..::Football III::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Dani Alves: PSG are a great club

Barcelona defender Dani Alves has called Paris Saint-Germain a "great club" ahead of a potential move to the Ligue 1 winners.

The Brazil international has been linked with a move away from the Spanish giants this summer, with reports suggesting that the 31-year-old has already committed himself personally to Laurent Blanc’s side.

The full-back – who has won every available honour with Sevilla and Barcelona in Spain – has now revealed that he would welcome a move to PSG because the transfer would represent a new challenge in his career."I always said that I was not doing long-term projects, rather short-term,” Dani Alves told Surface magazine.

“In fact, what I want are challenges, I was born for this. And if [seeking] a challenge involves going elsewhere, I'll be happy [to do so]."When asked about his prospective move to Ligue 1, Alves added: “Paris? I think it is a great club. And I love playing for the big clubs. That's what I dream of.

“What I want is to play for clubs that can offer me challenges. And PSG is a great club.“There has been some talk about it, and if I do not stay at Barcelona, it [PSG] is a real alternative for me."

The Brazilian also admitted that he has spoken with compatriot Thiago Silva, who plays for PSG, about the move."When we are with the national team, of course we talk about our club lives,” Alves said.

“Conversations revolve mainly around that, whether we are both happy at our respective clubs, if the infrastructure is good and what the club can offer players.
“I think all the big clubs offer a lot to their players, and PSG is one of them. I know he [Silva] is very pleased with PSG."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Vlaar: Netherlands defence is weak

Ron Vlaar has admitted Netherlands' defence is their Achilles heel ahead of the World Cup.

The 2010 finalists have a tough job on their hands to progress to the knockout stages of the competition after being drawn alongside world champions Spain, Chile and Australia in Group B.

Netherlands’ rearguard has been criticised as the team’s weak link despite Louis van Gaal’s side winning two and drawing one of their three friendlies ahead of the tournament.

And while Vlaar admits the attacking line-up of Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder are the side’s best assets, the 29-year-old says they are working hard to improve at the back.

When asked whether the defence was the team's weakness, Vlaar said: "We know that. We work hard to get better as a team and we also know we have our best players up front.“But if you look at all the games we played during qualification and friendlies, we didn't concede many goals.

"So we have to give confidence to our forwards to accelerate and make a difference for us.“You play every game to win. You have to be realistic but I really believe we can achieve something. I look forward to it and I cannot wait."

The Oranje have suffered heartache in the World Cup before, having lost three finals in the past – most recently against Spain in 2010.Van Gaal claimed earlier this week that his side were expected to reach the semi-finals in Brazil at the very least.

And Vlaar backed up the target set by his coach, stating that Holland could even go on to win the tournament - but only if the players performed at their very best in Brazil."You have to believe otherwise you shouldn't go."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Tottenham demand €14m from Napoli for Sandro

Napoli are preparing to make a move for Tottenham midfielder Sandro but have been told to pay €14 million for the Brazilian.

The 25-year-old made just 25 appearances for Spurs this season, although he was sidelined for two months with a calf problem.

Napoli are hopeful that a deal worth €12m can be agreed with Tottenham, while the Italian club, who finished third in Serie A, are prepared to hand Sandro a five-year contract worth €10m.

Sandro’s agent revealed last month that the player is keen on a move to Serie A but was unsure whether Tottenham would be considering offers this summer.

Meanwhile, Tottenham will keep Emmanuel Adebayor but are willing to sell Roberto Soldado, although chairman Daniel Levy is keen to recoup most of the €32m the club paid for the striker last August.

 

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Pedro in the dark over Barcelona future

Barcelona winger Pedro has admitted he is unsure if he will still be at the club next season but insists he is only focusing on doing well with Spain at the World Cup.

The 26-year-old has flourished for the national side during qualification but was regularly substituted for his club last season, despite featuring in 37 of the Catalan giants league games.The lack of first-team opportunities at Barca has resulted in Pedro being linked with a move away from the Spanish giants this summer.However, the Spain international has admitted that while he does not know where his future lies, he is not worrying about the situation.

"I'm not sure what’s going to happen, I'm relaxed and concentrating on the team [Spain] and the World Cup,” Pedro was quoted as saying in Marca.“When I need to decide something, I'll talk to the club and we'll see what happens. But I'm relaxed and I don't know anything, I'll carry on concentrating on the team and on playing well in the World Cup.”

Pedro could follow team-mate Cesc Fabregas out of the Camp Nou door this summer after Premier League champions Manchester City and Chelsea both tabled €35 million bids for the out-of-favour midfielder.

The forward is bemused as to why fans have criticised the 27-year-old so much and believes Fabregas shouldn’t be used as a scapegoat for Barcelona’s lack of success last season."I don't really understand it, he's such a great player who plays really well for us. I haven't talked about it with him – he's happy and focusing on the team. If he goes, it'll be a real shame for Barça,” Pedro said.

"People have the right to judge every now and then, but for me as a team-mate it doesn't make sense.“Cesc always gave 100 per cent, he's had a great season and his stats are good for goals and assists.

“We didn't have a successful season because we didn't win anything, but I don't understand why all the criticism is directed at one player. Cesc is professional and he’s always shown it.”

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Azpilicueta: Fabregas is a special player

Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta labelled Cesc Fabregas a "special" player and the type his team are lacking within their current squad.The Premier League giants are believed to be close to buying the 27-year-old from Barcelona, with the Spain international's team-mate Gerard Pique letting slip the deal was all-but done.

Los Blaugranas signed Ivan Rakitic from Sevilla on Thursday, while Goal understands that both the Blues and Manchester City have tabled bids of €35 million for Fabregas.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Azpilicueta, who will play alongside the midfielder at the World Cup, praised the former Arsenal captain's talents."At the moment there's nothing official and he's a Barca player," he said.

"All I can say is what I already know about him. He's a great central midfielder with plenty of experience in the Premier League. The best players are always welcome at the best clubs."In my personal opinion, he's a special player.

"Few teams have this kind of player in their team, a central midfielder who gets forward really well and has great vision of the game, whilst there's also his statistics, which speak for themselves."He can adapt to various positions. Right now, we don’t have a player like Cesc at Chelsea."

Regarding his own form, right-back Azpilicueta - who played much of the season at left-back for Jose Mourinho - said he was happy to play wherever required by his club or the national team."I've played in various positions, that's true," he said.

"My natural position is right-back, although this year I've played on the other side. Whatever I can do to help the team, is best for me. I'm happy with how I've progressed."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Moyes: I want to manage in the Champions League

Former Manchester United manager David Moyes believes he showed enough during his tenure at Old Trafford to prove that his next role should be with a club playing in the Champions League.

Moyes led the Red Devils to the quarter-finals in the 2013-14 season before succumbing to Bayern Munich, though his failure to qualify for Europe's premier club competition for next season proved to be his undoing.

Despite his sacking from United in April, the 51-year-old believes that he deserves another shot at the prestigious competition, be that with a Premier League outfit or overseas.

"I got my first real taste of Champions League this year and I thought I showed I can manage at that level," he told The Guardian.

"I would like somewhere that would give me a chance of being in the Champions League or a club that has ambitions of being in the Champions League.

"It could be at home or abroad. I have always liked the thought of broadening my horizons and learning a bit more and at the moment I am quite comfortable watching and learning.

"I will go away and learn and look again to see what is happening."

The ex-Everton boss has been linked with a number of jobs since being dismissed by the 20-time English champions, but has yet to return to management.

Moyes insists that is down to his own decisions and revealed he has already been approached regarding possible routes back into football.

"I have had a couple of opportunities to go back in and chosen not to do anything just now. I am going to look for what I feel is the right opportunity," he said.

"I would like to think I proved myself over the 11-year period at Everton and what I am capable of, and the level at which I want to manage."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Good Luck Moyes!​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Atletico agree deal with Granada for Siqueira

Atletico Madrid have announced that they have agreed a deal with Granada for defender Guilherme Siqueira.

The left-back, who spent last season on loan at Benfica, is set to sign a four-year contract with the Liga champions.

"Atletico Madrid and Granada have reached an agreement for the transfer Guilherme Siqueira, pending a medical and the signing of contract by the player," a statement on the Rojiblancos' official website read.

It is believed that Siqueira has been signed as a replacement for Atletico's current left-back Filipe Luis, who is being linked with a move to Chelsea.

However, sporting director Jose Luis Caminero would only say that the Brazilian, who is expected to cost the club €10 million, will prove an excellent addition to Diego Simeone's squad.

"He increases the internal competitiveness of the group, which is what we always look for from the players who come to our club," he stated.

"He's a very good player at set pieces, a penalty taker, very offensive but with great defensive virtues and excellent positioning. "

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Klose breaks Muller's goals record for Germany

Miroslav Klose has overtaken Gerd Muller as Germany's all-time record goalscorer with his strike in Friday's friendly against Armenia.

The Lazio foward came off the bench midway through the second half of the World Cup warm-up game in Mainz and headed home a cross from Lukas Podolski in the 76th minute to rack up his 69th international goal, moving one ahead of Muller.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Congratzzzzzzz Klose!​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Ribery ruled out of World Cup

France have announced that Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery will not feature at this year's World Cup in Brazil.

The 31-year-old attacker has been struggling with a back problem in recent weeks, and Didier Deschamps, the head coach of Les Bleus, confirmed during a press conference on Friday afternoon that the Ballon d’Or nominee’s situation has worsened.

“This morning Ribery stopped during a run. Now, he cannot train,” Deschamps explained. “Tests have confirmed a worsening of the situation. He cannot play.

"We must stay ambitious, but of course we would have been stronger with Ribery at 100%."

Ribery’s injury was the second blow that France suffered on Friday, as Clement Grenier aggravated a thigh problem, which had plagued him in the latter part of the season, leading to the Olympique Lyonnais playmaker also withdrawing from the squad.

Deschamps revealed that he has already called up two replacements in the form of Montpellier’s Remy Cabella and Southampton’s uncapped Morgan Schneiderlin.

The loss of Ribery, however, will be seen as a significant blow to France’s hopes of World Cup success, as the 2006 runner-up was their most experienced player available with 81 appearances.

Antoine Griezmann of Real Sociedad is widely expected to take the Bayern star's place in Deschamps’ starting XI.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Get well soon Ribery!
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[Wolverine GTR]

Germany 6-1 Armenia: Klose claims record but win marred by Reus injury

Miroslav Klose became Germany's all-time record goalscorer in a 6-1 demolition of Armenia on Friday night but the win was marred by an injury to Marco Reus.

The Lazio forward came off the bench midway through the second half of the game in Mainz and headed home a Lukas Podolski cross in the 76th minute to take his international tally to 69, one ahead of the iconic Gerd Muller.

However, of greater concern to coach Joachim Low will no doubt be the suspected ankle injury that forced Marco Reus off just before half-time that has put the Borussia Dortmund's World Cup hopes in doubt.

Germany subsequently took the lead through Andre Schurrle, but were pegged back by a penalty from Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Armenia's equaliser came with 21 minutes remaining, yet the hosts subsequently pulled clear with further goals from Lukas Podolski, Benedikt Howedes and Klose before Mario Gotze rounded off the scoring with a late brace.

Germany can expect stiffer opposition in their World Cup opener against Portugal on June 16, but will surely take heart from the way they finished Friday's match at the Coface Arena in Mainz.

Armenia started brightly, but almost fell behind when Hrayr Mkoyan cleared an effort from Reus off the line after the 25-year-old had been slid through by Thomas Muller.

Despite dictating play for much of the first half, Germany struggled to find a way through the Armenian defence.

Jerome Boateng headed wide from a corner before Reus was denied by a strong save from Roman Berezovsky.

The first ended then on a sour note for Low's men, as Reus was helped from the field in some pain following a tackle from Artur Yedigaryan.

Reus' replacement Podolski had a hand in Germany's opener as Schurrle found the net seven minutes into the second half.

Podolski broke free down the left-hand side, before teeing up Chelsea forward Schurrle with a pinpoint low cross.

Boateng lashed a fierce effort narrowly over the crossbar and Mesut Ozil struck the post as Germany pushed for a second, but Armenia still carried a threat.

And the underdogs drew level in the 69th minute when substitute Kevin Grosskreutz tripped Gevorg Ghazaryan in the area, allowing Dortmund team-mate Mkhitaryan to coolly slot past another club colleague, Roman Weidenfeller, from the penalty spot.

Remarkably, Germany responded by firing in five goals in the final 18 minutes.

Podolski rifled a fine finish into the bottom corner from Ozil's neat pass, and Howedes swiftly made it 3-1 by converting a rebound after Berezovsky's brilliant inital save from his header.

Klose then grabbed his landmark 69th international goal with a diving header from another excellent cross from Podolski.

And there was still time for Gotze to capitalise on further slack defending with two late strikes.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Reus injured wela neh

Get well soon Reus!
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[Wolverine GTR]

Germany rocked by Reus injury against Armenia

Germany are sweating on the fitness of Marco Reus after the attacker was forced off injured in Friday night's friendly against Armenia.

The Borussia Dortmund attacker had to be helped from the field by medics after suffering an apparent ankle injury just a minute before the end of the first half of the game in Mainz.

Reus had been left screaming on the ground in agony following a heavy challenge from Armenia midfielder Artur Yedigaryan.

Germany have yet to confirm the exact nature of the injury but Reus' withdrawal will be of major concern to coach Joachim Low.

The 25-year-old had been considered a certain starter for his country's World Cup opener against Portugal on June 16.

Low will perhaps, though, take some consolation from the fact that Reus' replacement against Armenia, Lukas Podolski, proved his enduring worth to the national team by setting up the opening goal for Andre Schurrle.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Police fire tear gas at Sao Paulo protesters ahead of World Cup opener

Brazilian police fired tear gas at protesters during violent scenes in Sao Paulo less than a week before the city hosts the first match of the World Cup.


An indefinite strike by subway workers led to the closure of several stations on Friday and local television stations showed images of police beating the workers with batons, raising fears of unrest during the showpiece tournament.
Traffic delays as a result of the strike held up Brazil's team bus as they travelled to the stadium today for their friendly against Serbia.Last summer during the Confederations Cup, more than a million Brazilians took to the streets to protest against the spiralling cost of staging the World Cup while demanding improved healthcare and education.


The nationwide demonstrations 12 months ago began in Sao Paulo over an increase in bus fares and Brazil is braced with the possibility of more anti-government protests, with organisers criticised over poor planning, late stadium delivery and infrastructure delays.


Brazil host Serbia on Friday before the country's biggest city hosts the first match of the World Cup, when Brazil take on Croatia on June 12.

 

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Van Gaal: I've tried to sign Arturo Vidal before

Louis van Gaal has revealed he made an attempt to sign Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal earlier in his career, as his Netherlands side prepare to face Chile in the group stage of the World Cup.

Vidal was courted by Van Gaal’s Bayern Munich as he made his name with Bundesliga rivals Bayer Leverkusen, before opting instead to join Juventus for €10.5 million in the summer of 2011.

The 27-year-old has since established himself as one of the world’s most highly-rated midfielders, being voted in the Serie A Team of the Season in each of the past two campaigns.

With world champions Spain widely tipped to top Group B, the June 23 clash between Netherlands and Chile could prove crucial in deciding who makes the World Cup knockout stages.

And while Van Gaal insisted that Jorge Sampaoli’s men possess several talented players, he reserved special praise for Vidal, who returned from a knee injury in Chile's 2-0 friendly win over Northern Ireland.

"Chile have very dangerous players,” he told reporters. "I always wanted to buy Vidal when he was at Bayer Leverkusen but he went to Juventus.

"I like a lot of Chile players and they always play an attacking style. It will be difficult for the Netherlands but we have confidence in the three games we have to play.”

Van Gaal addressed the media after a light Oranje training session at Flamengo’s Estadio Gavea training complex on Friday.

Robin van Persie played a full part, and Van Gaal remains optimistic about the striker’s chances of shaking off the groin injury which saw him substituted at half-time of Wednesday’s friendly win over Wales.

"Van Persie has a groin injury but he can deal with it, so it looks ok,” he added. "I think he’s good. He trained with us but it was a light training session. We have to see tomorrow.”

Swansea City midfielder Jonathan de Guzman missed the Wales win with a hamstring injury and trained alone on Friday, but Van Gaal insists the 26-year-old’s recovery is ahead of schedule.

"De Guzman has an injury, but it’s going very well and he’ll be back sooner than everyone thought,” he continued.

The incoming Manchester United manager also explained his decision to shift to a more cautious 5-3-2 formation in recent friendly matches.

"It’s because of Spain, because of the qualities of Spain, and mostly because of the attacking qualities,” Van Gaal revealed. "We want to make the space narrow, so that’s the reason.”

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Vidal nam Juventus ma idi godak durata
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[Wolverine GTR]

No guarantees we'll be ready for World Cup - Brazil sports minister

Brazilian Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo has admitted he cannot guarantee that his country will be ready for the opening game of the World Cup on Thursday.
Brazil and Croatia are scheduled to meet in the first fixture of the flagship competition at Sao Paulo’s Arena Corinthians next week, but works continue on the venue following a string of construction issues.


Traffic chaos caused by a metro strike in the city is the latest issue to hamper progress, leaving Rebelo to confirm that everyone needs to pull together to ensure targets are met.


“There is no way for you to put a certificate on the wall saying you are ready when you are dealing with an event as big as the World Cup,” Rebelo admitted in a press conference in Sao Paulo relayed by AS. “You have to be prepared every day. Everybody has to be working 24 hours. We have done everything within our capacity so that things are as close as possible to ready.”


The stadiums in Natal and Porto Alegre remain a concern for Fifa following their final inspections, but the governing body’s general secretary Jerome Valcke has moved to allay fears that the tournament will be severely interrupted.“There is a lot of work going on,” admitted Valcke. “But I would say that this is normal, and even more so when you consider the stadiums were delivered late. We are not concerned about the coming days.”


During the press conference, Fifa president Sepp Blatter refused to comment on the latest corruption allegations relating to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, saying he will wait until the conclusion of former US attorney Michael Garcia’s independent investigation.


“All I can say to the people of Qatar is that in March we said we would not question the Qatar World Cup and we are waiting for the outcome of the report. I am not a prophet, therefore we will wait for the results and see what happens,” Blatter said.


The Sunday Times printed a detailed report last weekend claiming that former AFC president Mohamed Bin Hammam spent at least €3.7 million in attempting to win the votes of several African Fifa Executive Committee members in the World Cup bid process.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Celtic appoint Ronny Deila

Celtic have appointed Ronny Deila as their new manager on a year-long rolling contract.

The 38-year-old arrives from Stromsgodset, who he guided to the Norwegian Tippeligaen title last season.

Delia also won the Norwegian Cup with his former club in 2010.

“It is a magnificent honour to be named the new manager of Celtic, one of the world’s great football clubs and a club I have such enormous respect for. I will treasure this opportunity and will give everything I have to achieve success for Celtic and our wonderful fans,” Deila told the club’s official website.

“I know what I want for Celtic and our supporters and that is the best of everything, it is what our fans deserve. I want to deliver the best attacking, exciting and entertaining football we can play, for the players to give their best every time they take to the field of and, of course. I want my players to work with me to achieve the best results possible and bring trophies to Celtic.

“Celtic is in great shape and the club has enjoyed real success in recent years due to the hard work of Neil and his team. I want to carry on this work and continue to bring happy times to Celtic. I can’t wait to get started on this journey."

Celtic had held talks with Roy Keane but the 42-year-old opted to remain Republic of Ireland assistant coach. The Scottish club were also reportedly interested in speaking to Henrik Larsson, who currently manages Falkenberg.

Celtic’s chief executive Peter Lawwell believes Deila’s attacking style of football will win over fans at the club.

"We believe Ronny will prove to be a fresh and dynamic new manager and someone who will give us a bright and energetic way forward for Celtic,” said Lawwell.

“Knowing that he was so highly-rated across Europe, Ronny was one of the first candidates we considered as manager and having discussed the opportunity with him at length, we are convinced he has the talent and the determination to deliver very positive results for the club and our supporters.

“Ronny likes to play attacking, winning football, the Celtic way, something I know our supporters will endorse. As the new season begins, I am sure our fans will get right behind Ronny and the players once again as we aim to bring success to Celtic and continue to deliver a club they can be proud of.”