President Blatter attends the XXI Commonwealth Cup FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter visited Russia on 18 January for the opening of the XXI Commonwealth Cup, a competition he has been attending every year for the last 20 years. The competition brings together U-21 teams from Eastern Europe and Central Asia. This year, Belarus, Latvia, Estonia, Tajikistan (Group A), Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan (Group B) and Ukraine, Lithuania, Moldova, Turkmenistan (Group C) are all competing for a place in the final which will take place on 27 January 2013. Present at the opening ceremony were a number of dignitaries alongside the FIFA President, including Sports Minister and FIFA Executive Committee Member Vitaly Mutko, the Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg Vassili Kitigi, the Governor of St. Petersburg Region Alexander Drozdenko, the President of the Football Union of Russia, Nikolai Tolstykh and the CEO of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Local Organising Committee Alexey Sorokin. At this opening ceremony, Blatter first mentioned his "respect and emotions on this special day, as it's exactly 70 years that Leningrad, now St Petersburg, saw the end of its blockade. My thoughts are with the city and the population." The FIFA President was referring to the Siege of Leningrad, also known as the Leningrad Blockade, which was a prolonged military operation undertaken by the German Army against Leningrad during the second World War (8 September 1941 - 18 January 1943). President Blatter continued, speaking in Russian, saying: "Football has no borders, that's why I have come here for 20 years, because the Commonwealth Cup unifies people. With the FIFA World Cup 2018, it's people from the entire world who will gather, because football is more than a game.” On Saturday 19 January, the President will meet representatives of Member Associations of the region. (Total comments 1)

Del Neri dismissed from Genoa post Genoa have sacked Luigi Del Neri following today's 2-0 home defeat to Catania. Del Neri only replaced Luigi Del Canio at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on 24 October but a run of just two wins from 13 games sees the club languishing in the Serie A relegation places. A statement on Genoa's official website tonight read: "Genoa announce that it has dismissed coach Luigi Del Neri. "The club wishes to thank Mr Del Neri, and his team of assistants, Francesco Conti, Maurizio D'Angelo and Luca Alimonta, for their efforts during this period." The club have yet to name a replacement, but former coach Davide Ballardini has been linked with the post in the Italian media.

Galatasaray confirm deal for Sneijder Galatasaray have agreed a deal to sign Netherlands midfielder Wesley Sneijder from Inter Milan, the Turkish club have confirmed. The 28-year-old has been locked in contract talks with Galatasaray since Inter accepted a €10 million bid for his services two weeks ago. A statement on galatasaray.org read: "The transfer of Wesley Sneijder from Inter Milan has been agreed. The conditions of the deal will be made public and the player will sign the contract after health checks." A short conversation between Inter president Massimo Moratti and Sneijder was released on the Serie A club's website earlier this evening, in which both parties revealed the Dutch international was close to calling time on a successful spell at the San Siro. Reports in Italy and Holland suggested Sneijder and his agent Soren Lerby met with Galatasaray director Lutfi Arigogan in a Milan hotel this evening to finalise the details of a three-and-a-half year contract. Sneijder has not featured for the Nerazzurri since a 2-0 victory at Chievo in September after publicly refusing to take a €2 million pay cut on a contract that ran until June 2015. Head coach Andrea Stramaccioni maintained the playmaker's absence from the first team was solely a tactical decision, despite Inter's clear difficulty in keeping pace with league leaders Juventus through an injury crisis. This week saw Moratti urge Sneijder to make a "professional" decision over his future in Milan, where he won the treble under Jose Mourinho in 2010. The pair cleared the air before Sneijder headed for decisive talks with representatives of the Super Lig leaders. Moratti told inter.it: "I met Sneijder. I wanted to have a chat with him, I thought we needed to. "Have we made peace? I don't think there was ever a war in the first place, and certainly not with me personally. "Did we chat to see if we were all moving in the same direction? Which one? It's a surprise... "Is he close to a move to Galatasaray? Yes, I think so." The playmaker, who joined Inter from Real Madrid for €15 million in 2009, indicated he was ready to move on. "I spoke a lot with president Moratti because we have a good relationship, we had a good talk, nothing more than that," he told inter.it. "He said that it's looking like I'll be off to Galatasaray but there's still a slim chance I could stay? What the president said is exactly right. "The Inter fans expect me to stay? Inter fans are the best around, I've won everything here and I'm happy here. "Now I don't know whether I'll be saying, 'I am happy here' or 'I was happy here'. One of two things could happen, we'll see."

Draw leaves islanders hungry for more ( CAF Africa Cup of Nations rookies Cape Verde Islands had already created a sensation by merely qualifying for the 29th edition of the showcase event of African football at the expense of Cameroon's Indomitable Lions. On Saturday, they continued the trend by holding the host South Africans to a goalless draw in the tournament's opening game, and far from being satiated, the Blue Sharks' players told FIFA.com that they are now looking for more. When Cape Verde secured their place at the finals of the AFCON, most neutral football fans thought that the Blue Sharks would do little more than make up the numbers in Group A of the competition, where they were drawn with experienced campaigners Morocco and Angola as well as Bafana Bafana. And likewise, the islanders, who represent the smallest country to have ever qualified for the finals of the continental championships, remained modest in their preparations before the event. However, the opening day draw in the cauldron of Soccer City has seen them become even more determined. "For Cape Verde, we want our first victory in the Cup of Nations to be here in South Africa in the first AFCON in our history. We can be proud of what we achieved in our first-ever game at the finals, but now, after the draw, we want more. We have to be ambitious," said Julio Tavares. The 24-year-old striker, who plays his club football for French club Dijon, came on as a second-half substitute for midfielder Platini at a time when coach Lucio Antunes was throwing men forward in an attempt to stun the hosts – in itself a good indicator of the positive thinking of the coach and the side. Tavares, who started his career with lower-league club Bourg-Peronnas in France, before moving last year, is now looking forward to their next game against Morocco. "If we play like we did against South Africa, we can do something good. I think we can beat them," he said. It is never easy to play in front of a hostile crowd, but we did well and showed we could really act as a team. Cape Verde defender Fernando Varela after the opening AFCON match That is an ambitious view in the face of the challenge against the 1976 African champions, who feature numerous well-known internationals, but it is a mood shared by much of the team. "We have no reason to go into our next game suffering an inferiority complex. Having said that, Morocco, like all the teams in North Africa play good football, but we are going to do our best and play our game,” said Fernando Varela, who plays his club football in Romania for Vaslui after joining them from Portuguese club Feirense at the beginning of the season. The centre-half, who was born in Portugal, explained after the South Africa match that the islanders could not help but be positive given their performance in the nervy opener. "We are happy with the draw against the host country. It is never easy to play in front of a hostile crowd, but we did well and showed we could really act as a team. We have to keep on this way to create a surprise in this group," he said. A happy coach Also satisfied with the result was Antunes, who brought a squad comprised mainly of European-based players to the tournament. Ranked 15th in Africa and 70th in the world - 15 places better in the world rankings than Bafana Bafana - the Blue Sharks took the game to the hosts and were rewarded for their efforts with a goalless draw. "For me, it was mission accomplished," said Antunes. "The team was excellent, we did the job we came to do and met our objectives, and now we can concentrate on our next match against Morocco." Surprisingly his team, who also secured a 7-1 aggregate victory over Madagascar en route to the finals, had the better chances against the hosts to the dismay of the home supporters. "I am happy, the players are happy and the technical staff are happy. We represented our country well. It is a small country of 500,000 people, but we made them proud today." With the second game in the group between Morocco and Angola also ending in a goalless stalemate, the table remains evenly poised ahead of the second round of matches in Durban on Wednesday. For the traditional underdogs, that means another result against Morocco could open up the door to something that could never have been dreamt of a few months ago: A place in the quarter-finals of the continental championship.

Xavi: The hunger is still there ( Xavi Hernandez has long since cemented his place among the greatest footballers of all time. He has won that status by lifting every team trophy going and securing a number of FIFA Ballon d’Or nominations, accolades based on his metronomic ability to dictate the pace of play and his many other technical gifts, which have also earned him the lasting admiration of the fans. Figuring large in the global elite once again, thanks to his place in the 2012 FIFA/FIFPro World XI, the cultured Barcelona and Spain linchpin granted an interview to FIFA.com, in which he showed he is every bit as astute and perceptive away from his midfield beat as he is when he is patrolling it. FIFA.com: Xavi, how do you feel about taking part in the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala again? Xavi Hernandez: I’m delighted to be in Zurich after another amazing year with Barcelona and the national team, the highlight of which was winning the European Championships. Though I’m not among the three candidates this time, I’m every bit as happy to be here. You have also been named in the FIFA/FIFPro World XI by your fellow footballers. It’s a tremendous honour. There are a lot of people in football, and I feel very proud that my professional colleagues from around the world have selected me as one of the best eleven players. Spain retained their European title in 2012, having won the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ in between. How do you explain that run of success? We’ve got a very good team. There’s a huge amount of talent and a lot of desire too. When you start making a habit of winning, it’s very important that you put a little pressure on yourself and take some responsibility for the next challenge ahead. We’ve had a little bit of luck too, in the penalties against Portugal, for example. But then we went and played a great final against Italy and set the seal on all the hard work this generation has put in, a generation that is as good as it gets as far as I’m concerned. You mentioned luck there. Do you think it’s that important in football? Yes, it is. And there have been times when it’s been on our side. It’s what they call the luck of the champions. When it’s come to the crunch things have always gone our way: against Paraguay in the World Cup, Italy at EURO 2008, Portugal a few months ago and against Croatia in the same tournament too. We’ve had luck. Of course we have. But we’ve also got a competitive streak, and that’s helped us make the most of it. How have you managed to prevent the club rivalry between the Real Madrid and Barcelona players from becoming a factor in the national side? By putting it to one side. When we get together we all know that we want the same objective. I’m big friends with Iker Casillas, and they even gave the two of us an award (The Prince of Asturias Award for Sport). You can see that friendship when we play together. As well as putting our rivalry to one side in the national team, we also forget about our friendship when we’re playing for our respective clubs, though we never lose our cool or our respect for each other. I like to read the papers. I make my living from football and I like to know what’s going on. Xavi, Barcelona midfielder. It’s hard to escape that rivalry in Spain these days. Do you think it’s become even more intense lately? It’s always been that way. I’ve spent my whole life at Barcelona and it’s a football war. Some people use it to sell things but it’s good for football, the league and the national team. To be honest it makes you proud that we’ve got such big teams here. The Spanish football press is closely linked to the two clubs. Do you read what it has to say? I like to read the papers. I make my living from football and I like to know what’s going on. Obviously there are a lot of different opinions out there, but we live in a democracy and you have to respect every point of view, whether you agree with it or not. Moving on to Barcelona, why did the team’s performance dip last season? Well, we’ve just been talking about how things either go your way or they don’t, and in that case they didn’t, especially in the games against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and then the Camp Nou, where we had the tie in the bag, with them down to ten men, only to let it slip. The same happened in the league. This year we’ve been turning those kinds of things our way, making every game count. My feeling is we were just a bit below our usual standard last season and we ended up paying for it. Pep Guardiola left the club at the end of the season, marking the end of an era. Do you feel that weighed you down? I don’t see it that way because we have a very competitive team. Watch us train and you realise how much we want to win, even in the practice matches. The hunger is still there. We’ve got practically the same squad this season and the results have been just about perfect. Do you feel you owe something to the fans? No, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that. We’ve already won a lot. We want to make Barcelona supporters happy and we get a kick out of that, as much as the fans do. I don’t feel we’re in debt to them because of one bad season. All it does is make us even more determined to start winning things again. What is the difference between Tito Vilanova’s Barcelona and Pep Guardiola’s? They’re very similar. We’ve had a bit more fortune this year but we’ve been working more or less the same way, which is what you’d expect. Tito was Pep’s assistant coach and they worked a lot together. They’re different characters but the training sessions are pretty much the same, the system is the same and our desire undiminished. It’s been a case of continuity, in every sense of the word. The team has got back to its very best in recent months, though it did take you a little while to click into top gear at the start of the season. My feeling at the start of the season was that we weren’t quite there in terms of fitness, and we found it hard, especially with teams knowing us so well. It was just a question of picking up the pace again and sticking to our style. In the last two or three months the team has got back into the groove we’ve been in over the last few years. How does it feel having such a big lead over Real Madrid? On a personal level I feel happy and satisfied. It’s a very long race and there are still a lot of games to go, but we’ve got a massive cushion and we’re moving closer to the league title, no doubt about it. Turning to the UEFA Champions League now, what’s your view on your upcoming opponents Milan? They’re a tough side. They keep it tight at the back and they’ve always made life very hard for us defensively. The San Siro is not an easy place to go to either because the fans are very passionate. And if you look back through history you’ll see that they’ve won more European Cups than us. They might not be at their best right now but they always have players who can make life hard for you. One last question. Could this be another historic year for Barcelona? The team is very competitive and we want to do well in every competition. We’d like to win the lot but we have to watch our step. The talent is there for sure, but we need luck to be on our side too.

Tevez: I want to help Balotelli Carlos Tevez has told Manchester City team-mate Mario Balotelli not to make the same mistakes he did. Balotelli, 22, was pictured last week in an apparent physical confrontation with manager Roberto Mancini in what was the latest chapter of a controversial and incident-packed spell at Eastlands. Tevez is no stranger to controversy himself, having been out of the City side for a long spell last season after refusing to warm up during a UEFA Champions League match against Bayern Munich. The 28-year-old Argentina striker, who eventually returned to the City side to win a Premier League winner's medal last term, said: "I try to help Mario. I talk to him personally, on and off the pitch. I've been in that moment like him. "I'm always keen to help him and keep him going through these kind of moments, so he doesn't make the same mistakes that I did in the past." Tevez did not feel the training-ground incident with Mancini, which was sparked by a tackle from Balotelli on Scott Sinclair, was a big deal. "There are these kind of things that have happened at all the clubs I've been, but here at City the spotlight is always on us, as it is always on Roberto and Mario," he said. "So here it always comes out - but this kind of thing happens everywhere."

Ballon d'Or Gala takes shape The biggest names in football will be in Zurich tomorrow for the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala as the outstanding performers of 2012 are honoured. However, the city's Kongresshaus - the venue for the big event - has already been a hive of activity over recent days as the stage is prepared, with this behind-the-scenes video showing just how the room has taken shape.

Vilanova: Cancer fight not over yet ( Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova admitted on Sunday that his cancer battle is not over and that he may be forced to once again step away from guiding the team's thrilling pursuit of La Liga title. The 44-year-old underwent surgery for a second time on a tumour on a saliva gland on 20 December. He missed the away win over Valladolid but was back in the Camp Nou dugout on Sunday for the 4-0 derby victory over Espanyol which allowed Barcelona to go 11 points clear of Atletico Madrid and stay 16 in front of bitter rivals Real Madrid. "This is not over yet and there will be days that I can take training and others I can't but I want the media to realise that this illness is mine and it is private even if I am a public figure," said Vilanova. What has happened to me could have happened to anyone. Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova "I would like to thank everyone for their support. This club has had a lot of knocks in the last couple of years but I always want to take the positive approach. What has happened to me could have happened to anyone." Pedro Rodriguez hit a double with Xavi Hernandez and Lionel Messi also scoring in a rampant first half as Barcelona claimed a 17th win in 18 La Liga matches against just one draw. Speaking after the match, he said: "I want to thank the doctors and nurses at Vall d'Hebron and also to the club. At all times I've felt supported and protected by the club. I want to thank the staff and the players, as it isn't easy for them either." Barcelona's win over Espanyol helped them extend their lead at the top of La Liga to 11 points after nearest challengers Atletico Madrid were held 1-1 by Real Mallorca. Barça had their victory wrapped up inside the opening half-hour after netting four times through Xavi, Lionel Messi and a Pedro Rodriguez double. Vilanova said: "We started off really well. It's not easy to start like this after a break, but we showed that we're on form

The FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala: live like never before (FIFA.com) Friday 4 January 2013 In many places around the world the beginning of January is a time of giving, not least Zurich, where the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala will take centre stage on Monday 7 January. And like the Three Kings Balthasar, Caspar and Melchior, FIFA.com will be bearing some wonderful gifts for the big occasion. Football fans around the globe are eagerly waiting to see if it will be Cristiano Ronaldo, Andres Iniesta or Lionel Messi stepping up to collect the 2012 FIFA Ballon d’Or a little before 20:00 CET on Monday, though there will be plenty to keep you entertained in the build-up to that crowning moment, all of it broadcast live at FIFA.com. Once again this year, the press conferences given by the FIFA Ballon d’Or nominees will be going out live on the site, with the women online at 14:00 CET and the men an hour later. This time, however, we will also be offering a simultaneous live blog complete with your comments, tweets and retweets from stars around the world, as well as photos, videos, links and special polls. Running from 14:00 to 20:30 CET approximately, the blog will tell you everything you need to know about the 2012 FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala. And that’s not all. For the very first time FIFA.com will this year be out and about on the red carpet before the ceremony gets under way, broadcasting live from 17:00 CET and bringing you interviews with the evening’s glittering array of guests, from the nominees themselves to stars of yesteryear and former Ballon d’Or winners. Rest assured, FIFA.com has a surprise or two up its sleeve for you. The high point of the evening, the Gala itself, will go out live from 18:30 CET right through to its conclusion at around 20:00, during which time you will find out who has made off with the FIFA Ballon d’Or for 2012. FIFA.com also has plenty more in store for you after the show is over, with interviews with the winners, the very best photos and videos of the event, and the official voting documents, all live and direct. With FIFA.com posting articles and videos throughout the day, you won’t miss a single thing, and you can play your part in the show as well by sending us your comments and tweets.