2013 » February » 09 - Archive

Inter Milan coach Andrea Stramaccioni is desperate to turn his side's form slump around, starting with Sunday's clash with Chievo.

Inter are without a win in three Serie A matches, and for the first time this season have fallen behind bitter rivals AC Milan in the league table.

Both sides are 12 points leaders Juventus, and Stramaccioni wants to use last weekend's 3-1 humbling at the hand of lowly Siena as a watershed moment in their season.

"I think that the game we played in Siena represented a sort of turning point for us, and from that point on we said, 'it's enough, now let's come back to being Inter'," Stramaccioni said.

"That's what I think, that's what my players think and the president too. 

Jordi Roura does not believe his Barcelona team are in danger of complacency when they tackle Getafe in La Liga on Sunday.

Barca boast a commanding position at the top of the league table, nine points clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid.

Few observers will be expecting any outcome other than a home win when 12th-placed Getafe arrive at Camp Nou, but Barca assistant coach Roura has insisted his players will be fully focused.

"I really don't think we will be complacent against Getafe. Getafe and their coach are a very tidy team, with the lines very together, they push you a lot, they are good defensively and they are intense," Roura said.

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has compared Gareth Bale to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Bale continued his brilliant form this season with two goals in Spurs' 2-1 win over Newcastle on Saturday to take his league tally for the season to 13.

The 23-year-old's performances have attracted interest from European giants including Real Madrid, but Villas-Boas believes Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will do everything to keep the club's star man.

"Great teams are made of great individuals too," Villas-Boas said. "Gareth has been decisive and I'm happy to see him enjoying his football - but it's unfair to say we rely on him.

Leicester City suffered a shock 2-1 loss at the hands of Peterborough United to lose more ground in the Championship title race on Saturday.

The Foxes went ahead after 52 minutes through Ben Marshall but failed to see the game out as Davide Petrucci levelled the scores with 16 minutes remaining to the delight of the London Road faithful.

Peterborough then pushed for a winner and found it thanks to Grant McCann in the 88th minute to come away with a memorable and much needed victory.

Leicester are now eleven points behind league-leaders Cardiff in second place on the table while Peterborough stay stranded in last spot despite the win.

Celtic limbered up for the visit of Juventus on Tuesday by posting a comfortable 3-1 Scottish Premier League win over Inverness on Saturday.

In a team featuring nine changes from their 3-0 Scottish Cup triumph over Raith Rovers last weekend, goals from Kris Commons, Rami Gershon and Miku helped pull Celtic 18 points clear on top of the SPL table.

Midfielder Nick Ross had put Caley Thistle into an early lead but they were unable to hang on to it and close the gap on the league leaders.

Inverness hit the front when Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster failed to clear a cross properly, allowing Ross to rifle the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the area nine minutes in.

Besiktas president Fikret Orman has warned Galatasaray that the signings of Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder could do more harm than good.

The Turkish champions pulled off a major transfer coup in January when they completed the double acquisition of the star duo from Shanghai Shenhua and Inter Milan respectively.

Orman said he would not have moved for either player given the opportunity, and has suggested that the salary discrepancy between the new arrivals and the rest of the squad could cause disharmony in the dressing room. 

"If Besiktas had as big a budget as Galatasaray, I wouldn't sign Drogba or Sneijder. These two transfers are not exciting for me, and not as big as they seem," Orman told Milliyet.

Gareth Bale inspired Tottenham with two brilliant goals in a nerve-wracking 2-1 victory over Newcastle at White Hart Lane on Saturday.

The Welshman continued his stunning recent form to take his tally for the season to 13 Premier League goals with two deadly strikes to take Spurs to third in the table for at least a few hours ahead of Chelsea's clash with Wigan later on Saturday.

Bale put the hosts ahead in the fifth minute with a free-kick from 25 yards before the visitors equalised through Youan Gouffran's deflected strike in the 24th minute.

Just as Spurs appeared to be running out of ideas, Bale came to the rescue with a fine solo effort in the 78th minute to extend the Londoners' fine form to 10 league games unbeaten.

Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso insists there is still something 'special' about coach Jose Mourinho.

The former Inter boss has been under pressure in the Spanish capital all season as his team have gradually seen their hopes of back-to-back Liga titles slip away from their grasp. 

Matters off the field have not helped either with constant speculation of internal arguments from within the Madrid camp, centred around Mourinho, but Alonso is adamant the coach still has the backing from his players.

"Yes, absolutely," he replied, when asked if Mourinho was still special. 

Catalan television channel TV3 has offered its apologies for a video in which they depicted Real Madrid players as hyenas.

The broadcaster produced a controversial video earlier this week likening Real players to animals preparing to hunt down Lionel Messi.

Madrid midfielder Luka Modric was one of many to voice his dismay with the film at a press conference on Friday, labelling it 'unacceptable', and TV3 has now apologised for producing the clip.

"We were wrong," presenter Xavi Valls said.

A number of reports have suggested Real Madrid could take legal action against TV3, but the Santiago Bernabeu side have not released an official statement on the matter so far.

Western Sydney coach Tony Popovic is beginning to plan a finals campaign after beating Newcastle Jets to notch a fifth consecutive win.

Usually reluctant to look further than a week ahead, the Wanderers boss allowed himself a peep at the upcoming draw as the red and blacks moved into rarefied air at the pointy end of the table with a 2-1 win on Saturday.

They are now second on the A-League table, four points behind leaders Central Coast and looking to close the gap fast. 

"We've got Melbourne Victory away, Perth at home and Central Coast away," Popovic said of the next three rounds.

"They are real games to look forward to. I'm sure after the next three games we'll definitely know how high we can finish.

Melbourne Heart coach John Aloisi has praised Eli Babalj for returning to form after a turbulent stint with Serbian club Red Star Belgrade.

Babalj, 20, re-joined Heart last month after Red Star failed to pay the final instalment of his AU$400,000 transfer fee.

The forward was handed a starting berth against Melbourne Victory last week and marked his third appearance of the season with a goal in Saturday's 2-0 win over Perth Glory at AAMI Park. 

"When he first arrived two weeks ago you could see he was a bit down on confidence," Aloisi said. 

Ian Ferguson has blamed budget cuts for Perth Glory's fall from grace and admits he could lose his position as coach as a result.

Last season's grand finalists slumped to their fifth consecutive loss after going down 2-0 to Melbourne Heart at AAMI Park on Saturday.

Perth have claimed just two points in eight games since their last win on December 21 and remain last on the A-League ladder, four points adrift of the top six.

"When you look at the grand final squad and what we've got now, there's a massive difference with the experienced players," Ferguson said. 

"We had two fighting for every position and we've just not got that now because there were huge budget cuts within the club. 

Western Sydney Wanderers have stretched their winning run to five games after seeing off Newcastle Jets 2-1 in the A-League on Saturday.

Goals to Youssouf Hersi - his third in two games - and a wonderful solo effort from Mark Bridge separated the teams before Newcastle skipper Ruben Zadkovich pulled one back late before a crowd of over 10,000. 

The Wanderers leapfrog Melbourne Victory into second spot, four points behind leaders Central Coast. 

Their string of victories is the longest in the A-League this season, surpassing the Mariners' four-game burst earlier in the campaign.

And on the evidence of this performance, it may be some time yet before the red and blacks drop points.

Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella has praised his Juventus counterpart Antonio Conte ahead of their Serie A encounter on Saturday.

Former Siena coach Conte guided Juve to the Serie A title and the Coppa Italia final last season, Montella believes the former Italy and Juve player is the most successful active coach in Italy's top tier.

"Conte has created an important mentality at Juventus and that's not easily done," he was quoted as saying on the Juventus website.

"In the last two years he's shown himself to be the championship's most successful boss."

Montella then went on to underline the importance of Saturday's match against Juventus.

კატალონიური "ბარსელონას" ბრაზილიელმა მცველმა ადრიანო კორეიამ განაცხადა, რომ მისმა გუნდმა არავითარ შემთხვევაში არ უნდა დააგდოს ტემპი ნაციონალურ პირველობაზე.

შეგახსენებთ, რომ ტიტო ვილანოვას შეგირდები მადრიდის "ატლეტიკოს" 9 ქულით უსწრებენ, "რეალს" კი - 16 ქულით.

"ჩვენ არ მივცემთ საკუთარ თავს იმის უფლებას, რომ მოვდუნდეთ ისევე როგორც "რეალი" არ აპირებს დანებებას, "ატლეტიკო" კი საკმაოდ წარმატებულ სეზონს ატარებს." - განაცხადა ადრიანომ.

საკუთარ თავთან დაკავშირებით კი ფეხბურთელმა მსგავსი კომენტარი გააკეთა: "ტრავმის შემდეგ ძალიან ცოტა ვითამაშე, მაგრამ წინ ძალიან რთული მატჩები გველის. ვფიქრობ, იქნება როტაცია და სათამაშო პრაქტიკას მივიღებ." - განაცხადა ადრიანომ. 

Manuel Neuer says that Bayern Munich cannot afford to lose focus ahead of their Bundesliga match against Schalke on Saturday.

The Germany international, who started his career at the Veltins Arena, insists that the Gelsenkirchen side should not be underestimated, despite their poor run of form.

"We can't allow ourselves any slip-ups, and the three points are a must," Neuer told the official Bayern website.

"Schalke generally play well against big-name opponents, and they'll definitely be looking to trip us up. We have to be totally focused, and we'll need the right attitude and form on the day."

Bayern sit at the top of the Bundesliga table with 51 points from 20 games.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has praised Tottenham midfielder Gareth Bale, claiming he is in the top 'five or six' players in the world.

The midfielder has scored three goals in his last three appearances for club and country, and Pardew is wary of the threat which he can pose ahead of their clash on Saturday.

"If anyone picked a World XI, you would have him in at left midfield, for sure. I can't think of anyone who would dislodge him from there," Pardew said.

"Gareth Bale is definitely among those top five or six players in the world I would say right now. That's the level he is playing at.

"There are not too many in the Premier League who could get in that team but he would be one of them."

Adam Lallana has backed Southampton's new manager Mauricio Pochettino to produce the goods at the club.

The Saints have drawn two of their past three Premier League games and suffered a narrow defeat to Manchester United after a performance that prompted Sir Alex Ferguson to declare that the relegation-battling side were the best visiting team he had seen at Old Trafford all season.

Southampton are looking for their first win under Pochettino this weekend against Manchester City at St Mary's, where a win for the home team could put the title race to bed, according to Lallana.

გავრცელებული ხმების თანახმად,დალას მავერიქსის ხელმძღვანელობას შონ მერიონის გასხვისება სურს.

34 წლის კალათბურთელს კონტრაქტის თანახმად,გუნდთან კიდევ 1 წელი რჩება გასატარებელი.იგი წელიწადში ხელფასის სახით 9.3 მილიონ დოლარს იღებს.შონ მერიონს არ სურს დალას მავერიქსიდან წასვლის შემდეგ,ცუდ კლუბში მოუხდეს თამაში.

"ყველაფერი იცვლება,როცა კალათბურთელი იმ ეტაპზეა,სადაც ახლა მე ვიმყოფები.ეს უკვე მე-14 სეზონია ნაციონალურ საკალათბურთო ასოციაციაში.თუ ხელმძღვანელობამ ჩემი გაყიდვა განიზრახა,მათ აუცილებლად უნდა დამისახელონ მომავალი გუნდის ვინაობა.რადგან ყველანაირ სიტუაციას არ შევეგუები.

Vincent Kompany says Sir Alex Ferguson hit the 'jackpot' with the deal that sent Robin van Persie to Manchester United.

The former Arsenal captain made the move from the Emirates Stadium to Old Trafford for 24.5 million pounds in the summer, shunning Roberto Mancini who had reportedly made him Manchester City's priority signing.

But despite the striker finding lethal form so far this season, Kompany does not believe that the nine-point gap at the top of the table is solely down to the transfer of the goal-machine.

"United hit the jackpot with Van Persie," Kompany told the Daily Mail. "But you can't think 'What if' about Van Persie. I am not sitting here thinking, 'What if we had signed Lionel Messi' either.

საქართველოს მოქმედ ჩემპიონ საფეხბურთო კლუბ "ზესტაფონში” კიდევ ერთი უცხოელი მოთამაშე ისინჯება. კლუბის ოფიციალური საიტის ცნობით, თურქულ შეკრებაზე გუნდს სენეგალელი საყრდენი ნახევარმცველი, პაპე აბდულაიე დიაკიტე შეუერთდა. ტანმაღალი მოთამაშე, ბოლოს, სლოვაკეთის უმაღლესი დივიზიონის კლუბ "ტრენჩინში” ასპარეზობდა.

დღეს, კახა კაჭარავას გუნდი მორიგ ამხანაგურ მატჩს გამართავს, "ფეროელთა” მეტოქე პოლონეთის ჩემპიონატის ბინადარი "ლეხია” იქნება, რომელიც ამჟამად, ცხრილში მეექვსე ადგილს იკავებს. დიდი ალბათობით, "ზესტაფონის” მთავარი მწვრთნელი "ლეხიასთან” მატჩში, პაპე დიაკიტეს თავის გამოჩენის სასუალებას მისცემს.

Real Madrid attacker Luka Modric believes Cristiano Ronaldo will remain at the club and will not be leaving in the transfer window.

Rumours of Ronaldo's potential departure this off-season first started circulating in September last year when he revealed he was 'sad' at Real.

The Portuguese superstar has insisted those issues are behind him, and Modric said he feels Ronaldo will remain with the La Liga giants.

"Our conversations are private but I believe that Cristiano Ronaldo will stay, I think he's very happy here," Modric told reporters. 

"He is one of our best players around and it would be a shame to lose him."

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson intends to heavily rotate his squad during a crucial week for the club.

Ferguson's men face Champions League-chasing Everton at Old Trafford on Sunday before a Champions League last-16 clash against Real Madrid.

And the Scot says he must place his full trust in his players in order to ensure he has fresh legs in both games.

"It will be different teams," the 71-year-old told reporters. "The team on Sunday will not be the same as the team that plays on Wednesday.

"I trust the squad of players I have. They are all internationals, they are all good players and there is no reason why I can't play them.

Ross County's fine run of form continued as they won 2-0 at Scottish Premier League strugglers Dundee on Friday.

Derek Adams' side have not lost in 2013, winning four of their past six fixtures in a surge up the table that has seen them move to equal sixth, just five points away from second-placed Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Their latest triumph came in front of less than 5,000 fans at Dens Park in Dundee as Barry Smith's side – who are almost certain to be relegated – failed to build on a 5-1 Scottish Cup win against Greenock Morton last week.

Ross County had an early penalty appeal turned down when Mihael Kovacevic was clattered by Dundee goalkeeper Rab Douglas and the two were involved in another talking point only moments later.

5 და 6 თებერვალს ყატარში, ქალაქ დოჰაში ჩატარდა ევროპის კლუბთა ასოციაციის (ECA) გენერალური ასამბლეის პლენარული სესია. "დინამო თბილისიდან” სესიაზე მიწვეული იყვნენ კლუბის დირექტორი ალექსანდრე შახოვი და კლუბის სპორტული დირექტორი ბუბა ტყავაძე. შეკრება დაემთხვა ამ ორგანიზაციის 5 წლის იუბილეს და მოწვევა განხორციელდა ყატარის სახელმწიფოს მხრიდან, კერძოდ– 2022 წლის მსოფლიო ჩემპიონატის საორგანიზაციო კომიტეტის მიერ.

Crystal Palace produced a superb fightback to claim a point in an exciting 2-2 draw at Watford in the Championship on Friday.

The two sides entered the fixture as the highest scorers in the Championship and goals were expected at Vicarage Road in a meeting of two automatic promotion contenders.

And within 14 minutes, two had already been scored as Gianfranco Zola's Watford side burst out of the blocks.

Udinese loanee Almen Abdi gave Watford the lead after seven minutes with a superb solo effort, his eighth goal of the season.

Abdi showed his skill to cut inside and he curled a neat right-foot strike from the edge of the area past the despairing dive of Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni.

კოტ-დიუვარელი თავდამსხმელი დიდიე დროგბა სტამბულში ჩავიდა, სადაც  კარიერას განაგრძობს ადგილობრივ „გალათასარაიში".

ბოლო ჩემპიონთა ლიგის გათამაშების ტრიუმფატორი, კვლავ შეუტევს ამ ჩემპიონატზე, ამჯერად „გალათასარაის" მაისურით. პარასკევს თავდამსხმელი სტამბულს ეწვია, მიუხედავად მისი ძველი კლუბის „შანხაის" მმართველების განცხადებისა, რომლებიც ირწმუნებოდნენ, ფეხბურთელის სატრანსფერო უფლებები ჩვენ გვეკუთვნისო.

„მე ბედნიერი ვარ აქ ყოფნით. ეს ახალი გამოწვევაა ჩემთვის, ახალი ეტაპი ჩემს კარიერაში. მაქსიმუმს გავაკეთებ, რათა „გალათასარაის" სარგებელი მოვუტანო. პირველად არ შევხვედრივარ ფატიმ ტერიმს. ჩვენ უკვე ვიცნობდით ერთმანეთს კოტ-დიუვარისა და თურქეთის ნაკრებებს შორის გამართული დაპირისპირებიდან" – განუცხადა ფეხბურთელმა „Goal.com"-ს.

Paris Saint-Germain moved six points clear at the top of Ligue 1 after beating Bastia 3-1 in an entertaining fixture at the Parc des Princes

Jeremy Menez opened the scoring on Friday with a finely-taken goal after a frustrating first half which ended goalless.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic came off the bench to score a penalty before another substitute, Wahbi Khazri, scored an audacious free-kick to ensure a grandstand finish, but Ezequiel Lavezzi ended all hopes of a comeback late on.

The hosts dominated the opening exchanges as Kevin Gameiro set up Lucas Moura, but he was unable to test France international Mickael Landreau in the Bastia goal.