brave heart football blog

A man without a home

2009-09-25T02:17:00.002+02:00

Man divided: An has split loyalties as he represents North Korea [GALLO/GETTY]

An Yong-hak was born in Japan, holds a North Korea passport and plays club football in South Korea, but the Suwon Samsung midfielder is a man without a country.
The wiry 30-year-old midfielder will fulfil a childhood dream when he marches on to the field with North Korea at next year's World Cup finals, but said on Thursday his heart belongs to a country that split in half some 60 years ago.
"My nationality is not North Korean, it's Choseon. But it's a country that doesn't exist anymore," said An.
"It's a political issue so it gets a bit complicated, but I believe I'm part of the Choseon peninsula. I'll represent North Korea at the World Cup ... but I feel I'm also at home here in the South."

Colonised

'Choseon' is the term used by the North for the entire Korean peninsula, which was colonised by Japan in 1910.
North and South Korea only emerged following their liberation after World War II and their relationship is a fragile one.
Sporting rivalry among the three Asian neighbours has a fierce quality forged in Japan's brutal occupation of the peninsula and all three will travel to South Africa next year.
While Japan and South Korea are old hands at qualifying, the North have made it to their first World Cup finals since 1966, when they pulled off one of the biggest upsets in football by beating Italy to reach the quarter-finals.
An said qualifying for the 2010 tournament had been met with elation in the North.
"When we qualified for the World Cup finals the people lined the streets from the airport to Pyongyang, cheering the players' motorcade," he said.
"I watched it all on television," added An, who returned to his base in Japan after helping the team to qualify with a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia in Riyadh in June.
An admits it will be hard for the current side to emulate those shock troops of 1966, who lost 5-3 to Eusebio's Portugal after taking a three-goal lead in the quarters, but said they would also be no pushovers.

Surprise the world

"I watched a DVD about our run to the quarter-finals in 1966 and saw how our players surprised the world. We want to do the same and surprise the world again."
Educated in North Korean schools and college in Japan, An still found it tough to fit in when he was called up for the first time in 2006.
His teammates were unsure what to make of a new player who spoke Japanese as his native language.
"My nationality is not North Korean, it's Choseon. But it's a country that doesn't exist anymore. I believe I'm part of the Choseon peninsula. I'll represent North Korea at the World Cup, but I feel I'm also at home here in the South"
North Korea midfielder An Yong-hak"I definitely didn't feel welcome," he said of those frosty first introductions.
"The coaches and manager didn't know me and they just stood back and watched like they were testing me, judging what kind of player I was."
The combative six-footer did not take long to impress, however, and says he is now greeted with warm welcomes instead of icy stares.
An also appears at ease with his life in capitalist South Korea, and clearly enjoys all Seoul has to offer.
He married his high-school sweetheart, drives a top-of-the-line Samsung car and lights up when talking about his hopes of playing in the English Premier League.
He only visits North Korea on national team duty and has few connections with the country outside of his political beliefs.
"Even after my soccer career is over I don't think I will be living in North Korea," he said.
"I have never lived there and don't have a home there."
Where exactly is home for An?
"Choseon," he replies. A country that doesn't exist.

Al-Saqri bags away goal for Ittihad

2009-09-25T02:12:00.001+02:00

Al-Saqri made the most of a ricocheting ball in the box [EPA]

Saleh Al-Saqri's second-half score gave Saudi Arabia's Al-Ittihad a 1-1 draw with Pakhtakor and an important away goal in their Asian Champions League quarter-final in Tashkent.
Midfielder Milan Nikolic beat the offside trap and Ittihad goalkeeper Mabrouk Zaid in the sixth minute at Pakhtakor Stadium.
But Al-Saqri equalised in the 71st with a flukey goal when Anzur Ismailov's attempted clearance hit Ittihad defender Hamad Al-Montashari in the face on the edge of the area and deflected to Al-Saqri, who blasted in from a sharp angle.
In a slow, tense game, Ittihad midfielder Hicham Aboucherouane hit the crossbar with a long-range free kick just before an hour passed, and Pakhtakor captain Odil Ahmedov missed a winning chance in injury time when his tame shot flew straight at Zaid.
The other first legs were played the night before on Tuesday, when Bunyodkor beat Pohang Steelers, Umm Salal downed FC Seoul and Kawasaki Frontale won an all-Japanese tie against Nagoya Grampus.
All four second legs are next Wednesday.

Bayern threaten Real over Ribery

2009-07-18T16:47:00.003+02:00

Zinedine Zidane, left, has been scolded by the Germans over his role [AFP]

German Bundesliga club Bayern Munich will report Real Madrid to Fifa if the Spanish team continues to pursue of Franck Ribery.
Madrid and Barcelona have been in pursuit of the France winger, but persistent comments by Zinedine Zidane, who is working as a special adviser to Madrid president Florentino Perez, seemed to irk the Germans.
"Everybody is speaking about Ribery's transfer. Above all, Zidane says 'blah, blah, blah ...' It seems a lack of respect to us,'' Bayern manager Uli Hoeness told sports daily AS on Friday."I want to be clear. We will report them to Fifa if things continue this way. This is not the way to do things.''
Hoeness said that Bayern hadn't taken the case to Fifa because of good relations with Perez and director general Jorge Valdano. Ribery has so far refused to speak on the matter.

Not for sale

"We never wanted to listen to Madrid because, to us, Ribery has never been for sale,'' Hoeness said."I've never been worried. Not me, not anyone else. Since the start there's never been a Ribery theme.''
Hoeness said the situation would not lead Bayern to re-negotiate Ribery's contract, which is due to expire in 2011.
"Madrid's way of acting is incredible,'' Bayern coach Louis van Gaal said."But everyone remembers how the last presidency of Florentino Perez ended.''
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson previously complained, unsuccessfully, to Fifa over Madrid's pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo, who was eventually signed by Perez as part of the Spanish powerhouse's $302 million spending spree this offseason.

Ibrahimovic set for Barca move

2009-07-18T16:40:00.002+02:00

Zlatan Ibrahimovic ready to learn Spanish [GALLO/GETTY]

Barcelona reached an initial agreement with Inter Milan to sign striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a deal that could also send striker Samuel Eto'o and midfielder Aleksandr Hleb to the Italian champions.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta said "there is an agreement in principle with Inter Milan.''
On Thursday, Spanish news reports said a $56 million deal for the Sweden striker had been completed.
The Catalan club, however, said it was still negotiating with Inter with the deal dependent on Ibrahimovic and Eto'o, so other options, such as Valencia striker David Villa, had not been discarded.
"Ibrahimovic's signing depends on the player himself, on Samuel Eto'o and all the parties involved,'' said Laporta, who added that he had been personally discussing the matter with Eto'o."David Villa as an option is not finished. We haven't discarded any possibilities.''
Ibrahimovic appeared prepared to accept the move after writing "time to learn Spanish'' on his Twitter page.
Inter president Massimo Moratti said that the impromptu meeting with Laporta and Barcelona sporting director Txiki Beguiristain on Thursday was originally intended to tie up left back Maxwell's $6.4 million transfer to Barcelona and complete Hleb's move, which is expected to be a season-long loan deal.

Marquee signing

Beguiristain hoped to complete any transfer by July 27 as the club looks for its first marquee signing since it became the first Spanish club to win the treble last season.
The 27-year-old Ibrahimovic, who led Serie A with 25 goals last season, guided Inter to three straight Serie A league titles since a $17 million move from Juventus in 2006. The former Ajax player has scored 21 goals in 58 appearances for Sweden.
"We're trying to manage the best options possible. The Ibrahimovic option is still open,'' Beguiristain said."Inter could be a good club for Eto'o.''
Eto'o had already rejected a lucrative offer from Manchester City. The Cameroon striker instead opted to stay and let his contract run out so he could leave without a transfer fee at the end of next season despite Barcelona offering a two-year extension to his current deal.
Alternatives still available
Barcelona agreed to extend the 28-year-old Eto'o's vacation time as it sought a replacement.Villa was linked with a potential move but Barcelona is unwilling to meet Valencia's $71 million asking price for the Spain striker.
Atletico Madrid's Diego Forlan is also thought to be a Barcelona target. Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola originally wanted to sell the volatile Eto'o last year after saying the three-time African footballer of the year would not factor into the club's plans.
But Eto'o, who won three league championships, two European Cups and one Copa del Rey title in five seasons at Barcelona, won Guardiola over with 34 goals in 50 appearances last season, including the winner in the Champions League final against Manchester United. That victory allowed Barcelona to become only the fifth European team to win the treble.
Hleb played a minor role in Barcelona's success last season, often coming on as a substitute to make 34 appearances in his first season after a transfer from Arsenal.

Man Utd make offer for Valencia

2009-06-26T14:42:00.001+02:00

Antonio Valencia could be on his way to the

champions [AFP]

English Premier League club Wigan chairman have announced that Manchester United have tabled an offer for Wigan Athletic's Ecuador winger Antonio Valencia.
United said on Thursday they had accepted an $132 million bid for Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid.
The 23-year-old Valencia, who has featured 34 times for his country, plays in a similar position to the Portugal winger.
"They (United) have been in touch with us and we will be starting negotiations very shortly, I would imagine. United have been in touch with us over Antonio for the last two or three months, expressing an interest and actually putting cash offers on the table," chairman David Whelan.
"Those things have got to be picked up now. I think they were waiting to see if Ronaldo actually went to Real, which has happened."
It is thought that Valencia would command a fee of about $28 million.
"Things will develop over the next seven to 14 days," added Whelan. "The master, which is (United manager) Sir Alex (Ferguson), he makes his moves when he is ready."
Whelan said he was not desperate to sell Valencia.
"If I can keep that lad, I'm going to keep him. He is one brilliant player. There is no pressure on me, or our football club to sell him. If Man United don't want to make an offer, I'll be delighted and we will have him in our team next season."
However, Whelan added he would not stand in Valencia's way if he wanted to move to Old Trafford.
"If Antonio Valencia says to me, 'Chairman, I want to go to Manchester United' and we get the right fee, the deal will be done."

Real Madrid bid for Albiol

2009-06-26T14:25:00.002+02:00

Albiol is the third signing behind Kaka and

Ronaldo [GALLO/GETTY]

Real Madrid have reportedly agreed on a deal to sign Valencia defender Raul Albiol, becoming the Spanish club's third signing this offseason.
Madrid agreed to pay Valencia $21 million for the 23-year-old Spain defender, who is playing at the Confederations Cup, according to Spanish media reports.
"I don't know anything, nor could I know anything since I'm here with the national team,'' Albiol said after Spain's 2-0 semi-final defeat to the United States on Wednesday. "Now's not the time to talk about it.''
Albiol, who also played at Getafe, would be new president Florentino Perez's first Spanish signing after bringing Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Albiol was a member of the European Championship-winning team last summer and has made 15 international appearances.
The 1.87-metre centre back played 126 league games in four full seasons at the Mestalla.

Liverpool owner agrees NHL sale

2009-06-21T23:11:00.002+02:00

Liverpool co-owner George Gillett is to sell one of his major assets in a deal which could ease financial pressures at the Premier League club.

Mr Gillett put the NHL club up for sale earlier this year

He is selling his stake in the NHL's Montreal Canadiens in a deal reported to be worth at least $550m (£332.9m).
Mr Gillett, and fellow Liverpool owner Tom Hicks, have until 24 July to repay £350m they owe to RBS and Wachovia.
Latest accounts show Kop Holdings, the parent company of the Anfield club, lost £42.6m in the year to August 2008.
Interest payments on loans accounted for £36.5m of Kop's losses.

Other assets

Mr Gillett put the Canadiens up for sale earlier this year, and the deal includes his 80% stake in the team, the Bell Centre arena, and the Gillett Entertainment Group.
They are being bought by brewing giants, the Molson family, who already own the remaining 20% share.
Mr Hicks has also been looking to sell off elements of his own sporting empire - which include Major League Baseball's Texas Rangers and the NHL's Dallas Stars.
The pair bought Liverpool in February 2007 and since then have squabbled with each other, alienated some fans, failed to progress with a promised new stadium, and seen potential sales of the club fall away.
There have been many questions surrounding the future of the £350m loans, after the repayment deadline was extended for six months this January.
Liverpool were put on the market last year with a reported asking price of about £500m, but no sale was finalised.

Iraq and New Zealand draw

2009-06-21T23:08:00.001+02:00

Iraqi defender Mohammed Ali Kareem vies with New

Zealand's Leo Bertos [AFP]

Iraq and New Zealand have both exited the Confederations Cup following a 0-0 draw in Johannesburg.
Iraq could have advanced with a multi-goal victory, but the Asian champions rarely threatened until the final minutes and had to work hard to fend off a spirited fight from the All Whites, who wore all black.
"I think tonight's another milestone for the country,''New Zealand coach Rikki Herbert said.
"The team, I thought, were magnificent. We've never come to a tournament andgained a point and we've never come to a tournament and dominated a game.''
Only 23,295 fans showed up, but many of them brought along trumpets, creating a raucous atmosphere.
In a match that featured sloppy play from both sides, Iraq attempted to run past New Zealand while the Kiwis relied on headers and set pieces.
Iraq came out determined but then settled down as New Zealand took control for much of the first half.

Finishing failures

Iraq forward Emad Mohammed bounced a header over the bar following a corner in the seventh minute, then the Asian champions had an even better chance when Younis Mahmoud strode through the Kiwis' porous defense three minutes later, but Moss charged forward to block his shot.
New Zealand also had trouble finishing.
Celtic striker Chris Killen received the ball in front of the Iraqi defence in the 15th, had time to control the ball and look at the target but still missed badly, then covered his head with his jersey.
Leo Bertos was creative on the left wing for New Zealand and provided a perfect cross for Shane Smeltz in the 30th, but the Gold Coast United forward headed wide.
New Zealand finally put a decent shot on target in the 35th, but goalkeeper Mohammed Kassid lunged to his left to catch Killen's header.
Iraq used all three of its substitutions early in the second half but still couldn't create much until the final minutes, while New Zealand substitute Andy Boyens had an opportunity with a header in the 74th that went high.

Villa refuses to discuss future

2009-06-21T16:49:00.002+02:00

David Villa is enjoying himself

despite uncertainity over his future [AFP]

David Villa again refused to answer questions about his future after scoring the winning goal in Spain's 2-0 victory over South Africa at the Confederations Cup.
Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea are among the teams trying to lure the 27-year-old striker, and he believed it would be "impossible'' to make up his mind about where he will next play after Valencia suddenly announced Friday it did not want to sell him.
"I don't want to answer any questions over my future. More because I don't want to cause any problems,'' Villa said after scoring for the third straight game.
"I'm here, relaxed and happy and looking to get to the final by scoring more goals.''
Villa joined strike partner Fernando Torres as the tournament's leading scorer with his third goal in three games at the World Cup warm-up event as the European champions won Group A with a record 15th straight win.
"We're used to beating records,'' Villa said as Spain also equaled Brazil's record 35-match unbeaten run.
"It's always nice, another one. We're going to try to win these last two.''
Moments after missing a penalty, Villa took a high cross on the chest in the 52nd minute at the Free State Stadium and, with perfect control, turned and powered it past Itumeleng Khune with an angled shot to score his 31st goal for Spain.
As if unleashing all the frustration resulting from his offseason transfer tale, Villa aggressively kicked the corner flag out of its bearings as he ran to the sidelines to celebrate with his teammates.

Frustrated professionally

"I'm good. Not in the best moment of my life because of everything happening with me professionally, but I'm here at the Confederations Cup, which is what I want, to be here,'' Villa said.
There are few doubts that reports of a $70 million price tag have been exaggerated as Villa continued to close in on Raul Gonzalez's leading international tally of 44 goals in 102 appearances for Spain.
Villa, who was the leading scorer as Spain won last year's European Championship, reached No. 31 in his 47th game.
"I'm really happy because when you look at that list, it makes me very proud because they are legends of Spanish football,'' Villa said.

Egypt stun Italy in Confed Cup

2009-06-21T16:36:00.002+02:00

Egypt celebrate their goal [GALLO/GETTY]

It was a magical night in Johannesburg for Egypt as they scored their greatest ever victory with a thoroughly deserved 1-0 win over world champions Italy who had never previously lost to an African team.
The shock result means Group B in the Confederations Cup hangs in the balance with all four teams still able to progress to next week's semi-finals.
Mohamed Hommos's goal five minutes before half-time clinched the first points of the tournament for the African champions, who narrowly lost 4-3 to Brazil in their opening game.
Most of the Egyptians and coach Hassan Shehata shed tears of joy at the final whistle as they became the first African side in 15 attempts to beat the Italians.
Key second half saves from veteran goalkeeper Essam Al Hadari, who had an inspired match, kept the Italians at bay while Vincenzo Iaquinta hit the crossbar with just minutes remaining as Egypt weathered a late onslaught.

Dream night

"All the teams today are very good. You always have to be at your best," said Italy coach Marcello Lippi. "We tried some different things. It didn't go very well.
"We didn't do the things we'd prepared and wanted to do. We played a bad first half. "We did very well in the second. Their keeper made three or four very difficult saves."
Brazil, who beat the United States in Pretoria earlier on Thursday, lead the standings with six points while Italy and Egypt have three.
Brazil and Italy meet in Pretoria on Sunday while the Egyptians play the Americans, who have yet to pick up a point, in Rustenburg at the same time.
Despite losing both games the US still have a remote chance of getting through to the last four.
Lippi made five changes to the team that started against the US on Monday, with the return of fit-again captain Fabio Cannavaro, winning his 124th cap - two short of Paolo Maldini's all-time Italian record of 126.
Cannavaro, typically, added steel to the Italian defence, while Giuseppe Rossi, who came on as a substitute and scored twice against the US, added youthful zest to the attack.
Both teams enjoyed plenty of possession in their first meeting since Italy beat Egypt 5-1 in a World Cup qualifier 55 years ago, but it was a still a real surprise when the Egyptians took the lead five minutes before the break.

Marcello Lippi watches the game slip away [GALLO/GETTY]

Heading home

Italy only had themselves to blame, leaving Hommos unmarked to score with a powerful header from Mohamed Aboutrika's perfect inswinging corner.
The Italians had also trailed the US 1-0 at the break in their opening match, before coming back strongly to win.
But Egypt held their nerve and their ground despite Italy bringing in attacking reinforcements Luca Toni, Simone Pepe and Riccardo Montolivo in the second half.
They might have known it was not to be their night when Al Hadari made two fine stops in two minutes in the first half from Iaquinta after 24 minutes and Rossi, who forced the keeper into another fine save when he palmed the ball over the bar.
Egypt, despite winning only once in their last five matches and getting off to a poor start in their final World Cup qualifying group, never looked overawed by the Italians.
Mohamed Shawky and Sayed Moawad gave as good as they got in the midfield battle for supremacy, with Italy's Gennaro Gattuso, De Rossi and Andrea Pirlo battling to cope with the inventiveness of the African champions' approach play.
Both teams threatened after the break, and Al Hadari made another excellent save from Montolivo after 74 minutes to keep Egypt in the lead.
Iaquinta almost equalised for Italy five minutes from time, only to see his long range curling shot hit the bar and Italy's hopes of winning the game bounce away with it.

South Africa 'ready to party'

2009-06-16T02:48:00.002+02:00

Macbet Sibaya of South Africa goes through his paces

[GALLO/GETTY]

South Africa have no injury worries and are all set to "get the party started" when they face Asian champions Iraq in the opening match of the Confederations Cup, coach Joel Santana said.
South Africa need a win over Iraq as their slump in form over the years has seen attendances at national team matches decline. They have also slipped to 72nd in FIFA's world rankings.
The 61-year-old Brazilian told an eve-of-match news conference at Ellis Park stadium that all his players were fit and despite picking up a knock in training, playmaker Teko Modise would face Iraq in their opening Group A match.
"We had a few knocks and bruises this morning, but nothing serious," he said.
"We are now ready and want to start this party as soon as possible. We know there are great expectations on us because we are the hosts, but we are optimistic we can do well and start with a good performance against Iraq."
Aaron Mokoena, South Africa's skipper, said he was beginning to detect the start of a “new vibe” in the country with the imminent start of the eight-team tournament, the test event ahead of next year’s World Cup finals.
"We feel that mood already," Mokoena said. "For us players it is so encouraging to know that so many people are coming to the game and driving to training, you can really see that the vibe is starting and the mood is there."

Zuma affect

He also felt that South African president Jacob Zuma's presence at the squad's training session on Saturday had galvanised the players.
"The fact the president was there made our day, to be honest," Mokoena said.
"I remember a couple of months ago he came to watch our game against Equatorial Guinea and his being there was an extra boost for us. That he took time from his busy schedule this morning to come and address the players and wish us the best of luck – it meant a whole lot for us.
"Hopefully tomorrow we can take that into the game and come out with a victory. To have five minutes with the president meant a lot to us."
Already eliminated from next year's African Cup of Nations in Angola, South Africa will need the competitive experience of the Confederations Cup before the real thing begins next June.

Egypt consider protest

2009-06-16T02:42:00.002+02:00

Egypt's Mohamed Zidan, right, questions English
referee Howard Webb [AFP]

Egypt is blaming its Confederations Cup loss to Brazil on a goal its coach and players believe was given only after the illegal use of television replays.
Kaka scored a last-minute penalty to give Brazil a 4-3 victory in its opening match, but assistant coach Chawki Gharib said Egypt will protest to Fifa over referee Howard Webb's decision to award the kick and send off Ahmed Al Muhamadi for a handball.
Fifa said it was awaiting an official complaint before commenting.
The Egyptians believe Webb was only able to make the decision, which was correct, after the fourth official watched a replay of the incident.
Referees are allowed to consult with their assistants, but the use of television replays is not sanctioned by Fifa.
"We're not complaining about the referee,'' Gharib said.

Televised replay

Al Muhamadi blocked Lucio's goal-bound effort on the line with his upper arm but then rolled about on the ground as though injured.
Webb, an Englishman, first appeared to be holding up play to let the substitute get treated but then showed him the red card.The sending off came after a replay of the incident was beamed on monitors and the giant screen at Free State Stadium.
"It was actually good that the player went down because it gave time for the fourth official to tell the referee what really happened,'' Brazil captain Lucio said."It was only fair because the ball was going in.''

Referee and linesman unsighted

With the decision a fair one, Fifa may not act even if it turns out that fourth official Matthew Breeze saw the incident on television rather than at the time.But the players were clear that Webb did speak to Breeze, an Australian, before making a decision.
"The referee didn't see the penalty and the linesman didn't see it either,'' said Luis Fabiano, the scorer of Brazil's second goal."It looks like the fourth official told him over the radio.''
Brazil coach Dunga wasn't complaining after the late goal spared him some of the barbs the Brazilian media would have sent him had his team failed to overcome a side 35 places lower in the Fifa world rankings.
"I think that in some moments it's important to have a contribution (from the fourth official) like this,'' Dunga said."And I think the referee saw that there was no mark on the player's face, so he must have used his hands.''
The accuracy of the eventual decision was no consolation to Egypt, which now needs a favourable result against World Cup holder Italy on Thursday.
"We deserved a point today,'' said Egypt striker Mohamed Zidan, who scored two goals Monday."It's a big shame that we gave the game away in the last two minutes on a penalty.''

Ribery becomes next Real target

2009-06-14T14:09:00.002+02:00

Franck Ribery has been put on Real Madrid's shopping
list [GALLO/GETTY]

Real president Florentino Perez has made the blod claim that his club want to sign Franck Ribery from Bayern Munich during the close season as they look set to continue a free spending summer.
With it looking more and more likely that Kaka will join in the coming days and the continuing pursuit of Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo going up a gear, the news of the pursuit of Ribery puts Real right back into their star ladened galatico days.
"It would be a huge satisfaction to have Ribery with us as soon as next season," Perez told French daily L'Equipe.
"But we first have to talk to his club Bayern Munich. I will get in touch with my friends Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeness to ask them what they want to do with Ribery.
"I'll tell them this player is one of our targets and that I want to discuss his possible move to Real."
Rummenigge is Bayern chairman while Hoeness is head coach.

Optimistic over Kaka

Perez also said he was "very optimistic" about signing Brazilian Kaka from AC Milan after he held talks with the Serie A side and the player's father this week.
"If Kaka leaves Milan, he will join Real Madrid," Perez said.
The Real chairman said he tried to convince Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to join the nine-times European champions before naming Manuel Pellegrini as Real's new coach.
"We have always liked the Frenchman and we talked a lot with him," Perez said."But he feels very responsible of what is going on and of what is going to happen next at Arsenal. He did not want to leave this club which he has given a lot to."

Real Madrid announce Kaka signing

2009-06-14T14:02:00.002+02:00

Madrid have returned to the Galactico era in

spectacular fashion [GALLO/GETTY]

Real Madrid have announced that they have signed Brazilian midfielder Kaka from AC Milan.
The 27-year-old international has agreed a six-year contract to become the first player to join Real since Florentino Perez returned to the presidency this month.
Reports said the transfer fee was around $94.05 million which would make the transfer the second biggest ever after Zinedine Zidane joined Real from Juventus for around $100 million in 2001.
The player is on international duty with Brazil in his home country, but Real Madrid sent officials to Recife and Kaka successfully completed a medical earlier in the day.
Reports have said the 2007 world player of the year is set to hold a news conference in the next few hours.
The official unveiling in Madrid is likely to take place at the end of the month, after the Confederations Cup in South Africa.
"We are working on building a good team, an important team, and this has only just begun," Perez told radio station Onda Cero.

Milan grateful

Milan thanked Kaka for his contribution.
"AC Milan thanks the man Kaka and the champion Kaka for his decisive contributions to so many victories obtained in the last six years," the Serie A club said in a statement.
"His loss on the field, though serious, can be filled. It will, however, be very difficult to fill the void left by Kaka the man."
Kaka has long been a target for Real Madrid since former president Ramon Calderon promised to sign him in his election campaign in 2006 but failed to deliver.
Calderon resigned in January paving the way for Perez to come back three years after he stood down and he was returned unopposed to the post.

New Galactico era

Perez has promised to deliver a "spectacular sporting project" built around the world's greatest players, and local media have spoken of a 300 million euro war chest which will be used to finance a second 'Galactico era' at the Bernabeu.
Having lured the likes of Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham to Real earlier in the decade, Perez's flagship first signing on his return was Kaka.
It was a declaration of intent and a dig at his predecessor.
He has also spoken of interest in Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo, Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery, Liverpool's Xabi Alonso and Valencia duo David Villa and David Silva.
New coach Manuel Pellegrini is the man tasked with blending these talents into a team capable of challenging treble-winners Barcelona.
Kaka will not face much competition in midfield which was one of Real's weakest areas last season as they lacked flair players capable of opening up sides in big games.
Kaka's arrival will also cheer up Real fans clamouring for a more entertaining brand of football, and who had often chanted "Where is Kaka?" at player presentations under Calderon over the last couple of years.

Supporters, who protested a proposed move to

Manchester City are unlikely to be happy

[GALLO/GETTY]

Zizou reveals Ribery talks

2009-06-14T13:53:00.002+02:00

Zidane and Frank Ribery were teammates in the 2006
World Cup [GALLO/GETTY]

Former three-time World Player of the Year, Zinedine Zidane, has spoken to France midfielder Franck Ribery to try and convince him to move to the Spanish capital from Bayern Munich.
Zidane, an advisor to Real Madrid president Florentino Perez told French newspaper Le Dauphine Libere that he was 'in talks' with Franck.
Zidane, who was a Real Madrid player from 2001 to 2006, praised the midfielder.
"He is a fantastic player who has his place at Real. "And playing in this team is a career opportunity, which, to me, you do not refuse.
"It would be a nice opportunity for Franck. It is up to him."

Ronaldo bid

Zidane lauded Real Madrid's record-breaking acquisition of Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo.
Zidane was a World Cup winner in 1998 and held the record for the world's highest transfer fee after his 105 million dollar move from Juventus to Real in 2001, only for Ronaldo's 132 million dollar switch from English side Manchester United to eclipse his deal.
"I finally lose this record, which was pretty heavy to bear," said Zidane.
Real are on the verge of signing Cristiano Ronaldo after Manchester United accepted the bid for the Portuguese forward earlier this week.
Brazil playmaker Kaka has already joined from AC Milan for a reported fee of $94.27 million, while Ribery is likely to cost around the same amount, if reported bids for the 26-year-old are anything to go by.
"Bringing together the best players in the world has a cost," said Zidane.
"It's true that, with Kaka and Ronaldo, Madrid wanted to make a big statement. "It was the will of the new president, Florentino Perez.
"This man wants more than just making a name for himself, he wants to give the club the chance to return to the highest level and fight on an equal footing with teams like Barcelona, for example.
"As to whether or not it's reasonable, that's open to debate. But me, I don't have the answer."

Future plans

Zidane himself has set out his own plans for his future.
"Currently, things are going well with Florentino.
"He took me into his team because I know the Real changing room well," said the 36-year-old Frenchman, who retired after the 2006 World Cup.
"For the time being, I'm there to learn, to see how things work outside the changing room.
"Next year, we'll see what might interest me, in order to find something more precise at the club.
"I think I could really become part of the management team at the club and maybe take charge of its destiny."

Fifa untouched by financial crisis

2009-06-13T12:20:00.002+02:00

Fifa's finances are in a 'privileged to comfortable' situation and world football's governing body had not yet suffered any impact from the global finance crisis, president Sepp Blatter has said.
"We received a detailed analysis of the potential impact and can say that we are now in a situation that could be described as between privileged and comfortable," Blatter told a news conference following a two-day executive committee meeting.
"For the time being we have not lost money and are well equipped to face up to the current crisis thanks to our financial policy which involves a diversification of assets and very low exposure to currency or foreign exchange volatilities.

Managing costs

"We also have 95 percent of our budget already under contract and have managed our costs.
"The diversification of our portfolios and our television contract partners gives us cautious optimism for the future."
Blatter announced that Fifa had bought insurance cover providing protection for up to $650 million in the event that either of its next two World Cups in 2010 and 2014 had to be cancelled, postponed or relocated.
"We also had insurance for the 1998, 2002 and 2006 World Cups so this is not any kind of judgement on the organisation of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa," Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke told the news conference.
"We are on time to deliver both the (2009) Confederations Cup and the World Cup in South Africa and this insurance is only to deal with the threat of attacks or natural catastrophes."

Long-term health

Fifa's executive committee delayed a planned announcement on the bidding timetable for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups after committee members asked for more time to consider a proposal to hold both bid processes simultaneously.
Blatter said however that the general level of interest already expressed in staging the tournaments was a further indication of football's long-term financial health.
"If we look at the football markets, it is still a very attractive product and the World Cup is the most desired product of all," Blatter said.
"We have between ten and 12 national football associations who wish to organise the World Cup in 2018 or 2022 even though the 2010 and 2014 events are still quite far away."

Tottenham Hotspur the first opponent

2009-06-12T20:48:00.002+02:00

Barça 2009/10 will kick off a series of preseason matches against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley. The Spurs are one of the historic teams in the English league and have a squad with a lot of attacking potential.

Over the next few days, www.fcbarcelona.cat will be analysing Barça’s preseason opponents. First up is Tottenham Hotspur on 24th July in the Wembley Cup. Founded in 1882, the north London club is one of the oldest and most successful in England. However, in recent years the club has fallen behind the Premier League’s most powerful sides, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and bitter north London rivals Arsenal.

Big money and big names

Spurs are coached by veteran English manager Harry Redknapp, who replaced Juande Ramos early on in the season. The squad boasts some outstanding players, above all in midfield and attack. Last summer, Spurs spent a lot in the transfer market on players such as Modric, Pavlyuchenko and former Barça forward Giovani dos Santos in an effort to compete with the Big Four of the Premier league.

Steady improvement

Despite the strength of the squad, the results were disappointing at the start of the season and led to the sacking of Spanish coach Juande Ramos. Redknapp was brought in to steady the ship and succeeded in taking the club to a highly respectable eight place finish. Also, after a premature exit from the UEFA Cup and the FA Cup, Tottenham came within a whisker of winning the League Cup but were finally overcome by Manchester United in the penalty shootout.

One previous meeting

Barça and Tottenham have met just once in a competitive tie. This was in the semi-finals of the European Cup Winners Cup in 1982. The first leg at White Hart Lane finished in a 1-1 draw, thanks to a goal by Olmo after a serious goalkeeping mistake by Ray Clemence. In the return leg, a goal from Simonsen classified Barça for the final which they won against Standard Liege in the Camp Nou.

Four Barça players in South Africa

2009-06-12T20:38:00.002+02:00

Dani Alves has become the fourth Barça player to arrive in South Africa for the Confederations Cup, while there was a shock on Thursday involving Sergio Busquets.

Almost everything is ready for the Confederations Cup to get under way, although not everybody is in the best pf shape. Sergio Busquets is an example of that. After 40 minutes the player was forced to retire from Thursday’s training session after just 40 minutes after pulling a muscle in his right leg.

Piqué not fully fit

Gerard Piqué also failed to complete the session. He has been out for two weeks with an injured thigh suffered at Riazor, an injury that meant he was sidelined for the friendly with Azerbaijan (0-6). But Carles Puyol was able to train properly, and took part in the final minutes of the game on Tuesday.

Alves last to arrive

Brazil and Alves were the last team to reach South Africa, having played two 2010 World Cup qualifiers this week. Their first game in South Africa is on June 15 in Bloemfontein.

http://www.fcbarcelona.cat/

Meet Real Madrid's signings for 2009/10

2009-06-12T18:10:00.000+02:00

Real Madrid 2009/10 is under way. After Florentino Perez was appointed President on 1 June, the first new member of next season's first team was Manuel Pellegrini, who inked a two-year deal as head coach. Director General and Presidential Aide, Jorge Valdano, Sporting Director, Miguel Pardeza and the Chilean skipper agree that a team that can compete for every title in play is needed.

Real Madrid to participate in the 2009 Peace Cup

2009-06-12T17:59:00.000+02:00

The magnitude of the Peace Cup is heightened when taking into consideration the social responsibility aspect of the competition and the world-class heavyweights such as Sevilla, Juventus, Olympique Lyonnais, Celtic, Porto, Aston Villa and Fenerbahçe who will participate. The competition dates back to 2003 and takes place on a biennial basis. The 2009 edition will be held between 24 July and 2 August. Real Madrid will debut on 26 July against Liga Universitaria Quito.

Ronaldo bid accepted

2009-06-12T17:39:00.000+02:00

Manchester United have received a world-record, unconditional offer of £80million for Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid.At the request of Cristiano - who has again expressed his desire to leave - and after discussion with the player's representatives, United have agreed to give Real Madrid permission to talk to the player.Matters are expected to be concluded by 30 June. The club will not comment until further notice.

Kaka Likely To Take Zinedine Zidane's No. 5

2009-06-12T15:08:00.000+02:00

Kaka, having signed for Real Madrid, will take the No. 5 shirt recently made famous by Zinedine Zidane, according to various reports.
The Brazilian has signed in the most lucrative deal in the history of football, believed to be in the region of €63-8 million, which is of more value than the €73m Zidane transfer of 2001.
Following Zidane's world record switch, he surprised the adoring public when he chose to wear the No. 5 shirt that had just been vacated by the legendary Manuel Sanchis.
The Frenchman spent five fantastic years at the Santiago Bernabeu in which he was the club's star player and won the Champions League, European Super Cup, Intercontinental Cup, Primera Divison and the Spanish Super Cup.
Upon his retirement, another legend arrived from Juventus, Fabio Cannavaro, fresh off the back of his 2006 World Cup winning exploits with Italy. The Azzurri legend had one of the finest years from a defender in recent memory and won the Ballon d'Or.
He won two Liga titles in three seasons at Madrid, as well as the Spanish Super Cup, before his contract ran down and despite his wishes, was not renewed, allowing him to return to Juventus still a favorite among Madridismo.
The decision to let him leave was one essentially overseen by Florentino Perez, who was the man responsible for Zidane's arrival as one of several 'Galacticos' in his first reign as president. Having resigned in 2006, the Spanish supremo returned to office just last week, vowing to restore the club to its former glories, ushering another era of Galacticos.
Kaka is now officially the first of those and Zidane, now an adviser to Perez, has wished him well in completing the move and said he would be glad to see Kaka take his shirt number.

David Beckham Up Next - Andorra

2009-06-12T14:35:00.000+02:00

David and the England team face Andorra next on Wednesday night at Wembley Stadium, hoping to record their seventh straight win in World Cup qualifying Group Six and edge them ever closer to next year's competition in South Africa.Andorra are yet to win a game in the group, having lost every match of six played so far, scoring just two goals and conceding 19, so England will, no doubt, be looking to secure another important win in front of their home fans come Wednesday evening.