Chelsea susul MU

Carl de Souza (AFP/Getty Images)

Chelsea kini punya new “The Special One.” berhasil melakukan apa yang tidak bisa dilakukan Jose Mourinho; meloloskan Chelsea ke final Liga Champions.

The Blues meraih tiket ke partai puncak setelah menyingkirkan Liverpool 3-2 untuk lolos dengan aggregat 4-3.

Tapi Grant tetap merendah. “Hanya ada satu Special One. Yang membuat spesial adalah kemenangan ini didapatkan dari Liverpool,” katanya.

Ketika ditunjuk delapan bulan lalu, pelatih Israel itu memang dipandang sebelah mata. Maklum yang digantikannya adalah Mourinho, pelatih yang menyabet gelar Piala UEFA dan Liga Champions (FC Porto) serta dua gelar Liga Primer (Chelsea).

Tapi untuk kancah Eropa, langkah Mourinho terus tersendat. The Blues selalu kandas di tangan Liverpool musim 2005 dan 2007.

Tabu inilah yang ditebus Grant lewat pertarungan keras selama 120 menit, di Stamford Bridge, yang membuat jantung deg-degan.

Dominasi pemain-pemain Chelsea memang terlihat di pertandingan ini. Sebuah harian Inggris memberikan rating nilai 8 bagi , 8 bagi Frank Lampard, dan 9 bagi Didier Drogba. Di kubu Liverpool hanya Jamie Carragher yang mendapat ponten 7. Lainnya? Hanya 6 saja.

lebih dahulu unggul lewat gol Didier Drogba di menit ke-33. Liverpool kemudian membalas melalui Fernando Torres di menit 64.

Hasil 1-1 dalam 90 menit permainan ini membuat laga kemudian mau tak mau harus dilanjutkan dengan perpanjangan waktu.

Di menit ketujuh perpanjangan waktu, Chelsea berbalik unggul lewat gol Frank Lampard. Gol ini dicetaknya lewat titik putih di menit ke-97.

Drogba menambahi keunggulan Chelsea via golnya di menit ke-105. Tapi Ryan Babel sempat membuka harapan Liverpool lewat golnya di menit 118. Namun hasil 3-2 tak berubah hingga laga selesai dua menit kemudian.

Kemenangan ini juga memeperpanjang rekor tak pernah kalah Chelsea di
Chelsea akan menantang Manchester United–yang mengalahkan Barcelona dengan aggregat 1-0–di partai final, 21 Mei mendatang.

Chelsea 3 Liverpool 2
Stadion Stamford Bridge, London
Pencetak gol:Stamford Bridge menjadi 82 pertandingan.

Chelsea - Didier Drogba 33, 105, Frank Lampard 98-pen
Liverpool - Fernando Torres 64, Ryan Babel 117
Babak I: 1-0; Setelah 90 menit 1-1; Extra time3-2
Penonton: 38,900
Wasit: Roberto Rosetti (Italia)
Hasil leg pertama: 1-1
Chelsea lolos unggul aggregat 4-3

Tim:
Chelsea: 1-Petr Cech; 5-Michael Essien, 6-Ricardo Carvalho, 26-John Terry, 3-Ashley Cole; 4-Claude Makelele, 13-Michael Ballack, 8-Frank Lampard (7-Andriy Schevchenko 119); 10-Joe Cole (39-Nicolas Anelka 91); 11-Didier Drogba, 21-Salomon Kalou (15-Florent Malouda 70)

Liverpool: 25-Pepe Reina; 17-Alvaro Arbeloa, 23-Jamie Carragher, 37-Martin Skrtel (4-Sami Hyypia 22), 6-John Arne Riise; 14-Xabi Alonso, 20-Javier Mascherano, 8-Steven Gerrard, 18-Dirk Kuyt, 11-Yossi Benayoun (16-Jermaine Pennant 78); 9-Fernando Torres (19-Ryan Babel 98)

Sumber foto

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Manchester United

Manchester United 1-0 AS Roma

Bagaimana kita menilai kemenangan Manchester United 1-0 atas AS Roma di leg kedua perempat final Liga Champions, Kamis dini hari?

Mengejutkan? Tidak juga… Suprise? Di satu sisi iya.

Tidak mengejutkan karena berbekal kemenangan 2-0 di leg pertama dan bermain di kandang sendiri, Stadion Old Trafford, sulit rasanya jika AS Roma bisa mengalahkan tuan rumah MU.

Tapi di sisi lain, suprise juga melihat starting line-up yang dipasang manajer MU Sir Alex Ferguson. Manajer asal Skotlandia itu hanya memainkan satu penyerang di depan, Carlos Tevez.

Ia menyimpan pemain terbaiknya Cristiano Ronaldo yang semula digadang-gadangkan banyak pihak bakal jadi penghancur Roma. Striker lain, Wayne Rooney, baru dimainkan 15 menit menjelang pertandingan usai.

Toh, taktik Ferguson ini tetap terbukti ampuh. Tim “lapis kedua” MU tetap tampil dominan.

Meski harus diakui juga Roma mendapat sial. Mereka mendapat momentum untuk bangkit. Di menit ke-30, Roma mendapat hadiah penalti setelah Wes Brown mentekel Amantino Mancini di kotak terlarang.

Sayangnya tendangan Daniele de Rossi, yang ditunjuk menjadi eksekutor penalti, melambung di atas mistar gawang MU yang dikawal Edwin Van der Sar.

Bagaimana seandainya–ini seandainya–penalti de Rossi berhasil? Pertandingan sepertinya akan berujung pada hasil yang berbeda. Tapi ya itu tadi, kan seandainya.

Kegagalan inilah yang kemudian menjadi titik balik melorotnya penampilan skuad Luaciano Spaletti. MU akhirnya memantapkan kemenangan lewat gol Carlos Tevez di menit ke-70. Pemain Argentina ini menyundul bola–sambil meluncur– menerima umpan Owen Hargreaves.

Tiket ke semifinal sudah jadi milik tim besutan Alex Ferguson itu. Di partai berikutnya, Ronaldo cs akan dijajal Barcelona yang memetik kemenangan 1-0 atas Schalke 04.

Data dan Fakta
Manchester United 1 AS Roma 0
(Manchester United lolos unggul aggregat 3-0)
Stadion Old Trafford, Manchester
Pencetak gol: Carlos Tevez 70
Gagal penalti: Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma) 30
Babak I: 0-0
Penonton: 74,423
Wasit: Tom Henning Ovrebo (Norwegia)

Tim:
Manchester United (4-5-1):1-Edwin Van der Sar; 6-Wes Brown, 19-Gerard Pique, 5-Rio Ferdinand, 27-Mikael Silvestre; 13-Park Ji-sung, 8-Anderson (2-Gary Neville 81), 16-Michael Carrick (22-John O’Shea 74), 4-Owen Hargreaves, 11-Ryan Giggs (10-Wayne Rooney 74); 32-Carlos Tevez
AS Roma (4-5-1): 32-Doni; 2-Christian Panucci, 5-Philippe Mexes, 4-Juan, 77-Marco Cassetti (22-Max Tonetto 57); 11-Rodrigo Taddei (18-Mauro Esposito 81), 7-David Pizarro (14-Ludovic Giuly 69), 16-Daniele De Rossi, 20-Simone Perrotta, 30-Mancini; 9-Mirko Vucinic

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Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro atau lebih dikenal dengan Cristiano Ronaldo terus saja mencetak gol.

Statistik penampilan winger Manchester United asal Portugal tersebut musim ini sungguh luar biasa.

Saking luar biasanya, Harry Redknapp menjulukinya The Incredible Hulk, raksasa hijau rekaaan Marvel Comics yang diperkenalkan tahun 1962.

“Dia pemain jenius. Dia seperti Hulk dengan skill yang tak pernah anda saksikan sebelumnya,” kata pelatih Portsmouth itu.

Satu golnya ke gawang Liverpool yang dibekap 3-0, Minggu kemarin, menasbihkan Ronaldo sebagai winger tersubur di MU.

Total, pemain Portugal berusia 23 tahun itu sudah mencetak 25 gol di EPL. Atau jika di total lagi di semua kompetisi, jumlah koleksi Ronaldo sudah 34 gol.

Koleksinya telah memecahkan George Best sebagai sesama sayap MU. Torehan terbanyak Best dalam satu musim adalah 32 gol. Koleksi keduanya terbilang fantastis sebagai seorang gelandang sayap.

Ronaldo memang kerap disamakan dengan salah satu legenda Setan Merah itu. Kedua-duanya bisa menendang dengan kaki kanan atau kiri, sepakannya sangat kencang, tangguh di udara, tak takut adu fisik, dan tampan!

Apakah ia akan sehebat dan selegenda Best? atau lebih?

Ronaldo? Ia bergabung dengan Old Trafford pada 2003, mengenakan kostum bernomor 7 milik legenda MU macam Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona dan David Beckham. Hingga kini ia sudah bermain di 228 pertandingan dengan koleksi 83 gol.

Jika bicara rekor gol dalam satu musim maka Best yang memperkuat MU selama 11 musim (1963-1974) bermain di 466 pertandingan dengan koleksi total 178 gol. Prestasi terbaiknya adalah 32 (28 di liga) di musim 1967-68.

Tapi jika kita bicara soal rekor gol terbanyak Ronaldo memang belum apa-apa. Rekor sepanjang masa MU–baik gol dan julah penampilan–ada di tangan Sir Bobby Charlton. Bermain 1956-1973, Charlton total merumput di 759 pertandingan dengan koleksi 249 gol!

Oke kita bicara soal Ronaldo musim ini saja.

Sekarang Ronaldo sudah mencetak 32 gol (28 di liga). EPL masih menyisakan 7 partai lagi. Jika ia mencetak satu gol tiap partai, artinya ia mengoleksi 32 gol di liga dan menyamai rekor Dennis Viollet yang dibuat musim 1959-60.

Nah, jika kemudian MU lolos ke final Liga Champions dan Ronaldo mencetak gol di lima partai lagi di kompetisi ini maka ia bisa mengoleksi 46 gol, sama dengan yang dibuat Denis Law musim 1963-64.

Hanya Law dan Ruud van Nistelrooy lima tahun lalu yang sanggup mencetak 40 gol semusim bagi MU.

Tapi Ronaldo baru 23 tahun? Hmmm kalau dia terus di MU (mudah-mudahan begitu) hitung saja sendiri berapa gol yang akan ia buat.

Foto Ronaldo | Hulk

RONALDO dan UNITED
Pertandingan: 228 (2003-…)
Gol: 83
Titel liga: 2007
Piala FA: 2004
Piala Liga: 2006
Pemain terbaik: 2007
Total gol 34 (25 di liga)… sejauh ini

BEST dan UNITED
Pertandingan: 466 (1963-1974)
Total gol: 178
Titel liga: 1965, 1967
Piala Eropa: 1968
Pemain terbaik: 1968
Pemain terbaik Eropa: 1968
Total gol 32 (28 di liga) 1967-68



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Rijkaard is under immense pressure at Barcelona

Rijkaard is under immense pressure at Barcelona for what is perceived by many to be a pretty poor season so far but he can actually finish the season by winning both the league and champions league.

He has some of the best players in the world in every position apart from goalkeepers as the likes of Gianluca Zambrotta, Eric Abidal, Lilian Thuram, Rafael Marquez, Carlos Puyol and Gabriel Milito are all world class defenders; Yaya Toure, Deco, Iniesta and Xavi are all world class midfielders whilst Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho, Samuel Etoo and Lionel Messi are easily world class performers.

Underneath all of that the likes of Silvinho, Edmilson, Oleguer, Eidur Gudjohnsen Giovani Dos Santos, Bojan Krkic and others would get into most other clubs' 1st team so it is hard to see why they are struggling in their domestic league as he cannot point to injuries with such a huge and quality squad at his disposal.

He has a relatively easy draw like his counterpart at Chelsea in the champions league as Barcelona face Schalke over 2 legs and they should have enough quality to go through. He also had an easy ride in the second round when his team came against Celtic as it could have been worse.

Avram Grant also has world class players in every department as Petr Cech is a world class goal keeper and Carlo Cudicini is as good as almost every other goal keeper in the premiership and champions league.

John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho are world class defenders; Michael Essien, Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Joe Cole and Claude Makele are world class defenders and Didier Drogba has few peers in the world in the centre forward position, while Nicholas Anelka is also world class.

Underneath all that Juliano Belletti, Alex, Ashley Cole, Wayne Bridge, Florent Malouda, Claudio Pizarro, Shawn Wright-Phillips, John Mikel Obi, Salomon Kalou and Andriy Shevchenko especially are more than useful.

But he too has had some very strange results with the quality of squad at his disposal with the somewhat lucky result against Arsenal being his only success in big games this season.

The luck of the draw has been very kind to him and his team as in the champions league they are up against in the ¼ finals after having met Olympiakos in the 2nd round.

He can also finish this season with 2 big titles under his belt to silence his critics that say he is not good enough to be the manager of Chelsea. He can win the champions league and Chelsea are just 5 points off the top of the premiership.

2 men with seemingly nothing in common until close inspection are seen to have much more in common than at 1st perceived. Obviously they both cannot win the champions league as they are both in it but they can both easily finish the season with nothing and both get the sack.

Ferguson not taking anything for granted despite Champions League Roma win

,not taking anything for granted despite Champions League Roma win

by Barnaby Chesterman 2 hours, 0 minutes ago

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ROME (AFP) - Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said he was not taking anything for granted despite his side taking a commanding 2-0 lead in their Champions League quarter-final against AS Roma after the first leg in Italy.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney scored the goals as United demonstrated why bookies rate them as the favourites to lift a third Champions League crown in May.

Roma paid for their profligacy in front of goal during a purple patch for 15 minutes after the break while United demonstrated their growing maturity in Europe.

In fact, as Roma left gaps at the back when trying to rescue something from the game, United could and should have scored more goals in the last quarter-hour.
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Ferguson, though, seemed relieved that they had survived during Roma's onslaught when Christian Panucci and Ludovic Giuly missed good chances while Edwin van der Sar made a wonder one-handed save from Mirko Vucinic.

"It was a marvellous result for us. We showed discipline, composure on the ball," he said.

"The Ronaldo goal changed the game for us. It was a fantastic header and the second half was very difficult for Roma.

"We rode our luck in the second half during the first 15 minutes when Roma had good chances but failed to take them.

"That's where you get little breaks in football."

Roma may have injured talisman and captain Francesco Totti back for the second leg and Ferguson isn't getting carried away.

"You can never take anything for granted in football," he added. "We know about Totti's abilities, he's an inspirational figure for Roma.

"But we hope that at Old Trafford on a European night, we'll be ready for it."

Ferguson also paid tribute to goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, whose crucial stop from a fizzing Vucinic header with the scores at 1-0 ensured United's second goal killed the game.

"That's why he has 120 caps, his experience is vital. He made a fantastic save in the second half," said Ferguson.

"He's a great goalkeeper. He's had one or two injuries recently which has given us a bit of concern but he came through well tonight."

United's first goal came after a sweeping move with the ball switching from left to right before Paul Scholes crossed into the box, where Ronaldo arrived late and at pace to out-jump Marco Cassetti to thump home a header on 39 minutes.

Roma dominated the opening period of the second half but on 66 minutes South Korean Park Ji-Sung stretched to head a deep ball from Wes Brown back into the six-yard box where goalkeeper Doni and Panucci got in each other's way, allowing Rooney to prod home.

Both Ferguson and Roma coach Luciano Spalletti praised Park for his never say die attitude in reaching a ball that looked set to sail out of play for a goal-kick.

"From my angle I don't see how he got it back but he managed to get it back and stretched the goalkeeper to get a touch on it," said Ferguson.

"I don't think Wayne knew where it was at first."

Spalletti said Park's attitude was the difference between the teams.

"It's always the same thing, it boils down to mental strength," he said.

"Players have to go looking for the impossible occasions like on Manchester's second goal.

"If players don't have the right mental attitude they might as well stay at home and not go to Manchester next week for the second leg."

Spalletti, though, agreed with Ferguson that United had generally had the breaks in the match.

"We deserved more, the result didn't reflect what happened on the pitch," he said.

"Now it will be very difficult to qualify but we shouldn't make the mistake of thinking it's all over.

"We've already scored twice away from home in the Champions League this season."

In the last round, Roma won 2-1 at Real Madrid but the difference there was that they were defending a 2-1 lead from the home leg and Madrid also had a player sent off in Spain.

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AS Roma, Barcelona missing key players for Champions League quarterfinals

AS Roma, Barcelona missing key players for Champions League quarterfinals

By ROBERT MILLWARD, AP Soccer Writer Mar 31, 2:13 pm EDT

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Francesco Totti will be missing when AS Roma faces Manchester United in the Champions League quarterfinals, and FC Barcelona may struggle to beat Schalke without Lionel Messi, Deco and maybe Samuel Eto’o and Ronaldinho.

With the four English teams in the last eight, Barcelona and Roma will be playing with depleted squads Tuesday in the first leg.

Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool all won their Premier League games over the weekend. Barcelona, however, lost to Real Betis 3-2 and Roma could only get a 1-1 draw with Cagliari, where Totti scored but then tore a muscle in his left thigh.

“The team loses in percentage terms for the extraordinary things he’s capable of,” Roma coach Luciano Spalletti said Monday. “But I have a lot of confidence that the team will assume the responsibility of picking up the slack, just as they’ve done in the past when we’ve been without our captain.”

Totti’s absence will boost a Manchester United team which outplayed Aston Villa 4-0 Saturday and holds a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League standings. Cristiano Ronaldo took his overall tally for the season to 35 goals and set up two for Wayne Rooney and one for Carlos Tevez.

“Roma is going to be a massive game for us and we prepared the right way with the win against Villa,” said Rooney, whose team has a plus-53 goal difference in the Premier League. “To be at this club, with the football we play at times, is brilliant. It’s something every player would want to be a part of.”

There will be heavy security at the game because of violence that flared when the two teams met at the Stadio Olimpico last season.

At full strength and on form, Barcelona would be confident of beating Schalke, even in Germany. But coach Frank Rijkaard is again unable to field the injured Messi and Deco, while Eto’o could be sidelined with a left foot injury and Ronaldinho had missed four straight games with a foot problem.

Barcelona, which conceded three goals in 15 minutes after leading Betis 2-0, dropped to third place and trails Real Madrid by seven points in the Spanish league.

“We feel ashamed in a football sense. We cannot explain it. Again we have allowed ourselves to lose … in an incredible way,” Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez said. “We have to change our game quickly and think of Schalke.”

England has the most teams in the quarterfinals, but not all of them can advance to the semifinals.

Arsenal and Liverpool face each other at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, when Chelsea visits Turkish league leader Fenerbahce.

Chelsea is the nearest chaser to United in the league after edging Middlesbrough 1-0, will fly to Istanbul hoping that sick midfielder Frank Lampard and injured goalkeeper Petr Cech will be able to play.

“Lampard was very sick and he didn’t even come to the training ground,” Chelsea manager Avram Grant said. “If he can be available, we will take him on the plane and we will see about Petr Cech at the same time.”

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Benitez,calm amid turmoil, but Champions League

ouloss would be a blow

By ROBERT MILLWARD, AP Soccer Writer Mar 31, 4:28 pm EDT

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LONDON (AP)—Amid all the conflict over the ownership of his team, Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez remains calm and concentrates on nothing but his job.

Benitez has a standout record in European competitions and is loved by the fans. They sing his name while loudly expressing their hatred of American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr.

If Liverpool is eliminated from the Champions League by Arsenal, however, his best hope of success is fourth place in the league. That may not be good enough to keep his job.

The Reds go to Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, with the return at Anfield six days later. It is a quarterfinal between the losing finalists from the last two seasons. Recent head-to-heads give the Gunners a clear edge. By coincidence, they also meet in the Premier League on Saturday between the two European games.
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Meanwhile, a little more than a year after buying the hugely successful club, Gillett has said his relationship with Hicks had become unworkable and he had received death threats from Liverpool fans warning him not to sell any of his stake to his co-owner.

With a rival organization from Dubai standing by and trying to buy a controlling interest, the situation clearly would unnerve most coaches. This is also something unheard of at Liverpool, which has glided through much calmer times and won a record 18 league titles and five European Cups along the way.

Benitez has stood above it all, rarely mentioning the friction and instead focusing on ways to win and get more out of his players.

Sunday’s 1-0 victory over neighboring Everton strengthened Liverpool’s hold on fourth place, which would mean another shot at the Champions League next season.

“After the (3-0) defeat against Manchester United, to beat our closest rivals means that we will go into the games with Arsenal with more confidence,” Benitez said. “We needed to respond. We needed to show discipline, which has not been a problem for us for some years now. This was the perfect comeback for us.”

In January, Hicks revealed that the owners had talked to former Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann as a potential replacement for Benitez. The manager ducked questions in that regard and stuck strictly to soccer.

“The key is to concentrate on the game,” he said at the time. “We can talk and talk about the speculation or rumors or everything, but the key for us is to win the game.”

Benitez arrived at Liverpool in 2004 after guiding Valencia to triumphs in the Spanish league and UEFA Cup and won the Champions League in his first season after a comeback from 3-0 deficit to AC Milan in the final. He also won the FA Cup in 2006 and led the Reds to last season’s Champions League final.

But the league is another matter. Play has been dominated in recent years by Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea.

Although Liverpool still holds the record of 18 league titles, the last was in 1990. United will be only one behind if it holds its five-point lead in the standings and wins the title for the second straight season and 10th time since it became known as the Premier League.

The prospect of United getting so close to its record will not sit well with fans.

But the big problem will be with Hicks and Gillett. The fact that the men who own rival NHL teams are now at odds over their Liverpool ownership is not a good sign for Benitez. They may not be able to agree on his future.

Especially if the Reds are knocked out of European play by a team from the same country.

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Manchester United, Barcelona win in Champions League

Manchester United, Barcelona win in Champions League

By ANDREW DAMPF, AP Sports Writer 5 hours, 42 minutes ago

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ROME (AP)—Cristiano Ronaldo soared to head in Paul Scholes’ cross in the 39th minute, Wayne Rooney added a second-half goal and Manchester United defeated AS Roma 2-0 Tuesday night in the first leg of the European Champions League quarterfinals.

Ronaldo dashed toward the net and leaped for his seventh Champions League goal of the season, moving ahead of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi at the top of the scoring list. Ronaldo has 36 goals in all competitions this season.

“Ronaldo’s goal changed the game for us, a fantastic header,” United manager Alex Ferguson said. “I thought Roma had some good chances the first 15 minutes of the second half. But there are breaks in a football match and I think they were with us today.”

Rooney added the second goal in the 66th when Roma goalkeeper Alexander Doni couldn’t collect a header from Park Ji-sung. The ball landed at Rooney’s feet for an easy score, his fourth in European competition this season.

“They were lucky on their scoring chances,” Roma coach Luciano Spalletti said. “They have players of very high quality.”

The second leg of the total-goals series is April 8 at Old Trafford, where United routed Roma 7-1 a year ago. Roma hopes injured captain Francesco Totti will return then.

“We can’t take anything for granted, but we definitely feel like we can reach the semifinals,” Ferguson said.

In Tuesday’s other quarterfinal, 17-year-old Bojan Krkic scored in the 12th minute to give Barcelona at 1-0 victory at Germany’s Schalke. Thierry Henry’s shot was fumbled by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, and Henry played the ball back across for Krkic, who tapped it in at the far post.

“We played well on the flanks. We won the ball. We controlled most of the game,” Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard said.

On Wednesday, Liverpool is at Arsenal in a matchup of English clubs and Chelsea is at Turkey’s Fenerbahce.

AP Sports Writer Nesha Starcevic in Gelsenkirchen contributed to this report.


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Francis Ford Coppola relishes new start in Italian-infused Argentina

Francis Ford Coppola relishes new start in Italian-infused Argentina

Mar 10, 2008

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — In the trendy heart of Argentina's Italian community, Francis Ford Coppola says he has been set free.

Free at last to make movies - one a year, he hopes - with full financial and artistic control, taking advantage of Argentina's relatively low production costs and the creative inspiration he finds on the streets of its capital.

"After a while I realized that I was getting further and further away from what my original intentions had been," the 68-year-old filmmaker said in an interview with The Associated Press. "So at this age I decided, 'Well, why don't I make the kinds of films I wanted to do when I was 18? I'll just do it later in life.' "

The five-time Oscar winner, best known for "The Godfather" trilogy about the Corleone Mafia family, is preparing to shoot a film about a much different, but equally dysfunctional, Italian-immigrant clan.

"Tetro," for which Coppola wrote an original screenplay, follows two sons of a great but monstrously self-absorbed orchestra conductor in contemporary Argentina.

Much of the film will be shot in La Boca, a neighbourhood marked by the legacy of poor Italian immigrants who arrived by the shiploads in the early 20th century. Researching his tale, Coppola discovered many parallels between Buenos Aires and the New York he grew up in.

"Italian families emigrated to Argentina and the United States, and very often brothers in the same family would go two different directions," Coppola explains, relaxing in the courtyard of his new home and studio, which comes complete with the steel barbecue grill no self-respecting Argentine would do without.

Coppola, who splits his time now between the San Francisco Bay area and Argentina, says he felt immediately at home in this most-European of South American capitals.

He has been photographed walking alone among the shops and markets in chic neighbourhoods, a black beret pulled down over his greying hair.

"Buenos Aires is a big city like New York; it's full of life and it gave me a chance to put these characters in a slightly exotic setting where I would be free to work and pursue this more personal type of filmmaking."

Coppola has even discovered Argentina's biggest craze: attending soccer matches of the world-famous Boca Juniors team.

His stay hasn't all been pleasant - his studio was burglarized in September by thieves who stole computers and even his backup data system. Coppola made an unsuccessful public appeal for their return, but said his script for "Tetro" was never stolen, contrary to local press reports.

"They never stole the original script," he says. "They took the computers and the backup, but they only took photographs, only for the last year-and-a-half."

After a decade devoted to paying off creditors by focusing on less personal films, Coppola says he finally has the financial freedom to pursue his own projects with proceeds from his other businesses - including his California vineyard, an organic pasta business, and three luxury resorts in Belize and Guatemala.

And he continues to cast well known actors from outside the studio system.

Vincent Gallo of "Buffalo 66" and "The Brown Bunny" is the lead character in "Tetro," backed by Spanish actress Maribel Verdu of "Pan's Labyrinth" and Oscar winner Javier Bardem of "No Country For Old Men."

Newcomer Alden Ehrenreich, 18, will play a young man searching for the estranged older brother Tetro - a "tragic poet figure" who broke all family ties and moved in amid the Bohemian theatre, dance and artistic community of Buenos Aires.

Coppola said he is not unlike millions of tourists who rediscovered budget Argentina after the 2002 economic crisis.

"People are coming here, not unlike myself, because the dollar is less compromised than even in Europe or Brazil," he said.

Coppola has made fortunes on gambles like "Apocalypse Now," and lost them on commercial flops like "One from the Heart." Now he says he can finance his own movies, like "Tetro," for under $15 million.

He has even gained a decent command of Spanish, breaking into basic sentences with a clear voice.

"I feel people who come to the U.S. should definitely speak English, but I love the idea of the United States becoming a bilingual country," he explains.

At the same time, he says U.S. English speakers could benefit from learning more about Latin America's rich literary traditions.

With his 2007 film "Youth Without Youth," Coppola returned to directing after a hiatus of several years. He calls "Tetro" the "second film of my new career, so I'm just learning."

His focus now is on making beautiful, enduring films.

"I'm not really trying to make a lot of money off the movie business," Coppola said. "I want personally for people to say, 'God, that was beautiful!' "

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Soccer players going to Europe

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Soccer players going to Europe — Brighton's Swain, Hartland's Minor to gain international experience

By Dan Strawser
DAILY PRESS & ARGUS

Two Livingston County soccer players are going to do their best to represent the United States during a trip to Europe this week.

Andrew Swain, a senior at Brighton High School, and Zack Minor, a junior at Hartland, are traveling to Germany, Italy and Austria as part of Soccer International.


Franco Pertot has been coaching high school soccer in Michigan for three decades and has been taking both boys and girls teams to Europe for the last 25 years.

"It's a great experience," Pertot said. "It's great to see places, different cultures. They play a different style (of soccer) over there. That's what I think they'll learn."

Pertot approached Swain and Minor after watching them play in Brighton's 2-1 overtime win against the Eagles in district competition last season.

"We went to parent meetings and learned more about it and more about (Pertot)," said Randy Swain, Andrew's mother.

The players have to pay to make the trip, which Pertot said helps cover travel and arrangements he makes to set up games with other youth teams in Europe. He added that the trip is open not only to the soccer players, but their families as well.

"Our oldest daughter, Amanda, (20), is studying in Italy, so we're going to connect with her and then meet up with Andrew and the rest of his team later in the week in Italy," Randy said.

Andrew went to Italy for his sister's graduation trip and is looking forward to returning there.

"This is the last thing I'm doing for soccer," Andrew said. "It's a great way to finish my career I guess you could say. I'm looking forward to playing teams from other countries. I think it will be fun to play against people and show them what America is about."

Swain and Minor are familiar with some of the other team members, as well.

"I know a couple of them," Minor said. "Jeremy Flora (Milford's goalie), he's on my club team, the Livonia Meteors. I've played with a couple of the kids. There's kids from Flint, Clarkston, all over."

Swain will be attending the University of Michigan and doesn't have plans to play soccer other than possibly in a recreation league, but Minor will be back with the Eagles next season.

"I think it's great for him to get out and play at that level," Hartland coach Andrew Kartsounes said. "To add travel into that is an even bigger plus. Soccer is the world's biggest sport. To see it in a place with rabid fans and where it is the biggest sport will just be great.

"It can only be a positive for him. He'll bring that back to our team in the fall. It will be his senior year, so it should be a very exciting year for him."

Pertot said the team will be engaging in various activities, including sightseeing, on a daily basis. In the past he's taken them horseback riding and rafting, among other things.

Swain and Minor said they were particularly looking forward to watching a professional European soccer match.

The pair will get to watch Inter Milan against Juventis on Saturday in an Italian Series A contest.

"It's going to be memorable for them," Randy said. "... They'll be meeting new people, playing a game they love in another country, plus getting some culture, too, not just sports."

Contact Daily Press & Argus sports reporter Dan Strawser at (517) 552-2860 or by e-mail at dstrawser@gannett.com.
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Soccer players going to Europe

ADVERTISEMENT

Soccer players going to Europe — Brighton's Swain, Hartland's Minor to gain international experience

By Dan Strawser
DAILY PRESS & ARGUS

Two Livingston County soccer players are going to do their best to represent the United States during a trip to Europe this week.

Andrew Swain, a senior at Brighton High School, and Zack Minor, a junior at Hartland, are traveling to Germany, Italy and Austria as part of Soccer International.


Franco Pertot has been coaching high school soccer in Michigan for three decades and has been taking both boys and girls teams to Europe for the last 25 years.

"It's a great experience," Pertot said. "It's great to see places, different cultures. They play a different style (of soccer) over there. That's what I think they'll learn."

Pertot approached Swain and Minor after watching them play in Brighton's 2-1 overtime win against the Eagles in district competition last season.

"We went to parent meetings and learned more about it and more about (Pertot)," said Randy Swain, Andrew's mother.

The players have to pay to make the trip, which Pertot said helps cover travel and arrangements he makes to set up games with other youth teams in Europe. He added that the trip is open not only to the soccer players, but their families as well.

"Our oldest daughter, Amanda, (20), is studying in Italy, so we're going to connect with her and then meet up with Andrew and the rest of his team later in the week in Italy," Randy said.

Andrew went to Italy for his sister's graduation trip and is looking forward to returning there.

"This is the last thing I'm doing for soccer," Andrew said. "It's a great way to finish my career I guess you could say. I'm looking forward to playing teams from other countries. I think it will be fun to play against people and show them what America is about."

Swain and Minor are familiar with some of the other team members, as well.

"I know a couple of them," Minor said. "Jeremy Flora (Milford's goalie), he's on my club team, the Livonia Meteors. I've played with a couple of the kids. There's kids from Flint, Clarkston, all over."

Swain will be attending the University of Michigan and doesn't have plans to play soccer other than possibly in a recreation league, but Minor will be back with the Eagles next season.

"I think it's great for him to get out and play at that level," Hartland coach Andrew Kartsounes said. "To add travel into that is an even bigger plus. Soccer is the world's biggest sport. To see it in a place with rabid fans and where it is the biggest sport will just be great.

"It can only be a positive for him. He'll bring that back to our team in the fall. It will be his senior year, so it should be a very exciting year for him."

Pertot said the team will be engaging in various activities, including sightseeing, on a daily basis. In the past he's taken them horseback riding and rafting, among other things.

Swain and Minor said they were particularly looking forward to watching a professional European soccer match.

The pair will get to watch Inter Milan against Juventis on Saturday in an Italian Series A contest.

"It's going to be memorable for them," Randy said. "... They'll be meeting new people, playing a game they love in another country, plus getting some culture, too, not just sports."

Contact Daily Press & Argus sports reporter Dan Strawser at (517) 552-2860 or by e-mail at dstrawser@gannett.com.
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Beckham's world tour

Beckham's world tour is a gratifying experience
template_bas
template_bas
One of the soccer star's stops was as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador in one of the most impoverished parts of Africa.
By Grahame L. Jones, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
March 26, 2008
The white sport utility vehicle moved down a tarred road in Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone, when a group of men and youths, about seven or eight in all, ran up alongside the vehicle and started slapping at the roof and windows, trying to attract attention.

Inside, David Beckham smiled. Even here, in one of Africa's most benighted and impoverished countries, a land still reeling from a 10-year civil war that left 50,000 dead, the Galaxy and England soccer star could not go unrecognized.

The next stop
The next stop
click to enlarge

A little farther down the road, Beckham asked the driver to stop.

Another group of men, a ragtag bunch wearing a rainbow of colors and costumes, were playing a soccer game on a dusty patch of roadside scrubland. Many of the players were bare-chested. Some were barefoot. The goals were makeshift. But the game was still soccer and , wanted to join in.

For a while he did and a crowd gathered. Could one of the world's most recognizable athletes really be here, playing a pickup game with their friends and relatives? He was. Before leaving, Beckham stripped off his black UNICEF T-shirt and gave it to one of the players.

Since November, the Beckham world tour has taken him from Los Angeles to Vancouver, Sydney, Wellington, London, Freetown, Sao Paulo, Honolulu, Seoul, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Dallas, New York and now Paris.

Today, Beckham is in Paris, where he is expected to play for England and earn his 100th cap in its friendly international match against France. On Thursday he will fly back to Los Angeles, and on Friday he and the rest of the Galaxy will fly to Denver for Saturday's Major League Soccer season opener against the Colorado Rapids.

Cynics would argue that Beckham's off-season tour is how it is with celebrities. They make a short trip into the Third World, put on a quick show of humanity for the cameras and then head home to Beverly Hills or wherever.

But Beckham said he felt genuine concern, particularly in Sierra Leone, when he gazed down at the tiny and half-starved infant cradled in his tattooed arms at a local malnutrition center, when he played with a toddler being weighed in a sling-like contraption and when he was shown around a malaria treatment center.

It was only a few days that Beckham spent in Sierra Leone as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador in January, but it left its mark.

"That was one of the most rewarding trips I've ever done in my life," Beckham said in an interview last week. "It was a lot more satisfying than anything else. Obviously, there's a lot of devastation, but there's a lot of good work that is happening. I came away not happy but satisfied with everything that I'd seen that was going on.

"It was hard to see the malnutrition center and different children along the way and different families along the way, but it was great to see the great work that UNICEF is doing."

Beckham has made such journeys before, and they offer the ultimate contrast to other, more glamorous and glitzy trips he has taken during the MLS off-season.

And travel he has.

In the last five months, Beckham visited almost every continent. He has been to North America, to Europe, to Africa, to South America, to Australia, to Asia. He somehow managed to miss Antarctica.

"There's still time," he joked. "I was cold enough in New York last night, so I'm not sure I want to go to there."

The "last night" came last week when he was in New York at a swank black-tie affair with Pele. Sharp contrast to Sierra Leone, where most have to get by on a dollar a day and disease and hunger cause one out of four children to die before their fifth birthday.

It has been a frenetic five months for Beckham, part of it helping the Galaxy go global by playing exhibitions, part of it furthering the Beckham brand, and part of it humanitarian.

The soccer side of things drew mixed reviews. The Galaxy played in front of more than 80,000 in Sydney but only 10,000 in Shanghai. Australia was also where, in a sponsor-driven event, Beckham had the chance to compare his kicking game to that of some rugby league and Australian Rules football stars.

"I quite enjoyed that," he said. "To be able to kick one soccer ball, one rugby ball, one Australian Rules football right next to the Opera House and looking out at the Sydney Harbor Bridge. I got some great pictures from that."

In Brazil, Beckham helped launch a sports-themed luxury resort that will include his third academy, the David Beckham World of Sport, with a 10,000-seat stadium and eight soccer fields in the coastal resort of Natal, one of the cities that hopes to stage World Cup matches in 2014.

Does Brazil, a five-time world champion, really need help with soccer?

"One of the questions to me was, 'Aren't you a bit arrogant coming out to Brazil and trying to teach Brazilians football?' " Beckham said. "Of course, my answer was, 'I'm not here to teach the Brazilian kids football, because I don't need to. I'm here to give them a safe place and a safe environment to enjoy playing soccer.' I think they appreciated that."

Beckham had been to Asia many times before, as a player with Manchester United, with Real Madrid and with England's national team. The response this time, with the Galaxy, was much the same, although perhaps on a smaller scale.

"We had a lot of people come to see the games. We got what we wanted out of the tour, which was to work hard and to get some games and some good training sessions. We had fun as well," Beckham said. "Visiting different countries, that's one of the great things about being a soccer player, because you are taken to different places where you probably wouldn't visit.

"As much as you miss your family and you miss your friends while you're on tour, it's a great time to get bonded together. Being together for three weeks, we bonded really well."

Beckham, who turns 33 in May, looks and feels totally different than he did in 2007, when injuries cut short his debut season with the Galaxy and he played in only five MLS games. Tanned, fully fit and as motivated as ever, he is ready for 2008.

"I've played 90 minutes in most [exhibition] games," he said. "I'm a lot healthier than I was when I first arrived here. Preseason seems to have gone on forever. I can't wait to actually get it started and get that first game underway."

grahame.jones@latimes.com

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Arsenal,Champions League

Arsenal, to face Liverpool in ,,
Last Updated: Friday, March 14, 2008 | 10:41 AM ET Comments0Recommend11
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Arsenal and Liverpool will meet in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, after the English rivals were selected to play each other during Friday's draw at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland

Spanish outfit Barcelona, tournament winners in 1992 and 2006, will face Germany's Schalke, and London club Chelsea takes on Turkish side Fenerbahce.

Steven Gerrard and, take on English rivals Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals.Steven Gerrard and Liverpool take on English rivals Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals.
(Clive Mason/Getty Images)

The other quarter-final pits reigning English champions Manchester United against Italian outfit AS Roma in a rematch from last season's quarter-finals. The two clubs also met twice in the first round of this year's competition.

"I think it's challenging, interesting as well. It's a good opportunity to be consistent against Liverpool because it's three very important games for us," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, referring to his team's match against Liverpool in the Premier League between the two Champions League contests.

"It's amazing but not surprising because I have seen that many times."

UEFA also made the provisional semifinal draw Friday. The winner of Arsenal and Liverpool meets Fenerbahce or Chelsea, and Schalke or Barcelona faces Roma or Manchester United, which means at least one English team will reach the final four.

Although Arsenal and Liverpool are big rivals in the English league, the quarter-final will be their first-ever meeting in European competition.

This year also marks the first time that four teams from the same country have reached the quarter-finals.

The first legs of the quarter-finals will take place April 1-2 with the second legs taking place April 8-9. The semifinals will take place April 22-23 and April 29-30.

The final is slated for May 21 in Moscow.


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Mancini plays

down Champions League clash

Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini has moved to take some of the importance out of tomorrow night's Champions League clash with Liverpool, claiming there would be 'no drama' if his side were to be knocked out.


arrive at the San Siro with a two-goal lead from the first leg at Anfield and are firm favourites to complete the job on Tuesday.


And Mancini is preparing for the worst while reiterating that defeat would not compromise the work done so far by his side who lead by six points with 11 matches to play.

'I don't think that a whole season can rest on one single game,' he said. 'It will be a difficult evening, but we do have a chance of doing it.

'Whatever the result, our season will continued and it does not end tomorrow.'

The Nerazzurri celebrated their 100th anniversary yesterday, but there were no gifts given to Mancini from the club's treatment room.

Only Cristian Chivu has recovered to join the remainder of the squad which defeated Reggina 2-0 on Saturday, while Marco Materazzi will be suspended for the game after his red card from the first leg.

Mancini has yet to come to terms with first-half dismissal in Liverpool, a decision which he believes contributed to making the situation tomorrow so delicate.

Mancini said: 'Each game has its own story and so we will have to see how this one goes.

'It is not going to be easy because we had to play there for 60 minutes with 10 men and this put us in danger.

'They were lucky in the first half in that we had one man less, but then they are a strong team and I don't think it is any coincidence that they become an even bigger team for the big matches.'

That is precisely what Inter have done throughout the current Serie A campaign, beating Roma, AC Milan and Fiorentina on their way to opening up their lead at the top of Serie A.

With tough fixtures against Juventus, Milan and Fiorentina still to come, Mancini is not expecting an easy ride on the domestic front, which perhaps explains his ease at accepting his side may no longer be in the Champions League.

'This season is not going to be like the last one and it will be decided at the end,' he said. 'Clubs with a history of 100 years like Inter, who have played thousands of games in Europe cannot think of it as a drama if we go out early.

'We have a difficult season - a very difficult season.'

But even in adversity, Mancini expects his side to give it one last shot and attempt to make history in a competition which can be full of surprises.

'I am not at all pessimistic and I believe that chances do exist,' he said.

'There have been lots of evenings in the Champions League or UEFA Cup when big leads have been overturned.

'Inter has got to play a perfect game without giving Liverpool much room. We have got to give our maximum and of course we risk going out - when two big clubs like this play, then of course there is a risk, but anything is possible.'




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Mancini plays down Champions League clash

coach Roberto Mancini has moved to take some of the importance out of tomorrow night's clash with Liverpool, claiming there would be 'no drama' if his side were to be knocked out.


Liverpool arrive at the San Siro with a two-goal lead from the first leg at Anfield and are firm favourites to complete the job on Tuesday.


And Mancini is preparing for the worst while reiterating that defeat would not compromise the work done so far by his side who lead Serie A by six points with 11 matches to play.

'I don't think that a whole season can rest on one single game,' he said. 'It will be a difficult evening, but we do have a chance of doing it.

'Whatever the result, our season will continued and it does not end tomorrow.'

The Nerazzurri celebrated their 100th anniversary yesterday, but there were no gifts given to Mancini from the club's treatment room.

Only Cristian Chivu has recovered to join the remainder of the squad which defeated Reggina 2-0 on Saturday, whilewill be suspended for the game after his red card from the first leg.

Mancini has yet to come to terms with Materazzi's first-half dismissal in Liverpool, a decision which he believes contributed to making the situation tomorrow so delicate.

Mancini said: 'Each game has its own story and so we will have to see how this one goes.

'It is not going to be easy because we had to play there for 60 minutes with 10 men and this put us in danger.

'They were lucky in the first half in that we had one man less, but then they are a strong team and I don't think it is any coincidence that they become an even bigger team for the big matches.'

That is precisely what Inter have done throughout the current Serie A campaign, beating Roma, AC Milan and Fiorentina on their way to opening up their lead at the top of Serie A.

With tough fixtures against Juventus, Milan and Fiorentina still to come, Mancini is not expecting an easy ride on the domestic front, which perhaps explains his ease at accepting his side may no longer be in the Champions League.

'This season is not going to be like the last one and it will be decided at the end,' he said. 'Clubs with a history of 100 years like Inter, who have played thousands of games in Europe cannot think of it as a drama if we go out early.

'We have a difficult season - a very difficult season.'

But even in adversity, Mancini expects his side to give it one last shot and attempt to make history in a competition which can be full of surprises.

'I am not at all pessimistic and I believe that chances do exist,' he said.

'There have been lots of evenings in the Champions League or UEFA Cup when big leads have been overturned.

'Inter has got to play a perfect game without giving Liverpool much room. We have got to give our maximum and of course we risk going out - when two big clubs like this play, then of course there is a risk, but anything is possible.'




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Maldini

Updated: March 6, 2008
may postpone retirement for a season

March 6 (Reuters) - Paolo Maldini may reconsider his decision to retire at the end of the season, the AC Milan captain said on Thursday.


'I'm being pushed to play another year. Three months ago I was very unfit but now I am better,' the 39-year-old defender told Sky television. 'I like this sport, I like training.'


Milan's elimination by Arsenal in Tuesday's last 16 tie had looked like Maldini's last
The one-club man, one of Milan's few good players on Tuesday, had been desperate to play in a record ninth European Cup final and pick up a sixth winners' medal.

Club president Silvio Berlusconi and chief executive Adriano Galliani want him to play another season and Maldini, who started his Milan career in 1985, is tempted.

'(They) are pushing me to continue for another year. We will see,' he said.




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Maldini

Updated: March 6, 2008
may postpone retirement for a season

March 6 (Reuters) - Paolo Maldini may reconsider his decision to retire at the end of the season, the AC Milan captain said on Thursday.


'I'm being pushed to play another year. Three months ago I was very unfit but now I am better,' the 39-year-old defender told Sky television. 'I like this sport, I like training.'


Milan's elimination by Arsenal in Tuesday's last 16 tie had looked like Maldini's last European match.

The one-club man, one of Milan's few good players on Tuesday, had been desperate to play in a record ninth European Cup final and pick up a sixth winners' medal.

Club president Silvio Berlusconi and chief executive Adriano Galliani want him to play another season and Maldini, who started his Milan career in 1985, is tempted.

'(They) are pushing me to continue for another year. We will see,' he said.




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Anelka blames players

, not Grant, for defeat

LONDON, March 10 (Reuters) - said the players should take the blame for Saturday's FA Cup humiliation at Barnsley rather than manager Avram Grant.


The Israeli coach has admitted he is under the microscope again at Stamford Bridge after the 1-0 quarter-final loss in Yorkshire followed soon after the League Cup final defeat by Tottenham Hotspur.


'We knew it was going to be difficult because (Barnsley) played with their lives and everyone in the dressing room was determined to win this game. Sometimes in football, things go wrong and you have to accept it,' Anelka, signed by Grant in January, said on Monday.

'Barnsley played well and sometimes these results happen. The tactics were right. Chelsea is a big club and we should be better than this.

'The criticism must be about the players because we didn't play well and we have to accept the fact. We know the media will be after the manager but you know as players when you played well and we didn't.'

Grant looked stunned after the defeat to the Championship (second division) side, Chelsea's first against lower league opposition since 1999.

'When I am responsible for the team and when my team loses at Barnsley, there will be many negative things said about it,' Grant was quoted as saying in Monday's Guardian.

'The team that played at Barnsley, even though we had a lot injuries, was good enough to win.'




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England Headlines

Anelka blames players

, not Grant, for defeat

LONDON, March 10 (Reuters) - Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka said the players should take the blame for Saturday's FA Cup humiliation at Barnsley rather than manager Avram Grant.


The Israeli coach has admitted he is under the microscope again at Stamford Bridge after the 1-0 quarter-final loss in Yorkshire followed soon after the League Cup final defeat by Tottenham Hotspur.


'We knew it was going to be difficult because (Barnsley) played with their lives and everyone in the dressing room was determined to win this game. Sometimes in football, things go wrong and you have to accept it,' Anelka, signed by Grant in January, said on Monday.

'Barnsley played well and sometimes these results happen. The tactics were right. Chelsea is a big club and we should be better than this.

'The criticism must be about the players because we didn't play well and we have to accept the fact. We know the media will be after the manager but you know as players when you played well and we didn't.'

Grant looked stunned after the defeat to the Championship (second division) side, Chelsea's first against lower league opposition since 1999.

'When I am responsible for the team and when my team loses at Barnsley, there will be many negative things said about it,' Grant was quoted as saying in Monday's Guardian.

'The team that played at Barnsley, even though we had a lot injuries, was good enough to win.'




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football: Atletico and Adap Galo

Meu afilhado Igor e eu no jogo do Atlético contra o Adap Galo na Baixada

My godson and I in the game between Atletico and Adap Galo at Kyocera Arena

Premier League delay '39' meeting with Blatter

The Premier League's plans for overseas matches have been effectively sent back to the drawing board, after they pulled out of a visit to FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

Click here
Chief executive Richard Scudamore had planned to go to Zurich on Thursday to persuade Blatter of the merits of each club playing a 39th game in a foreign city.

Blatter had already displayed vehement opposition to the '39th step' and now the League has decided to delay the visit indefinitely.

FIFA believe the move signals that the proposals in their current form are now dead and that new plans will have to be produced if the controversial scheme is to be revived.

The Premier League are adamant the idea is still alive but accept the proposals need to be 'developed' and that they will not push ahead without FIFA's approval.

The decision will also prevent the controversy torpedoing the official launch of England's bid for the 2018 World Cup, which is expected at the end of next month.

It should also go some way to restoring relations with Blatter, who had called the plans 'abuse' of football, and UEFA president Michel Platini - who had branded them 'crazy'.

The Premier League said in a statement: 'Having consulted with FIFA, we have decided to delay our planned visit while we conduct further work before addressing them and their confederations formally.

'We sincerely believe that the Premier League has much to offer the development of the game internationally as witnessed by the many federations and leagues that currently seek our involvement and advice.

'There never has been a rush to conclude these matters, and we are more than willing to take time to develop our proposals further before seeking approval - without which it is not our intention to proceed.'

Football Association chairman Lord Triesman, who revealed last week that the Football Association's board viewed the proposals as 'unsustainable', was due to accompany the visit to FIFA, who said it welcomed the Premier League's decision.

A statement from the world governing body read: 'FIFA have been advised by the English Premier League that the league, accompanied by senior representatives of the English FA, does not seek a meeting with FIFA at this time to discuss the project of a 39th match day to be played abroad.

'FIFA welcome the Premier League's decision and initiative - which re-establishes the positive and constructive relations between the FA, the FA Premier League and world football's governing body.'

Three weeks ago, Scudamore announced a year-long consultation process before the 20 clubs voted on a final proposal.

It now looks as though entirely new proposals will be needed - and perhaps even put before FIFA before the proposal is even made public.

The decision will also be welcomed by Manchester United and Liverpool, both of whom had expressed severe reservations about the overseas games.


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Premier League

Premier League delay '39' meeting with Blatter

The Premier League's plans for overseas matches have been effectively sent back to the drawing board, after they pulled out of a visit to FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

Click here
Chief executive Richard Scudamore had planned to go to Zurich on Thursday to persuade Blatter of the merits of each club playing a 39th game in a foreign city.

Blatter had already displayed vehement opposition to the '39th step' and now the League has decided to delay the visit indefinitely.

FIFA believe the move signals that the proposals in their current form are now dead and that new plans will have to be produced if the controversial scheme is to be revived.

The Premier League are adamant the idea is still alive but accept the proposals need to be 'developed' and that they will not push ahead without FIFA's approval.

The decision will also prevent the controversy torpedoing the official launch of England's bid for the 2018 World Cup, which is expected at the end of next month.

It should also go some way to restoring relations with Blatter, who had called the plans 'abuse' of football, and UEFA president Michel Platini - who had branded them 'crazy'.

The Premier League said in a statement: 'Having consulted with FIFA, we have decided to delay our planned visit while we conduct further work before addressing them and their confederations formally.

'We sincerely believe that the Premier League has much to offer the development of the game internationally as witnessed by the many federations and leagues that currently seek our involvement and advice.

'There never has been a rush to conclude these matters, and we are more than willing to take time to develop our proposals further before seeking approval - without which it is not our intention to proceed.'

Football Association chairman Lord Triesman, who revealed last week that the Football Association's board viewed the proposals as 'unsustainable', was due to accompany the visit to FIFA, who said it welcomed the Premier League's decision.

A statement from the world governing body read: 'FIFA have been advised by the English Premier League that the league, accompanied by senior representatives of the English FA, does not seek a meeting with FIFA at this time to discuss the project of a 39th match day to be played abroad.

'FIFA welcome the Premier League's decision and initiative - which re-establishes the positive and constructive relations between the FA, the FA Premier League and world football's governing body.'

Three weeks ago, Scudamore announced a year-long consultation process before the 20 clubs voted on a final proposal.

It now looks as though entirely new proposals will be needed - and perhaps even put before FIFA before the proposal is even made public.

The decision will also be welcomed by Manchester United and Liverpool, both of whom had expressed severe reservations about the overseas games.


source;

Chelsea play down reports of Terry bust-up

Chelsea are playing down suggestions of an alleged bust-up between coach Henk ten Cate and captain John Terry prior to Sunday's Carling Cup final defeat by Tottenham.

The pair were reported to have been pulled apart by other players after a training ground row.

The confrontation was understood to have been seen by the club's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich who was visiting the training ground.

Eyewitnesses reportedly saw Ten Cate face up to England captain Terry during Saturday's session and with the pair trading swear words and insults, other players had to step in to defuse the row.

Terry, like the rest of the squad, had not been told whether he would be in Avram Grant's side to face Tottenham at Wembley.

But the centre-half, who had been omitted from the Champions League game against Olympiacos the previous Tuesday, was included in the team along with Frank Lampard.

Holders Chelsea relinquished their grip on the trophy after going ahead in the first half through Didier Drogba as goals from Dimitar Berbatov and Jonathan Woodgate gave Spurs their first silverware since 1999.

A Chelsea spokesperson dismissed the row suggestions and said: 'All our focus is on our next game.'

That game is at West Ham on Saturday when Chelsea hope to shake off the memory of the Wembley defeat and continue their push for a third Premier League title in four years.

One eyewitness to Terry's spat with Ten Cate reportedly claimed: 'The session was supposed to put the finishing touches to the final plans for Wembley - but it just descended into a massive row.

'There was a lot of unrest among the squad because no-one knew what the team was going to be for Wembley.

'Everyone was trying to guess what was going on and in the end the frustration became too much. But the intensity of the row took everyone by surprise.

'John and Ten Cate were right in each other's faces and when it became clear that neither was going to back down, other players jumped between them to pull them apart.

'To make matters worse, Mr Abramovich was visiting the training ground and saw the whole thing.'

Dutchman Ten Cate was appointed first team coach last October but despite the row, Terry insisted on Monday that the preparations for the final had not been affected by the doubts over team selection.

He said: 'The manager keeps it all very close to his chest and none of us knew until Sunday and that is how it has been in every game.

'So there was no change or excuse. That is the way it has got to be, it keeps everyone on their toes and as a group of players we have to deal with it.'

African Nations Cup

outhS Africa: Yikes! In three matches Bofana Bofana got two draws and a loss, and never really looked very dangerous. When I traveled to South Africa last year, the people there were very worried that they would put together a shameful performance as host. This tournament result likely does nothing to give South Africans comfort. That said, Germany looked uncertain and ineffective as early as a year before their World Cup, and neither Japan nor South Korea seemed like world-beaters in 2000 or 2001.

Senegal: One begins to wonder whether the great form that Senegal showed in 2002 was just a one-off performance. After missing 2006 and getting booted out of the African Nations Cup, it seems as though they have crashed back down to earth.

Nigeria: I remember watching Nigeria's quarterfinal run in the 1998 World Cup and thinking, "wow, this team is the future of soccer, and once they win it all, they may never relinquish the trophy again." Now, chalk part of that to youthful over-exuberance, but until their rather ignominious collapse at the hands of Denmark, they looked supremely skilled, utterly confident and cool, and an order of magnitude more athletic than any other team in the Cup. Ten years later, and their form has steadily declined. They were rightfully beaten by a better Ghanaian team, and one wonders if they will again miss the World Cup. For a team with their talent, a great deal of criticism has to be heaped on the completely dysfunctional Nigerian FA, but much criticism also has to be laid at the feet of the players who often play without passion and steel.

Cameroon: For most of the last 25 years, the Indomitable Lions have been the class of African football, and in many ways the other African nation owe a debt of gratitude to Cameroon, but just at the point where African soccer seemed to be rising, Cameroon fell apart. Like Nigeria, they missed the last World Cup, and also like Nigeria their FA seemed in disarray. Unlike Nigeria, though, Cameroon seems to have pulled their act together, and though they cannot simply out-talent their opponents like they did in the past, it is comforting to see that the Indomitable Lions have won all sorts of ways. After an embarrassing performance against Egypt, they won their next to matches by an 8-1 aggregate, and they then pulled out an extra time quarterfinal win. With Samuel Eto'o getting healthy, this team could make some noise in 2010.

Egypt: Remember them? They're the defending champs, they are playing effective football, and depending on how they perform against Ivory Coast, one might make a strong case for Egypt returning to a position that they have not seen in some time.

Ghana & Cote d'Ivoire: These are clearly the ascendant teams in Africa. They are sending loads of top-shelf players to Europe, and they play well together. Ghana has to be the favorite to do well in 2010, and if the Ivorians continue to show class and attack, then you have to put them right there with the Ghanaians.

It's still way too early to pick favorites or dark-horses for 2010, but Ghana 2008 has given us a good look at what we might expect in two years. If nothing else, let's hope that South Africa features the kind of fun football that we've seen in Ghana... What are your thoughts on the African Nations Cup? Feel free to share at the spotlightsoccer.com forums.


saurce:http://ezinearticles.com/?African-Nations-Cup&id=986951

Torres lifts Reds back into top four

LIVERPOOL, England (AFP) - Fernando Torres claimed his first Premiership hat-trick for Liverpool as Rafa Benitez's team fought from a goal down to claim a 3-2 victory over Middlesbrough that lifts them back into the top four.

A stormy clash saw Boro finish with ten men after striker Jeremie Aliadiere was sent off for clashing with Liverpool's Argentinian midfielder Javier Mascherano.

Spain striker Torres, nicknamed 'El Nino' by the Liverpool supporters, almost single-handedly claimed the points for the home side with a stunning display of finishing against Gareth Southgate's team.

The win boosted Liverpool's hopes of claiming the final Champions League spot by lifting them above Merseyside rivals Everton -- who travel to Manchester City on Monday -- on goal difference.

The big question going into the game was which Liverpool would turn up against Middlesbrough? The one that has become the scourge of Europe's best teams or the team that can surrender meekly to motivated journeymen, such as against Barnsley in the FA Cup last week.

Judging by their unimpressive start to the game, it looked like it was going to be another depressing day for Benitez's team and Boro deservedly took the lead on nine minutes when Turkish striker Tuncay Sanli stunned the home side in front of The Kop.

Dutch winger Ryan Babel had conceded a free-kick by handling outside the penalty area and Boro winger Stewart Downing delivered the perfect cross from the set-piece for Tuncay to head in past keeper Jose Reina from six yards.

Liverpool's failure to hold their offside trap gifted Tuncay his chance, but Benitez's men were able to turn to Torres to get them out of the mess that they had suddenly found themselves in.

The former Atletico Madrid hitman has carried Liverpool through games at times this season with his impressive goal output and he took his tally to 20 for the campaign by netting twice inside sixty seconds to cancel out Boro's lead and put the home side ahead.

Torres's first came following a mistake by Boro captain Julio Arca, whose back-header towards his own goal was intercepted by the Spaniard.

With a head start on his marker, Torres bore down on goal and rode a hefty challenge by defender Emanuel Pogatetz before finishing brilliantly from six yards.

It was an example of his predatory instinct, but his next goal seconds later was one of the best of his brief time in the Premiership.

Babel's run down the left resulted in the ball dropping to Fabio Aurelio and the Brazilian full-back squared for Torres 30 yards out. The striker then took a touch to control the ball before unleashing an unstoppable right-foot strike past Australian keeper Mark Schwarzer from 25 yards.

Boro fought back, though, and Gareth Southgate's men believed they had scored an equaliser when Tuncay diverted Downing's cross into the net on 35 minutes, but referee Lee Mason had spotted a handball by the Turk and he correctly ruled the goal out.

Southgate's men were not out of the game by any means, though, and they continued to pose Liverpool problems in the second-half.

But the threat that they posed up-front was nullified as Sami Hyypia began to get to grips with Tuncay and Liverpool sealed the game when Torres completed his hat-trick goal on 61 minutes.

It was a goal that Schwarzer will want to forget. The keeper raced out of his area to clear Dirk Kuyt's long-ball, but he collided with defender David Wheater, allowing Torres to score into an empty net from 18 yards.

And although Downing scored to make it 3-2 with seven minutes left to play, Aliadiere's dismissal ended their hopes of a draw and Liverpool were able to hold on to secure a hard-fought three points.


source: sport.yahoo.com

Beckham sets up two goals in Galaxy win

HONOLULU (Reuters) - David Beckham had a hand in both Los Angeles Galaxy goals as his Major League Soccer side clinched third place in the Pan Pacific Championship with a 2-1 victory over Sydney FC on Saturday.

With three minutes gone, the England midfielder's long cross was met by Ely Allen, who scored with a crisp left-foot volley.

Sydney FC equalized three minutes before halftime through Brendan Renaud, who let fly with a left-foot strike from 30 yards to beat goalkeeper Steve Cronin.

"It is always good at pre-season to get games in," said Beckham. "You can do all the training you want but your match fitness that comes from games is important."

Beckham provided the spark for what would be the Galaxy's winner just before halftime.

His low cross was fumbled by Sydney goalkeeper Ivan Necevski, and Josh Tudela was on hand to turn the ball into the net.

"The right foot seems to be working," Beckham added.

"That is what I do, I get into positions and deliver balls that can help my teammates and the strikers.

"I like having assists and tonight I was lucky enough to get two so it was a good night."

Japanese side Gamba Osaka won the inaugural competition with an emphatic 6-1 win over MLS side Houston Dynamo.

Brazilian striker Bare scored four goals, with Lucas and Masato Yamazaki also getting on the scoresheet. Ricardo Clark managed Houston's only goal.


source:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080224/sp_soccer_nm/soccer_pacific_beckham_dc;
_ylt=Ak5A4Ww_s9OesgVAYd0rM9B2yLQF

Sports football : Real Madrid coach Schuster regrets under-rating Getafe

Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster should have known better, after all he was the coach at Getafe last season, but he paid the price for not taking his old club seriously on Sunday.

Getafe, now with another former Real player Michael Laudrup at the helm, beat the Spanish giants 1-0 to end their 100 per cent home record in La Liga this season.

Schuster had audaciously stated on Saturday, "I can't imagine waking up on Monday morning with our advantage over Barca down to two points."

However, after the Catalan club's 5-1 demolition of Levante that is exactly the situation.

"We threw away our opportunities despite defending much better. Our recent rivals have hardly had any chances but we've been making small errors which have let them win," said Schuster on Sunday, after Real's third loss in eight days.

"Up until now things have been going well but we seem to be having problems in the last few games which haven't been there before."

Lack of concentration or complacency might be one thing he could address.

Having started February with a nine-point advantage over second-placed Barcelona, Real's lead over their bitter rivals has now dwindled to two.

Getafe's bizarre goal, which could be said to have been as much Real's own fault as derived by the visitors' opportunism, will also provide Schuster with some sleepless nights in addition to his imprudent statement.

Arjen Robben thought he had put Real in the lead after 65 minutes but, as the Real players celebrated, referee Arturo Dauden Ibanez ruled that captain Raul Gonzalez had been offside before he passed to his Dutch team mate.

Getafe quickly took the ensuing free kick and executed a swift counter-attack, exploiting their opponents now under-manned defence.

Franceso Casquero broke free and laid the ball off to Manu Del Moral who, in turn, passed to Ikechuckwu Uche and the Nigerian coolly slotted the ball home with his right foot from 10 metres out.

"We've lost this game through one solitary incident. I've never seen a goal allowed like that before," said Schuster

"Now we've just got to put this behind us and carry on because things are still in our favour."

The reigning Spanish champions have 56 points from 25 games, with 13 games still remaining, with Barca on 54 points.

"Barcelona still have to depend on us (dropping points) and in the coming week we will have players back from injury and that means I'll have nearly all the squad at my disposal," added Schuster.

The recovering players include Brazilian striker Robinho and Portuguese defender Pepe, both of who were in impressive form prior to their recent injuries.



source:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080225/sp_soccer_afp/fblesprealmadridschuster;
ylt=Atd_cfTctR_RggdC9Nps9v92yLQF