on Saturday, have the chance to take top spot in the league with leaders Leverkusen travelling to play Hoffenheim on Sunday.

Bottom side Hertha Berlin are looking for their second straight win at home to Moenchengladbach having finally broken their winless run at Hanover last weekend.

Saturday

Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich

VfL Bochum v Schalke 04

Mainz 05 v Hanover 96

Nuremberg v Eintracht Frankfurt

Hertha Berlin v Borussia M’gladbach

Borussia Dortmund v Hamburg

Sunday

VfL Wolfsburg v Cologne

Hoffenheim v Bayer Leverkusen

BERLIN (AFP)

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German striker Klose hitting World Cup form

January 16, 2010


Germany’s number one striker Miroslav Klose looks set to again terrorise defences at this summer’s World Cup after the Bayern Munich star admitted he is recapturing his best form.

With 48 goals in 93 appearances for Germany, the 31-year-old has a deserved reputation as a lethal finisher having been both the top-scorer at the 2006 World Cup and also in qualification for this year’s global tournament.

But Klose has struggled with injury this season which limited him to just eight Bundesliga starts and he began Friday’s 2-0 win over Hoffenheim on the bench as third-choice striker for Bayern.

Having scored twice for Munich in the 3-1 friendly win over Basel last Tuesday, Klose then broke his Bundesliga drought with a late goal against Hoffenheim to prove his form to both Bayern coach Louis van Gaal and national handler Joachim Loew.

“My goal was to start 2010 well,” said the Poland-born forward.

“The warm-up friendly went well, and now I?ve scored again at last.

“I?m hoping to recapture my best form.”

Klose is battling Germany team-mate Mario Gomez and Croatia forward Ivica Olic for one of the two strikers roles and Gomez admitted last week: “I always feel Miro breathing down my neck in training”.

Bayern face title-rivals Bremen, mid-table Mainz, who beat them earlier this season, and defending champions Wolfsburg in the next few weeks, but van Gaal now has an abundance of strikers who are in form.

“It’s very competitive among the forwards, but we all get on very well together,” said Klose.

“Our rivalry in training is hard but fair, and it?s nice for the coach to have such a great choice.

“The start to the second half of the season is challenging, but we want to extend our good run.”

While Klose has had to prove himself at Bayern, he is without question Germany’s Number One striker in the eyes of national trainer Loew.

“I do not have any concerns about Miro,” Loew told television channel ARD.

“I have known him for a long time, he will play for Bayern throughout the rest of the season and will have match fitness under his belt.”

BERLIN (AFP)

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Fireworks forecast as Bordeaux, OM resume battle

January 16, 2010


Bordeaux resume the defence of their French crown after the winter break with a home game against title challengers Marseille on Sunday, looking to open up a 14-point lead over their rivals.

Laurent Blanc’s all-conquering side are on a run of nine straight wins in all competitions and begin 2010 with a nine-point advantage over second-placed Lille in the French top flight.

Former France defender Marius Tresor, who represented both Bordeaux and Marseille during his 15-year playing career and is currently a member of the champions’ backroom staff, says the game is of pivotal significance.

“I think that, given the stakes, it will be a tough game for both sides,” he said. “But despite everything the pressure is more on the shoulders of Marseille, for the very simple reason that Bordeaux are 11 points ahead of Marseille. It’s a hugely important match, especially for OM.”

Marseille warmed up for the table-topping encounter with a 3-2 victory at Saint-Etienne on Wednesday that took them into the quarter-finals of the League Cup.

Bordeaux’s corresponding tie with Le Mans was postponed due to heavy snow and Marseille coach Didier Deschamps concedes that Sunday’s opponents are likely to be much fresher.

“We’ll have one more game in our legs than Bordeaux,” said Deschamps, who saw his side hold Bordeaux to a 0-0 draw when the teams last met in August.

“We’re going to Bordeaux with real ambition to obtain a positive result but we’ll have to do things much better because games against Bordeaux are never straightforward.”

Bordeaux can call on top scorer Marouane Chamakh and France international midfielders Yoann Gourcuff and Alou Diarra after all three were rested for the fruitless trip to Le Mans.

Marseille have been boosted by the return from injury of Senegalese international striker and club captain Mamadou Niang, who scored the injury-time winner against Saint-Etienne.

Lyon, like Marseille, began the year with back-to-back victories in the two cup competitions, but they are 13 points off the pace in sixth place in the league prior to their trip to Nancy on Saturday.

“We’ve started the year well thanks to the two cup matches, but the priority is still the league,” said Lyon midfielder Miralem Pjanic, whose side this week signed Croatian centre-back Dejan Lovren from Dynamo Zagreb for eight million euros.

Lille, who roared into second place on the back of a six-game winning streak at the end of 2009, host Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday.

The capital side go into the game in eighth place in the league standings, five points beyond their opponents and smarting after a disastrous own goal by defender Mamadou Sakho saw them sink to a 1-0 defeat to second-tier Guingamp in the League Cup on Wednesday.

“We’ll have to respond at Lille on Saturday,” said Paris forward Loris Arnaud. “It won’t be easy because Lille are in good form but we’ll do everything to achieve a good result.”

Third-placed Montpellier, who went down 4-0 at Monaco in a rearranged league fixture on Wednesday, take on Nice, while fifth-placed Auxerre welcome Boulogne to the Stade de l’Abbe Deschamps.

At the foot of the table, bottom side Grenoble host third-bottom Saint-Etienne, who parted company with coach Alain Perrin before Christmas and who have not tasted victory in the league since November 7.

Fixtures

Saturday (2000GMT)

Auxerre v Boulogne, Grenoble v Saint-Etienne, Le Mans v Lorient, Lille v Paris Saint-Germain, Monaco v Sochaux, Montpellier v Nice, Nancy v Lyon, Rennes v Lens, Valenciennes v Toulouse

Sunday (2000GMT)

Bordeaux v Marseille

PARIS (AFP)

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