Football Sports Star

Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

noreply@blogger.com (Djenar Asmaragama) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 00:51:00 -0700

Wayne Rooney

Edinson Cavani (Napoli)

noreply@blogger.com (Djenar Asmaragama) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 00:44:00 -0700

Edinson Cavani finally officially signed a contract for five years with Napoli. The contract will bind the Uruguayan national team player until 2016.

Cavani had came to Napoli on loan from Palermo last summer. Now, his hopes to become a permanent player with the club from Naples becomes a reality.

It is Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis who announced the new agreement on Cavani.

“We have met with Cavani today and we have again extended this relationship. After that he went to Uruguay after previously signed a new agreement with us,”said the president to Radio Marte.

“We are satisfied and I personally am proud to have a great player on the team. Cavani is a person who has great confidence and great personality.”

“So far he also has to be an important element for the Napoli team,”continued Laurentiis.

How much the total contract value of Cavani is still not yet known. But in a preliminary reports that was launched by Italian media, it was described that the 24-year-old player will receive an salary of € 2 million plus bonuses.

Edinson Cavani (Napoli)

Manchester City City Will Make £55m Bid For Barcelona Midfielder As La Liga Champions Move For His Replacement

noreply@blogger.com (Djenar Asmaragama) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 00:37:00 -0700

Manchester City will attempt to prize Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta away from Spain with a £55million bid this summer.

The Blues manager Roberto Mancini wants to add more creativity to his squad and sees the 27-year-old as the ideal partner for David Silva to unlock opposition defences.

This could mean the end of the road for Cesc Fabregas at Arsenal as Barcelona will now have the money to sign the Emirates captain.

Mancini wants to continue with his City project after clinching the club’s first Champions League qualification and winning the FA Cup.

But the Eastlands board are not prepared to bank roll another massive spending spree due to Uefa’s new financial fair play rules coming into effect this summer.

A few marquee signings will be approved as long as some big earners are moved on first, with Emmanuel Adebayor and Craig Bellamy first in line for the exit door.

Barcelona would not want to lose a star such as Iniesta but appreciate the service he has brought the club and the player would like a bumper new pay deal.

The sale of the Spain international would free up the cash to sign Fabregas for £50million from Arsenal.

Andres Iniesta

Argentina 0 Colombia 0: Messi misfires yet again as hosts battle to avoid early exit

noreply@blogger.com (Djenar Asmaragama) — Fri, 8 Jul 2011 04:20:00 -0700

Argentina's passage to the knock-out stage of the Copa America is in jeopardy after the hosts were held to a 0-0 draw by Colombia in another disappointing performance by Lionel Messi and his big-name teammates.

Coach Sergio Batista stuck with a similar side to the one that drew Argentina's opening game against Bolivia, and were again led by a misfiring Messi and Carlos Tevez.

Argentina's two star forwards were outplayed by Colombia strikers Radamel Falcao and Dayro Moreno, who had more chances and perhaps should have handed their team victory.

'We deserved three points,' Colombia defender Mario Alberto Yepes said. 'We had the chances to win. We had a lot of attacks we didn't finish.'

Argentina will need a victory in the final group match against Costa Rica, whose side is largely an Under 23 team - to guarantee passage to the second round. But even beating a second-string Costa Rica may be tough for Argentina, who have scored just one goal in 180 minutes in the tournament.

Costa Rica and Mexico are using inexperienced Olympic-style squads because they are not part of the South American confederation and are playing as guests. Their full-strength teams played in the just-completed Gold Cup for the CONCACAF region, which takes in North and Central America and the Caribbean.

Argentina players left the pitch to boos and whistles from frustrated fans after the game. 'One does not like to go off that way,' Batista said. 'People come to see the team win, and that's what we all want.'

Batista acknowledged that Colombia defended well against Messi. 'They shut down the open spots, they knew how to play. They knew our game.'

The Argentina boss will be under pressure to engineer a result for the hosts, who were tipped by many to win the tournament and face Brazil in the final.

Batista took over from Diego Maradona after a disappointing World Cup but has failed to produce results for a nation starved for any major titles in 18 years.

Argentina has two points from two games in Group A. Colombia leads the group with four from two games. Bolivia (1 point from 1 game) and Costa Rica (0 points from 1 game) will play on Thursday. The top two teams in the group advance automatically to the quarter-finals while the best two third-placed teams from the three groups also advance.

Colombia outplayed Argentina in the first half with Falcao and Moreno each coming up with several threatening chances. Moreno came close after 20 minutes with two shots sailing just wide.

Argentina again failed to get Messi into the match, although Ezequiel Lavezzi came close to scoring in the 34th minute, charging in off the right side with a shot that goalkeeper Luis Martinez saved with his right leg. Falcao forced Argentine keeper Sergio Romero into a diving save in the 42nd minute with a long shot, and Moreno made Romero stretch again two minutes later with another threatening attack.

The second half was much the same, and again Colombia looked more dangerous. Pablo Armero came close on a shot just across the face of goal in the 65th. Two minutes later Romero came up with a big save from Falcao.

Argentina finished with four forwards - Messi, Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero - on the pitch in a desperate search for a goal, but still failed to create any genuine chances.
Messi had a good opportunity with a free kick just outside the penalty area in the 81st minute, but his attempt sailed high and wide, and the Barcelona star dropped his head onto his chest in disappointment.
He also fell to the ground in first-half stoppage time, twisting his right ankle when his boot caught in the pitch.
Messi has yet to produce his Barcelona form with Argentina, and each failed match adds more pressure on the 24-year-old, who left Argentina as a youth player and has spent his formative years in Spain.

Uruguay vs. Peru – Half Time Report – Copa America 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Djenar Asmaragama) — Fri, 8 Jul 2011 02:26:00 -0700

Uruguay vs. Peru – Half Time Report – Copa America 2011

After the two favourite teams in the Copa America 2011, Brazil and Argentina, drew their matches in the tournament, it was up to the second favourite team, Uruguay, to do wonders. With a star-studded attack consisting of the FIFA World Cup 2010’s golden ball winner, Diego Forlan and the World Cup hero Luis Suarez along with the Napoli star Edinson Cavani, Uruguay are considered to be one of the teams who can pull off an upset.

Uruguay faced Peru in San Juan. Both the teams fielded an attacking line-up and none of them settled deep during the first half as referee W. Roldan blew the whistle to start the game.

The Uruguayan coach, Oscar Tabarez had to change his formation to a 4-3-3. This system was different that what he played during the FIFA World Cup 2010. Since he has three strikers who are hungry for goals, he decided to field all of them on the pitch.

Fernando Muslera played between the two poles as the Uruguayan goal stopper. The Uruguayan goalkeeper was aided by four defenders. Mauricio Victorino played as a left full back while Maximiliano Pereira played on the right back position. Martin Caceres was partnered by Diego Lugano in the centre back position.

With a 4-3-3 formation, one of the players in the midfield played as a holding midfield; one as a central midfielder while the third one operated as an attacking midfielder. Egidio Arevalo played in the holding midfield position. He was assisted by Diego Perez in the central midfield role. Nicolas Lodeiro was the attacking midfielder for the Uruguayans.

The three man attack consisted of Edinson Cavani – Napoli’s last season’s goal scoring sensation; Diego Forlan – the Uruguayan captain and the man who singlehandedly took his country to the semi finals of the FIFA World Cup 2010; and Luis Suarez – the man who helped the team with his infamous handball against Ghana.

With such an extraordinary striking line-up, the Uruguayans were expected to win the game. However, the Peru coach, Sergio Apraham Markarian, also fielded a 4-3-3 formation and showed that his team wasn’t like other under-rated teams in the competition and he came forward and played an attacking line-up.

Raul Fernandez was the player who stood guard between the two poles as the goalkeeper for Peru. He was aided by four defenders – Enzo Revoredo, who played a right back; Walter Vilchez, who played as a left back; Alberto Rodriguez and Santiago Acasiete, who played as centre backs.

Michael Guevara played in the holding midfield position. Guevara was aided by two more midfielder; namely, Adan Alonso Balbin and Paulo Cruzado.

The three strikers playing for Peru were: the left winger, Jose Paulo Guerrero; the right winger, Luis Advincula; and the centre striker Victor Yotun.

The first half was all about Uruguay’s outstanding and star-studded strikers. However, Peru were the first ones to lead the game. Despite a bright start, Uruguayans were the first ones to lose the lead during the 24th minute when Guerrero was played clean through by Michael Guevara and the Uruguayan defence was caught sleeping. Guerrero received the ball clearly right in front of the goalkeeper, easily went around him and found the back of the net.

The match was quite even after the goal. Peru did not really sit back and allowed Uruguay to settle into the game. However, the team led by Diego Forlan finally found the back of the net at the edge of the first half.

It was the Liverpool hero Luis Suarez who given an exquisite through ball by Lodeiro. Suarez easily spun off the defender’s shoulder and coolly finished to find the back of the net.

With the score level in the first half, it clearly showed how both the teams were involved throughout the game. Both of them played outstanding football and even though Uruguay were the favourites to win the game, Peru did not really settle deep to allow the Uruguayans to come at them.

Uruguay vs. Peru

Top 10 Stars of Copa America 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Djenar Asmaragama) — Fri, 8 Jul 2011 02:04:00 -0700

Copa America is the main international football tournament for national teams in South America. In this season, the competition is organized by Conmebol, South America's football governing body, and is being held in Argentina from July 1 to July 24, 2011. Here is the list of top 10 stars of Copa America 2011 including Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez and Robinho.

Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Leo Messi is not only the most notable star of Copa America but also the brightest star in football. The goal of Leo Messi coincides with that of Argentina is to reach the Championship. The most famous footballer on the planet had a fabulous season with Barcelona scoring over 50 goals. Although he has not been displaying his club form for the national side, surely he will make something change by winning a Copa America medal this time. It is added that Argentina has not touched the title during 18 years and Copa America 2011 held at the home of the Tango team. There is no better opportunity to realize their championship dream.

Copa America 2011 is a good chance for Lionel Messi showing his abilities and there is no better chance for Argentina to lead into the Copa America

Carlos Tevez (Argentina)

Carlos Tevez scored 20 goals and played an important role for Manchester City in getting the crucial Champions League spot and keeping the prestigious FA cup. Coach Sergio Batista gave the right decision when adding Tevez in the list of players joining the 2011 Copa America because Carlos Tevez is the Goal scorer in the 2010/11 Premier League.

Carlos Tevez landed in top 10 famous stars in Copa America 2011

Edison Cavani (Uruguay)

24-year-old Uruguay striker broke out last season with a total of 33 goals on all matches, in which more than 26 goals in Serie A. He is also known for scoring 26 league goals in Italy

Dani Alves (Brazil)

Dani Alves is one of the best attacking right defender at the present time. With what showed off, the Barca defender deserves the main player in this Copa America

Arturo Vidal (Chile)

24-year-old Arturo Vidal is a Chilean footballer who plays for Bayer Leverkusen and the Chilean national team as Defensive midfielder. Arturo Vidal is also one of the top stars in Copa America 2011

Robinho (Brazil)

Robinho had a rediscovery of himself last season with the Serie A title in AC Milan after a string of dull days in Manchester city. Robinho is not the first choice striker in the Milan but he plays a key role in Massimiliano Allegri’s plans. It is necessary to emphasize that Robinho will serve as a strong helper for Brazil in the 2011 Copa America.

Robinho is said to be well prepared for the 2011 Copa America – a tournament in which he is expected to shine

Antonio Valencia (Ecuador)

Whether the team of Reinaldo Rueda possibly passes the first round Copa America this year or not depends much on Valencia’s manner

Neymar (Brazil)

Brazil offers a great expectation on Neymar in Copa America. Moreover, Neymar is also considered as the future of Selecao in World Cup 2014

Radamel Falcao (Colombia)

He is considered one of the best forwards in the world, having passed Jürgen Klinsmann's record of 15 goals in a single UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League campaign. Radamel Falcao is the greatest hope of Colombia in Copa America 2011

Alexis Sanchez (Chile)

Spain Football

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 03:36:00 -0700

Spain Football

Argentina Football Team Picture

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 03:29:00 -0700

Argentina Football Team Picture

Inter wall stands firm

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:08:00 -0700

Once in a while we get reminded that there are lies, damned lies and statistics, and the return leg of the Champions League semi-final between Barcelona and Inter may well be added to the list of events triggering such a cliché.

Valdes has shown his fiery side this season

Possession, for example, was overwhelmingly in favour of Barcelona, as it had been last week, but can you name another instance where it counted for less? Once Inter were reduced to ten men, midway through the first half, tactics became less important than focus - which in itself makes up a lot of the scope which you prepare tactics for - and heart, of which the Nerazzurri showed a lot.

It may be said Inter went through on points, having won the tactical battle in the first leg and cancelled out Barcelona's numerical advantage in the second, and one cannot help but think that it was Jose Mourinho again showing his character, his thoroughness in preparing for the opposition and his ability to channel his aggressiveness to the players.

He defiantly stood in the middle of the Camp Nou pitch one hour before the game, once again inviting and absorbing abuse - there had been a lot of El Traductor jibes in the week leading up the game, with a nod to his experience as Bobby Robson's translator in the late 90s - and taking in the breathtaking view of a ground that was filling up with noise and colour.

Then, as soon as the game started, his preparation showed again: when Goran Pandev failed a fitness test right before kick-off, he had to switch from his chosen 4-2-1-3 to a 4-3-1-2 with a peculiar look. Cristian Chivu was deployed on the left of Thiago Motta and Esteban Cambiasso, helping out Javier Zanetti whenever Dani Alves wandered into the area while also keeping an eye on Lionel Messi inside. Samuel Eto'o and Gabriel Milito were frequently seen wider than they usually would in a two-striker set. Meanwhile, Wesley Sneijder was anchored in the middle of the park, acting at times as a withdrawn centre-forward rather than a trequartista, and also tracking back in Xavi's footsteps.

Once again, despite some early trouble when Cambiasso was booked for a foul on Messi who had beaten him in a one-on-one situation, Inter provided a steady dam in front of the central defenders. Rarely did Messi or one of his team-mates threaten to shoot (on one chance, Julio Cesar tipped the ball wide with a great save), and it must be noted how Inter did not concede free-kicks from dangerous positions throughout the game, an encouraging display of discipline.

When Motta - who ironically had warned Inter about the Barcelona players' penchant for theatricals - was sent off for a slap to Busquets' face, the Nerazzurri quickly reorganised. Chivu was moved inside to partner Cambiasso (and was lucky not be shown a red card for a retaliatory foul near the end of the half), Eto'o effectively moved outside to left winger and the result was a 4-4-1-1 with Sneijder and Milito switching responsibilities in the centre and on the right.

The amount of dirty work the three forwards did was later shown in the fact they were all taken off once it became more a matter of keeping men behind the ball than threatening to score, although one can make a case for always keeping at least one man up front to prevent an opponent from pouring forward with all available bodies.

Barcelona never had a real chance to up the tempo and to accelerate, as they like to do, because there was simply no room to do that, and because Inter had possession for such a short amount of time that you could not really take the ball away from them and start a break before they had reorganised.

Samuel Eto'o celebrates Inter's win

Forced to carry the ball around the very visible wall that had been erected at the 25-metre line, the home side were frustrated in their attempts to find a direct channel, as they managed to do very late when stand-in striker Pique scored despite the addition of Ivan Cordoba as a third central defender.

Reopening play with a pass to the flanks, trying to pull the edges of Inter's defence apart, was not effective, as Maicon and Zanetti were given a lot of help from their team-mates, among them the late subs Sulley Muntari and McDonald Mariga.

A classic match, it was not, with goal attempts few and far between. The more spectacular, brilliant side were stifled over two games, and the more consistent, aggressive, determined team went through.

Perspective will be reversed for the final, as Inter will be clear favourites and will then have a different mental game to play with. But, as a calm, and collected - but clearly elated - Mourinho said right after the final whistle, attention must immediately be turned to Sunday's Serie A clash at Lazio, then next week's Italian Cup final against Roma. Bayern, for now, are a distant thought.

Diego Milito now signed until 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:05:00 -0700

It wasn't Camp Nou. It wasn't the second leg of a tie you are leading 3-1, but Inter again enjoyed far less possession than their opponents (20 minutes and 39 seconds to 40 minutes and 12 seconds), and ended up having an even better game than the semi-final second leg against Barcelona.

Diego Milito

One reason, of course, is that Bayern are not as creative with the ball at their feet and nimble without it as the Catalans are, but one constant in both matches was Inter's willingness to go against man's basic instinct - everyone wants to kick a ball, not run into imaginary positions where it may go - and cause things to happen, wait for them to develop and then react.

Catenaccio, the bolted door of the 1960s and '70s, used to be the operative word, but its negative tone would be too much on this occasion. The passing of time has elevated coaching to something more than rolling footballs across the pitch and watch as 22 men chase them. This in turn has meant coaches and managers have acquired a higher profile than ever before, so even considering that it's still the players who go out there and make things happen, praise must indeed be given to those who set things up.

It was, indeed, as much Jose Mourinho's triumph as Diego Milito's, whose sensational season can now continue with the World Cup.

The purest of the Argentinian's gifts, as shown recently in the Coppa Italia final, is a good first touch, close control while keeping his body between the ball and the defender and getting a shot in, and it was there for all to see on 35 minutes.

It is funny how such a tactically tense game should be broken open by something resembling route one football, though. Taking a leaf out of long-ball guru Charles Hughes' tome, Julio Cesar's clearance was helped on by Milito with his head and the ball fell perfectly for Wesley Sneijder, who killed its momentum with the sort of snake-bite reflexes great players have and in one motion slotted it through for Milito to do his job.

Milito even hesitated for a fraction of a second before shooting, a la Michael Thomas circa 1989, and this may have caused Inter's heart to flutter for a moment before the net was shaken by the ball. Someone in the Italian media mentioned this as a goal "on the break", but it was hardly so, as you can rarely expect a defence to be readier and more compact than when the ball is at the opposing goalkeeper's feet.

Once ahead, Inter, who had shown some brilliant one-touch football very early on, were quite happy to play keep-the-shape (4-2-1-3, but it was constantly changing to 4-1-2-3, 4-2-3-1 and 4-1-4-1 depending on the position of Bastian Schweinsteger and Thomas Muller), perhaps whispering "come on, make my day" any time a Bayern player had the ball.

Not that everything went the Italians' way. Lucio and Samuel had to make timely interceptions early on, and in one of the more predictable developments in the game, Cristian Chivu was having trouble against Arjen Robben on Inter's left. Some pre-game talk had focused on whom Inter should deploy on that side. Chivu is the younger, perhaps more talented player, but he's not a great turn-and-run defender, which leaves him vulnerable to wingers who can change direction and accelerate.

Zanetti, the only other candidate considering Davide Santon's long-term injury, is slower but can somehow keep his body closer to his opponent and channel their moves into less dangerous positions. Mourinho went for Chivu, believing he still had more to gain than by moving Zanetti outside and inserting Dejan Stankovic as a holding midfielder.

But the move had its negative effects, and Chivu's yellow card after half an hour might have put him in a dangerous situation. That's when Goran Pandev began tracking back even deeper than before and Esteban Cambiasso, who played on the left of the withdrawn midfield duo, often shifted to Chivu's side.

Inter somehow managed to save the day there, and the fact Robben saw a lot of the ball but whirred and whizzed and ultimately produced little, might have reminded some of that movie scene where the bad guy shows off move after move including, in this case, a curled shot that Julio Cesar did very well to turn away, until Indiana Jones sends him to showboat heaven with a single, direct shot.

On the other side, Samuel Eto'o rarely crossed midfield unless Inter attacked in numbers, and it was Sneijder - who also moved to the left in the early stages, to help keep Philipp Lahm back - supporting Milito more than anyone else, as the two chances the Argentinian created for his team-mate proved.

Hamit Altintop's presence on that side, where Schweinsteiger also threatened to run in the inside channel, also meant Maicon had to cover more than push forward, and it wasn't until late in the game that he produced one of his typical runs.

With Bayern replacing Altintop with Miroslav Klose, who joined Ivica Olic up front with Muller moving to the left, Bayern showed more intent, but it was on the break, just as by design, that Inter scored the second. And the way Milito undressed poor Danny Van Buyten one-on-one you'd have thought the Belgian defender was a streaker trying to grab a moment's celebrity.

The final ten minutes went by with barely a moment of danger for Inter, and the Italians' end of the ground could be heard, almost quivering with increasing anticipation as the final whistle approached.

As everyone will know by now, the occasion was momentous and among the thousands of stories one could save from the day there is the tale of Sergio Scariolo, the Italian basketball guru who coached Spain to European glory last year and whose day job has him coaching Russian side Khimki.

He travelled across the continent to be at the Berbabeu before catching a flight back to Moscow, where he has a play-off game on Sunday, right after the final whistle. This of course does not mean Scariolo is more of a fan than those who could not afford the trip and suffered in front of the TV or in bars, but gives an idea of how historic the occasion was perceived to be by Inter supporters, who will now turn their attention to whether Mourinho goes or stays.

Inter's anthem, played to ear-splitting effect right after Javier Zanetti lifted the Cup, centres around the words "Pazza Inter" ('Crazy Inter'), dating back from a time when nothing ever seemed to go right for them. Perhaps it's time to change the lyrics: is there anything more rational, more coldly and coolly practiced than this Mourinho-ed version of the Nerazzurri?

Spurs get holders Inter, Real's group of death

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:02:00 -0700

Inter Milan

Tottenham will face reigning champions Inter Milan in the Champions League group stages, while they also face German side Werder Bremen and Steve McClaren's former side FC Twente. Spurs' first attempt on European club football's top prize is not an easy task with Rafa Benitez now at the helm at the San Siro and Bremen, who finished third in the Bundesliga last season.
Manchester United face up against Rangers in another 'Battle of Britain' after their last clash in 2003-04 and must contend with Valencia as well - although the Spanish side have been weakened by the summer exits of David Villa and David Silva - and shock Turkish champions Bursaspor.

Didier Drogba gets a reunion with former club Marseille as Chelsea are drawn in a group with the French champions, but they also face a tough trip to Spartak Moscow and Slovakia's MSK Zilina. Marseille boss Didier Deschamps got the better of Chelsea in 2004 when in charge of Monaco but, having lost two of their first three league games, will have to turn things around.

Arsenal will be reunited with Eduardo after the striker moved to Shakhtar Donetsk, while they also face Braga - who hammered Sevilla in the play-offs - and Serbian side Partizan. The Gunners lost 3-0 in Donetsk back in 2000, but turned it around in the second leg as they sealed a thrilling 3-2 win thanks to Martin Keown's two late goals.

The group of death is undoubtedly the one containing AC Milan, Real Madrid, Ajax and Auxerre. Real and Milan clashed last season in the group stages, with Milan coming out 3-2 winners at the Bernabeu, but Milan will have extra motivation this year as former Inter coach Jose Mourinho is now at the helm of the Madrid side.

Conversely, Barcelona have been granted one of the easiest groups ever seen in the Champions League. They have a tough trip to Rubin Kazan - who beat them at the Nou Camp in the group stages last season - but Copenhagen and Greek side Panathinaikos shouldn't prove too much of a test for Lionel Messi and company.

DATES: September 14-15, 28-29; October 19-20; November 2-3, 23-24; December 7-8.

Group A
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Inter Milan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Werder Bremen	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Tottenham	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
FC Twente	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Group B
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Lyon	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Benfica	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Schalke	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Hapoel Tel Aviv	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Group C
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Manchester United	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Valencia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Rangers	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Bursaspor	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Group D
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Barcelona	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Panathinaikos	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Copenhagen	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Rubin Kazan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Group E
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Bayern Munich	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Roma	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Basel	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
CFR Cluj	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Group F
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Chelsea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Marseille	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Spartak Moscow	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MSK Zilina	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Group G
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
AC Milan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Real Madrid	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Ajax	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Auxerre	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Group H
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Arsenal	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Shakhtar Donetsk	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Braga	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Partizan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

T-shirt Inter Milan 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 9 Aug 2010 06:00:00 -0700

T-shirt Inter Milan 2010

Manchester United Sign Aon to Replace AIG as Shirt Sponsor

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 9 Aug 2010 05:57:00 -0700

Manchester United signed a shirt sponsorship deal to replace AIG with with insurer Aon believed to be worth £20 million a year (about $33 million). Bonus payments could add a further £5 million a year, according to the FT.

The deal ends Man Utd’s dependence on U.S. taxpayer dollars. AIG spent about £14 million of its bailout money on the final year of its sponsorship, The Sun noted. Neither Man Utd nor Aon gave details of the deal. However the FT said:

Man Utd received a strong bid from a betting company, which enabled them to pitch three to four suitors against each other, said to include Standard Chartered.

That explains the Sahara Group rumors of a few days ago. (Looking back, wasn’t that bizarre?)

The deal means two things for Man Utd: First, it will increase its sponsorship revenues at a time when many clubs are expected to see theirs decline due to the recession. Second, it puts some relief on their spiralling player budget costs.

To give you an idea of how bad the latter is, striker Carlos Tevez is currently demanding £25.5 million to stay at Old Trafford; and Deloitte’s Annual Review of Football Finance reports that the team spends £121 million per season on players.

As for the former, the AP reported:

… that is about 40 percent more than AIG was paying and 17 percent more than Bayern Munich’s shirt sponsorship with mobile phone provider T-Home.

The good news for United didn’t end there. The Manchester Evening News reported that the club has shaken off some of its debt expenses on higher revenues, and made a profit.

The Premier League champions made £71.8m for the season 2007-8 to put them at the top of the money tree globally.

Their revenue of £257.1m also saw them outperform the rest of their Premier League rivals - with figures suggesting they are bucking the global economic crisis.

Side note: How far behind, business-wise, are Americans when it comes to sport sponsorships? Check this out for the answer. Practice shirts, indeed!

Football Girls

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 9 Aug 2010 05:46:00 -0700

Modern football has evolved from a game played in streets and schools in the mid 1800s to the most widely played game on earth played in almost every town and village in the world, from youngsters kicking a ball about in the streets and local league teams playing for local honour to vast stadiums where the multi million pound clubs draw up to 100,000 fans each week.

Eleven players a side, with the aim to put the ball in the opposition goal. Simplicity itself! Olympic football competition has a few extra rules however. As professionals are allowed to play there is an age restriction on players. There are 16 men’s teams in the Olympic competition and teams are limited to only three players over the age of 23. Twelve women’s teams are allowed in the competition, which doesn’t have any age restrictions.

Iker Casillas World Cup 2010 Spain Goalkeeper

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 01:38:00 -0700

Iker Casillas World Cup 2010 Big Poster

Iker Casillas World Cup 2010 Spain Football Wallpaper

Iker Casillas World Cup 2010 Celebration

Iker Casillas World Cup 2010 Spain Best Goalkeeper

David Villa World Cup 2010 Football Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:05:00 -0700

David Villa World Cup 2010 Big Poster

David Villa World Cup 2010 Spain Football Wallpaper

David Villa World Cup 2010 Top Pictures

David Villa World Cup 2010 Celebration Wallpaper

David Villa World Cup 2010 Pictures

David Villa World Cup 2010 Photos

David Villa World Cup 2010 Spain Football Player

Andres Iniesta World Cup 2010 Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:56:00 -0700

Andres Iniesta World Cup 2010 Poster

Andres Iniesta World Cup 2010 Spain Football Wallpaper

Andres Iniesta World Cup 2010 Spain Soccer Player

Andres Iniesta World Cup 2010 Celebration Image

Andres Iniesta World Cup 2010 Football Pictures

Kaka Wallpapers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 00:51:00 -0700

Kaka Brazil

Full name: Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite
Date of birth: April 22, 1982
Place of birth: Brasília, Brazil

Chelsea Wallpapers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 00:46:00 -0700

Chelsea Football Club

Full name: Chelsea Football Club
Founded: March 14, 1905
Stadium: Stamford Bridge (42360), Fulham, London, England

Manchester United Wallpapers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 00:42:00 -0700

Manchester United Football Club

Full name: Manchester United Football Club
Founded: January 1, 1878 (as Newton Heath LYR F.C.)
Stadium: Old Trafford (76212), Stretford, Greater Manchester, England

Liverpool Wallpapers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 00:39:00 -0700

Liverpool Wallpapers

Cristiano Ronaldo Wallpapers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 00:31:00 -0700

Football Stars - Cristiano Ronaldo

Full name : Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
Date of birth : February 5, 1985
Place of birth : Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
Info : Manchester United’s Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring against Aston Villa during their English Premiership football match at Villa Park in Birmingham, 23 December 2006.

Football stars gather in Munich to help Africa.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 18:30:00 -0700

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, Germany captain Michael Ballack and Liverpool's England midfielder Steven Gerrard are amongst the stars set to play a charity match in Munich next week to help raise money for Africa. A selection of the world's top players will face off in the July 12 benefit match at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena to raise money for the charity Goal4Africa. The project plans to raising funds for football development and educational programmes throughout the African continent with fans making a donation for each goal scored by their favourite player. Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o and Italian World Cup winner Gennaro Gattuso will also be in Munich for the match. The idea is to help the continent prepare for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the event will also feature a concert by reggae band UB40.

Wayne Rooney Got A Virus From Nigeria

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 18:28:00 -0700

Wayne Rooney

Manchester United soccerstar Wayne Rooney reported to miss the start of the Premier League this season against Newcastle on August 17. Rooney contracting a virus when Manchester United’s had pre-season trip to Nigeria.

“It’s such a bad virus and he’s got to be training to be fit. I doubt if we’ll get Rooney fit for the start of the season with the virus he’s had,” Man Utd manager Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports News.

STS Chelsea Football Academy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 18:22:00 -0700

STS Chelsea Football Academy

Chelsea FC is one of the top teams in the English Premier League with football stars such as International's John Terry, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Andriy Shevchenko, Michael Ballack among many others.

In cooperation with Chelsea FC football in the community STS offers an instructive and intensive football camp. You will improve all aspects of your game in a very inspiring environment. The training is held by Chelsea coaches and takes place in small groups of 12-14 players. You will practise techniques of shooting and dribbling, and the techniques of various playing systems in defence and attack.

The course is held at the offical state of the art Chelsea training facilities in Cobham surrey and is where the Chelsea 1st team train each week.