Spain will be eager to preserve their perfect record in the Euro 2012 qualifiers when they meet the Czech Republic in Granada on Friday.The defending world and European champions sit atop Group I with three wins from as many games, while their opponents lie in second place, having recorded two victories and a loss.
Spain will be without Carles Puyol, Cesc Fabregas and Pedro Rodriguez for the Friday’s qualifier, with Andoni Iraola, Javi Mart?nez (both of Athletic Bilbao) and Valencia’s Juan Mata being drafted into the squad in their place.
Puyol’s absence is likely to see Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos move into the centre of defence to partner Gerard Pique.
Spain playmaker Xavi will make his 100th appearance for the national team against the Czechs, while David Villa, who has scored two goals so far in qualifying, will equal Raul’s record tally of 44 goals for the country should he score on Friday.
Spain boss Vicente Del Bosque has labelled his Friday opponents “one of the best teams in Europe in recent years”.
“They are our biggest threat. They have great physical and technical qualities,” Del Bosque said.
The Czech Republic welcome back Galatasaray forward Milan Baros from injury; the former Liverpool ace is expected to provide a much-needed scoring outlet.
The 1996 European Championship runners-up have registered only three goals in qualifying so far and will be eager to have Baros back in the fold.
The fixture will pit Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech against his new club team-mate Fernando Torres, and Cech was keen to point out he has never finished on the winning side when facing the former Liverpool favourite.
“He (has) beat me in every game we played in as opponents,” Cech said. “I hope it will be different on Friday.”
Czech coach Michal Bilek stressed the importance of neutralising the Spanish passing game by keeping a compact shape when the World Cup champions are in possession.
“They are beatable from time to time, it is possible to achieve a reasonable result against them,” Bilek said.
“We need to tighten up the space in our own half and make it impossible for their key players to pass the ball. We will aim for quick counter-attacks after winning possession.”
%image% Stan Kroenke’s attempt to take control of Arsenal looks set to falter after Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov refused to sell his shares.American businessman Kroenke increased his stake in the English Premier League club to 62.89 per cent this week after agreeing to purchase the shares of board members Danny Fizsman and Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith.
The deal obliged Kroenke to make a cash offer for all remaining shares in the club.
Usmanov, who has previously expressed an interest in a full takeover of his own, appears unlikely to part with his 27 per cent stake in the club.
“I’m not going to sell my stake,” Usmanov said.
“I love Arsenal, that’s why I’m a shareholder.”
Usmanov’s investment company Red and White Holdings bought into Arsenal in 2007 after purchasing the 14.65 per cent held by former vice-chairman David Dein for 75 million pounds.
He increased his stake further in 2009.
The Arsenal Supporters Trust (AST), which opposes sole ownership of the club, welcomed Usmanov’s stance.
“AST welcomes Red and White Holdings’ (Usmanov’s investment company) commitment to Arsenal and calls on all shareholders to work together,” AST said in a statement.
“Their priorities should firstly be making Arsenal a successful football team, secondly placing no leveraged debt on the club or taking dividends and management fees out of the club, and thirdly helping supporters be directly involved in the club’s shareholding.”
“Arsenal is too important to be owned by any one man.”
Kroenke already owns NBA franchise the Denver Nuggets, MLS team Colorado Rapids, NHL outfit Colorado Avalanche and NFL club St Louis Rams.
He agreed to purchase Fizsman’s 16.1 per cent and Bracewell-Smith’s 15.9 per cent for 11,750 pounds per share, or 234 million pounds in total.
There is a lot of hype over the approaching summer transfer window in world football with clubs expected to spend and improve on their squads, especially in the English Premier League. But whilst the media constantly generate rumours on players going here, there and everywhere in multi million pound transfers, there isn’t so much focus on any potential bargains.
A number of players are out of contract come May/June 2011 and it appears most of them are waiting to see what offers come in before they put pen to paper with their current club or a new club altogether. In some cases, it’s the club that don’t see a future for the player and they’ll be hoping to impress other managers with the run-in of games to the end of the season.
But what are some of the best potentially free agents that could turn up at your club this summer? Last year we saw the likes of Tottenham Hotspur gain the experience of William Gallas for free and despite his Arsenal and Chelsea connections, he’s certainly proved a bargain.
So join me for the Top 10 out of contract players this summer, there’s certainly a variety in class. Of course there will be an honourable mentions list but for any omissions, please feel free to comment below. Don’t forget you can follow me on Twitter too.
Click on Robert Green to see the top TEN Bosman deals to be had this summer
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Barcelona can wrap up a third successive La Liga title on Wednesday, needing only a draw at 10th-placed Levante to be crowned champions.With three games remaining, Barca are eight points clear of fierce rivals Real Madrid but even if Real win their home match with struggling Getafe on Tuesday, a point would be enough for Barcelona to retain the title because of their superior head-to-head record against Jose Mourinho’s side.
Should they be successful on Wednesday, Pep Guardiola’s side would become the first team to win three successive La Liga titles since the exceptional Barca side of the early 1990s, which won four successive Primera Division titles between 1991 and 1994.
And if they can win all three of their remaining games, Barca could become the first side to reach the 100-point mark in a La Liga campaign, breaking their own record of 99 set last season.
Other interest will centre around the top of the goal-scoring charts – with Real’s Cristiano Ronaldo scoring four in his side’s 6-2 demolition of Sevilla on Saturday to move to 33 league goals for the season, two ahead of Barca superstar Lionel Messi.
As well as Real’s clash with Getafe, other games on Tuesday see Deportivo La Coruna host Athletic Bilbao at Estadio Municipal de Riazor.
Deportivo are desperate for a win to escape the drop zone, while fifth-placed Bilbao need a win to help them hang on to their Europa League qualifying berth.
Sporting Gijon travel to Malaga, and Racing Santander host seventh-placed Atletico Madrid who will be keen to keep the pressure on sixth-placed Sevilla and Bilbao in the race for the Europa League places.
Joining Barcelona in action on Wednesday, Villareal can make sure of fourth and a spot in the Champions League qualifiers with a win over already-relegated Almeria, and Valencia – who are five points clear of Villarreal – can claim third on their trip to Espanyol.
Hercules need maximum points when they host Mallorca if they are to avoid relegation that has looked likely for much of the campaign, and Real Zaragoza could be in the bottom three if they fail to win at Real Sociedad.
Sevilla need three points from their visit to Osasuna if they are to maintain their Europa League push, while Osasuna are just two points clear of the drop zone.
West Ham United must claim at least a point when they travel to Wigan on Sunday to have any chance of avoiding relegation.The relegation six-pointer pits the English Premier League’s two bottom sides in a match sure to entertain with both clubs playing for their future, and although a point could mathematically keep them alive, the three points are what is really needed by the Hammers.
West Ham trail Wigan by three points and are four points away from safety, meaning a victory is essential ahead of their final match of the season, at home against Sunderland.
“I think yes, we have a chance to stay up of course, but first we need to win against Wigan. If we get maybe one or two goals (we can do it),” manager Avram Grant said.
“Wigan is the most important game, we need to win. I know they also want to win and they’re playing home. (Staying up) depends on other results, so we need to see if other results are as we want it to be.”
“We have to win against Wigan and I think we can do it.”
West Ham will be desperately hoping captain Scott Parker will return from an Achilles injury while Matthew Upson could also feature at the DW Stadium, but they are likely to be without Mark Noble and Kieron Dyer.
Gary O’Neil and Junior Stanislas are long-term absentees for West Ham while Wigan could be without Mohamed Diame, who is battling a foot injury.
The reverse fixture between these two sides saw West Ham run out 3-1 winners at Upton Park in November, but the Hammers have not won in eight and are going to need to turn things around dramatically, and get a slice of luck, if they are to remain in the Premier League.
FC Utrecht have parted company with coach Ton du Chatinier after the club missed out on Europa League qualification.Du Chatinier took over at Utrecht in October 2008 and the 53-year-old guided the club into European competition the following season with victory in the Eredivisie’s 2009/10 Europa League playoff.
He was unable to repeat that achievement this season – the team bowed out of the Europa League in the group stages and could only finish ninth in the Eredivisie, missing out on the playoffs.
“Ton accepted the position as head coach two years ago in very difficult circumstances and deserves a lot of respect for that,” Utrecht Sporting Director Foeke Booy said.
“It’s a shame that our collaboration comes to an end like this, but we did not see any foundation to continue working together.”
Former Feyenoord coach Erwin Koeman has been touted as a potential replacement for Du Chatinier at the Stadion Galgenwaard.
Arsene Wenger has never been one to do all of his transfer deals as early as possible, but it is of paramount importance that he changes that attitude for this particular summer.
Since Arsenal finished fourth this season, just over the horizon lies a Champions League qualifier which, under the new UEFA rulings, shall be infinitely harder to win than some of the games the club has had in previous seasons against the likes of Sparta Prague and Dinamo Zagreb. Now, Bayern Munich, Villarreal and Fiorentina haunt the draw.
Therefore, Arsenal need to move quickly. There should be no anxious waiting up on August the 31st in eager anticipation of a deadline day bargain. Regardless of the players whom one thinks the club should be signing, the fact is that they should arrive in June, in order to give them the best possible chance of settling into the side before the early start of the season.
There is very rarely any negative attached to signing players early in the summer. For example, whenever Manchester United need to inject new life into the squad, they immediately bolster the team by announcing signings as early as June 1st. This was exemplified by when they signed Anderson, Nani and Hargreaves in quick succession in the summer of 2007. Arsenal need to take a leaf out of their book; no more deadline day deals in order to shave a couple of hundred thousand of pounds off the price, the purchases have to be made quickly and forcefully.
The added bonus of getting the transfers done as early as possible is that a feel-good factor surrounds the club in the build up to the new season. This is particularly relevant this season, given that the season ticket prices have increased, and there are real doubts about the power of the club in the transfer market, and whether the ambitions of the board mirror those of the supporters.
Should the Champions League qualifier at the Emirates arrive without any kind of marquee signing having been purchased, the atmosphere around the stadium will match that of the last few games of the season just gone; songs of ‘six percent, you’re having a laugh’ will inevitably be replaced with chants of a somewhat more positive nature.
So this summer is extremely important for a number of reasons; not only does the squad need to be strengthened considerably in various areas, but the rebuilding work needs to be done sooner rather than later, not only to increase our chances of Champions League qualification, but also to state intent for the season to come, and to put Arsenal back on the map.
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Read more of Alastair Bayliss’ articles at Gunnersphere
It is simply ridiculous for a man of Steven Gerrard ’s caliber to be doubted. Gerrard is one of the best footballers (a complete player) of his generation with everything in his armour. Pass, shoot, tackles, headers, goals, vision, strength…you name it, he has got it all. It would not surprise me if we put him in goal and he takes Pepe’s place too. He is a world class midfielder and he will be vital for everything Liverpool will do next season. Every footballer goes through a rough patch in their career and yes we played better football towards the second half of the season when Gerrard was injured but this certainly does not mean we are a better team without Steven Gerrard. We can only get better and stronger with him coming back into the team and we should be optimistic about how good we can get having him back rather than dwelling on the negatives. I think Stevie will be back with all guns blazing and the contributing factors will be:
1) Fitness : After his groin operation which was a successful one last season, he is claiming he feels fitter than ever and very confident about his physical condition. This is brilliant news for Liverpool because these niggling injuries have certainly taken their toll over him and he has not been performing to his capability. If he is as fit as he is claiming and is to have a strong season appearance wise, it will certainly help our cause to finish in the top 4 and higher.
2) Mentality : This break from football, the longest since he made his debut for LFC at the young age of 18 was a much needed one. Physically he seemed drained but he needed a break from football mentally as well. It takes a lot mentally playing week in week out for as long as he has done and this break can only do him a world of good. Having a wee bit more time for his social life can only benefit him. He will be back fresher not only in terms of his physical fitness but also fresher and sharper in terms of mentality.
3) Motivation : Motivation plays a major role in a footballer’s performance and with King Kenny at the helm we can rest assure that there will be no lack of motivation (which happened during Roy’s 6 months in charge). There will be a burning desire to go all out and achieve what has eluded the Anfield trophy cabinet over the past to two decades and what we believe is our birth right. I am not saying Steven Gerrard lacks that motivation but simply stating that there will be that extra bit of it with Kenny back and with everything that has happened surrounding the club.
4) Transfers : One world class player can only do so much in a team sport like football. There have been times when Steive has single handedly lifted the team to victory most famously in Istanbul(05) and Wembley(07). Adding a few more top players this summer will take the burden and responsibility from Gerrard which can only be better for him and the team ultimately. This will be a major factor in our title charge.
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5) Kenny Dalglish : King Kenny is Liverpool through and through and he understands the Liverpool way better than anyone else. Dalglish’s achievement both as a player and as a manager commands the respect which Hodgson could never get from the players or the fans. Everyone looks up to Kenny and he brings in the motivation and desire to play for him which Roy failed to do and thus struggled. After a dismal reign of the bloody cowboys, we needed a leader who could steady the ship and keep his calm when everything around him was in utter chaos and since the arrival of Dalglish he has been nothing but that. He is an idol for the fans, an inspiration for all the players, a hero for everyone connected to Liverpool Football Club and is a living legend. This will be a influentional factor for Steven and the team next season.
6) Owners and Stabilty : Now that everything on and off the pitch seems stable and we have stopped making the headlines for all the wrong reasons we look to be heading towards the right direction. Now we seem to have owners who understand what our club means to the fans and are interested in the well fare of the club and not just in making profit. For the local boys (Stevie and Carra) who are so attached to the club, it does matter how the club is being and it will have an impact on them. So now with everything in place we can look towards a bright and successful future.
7) And finally Man Utd breaking our title record :
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It was a very painful day for all related to LFC when ManU claimed the 19th title. It was heart breaking to see them go past us and claim what seemed to be near impossible two decades ago. But let’s face it, we certainly have not been good enough and have ourselves to blame for this. Born and bred in the red half of Merseyside, Steven Gerrard will want nothing more than to break United’s record and get LFC back on top where we belong. There will be a fire in his belly next season as this determination will drive him more than ever. Manchester United beating us for the 19th title will only make him hungrier for success. He will be ready for all challenges that comes his way and he should have a sensational season.
So we will surely be back not to knock Manchester United off their perch as Fergie once claimed to do to Liverpool but we will be back to take what is ours.
This article was written by Bikesh Shrestha and is courtesy of our partner website ourkop.com
Fulham boss Martin Jol praised his team’s attack after a 4-0 second-leg win over Crusaders saw them progress in Europa League qualifying.The West Londoners’ crushed the Northern Irish side 7-1 on aggregate courtesy of their win at Craven Cottage on Thursday as Andrew Johnson, Damien Duff, Bobby Zamora and Steve Sidwell netted.
The win sees Fulham advance to the third round of qualifying and Jol praised Johnson and Zamora, who played up front and combined well after only scoring 10 goals between them last campaign.
“Even if you have got a tough defence you know you can score goals. Last year, Bobby was of course injured and Andy was the same – he only had 16 starts,” Jol said.
“So we had some trouble with injuries and luckily enough we had (Clint) Dempsey and he was our top scorer”
“I feel there is a lot more goals in Andy Johnson. Every game when I see him he is quick and he can score goals. I think he has scored three goals already and that is what you want, not the two goals last year.”
Fulham won the first leg in Northern Ireland 3-1 and Johnson opened the scoring in the 19th minute on Thursday to extend that advantage.
They then added three goals in a 15-minute spell beginning in the 56th minute and Jol said he was pleased with the performance.
“You always want to play perfect football and of course the first half we started well,” Jol said.
“The first half an hour I thought was good. Good movement and everybody was involved.”
“After that there were a few sloppy spells and that is not what you want.”
“But the second half was okay and of course we had to substitute a few players because we have 17 or 18 players who want to be involved.”
Fulham will meet Croatian side RNK Split, who beat Slovenian outfit NK Domzale 5-2 on aggregate, in the first leg of their third round qualifying tie next Thursday.
Arsene Wenger believes Manchester City’s 400 million-pound sponsorship deal is a threat to UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations.English Premier League club City’s commercial arrangement with Etihad Airways, which will see the City of Manchester Stadium rebranded, comes before the first season in which UEFA’s new regulations are implemented.
The Financial Fair Play regulations will require all clubs to break even by 2013/14, or risk exclusion from the Champions or Europa leagues.
Arsenal manager Wenger, a vocal critic of large cash injections into clubs by wealthy owners, is concerned deals such the one between City and Etihad will undermine the UEFA initiative.
“It raises the real question about the credibility of the Financial Fair Play,” Wenger said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur as part of Arsenal’s tour of Malaysia.
“That is what it is all about. (City) give us the message they can get around it.”
“It means the Financial Fair Play will not come in. It is as simple as that. I can understand how they do it but it raises the real question – the difficulty and the credibility of Financial Fair Play is at stake.”
“Plus, normally the sponsorship has to be at the market price if the Financial Fair Play has to have a chance. It cannot be tripled or quadrupled because that means it is better we don’t do it and leave everybody free.”
“That can be defended, but if they bring the rules in they have to be respected.”
When asked if he would discuss his concerns with countryman and UEFA President Michel Platini, Wenger replied: “I don’t need to because it looks to me that he (Platini) is very strongly determined on that.”
“He’s not stupid, he knows as well that some clubs will try to get around that and at the moment I believe they are studying, behind closed doors, how they can really strongly check it.”
“That’s where the Financial Fair Play is at stake.”