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FABREGAS not undergo surgery

Francesc Fàbregas Soler has decided not to require surgery on his injured knee. Sky SportsArsenal captain has visited a specialist in Barcelona to determine the full extent of the setback he suffered against Liverpool. reported, the

According to Arsenal official website, Cesc Fabregas will be out for "three to four months" after suffering a serious knee injury against Liverpool on Sunday.

The Spanish midfielder suffered a partial rupture of his medial knee ligaments just before half-time in Sunday’s Premier League game with Liverpool. The 21-year-old will not require surgery but the injury is likely to keep him out for around four months."

After consulting with the best doctor possible, we've decided not to operate," Fabregas was quoted as saying in Marca. He said, the doctor didn't recommended him to do it because he is still young and the meniscus is not damaged.

The Arsenal captain was hurt in a challenge with his Spanish team-mates Xabi Alonso (Liverpool) at Emirates Stadium.

Although his injury is very serious, Fabregas does not angry to Alonso. "He was very concerned about me. He called me after the game. These are things that happen, it's football and Xabi is a great friend of mine,” he said.

For Fabregas, it is the first serious injury he has had in his career. “Everybody gets injured and now it's my turn. I will have to wait, undertake my recovery and return as soon as possible."

Arsenal’s coach Arsene Wenger said, the first six weeks will be the most horrible in the healing of Cesc Fabregas. The first steps are the most painful –mentally and physically.

The absent of Fabregas will make The Gunners more difficult to grap a top position in Premier League, because Fabregas is the play maker and soul of the team.

Cesc Fabregas born at 4 May 1987 in Arenys de Mar, Barcelona (Spain). FC Barcelona began Fàbregas his club football career. But on 11 September 2003 he decided to join Arsenal because he sensed have limited the opportunities to play in a first-team at the Camp Nou.

On 24 November 2008, Fàbregas was named as the successor to William Gallas as club captain.

On 15 May 2006, Fàbregas was selected for the Spanish 2006 World Cup squad. He became the youngest player in Spanish football history to participate in a World Cup.*

John Terry can be legend like Zola

By: IAN McGARRY / The Sun

CHELSEA have a lot to thank Gianfranco Zola for — and the emergence of John Terry is one of them.

And when the new West Ham boss is applauded on his return to Stamford Bridge tomorrow, Terry is one who will join in.

The Blues skipper spent hours doing extra training with Zola when he was a young defender and is grateful to the Italian for setting a sparkling example as a pro.

But now Terry is writing his own chapter in Chelsea’s book of legends and coach Ray Wilkins has tipped him to eclipse Zola.

Wilkins said, “If I was to pick one of the current players who might surpass Franco in the future I’d say John Terry.

“John just epitomises what we’re about. He’s professional, he’s a one-club player and I’d imagine in 10 years’ time when they have their next poll of greatest ever players, John would be the one who sits at the top.”

Wilkins, a Chelsea legend himself, reckons that the current skipper would not be the player he is without Zola’s influence.

He said, “What you do as a youngster is get your eye on one of the senior players and think: ‘That’s how it’s done is it?’

“From an early age, John set his eyes on Zola, he picked up on the professionalism of Zola and thankfully we’ve got the player we’ve got now.

“If you see how John trains and plays, he has certainly taken that on board, as Gianfranco was the ultimate pro. John is following in those footsteps.”

Chelsea face the Hammers in the midst of their worst start to a season at home in 15 years. They have picked up just 12 points from their first eight games at the Bridge and are desperate for a win to maintain their title tilt.

Zola’s side did the Blues a favour by drawing at Liverpool and will be no pushovers.

And Wilkins knows it is imperative the Chelsea players are relaxed.

He said: “The important thing is not to panic. We aren’t winning as many games at home as we’d like but we’re still second in the league and in the next phase of the Champions League.

“You have to give credit to people when they come to the Bridge. They’re not just going to roll over and let us play football. They will make it difficult for us. But it’s up to us to break that down.”

Boss Phil Scolari must sort Blues’ home form and increased firepower is the obvious way. So it seems likely Didier Drogba will play up front with Nicolas Anelka.

Chelsea were hit by another transfer blow last night when Fluminense defender THIAGO SILVA agreed to join AC Milan.

Blues’ boss Scolari had earmarked him as a replacement for want-away star Alex. Milan, however, have left Chelsea trailing and sealed a £1.5million deal subject to a medical next week.

It is another setback for Scolari, who has been told he must fund any signings in the January transfer window from the sale of players.

Now the news of Silva’s decision will make Alex’s looming departure in January much more difficult.*

Huntelaar So Happy at Joining Real Madrid

Klaas Jan Huntelaar cannot wait to link up with his new Real Madrid team-mates as he prepares to put the finishing touches on his big-money move from Ajax.

Madrid had been chasing Huntelaar for the last two years but finally got their man when they agreed a deal with Ajax for the 25-year-old that could rise to 27million euros.

Huntelaar, who will be available for Madrid in January providing he successfully overcomes his ankle injury and passes a medical, is set to become the eighth Dutchman to make the move to the Bernabeu, of which five will be his team-mates later this season.

One of those, Wesley Sneijder, was quick to congratulate his former Ajax team-mate on the move, with Huntelaar revealing: "Sneijder was the first and then the others called me. It`s a dream come true and they`ve already told me to play at Madrid is the best for a footballer.

"I'm very happy right now, I suppose I will be even happier when I arrive at Madrid and can be with my new team-mates.

"I'm going to Real Madrid to grow as a player and fight with one of the biggest teams in Europe.

"Madrid are one of football`s most historical clubs and from now on I hope to make their fans happy by scoring many goals and winning titles."

Aside from Sneijder, Madrid also boast Arjen Robben, Rafael van der Vaart, Royston Drenthe and Ruud van Nistelrooy as part of their current Dutch contingent.

Huntelaar is unlikely to get the chance to play alongside Van Nistelrooy this season though, with the prolific former Manchester United and PSV Eindhoven striker facing a nine month lay-off after undergoing knee surgery.

That injury to the veteran hitman prompted Madrid to step up their interest in Huntelaar, a player who has been likened to Van Nistelrooy after tearing Dutch defences apart for the last four years with Heerenveen and Ajax.

When asked if he was bothered by suggestions he is the new Van Nistelrooy, Huntelaar answered Spanish newspaper AS: "No. I`m Klass Jan Huntelaar. I`m different, but we both share the same badge, that of Real Madrid. For this I am extraordinarily happy.

"Ruud is a great player and I know all about him because we`ve been together with the Holland squad.

"He was always one of my role models as a footballer. He is an extraordinary goalscorer and everyone regrets his recent knee injury. I want to take this chance to wish him all the best.

"I want to score many goals to help Real Madrid as soon as possible and give my encouragement to Van Nistelrooy because he is the best," added Huntelaar, who will pen a four-and-a-half-year deal with Madrid, subject to a medical.

The Dutch international has been sidelined since early November after damaging ankle tendons during a match against Sparta Rotterdam, but he insists he is well on the road to recovery.

He said: "I hope to be back as soon as possible. I`m training very well, without problems, running without difficulty and touching the ball.

"I cannot put a date on my return, this is a question for the medical staff. I`m sure I will be in peak condition for January. As well as that, before then I can`t play for Real Madrid anyway.

Huntelaar, who is due in Madrid on Wednesday, added on Dutch broadcaster NOS TV: "But I don't want to take a single risk with my ankle. I first want to recover fully. That is most important.

"I will speak with Real and Ajax about what to do. Maybe the clubs have made an agreement about that too. So it is very well possible I have already played my last Ajax match."

Huntelaar also revealed a few things still need to be sorted out in his contract, saying: "It is all as good as done. But we must speak about some minor details. Besides that we must also look each other in the eyes for the first time. That is important too."

Source: soccernet.com
Image: skysports.com

Ronaldo may be miss champions game

Manchester United star, Cristiano Ronaldo, may be miss Champions League game versus Spanish club Real Villarreal at Tuesday (Nov. 25).

The Portugal's player had a leg injuury when United draw 0-0 with Aston Villa, Saturday night.

"His leg is in a mess. He is doubtful for Tuesday," said Alex Ferguson, United's manager.

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro was born at 5 February 1985 in Funchal, Madeira (Portugal), to Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro and José Dinis Aveiro.

He plays primarily as a right winger. But he has also been used both in a central attacking role and as a second striker.

Ronaldo has undergo ankle surgery at the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam on 7 July. He returned play for United on 17 September in Champions League with Villarreal as a substitute.

He scored his 100th and 101st goals in all competitions for Manchester United in a 5–0 win over Stoke City on 15 November 2008, both from free kicks.

Read Cristiano Ronaldo profile at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cristiano_Ronaldo

Gonzalo Higuain out of BATE Borisov match

Real Madrid's striker Gonzalo Higuain will miss Champions League match against Belarussian, BATE Borisov at Tuesday, after suffering a sprained ankle.

Higuain sprained his left ankle in Satuday's match against Recreativo Huelva, the club said in a statement Sunday.

The Argentine forward will undergo physiotherapy aimed at achieving a rapid recovery.

Higuain is top scorer in the Primera Liga this season with nine goals. Real is already miss several key players for the match, notably Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who is out until the end of the season following a kneee operation.

Real Madrid is second in its Champions League group H, four points behind Italian club Juventus, which has already qualified for the quarter-finals.

Gonzalo Gerardo Higuaín was born at December 10, 1987 in Brest, Finistère, France. His father, professional Argentine footballer Jorge "El Pipa" Higuaín, was playing for Brest, at that time in the French Ligue 1.

Higuain having left France at the age of 10 months. Even though he does not speak French, he holds a French passport, because his father was naturalized French. But he successfully applied for the Argentine nationality in January 2007.

Read profile of Gonzalo Higuain:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonzalo_Higua%C3%ADn

GALLAS, say sorry or lose £10m

WILLIAM GALLAS has 10 million reasons to say sorry to his Arsenal team-mates.

The French ace is on a megabucks deal which will see him earn £10m between now and 2011. But that could go up in smoke unless he apologises for publicly criticising his Emirates team-mates. If he does, the door is open for the 31-year-old defender to make a sensational return in tomorrow’s Champions League clash against Ukraine side Dynamo Kiev.

If he does not, he will probably have to ship out. Gallas was monstered by boss Arsene Wenger AND stripped of the captaincy for betraying dressing-room secrets, as SunSport reported on Friday.

He was also left back home in London as Arsenal crashed 3-0 at Manchester City on Saturday.

Wenger insists Gallas must grovel in the dressing room before he plays for the Gunners again.

But that is not out of the question. Gallas knows his career in the Premier League will be over if he refuses to back down.

He is earning £80,000 a week on a contract that runs until 2011. That equates to £10m. So an apology is likely to be forthcoming.

Boss Wenger will certainly hope Gallas sees the light. Kolo Toure, Bacary Sagna and Emmanuel Eboue are all ruled out of tomorrow’s Euro game, and the Gunners cannot rely on the defence that crumbled so easily at Eastlands.

Gavin Hoyte suffered a Premier League debut to forget as he was given the runaround by Robinho and looked grateful to be withdrawn from the action with half an hour still remaining.

Johan Djourou and Mikael Silvestre looked far from convincing as a central defensive pairing and even Gael Clichy had a nightmare at left-back.

Wenger refused to discuss the issue and snapped: “The most important thing is to keep strong, united and focused. We mustn’t panic.”

Florent Malouda has backed pal Gallas to bounce back from his Arsenal crisis. But he warned his mate: You must stand up and face the consequences. Chelsea ace Malouda said: “I’m still supporting William.

“But he has to be responsible for what he said," Malouda said. "Of course I hope he stays. For me you don’t have to ask this question because he is still a good player, and you have to think what he brings to English football."

“It’s not fair, I think, to forget everything just because he said one thing.”

Source: The Sun

Buffon perhaps not join Manchester City

Juventus and Italian national team's keeper Gianluigi Buffon will not join England's club Manchester City.

“We know nothing about this news," said Silvano Martina, the agent of Buffon.

Reports in Italian and England paper said, Manchester City are preparing to make a world record 50 million pound (59m euros) bid to sign for the 30-year-old.

“I haven’t heard anything and, to be honest, the clubs haven’t come forward," Martina said. “Usually the interested clubs will contact either Juventus or the agents but I have not heard from anyone."

The wealthy new Arab owners have targeted the Italian World Cup winner as their next major capture.

If they pull it off the deal would surpass the world record 48m pounds Real Madrid paid Juventus for Zinedine Zidane in 2001.

According to The Times, a delegation from Man City travelled to Turin this month to discuss a possible transfer although it is not thought thy spoke to the player or club directly.

Gianluigi "Gigi" Buffon, was born January 28, 1978 in Carrara. In 2003, he received the UEFA Most Valuable Player and Best Goalkeeper awards, and was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004.

Read Gianluigi Buffon profile at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gianluigi_Buffon

Huntelaar will go to Arsenal

England's club Arsenal, are favourites to buy Ajax striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar. The club will compete with the biggest clubs in Europe, including Chelsea and Real Madrid, but MU would appear to be the biggest rivals to Arsenal in the chase to sign the striker.

Report says Arsenal has ready to agree terms worth around £20 million with Ajax in the coming months.

Huntelaar has struck personal terms with the Gunners with the view to a move to London at the end of this season.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar was born at August 12, 1983 in Voor-Drempt. Before play for Ajax, he played for PSV Eindhoven dan SC Heerenveen. He joined Ajax after a £6.5million move from SC Heerenveen, but his form has been so good this year the Amsterdam giants are now struggling to hold onto him. He topped the Eredivisie scoring charts last season after bagging 33 goals.

The Ajax striker has recognized he want to play at Premier League.

"I must recognize, I am very interested to play at Premier League," he said.

Marco van Basten, Ajax coach, has confessed difficult to retain Huntelaar. "He is a brilliant striker, and has a sharp goal-scoring instinct. I hope will see he play with us again, but it is difficult to stop him moving."*

Samuel Eto'o: Most effective striker in Europe

Barça forward Samuel Eto'o is setting new personal and European standards for goal scoring.

His four strikes against Valladolid have extended the Cameroon player’s fantastic start to the season.

Eto’o has scored 13 times in 10 League fixtures, giving him an average of 1.3 goals per game at a strike rate of one every 58.5 minutes. These are his best figures ever for this stage of the season.

In 2005/06, for instance, Eto'o was top scorer in Spain with 26 strikes in 34 matches to average 0.76 per game. However, he ‘only’ found the net 9 times in Barça’s first 10 fixtures.

No other striker has scored as many goals as Eto'o in Europe’s top leagues, and only two even come close. AZ Alkmaar’s Mounir El Hamdaoui has notched 13 in 10 like Eto'o, but unlike the Cameroonian has no European goals as Alkmaar haven’t qualified for any of the competitions.

The other player close behind Eto'o is Hoffenheim striker Vedad Ibisevic with 13 goals in the Bundesliga. However, his side has played 12 games, two more than Barça.

Samuel Eto'o Fils was born at March 10, 1981 in Douala, Cameroon. He played to Real Mallorca before joined Barcelona.

Eto'o also contributed six goals during Barcelona's run to the 2005-06 Champions League title.

Source: fcbarcelona.com and other

FA to investigate Drogba book's wish that he had punched Vidic

The Football Association are to study Didier Drogba's comments in his autobiography saying he wished he had punched Nemanja Vidic in the Champions League final. The Chelsea striker was sent off in the final in May for slapping the Manchester United defender - and in his book said he now wishes he had punched Vidic.

The FA take a dim view of current players making such comments in books, and will study the remark and the whole book to see whether Drogba may have brought the game into disrepute. An FA spokesman said: "We are aware of the comments and will be examining them in their proper context."

The FA are not viewing it in the same light as Roy Keane's book, in which the former United skipper said he had deliberately injured Alf-Inge Haaland.

Back in 2002, Keane was banned for five games and fined £150,000 by the FA but similar disciplinary action is unlikely to be taken against Drogba, who may simply be warned.

Drogba wrote: "I have seen the match on video and I believe I should not have been sent off with three minutes to go. If I had punched him, I would have understood. Now I wish I had."

In Keane's case, his autobiography said his challenge on Haaland was an act of revenge for the Norwegian accusing him of feigning injury three years before when he had actually ruptured his cruciate knee ligament.

Keane wrote: "I'd waited almost 180 minutes for Alfie, three years if you looked at it another way. I'd waited long enough. I hit him hard. The ball was there (I think). Take that." **

Source: Guardian.co.uk

Theo Walcott's Arsenal Deal Delay Alerts European Giants

The north London club were due to begin negotiating a new deal with Walcott at the start of this month after talks were pushed back during the summer but they have still yet to materialise.

Walcott has just 20 months to run on his current contract, which ends in June 2010, and Arsenal have taken a risk by allowing him to run down more time after his excellent start to the new campaign.

Walcott has established himself as a regular for club and country this season, starring in all four of England's World Cup qualifiers and scoring a stunning hat-trick in England's 4-1 victory over Croatia last month.

The player has not been pressing for a new contract and, privately, is adamant that his development would be best served by continuing to work under Arsene Wenger but he is growing increasingly concerned that he has heard nothing from the club and there will be alarm in some quarters if the situation is still the same by the new year.

Arsenal recognise they may have to offer Walcott up to eight times his current salary of about £15,000-a-week to keep him out of the clutches of covetous rivals.

Emmanuel Adebayor and William Gallas, who earn around £80,000 a week, are believed to be the top earners at the club but even they are dwarfed by Walcott's international colleagues, such as Frank Lampard, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, who are all in the £5-£8 million a year bracket.

Arsenal announced record pre-tax profits of £36.7 million for the year ending May 2008 but they have a strict wage policy.

There will be no shortage of takers if Walcott decides that his career would be best served by a move away from Emirates Stadium.

Chelsea have privately made it clear that they would break the bank to sign the teenager while Liverpool continue to court the boyhood Anfield fan.

Manchester City and Manchester United, who could lose Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid next summer, are monitoring the situation, as are leading clubs on the Continent.

Arsenal could command a fee of £40 million for Walcott given his immense potential and his age – he does not turn 20 until next March.

Arsenal would not be drawn on Walcott's situation. A spokesman said: "We don't comment on the specifics of player contracts."

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Hleb wants Cesc at Barca

Alexander Hleb admits he is badgering former Arsenal team-mate Cesc Fabregas to join him at Barcelona.

Belarus midfielder Hleb quit the Gunners in the summer to move to Camp Nou and wants to play alongside Fabregas again.

Fabregas, who left Barcelona for Arsenal in 2003, admitted earlier this week that a return to the club would be 'a dream come true'.

The Spain international plans to review his future at the end of the season and Hleb hopes Fabregas will come back to Barcelona.


Like a brother

"We get on very well on and off the pitch. For me he is like a brother. We call each other a lot to talk about things," Hleb told El Mundo Deportivo.

"He tells me he misses me at Arsenal and, without wanting to detract from anyone, I would love it if he came to Barca to be a part of all this.

"I don't stop insisting that he should return to Barca and he doesn't stop insisting that he is very happy at Arsenal and with Arsene Wenger.

"I will keep boring him until he changes his mind. If in the end he listens to me, I think it would be great for Barcelona."

Source: skysports.com

GALLAS: I Flipped My Lid

William Gallas admits he has had to reassert his authority as Arsenal captain after conceding he "flipped his lid" against Birmingham City last season.

French defender Gallas was given the armband by Arsene Wenger ahead of the 2007/08 campaign, but blotted his copybook in a 2-2 draw at St Andrews in February.

Birmingham were awarded a last-minute penalty and, in protest at the decision, Gallas retreated to the halfway line and sat down sulking.

The result was seen as a pivotal moment in Arsenal's faltering title bid and Gallas acknowledged he made a mistake with his actions.

He believes some of the criticism aimed in his direction was unfair, but is confident he still has the backing of his team-mates to be Gunners skipper.

Gallas told L'Equipe Magazine: "The controversy about my captaincy? People had to find a scapegoat as we didn't win any trophies last season.

"So, they talked and talked again about the Birmingham match. Indeed I made a mistake. I must admit I flipped my lid. We should have won that game easily.

"Before Arsenal, I spent six years at Chelsea. That team was capable of getting ugly wins. If we had an opportunity to win a cup, we would never miss it.

"There I became imbued with the winning culture, which doesn't exist yet at Arsenal.

"Of course, some of my Arsenal team-mates could not have appreciated my behaviour against Birmingham.

"I had to state my authority again and today when I motivate them before a match, they say; 'Capi, we need you, we are following you'.

"If I would have been an unworthy captain, they would have banned me.

"The critics went much too far. Maybe I put myself under too much pressure, like Arsene Wenger said.

"I believed I had a message to give to my team-mates and I could not find the right words.

"Our game made people dream, but we had empty hands. We have to show a more clinical state of mind. At the end of last season there was such a frustration inside me."

William Gallas born at 17 August 1977 in Asnières-sur-Seine is a French international footballer of Guadeloupian descent. He played for Chelsea before join to Arsenal.

Source: sportinglife.com

Groin operation rules Gerrard out for England

Steven Gerrard will miss both of England's forthcoming World Cup qualifiers after having an operation on Thursday on his troublesome groin problem.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez revealed that Gerrard has been playing through constant pain after the Anfield side forced their way into the Champions League group stages.

A goal two minutes from the end of extra-time by Dirk Kuyt gave Liverpool a 1-0 aggregate victory over a brave Standard Liege side in the third qualifying round.

But it was clear that Gerrard was not at his best, and he will now go under the knife to make sure he is fit to lead Liverpool into the group stages in September.

Gerrard will miss Liverpool's trip to Aston Villa on Sunday, the England games with Andorra and Croatia and possibly the Reds' home league game with Manchester United on September 13.

Benitez said, "He has a groin problem so he will have an operation and could be out for 10 to 15 days. It is not serious but we need to do it now. He has been playing some games in pain, not being 100% fit and we decided that this was the best moment for the operation."

"He had a problem for the first game with Liege, and also when he went away to play for England in their friendly last week against the Czech Republic. We talked with the doctor yesterday and today, and it was decided that Steven would play in this match with the pain. But now we will have to get the situation solved."

Gerrard produced a match-winning late goal on Saturday against Middlesbrough, but despite a determined display against Liege, he was clearly carrying an injury in the 30 minutes of extra-time.

Steven Gerrard was born on May 30, 1980, at Whiston, Merseyside (England). The midfielder remains the talismanic figure which drives the club.

The Liverpool-born academy graduate is already a legend at Anfield. And his tireless running, superb vision on the ball and ability to strike from distance have made him one of the best midfielders in the world.

Source: soccernet.com

A Dream Come True

For Philippe Senderos, joining Milan is a dream come true. Now there is, most of all, a lot of desire to work.

Senderos has joined AC Milan from Arsenal on a season-long loan deal on 27 August 2008.

With already a good knowledge of the Italian language, Philippe Senderos gave his first few declarations as a new Milan player before the afternoon.

"I am very happy to be able to play for a team like Milan, for me it's like a dream come true, everything went very quickly, in a week. Here everything is incredible, the people are very simple and I can say they have made me feel right at home."

Philippe Senderos then talked about all his personal successes but for him the dream isn't over.

"In the past I have achieved some satisfactions, like winning the European Championship with the Under 17 team and then of course at 18 my passage to a great team like Arsenal. in London I learned a lot, it was a life school and Wenger helped me, but today I can certainly say I have reached a superior level after joining this club."

"I want to give one hundred percent and improve myself every day. This team wants to return to the Champions League and I will do my best to help. When you will see me on the pitch? We'll see how my condition improves, I still have to undergo some tests and then after the first league match there will be two weeks to work, we'll see."

Philippe Sylvain Senderos was born February 14, 1985 in Geneva, is a Swiss footballer.

Senderos signed for Arsenal in December 2002 from Servette (Swiss). But he remained at Servette until the following summer. His first season at Arsenal was plagued by injury and he did not make his first-team debut until Arsenal's 2–1 away victory against Manchester City in the League Cup on October 27, 2004

Source: acmilan.com and wikipedia

Madrid's Robinho stance could change - Agent

Robinho's agent remains hopeful the player could still secure a move to Chelsea despite Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon's insistence he is not for sale.

Chelsea have already had one offer turned down for the Brazil forward who reportedly has his heart set on a move to Stamford Bridge.

Calderon is adamant Robinho is going nowhere, but Vagner Ribeiro believes his client could still leave the Bernabeu this summer.

'He (Calderon) was very polite with us,' he told Globoesporte.com. 'I told him that we had an offer of 32million euros from Chelsea and that Robinho wanted to leave the club.'

'He said he didn't want to hear that a player was unhappy with the team, but at the end nothing much was going to happen.'

'Calderon said that he wouldn't sell Robinho even for 100 million. He was very emphatic.'

'I left the meeting thinking that was that. But then I spoke to other directors of the club and saw that this position could end up changing.'

Robinho's disenchantment with the Primera Liga champions began when a swap deal for Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo was mooted.

The 24-year-old felt further sidelined at Madrid by the club's efforts to land Rafael van der Vaart and David Silva. And Ribeiro claims that if they refuse to let him leave they will be treating him like a slave.

'I told Calderon that they are doing the same to Robinho as (FIFA president Sepp) Blatter said United were doing to Cristiano Ronaldo,' he continued.

'That is to say, slavery. They don't want to release the striker, the same as United did with the Portugal player.'

Ribeiro also warned Madrid that if they refuse to offload him this year, they risk losing out financially.

He added: 'If they do (not release him), Robinho will continue, sad, and in the year that comes he could leave for a sum that is much less than Chelsea's current offer.'

Robinho's future remains very much in the air with conflicting reports coming out of Spain.

Some suggest the player is on the verge of going on strike, having cancelled a press conference scheduled for Friday and refusing to travel to Valencia for the first leg of the Supercopa.

However, other reports claim Robinho is ready to stay at the Bernabeu and is about to sign a new, much improved contract.

Source: soccernet.com

Zenit Cut Arshavin Price

Zenit St Petersburg claim they have lowered their asking price for Andrei Arshavin to clear the path for the Russia forward to move to Tottenham.

Spurs were originally told the 27-year-old, who starred at Euro 2008 for his country, would cost upwards of £20million and no fee was agreed between the clubs.

Arshavin, encouraged by a conversation with Tottenham head coach Juande Ramos, is willing to join Spurs after initially declaring Barcelona as his preferred destination.

Spurs are in the market for strikers following the departure of Robbie Keane to Liverpool and Dimitar Berbatov wanting to leave White Hart Lane Lane for Manchester United. Arshavin would be seen as a like-for-like replacement for Keane.

"There are only small differences left," Zenit sporting director Konstantin Sarsaniya told Russian newspaper Sovetsky Sport, who suggested a deal could be concluded over the weekend.

"Zenit have decided to reduce the asking price for Andrei, but exactly how much I cannot say because the negotiations were led by Zenit president Alexander Dyukov."

Should Berbatov leave, Ramos would be left with Darren Bent as his only out-and-out striker, with new signing Giovani dos Santos as possible support for the attack.

Ramos has also been linked earlier in the summer with a move for Arshavin's Russia team-mate Roman Pavlyuchenko. More recently Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz has been suggested as a possible target.

Source: sportinglife.com

Messi Set to Miss Olympics after Sports Court Ruling

Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi is set to miss the Olympic Games football tournament after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled Wednesday that clubs were not obliged to release players for the event.

The Lausanne-based CAS's ruling has major implications for reigning Olympic champions Argentina and fellow South American giants Brazil ahead of the start of Thursday's tournament, primarily an Under-23 event although teams can field over-age players.

Barcelona, Werder Bremen and Schalke had all been fighting to keep their young stars -- Argentina's Messi and Brazil's Diego and Rafinha -- out of the Games, which clash with their own season after appealing an earlier ruling by FIFA, football's world governing body, which said players must be allowed to compete in Beijing.

"FIFA is surprised and disappointed by this decision, but we respect it," said FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

"Nevertheless, I appeal to the clubs: Let your players take part in the Olympic Games. It would be an act of solidarity in perfect harmony with the Olympic spirit. It would be wonderful for the players, for the fans and for the game itself."

He added: "FIFA's opinion has not changed. The Olympic football tournaments are high level competitions that give everyone involved - most notably young players - the chance to gain international experience that will stand them in good stead for the future.

"It stands to reason, therefore, that it is not only the player who will benefit from such an experience, but also his club.

"I regret that the CAS has not taken the Olympic spirit into consideration."

Both Barcelona and Schalke have Champions League qualifiers during the Olympics, where the football final takes place on August 22, while Bremen want Diego for the start of the Bundesliga on August 15.

Normally, clubs must release players for internationals. But CAS, explaining their decision, said: "The Olympic tournament doesn't feature in the official FIFA calendar and there is no executive decision by FIFA which establishes a right of release for Under-23 players for this tournament,

"Consequently, Schalke 04, Werder Bremen and Barcelona are not obliged to release the players Rafinha, Diego and Messi."

It added: "CAS appeals to the good sense of the clubs and FIFA to find a reasonable solution which will allow a player who wishes to represent his country to compete in the Olympic Games."

Source: AFP

Gerrard Suffers Groin Injury in Valerenga Rout

Liverpool's increasingly impressive unbeaten pre-season run was stretched to seven games via a 4-1 win against Valerenga in Oslo - but they suffered the worrying loss of skipper Steven Gerrard.

The midfielder limped off in the first half of this comfortable victory with what looked like a recurrence of a groin problem that has dogged him in recent weeks.

Liverpool will hope they took Gerrard out of the action before any further serious damage could be done, but with a Champions League qualifier in a week's time against Standard Liege, this is a problem boss Rafael Benitez could do without.

The loss of Gerrard after 27 minutes, though, was a worrying blow. After bursting from defence, he pulled up with what seemed a recurrence of the injury that has disrupted his pre-season. Teenager Jay Spearing took over.

Steven George Gerrard MBE born at 30 May 1980 in Whiston, Merseyside, England. He has been called an influential and versatile midfielder, and is known for his long-range shots and defence-splitting passes. He is usually employed in the "box-to-box" midfield role, although he has often been deployed as a right-sided midfielder, and occasionally as a second striker.

During his career he has won the PFA Young Player of the Year, PFA Player of the Year, European Midfielder of the year, Premier League Most Valuable Player (twice), and UEFA Most Valuable Player. He has also been awarded the MBE for his contributions in both the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final and the 2006 FA Cup Final in which he inspired his team's comeback.

He has been nominated three times for the FIFA Player of the Year, in 2005, 2006 and 2007. On 5 February 2008, it was announced he had been voted by fans as the Nationwide England Player of the Year for 2007.

Source: Soccernet.com

Van der Vaart "almost certainly" Real's only recruit: president

Dutch international midfielder Rafael van der Vaart will "almost certainly" be Real Madrid's only new signing of the season, the president of the Spanish champions, Ramon Calderon, said Tuesday.

"Rafael van der Vaart is the first recruit of this year and he will almost certainly be the only one," Calderon said during the 25-year-old's official unveiling at Real Madrid's Santiago-Bernabeu stadium.

His comments come amidst growing signs that Real Madrid's bid to recruit Manchester United's Portuguese international winger Cristiano Ronaldo have stalled due to the English side's refusal to sell the 23-year-old player.

Van der Vaart, whose mother is Spanish, signed with Real for five seasons in a deal reportedly worth 13 million euros (20 million dollars).

"This is a family dream. I want to win many trophies," said van der Vaart who becomes Real's fifth Dutch player, the others being Ruud van Nistelrooy, Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Royston Drenthe.

Real signed Argentine defender Ezequiel Garay from Racing Santander at the end of the season but under the terms of the deal the player will only join the club in the 2009-10 season.

In addition midfielders Javi Garcia and Ruben de la Red, who helped Spain win the Euro 2008 title in June, have rejoined Real after a season with Osasuna and Getafe respectively.

Calderon, who has repeatedly said he would like to sign Ronaldo, said at the end of the season that there would be "few new recruits but very good ones".

Van der Vaart, who has won over 50 caps for his country and scored 12 goals, joined Hamburg in 2005, scoring 29 goals in 74 Bundesliga matches.

Source: AFP / GettyImages

Barca Set Eto'o Deadline

Barcelona want Samuel Eto'o's future to be decided before next week's Champions League qualifier.

Eto'o has been told that he will be allowed to leave the Nou Camp over the summer, but has yet to reach an agreement with any clubs.

The Cameroon striker has been linked with moves to both the Premier League and Serie A, and is wanted by "four or five" teams, according to Txiki Begiristain.

However, Begiristain is keen for the matter to reach a quick resolution ahead of Barca's game against either Beitar Jerusalem or Wisla Krakow in a week's time.

"The date limit we have set to decide the future of Samuel Eto'o is the 12th August," Begiristain told reporters in New York.

"The days are going past and the market closing.

"If there is a decision, the best solution would be to do so before the Champions League preliminary.

"We are looking at reactions and above all watching to see how Pep (Guardiola) sees himself with the group and with the player."

Samuel Eto'o Fils born at March 10, 1981 in Douala, Cameroon. He is a versatile player who, in addition to being a prolific scorer, is also known for his playmaking and defense. He is the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations, with sixteen goals; he is also the record holder in number of appearances by an African in La Liga.

Eto'o earned his first cap with Cameroon at age 14 on March 9, 1996, in a 5-0 friendly loss to Costa Rica. In 1998, he was the youngest participant in the 1998 FIFA World Cup at the age of 17 years and three months. Eto'o scored his lone goal of the 2002 World Cup when he netted the game-winner against Saudi Arabia during the group stage.

Source: sportinglife.com

Shevchenko Insists He Can Still Star at Chelsea

Andriy Shevchenko insisted Tuesday he can still be a Chelsea legend if he avoids the injuries that have plagued him since his move to Stamford Bridge.

Shevchenko has endured a miserable two years in west London following his 30 million pounds (37 million euros) move from AC Milan and has repeatedly been linked with a switch back to Serie A.

The Ukraine striker scored 173 times for Milan but has only recorded nine league goals for Chelsea, yet he has no intention of throwing in the towel.

"During these two years at Chelsea I had two operations and a serious back injury," Shevchenko told the club's official website.

"If I will have the opportunity to train and play without injuries, I would like to leave my mark on the history of Chelsea. Injuries constantly kept me out of action.

"I have trained with the team only a week. The process of recovery is taking place normally and the injury doesn't bother me."

Shevchenko hopes to thrive under new manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, who has already promised to give the forward a fresh start.

"It is gratifying that the coach gave me an opportunity to get back to the rhythm of playing," Shevchenko added.

"We had a good conversation. I'm only now getting into shape and recovering from injury, so prefence is given to those players who are in better form.

"The coach always chooses the best players in order to choose the best scheme. I very much respect Scolari as a man and a great coach.

"I think the challenge for the coach now is to find the optimum team and help the players achieve their best form.

"Scolari has enough players to change the scheme of the game. He will be able to judge the best strategy."

Andriy Mykolayovych Shevchenko born at September 29, 1976, in Dvirkivschyna, Kiev Oblast. In 2004, he won the Ballon d'or and was included in Pelé's FIFA 100. He is the third-highest goalscorer in the history of European club competition with 60, behind Gerd Müller and Filippo Inzaghi.

Before playing to chelsea, Sheva played for Dinamo Kiev (1994-1999) and AC Milan (1999-2006).

Source: AFP

Source: AFP

Real Madrid close to Van der Vaart deal

Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon claims the club could sign Hamburg star Rafael van der Vaart this weekend.

The Holland international has repeatedly been linked with Madrid throughout the summer after some fine performances at Euro 2008, and the Primera Liga champions have already had a six million euro bid rejected.

Reports in Spain suggest an improved bid of 10million has been accepted and, with the two clubs set to meet in London this weekend at the Emirates Cup, Calderon is confident Van der Vaart is only days away from becoming a Madrid player.

'That's certainly a possibility and we are waiting to come to an agreement with Hamburg,' he told Spanish sports daily AS. 'It's an operation that isn't causing difficulties.

'He's a player that (coach Bernd) Schuster likes a lot and he is within our range, that's true. But what we are not going to do is sign a centre-forward. This I can definitively declare.

'We have four extraordinary strikers. Raul and (Ruud) Van Nistelrooy are still the best in Europe, this will be (Javier) Saviola's year and offers of up to 25million euros are coming in for (Gonzalo) Higuain - a kid of 20 years who is of superb class.

'If a fifth striker comes in we would have to kill of one of those lads. We won't do that.'

Calderon has rubbished the idea of Valencia star David Villa coming to the Bernabeu, telling the Madrid fans to 'forget it'.

He added: 'I insist that there is no place for him even though he was a great player in the European Championship and his goals helped us become champions.

'But the fact is that we don't have space for another goalscorer.'

Source: soccernet.com

Muntari Keen on Inter Deal

Sulley Ali Muntari has confirmed he is close to joining Inter Milan after revealing the offer was too good to turn down.

Inter have agreed a deal with Portsmouth to sign Muntari after being frustrated in their attempts to lure Frank Lampard away from Chelsea.

Muntari is highly-rated in Italy after a successful spell at Udinese before joining Portsmouth for £7million last summer.

The Ghana international established himself as a key member of Pompey manager Harry Redknapp's side helping the club win the FA Cup.

Inter chief Jose Mourinho is thought to be a big fan of Muntari and Inter are believed to have offered the 23-year-old a four-year deal to return to Serie A, with reports suggesting he will undergo a medical on Friday morning.

Inter Milan has shown interest to buy Muntari last year. Italian Press reported that time, Inter were preparing offer for the highly rated midfielder. Injuries to Esteban Cambiasso and Patrick Vieira underlined just how short of ball-winning midfielders the Nerazzurri were and they would remedy that problem in June 2007.

Muntari admitted it was a hard decision to leave Portsmouth, but conceded the chance to play for such a big club as Inter and compete in the UEFA Champions League was too appealing.

"There are teams when they come to you, you need to listen to them," Muntari told skysports.com.

"Harry has developed my game, he has been a father figure to me. "I love him, and also the Portsmouth fans, but when Inter call you need to listen.

"I already missed a chance to play for a super team (Manchester United) this time I need to seize it."

Sulley Ali Muntari was born at August 27, 1984 in Konongo, Ghana. He is a central midfielder, but can also play as left midfielder. He has 42 caps and 12 goals for Ghana, as of June 2008.

Muntari won his first cap for Ghana against Slovenia on 17 May 2002, and became a regular fixture in the team as The Black Stars opened their 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.

He moved to Portsmouth on 30 May 2007 from Udinese.

Source: SkySports.com

Kolo Toure Suffering from Malaria

Arsenal's summer woes have been compounded by the news that Kolo Habib Toure has been diagnosed with malaria.

It's thought that the defender contracted the disease while on holiday in his native Ivory Coast. After flying out for Arsenal's pre-season tour of Austria and Hungary, the 27-year-old was sent to hospital in Vienna where malaria was diagnosed.

Although an Arsenal spokesperson described Toure as "being in good spirits", it seems unlikely he will be fit for the start of the new season.

That leaves Arsene Wenger with only Johan Djourou or Philippe Senderos as potential partners for William Gallas after he decided against recruiting any new defenders this summer.

Kolo Toure was born at March 19, 1981 in Bouake, Ivory Coast. Touré is renowned for his pace, strength, athleticism. He is the older brother of FC Barcelona midfielder Yaya Touré and Ibrahim Touré of Metalurg Donetsk.

He is deployed by Arsène Wenger at centre-back, as well as anywhere In Defence. He is the longest-serving member in the current Arsenal squad and vice-captain.

Kolo Toure has played for the Ivory Coast since 2000. His debut was in April 2000 against Rwanda. He is a first choice central defender. He played in all 5 games for the Ivory Coast as they finished runners up to the hosts in the African Cup of Nations in Egypt in January 2006.

He was named in the 23-man squad taken by coach Henri Michel to the 2006 World Cup and made his first appearance in a World Cup on June 11, 2006 in Ivory Coast 1–2 loss to Argentina.

Source; sportinglife.com & Wikipedia

Ronaldo remains coy over future

Cristiano Ronaldo is continuing to remain coy over his future despite Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson's optimism the forward will remain at Old Trafford.

Ferguson met Real Madrid target Ronaldo for clear-the-air talks on Monday and insisted he was confident the player would still be at Old Trafford next season.

But Ronaldo -who is on holiday in America as he recovers from ankle surgery- has still to make a firm decision on his future.

'I've had hundreds of questions about Manchester United and Real Madrid,' he told ESPN. 'What do you want me to say? That I'm going or I'm staying?

'I don't know about the future, only God knows it. I can't say any more.

'Great players are always hounded by great clubs. It's a normal situation. There are other great players who are in the market who are good and who other clubs want.

'I have always been hounded, not only this year. It's not strange for me, to see what happens.'

Madrid are reportedly ready to offer Ronaldo an astronomical pay packet, while United chief executive David Gill is adamant he will not receive a pay rise should he stay at United.

'He only entered into the previous contract 18 months before and in terms of where he's at in our wage hierarchy he's doing pretty well,' he said.

When asked if the player's behaviour was partly to get a higher salary from United, Gill said: 'Possibly, but not necessarily, and if the figures bandied around that Real Madrid are talking about are true, we wouldn't go anywhere near that. That would be lunacy.'

Instead, Gill called on the player to show 'commitment and loyalty'.

'The player is under contract so the strength and the rights are with Manchester United,' added Gill.

'I think we've been pretty clear all along that Ronaldo has got a contract until 2012, he's a valuable member of the team and that's the situation.

'Obviously there's some issues there, but that's for Alex and is why Alex had the meeting, to discuss things and put our point of view.

'I'm sure Cristiano put his point of view and hopefully we can move forward.

'All we were doing, effectively, is saying we clearly have a player who is one of the best in the world.

'He entered into a new contract, his third with us, only 18 months after his previous one.

'With that, we believe, go some responsibilities and obligations.

'There was an increased salary and we clearly feel there has to be some commitment and loyalty and he can't just say, 'I've entered into it, but I'll leave a year down the line', especially after the season we've just had.

'It's a two-way street and contracts are entered into with a view to getting that kind of commitment.'

But Ronaldo, who signed a new deal at Old Trafford 18 months ago, claims any decision on his future will not be based on money.

'I want to be happy regardless of where I play,' he added. 'I can be happy everywhere, if I am with people I like, if I am animated, motivated.

'Am I motivated to continue at United? I am always motivated.

'I am ambitious and I want to always improve. I don't know the future, but I will be motivated.'

Ronaldo will be out for three months as he recovers from the operation.

And the winger claimed he just wants to concentrate on getting back to full fitness as quickly as possible.

'I'm not anxious about the future, I'm feeling normal,' continued Ronaldo. 'Normal is resting my head, my body, having a good recovery and the future belongs to God, not to me.'

Source: soccernet.com
Photo: GettyImages

Agent: Barca Want ROBINHO

Barcelona could be set to table a shock bid for Real Madrid star Robinho, according to the player's agent Wagner Ribeiro.

Speculation has been rife that the forward is on his way to the Premier League, with Manchester United and Chelsea favourites for his signature.

Ribeiro claimed on Tuesday that the Blues were winning the race, with Robinho attracted by the idea of linking up with their new boss, fellow Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Reports in Spain suggest that Madrid's bitter rivals Barca could be preparing a bid, with both club president Joan Laporta and coach Pep Guardiola in favour of the idea. And Ribeiro insists the notion is not a surprise to him.

"It's only logical that a club like Barcelona want Robinho," he told Spanish sports daily El Mundo Deportivo.

"He is also wanted by Chelsea and Manchester United.

"Chelsea have presented a big offer for Robinho to Real Madrid, but it seems as if the club don't want to sell him."

Chelsea have reportedly made an offer of 60million euros for the 24-year-old, who has been mooted as a possible makeweight in a deal to bring United's Cristiano Ronaldo to the Spanish capital.

However, it is believed Real are reluctant to let Robinho go until the Ronaldo saga reaches its conclusion, and Ribeiro has reiterated his client's claims that he is be happy in Madrid.

"Robinho has a contract at Real Madrid," he added. "And for that reason he is not looking to leave the club."

Robson de Souza (nicknamed: Robinho) was born at January 25, 1984 in Parque Bitaru, a poor neighborhood of São Vicente in São Vicente, São Paulo.

Source: sportinglife.com

Ronaldo Eyes Swift Return

Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo is hoping to return to action as soon as possible after undergoing ankle surgery last week.

The Portugal international is facing three months on the sidelines after having had the operation in Amsterdam.

Ronaldo, who has been strongly linked with Real Madrid this summer, has endured a frustrating summer after Portugal lost 3-2 to Germany in the quarter-finals of Euro 2008.

However, Ronaldo, speaking ahead of attending the 2008 ESPY Awards in Los Angeles, is looking forward to a return to action despite only recently undergoing surgery.

"I'm injured now, but I hope to come back soon," he said on Sky Sports News.

"I love to play and I love football. I miss the ball now."

Ronaldo has admitted he would like to play in the MLS one day, a league he believes is on the up, although he is keen to remain in Europe for the moment.

"I prefer to play in Europe at the minute, but in the future, who knows?" he continued.

"David Beckham and Abel Xavier play there. I've spoken with Abel a few times and he says it's great. It's great to play here.

"The league it's much better than a few years ago, the future is getting better and better."

Source: sportinglife.com

Hleb completes Barca move

Alexander Hleb has been officially presented as a Barcelona player following his move from Arsenal.

The Belarusian has been linked with Barcelona for much of the summer and he travelled to the city on Wednesday to undergo a medical.

A deal with the Gunners had already been agreed, which was reported to be in the region of 15million euros (£11.9 million).

The transfer has now been finalised and Hleb has put pen-to-paper on a four-year deal at Camp Nou.

He becomes Josep Guardiola's fifth signing as Barca boss following the arrivals of Martin Caceres, Gerard Pique, Daniel Alves and Seydou Keita.

Winning silverware

The 27-year-old, who scored seven goals in 89 appearances for Arsenal, has set his sights on winning silverware with Barcelona.

He earned rave reviews for his stylish displays in London after joining from Stuttgart in 2005,and played a key role again last season as Arsene Wenger's side fell just short in their pursuit of the Premier League title.

Fellow midfielder Mathieu Flamini has already left Arsenal for AC Milan since the transfer window opened and there has also been speculation over the future of Emmanuel Adebayor.

Aliaksandr Paŭlavič Hleb (in English: Alexander Hleb) was born at May 1, 1981 in Minsk, Belarusia. His natural and preferred position is attacking midfielder or 'in the hole' behind the strikers, but he usually played on the right side in midfield at former club Arsenal and occasionally on the left.

Hleb is considered the greatest player to represent Belarus since the nation's establishment

Source: skysports.com

Blues To Stand Firm Over Lampard

Chelsea will inform Inter Milan for a second time that Frank Lampard is not for sale at any price.

Inter made a £7.95million bid for Lampard on Tuesday but Chelsea will reject their offer and continue to insist that the England midfielder will remain at Stamford Bridge.

The club's new coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is adamant that Lampard wants to stay at Chelsea for years to come despite a claim from the player's agent that his client's contract situation at Stamford Bridge remains "completely unresolved".

Former Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho, now in charge at Inter, seemingly wanted to steal the limelight from Scolari by prompting his bosses to make an official bid for the player just hours after the Brazilian had given his first press conference to the English media.

But Chelsea are adamant that they will not budge on the sale of Lampard even though he has just one year remaining on his current contract.

The London club will inform Inter again that they 'will not enter into any discussions' over the player's transfer and are expected to speed up talks with the player and his representatives over a new, long-term contract within the next 24 hours.

In the meantime, Scolari is convinced that Lampard wants to remain part of his revolution at Stamford Bridge.

"I met Frank Lampard on Monday and I spoke to him," said Scolari. "I like him too much as a player and as a person.

"I asked him if he wanted to stay at Chelsea, not only for this season but for more time. He told me after 15 minutes that he wants to stay and he wants to play for Chelsea for many years.

"I am very happy because I think Chelsea needs Lampard and he likes Chelsea. Now it's a minimum of questions to solve it. I think Lampard is with us for more time than one year."

Meanwhile Scolari has revealed why he turned down the chance to manage the England national team two years ago when in charge of Portugal.

"What happened that time was that both teams went to the World Cup and we were in a situation where maybe we crossed - and we did.

"I said to England it's impossible for me to sign a contract because Portugal and England could play against each other. Then I would be on the side of both teams.

"I said we could sign a pre-contract before the competition and when one national team went out, England could say 'you are the coach'. But they didn't agree about this because they needed to tell the media who the coach was going to be. I said the timing was wrong."

Scolari also cited media intrusion as one of the main stumbling blocks behind his decision to reject England.

"It was one of the reasons," confirmed Scolari. "Because people tried to enter my building, they tried to look into my rubbish. I was afraid about that. Now you ask me 'are you not afraid in Chelsea?' - no. Now I am more prepared.

"Before I was a bit afraid now I am better prepared to face the media. I'm not afraid to go out with my family. My mind has changed."

Frank James Lampard, Jr. was born at 20 June 1978 in Romford, London, England. He is a national team player Before moved to Chelsea, he played with West Ham United, and Swansea City.

He is the son of Frank Lampard, Sr., the former England full back and two-time FA Cup winner with West Ham United. His family is related to another famous footballing family, the Redknapps. Lampard was educated at Brentwood School, a boys' independent school in Brentwood, Essex.

Lampard has won the English Premiership twice (with Chelsea, 2004–05 and 2005–06).

In November 2005 he was named runner-up to Brazilian midfielder Ronaldinho in the European Footballer of the Year awards. A month later he finished in second place, once again behind Ronaldinho, in the 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year awards. He was also named FWA Footballer of the Year in 2005.

Source: Sportinglife.com

'Ronaldinho 80-90% to Join Milan'

Ronaldinho is '80-90%' likely to secure a move to AC Milan, according to the Barcelona playmaker's agent Roberto De Assis.

Milan have long been linked with a move for Ronaldinho after the Brazilian was told he was not part of Barca's plans for the future.

Vice-president Adriano Galliani insisted on Thursday that a deal would only be completed if the price is right, but De Assis is confident his client will make the switch to the San Siro.

'Yes, it's true, it's true that he'll probably go to Milan,' De Assis - who is also Ronaldinho's brother - told Lombardy television stations.

'Everything's ready for the transfer. He is there 80-90% and we are working towards that.

'He is working hard to get back to his best and the important thing is that now he is fine and that he is working for his future.'

Milan might be leading the pack but there is no shortage of other possible destinations for Ronaldinho, with Chelsea and Manchester City just two of the clubs reportedly in the hunt.

However, De Assis rubbished suggestions that the two-time FIFA World Player of the Year could join David Beckham at Los Angeles Galaxy.

'There's a contract with Barca, there's other possibilities,' he added. 'We'll see in the next fortnight. His contract with FC Barcelona runs until 2010, and he became a naturalized Spanish citizen in January 2007.

Ronaldo de Assís Moreira (born March 21, 1980 in Porto Alegre), commonly known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaucho. The Brazilian footballer is a two-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year, European Footballer of the Year and FIFPro World Player of the Year awards.

Source: soccernet.com
Photo: footbalpictures.net

Spain Dominate Team of EURO 2008

The UEFA Technical Team has named its UEFA EURO 2008™ Team of the Tournament, with no fewer than nine Spanish players being picked in the final 23.

Team breakdown

The nine-strong group of experienced football technicians who have followed every game at the tournament decided the selection – and the success of Luis Aragonés's side was underlined by the fact nine Spain players made the cut, with the remainder of the squad comprising three players from runners-up Germany, four from Russia, two each from the Netherlands and Portugal and a single player representing Turkey, Croatia and Italy.

'Not about reputations'

UEFA technical director Andy Roxburgh said: "The Team of the Tournament is something we put into our technical report for our coaching colleagues. We give them pointers on the players that our technical experts have appreciated during this event. This team is very much self-contained in terms of the tournament – this is not about reputations. In fact there are only four players in here who were in our UEFA Champions League team of the competition. It's all very much about the performances in this competition. We haven't included anybody who was knocked out in the group phase."

UEFA EURO 2008™ Team of the Tournament:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Iker Casillas (Spain), Edwin van der Sar (Netherlands).

Defenders: Bosingwa (Portugal), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Carlos Marchena (Spain), Pepe (Portugal), Carles Puyol (Spain), Yuri Zhirkov (Russia).

Midfielders: Hamit Altıntop (Turkey), Luka Modrić (Croatia), Marcos Senna (Spain), Xavi Hernández (Spain), Konstantin Zyryanov (Russia), Michael Ballack (Germany), Cesc Fàbregas (Spain), Andrés Iniesta (Spain), Lukas Podolski (Germany), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands).

Forwards: Andrei Arshavin (Russia), Roman Pavlyuchenko (Russia), Fernando Torres (Spain), David Villa (Spain).

Source: uefa.com