World Cup Set To Be Betting Bonanza

June 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

MILTON KEYNES, UNITED KINGDOM, Jun 11 (MARKET WIRE) –

The 2010 World Cup will be the biggest gambling event in the history of
the world. A report this week by the London based Global Betting and
Gaming Consultants projected that a staggering GBP 3.35 billion would be
waged on the tournament, of which an estimated GBP 1 billion will be in
the UK.

So, as the tournament gets under way, who have the punters been backing
and avoiding?

Two of the most popular nations with backers have been Argentina and the
Netherlands. Under Diego Maradona, no-one previously gave the
Argentineans much of a hope and their qualification for South Africa was
only secured in the final match. However, the club form of the likes of
Diego Milito and Lionel Messi has seen Argentina backed in to just 13/2
from as long as 9/1 some months ago.

Another nation to have received plenty of support from punters over
recent weeks has been Holland. Indeed, striker Robin van Persie has been
the subject of a huge gamble by backers and his odds of winning the World
Cup Golden Shoe have been slashed from 25/1 to just 11/1.

Paddy Power, the leading Irish bookmaker who offer a range of World Cup
odds, said, “Just a few weeks ago you could have backed the Dutch at
14/1 to finally win the World Cup. After the classy performances of Arjen
Robben and Wesley Sneijder in the Champions League, and the return to
fitness of key man Robin van Persie, it’s now just 9/1 that the
Netherlands will lift the trophy in Johannesburg on 11th July.”

Whilst the 1978 finalists might have plenty of support in the markets,
there has been little confidence in the two teams who contested a
thrilling 2006 quarter final in Gelsenkirchen. Portugal reached the
semi-finals in Germany but after a poor qualifying campaign have seen
their odds drift from 18/1 to 25/1 to win the World Cup. Star man
Cristiano Ronaldo hasn’t scored a competitive goal for his country since
2008 and is out to 18/1 to be the leading scorer in South Africa.

England have also seen their odds drift after problems with form and
injuries. The one-time 11/2 third favourites have been gradually drifting
in the betting and are now 8/1 to reclaim the trophy they last won in
1966.

Paddy Power, a leader in World Cup betting, added, “Whilst there has
been some patriotic money on the Three Lions, as the tournament draws
nearer more and more people are looking elsewhere for the eventual
winners. Spain, Brazil, Argentina and Holland are now looking like the
favourites – although that could all change if England get off to a
flying start in South Africa.”

About Paddy Power

Paddy Power is Ireland’s biggest and most successful bookmaker.

Founded in 1988 by the merger of three existing Irish high street
bookmakers, Paddy Power takes an unconventional approach to betting and
gaming believing them to be firmly rooted in the leisure and
entertainment space.

As such its mission is to make ‘risk-based entertainment’ more accessible
and fun. It offers customers an unparalleled betting experience that is
great value; great fun and has the best service.

Through this strategy the company has developed a strong reputation as
“The Punter Friendly Bookmaker” and has become renowned for its
unique “Money Back Specials”.

Contacts:
Paddy Power
Carole Paul
0751-6490734
partners@paddypower.com

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

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Inter beats Bayern 2-0 to win Champions League

May 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Dutch master was bettered by hispupil when Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan strolled to a comfortable 2-0 victory in the Champions League final over a weak Bayern Munich team coached by his one-time boss Louis van Gaal.

Argentina’s Diego Milito scored twice on Saturday as Inter Milan squeezed the life out of a hesitant Bayern team to end a 45-year wait for its third title.

The victory might also signal Mourinho’s exit from Inter.

After the game, he said it was “more probable that I’ll go than stay.” He is tipped to take over at Real Madrid, where yesterday’s final was played.

The Argentina striker Milito scored in the 35th and 70th minutes at the Bernabeu Stadium to add the title to Inter’s triumphs back in 1964 and ’65.

The merited victory – Inter dominated the game – meant that Inter coach Jose Mourinho completed the triple triumphs of the Champions League and domestic league and cup successes and became only the third coach to win the title with two different clubs.

Mourinho, who won it with FC Porto in 2004, out-thought Bayern coach Louis van Gaal, the man he worked for while they were at Barcelona. This time the pupil was the master as Mourinho relied on his solid defense to snuff out the threat of Bayern’s Arjen Robben and expertly won the game on the counter-attack.

Milito’s two goals were taken with style and he had great support from attacking midfielder Wesley Sneijder and defensive midfielders Esteban Cambiasso and Javier Zanetti, the Inter captain who collected the trophy in his 700th appearance for the club.

The loss meant that Bayern missed out on the treble, having also won the domestic league and cups.

“We were not good enough to impose our game,” Van Gaal said. “Inter only reacted but they still won deservedly. The timing of the goals was decisive. The players learned today that it comes down to small details.

“I still have the feeling that we could have won. There were no great difference. We attacked, Inter defended. but you have to be in great shape to beat Inter and we were not today.

I still think Inter merited the win.”

Franz Beckenbauer, honorary president of Bayern, said Inter deserved its victory.”Bayern did not have its day. We had a few moments at the start of the second half but that was not enough,” he said. “They made fewer mistakes.”

After the final whistle, Mourinho walked onto the field and was congratulated by his players in a low key celebration by his standards. In the past he has been known to race across the pitch to celebrate some of his most famous victories, infuriating opposing supporters.

Before the medal ceremony, he left his Inter players and walked over to the Bayern camp, hugging van Gaal as he had promised at the news conference on the eve of the final.

Although Bayern had chances early in the second half, Inter’s defense was rock solid as it has been all through the competition, especially when it knocked defending champion Barcelona out in the semifinal.

The triumph was also a big one for Mourinho amid speculation that he might walk out on Inter and move to Real Madrid, the club that plays at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

The first half was a tale of the contrasting fortunes of two Dutchmen.

Bayern’s Arjen Robben, left rolling on the ground after three solid tackles by Inter defenders in the first 13 minutes, earned himself three shooting chances but couldn’t recreate the accurate strikes that eliminated Fiorentina and Manchester United.

Inter’s Wesley Sneijder, by contrast, forced Bayern ‘keeper Joerg Butt into a punching save and set up the first half strike by Milito.

From a huge kick upfield by Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar, Milito headed the ball on to Sneijder who returned it immediately with a superbly accurate pass through the Bayern defense. Milito held off a defender before firing past the ‘keeper from 12 meters, sparking wild celebrations among the Inter fans at the other end of the stadium.

It should have been 2-0 just before halftime when Sneijder and Milito combined again. This time the Argentina striker put the Dutchman clear but his shot was blocked by

Butt. In a fast-moving sequence in the opening minute of the second half, Bayern almost equalized and then went close to falling 2-0 behind.

Bayern opened up the Inter defense and Hamit Altintop presented Thomas Mueller with a clear shooting chance only for the 20-year-old striker to see his shot bounce off the ‘keeper’s legs.

Inter survived that scare to break out at the other end.

Milito burst down the left and crossed to Goran Pandev, whose left-footed lob was acrobatically finger-tipped over the bar by Butt.

Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar matched that when Robben’s shot from the corner of the area appeared to be curling inside the far post but the Brazilian dived to push it away.

It was a crucial save as Inter broke out to score a second which effectively killed off the game. Samuel Eto’o's pass found Milito on the left and the striker twisted past Daniel van Buyten before firing inside the far post in front of the Inter fans.

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Milito helps Inter end 45-year wait for Europe’s top prize

May 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Madrid, May 23 (DPA) A goal in each half by Argentina striker Diego Milito helped Inter Milan overcome Bayern Munich 2-0 in the Champions League final Saturday in Madrid’s Bernabeu stadium and end the Italian club’s 45-year wait for Europe’s top club title.

Coach Jose Mourinho may have dominated the build-up to this year’s final – not least because of what looks like his impending move to Real Madrid – but Milito stole the show on the pitch with two clinical finishes to help Inter become the first Italian club to register the treble of domestic league, cup and Champions League.

‘I cannot explain how I feel,’ said Milito, who also scored in all three Champions League knockout rounds as well as netting the winner in the Italian Cup final against AS Roma.

‘It’s a joy I have never experienced before. It is great for the club. It is a unique sensation. This is football. I’m very happy. I always fought. I always tried to give my maximum.’

Bayern were going for a treble themselves, but without the suspended Franck Ribery were overly reliant on Arjen Robben and were unable to break a resolute Inter defence down.

Bayern coach Louis van Gaal said Ribery’s absence made a huge difference. ‘It is always easy to say after a defeat that Ribery was missing.

‘We also played without Ribery against Lyon and Juventus and half the season. I don’t think it is respectful to the other players to point out the players that are missing.

‘But in a team with this style we need a creative player and Franck is a creative player and we missed him.’

Mourinho, meanwhile, joins Ernst Happel (Feyenoord and SV Hamburg) and Ottmar Hitzfeld (Borussia Dortmund and Munich) as the only coach to have won the European Cup/Champions League with two different clubs.

The Portuguese cried at the final whistle and certainly acted like he was saying farewell to Inter, but said in the press conference after the game, that he was the coach of the Seria A club and not Real. ‘I am very, very proud to be coach of Inter.

‘If I become coach of Real, would be because they are a huge club. They want to win. They are like Inter, they want to win not only at home, they also want to win in Europe.’

However, when he was asked directly when he was going to speak to Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, he said Monday.

He also confirmed that there were discussions going on between clubs. ‘But I don’t know my next project yet,’ he said.

Inter president Massimo Moratti noted his coach’s emotional response to the victory.

‘I hope it was not a sense of guilt,’ he noted wryly before adding that repeating the feat of his late father Angelo, who steered Inter from 1955 to 1968 was a magical feeling.

‘It’s a beautiful thing and I hope it remains in the heart of everyone as it did 45 years ago. We won a great cup and the team deserved it very much. Tonight we have to celebrate, then we’ll see.’

Although the Nerazzuri started the stronger, Bayern displayed the resilience that has been their trademark this season and slowly began to settle with Robben nearly finding Ivica Olic at the near post after 10 minutes.

Inter had to wait until the 18th minute for their first goal threat when a Wesley Sneijder free-kick took a slight deflection but Hans-Joerg Butt pushed the ball away to safety.

Despite having the edge in terms of possession, van Gaal was left fuming in the 35th minute when his side fell behind to a simple route-one effort from Inter.

Goalkeeper Julio Cesar’s long goal-kick was steered into the path of Sneijder by Milito, who latched on to the Dutchman’s return ball before clipping the ball over the advancing Butt to make it 1-0.

Samuel Eto’o nearly made his way through the Bayern defence two minutes later but Martin Demichelis managed to clear the danger while three minutes before the break Milito set up Sneijder, but the Dutchman fired straight at the approaching Butt.

In an electric start to the second half, Thomas Mueller nearly levelled matters when found by Olic in the box, but Bayern’s best chance of the match came to nothing as the midfielder’s weak strike was easily dealt with by Julio Cesar.

A minute later, Goran Pandev’s curling effort from the edge of the area was turned away by Butt as Inter almost caught the German champions out on the break.

Hamit Altintop’s shot hit the side netting on 53 minutes as Inter began to sit back, while nine minutes later Robben whipped in a fierce free-kick from the left that broke to Mueller, but his shot was headed clear by Esteban Cambiasso.

Julio Cesar was called into action once again on 65 minutes when he managed to claw away a Robben shot that looked destined for the top corner as Inter continued to play a dangerous defensive game.

Cristian Chivu was replaced by Dejan Stankovic shortly afterwards, having struggled for long periods against Robben, but with 20 minutes remaining Milito struck the killer blow with his second goal of the game and sixth goal of this season’s Champions League campaign.

Milito beautifully controlled Eto’o's pass before ghosting past Daniel van Buyten and calmly slotting the ball past Butt to make it 2-0.

Milito was given a deserved standing ovation when replaced by Marco Materazzi in added time as Inter fans celebrated their third Champions League triumph after distant successes in 1964 and 1965.

‘I am very happy for the president. He deserves this. The club deserves it,’ said Milito.

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Milito’s form shows why he was picked says Maradona

May 24, 2010 By 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)

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Grand occasion as Inter reclaim European crown at last

May 24, 2010 By 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)

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Late Totti penalty makes Inter wait for title

May 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Francesco Totti ended a tough week on a high on Sunday, hitting two late goals to give AS Roma a 2-1 over Cagliari and take their title battle with Inter Milan down to the final day of the season.

Leaders Inter did their job by beating Chievo 4-3 at home but the agonising win for second-placed AS Roma keeps them two points behind ahead of next Sunday’s final round of matches.

The battle for the fourth Champions League qualifying place will also go to the wire after Sampdoria in fourth drew 1-1 at fifth-placed Palermo following a penalty apiece.

Roma started with Totti despite the striker being widely condemned in the Italian media for kicking out at Inter Mario Balotelli and being sent off in Wednesday’s Cup final defeat.

Media reports also said Totti will not be included in Italy’s preliminary World squad on Tuesday after the Cup final incident prompted national coach Marcello Lippi to reject the striker’s offer to come out of international retirement.

If the controversy was bothering Totti, he did not show it.

First he hit the post and the bar as Roma fans began to look desperate as news filtered through of Inter winning.

Cagliari then scored midway through the second period against the run of play through Andrea Lazzari’s freekick to further dampen the mood.

But Totti went from fallen hero to Captain Marvel yet again when he quickly equalised and then converted a penalty seven minutes from time after Davide Biondini had handled.

BIZARRE START

Champions League finalists Inter, still on for a unprecedented Italian treble, had a bizarre start to their game with an own goal at each end within a minute of each other.

Inter midfielder Thiago Motta was unlucky to divert in Michele Marcolini’s free kick on 13 minutes before Andrea Mantovani deflected in Samuel Eto’o's strike straight away.

Argentine midfielder Esteban Cambiasso then put Inter ahead with a well-taken goal from Maicon’s cross on 34 minutes and compatriot Diego Milito netted a classy strike to score his 21st goal of the campaign in his first season with the champions.

Mario Balotelli, so often at odds with his coach this term, made it four early in the second period before goals from Pablo Granoche and Sergio Pellissier sparked a nervy finish.

The colourful San Siro crowd lost their verve as Totti netted the penalty but had earlier reserved a special chant for coach Jose Mourinho given constant media speculation he may leave because given he says he is unhappy in Italian football.

Samp’s draw will have allowed third-placed AC Milan a slight sigh of relief after Leonardo’s side lost 1-0 at Genoa in a game played behind closed doors because of fears of fan violence.

Faltering Milan are now assured of third spot and direct entry into next season’s Champions League because of a better head-to-head record over Samp.

Atalanta joined Siena and Livorno in being relegated to Serie B after a 2-0 defeat at Napoli.

The Bergamo-based side, known as the Queen of the Provinces for daring to lock horns with the big city teams, had put up a brave fight in recent weeks but will be back in the second tier next season for the first time since 2006.

(Writing by Mark Meadows; Editing by; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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Inter leaves door open for Roma

April 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Serie A top spot is AS Roma’s for the taking this weekend after leaders Inter Milan were held to an exciting 2-2 draw at Fiorentina.

Per Kroldrup poked home to earn Fiorentina a point in the 82nd minute just 60 seconds after Samuel Eto’o looked to have snatched a comeback win for the champions.

Inter’s Argentina forward Diego Milito had scored in the 75th minute to cancel out Brazilian Keirrison’s opener for the hosts in the 11th.

Second-placed Roma will move a point ahead of Inter, which has 67, with five games to go if it beats relegation-threatened visitors Atalanta when the rest of the league program is played on Sunday.

AC Milan, which is four points behind Inter in third, face Catania at the San Siro.

Inter looked to be cruising to a fifth straight scudetto in mid-February when it led by nine points but the exertions of reaching the Champions League semi-finals may have contributed to its domestic form stuttering.

“We’re not worried and we don’t think about what Roma will do,” Inter technical director Marco Branca told Sky television.

“They still have to play tomorrow. We played our match today against an excellent team. We could have won. We did what we had to do.”

Inter coach Jose Mourinho has stopped speaking to media before and after Serie A matches following a series of touchline bans for controversial comments and gestures.

His men made a bright start against a Fiore side who had several regulars initially on the bench, with the teams due to meet again on Tuesday in the Italian Cup semi-final second leg.

Wesley Sneijder and Samuel Eto’o forced good saves out of Fiorentina goal keeper Sebastien Frey and Diego Milito headed a great chance on to the post in the opening exchanges.

Keirrison, starting for Italy striker Alberto Gilardino, soon showed how dangerous the hosts could be though, steering the ball into an empty net to finish a silky move.

Inter coach Jose Mourinho tried to shake things up at half-time by bringing on Mario Balotelli and it looked to have paid off when the teenage forward set up Cameroon striker Eto’o's goal soon after Milito’s equaliser.

But Inter made a mess of defending a corner and Denmark’s World Cup-bound Kroldrup took advantage.

Earlier, Napoli’s hopes of taking Italy’s final Champions League qualifying place took a knock when it lost 3-2 at home to Parma and missed the chance to go fourth.

Sixth-placed Napoli stay on 49 points, two behind joint-fourth Palermo and Sampdoria, who are at home to Chievo Verona and city rivals Genoa respectively on Sunday.

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Inter’s top spot at risk after Palermo draw

March 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment

An exhausted Inter Milan outfit risked surrendering its long-held Serie A lead after drawing 1-1 at fourth-placed Palermo on Sunday (AEDT).

AC Milan, two points adrift, can overtake Inter with a win at home to Napoli on Monday morning while third-placed AS Roma is four points behind the leaders after Mirko Vucinic grabbed a hat-trick in a 4-2 victory at home to Udinese.

Eighth-placed Fiorentina earlier boosted its hopes of a Europa League berth with a 3-0 home win over seventh-placed Genoa.

Argentina striker Diego Milito gave Inter the lead on 11 minutes when he blasted home a penalty after Lucio had been hauled down by defender Cesare Bovo.

Palermo, winner of seven home league games since Delio Rossi took over as coach in November, was level midway through the first half when Uruguay’s Edinson Cavani fired in at the near post following Fabrizio Miccoli’s clever pass.

Either side could have won with Milito hitting the post from an impossible angle and heading just over before Cavani nodded wide for the Sicilian hosts.

Champion Inter, which has won just one of its last seven Serie A games but have been top since September, looked tired in the closing stages after its exertions in eliminating Chelsea from the Champions League midweek.

Jose Mourinho’s side has nine games left and hosts lowly Livorno on Wednesday before travelling to Roma on Saturday as a fifth straight scudetto looks much less likely than when it held a nine-point lead in February.

“I’m angry as we could have won at the end,” Palermo’s man-of-the-match Miccoli told Sky TV.

“But anyway we have drawn with champions Inter and the team deserves great applause.”

- Reuters

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Genoa beef up lineup with Crespo, Quaresma

May 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Genoa beef up lineup with Crespo, QuaresmaRome – Serie A side Genoa are close to hiring Hernan Crespo and Ricardo Quaresma from Italian champions Inter Milan after having secured a berth in the next Europa League.

Italian media on Tuesday reported that the arrival of Argentina striker Crespo, 33, and Portuguese Quaresma, 25, follow the sale of Argentine striker Diego Milito and Brazil midfielder Thiago Motta to Inter.

“There’s an agreement (with Inter about Quaresma),” Genoa president Enrico Preziosi said. “We buy half (of the ownership) for 10 million euros (14 million dollars).”

Quaresma failed to convince this season at Inter, who loaned him off to Chelsea in February. Preziosi said that coach Giampiero Gasperini was happy to welcome the midfielder.

Young striker Robert Acquafresca is also due to arrive from Inter, but could be loaned off to another team, while a place upfront next to Crespo should go to Sergio Floccari, who appears to join from Atalanta.

Genoa returned to the top flight in 2007 after 12 years in the lower division. They secured a berth in the Europa League, which replaces the UEFA Cup, well ahead of the season end on Sunday, and for several weeks even vied for a Champions League berth. (dpa)

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Genoa move closer to securing European berth

March 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Rome – Genoa moved up to fourth place in the Italian Serie A Saturday, winning 1-0 away to 10-man Cagliari through a late goal from substitute Ruben Olivera.

After an evenly balanced and fairly slow-paced half hour, Cagliari had a first chance when Uruguayan Diego Lopez headed against the post on 35 minutes.

However, the Sardinia hosts’ had their efforts seriously hampered four minutes later as midfielder Andrea Cossu was sent off with a second booking.

Genoa began seriously profiting from Cossu’s dismissal in the second half, but found a big hurdle in the great form of goalkeeper Federico Marchetti, who made great saves on two efforts from Giuseppe Sculli and blocked a fast shot from Bosko Jankovic.

The game flared up in the last 10 minutes as Cagliari veteran Michele Fini had a close-range drive saved before Argentine Diego Milito hit the bar and his Uruguayan team-mate Olivera nodded home the winner on 85 minutes.

The sees Genoa move on to fourth place ahead of Fiorentina, who play a daunting game at leaders Inter Milan late Sunday, after Roma visit Sampdoria looking to advance in joint-fourth position.

The last of four available Champions League berths is now more than a dream for Genoa, who in 2007 returned to the top flight after 12 seasons in the Serie B.

The seaside club was founded in 1893 by Englishmen and Scots who resided in the capital of the Liguria region with the name Genoa cricket and football club.

It is considered Italy’s oldest club and boasts nine national titles won between 1898 and 1924.

A late Saturday game pits second-place Juventus against lowly guests Bologna. Juve look to reduce their seven-point gap to Inter with 11 games left. (dpa)

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