Mourinho likely to join Real Madrid

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.

Arsenal can win Champions League: Bendtner

London, Mar.10 (ANI): Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner believes Arsenal can win the Champions League after scoring his first ever hattrick last night.

The Mirror quoted Bendtner, whose stunning treble destroyed Porto, as saying: “This will give us a lot of confidence. We want to win the Champions League. It’s something we haven’t done.”

Delighted Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger also paid tribute to Bendtner after his team’s brilliant win completed their first ever comeback from an away leg defeat in the Champions League.

Wenger said: “Football can change very quickly in three days, it goes quickly up and quickly down. It shows you he’s not lost his confidence, he came back with focus and the same belief. It’s one of his strengths.”

Wenger insisted his team could also rule Europe after their amazing victory – and the Arsenal manager says he is ready to face Chelsea or Manchester United in the quarterfinals. (ANI)

Arsenal to risk playing Fabregas to keep Euro dream alive

London. Mar 8 (ANI): To keep Arsenal’s Euro dream alive, manager Arsene Wenger is ready to risk playing skipper Cesc Fabregas.

The Gunners skipper limped off in the 3-1 win against Burnley with a tight hamstring and is doubtful for tomorrow’s Porto clash.

It is the same injury that kept Fabregas out for three weeks last month.

“I’m ready to take the gamble. But if there is more than a 50 per cent chance of his hamstring going I will not take it,” The Sun quoted Wenger, as saying.

“You look at the Fabregas numbers and they are amazing 14 goals and 15 assists. He’s a fantastic player with fantastic attitude and commitment,” he said.

“And what people forget, an unbelievable work-rate, too. This season he has taken a big step forward, massive. At 22 years of age he has matured,” Wenger added.

Fabregas will have a scan today to assess the extent of the injury.

Arsenal need to overcome a 2-1 deficit and will be boosted at the Emirates by Sol Campbell’s recovery from a muscle injury. (ANI)

Arsenal to risk playing Fabregas to keep Euro dream alive

London. Mar 8 (ANI): To keep Arsenal’s Euro dream alive, manager Arsene Wenger is ready to risk playing skipper Cesc Fabregas.

The Gunners skipper limped off in the 3-1 win against Burnley with a tight hamstring and is doubtful for tomorrow’s Porto clash.

It is the same injury that kept Fabregas out for three weeks last month.

“I’m ready to take the gamble. But if there is more than a 50 per cent chance of his hamstring going I will not take it,” The Sun quoted Wenger, as saying.

“You look at the Fabregas numbers and they are amazing 14 goals and 15 assists. He’s a fantastic player with fantastic attitude and commitment,” he said.

“And what people forget, an unbelievable work-rate, too. This season he has taken a big step forward, massive. At 22 years of age he has matured,” Wenger added.

Fabregas will have a scan today to assess the extent of the injury.

Arsenal need to overcome a 2-1 deficit and will be boosted at the Emirates by Sol Campbell’s recovery from a muscle injury. (ANI)

Arsenal to risk playing Fabregas to keep Euro dream alive

London. Mar 8 (ANI): To keep Arsenal’s Euro dream alive, manager Arsene Wenger is ready to risk playing skipper Cesc Fabregas.

The Gunners skipper limped off in the 3-1 win against Burnley with a tight hamstring and is doubtful for tomorrow’s Porto clash.

It is the same injury that kept Fabregas out for three weeks last month.

“I’m ready to take the gamble. But if there is more than a 50 per cent chance of his hamstring going I will not take it,” The Sun quoted Wenger, as saying.

“You look at the Fabregas numbers and they are amazing 14 goals and 15 assists. He’s a fantastic player with fantastic attitude and commitment,” he said.

“And what people forget, an unbelievable work-rate, too. This season he has taken a big step forward, massive. At 22 years of age he has matured,” Wenger added.

Fabregas will have a scan today to assess the extent of the injury.

Arsenal need to overcome a 2-1 deficit and will be boosted at the Emirates by Sol Campbell’s recovery from a muscle injury. (ANI)

Drogba aims to be part of Chelsea history

London, Sep 19(ANI): Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, who is closing in on 100 goals for the club, dreams of being one of the best players to have represented the Blues.

Drogba has scored 98 goals for Chelsea since his 24 million pound move from Marseille five years ago.

“To be able to score 100 goals for Chelsea is a very big achievement. I have never done that with any of my other teams. It shows how settled I am here and now I want to go on and break all the club records I can,” The Sun quoted Drogba, as saying.

“I am a striker and it’s really important for me to get goals and try to make history at this club. I was already a part of Chelsea history when we won the Premier League for the first time in 2005 and then defended our title a year later,” he added.

The 31-year-old further said that all the players aim to succeed, and want to see their names go down in the club’s history, so the achievement would be something that he would relish.

“I hope that one day we can all come back to Chelsea and get the applause from the fans. Because that would mean we have achieved something big and special,” Drogba said.

“It would make me really proud because when I see the former Chelsea players go round the pitch I think ‘That’s because they did something special’. It makes me realise the history here at this club and it’s something I want to be a part of for many years,” he added.

Bobby Tambling, who played for the Blues from 1959 to 1970, leads the way with 202 goals. Kerry Dixon is second on the list with 193 goals, while Roy Bentley and Peter Osgood are joint third with 150 goals.

Drogba, who missed the Champions League game againt Porto through suspension, will be looking forward to score the two goals during his return match against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. (ANI)

Laser cooling may be used to create “exotic” states of matter

Washington, September 9 (ANI): In a new study, scientists have determined that the technique of laser cooling could be used to create “exotic” states of matter.

According to a report in National Geographic News, in a new technique, Martin Weitz and Ulrich Vogl of the University of Bonn in Germany used a laser to bring the temperature of dense rubidium gas far below the normal point at which the gas becomes a solid.

Previous research had been able to use lasers to quickly “supercool” only very diluted gases.

But, “here’s a case where you shine a laser on something and it actually cools down, and not just a handful of atoms, but a macroscopic object,” said Trey Porto, a physicist with the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s laser-cooling group.

The process could be used to create fascinating new states of matter, according to the study authors.

“For example, if you can very quickly cool water much lower than zero Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit), where it would normally turn to ice, exotic crystalline and glassy states of matter would be predicted,” Weitz said.

The new technique could also be used in cooling mechanisms to boost the efficiency of some stargazing equipment, he added.

“If you could cool thermal cameras that look at the stars, they may have less noise and be more sensitive,” he said.

Since a laser’s color is linked to its intensity, the new technique is based on using a red laser in which the frequency has been adjusted so that the beam affects the atoms only when they collide with each other.

Weitz and Vogl shone this laser beam into gaseous rubidium atoms in a high-pressure “atmosphere” of argon.

In the experiment, the rubidium gas fell from 662 degrees Fahrenheit (350 degrees Celsius) to almost 536 degrees Fahrenheit (280 degrees Celsius) within mere seconds.

Much more research needs to be done before the laser-cooling process can be used in real-world applications, study co-author Weitz cautioned.

But, NIST’s Porto said the work already represents a major departure from traditional cooling of diluted gases, which are currently used for studying quantum effects or preparing gas samples for atomic clocks.

“I think the really amazing thing is that you can even get cooling in this regime, because it’s a really dense gas and a very different mechanism,” Porto said.

“Traditional cooling powers are so tiny. To cool a physical object by a measurable degree with a laser is amazing,” he added. (ANI)

Diego signs with Juventus in move from Bremen

Rome – Brazilian playmaker Diego has signed a five-year contract with Serie A side Juventus in a move from Werder Bremen, both clubs confirmed on Tuesday.

Juve said on their website that they will pay a transfer fee of 24.5 million euros (34.2 million dollars).

Diego Ribas da Cunha, 24, is expected to earn 3.5 million euros per season.

“I’m enthusiastiv about Juventus and proud to become part of such a prestigious club, which I have dreamt of since I was boy,” Diego said on Juve’s website.

“After the experiences in Portugal and in the (German) Bundesliga I can measure myself with a football of very high level, in a very difficult and competitive league.”

Diego came to Bremen in 2006 for 6 million euros from Portuguese club Porto and was rated the best midfielder in the Bundesliga.

His original contract was until 2011, but he will now play his last match for the Northern German UEFA Cup runners-up on Saturday in the German cup final against Bayer Leverkusen.

Diego underwent the mandatory medical in Turin on Monday and the same day both clubs finalized the deal. (dpa)

Mourinho at Inter Milan until 2012

Rome – Coach Jose Mourinho has renewed his contract with Inter Milan to 2012, the Italian football champions said on their website late Monday.

The agreement quelled rumours that the Portuguese coach was considering a transfer to Spain powerhouse Real Madrid after a first successful season in Milan.

Inter said they extended the original contract expiring in 2011 “replying to the coach’s will to continue with the project undertaken together a year ago, a will the club welcomed as a signal of attachment and winning spirit.”

La Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Tuesday that the 46-year-old coach will continue earning 9.5 million euros (13.3 million dollars) per season, with a severance clause worth 7 million euros.

Mourinho boasts two titles won in Portugal with Porto and as many with London side Chelsea. Earlier this month, he secured the Serie A title with Inter three games ahead of the end of the season. (dpa)

Diego takes medical tests ahead of move to Juventus

Rome – Brazilian playmaker Diego was undergoing medical tests in Turin on Monday to complete a move from Werder Bremen to Serie A side Juventus, the ANSA news agency reported.

Juve reportedly paid Bremen 26 million euros (36.4 million dollars) for the 24-year-old Diego Ribas da Cunha, who is expected to sign a five-year contract.

The Turin side at the weekend secured qualification to the next Champions League with one game remaining in the Serie A season.

Diego will complete his three years in Germany on Saturday when Bremen play Bayer Leverkusen in the cup final. He moved to Werder from Portuguese giants Porto, where he arrived in 2004 after an initial stint in Brazil with Santos. (dpa)

Man U’s Fergie says he can smell title thanks to Ronaldo

London, May 9 (ANI): Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson has warned Manchester City that his team can smell the Premier League title thanks to striker Cristiano Ronaldo who has fired seven goals in the last eight games.

Boss Ferguson believes his Manchester United players are as up for a derby as they have ever been, with the finishing line fast approaching in both the Premier League and Europe.

And he insists, tomorrow, City will meet a team who have hit top form at just the right time.

The Sun quoted Fergie as saying: “A lot of our players are smelling the big games now. They are beginning to smell the atmosphere of the big games.

They smell the occasion more and that’s encouraging us more. Look at the last few weeks. We’ve had a fantastic performance at Porto and two fantastic displays against Arsenal – plus the second half with Tottenham was superb and we produced a really good performance at Middlesbrough. The team has come to top form at the right time. I’d like to say it is all down to our preparation but, to be honest, it is not. I think it is more that the players smell the situation so well.”
“They like the big-game situation, they have proved that. They have proved they can handle it. We’re in good form now,” he added.
Ronaldo has scored 25 goals this season, which is a far cry from the 42 that he scored in the last season, but it is still a fantastic tally for a player regarded as a wide player. (ANI)

Ronaldo’s sister robbed in Portugal for Porto’s defeat

Madeira (Portugal), May 9 (ANI): Manchester United and Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister, Elma, was robbed by soccer yobs in revenge for the Portuguese ace scoring against their side.

Three Porto fans looted her clothes shop.
Elma, 34, could only watch as they took gear worth thousands, snarling: “Your brother’s a cuckoo. He scored against us.”

Elma, whose store in Madeira was bought for her by Ronaldo, 24, said: “I couldn’t do anything in case they hit me.” (ANI)

Rooney pulls out of FA Cup semi-final with a fractured foot

London, Apr.18 (ANI): Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney has been ruled out of tomorrow’s FA Cup semi-final amid fears he that has a fractured metatarsal.

Club coach Alex Ferguson is set to throw in Federico Macheda for his first start at Wembley.

Ferguson admitted that he would make changes after the midweek Champions League win over Porto – in which Rooney was seen limping briefly – with one eye on next Wednesday’s league game against Pompey.

By pitching Macheda, 17, Ferguson is putting his remarkable unbeaten record in FA Cup semi-finals on the line. Ferguson has won all eight of his previous semi-final ties, with four going to replays.

He believes Everton could prove the sternest test yet with David Moyes desperate to underline seven years of impressive progress at Goodison Park by winning his first trophy.

Ferguson accepts he will be open to criticism if he doesn’t field his strongest team but argues that United’s overloaded fixture list means he has to rotate his players. (ANI)

Over 300 would-be migrants arrive on Italian islet

Lampedusa, Italy – More than 300 would-be migrants landed Thursday on the Italian islet of Lampedusa when three vessels carrying them were escorted to shore by authorities.

The first and largest group – 239 people including 45 women and two children – arrived at dawn after their vessel was intercepted by a Italian coastguard patrol, officials said.

Authorities are planning to transfer the migrants to a reception centre in Porto Empedocle in Sicily.

According to Italian government figures, a total of 36,900 would- be immigrants arrived in Italy by sea in 2008, a 75-per-cent increase over the previous year. Of these some
31,000 landed on Lampedusa, an islet situated south of Sicily.

Italian officials say they hope to see a decrease in such hazardous sea-journeys in May when an agreement between Rome and Tripoli involving stepped up patrols of Libya’s coastline, comes into effect.

Earlier in April, over 230 would-be immigrants are feared to have drowned in a shipwreck off the coast of Libya.(dpa)

‘We have a dream in our grasp,’ says Rooney

London, Apr.17 (ANI): Wayne Rooney and his Manchester United team-mates know they are within touching distance of the Premier League title and now have semi-finals in the FA Cup and Champions League.

The Sun quoted Rooney as saying: “We’re so close to glory now but just one defeat could shatter our dreams. We have to make sure we stay focused and prepare properly for the games we have left. Over the last few weeks we’ve had some terrible results – but maybe that has helped by reminding us what we had to do, by getting back to basics and defending as a team.”

“We showed that against Porto and in parts at Sunderland last weekend. We’re excited at the prospect of playing Arsenal. I love playing Arsenal and watching them – they’re such a great team and they play really good football,” he added.

“We’re looking forward to them and hopefully we’ll get through,” he said. (ANI)

Ronaldo the hero as United set up semi-final date with Arsenal By George Burns

Hamburg – A Cristiano Ronaldo wonder goal from all of 40 metres helped Manchester United beat Porto 1-0 Wednesday to book their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

United will now meet fellow English Premier League side Arsenal after goals from Theo Walcott, Emmanuel Adebayor and a Robin van Persie penalty ensured a 3-0 win over Spanish side Villarreal for the Gunners, who progress to the last four 4-1 on aggregate.

With Porto holding the advantage on the away goals rule after the quarter-final first-leg at Old Trafford finished 2-2, United needed to score to have any chance of progressing and Ronaldo duly obliged with his unstoppable strike after just six minutes.

Although Porto came close themselves five minutes before the break when Bruno Alves headed narrowly wide, United dominated position in the first period and could have gone two up on 43 minutes when John O’Shea headed a Ryan Giggs into the path of Nemanja Vidic but the Serbian defender sent the ball over the bar from five metres.

Porto started the second half the brighter and Mariano Gonzalez should have done better than heading tamely wide when allowed to rise unchallenged in the United area on 54 minutes.

Hulk fired a free kick straight at Edwin van der Sar four minutes later but the Dutch goalkeeper almost gifted Porto a goal when he badly misjudged a corner from the right but Rolando sent his header over from a tight angle.

Porto continued to press with time running out, with the best chance falling to Lisandro five minutes from time but his weak shot was easily saved by Van der Sar.

However, United hung on to become the first English side to win a competitive match at Porto and progress 3-2 on aggregate and set up a clash with Arsenal, who had a much easier time of it against Villarreal at the Emirates.

Arsenal only needed to keep a clean sheet to be certain of qualifying but the fans’ nerves were settled after 10 minutes when Cesc Fabregas backheeled Emmanuel Eboue’s pass into the path of Walcott, who clinically dispatched the ball past goalkeeper Diego Lopez to make it 1-0.

Adebayor made it 2-0 on the hour mark and any faint hopes Arsenal had of a comeback ended nine minutes later when Arsenal were awarded a penalty when Diego Godin was adjudged to have fouled Walcott in the area.

Sebastian Eguren subsequently saw red after picking up a second yellow card for protesting while before Van Persie slotted the spot kick home to make it 3-0.

In Tuesday’s quarter-final matches, Chelsea drew 4-4 with Liverpool to progress 7-5 on aggregate while Barcelona drew 1-1 with Bayern Munich to prevail 5-1 on aggregate.

The semi-finals are scheduled for April 28 and 29 with the return legs on May 5 and 6. (dpa)

Only Ronaldo can save Man U, feels Fergie

London, Apr.15 (ANI): Manchester United coach-cum-manager Sir Alex Ferguson has urged striker Cristiano ­Ronaldo to emulate Roy Keane’s Turin tour de force and keep the club in the hunt for the Champions League title in their match against Porto tonight.

Last season’s top marksman in Europe’s elite tournament with eight, Ronaldo has only scored once in it this term and, significantly, only four of his 20 goals in all competitions have come away from Old Trafford.

At the same time last season, he had scored 38 goals, with 14 coming on his travels and he ended up with 42, of which 16 were scored on away grounds.

According to the Daily Express, Ferguson’s prediction before last week’s home leg that his star players would rise to the big occasion proved wide of the mark, certainly in Ronaldo’s case.

His misplaced pass led to Porto’s early goal and he was constantly frustrated in his efforts to make amends as the Portuguese champions snatched a 2-2 draw that makes them favourites to reach the last four.

A decade has passed since they last won a knockout tie in Europe after playing at home first – the semi-final epic with Juventus. In 1999 they had been held to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford and were 2-0 down after only 11 minutes in the Stadio delle Alpi. (ANI)

Porto says Ronaldo is nothing special

London, Apr.15 (ANI): Porto’s Aly Cissokho has taunted Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo snorting: You’re nothing special.

Manchester United go to Portugal knowing they need to win or draw by more than 2-2 in order to make the semi-finals of the Champions League.
The Portuguese champs have the upper hand after drawing 2-2 in the first leg at Old Trafford, reports The Sun.

“For me Ronaldo is like all the other players. I will take care and be focused. I’m certain and have faith in my ability. I won’t change the way I play. I’ll be equally focused as any other game.” (ANI)

Man U says it is ready for a scrap with Porto

London, Apr.14 (ANI): Manchester United has warned Porto that they are ready for a scrap and won’t loosen their grip on the Champions League crown.

United go into tomorrow’s quarter-final second leg knowing no English side have beaten Porto at home in 12 attempts.

Alex Ferguson’s men were held to a 2-2 draw by the Portuguese side at Old Trafford last week.

Midfielder Michael Carrick insists the holders have a determination to win back-to-back Euro titles.

“We’re English and European champions and we don’t want to let either trophy go – we’re probably even more determined than we were last year to stay on top. There’s always a real determination for success and thankfully we’ve had that in recent years. But we want it again. We can beat anyone on our day, so we will go to Portugal with confidence and believing we can win,” The Sun quoted Carrick, as saying.

The last time United went to Porto five years ago they lost 2-1 and then drew 1-1 at home as they were dumped by Jose Mourinho’s team in the first knockout stage.

Boss Ferguson said: “They are a different proposition now with an introduction of Brazilian and Argentine players into their team. This has given them both a flair and toughness that is very much in evidence when they play at home.” (ANI)

Porto’s Mariano says Man U will be finished off

London, Apr.14 (ANI): Porto’s Mariano Gonzales insists that he will make Manchester United look ordinary at Old Trafford in tomorrow’s face-off.

Gonzalez beat Edwin van der Sar in the 89th minute to give Portugal’s champs a 2-2 draw last week and complete “the best day of my life”.

Now, according to The Sun, the midfielder is determined to finish the job in the return leg to reach the Champions League semi-finals.

He said: “We know it’s going to be more difficult than in Manchester because United will arrive here looking for victory and needing goals. But the loss of Rio Ferdinand could be very important for them. Also, Cristiano Ronaldo wasn’t decisive in the first leg and now he has to play under all the pressure and atmosphere our ground will generate, while knowing he could easily be going out of the competition. Obviously we have to avoid making errors, but we’ll be happy to maintain our concentration and keep the game goalless. We have our own dreams,” he said.

“But as a team we showed why Porto are the Portuguese champions and that we can defeat anyone in Europe. United were not better than us at Old Trafford – and they know that. We can make it a very nervous night for them,” he added. (ANI)