Forza Soccer

Puyol Ruled Out for Spain Friendly Against England

2009-02-09T11:29:00.005Z

Barcelona skipper has been reported will be absent in mid-week international match Spain versus England after picking up injury in Barcelona's win versus Sporting Gijon on Sunday match. Puyol was substituted in the second half after he complained of a pain in his leg.

Spains coaching staff were informed and Spanish national team coach, Vicente Del Bosque, must decide whether to call-up a replacement or stick with his announced team at Friday.

Del Bosque can still choose from Carlos Marchena and Raul Albiol (Valencia), Juanito(Betis) or Sergio Ramos(Real Madrid) to play in the middle.

Sergi Busquets and Gerard Pique of Barcelona were the most notable new names in the Spain squad announced by coach Vicente del Bosque. The match in Seville on Wednesday will also herald the returns from injury of Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta and Valencia's David Silva.

At the England squad not much surprise with the name of David Beckham, but Rooney is out and Heskey is in.

Spain Squad:
Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Jose Reina (Liverpool)

Defenders: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Juanito (Real Betis), Alvaro Arbeloa (Liverpool), Raul Albiol, Carlos Marchena (Valencia), Joan Capdevila (Villarreal)

Midfielders: Andres Iniesta, Sergi Busquets, Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona), Xabi Alonso, Albert Riera (Liverpool), David Silva (Valencia), Santi Cazorla, Marcos Senna (Villarreal)

Forwards: David Villa (Valencia), Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), Daniel Guiza (Fenerbahce)

England squad

Goalkeepers: R Green (West Ham), J Hart (Man City), D James (Portsmouth).

Defenders: W Bridge (Man City), A Cole (Chelsea), R Ferdinand (Man Utd), P Jagielka (Everton), G Johnson (Portsmouth), J Terry (Chelsea), M Upson (West Ham), L Young (Villa).

Midfielders: D Beckham (AC Milan), G Barry (Villa), M Carrick (Man Utd), S Downing (Middlesbrough), F Lampard (Chelsea), J Milner (Villa), S Wright-Phillips (Man City), A Young (Villa).

Strikers: G Agbonlahor (Villa), C Cole (West Ham), P Crouch (Portsmouth), E Heskey (Villa).

(glc,ffc,idc)

Tony Adams Sacked

2009-02-09T11:03:00.004Z

Forza Soccer - Portsmouth has confirmed the contract termination of Tony Adams, current manager. After take the hot seat from Harry Redknapp medio October 2008 after being as assistant, because when Adams got the job the Pompey at european zone, but now too close to the relegation zone of Premier League.

Director of Youth, Paul Hart will be a caretaker until new manager is appointed. First team coach, John Metgod also reported leave the Fratton Park.

Portsmouth priority to remain as a top club as deduct Paul Hart's position because he have joined the club for two years said a club spokes person. Portsmouth record under Tony Adams is 21 games with 4 wins, 5 draws and losing 11. (glc,pfc)

Lippi Leaves Del Piero and Cassano Against Brazil

2009-02-09T06:28:00.006Z

Forza Soccer - Marcello Lippi has announced his squad against Brazil without the names of Del Piero and Cassano. Andrea Pirlo and Gigi Buffon make a come-back after being absent from injury. Also Aquilani, Di Natale and Milan's Zambrotta return after not played in last friendly.

There's also no place for the living legend Paolo Maldini despite the Milan's defender has announced his comeback at Milan Channel interview. Paolo Maldini has promised millions of Azzuri fans around the world that he will wear the famous Italian jersey before he finally decides to hang up his boots.

Italy will be playing a friendly match against Brazil at Emirates Stadium, London.

The Squadra of Azzuri:
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Marco Amelia (Palermo), Morgan De Sanctis (Galatasaray)

Defenders: Daniele Bonera (Milan), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Andrea Dossena (Liverpool), Alessandro Gamberini (Fiorentina), Fabio Grosso (Olympique Lyonnais), Nicola Legrottaglie (Juventus), Gianluca Zambrotta (Milan);

Midfielders: Alberto Aquilani (Roma), Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Simone Pepe (Udinese), Simone Perrotta (Roma), Andrea Pirlo (Milan);

Strikers: Antonio Di Natale (Udinese), Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Fabio Quagliarella (Udinese), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal), Luca Toni (Bayern Munich).

(glc,gzc)

Christian Poulsen's Last-Minute Makes Juventus over Milan to Second Position

2009-02-09T04:46:00.007Z

Forza Soccer - A goal by Poulsen in injury time allows Juventus to beat Catania at the Angelo Massimino 2-1, to overcome AC Milan in the standings (get drawn with Reggina), and remain in the wake of Inter. Yet it was well placed for people of Ranieri that, after it took the lead, were forced to play for almost eighty minutes with a man less.

In the area well Roma Champions (winner against Genoa) and Fiorentina, which is dangerously close to Milan, with the team to Gasperini. In the relegation zone, 1-1 in Torino and Chievo, Bologna defeated the evil 1-0 in Udine.

CAGLIARI - ATALANTA 0-1

The miracles of Cagliari encounters many difficulties against Atalanta. To aggravate the situation with a 40 ', the second yellow remedied by a slightly Lopez' too rude on Cagliari. I rossoblù, remained in ten, are unrecognizable the race is always on hand all'Atalanta that the 65’ inevitably ahead with a shot from a distance of Cigarini that deviated from Canini, becomes impregnable to Marchetti. The Cagliari tries to rearrange the ideas but not the day.

CAGLIARI (4-3-1-2): Marchetti; Pisano, Lopez, Bianco, Agostini; Fini (72' Lazzari), Conti, Biondini (82' Larrivey); Cossu (43' Canini); Jeda, Acquafresca.

Substitute: Aresti, Matheu, Parola, Astori. Coach: Allegri

ATALANTA (4-4-1-1): Consigli; Garics, Talamonti (51' Capelli), Manfredini, Bellini; Ferreira Pinto, Cigarini , Guarente (87' Parravicini), Padoin (46’ Valdes); Doni; Floccari. Substitute: Coppola, Peluso, Defendi, Plasmati. Coach: Del Neri

Referee: Tozzi

Goal : 21' st Cigarini.

CATANIA - JUVENTUS 1-2

Juventus, forced to win to not lose sight of the Inter, begins very well. Surprisingly Ranieri not host Del Piero from the first minute, preferring the French also Iaquinta David Trezeguet. Two new midfield to the front bianconero: Tiago instead of Poulsen, Camoranesi instead of Marchionni. In Catania there Ledesma, injured, and is ready to debut the new purchasing power, with Silvestre returns to the center of defense.

The pressure is expressed in 10 'when Iaquinta pushing Stovini in area, off a perfect and brings the advantage Juventus. All easy, then? Not at all because Iaquinta ever decides to complicate the afternoon the Old Lady’s already . Catania takes the courage and began to push repeatedly. Some decisive interventions Buffon. But it betrays in the second half, when a ball that ends in the foot by not forgiving Morimoto: 1-1. Juventus is bewildered, the Catania wants to win and at least five times as likely to actually do it (there is even a net penalty in favor of men of Zenga, but the referee has did not comply it. In the end, the Catania, after attack is so tired Amauri and sale in the chair, fighting on every ball and lifting by itself the focus of which is the Juventus at 90 'with Poulsen on passage of the Brazilian and plain of a defender, and remains in the wake Inter.

CATANIA (4-4-2): Bizzarri; Potenza (80' Terlizzi), Silvestre, Stovini, Capuano (79' Martinez); Izco (70' Carboni), Baiocco, Biagianti, Tedesco; Mascara, Morimoto. In panchina: Kosicky, Silvestri, Paolucci, Spinesi. Coach : Zenga

JUVENTUS (4-4-2): Buffon; Grygera, Mellberg, Legrottaglie, Molinaro; Camoranesi (51' Marchionni), Tiago (83' Poulsen), Sissoko, Nedved; Iaquinta, Amauri. In panchina: Manninger, Ariaudo, Giovinco, Del Piero, Trezeguet. Coach: Ranieri

Referee: Morganti

Goals: 51' Morimoto; 11' Iaquinta, 91' Poulsen

FIORENTINA - LAZIO 1-0

Fiorentina that does not find the keys to the safe of biancoceleste, nerves are no small danger of being subjected to the goal of Lazio in counterattack. In the second half Prandelli's team seems more determined to make tactical structure of Rossi (three points) gives a balance to Lazio truly significant. Several times to get the chances shot but does not remedy anything good until 90 'when Mutu, with the complicity of Muslera, find the right touch. 1-0 and zone champions docked.

FIORENTINA (4-3-1-2): Frey; Zauri, Gamberini, Dainelli (46' Comotto), Vargas (79' Pasqual); Donadel, Felipe Melo, Kuzmanovic 5 (59' Semioli); Montolivo; Mutu, Gilardino.

Substitute : Avramov, Kroldrup, Mazuch, Bonazzoli. Coach : Prandelli

LAZIO (4-3-3): Muslera; De Silvestri, Rozenhal, Cribari, Kolarov; Brocchi (67' Lichtsteiner), Ledesma (90' Mendicino), Matuzalem; Pandev, Zarate, Foggia (83' Mauri). Substitue: Carrizo, Faraoni, Manfredini, Dabo. Coach : Rossi

Referee :De Marco di Chiavari

Goal: 90' Gilardino

Other Matches :

UDINESE-BOLOGNA 1-0 : 92’ Sanchez

ROMA - GENOA 3-0 : 26' Cicinho, 47'Vucinic, 93' J. Baptista.

SAMPDORIA - SIENA 2-2: 47' Bellucci, 62' Pazzini; 21' Vergassola 80' Maccarone.

TORINO - CHIEVO 1-1 : 64' Ventola, 83' Italiano.

PALERMO-NAPOLI 2-1 : 43’ Hamsik, 2’ Migliaccio, 13’ Simplício

	Team	Point	G	V	N	P	F	S	Diff
1	Inter	53	23	16	5	2	40	16	24
2	Juventus	46	23	14	4	5	38	20	18
3	Milan	45	23	13	6	4	40	23	17
4	Fiorentina	41	23	13	2	8	32	20	12
5	Genoa	40	23	11	7	5	32	22	10
6	Roma	40	23	12	4	7	36	28	8
7	Palermo	35	23	11	2	10	32	29	3
8	Napoli	34	23	10	4	9	31	27	4
9	Cagliari	34	23	10	4	9	30	26	4
10	Atalanta	33	23	10	3	10	28	25	3
11	Lazio	31	23	9	4	10	32	36	-4
12	Udinese	30	23	8	6	9	33	35	-2
13	Siena	26	23	7	5	11	18	24	-6
14	Catania	26	23	7	5	11	21	29	-8
15	Sampdoria	25	23	6	7	10	22	28	-6
16	Bologna	22	23	5	7	11	25	37	-12
17	Lecce	22	23	4	10	9	22	35	-13
18	Torino	19	23	4	7	12	23	38	-15
19	Chievo	19	23	4	7	12	16	32	-16
20	Reggina	16	23	3	7	13	20	41	-21

AC Milan first bid is Rejected

2009-02-09T02:49:00.002Z

Forza Soccr - AC Milan's first offer for David Beckham have been rejected by Los Angeles Galaxy, the Italian club's chief executive Adriano Galliani said on Saturday. The 33-year-old England midfielder is on loan has said he wants to stay with the Serie A team permanently.

"We made an offer to Galaxy which they have not accepted," Galliani told at Milan's home league game with Reggina."For now we are a long way apart but there is still a month to go," he added.

For technical reasons Beckham's loan is actually until June, meaning Milan can talk to Galaxy outside of the transfer window which closed last Monday.However, there is a written agreement that Becks goes back to the U.S. in March. (rtc)

English Premiership Results 8th February 2009

2009-02-09T01:50:00.002Z

Aston Villa made a club record with seventh successive away victory by crash Blackburn Rovers 2-0 at Ewood Park . Are they good enough to break into the top four of Premiership? Villa lead by James Milner and a goal from Gabriel Agbonlahor. "We have a lot of belief about us. We created a lot of chances considering we were away from home. I thought the team were magnificent." Martin O’Neill described his players as brilliant.

Meanwhile at Stadium of Light Sunderland beat Stoke City with the same score, 2-0. And Chelse got embarassed result from Hull with 0-0 score. In the first minute Frank Lampard took a free-kick, Michael Ballack flicked on, and Matt Duke parried. The ball fell to John Terry, three yards from goal. Somehow he made it over.

One banner unfurled by fans called for Scolari's sacking. Hull are still without a win in nine league games, but this was a hugely encouraging point for Phil Brown's side and their performance was more reminiscent of their early season form when they won away at Tottenham and Arsenal.

Rafa Benitez suddenly appears to be an addicted gambler. Already missing Steven Gerrard and the suspended Lucas yesterday evening, he left out three of his most experienced players until well into the second half and before they came on to play decisive roles, Portsmouth looked capable of earning Tony Adams some breathing space. After winning only two out of his 15 previous matches, they led 2-1 at 85 minutes, only to be undone by goals from Dirk Kuyt and Fernando Torres, two of the senior internationals Benitez had put on the substitutes' bench.

At The Hawtons, Newcastle can make a 3-2 scores without their manager, Joe Kinnear after falling ill at the team hotel. Ryan Taylor was a constant threat down the right flank, Kevin Nolan probed and cajoled as he always did at Bolton, and Peter Lovenkrands was alert to many of the West Bromwich defence's myriad cock-ups. Lovenkrands grabbed his first goal for the club, in the ninth minute, although by then The Hawthorns had already witnessed two goals in a dramatic and almost farcical beginning.

It took Damien Duff just 62 seconds to latch on to Albion botch-up No 1: Leon Barnett stumbled and allowed Shola Ameobi's innocuous pass under his feet, and a grateful Duff fired past Scott Carson. One hundred and forty seconds later, Marc-Antoine Fortune, the West Bromwich striker on loan from Nancy, equalised by taking advantage of a slip by Steven Taylor and burying Borja Valero's centre with a rasping drive.

The game went quite after that. For four minutes, anyway. Then Loven-krands turned in Nicky Butt's cute ball after Ryan Taylor's volley rebounded off a defender, and the travelling Toon Army were back in raucous song. They remained there as the Baggies' back four lost leave of their faculties and let Newcastle enjoy chance after chance. By the time Steven Taylor appeared at the far post to head in the corner of his namesake, Ryan, four minutes before the break, Newcastle's third goal was overdue. As was Mowbray's rollicking to his dysfunctional defenders.

Steve Bruce blamed himself for a match that began as mediocre and could not maintain even that standard. By the end, yesterday's goalless draw resembled the stalest of mid-table stalemates.

The newly signed Colombian forward, Hugo Rodallega, was responsible for the first, supplying a disguised pass when the Fulham defence expected a shot. Maynor Figueroa curled in an inviting early cross that Mido was set to meet perfectly before heading wide. "A fit Mido would have scored," Bruce said. One bonus for Hodgson was that Olivier Dacourt made a good debut, playing for longer than was intended but showing well in the undistinguished surroundings of this contest. (idc)

Saturday Night Serie A Results

2009-02-08T05:10:00.008Z

Forza Soccer - Inter Milan beat Lecce 3-0 for leading in classifica by 8 points from AC Milan which are drawn versus Reggina at San Siro. Inter's goal scored byIbrahimovic (12'), Figo(72') and Stankovic (82'). With Zlatan Ibrahimovic as a lone striker upfront and supported by Stankovic and Figo behind him.

Meanwhile at Giuseppe Meazza AC Milan slipped on the ground and a heavy Reggina capable of conquering the equal third in a row. With Brazilian tridente, Pato and Kaka upfront supported by Ronaldinho and with Beckham, Flamini and Ambrosini behind them, Reggina choose a 3-5-2 opposed, voted to defend and counterattack. Reggina lead by Di Gennaro goal at minute 32 and Kaka equals at 66 minutes of the game.

Beckham cross produces in abundance, but is Corradi lacking the resounding victory of the goal at 95 'with a shot to turn that around to the right pole of Abbiati. The 1-1 at the end only the Calabrian satisfied. Rather useless for Milan, which stops for a second consecutive time at San Siro after a par with the Genoa points thrown to the wind.

Upcoming Match:

Cagliari - Atalanta
Catania - Juventus
Fiorentina - Lazio

Palermo - Napoli
Roma - Genoa
Siena - Sampdoria
Torino - Chievo
Udinese - Bologna

Inter vs Lecce 3-0 (1-0)
Lecce (4-3-3): Benussi 6, Polenghi 5.5, Stendardo 5.5, Fabiano 5.5, Esposito 5.5, Caserta 5.5, Edinho 6.5 (21' st Papadopoulos 6), Ariatti 6, Papa Waigo 5.5 (13' st Zanchetta 5.5), Castillo 6, Tiribocchi 5.5 (24' st Cacia) (1 Rosati, 6 Angelo, 40 Giuliatto, 21 Ardito). Coach: Beretta 6.
Inter (4-3-2-1): Julio Cesar 6.5, Maicon 6, Burdisso 6.5, Materazzi 6, Santon 6.5, Zanetti 6, Cambiasso 6.5, Muntari 6 (36' st Maxwell), Figo 6 (27' st Chivu ), Stankovic 6.5, Ibrahimovic 6.5 (41' st Balotelli). (1 Toldo, 2 Cordoba, 18 Crespo, 33 Mancini). Coach:Mourinho 6.5.

Referee: Tagliavento 6.

Milan vs Reggina 1-1 (0-1).
Milan (4-3-1-2): Abbiati 6, Zambrotta 6, Bonera 6, Maldini 6,5, Jankulovski 5, Beckham 6.5, Flamini 6.5, Ambrosini 5 (11' st Seedorf 6), Ronaldinho 6 (20' st Inzaghi 6), Kakà 6 (32' st Antonini), Pato 6. (1 Dida, 24 Senderos, 4 Kaladze, 14 Cardacio). Coach: Ancelotti 5.5
Reggina (3-5-2): Campagnolo 6.5, Lanzaro 6, Valdez 6, Santos 6.5, Krajcik 6, Carmona 6, Cozza 6 (45' st Cirillo ), Barillà 6, Costa 6, Di Gennaro 7 (13' st Sestu 6), Corradi 6.5 (1 Puggioni, 20 Alvarez, 2 Hallfredsson, 21 Viola, 18 Rakic). Coach: Orlandi 6,5.
Referee: Pierpaoli 6. (kwc,gzc)

Milan Will Buy Becks ?

2009-02-07T05:31:00.012Z

Milan lawyer Leandro Cantamessa, opened the door to a potential long-term deal for the English star: "The loan ends in March. After that, anything can happen. He will have to tell Galaxy that he wants to stay here; at that point, we will put a real offer on the table"

Forza Soccer - The first chapters of the operation to keep David Beckham in Milan are beginning to unfold. "After March, anything can happen," said Milan lawyer Leandro Cantamessa to Sky. "First, Beckham will have to tell Los Angeles Galaxy that he likes it here and only at that point we should begin to negotiate an option other than having him on loan."

Let's just say your perfect scenario is a derby decided by a Beckham penalty? "Look, a derby is the least of our problems. The main problem are the games that come before and after. I'm not worried about the derby, we won two in 2008. Even though Inter has got far more points than us."

Adriano Galliani is keeping mum, especially where David Beckham is concerned. Milan fans are getting more and more fired up about the English player and not over his A-list looks either: they're mad about his goals, his assists and his speed. "But David plays for Los Angeles Galaxy, we can't just hijack him."

Galliani adds, "the future of a football director is more closely tied to how a player feels than what he actually does. His motivation and all the other things that happen in everyday life. If we sign Senderos, he breaks a toe and plays bad, then I've made a bad choice, but if we sign Beckham, he plays well and does better than expected, then I'm a genius: I don't think either are really true."

Clearly the desire to play in the 2010 World Cup and to win one last prestigious trophy are more important than the dollars in the American Major League. Now it's over to Milan's lawyers, who will have to convince the Los Angeles Galaxy to give up their star. "I have a contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy. But my desire is to stay at Milan and I hope the two clubs can come to an agreement. I have really enjoyed it here and now I would like to stay in Italy. Milan is very important to me if I'm to keep playing at this level and to have the chance to play for England. This has been a great evening, with some great football, and a way for me to be back in the British football scene that I was part of for many years." David Beckham, after the friendly in Glasgow against Rangers.

The loan of the British player will end on 8 March, when the Italian football market will be already closed, but as published on "The Times", Beckham will be free as of 2 October. The Americans may be open to negotiations to avoid losing their star without cashing in on him. (gzc)

The Boss Defends His New Gunner

2009-02-07T04:22:00.005Z

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has insisted that his club's signing of Andrey Arshavin was completed correctly before the transfer deadline passed on Monday.Doubts had been raised over the deal which saw the 27-year-old Russia international join the Gunners from Zenit St Petersburg, but Wenger is content that his club followed the correct procedures.

He said: "It was done in the last minute, but regularly. We have nothing to hide. "We just did the deal very late in the afternoon, sent it to the Premier League and they ratified it. "Of course, we want everybody to question the deal. If the deal was not right we would have cancelled the transfer and accepted it. We have done nothing wrong. "We were not the only one in this case. In every transfer window you have at least ten or 15 clubs who have to wait until the next morning usually to get agreement from the Premier League. "We just didn't want to announce it as long as it wasn't officially accepted."

Arsène Wenger believes that his squad has what it takes to win the Premier League, even without new signing Andrey Arshavin.

Of course the Russian midfielder finally arrived in N5 late on Monday evening, but Wenger had full confidence in his side before the Arshavin deal was finally thrashed out.

Speaking ahead of the trip to White Hart Lane on Sunday, the Frenchman reiterated his belief in the youthful Arsenal squad, pointing to the results against the other ‘big-four’ clubs as evidence of their talent.

“We have what it takes, without Arshavin, in my opinion,” said the manager. “The team is maturing – it’s a very young team – we have shown that against Man United, Liverpool and Chelsea.

“This team can compete with anybody.” (ftg,asc)

Arshavin : Controversy or Messiah !

2009-02-06T06:29:00.006Z

According to UK tabloid The Daily Mail, questions are being asked as to why Arsenal were allowed to complete the signing of Andrei Arshavin some 24 hours after the transfer deadline.

The London giants sealed the deal at 4:52pm local time on February 3, when all deals were supposed to be completed by 5:00pm the day before. (There was, however, a conditional extension granted due to bad whether).

It is understood that there were a few issues with paperwork that prevented the transfer from being processed on time, one of which was that Zenit St. Petersburg did not submit their forms quickly enough.

However, the FA (Football Association) and the Premier League discussed the matter yesterday and came to the conclusion that everything was satisfactory, meaning Arshavin is now officially an Arsenal player.

The Gunners' rival clubs are far from happy that the deal was allowed to go through so long after the close of the window, especially as negotiations had started several weeks prior.

The 27-year-old Russian international could make his Arsenal debut in this weekend's north London derby against relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur.

Tottenham had been hopeful that a meeting between the Zenit president, Alexander Dyukov, and the player's representative Dennis Lachter this week might have forged a breakthrough in a stand-off over the Russian club's £27m demand for Arshavin. But Dyukov cancelled the meeting and, with the club unwilling to give any ground, the player has withdrawn his services.

Lachter predicted the same outcome might be in the offing for Arshavin, who Tottenham were hopeful of signing after a £15.6m bid for a striker whose desire to play in the Premier League has seen him reject bids from Italy and Spain. Spurs, who yesterday firmly rejected suggestions that they have approached West Ham with a £15m offer for Dean Ashton, had been hopeful that a £21m compromise deal for Arshavin may secure the player at a time when – with Robbie Keane gone and a new bid for Dimitar Berbatov by no means unlikely – they are actively looking for strikers.

Lachter still intends to speak to the Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy when Levy returns from a trip to Florida, but his prognosis will come as a genuine blow to Spurs. Lachter, an Israeli-registered, Fifa-licensed agent, was seen as an important factor in cutting through the red tape which had hampered attempts to talk to the club.

We just cant wait for Arshavin's debut this week end. (ind, glc)