Serie A
Champions League Matchday 1
ROAD TO ROME – CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCHDAY 1
GROUP A
All roads lead to Rome so the old saying goes but for AS Roma the pressure of being the club whose ground will host the 2009 final proved too much to bear in their encounter with CFR Cluj-Napoca of Romania. Christian Panucci gave the Italians the lead on seventeen minutes before their world turned upside down, the Romanians reversing the deficit to win 2 - 1. Culio scored once in thirty-two appearances in 2007-08; in Rome, he doubled that tally in twenty-two minutes, the first on twenty-seven, and the second two minutes into the second half.
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea ended the French resistance of Girodins Bordeaux, steamrolling through their defences at will. Frank Lampard opened the scoring after fourteen minutes, Joe Cole doubling that lead on half-an-hour. The comfortable 4 – 0 victory was sealed in the last eight minutes with goals from Malouda and Anelka.
GROUP B
Goals were in short supply in this group as Werder Bremen failed to break the stubborn defences of Cypriots Anorthosis Famagusta, the match ended goalless. Jose Mourinho took his Internazionale side to Greece to play Panathinaikos. No requirement to beware the Greeks bearing gifts as the Italian champions ran out comfortable 2 – 0 winners, Mancini and Adriano the scorers.
GROUP C
Barcelona may be stumbling in La Liga but they were positively purring in the Camp Nou, cruising to a 3 – 1 victory Sporting Lisbon. Marquez broke the deadlock midway through the first half, Samuel Eto’o increasing the lead on the hour, converting a penalty. Despite Tonel pulling a goal back on seventy-three, the win was in little doubt, a fact sealed with Xavi scoring three minutes from time.
Samba rhythms dominated the Swiss nightline as Shaktar Dontesk danced through their encounter with FC Basle. The boys from Brazil, Fernandinho and Jadson scored twice in the first half to give the Ukrainians a 2 – 1 win, Abraham scoring for the hosts with seconds remaining.
GROUP D
Atletico Madrid made their debut in the Champions League and had a night to remember in Eindhoven, blowing PSV aside in a 3 – 0 victory. Kun Aguero scored twice in thirty-six minutes before Maniche added the third on fifty-four, the Dutch helpless in their response.
In the south of France, Marseille might have fancied their chances against Liverpool, especially when Cana gave them a twenty-third minute lead. It was not to last as they succumbed to Steven Gerrard’s ninety-eighth and ninth goals for the Merseysiders, the equaliser a stunning shot from twenty-five yards three minutes after the French had scored. The winner coming from the penalty-spot six minutes later. Robbie Keane might not be finding the back of the in Premier League so it was entirely consistent that he did not trouble the French either.
GROUP E
Pointless playing the games really as none of Manchester United, Villarreal, Celtic or AaB Aalborg could hit a barn door, let alone find the back of the net. Indeed had they not kicked off at Celtic Park, Beauchamp of Aalborg would not have been sent off in the seventy-ninth minute.
GROUP F
A tight group on paper proved to be just that in reality with Steaua Bucharest succumbing to a fourteenth minute strike by van Buyten to give Bayern Munchen the points in the Romanian capital. In Lyon, the hosts gifted Fiorentina a two goal advantage with Albert Gilardino scoring in the eleventh and forty-second minutes. The French side fought back with two goals in twelve second-half minutes through Piquionne on seventy-three and Benzema on eighty-five, which probably makes his value €80.1m.
GROUP H
BATE Borisov may have thought that they had drawn the short straw with a visit to the Bernabeu but despite leaving the Spanish capital with ‘nil points’, better teams than they have been handed heavier defeats than the 2 – 0 scoreline inflicted upon them by Real Madrid. Pin-up of La Liga, Sergio Ramos, opened the scoring on eleven minutes but one of the less beautiful people gracing the top flight of any league, Ruud van Nistelrooy, made the Madrileños wait until the fifty-seventh minute for the second.
Juventus returned from the exile caused by the, ahem, dubious business practices that engulfed the club three seasons ago to beat UEFA Cup holders, Zenit St Petersburg by a single Del Piero goal fourteen minutes from time.
MILAN AND BARCELONA OPEN THE TRANSFER FLOODGATES
With Ronaldinho’s move to AC Milan all but confirmed, it seems that the barrier to a number of summer moves has been released. Barcelona held the key to three transfers and within twenty-four hours, there has been confirmation that the end-game in two of them approaches. Firstly, AC Milan agreed to pay Barcelona £19m for Ronaldinho’s services and subject to a medical, that transfer should be confirmed today.
The funds received will allow Alexander Hleb to leave Arsenal to join the Catalan giants for a fee approaching £15m. The Byelorussian international arrived in the Catalan capital where according to the club’s website, he will undergo a series of medicals at a local hospital and the club’s medical centre. Should these be passed, he will be confirmed as a Barcelona player tomorrow afternoon.
The final key in the jigsaw will be the transfer of Emmanuel Adebayor, again from Arsenal. This is more problematic for Barcelona as funds to purchase the player are believed to dependent upon the sale of Samuel Eto’o. Reports in the Spanish media today suggest that Valencia are considering a €25m bid for the Cameroonian international. Eto’o himself has made it clear he will only leave Barcelona if it suits him but his age will count against him next summer when more youthful rivals will be coveted by the big European clubs. Eto’o is also prepared to play in this summer’s Olympics, a move that will not sit comfortably with new employers, especially with the high value of his fee.
The transfer floodgates are suddenly coming ajar; the end of this week may yet see them open fully.
ALONSO FUTURE LEAVES BARRY MOVE IN DOUBT
Liverpool’s public pursuit of Gareth Barry appears to be shrouded in doubt with the apparent failure of Juventus to seal the transfer of Xabi Alonso. The Italians have moved to sign Christian Poulson from Sevilla, leaving their only target now another goalkeeper.
Manager Claudio Ranieri said,
We’re 99 per cent complete, at least in terms of people coming in. We only need another keeper and then we’ll be all set, ready to face the new season
With Javier Mascherano signed permanently earlier this year, the departure of Alonso was seen as crucial to bringing Barry to Anfield. Now that has fallen apart, for the moment at least, Rafa Benitez needs to find another solution to fit the England international into his squad.
Reports of Arsenal’s interest in the player seem to be overplaying the situation; Martin O’Neill’s comments suggest that the enquiry by Pat Rice as to the current state of negotiations with Liverpool was more of a casual enquiry than a serious attempt at signing the player.
Whether Liverpool will be able to keep their interest alive remains to be seen. The desperation of the Merseysiders to sign Barry has been apparent and belittling to a club of their stature.
RONALDINHO ROW GIVES CITY HOPE
Ronaldinho’s exit from the Camp Nou is proving as colourful as his time at Barcelona. Spanish Radio reported last night that Adriano Galliani has argued with the player’s agent and brother, Roberto de Assis, leaving the door open for the improbable sight of the Brazilian international in a Manchester City shirt next season.
Barcelona are known to prefer City’s £22m bid for the player as it is £10m more than Milan have offered. It seems that the Mancunians are dropping their corporate trousers in their attempts to sign the player, offering him more money and the number ten shirt to fit in with his sponsorship by Nike. The deal on the table for the player is in the form of a ‘pay as you play’ contract and is believed to be supported by the sportswear giant.
However, City do not have the presence in the game of the Italians and that is counting heavily against them. Whilst next season will see Milan participate in the UEFA Cup, City have no guarantee of this even with their qualifying campaign starting this week against EB/Streymur from the Faroe Islands. Their ambitions to progress cannot be doubted with £18m already spent on Jo, their signing from CSKA Moscow. How wisely this money has been spent remains to be seen.
For his part, Ronaldinho would not be available for competitive action to his new employers as he seeks to participate in the Olympic Games in Beijing later this summer. It will be useful for either of his suitors to assess his fitness there given that he has not taken part in a competitive fixture since March 9th.
The player expects to make a ‘major announcement’ with regard to his next move this week and it is widely expected to be acceptance of Milan’s offer.
NASRI SIGNS AS HLEB AND ADEBAYOR EDGE CLOSER TO THE EXIT
Samir Nasri has completed his protracted transfer to Arsenal, joining the club just as the first team squad return to training. The French midfielder did not enjoy the best of times at Euro2008, restricted to fleeting cameos as Les Bleus were dumped out of the tournament.
His signing would appear to open the door to Arsenal finalising the sale of Alexander Hleb to Barcelona. Spanish media reports suggest that this will be for an initial €15m, increasing to €18m with bonuses. The two players are very similar, indeed enjoying similar scoring ratios at Marseilles and Arsenal. It has been the biggest criticism of Hleb that during his time at Arsenal, the player has not found the net regularly enough.
That is to miss the essence of his contribution to the side. Hleb recently observed that he is more of a creator than a scorer, attributing this to a youth coach whose mantra was, “Pass, Pass, Pass“. It has made him the fulcrum of many Arsenal attacks whereby his dribbling and close control has allowed colleagues to make the final pass or score. It is this attribute that Nasri will be expected to fill, along with the recuperating Tomas Rosicky. Should those two be able to contribute more goals then it will make Arsenal a potent attacking force in the Premier League.
Whether the strikeforce will include Emmanuel Adebayor seems increasingly unlikely. The Togolese international has attracted the covetous glances of AC Milan and Barcelona all summer, seeking a move for monetary rather than footballing reasons. The Italians are not his first choice of destination but they have upped the ante by offering €30m plus Yoann Gorcuff to Arsenal. This though seems not to be adequate for The Gunners who want £35m, a fee that according to Adriano Galliani on many occasions is out of their reach. Barcelona are thought to be shy of that amount as well, reports suggesting that they will be prepared to go to €35m (£28m). The likely outcome is to be somewhere nearer to £30m for a player who scored thirty goals last season.
LAMPARD STAYING FOR NOW
Chelsea have confirmed that they will not be allowing Frank Lampard to join Internazionale for the moment, issuing a statement on their website,
Chelsea have informed Inter that we will not enter into any discussions regarding the transfer
The protracted contract wrangles involving Lampard has led to increased speculation about his future. It has been reported that he is demanding a five-year, £150k per week deal although neither party has confirmed this. Chelsea admitted recently that the talks were at an impasse although how much of this was to draw out Inter’s interest through official channels remains to be seen.
Lampard has not diffused the situation, merely commenting that he had no plans to meet any representatives of the Italian club whilst in their country on a family holiday. Jose Mourinho believes Lampard will let his contract rundown and join the Italians next season.
It is a crucial moment for the player. At thirty years of age, his career at the top level has probably a maximum of five years left and this represents his last chance for a big-money deal. Having spent his whole playing career at London clubs, he may feel that a change of scenery is opportune although he has been heavily linked with Barcelona in the past - probably on the basis that his partner is Catalan - but that interest has cooled.
Chelsea To Sell Drogba?
Reports this morning suggest that Luis Felipe Scolari is not developing Chelsea through evolution but revolution. Didier Drogba can apparently be bought for £22m, which may be of interest to AC Milan. However, the Italians baulked at making a £24m bid for the Togolese striker so may not be able to fund the purchase of his Ivorian rival.
If the price quoted in The Sun is correct, it represents excellent value for money for a player who has proven that he can score at the highest level. There have been consistent reports for the last twelve months that the player is unhappy at Stamford Bridge but his release would come as some surprise, especially with a new manager in situ.
Strikers of his calibre are scarce at the highest level and Chelsea are continually linked with them. Current favourite in the media is Samuel Eto’o as David Villa committed himself to Valencia yesterday. With Jo costing Manchester City £19m, the two Spanish-based players and Drogba can be considered cheap at only £3-£5m more.
One criticism of Drogba is that he is opinionated and divisive in the dressing-room. Eto’o has a similar reputation having been part of the politically explosive environment in the Camp Nou. His availability was confirmed by Pep Guardiola recently, along with Ronaldinho and the now-departed Deco. The nightmare scenario for the new Barcelona coach is that Eto’o and the Brazilian remain at the Camp Nou for another season. Whilst there has been plenty of rumour surrounding Ronaldinho’s future, little interest is being shown in Eto’o. Barcelona will be actively seeking to change that and may yet be tempted to throw the Cameroonian into the Adebayor mix.
Villa To Stay At Valencia For Now
David Villa has dashed the dreams of supporters of Europe’s biggest clubs by stating his desire to remain at the Mestalla for the coming season. Having finished Euro2008 as top scorer, Villa has been heavily linked with a move away with the Premier League, Barcelona or Real Madrid favoured destinations in those reports.
However, in response to chants from supporters yesterday, Villa spoke at Valencia City Hall where the Spanish squad were celebrating their triumph, the striker said,
I am very grateful and I am very happy here. I hope to stay here. The president should be thanked for wanting to keep the best players and to make a great team
Had Villa left, it would have created a huge problem for Los Ches, still reeling from an indifferent 2007-08 campaign that saw them only pull clear of the relegation spots in the final weeks of the season. Villa maintained his excellent scoring record, a key reason for their survival.
Despite his proclamations, there is still no certainty that he will line-up at Valencia next season. The money that the club could raise from his sale would enable the squad to be strenghtened. That according to President, Agustin Morera, is not the key matter, keeping Villa is,
We had offers last year, we have had more this year and we continue to receive them. Our plan is to keep him and we will try and do this
For how much longer though remains to be seen. Having had his appetite for glory whetted with the national team, his desire for success at club level may yet overrride any sense of loyalty.
Adebayor Sale Hits Trouble
Emmanuel Adebayor’s future was thrown into the air yesterday as AC Milan pulled out of the race to sign the Togolese international. Adriano Galliani said,
Adebayor is overridden by continuous requests for €45 million; these figures are impossible for clubs in Italy
That figure is impossibly high and suggests that Galliani has been reading too many press stories. A suggestion is that he tries about €10m lower and he may get some response from Arsenal. Meanwhile reports are emerging that Barcelona have been snubbed in their attempts to sign the player with a bid of £25m being rejected by Arsenal.
Sensing that the winds of change may not be blowing in his client’s direction, Adebayor’s agent Stephane Courbis has been on a charm offensive, replacing his client’s offensive charm. Courbis said,
There has been a love story between Adebayor and Arsenal, and his relationship with Arsene Wenger is based on trust and respect. If this was a money problem, then he would have asked to leave. I know that Arsenal’s political position is that they don’t pay high salaries. Whatever they decide, the decision will be taken with respect
Respect is the new byword in football, UEFA demand it, FIFA demand it and so too do supporters. Adebayor and his representatives have shown scant respect or regard for the Arsenal fans in recent days and there is a growing discontentment that he may remain at the club. Most would be happy to take the £25m that Barcelona have offered and see the player depart to the Camp Nou.
Even then that is not so straightforward. Joan Laporta has elections on July 6th which may well see him lose his position as President. If that were to happen, the deal may be thrown into doubt. In any case, with summer spending that has already reached €80m, the Blaugrana need to sell before they can buy.
Deco has gone and AC Milan are keen on Ronaldinho which leaves Samuel Eto’o as the main source of income to fund purchases. Adebayor would clean a substantial amount of that money and Arshavin or Hleb the remainder. Whether a new President would sanction more spending remains to be seen.
ADEBAYOR FARCE CONTINUES SPECULATION ABOUT HIS FUTURE
Emmanuel Adebayor threw his Arsenal future into doubt yesterday in Vienna, a mere sixty minutes after he appeared to have settled it by vowing to honour his Arsenal contract. It was an extraordinary hour that dashed and rekindled the hopes of Rossoneri and Blaugrana everywhere.
Adebayor has been the subject of intense media speculation since the end of the Premier League season with Milan and Barcelona vying for media column inches with equal intensity. Vincenzo Morabito and Stephane Courbis are being reported as his Agent by various sources and both are strongly indicating that a move is on the cards. Until recently that is when Courbis spoke of renegotiating his Arsenal deal. Until recently, it was reported that this would mean increasing his £35k per week deal to double that. This week the new salary was reported as having to be £120k per week otherwise Adebayor would be seeking a move.
Morabito said earlier this week that there was a 70-80% chance of Milan getting their man, a mere seven days previously it was claimed that the Togolese international had put in a written transfer request, told Barcelona of this and ignored the Milanese. In short the whole situation on the player’s side is a farce, something that could have been written by Brian Rix and put on in London’s West End.
Throughout this whole charade, Arsene Wenger has maintained one stance: Adebayor is not for sale. Privately though, he must be furious as the disrespect shown by the player would test the patience of a saint. For the Arsenal manager, it is a crucial test of wills. On the one hand, Adebayor deserves a pay-rise, emerging from the shadows of Thierry Henry to score thirty goals last season. However, if his head has been turned by the offers from elsewhere, then it is perhaps time to let him go for an exorbitant fee - €30m has been touted as an offer from Barcelona.
One issue that has to be resolved though is whether or not there has been ‘tapping up’ by Milan and Barcelona. Neither can speak to Adebayor without Arsenal’s permission. FIFA would no doubt bottle any decision as the clubs have been speaking to his Agent not the player directly but what do FIFA think will happen with such conversations? The Agent is duty-bound to report the content to his client and therefore contact is made with the player. FIFA are spineless however, so they will use this third-party intervention to hide behind, once more weakening their authority in the game.
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