..::Football II::..

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Bojan: Barcelona should have treated Ibrahimovic better

AC Milan forward Bojan Krkic has hit out at former club Barcelona, claiming it should have treated Zlatan Ibrahimovic better during his spell with the team.



The Sweden international lasted only one season at Camp Nou between 2009-10, before he was shipped out to the Rossoneri on loan, but the 22-year-old striker is of the belief that the Blaugrana should have persisted with the former Ajax man for longer.

“I think [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic deserved to have been received differently by Barcelona,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport. “He is a great player with a big heart.”The Serbian-born goalscorer also praised former bosses Frank Rijkaard and Pep Guardiola, singling out the Dutchman for special praise.

“[Frank] Rijkaard had complete trust in me. It was a difficult year when he left, but he has a great personality. I had a relationship with him that I haven't had with anyone else," he said. “For all he has won, I think [Pep] Guardiola is probably the best coach in the world.”
He concluded the interview by hinting at an uneasy friendship with former teammate Lionel Messi.

“We have a normal relationship, but since I've been here, he hasn't called me," Krkic revealed.

 

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Cazorla reveling in free Arsenal role

Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla has revealed he is enjoying life in the Premier League and has attributed his impressive start to the free role he has been granted.

The 15 million pound summer signing from Malaga has helped the Gunners avoid defeat in their first three league games and proved instrumental in the recent 2-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield, scoring and providing an assist.

Although the Spaniard admits there is pressure to live up to his hefty price tag, he has highlighted the freedom given to him by Arsene Wenger as crucial to his displays.

“They have paid an important amount of money for me and the role they’ve given me is the one I like," he said in an interview with El Pais. “I love the style of the team. Wenger’s philosophy is to control the game and I like to be on the ball. Furthermore, the boss has put me in a position, second striker, with all the freedom I want to have.

“He told me to be at ease and that he’d play me where I could most help the team. It surprised me in preseason when he put me as the second striker. I’ve come to play on the wings with the freedom to move inside, but Wenger has immediately put me in this position. With Arteta, Diaby, Rosicky and Wilshere, who is recovering from injury, we’re going to have a lot of the ball.”

Cazorla went on to hail his compatriot Mikel Arteta for helping him adapt to the English style of play so quickly.

“Arteta has advised me a lot, he told me football is much faster and less tactical than Spain. It’s more give and go," he added. “Mikel [Arteta] has helped me to learn to see the game and said that if we play rapidly with the ball we’re going to create a lot of danger and we’ll beat most teams.

“Wenger wants him [Arteta] now as a defensive pivot and he’s doing if very well. He gives real balance and he can win the ball back and play it out because with the ball he’s spectacular."

 

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Allegri: I took risks with injured players because we were fighting for the Scudetto

AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has admitted that he's partially responsible for the Rossoneri's injury problems last term.

"The problems were in the final stages of last season. I made some mistakes, there’s no doubt about that," Allegri told La Stampa.

The 45-year-old has conceded that he took risks as Milan was fighting for the Serie A title, but feels he would not have been criticized for his decisions had the club won the Scudetto.

"The more risks you take, the more you get injured players. But the objective was worth it. We were playing for the Scudetto," Allegri admitted. "If we had won the Scudetto last season, then no one would have discredited our work. Instead we finished as runners-up, and then people say that we’re destroying our players.

"There’s only one solution when it comes to solving traumatic injuries: start playing board games instead."

Milan has collected three points from its opening two Serie A games. The club resumes match action at the weekend against Atalanta.

 

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Song is a great signing for Barcelona, says Victor Munoz

Former Barcelona star Victor Munoz feels Alex Song is a great addition for the Catalans, and is confident he is compatible with other midfielders such as Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Cesc Fabregas.

The Cameroon international joined the Blaugrana from Arsenal in the summer transfer window, and Munoz has little doubt that the powerful midfielder will be a success at the Camp Nou side.

"Song is a great signing for Barcelona. He will be very helpful this season," Munoz told La Xarxa.

He added, "He's not like Busquets. He is a different kind of player. He's a very strong and physical player who tries to keep things simple.

"He can set up players like Cesc, Xavi and Iniesta. He is compatible with these players."

Munoz made over 200 league appearances for Barcelona between 1981 and 1988.

 

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Kompany unconcerned by Manchester City's 'difficult' Champions League group

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany insists he is unconcerned by his side's difficult Champions League group, in which they will face the champions of Germany, Spain and Holland.


“Games like this are why you are in the Champions League. I thought it couldn’t get more difficult than last year but there you go," he told reporters.

Roberto Mancini's side face a tough task of escaping Group D to lift their maiden European Cup, having been drawn against Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund & Ajax.

But, while the Belgian admits the group is harder than last year's draw - in which City failed to progress ahead of Bayern Munich, Villarreal & Napoli - he claims he is relishing the upcoming ties.

“It’s a great challenge. I think we are the sort of team which gets better as the challenges get even greater," Kompany said.

“It’s perfect for us. There won’t be any moments where we will be surprised. The motivation will be sky-high, the atmosphere great. I couldn’t think of a better way to play the Champions League.

“It’s all about how far you can get but it’s even nicer when you play against the best teams.”

 

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Benitez claims Hicks and Gillett stifled Liverpool's Jovetic move

Rafael Benitez has hit out at former Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett in his new book, ‘Champions League Dreams’, claiming the pair caused the financial problems that saw them fail to land Fiorentina star Stefan Jovetic.

The Spanish coach also asserts the owners required him to be "a bank manager rather than a football manager" and cites the lack of funds made available for the Jovetic move as the principle reason for failing to challenge Manchester United’s domestic dominance.

In his new book, Benitez states: “Attempting to work in the transfer market that summer was almost impossible.

“We knew we would need cover and support for Fernando Torres, as David Ngog was still developing, and we had raised the cash to find it.

“The player we identified to fill that role was Stevan Jovetic, a young Montenegro forward playing for Fiorentina in Italy.

“The funds we thought we had available would also have stretched to another central defender, to provide cover for Jamie Carragher, Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger.

“The two players we had identified were Sylvain Distin, then with Portsmouth, and West Ham’s Matthew Upson, both boasting abundant Premier League experience.

“Signing one of those two, plus the tall, powerful, intelligent Jovetic, would have given Liverpool the squad we needed to build on the previous year’s title challenge, when we had run Manchester United so close.”

Unfortunately for Benitez and Liverpool, it soon materialized that the funds thought to be available had been used elsewhere within the club, without the manager’s approval or knowledge.

“Liverpool, though, was no longer a football club," he added. "It was a business. The money, which we wanted to use to take Liverpool on to the next level, was all gone."

“We would be punished for the disappearance of that money - and our failure to sign Jovetic - again and again that season.

“That was supposed to be our year, the season it all came together. Instead it was a long, hard campaign, a battle from start to finish.”

And with the club's financial decisions being made to mollify the banks, Benitez argues he had become more bank manager than football manager.

“For five years I had been a football manager at Liverpool," he continued. "By the start of my sixth, it was clear I had become something else entirely. I was suddenly supposed to be a bank manager.

“Decisions were being made to appease the banks, not the fans. That is how serious the situation with the owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, had become."

 

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Mexico's Jose Manuel de la Torre eyes 10 straight wins in official matches

Tuesday's grudge match for Mexico against CONCACAF rival Costa Rica will yield added significance should it end in a victory for the home team. It will also mean that manager Jose Manuel de la Torre will have cleared his first 10 official matches with El Tri posting the very same number of victories.

De la Torre's stint with Mexico has coincided with one of the best player crops in the North American nation's 89-year football history, and the three-time Liga MX champion has already steered El Tri to a 2011 Gold Cup championship that earned passage for his team into the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.

 

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Atletico Madrid and Malaga among 23 clubs punished by UEFA for breaching Financial Fair Play

UEFA's Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) has released an official statement announcing that 23 clubs have had their prize money withheld pending further investigation.

The clubs, all of whom are involved in European competition in 2012-13, had to provide information regarding the status of any overdue payables as at June 30, 2012. While these are part of the first measure of the new Financial Fair Play structure, there is no suggestion that particular rules regarding overspending have been breached.

Having identified that important overdue payables towards other clubs, and/or towards employees or social/tax authorities existed in 23 cases, the CFCB has punished each club involved, including Atletico Madrid, Malaga, Sporting CP and Fenerbahce.

The investigatory chamber will continue its investigations and request the clubs involved to provide an updated situation as of September 30, 2012. This conservatory measure will remain into force until all identified balances have been settled in full, or until a final decision has been taken.

 

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Manchester United prepared to sell Brazilian midfielder Anderson

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to cash in on Brazilian misfit Anderson after losing faith in the former Porto star.

Anderson has frustrated United with his lack of improvement since joining the club in 2007 and conversations were held over the summer about selling the 24-year-old, with Benfica and Tottenham linked with the 24-year-old.

United would want to recoup as much of the 18 million pounds it paid to sign the all-action midfielder as possible in order to re-invest in the squad, with Ferguson understood to be keen to upgrade his central midfield options.

Anderson made just 10 Premier League appearances last season and has been blighted by injuries since arriving at Old Trafford, prompting Ferguson to raise concerns about his future.

“He hasn't really realized his potential, which is there for all to see,” said Ferguson in April. “He is a fantastic footballer. I just hope he doesn't have the bad luck that Michael Owen has had throughout his career.”

United is in no rush to sell Anderson in January, with the player under contract until 2015, but a departure next summer appears likely unless he can turn around his career this term.

United was interested in signing Mousa Dembele from Fulham before he joined Tottenham for 15 million pounds last month, with Old Trafford sources citing the Belgian was considered as a potential replacement for Anderson.

“Fergie has been waiting for Anderson to burst into life but it just doesn’t look like it’s going to happen because he's not got back on track since his cruciate knee ligament injury in 2010,” a United source told Goal.com. “He’s definitely considered available for the right offer, but a young player on a long contract won’t be sold on the cheap."

Ferguson has scouted a number of midfield targets as he looks for a long-term replacement for 37-year-old Paul Scholes and has been told he will be allowed to re-invest proceeds from player sales.

Portuguese winger Nani could also be sold as he continues to haggle over a new contract, with two years remaining on his existing deal.

United made its mark in the transfer market in the summer as it looks to claim back the Premier League title, signing Robin van Persie, Shinji Kagawa, Nick Powell and Alexander Buttner.

 

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Jordi Alba: Spain still hungry for success

Jordi Alba has insisted that Spain remains hungry for more trophies, despite already having won two European Championships and a World Cup in recent years.

The Barcelona defender feels La Roja is still relatively young and is confident it can go on to dominate national team football for the next few years.

"Euro 2012 was my first title, yet most of the other guys have already won plenty of silverware. We are still hungry for more, though," Jordi Alba told Mundo Deportivo.

"We have a fantastic generation, and most of the players are still young. The younger players haven't been part of the team very long yet, but we have the same desire to win as the more experienced ones."

The left back then looked ahead to the qualification campaign for the 2014 World Cup, and stressed France as well as the other teams in Spain's section could pose a threat for the reigning champion.

"Obviously France will be tough opponents, but the other teams are dangerous as well. We are the reigning champions, so everybody will be desperate to beat us."

Spain opens its qualification campaign with an away match versus Georgia on Tuesday.

 

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Gerrard warns England not to underestimate Ukraine

Midfielder Steven Gerrard has urged his England teammates to give Ukraine the respect it deserves as the two sides prepare to clash in a 2014 World Cup qualifier at Wembley on Tuesday.

The two countries met in the group stages of Euro 2012 in the summer, with England edging to a narrow 1-0 win but the tournament co-hosts gave the Three Lions a mighty scare before eventually succumbing.

Few would forget another ‘phantom goal’ being ruled out, despite Marko Devic’s shot appearing to cross the line before John Terry cleared.

And despite Wayne Rooney’s winner that day, Gerrard warns Ukraine is far too good a side to disregard as England looks to impress again following Friday’s 5-0 away win in Moldova.

He told the Daily Mirror: "There were times in the Euros when we gave them too much respect and stood off them and they had a few dangerous opportunities to score. Over the 90 minutes, they could feel hard done by not to have got at least a point.

"The difference for this game is we didn't know too much about Moldova before that game. We performed really well, but this game will be a bigger and tougher test.

"If you stand off them [Ukraine] and give them too much respect, they have players who can hurt us. We need to be on it against them.

Both Gerrard and left back Ashley Cole are close to joining England's exclusive club of 'Centurions'. Gerrard is in line to win his 98th cap for England if he features against Ukraine after making his debut against the Eastern Europeans as a fresh-faced 19-year-old, 12 years ago.

Although anticipating his 100th cap, the Liverpool captain insists it is more about getting another three points en route to World Cup qualification.

"It's a dream come true when you get your first cap at Wembley, 100 caps would be a nice touch, for both me and Ashley," he added.

"The important focus is to get to the World Cup - individual achievements are always nice along the way but I'm more interested in the points against Ukraine.”

 

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Brazil 8-0 China: Neymar nets hat trick in crushing victory

Three goals for Neymar and a masterful display from new Chelsea signing Oscar were the keys for Brazil, as it showed no mercy in destroying a demoralized China team 8-0 in Recife. The midfielder, Hulk, Ramires and Lucas Moura also found the net, while the Asian side's misfortunes were compounded by Liu Jianye who put the ball past his own keeper in a second half to forget for the visitors.


Stung on Friday by the boos and jeers received as it stuttered to victory over South Africa, Brazil came out determined to make an early impact against a China team hit hard by injuries and other absences. Neymar should have handed his side the lead after just five minutes when he got on the end of Oscar's cross, but with the goal at his mercy the Santos starlet hit the post.

The first 45 minutes were dominated by the men in yellow, who burst forward at almost every opportunity in the face of questionable defending from Jose Camacho's charges. Hulk and Lucas both forced saves from Zeng Cheng, before midway through the half the Selecao finally found a way through. Ramires surged brilliantly from deep and, after playing a delightful one-two with Chelsea teammate Oscar, chipped past Cheng to open the scoring and ease the pressure on the home side.

The advantage was doubled a matter of seconds later. A well-placed low cross from Hulk, given a start in the place of Leandro Damiao after his goal against the Bafana, found Oscar with space in the area. The midfielder squared for Neymar, who could do little else but stroke the ball into the net with no trouble.

From that point onwards, it was merely a case of seeing how many Mano Menezes' men could add to the tally. Oscar was denied a deserved goal of his own when a strike from point-blank range struck the underside of the bar, before Dede's header rebounded off the post after the defender had connected with Dani Alves' deep free kick. The Vasco man thought that he had hit the net minutes later with another headed effort, but this time Liu Jian threw himself between the ball and the goal to save China going three down.

If the visitors were hoping for a respite after the interval, they were to be sorely disappointed. A rampant Brazil added three more to the scoreline in less than 10 minutes after the two teams retook the field. Lucas Moura took advantage of lovely approach play between Hulk and Oscar, storming on the outside to meet the former's pass and slide the ball past Cheng. Hulk then got his own name deservedly on the score-sheet, finding himself in the right place after Neymar had struck the bar to drive the rebound home with authority.

Neymar was hungry for goals, and netted his second of the evening minutes later in converting Marcelo's pinpoint low cross. The hat trick was completed on the hour mark, an almost identical finish this time coming from the right having been fed by the outstanding Oscar.

Even with the game sewn up, Brazil refused to let its foot off the accelerator. Bamboozling play from Lucas forced Liu Jianye to put past his own keeper, before Marcelo was felled in the area for a penalty. Having played a key role in the build-up as well as almost all the Selecao goals, Oscar was handed the ball; making no mistake, the wonderkid drove into the bottom corner to finally get his name on the scoresheet.

Brazil's next test will only include Neymar, Dede and other stars of the Brasileirao, as the domestic players face off in a two-game series against their Argentine counterparts in the Superclasico de las Americas. China meanwhile was condemned to its worst defeat in history, beating the 5-0 thrashing inflicted by the United States in 1992.

 

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Diarra: I joined Anzhi because of Eto'o, not the money

Lassana Diarra says his move to Anzhi Makhachkala was driven by a desire to play alongside Samuel Eto'o rather than the prospect of earning a lucrative salary.

The 27-year-old left Real Madrid on transfer deadline day to sign a four-year contract with the Dagestan-based side, after falling out of favor at Santiago Bernabeu.

The deal came as a surprise to many, with the likes of AC Milan and Fenerbahce touted as potential suitors for the midfielder, but the allure of acquainting himself with the Cameroon striker swayed his decision.

"Spartak showed an interest in me this summer, but at that time I was only focused on Real Madrid," said Diarra at his official presentation on Monday.

"Overall, I would not talk about the clubs that were interested in me. Anzhi were interested more than the others, but the most important thing for me is that Samuel Eto'o is here.

"He's like a big brother to me. Why can't we succeed together?"

It had also been suggested that Diarra's transfer to Anzhi was motivated by the promise of a larger pay packet, but he poured scorn on such claims.

"It's a new challenge for me. So far I've only been here a few days, but I've had time to train," the ex-Chelsea and Arsenal man continued.

"I've been very well received and I thank you all. I believe Anzhi can push themselves to become champions, so why can't I be?

"During my career I have played for some very prestigious European teams and, trust me, I've won enough titles and been paid enough. I did not come here for the money.

"Those who believe that should come to the games, analyze my performances and then tell me why they think I came to Anzhi."

 

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Join wela ahemawath Kiyamu neh

 

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Crouch refused Euro 2012 spot, reveals Hodgson

Stoke City striker Peter Crouch refused a spot on the Euro 2012 stand-by list, according to England manager Roy Hodgson.

The 31-year-old target man has been left out of Hodgson’s first two World Cup qualifiers, despite injuries to both Wayne Rooney and Andy Carroll and doubts over Daniel Sturridge’s fitness.

And the veteran manager revealed that it was the former Liverpool and Tottenham man’s decision to avoid involvement in the summer tournament and not his.

Hodgson told reporters: "I selected him for the Euros but he didn't want to come.

"He made it clear that unless he was in the squad he didn't want to be considered.

"As a result, we've selected squads since that time when I felt I didn't need him here. I'm not going to bring him here to fill up the bench. The day Crouch gets in the England squad is when I think he should be in the original 23."

However, despite not being picked in the squad for their most recent matches against Moldova and Ukraine, the Three Lions boss has not dismissed any player from future squads and insists he will be following the progress of strikers such as Crouch and Darren Bent, who has also failed to feature for his country since Hodgson's appointment.

"They have both played for England in the past. Darren Bent was injured for a large part of last season and the new season is only three Premier League games old. He is a player we'll be following,” he added.

"I was thinking Andy Carroll and Wayne Rooney when I put this squad together but I lost Rooney a week before and then Carroll at the last minute. I've not dismissed anybody, even Peter Crouch."

 

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Police praise behavior of England fans following Moldova victory

Police have praised the behavior of the England fans following their 5-0 victory over Moldova, prompting the Football Supporters' Federation to commend its improved reputation over the last decade.


Congestion at the single entry point to the stadium and a heavy Moldovan police presence inside the ground presented supporters with a slightly hostile and challenging environment, but the patience and humor they demonstrated won plaudits from the authorities.


Superintendent Rachel Barber of South Yorkshire Police, who headed the UK police delegation at the game, said: “In Moldova the England fans continued to project a very positive image. There were no arrests and no incidents were brought to the notice of the UK police delegation by the Moldovan authorities.

“The good humor and passion for the game of the England fans was typified by the good natured gatherings in bars and cafes around Chisinau. At the stadium their enthusiasm was again obvious and they are to be commended for their forbearance and adaptability in coping with an unfamiliar policing style and obvious linguistic barriers.

“This behavior will form part of our briefings to host police forces for future England games and will, hopefully, continue to enhance the reputation that has been gained over the last few years of England fans as passionate, noisy, but good-humoured followers of their national team.”

Kevin Miles of the Football Supporters' Federation added: “It is refreshing to see the conduct of England fans, which has been transformed over recent years, attract the praise and recognition it deserves.

"The FSF is committed to working alongside other UK agencies such as the police to ensure that host police forces wherever we travel are also aware of what to expect. All we ask is that we are policed on the basis of our behaviour and not our now long and outdated negative reputation.”

 

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Van Gaal expects tough Hungary resistance

Louis van Gaal says he expects Hungary to do its utmost to stifle the attacking potential of Netherlands when the pair meet on Tuesday.

The two nations experienced similar fortunes in the opening matches of their respective World Cup 2014 qualification campaigns last week, with the Oranje picking up a 2-0 win over Turkey and their opponents beating Andorra 5-0.

"Not everything went to plan against Turkey, but a lot did," said Van Gaal. "A number of players sat out the next day of training. "Hungary do not play as offensively as Turkey. They employ two systems, of which the most offensive is 4-4-1-1. Enough said."

Van Gaal then explained the motives behind his decision to promote young RKC goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet to the senior squad as a replacement for the injured Tim Krul.

"Zoet is a logical replacement. Cor Pot [Netherlands Under-21 coach] is very pleased with him," the former Bayern Munich and Barcelona boss noted. "Now he has the chance to become our third-choice goalkeeper."

 

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Germany boss Low ready for 'different' Austria test

Joachim Low has claimed that Tuesday's World Cup 2014 qualifier against Austria will pose a "very different" test for Germany to counter.

The Nationalelf began their qualification campaign with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Faroe Islands last Friday, while their neighbors earned a 2-0 scalp over Turkey in August.

Looking ahead to the Alpine derby, Low spoke highly of Austria's efforts to re-emerge on the international scene, and called on his players to not underestimate the youthful exuberance of Marcel Koller's side.

"Of course, I studied Austria and found that they are making headlines - and rightly so," the coach remarked at a press conference. "They won their last game and are evolving and competitive. We've always had problems in Vienna.

"All of the squad are in contention. Schmelzer trained and should not have any further problems. Kroos was in training on Saturday. It is a very different game to Faroe Islands, which was not so easy to an extent with the long balls that they continually hit forward.

"It's not easy to translate our work in training into a competitive match. We have generated many chances in recent games, but failed to take them all."

Germany missed a number of chances to further their advantage against the Scandinavian minnows, and Low is seeking a more clinical performance from his charges in Vienna.

"We must try to maintain our concentration," he added. "Against the Faroes, our concentration in the final third was not sustained. We can do better. It makes no sense to talk about the World Cup now, no-one in our squad is thinking about Brazil. We need to take the next step and improve.

"Regardless of their strengths, we will still play to win, and make the best possible start to our qualification campaign, although [Austria] are certainly a more difficult proposition than the Faroe Islands."

 

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Half Time

Georgia 0 Vs 0 Spain

 

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Chelsea crowned European Club of the Year

Chelsea have been rewarded for their achievements last season by being named European Club of the Year by the European Club Association.

The UEFA Champions League winners were handed the award by their peers at the third annual ECA Awards on Monday.Chelsea were recognised "for their outstanding achievement during the 2011-12 season on a European and domestic level".

Last term saw the Blues finally end their wait for European Cup glory as well as winning the FA Cup, although they finished a lowly sixth in the Premier League.However, their dramatic penalty shoot-out success over Bayern Munich ensured they would remain at the top table of continental competition, qualifying by right as winners.

Roberto di Matteo turned the club's fortunes around in the cup competitions after replacing Andre Villas-Boas at the helm in March, but was unable to improve their league standing.