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Factbox: Golden Boot winner Thomas Mueller

July 13, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Factbox on Germany forward Thomas Mueller, who won the World Cup Golden Boot and Young Player of the Tournament awards on Sunday:

Born: September 13, 1989 in Weilheim, Germany

EARLY DAYS AND PERSONAL LIFE

* Mueller joined Bayern Munich on July 1 2000 aged just 10 from junior team TSV Paehl and played at various youth levels for Bayern and Germany.

* Made his debut for Bayern against Hamburg SV in the Bundesliga on August15 2008 coming on as a substitute for Miroslav Klose in the 79th minute.

* Made a handful of appearances in the 2008/09 season and scored in the second leg of Bayern’s 12-1 aggregate win over Sporting in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

* Married his girlfriend Lisa late in 2009.

BREAKTHROUGH

* Bayern appointed Dutch coach Louis van Gaal before the start of the 2009/10 season which led to Mueller enjoying more starts in the first team. The forward made 34 league appearances, scoring 13 goals as Bayern claimed their 22nd German title.

* Mueller also started the German Cup final where Bayern thrashed Werder Bremen 4-0 but he could not help the Germans to an unprecedented treble as they lost 2-0 to Inter Milan in the Champions League final.

* Made his international debut on March 3 this year in a 1-0 home defeat by Argentina.

WORLD CUP

* Scored his first goal for Germany in their opening game of the 2010 World Cup, a 4-0 win over Australia.

* Scored two goals against England in a fantastic display of attacking football as Germany knocked out their rivals in the second round with a 4-1 victory.

* Opens the scoring after just three minutes of the quarter-final against Argentina as Germany crush the South Americans 4-0.

* Scores his fifth goal with his fifth shot on target in the tournament as Germany beat Uruguay 3-2 to finish in third.

* Finished as World Cup joint top scorer but pips David Villa, Diego Forlan and Wesley Sneijder to the Golden Boot award courtesy of more assists and time on the pitch. Is also named the young player of the tournament.

(Writing by Patrick Johnston; editing by Jon Bramley)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: August15, bayern munich, Bremen 4, Champions League Final, diego forlan, Fifth Goal, German Cup, german title, Golden Boot, Hamburg Sv, Inter Milan, international debut, klose, League Appearances, Louis Van Gaal, target, Thomas Mueller, top scorer, Tournament Awards, Weilheim

Germany stick with Klose for opener

June 14, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Germany coach Joachim Loew stuck with out-of-form striker Miroslav Klose for the team’s opening World Cup Group D game against Australia on Sunday.

Sports

He also went for youth over experience on the right wing, giving 20-year-old Thomas Mueller his third cap ahead of 26-year-old Piotr Trochowski.

Klose, who was top scorer at the 2006 World Cup with five goals having finished second with five at the 2002 tournament, only netted three times for Bayern Munich last season.

Australia coach Pim Verbeek left Harry Kewell on the bench and gave Richard Garcia, who usually plays as an attacking midfielder, his eighth cap as the lone striker ahead of Josh Kennedy. Garcia has never scored for Australia.

Follow all matches live here

(Reporting by David Clarke; Editing by Nigel Hunt)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Australia, bayern munich, bench, coach, David Clarke, game, Germany, goals, Harry Kewell, joachim, Miroslav Klose, Nigel Hunt, Pim Verbeek, reuters, right-wing, Sunday Sports, Thomas Mueller, three times, top scorer, World Cup

Real secure Mourinho as coach after Inter deal

May 29, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Real Madrid will present Jose Mourinho as their coach on Monday after agreeing an undisclosed compensation deal with Inter Milan, the Spanish club said on Friday.

Inter president Massimo Moratti and his Real counterpart Florentino Perez met to thrash out details of the package that will free Mourinho to leave and join the nine-times European champions after a treble-winning season in Italy.

While Spanish and Italian media reported that Inter would receive eight million euros ($9.80 million), a statement from the Italian champions said: “Real will eventually have to pay all the clause in the contract.”

Inter added that exchange of players could form part of the deal.

Mourinho led Inter to three trophies last season, culminating in their Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich at Real’s Bernabeu Stadium.

Real turned to him after sacking Manuel Pellegrini this week following a season with no trophies for a team that had 250 million euros spent on it last summer.

“We are convinced that we need a fresh impulse and we are convinced that Jose Mourinho is the right person to take on the job,” Perez said at the time.

The move for Mourinho marks a change in direction for Perez, who has preferred to invest money in the world’s best players rather than high-profile coaches in the past.

STRONG MAN

“(We looked to Mourinho) for his prestige, for the personality he has, for his great ability to absorb the pressure and for the leadership Madrid needs,” Perez’s right-hand man Jorge Valdano said in a radio interview earlier on Friday.

“We lacked a strong man in a moment of transition like this.”

Real tripped up in the big games last season, losing in the ‘clasicos’ against Barcelona and in the Champions League first knockout round against Olympique Lyon.

Mourinho, 47, has a reputation as a motivator, is a great tactician and is strong enough to ride out the inevitable ups and downs of managing a side under the local media’s microscope.

With Porto he won the UEFA Cup and the European Cup in 2004, and he won back-to-back league titles with Chelsea before moving to Italy.

He will be expected to get the most out of compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo but is likely to demand more of a say in planning at the club.

Pellegrini spoke of being isolated from the decision-making process when it came to planning the team, and Jose Antonio Camacho walked out on the club in 2004 complaining of interference in team affairs from above.

Spanish media have already speculated that Real will move back into the transfer market, with Inter’s Brazilian fullback Maicon and Benfica’s Argentine winger Angel Di Maria among the names linked with the club.

(Editing by Clare Fallon and Pritha Sarkar; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: bayern munich, Bernabeu Stadium, big games, change in direction, european champions, Final Victory, Inevitable Ups, Inter Milan, italian champions, Italian Media, Jorge Valdano, jose mourinho, Manuel Pellegrini, Olympique Lyon, President Massimo Moratti, real madrid, Right Hand Man, spanish club, Treble Winning Season, ups and downs

Mourinho likely to join Real Madrid

May 24, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, May 23 (IANS) After guiding Inter Milan to a Champions League final win over Bayern Munich that sealed his second career Treble, Jose Mourinho admitted he was ‘more likely to leave than stay’ and is interested in joining Real Madrid.

The Portuguese became only the third coach to win Europe’s premier competition with two different clubs – he won it with Porto in 2004 – and now he wants to go one better.

‘I want to be the only coach to win the Champions League with three different clubs.’It’s more likely that I will leave rather than stay. The Champions League I won at Porto (2004) was my last game there and this time it will almost certainly be my last game for Inter. I want another challenge in my career,’ Mourinho was quoted as saying by Rai TV.

‘It’s not definite that I’ll go but I want new risks, new experiences, and now is the moment to decide.’

He also hinted that Real Madrid are willing to take him.

‘Great season, incredible season. But at this moment I have not many words to describe how I feel because it’s almost for sure that I will leave. Real Madrid is the only club that wants me. It is an enormous club, a club that wants the same as me; I want to win, I want to feel important, I want to keep winning.

‘My target now is to win another championship where I have never won it and another Champions League… And then I return to England,’ said Mourinho.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: bayern munich, career, Champions League, coach, England, Europe, Inter Milan, jose mourinho, last game, London, new experiences, Porto, portuguese, real madrid, target, treble

Milito’s form shows why he was picked says Maradona

May 24, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Diego Milito will have the same chance as Argentina’s other in-form strikers to earn a place in their World Cup side, coach Diego Maradona said on Sunday.

Milito, one of six strikers in Maradona’s 23-man squad, reached the heights of European football by scoring both goals in Inter Milan’s 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in Saturday’s Champions League final in Madrid.

“I’m not surprised by Milito. He’s had a spectacular season, but then so have the others, Lio (Messi), (Carlos) Tevez, ‘Kun’ (Sergio Aguero),” Maradona told a news conference.

“Milito has proved me right for picking him. Whoever is in the best form will play,” said Maradona, whose first-choice pair appear to be Messi and Gonzalo Higuain.

“There are no first-team players and no reserves (in the squad),” added Maradona, who wiped his face with a towel after his players practised in a downpour at their training base.

Maradona, whose team face Canada in a farewell match at River Plate’s Monumental stadium on Monday (1930 GMT), said the players were all in great spirits and anxious to work towards the South Africa finals starting on June 11.

“In 1986 we had a build up of 70 days, today we are barely 20 days away and I still don’t have my full 23,” said Maradona. Milito, Inter team mate Walter Samuel and Bayern’s Martin Demichelis had not yet joined up with the squad.

“But the players have understood that you experience the World Cup the way we are living it,” said Argentina’s 1986 World Cup-winning captain, who has often stated that he knows what it takes to win the trophy.

“I want to have them all sharp… We can give anyone a good fight, a footballing fight, because we have a good game and good players. This squad are similar to that of ’86 because they have hunger for glory.”

Argentina face Nigeria, South Korea and Greece in Group B at the finals in South Africa.

Maradona, who had criticised Inter coach Jose Mourinho for his side’s ultra-defensive performance in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final away to Barcelona, said he would not give up on attack come what may.

“Not at any price. If I renounced attack it would be a sin with the players I have,” he said. “I think that if we play the way we should we’ll do well.”

(Editing by Clare Fallon; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: bayern munich, Carlos Tevez, Choice Pair, defensive performance, Diego Maradona, Diego Milito, gonzalo higuain, good game, Inter Milan, jose mourinho, man squad, Maradona Diego, Martin Demichelis, River Plate, S Martin, Sergio Aguero, Spectacular Season, Team Face, team mate, Walter Samuel

Inter trio to join Brazil squad in South Africa

May 24, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Brazil’s Inter Milan trio will not link up with Dunga’s World Cup squad until Thursday in South Africa, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said on Sunday.

Goalkeeper Julio Cesar and defenders Lucio and Maicon, who helped Inter win the Champions League with a 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich on Saturday, have been asked to stay in Italy for the team celebrations, the CBF said on its website (www.cbf.com.br).

The trio will meet up with the Brazil squad at their base in Johannesburg on Thursday. Brazil face North Korea, Ivory Coast and Portugal in Group G at the tournament starting on June 11.

(Reporting by Pedro Fonseca; Editing by Ed Osmond; to query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: bayern munich, brazil squad, Brazilian Football Confederation, Brazilian Football Confederation Cbf, celebrations, Champions League, Face North, goalkeeper, Inter Milan, Ivory Coast, Johannesburg, Julio Cesar, lucio, Maicon, North Korea, Osmond, Pedro Fonseca, South Africa, website www, World Cup Squad

Germany captain and keeper decisions made – Loew

May 24, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Germany coach Joachim Loew has decided on his captain for the World Cup AND his first- choice goalkeeper but will first inform the players before making his choices public, he said on Sunday.

Germany captain Michael Ballack sustained an ankle injury in Chelsea’s FA Cup final win over Portsmouth last week and will miss the June 11-July 11 World Cup in South Africa, joining injured goalkeeper Rene Adler on the sidelines.

Adler was replaced by Bayern Munich’s Hans-Joerg Butt, who was initially seen as third choice, but a strong season has put the 35-year-old in contention for a starting spot.

“We are clear about our decision regarding the team captain and the goalkeeper questions,” Loew told reporters from the team’s training camp in Italy.

Striker Miroslav Klose, midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and defender Philipp Lahm are potential captains.

STARTING SPOT

Goalkeepers Tim Wiese of Werder Bremen, Schalke 04′s Manuel Neuer and Butt are the contenders for the starting spot with Neuer the favourite.

Butt, however, has played a superb season with Bayern as they won the domestic league and Cup double and were runners-up in the Champions League.

Loew said he would first inform all his players before announcing his decision, probably on Thursday.

Bayern Munich’s seven international players, who lost in the Champions League final to Inter Milan 2-0 on Saturday, will join the squad on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Loew must drop three players from his provisional 26-man squad before finalising the squad by June 1.

“This is an extremely difficult situation because I have seen that all players work unbelievably hard, they are eager to learn, are constantly alert and they are investing everything they have in training,” Loew said.

“At the moment I must be honest. I cannot decide who will go home,” he said.

Germany face Ghana, Australia and Serbia in the tournament’s group stage.

(Editing by Ed Osmond; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: 11 July, ankle injury, Bastian Schweinsteiger, bayern munich, captain michael, fa cup final, goalkeeper, Group Stage, Inter Milan, Joachim Loew, man squad, Manuel Neuer, michael ballack, Miroslav Klose, Osmond, Rene Adler, Schalke 04, third choice, Tim Wiese, Werder Bremen

Grand occasion as Inter reclaim European crown at last

May 24, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Inter Milan’s 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League final will be remembered more for Diego Milito’s two brilliant goals and the sub-plots and intrigues surrounding the game rather than the football.

Staged in Real Madrid’s awe inspiring Santiago Bernabeu stadium, UEFA president Michel Platini’s idea of switching the final from a Wednesday to a Saturday night lent even more drama to the event than usual. The noisy, rollicking input from both sets of fans created an unforgettable atmosphere.

A moment of shared respect summed up the essential bonhomie of the occasion and it came when Milito, waving at the crowd in celebration, suddenly realised he was waving at the Bayern fans.

But instead of booing him the German supporters warmly applauded him back.

Inter defender Lucio, who used to play for Bayern, spent much of the post-match celebrations talking to his former team mates after crying tears of joy.

Inter coach Jose Mourinho hugged Bayern winger Arjen Robben — they were together for three years at Chelsea — during a short break of play in the first half.

Mourinho and Bayern manager Louis Van Gaal, whose friendship goes back to their days together at Barcelona, even hugged before the end of the game with Inter’s victory all but assured.

At times it was more of a love-in than a win-at-all-costs final, but there was hardly a malicious tackle or a cross word and the game more than lived up to expectations.

While never a classic, it was still totally enthralling. Mourinho said his men “followed my instructions perfectly” and eventually finished as convincing winners.

THIRD TIME

The bare facts show that Inter have become European champions for the third time, after a wait of 45 years since their second title in 1965, and Mourinho became only the third man to become European champion with two different clubs following his success with Porto in 2004.

Inter have also become the first Italian side to win the treble after winning the Serie A and Cup double earlier this month, and Milito himself has reached heights he could barely have imagined when he joined Inter at the start of the season.

The two goals he scored to beat Bayern capped an astonishing run of personal success after scoring the only goal against AS Roma when Inter won the Italian Cup on May 5, and the only goal last Sunday against Siena when they clinched the Serie A title.

The 30-year-old Argentine now heads to South Africa for his first World Cup, while Mourinho looks all set to leave Milan.

Conspicuous by his absence from Inter’s welcoming party back in Milan, he now seems certain to take a permanent place in the Bernabeu dug-out as Real Madrid’s new manager.

Milito could follow him to Spain as perhaps could his inspirational Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder.

While Mourinho won his personal duel with Van Gaal, Sneijder ultimately had more impact than his friend and Dutch international team mate Robben, who worked tirelessly down Bayern’s right but could not find a goal for either himself or his misfiring strike pair Ivica Olic or Thomas Mueller.

LONG CLEARANCE

Milito made his presence felt. He got the breakthrough after 35 minutes when he chose his spot perfectly after a long clearance upfield by goalkeeper Julio Cesar. He made the game safe 20 minutes from time by rounding Daniel Van Buyten, switching feet and giving Hans-Jorg Butt no chance with a curling inswinger.

Inter’s fans and their players celebrated their long-awaited success for almost an hour after the game ended, while Mourinho only briefly joined the party raising and lowering the European Cup in one swift movement — leaving centre-stage to his players.

The only other men to win the European Cup with two different clubs were Ernst Happel (Feyenoord in 1970 and Hamburg SV in 1983) and Ottmar Hitzfeld (Borussia Dortmund in 1997 and Bayern in 2001).

With time on his side, there seems little doubt that Mourinho has more Champions League victories in him — wherever he may end up in the future.

(Editing by Pritha Sarkar; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: bayern munich, bonhomie, Champions League Final, Convincing Winners, Cross Word, Crying Tears, Diego Milito, european champion, european champions, former team, Grand Occasion, Inter Milan, Italian Side, jose mourinho, Louis Van Gaal, Michel Platini, real madrid, santiago bernabeu stadium, team-mates, third man

Beaten Bayern eye 2012 Champions League home triumph

May 24, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Bayern Munich were gracious in defeat after losing the Champions League final to Inter Milan on Saturday and already thinking about possibly winning a fifth European Cup at their own stadium in 2012.

Louis van Gaal’s side missed out on an unprecedented treble for a Bundesliga club of domestic league and Cup and Champions League as they were outplayed by Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan to lose 2-0 at Real Madrid’s Bernabeu stadium.

“Of course it’s annoying to lose the final after such a fantastic season but Inter played a great match and deserved to win,” Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told the club’s website (www.fcbayern.telekom.de).

“But as after the defeat (in the final) in 1999, now we will put the work in so that we can win the Champions League again within the next two years,” added the former Bayern forward and Germany international, who also had a spell playing for Inter in the 1980s

Bayern lost the 1999 final in Barcelona in dramatic fashion to Manchester United after leading for most of the match before going on to beat Valencia on penalties to win in 2001.

Club president Uli Hoeness on Saturday was left thinking about what might have been if Thomas Mueller had converted a chance to equalise early in the second half.

Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar blocked the attacker’s shot superbly with his legs and later denied Dutch winger Arjen Robben with an acrobatic save.

“If Mueller had put the ball in just after the break maybe something might have clicked,” Hoeness said.

“But I said before the final that we have had a fantastic season and we shouldn’t let it be spoiled because we lost,” he added. “The final is in Munich in 2012 and especially for the younger players there is still a lot to dream for.”

Twenty-year-old forward Mueller was barely consolable, saying that Bayern had missed a great chance to add to an already incredible season.

“It’s a massive disappointment,” he told reporters.

“The squandered chance in the 46th minute was a bitter moment for me,” he added. “That’s also a reason why I am not feeling so great right now.”

(Editing by Patrick Johnston; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Arjen Robben, bayern munich, Bernabeu Stadium, Champions League, club president, dramatic fashion, Fcbayern, goalkeeper, Inter Milan, jose mourinho, Julio Cesar, Karl Heinz Rummenigge, League Home, Louis Van Gaal, manchester united, Massive Disappointment, real madrid, Thomas Mueller, Uli Hoeness, winger

Ribery likely snub Premier League giants’ overtures to stay with Bayern Munich

May 21, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, May 21(ANI): Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery is likely to turn his back on the English Premier League and sign a four-year contract extension with the German club.

Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City have all been linked with Ribery, with talk of bids in excess of 50 million pounds, The Sun reports.

However, Ribery may snub the clubs and sign the new contract until 2015, with a new club-record salary after Munich’s Champions League final against Inter Milan on Saturday.

The 27-year-old is expected to formally announce his decision before flying out to South Africa for the World Cup. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: 50 million pounds, bayern munich, Champions League, chelsea, club manchester united, Contract Extension, english premier league, Franck Ribery, German Club, giants, Inter Milan, London, manchester city, midfielder, new contract, overtures, salary, snub, South Africa, World Cup

Rooney looks very tired, drained: Capello

May 16, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

London, May 12 (ANI): With 2010 football World Cup finals being less than four weeks away, England boss Fabio Capello has said that he has inherited a shattered and drained Wayne Rooney.

England’s chances of winning the World Cup rest on Rooney’s performance and in the last few weeks, the 24-year-old striker has fought to play despite knee, ankle and groin injuries.

Capello said: “He has played a lot of games this season. At the end of it he looked very tired.”

The Italian believes Rooney probably needed more rest after injuring an ankle against Bayern Munich and returning to England on crutches.

Rooney was back for the return leg of the Champions League quarterfinal a week later but groin problems followed, the Daily Express reports.

“After the ankle injury, the balance of his body was not the same, so it is easy to get injured,” Capello said.

Now Capello believes Rooney must rest and recuperate in order to fire on all cylinders in England’s opening World Cup game against the USA on June 12.

The England manager insisted: “I think Rooney will be fit in a short time. I hope so because he is a very important player for us.”

Capello and his staff will monitor Rooney closely in the Austrian Alps and he could be rested or used sparingly in the two warm-up games. England’s head coach is hoping the camp will recapture the spirit, which helped the team qualify for South Africa so emphatically. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: ankle injury, Austrian Alps, bayern munich, Champions League, crutches, England Manager, fabio capello, Football World Cup, Games England, Groin Injuries, head coach, Knee Ankle, return leg, short time, South Africa, striker, warm up games, Wayne Rooney, world cup finals, World Cup Game

Makaay marks final league game with emotional hat-trick

May 3, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Former Dutch international striker Roy Makaay marked his final league appearance before retiring with an emotional hat-trick in Feyenoord’s 6-2 rout of Heerenveen on Sunday.

The 35-year-old striker announced this week he will retire at the end of this season to take up a post at the Rotterdam club’s youth academy.

Makaay fired his third goal 15 minutes from time and was substituted minutes later, leaving the pitch in tears as he was given an ovation by the crowd.

“I didn’t feel nervous before the match, because I never have felt that through my career, but I had a special feeling for my last league match. When I was substituted I realised it ended,” Makaay told reporters.

Makaay headed home an equaliser after 13 minutes from close range and made it 4-2 after 58 minutes.

Two minutes before he was replaced by 17-year-old youth international Luc Castaignos, Makaay added his third with a 20-metre lob over goalkeeper Henk Timmer.

Makaay started his professional career in 1993 at Vitesse Arnhem but had his biggest successes later on with Deportivo Coruna, where he won the Primera Division and became European top scorer, and Bayern Munich where he won the double in 2005 and 2006.

Makaay won 43 caps in which he scored six goals and will play in the second leg in the Dutch Cup final against Ajax Amsterdam, who won the first leg 2-0, on Thursday.

(Editing by Miles Evans;

To query or comment on this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Ajax Amsterdam, bayern munich, Close Range, Dutch Cup, Dutch International, equaliser, Feyenoord, goalkeeper, hat-trick, Heerenveen, Henk Timmer, league game, Miles Evans, Primera Division, Professional Career, rout, Roy Makaay, striker, top scorer, Youth Academy

European soccer round-up – Bayern close in, Chelsea made to wait

May 3, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Bayern Munich all but secured the Bundesliga title with victory over VfL Bochum. The Premier League contest will go to the wire next Sunday as leaders Chelsea and second-placed Manchester United both won.

Inter’s 2-0 win at Lazio was cheered by both sets of fans because it meant the home team’s bitter city rivals AS Roma dropped back to second.

GERMANY

Bayern Munich effectively won the Bundesliga with a match to spare when they beat VfL Bochum 3-1 thanks to a Thomas Mueller hat-trick, while Schalke 04 lost 2-0 at home to Werder Bremen.

The Bavarians, chasing a treble of league, cup and Champions League, are three points clear of Schalke with a game to play and a goal difference which is better by 17.

Hertha Berlin were relegated after a 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen. Bremen’s win kept them third and on course for a place in the qualifying round of next season’s Champions League.

- – - -

ENGLAND

The Premier League will be decided by next Sunday’s final round of fixtures after Chelsea won 2-0 at Liverpool and Manchester United won 1-0 at Sunderland to keep the gap between the top two at one point.

Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard, with his 21st goal of the season, secured Chelsea’s win as Liverpool ran out of steam in the wake of Thursday’s Europa Cup game against Atletico Madrid. A first-half shot for Nani proved enough for United.

Chelsea next host Wigan Athletic while United are at home to Stoke City. Chelsea’s superior goal difference means that for United to retain their title they must win and hope the Londoners lose or draw.

- – - -

ITALY

Inter Milan are two points clear with two games to go after winning 2-0 at Lazio, where even the home fans cheered goals from Walter Samuel and Thiago Motta because it dented AS Roma’s title hopes.

Roma had done their job by prevailing 2-1 at Parma thanks to a sublime goal and an superb assist from Francesco Totti.

Twice European champions Juventus will not feature in next season’s Champions League after a 1-1 draw at Catania ensured the seventh-placed side cannot finish fourth.

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SPAIN

Cristiano Ronaldo kept Real Madrid in the La Liga title race when his last-minute header secured a nervy 3-2 comeback win at home to mid-table Osasuna.

Leaders Barcelona proved they were over their Champions League exit to Inter Milan when Lionel Messi scored twice in a 4-1 victory at Villarreal. Barca have 90 points, one ahead of Real with three matches left to play.

Nikola Zigic scored both goals in Valencia’s 2-0 victory at Espanyol that kept them secure in third on 65 points, in the last automatic Champions league qualification slot.

- – - -

NETHERLANDS

Twente Enschede clinched their first Dutch championship title with a 2-0 win over 10-man NAC Breda on the final day of the season.

Bryan Ruiz opened the scoring midway through the first half, just after Csaba Feher had been sent off for a two-legged tackle on Theo Janssen and Miroslav Stoch sealed the win for the club, coached by former England manager Steve McClaren.

Twente finished with 86 points after 34 matches, one above Ajax Amsterdam who won 4-1 at NEC Nijmegen. The league’s top scorer Luis Suarez scored twice for Ajax to take his tally to 35 for the season

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FRANCE

Olympique Marseille moved closer to their first Ligue 1 title since 1992 when they snatched a goalless draw at second-placed AJ Auxerre.

The result left Marseille on 72 points, five ahead of Auxerre with three games remaining.

Marseille will be crowned champions if they beat Stade Rennes at home on Wednesday and Auxerre fail to win at Lyon.

- – - -

PORTUGAL

Benfica missed out on the chance of clinching the title this weekend when they were beaten 3-1 at Lisbon rivals Porto.

The leaders, three points ahead of Braga, can still lift the trophy if they draw or win their final match against Rio Ave. But thanks to a better head-to-head record, Braga will win the league if they beat Nacional and Benfica lose.

Porto’s Bruno Alves headed in just before halftime, but defender Luisao equalised before Ernesto Farias and Fernando Belluschi scored one each to give Porto the win.

- – - -

CROATIA

Dinamo Zagreb won their 12th league title and fifth in succession but celebrations were marred by crowd trouble when supporters hurled flares on to the pitch and clashed with riot police.

The champions drew 0-0 with traditional rivals Hajduk Split for an unassailable seven-point lead with two games left.

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SERBIA

Champions Partizan Belgrade and arch rivals Red Star both won to set up a potentially decisive derby next Saturday in their two-team title race.

Goals by Cleo and Sasa Ilic handed Partizan a 2-0 win at Smederevo to leave a point ahead of Red Star, whose striker Aleksandar Jevtic led the way in a 4-0 rout of neighbours Cukaricki with a first half hat-trick.

- – - -

CZECH REPUBLIC

The four-way title race is set for a thrilling climax after leaders Sparta Prague held closest rivals Banik Ostrava to a 1-1 draw and stayed ahead on goal difference with three matches remaining.

Both teams have 55 points, one ahead of third-placed Jablonec, who won 4-0 at Bohemians Prague to stay a point in front of Teplice, in the hunt for their first league title after a 5-0 home rout of Kladno.

- – - -

BULGARIA

Litex Lovech clinched their third league title with two games to spare after a 3-0 win at Lokomotiv Plovdiv left them seven points clear of CSKA Sofia, who were 5-1 winners at home to city rivals Lokomotiv.

Frenchman Wilfried Niflore turned in two close-range goals for Litex either side of a clinical finish by Brazilian midfielder Tom, as last season’s Cup winners celebrated their first league title since 1999.

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RUSSIA

Spartak Nalchik continued their excellent start to the March-November season with a 1-0 home win over Dynamo Moscow to stay top on goal difference from Zenit St. Petersburg, who beat Saturn Ramenskoye 1-0.

Nikita Malyarov kept Spartak in pole position with a superb solo effort while Belgium defender Nicolas Lombaerts headed an 88th-minute winner for 2007 champions Zenit.

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UKRAINE

Leaders Shakhtar Donetsk won 2-0 at Metalurh Zaporizhya to stay three points clear of champions Dynamo Kiev, who beat bottom team Zakarpattia Uzhhorod by the same score, ahead of their potentially decisive clash on Wednesday.

Brazilians Ilisnho and Douglas Costa scored in each half for Shakhtar while Artem Milevskiy and Danilo Silva were on target for Dynamo, the winners of 13 league titles in Ukraine and as many in the former Soviet Union.

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POLAND

Champions Wisla Krakow slipped to a 1-0 home defeat against Korona Kielce, allowing closest rivals Lech Poznan to close the gap to a point with three games left after they strolled to a 3-0 success at Slask Wroclaw.

Robert Lewandowski scored twice and Dmitrij Injac added a third for Lech, bidding for their first league title since 1993. Third-placed Ruch Chorzow have an outside chance after a 1-0 win over Legia Warsaw left them four points off the pace.

(Editing by Alison Wildey; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: atletico madrid, Bavarians, Bayer Leverkusen, bayern munich, Champio, City Rivals, cup game, European Soccer, Frank Lampard, goal difference, Hertha Berlin, Home Fans, Inter Milan, League Contest, Schalke 04, Thiago Motta, Thomas Mueller, Vfl Bochum, Walter Samuel, Werder Bremen

Mourinho celebrates ‘most beautiful defeat’

April 30, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Barcelona, April 29 (DPA) Defensively strong Inter Milan battled their way into the final of the Champions League Wednesday by losing only 1-0 away to defending champions Barcelona.

Inter go into the final – in which they will face Bayern Munich in Madrid on May 22 – on a 3-2 aggregate after beating the Catalans 3-1 in San Siro last Tuesday.

It will be Inter’s first final since 1972, they have not won the European crown since 1965.

Defender Gerard Pique scored the only goal just six minutes from time, but Inter managed to avoid a second goal in a frenetic finale.

Inter coach Jose Mourinho, as provocative and theatrical as always, provoked the jeers of the Camp Nou with his wild celebrations at the end.

He then raised eyebrows by saying that ‘it is impossible that I become coach of Barcelona one day, because here they hate me.’ Mourinho was translator and then assistant coach at Barca from 1996 to 1998 – under present Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal – and is now clearly enjoying the role of anti-hero.

The Portuguese coach added that ‘it has been the most beautiful defeat of my life…Without organization we would have been eliminated. It is always difficult to play 10 against 11, but against Bar it is almost impossible.’

Inter captain Javier Zanetti said that ‘we really deserve to be in the final. We have worked very hard indeed in both matches. This is the proof that we are a good team. The important thing is that we are in the final.’

Inter striker Samuel Eto’o, who was the idol of the Barca fans from 2004 to 2009, said that ‘I thought the game was never going to end, it was interminable.’

He added, rather surprisingly, that ‘Barca are still the best team in the world and we have needed all of our qualities, in two matches, to eliminate them.’

For his part, Barca president Joan Laporta said that ”we just could not score the second goal that would have taken us to the final.’

Laporta added that ‘we now concentrate on winning the league, that is what our people deserve.’

Barca are just one point ahead of Real Madrid with four matches left.

Barca midfielder Yaya Toure commented that ‘I have never seen a team so defensive as this Inter.’

He also complained that the ‘goal’ of Bojan disallowed right at the end because of a supposed handball by himself ‘was not handball at all.’

Winger Pedro said that ‘this is a pity…We knew that they were going to defend in strength, but to go out like this makes you angry.’

Mourinho’s team had a surprisingly comfortable time in the Camp Nou, especially given that midfielder Thiago Motta was sent off after just 28 minutes.

This meant that Inter had to play out more than an hour with ten men, but they did so with calm efficiency and with surprisingly few scares. They were faultless in defence and managed to break up Barca’s rhythm with countless fouls and interruptions.

Barca were even slower, ponderous and predictable than in the first leg. Playmaker Xavi was well controlled, Lionel Messi turned in another dull display – and Zlatan Ibrahimovic looked unfit and out of sorts.

Mourinho had planned to employ the same 4-3-3 formation as in the first leg but striker Goran Pandev pulled a muscle in the pre-match warm-up and Christian Chivu was brought in to make a 5-3-2 lineup.

Inter moved even further back into their defensive shell when Motta was shown a straight red card, for a hand in the face of Sergio Busquets.

Mourinho pulled forwards Diego Milito and Samuel Eto’o back to play as effective full-backs, meaning that Barca enjoyed 75 per cent possession – but without taking advantage of it.

All that the hosts had to show for their possession in the second half was two wide shots from winger Pedro and a low drive from Messi which Inter keeper Julio Cesar did well to get down to.

Pep Guardiola brought on Maxwell, Bojan and Jeffren but still lacked the craft, speed and imagination to open up a packed defence.

Inter were content to soak up the pressure and shamelessly waste time, waiting for the clock to run down on Barca’s reign as European champions.

Barca’s frustration led to a series of hopeful long shots, none of which troubled Julio Cesar.

There was nothing that the Brazilian could do, however, when Pique scored in the 84th minute. Xavi played the tall defender through, in a marginally offside position. Pique skipped past Ivan Cordoba and calmly made it 1-0.

But time was about to run out for Barca, who failed to score the necessary second goal in a desperate finale.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: aggregate, April 29, assistant coach, barca, bayern munich, Camp Nou, Champions League, eyebrows, Gerard Pique, Inter Milan, Javier Zanetti, Jeers, Joan Laporta, jose mourinho, last tuesday, Louis Van Gaal, Samuel Eto O, san siro, six minutes, striker

Ten-man Inter manage to make Champions League final

April 30, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Barcelona, April 29 (DPA) Defensively strong Inter Milan battled their way into the final of the Champions League Wednesday by losing only 1-0 away to defending champions Barcelona.

Inter go into the final – in which they will face Bayern Munich in Madrid May 22 – on a 3-2 aggregate after beating the Catalans 3-1 in San Siro last Tuesday.

It will be Inter’s first final since 1972, they have not won the European crown since 1965.

Defender Gerard Pique scored the only goal just six minutes minutes from time, but Inter managed to avoid a second goal in a frenetic finale.

Inter striker Samuel Eto’o, who was the idol of the Barca fans from 2004 to 2009, said that ‘I thought the game was never going to end, it was interminable.’

He added, rather surprisingly, that ‘Barca are still the best team in the world and we have needed all of our qualities, in two matches, to eliminate them.’

For his part, Barca president Joan Laporta said that ”we just could not score the second goal that would have taken us to the final.’

Laporta added that ‘we now concentrate on winning the league, that is what our people deserve.’

Barca are just one point ahead of Real Madrid with four matches left.

Jose Mourinho’s team had a surprisingly comfortable time in the Camp Nou, especially given that midfielder Thiago Motta was sent off after just 28 minutes.

Inter moved even further back into their defensive shell when Motta was shown a straight red card, for a hand in the face of Sergio Busquets.

Mourinho pulled forwards Diego Milito and Samuel Eto’o back to play as effective full-backs, meaning that Barca enjoyed 75 per cent possession – but without taking advantage of it.

All that the hosts had to show for their possession in the second half was two wide shots from winger Pedro and a low drive from Messi which Inter keeper Julio Cesar did well to get down to.

Barca coach Pep Guardiola brought on Maxwell, Bojan and Jeffren but still lacked the craft, speed and imagination to open up a packed defence.

Inter were content to soak up the pressure and shamelessly waste time, waiting for the clock to run down on Barca’s reign as European champions.

Barca’s frustration led to a series of hopeful long shots, none of which troubled Julio Cesar.

Bojan then had a second goal correctly disallowed for handball by Yaya Toure.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: aggregate, April 29, bayern munich, Champions League Final, Fouls, Gerard Pique, Inter Milan, interruptions, Javier Zanetti, Joan Laporta, jose mourinho, last tuesday, lionel messi, real madrid, Samuel Eto O, san siro, Scares, six minutes, striker, Thiago Motta

Barcelona undone by 10-man Inter and Mourinho

April 30, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Inter Milan battled for more than an hour with 10 men to book their place in next month’s Champions League final at the expense of holders Barcelona on a triumphant night for the Italian side’s coach Jose Mourinho.

The Spanish holders won the semi-final second leg 1-0 but Inter went through 3-2 on aggregate after a pulsating encounter at Barca’s Nou Camp stadium to reach their first final of Europe’s elite club competition since 1972.

They will play Bayern Munich in the final at Real Madrid’s Bernabeu stadium on May 22.

Mourinho, a former assistant coach at Barca, raced onto the pitch at the final whistle, his wild eyes fixed on the small section of triumphant Inter fans as he pointed a celebratory finger to the sky.

He clashed with Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes as a hail of objects rained down from the stands before he returned to the embrace of his ecstatic players.

“It’s an incredible joy, I’ve won the Champions League (with Porto in 2004) but I must say today was better than winning the Champions League,” Mourinho told Rai TV.

After losing last week’s semi-final first leg in Milan 3-1, Barca coach Pep Guardiola fielded an ultra-attacking formation and with the home fans roaring their support the visitors’ defence came under immediate pressure.

For all their early possession Barca were struggling to create chances and a Pedro volley in the 22nd minute that flashed narrowly wide was their first real effort on goal.

MAGNIFICENT REARGUARD

Tempers boiled over five minutes later when Inter midfielder Thiago Motta flung out an arm in a challenge with Sergio Busquets which sent the Barca player tumbling to the turf clutching his face.

Former Barca player Motta, who had already been booked, was sent off, sparking a melee in which he grabbed Busquets by the back of the neck before being led away.

The dismissal was the cue for a magnificent rearguard action from Inter who dealt with almost everything the fearsome Barca attack could throw at them.

Champions League top scorer Lionel Messi curled a shot that Julio Cesar acrobatically tipped around the post before a thunderous Zlatan Ibrahimovic free-kick flashed just wide.

As the clock ticked down in the second half, substitute Bojan Krkic missed a sitter of a header but a minute later centre back Gerard Pique, moved by coach Guardiola to a last-ditch striking role, made amends with a superbly taken goal in the 84th minute that gave Barca hope.

The Spain international controlled the ball in the penalty and showed a striker’s touch to spin away from Cesar and the Inter defenders and slot into an empty net.

With the noise levels rising ever higher, Barca pressed for the goal that would send them through and had an effort from Krkic at the death disallowed when Yaya Toure was adjudged to have handled the ball in the build-up.

“We defended very well, very compact, and we fought on every metre,” Inter midfielder Wesley Sneijder, who moved to Inter from Real Madrid before the start of this season, said in a television interview.

“We gave everything, that’s what we said to each other before the game, and we did it and now we go to Madrid.

“You always have a tactic to destroy the opponent. We did it in Milan and tonight as well.”

(Additional reporting by Mark Elkington in Barcelona and Mark Meadows in Milan; editing by Miles Evans; To query or comment on this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: assistant coach, barca, bayern munich, Bernabeu Stadium, busquets, Champions League, club competition, Elite Club, goalkeeper, Home Fans, Inter Milan, Italian Side, melee, Mourinho, nou camp stadium, pep guardiola, real madrid, tempers, Victor Valdes, Wild Eyes

Bayern slam Ribery’s Champions League final ban

April 30, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Bayern Munich have reacted angrily and will appeal against the three-match ban imposed on Franck Ribery on Wednesday that will rule the France midfielder out of next month’s Champions League final.

“In detailing the reasons for their verdict … UEFA said Ribery was guilty of assault,” the Bundesliga club said on their website (http://www.fcbayern.t-home.de).

“FC Bayern cannot accept this verdict in any sense and holds that it is entirely false. The accusation of assault is inapplicable in this case,” the club added.

“Ribery cannot be accused of intentionally attempting to injure his opponent … Lisandro Lopez was able to continue the match uninjured. FC Bayern and Franck Ribery cannot accept the verdict and will lodge an appeal, using all legal remedies at the club’s disposal.”

The influential Ribery was sent off for a bad tackle on Olympique Lyon striker Lopez in the first half of last week’s semi-final first leg.

The red card meant he was automatically suspended for the second leg in France on Tuesday, which Bayern won 3-0 to advance 4-0 on aggregate, and European soccer’s governing body UEFA then decided to add two further games to his punishment.

The Champions League final, to be held at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium on May 22, will be against Inter Milan or Barcelona.

SIGNIFICANT BLOW

Ribery’s absence, if confirmed, would be a significant blow to Bayern who have reached the final for the first time since they won the competition in 2001.

The Frenchman joined the club in 2007 and made an immediate impact, helping the Bavarians win a league and cup double in his first season.

The 27-year-old, though, has yet to decide whether he will stay at Bayern at the end of the campaign.

Ribery’s sending-off against Lyon came after it emerged he had been quizzed by French police as a witness in a prostitution investigation.

Bayern coach Louis van Gaal said at the time he felt Ribery’s tackle was a yellow card offence.

“I thought, watching from the bench, he stood too long on the opponent’s leg,” Van Gaal said. “I do not think it was a red card because it was the inner foot and not a foul with full force.”

Bayern are still chasing a Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League treble.

(Writing by Brian Homewood, editing by Tony Jimenez. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: accusation, Bavarians, bayern munich, Body Uefa, Champions League, European Soccer, Fc Bayern, Fcbayern, Franck Ribery, french police, frenchman, governing body, Inter Milan, Lisandro Lopez, Louis Van Gaal, Olympique Lyon, real madrid, santiago bernabeu stadium, striker, yellow card

Barcelona undone by 10-man Inter and Mourinho

April 29, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment