latest football news: 2013-07-21

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Jurgen Klinsmann only focused on winning Gold Cup, not suspension

The U.S. boss was quick to move on from CONCACAF's controversial decision to suspend him and sees a Gold Cup final win as a major building block.

CHICAGO -- CONCACAF made headlines late Friday night when it decided to suspend United States head coach Jurgen Klinsmann for Sunday's Gold Cup final. While some have called the move controversial, Klinsmann decided to keep his reaction brief.

"It is what it is," Klinsmann said curtly in Soldier Field's media conference room.

Klinsmann has a bigger aim to focus on.

If the U.S. lives up to expectations by beating Panama in the Gold Cup final, it would cap what has been the best period of Klinsmann's U.S. tenure with his first ever

The striker secured the Blancos' win against Paris Saint-Germain while he hopes they will be able to settle quickly to the new tactics the Italian has adopted

Karim Benzema is eager for Real Madrid to continue going from strength to strength under Carlo Ancelotti after the Frenchman's strike sealed a 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday.

The 25-year-old struck in the first-half to ensure Ancelotti's triumphant return to the Parc des Princes and believes los Blancos can aspire to new heights under their new coach.

"We are still in preparation. The training sessions are heavy," Benzema told reporters after the match. "But little by little, we grow in strength. Ancelotti is a good

Pep Guardiola's first competitive game as Bayern Munich boss ended in defeat as Dortmund won the DFL-Supercup courtesy of a 3-2 win at Signal Iduna Park.

Marco Reus opened the scoring inside six minutes as a result of a goalkeeping blunder, before Arjen Robben equalized after halftime.

Bayern was undone by an attacking tidal wave soon after, with Daniel van Buyten and Ilkay Gundogan making it 3-1 seconds later, before Robben reduced the deficit. Substitute Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang teed up Reus for a fourth as Dortmund rallied to victory.

Guardiola deployed his 4-1-4-1 formation which was used extensively in pre-season, with Thiago Alcantara deployed deep in midfield, and Xherdan Shaqiri handed a

First-half goals from Robinho and the Dutchman ensured the Rossoneri victory, and now will entertain Chelsea or Inter in the preseason tournament on August 4

AC Milan kicked off the Guinness International Champions Cup tournament with a narrow win over Valencia in a pulsating clash.

Robinho made amends to put the Rossoneri ahead following a first-half penalty miss before Nigel de Jong placed an exquisite curling shot beyond Vicente Guaita to double Milan's lead.

Valencia pulled a goal back early in the second half as

The Frenchman was decisive against the Ligue 1 champions as the Spaniards' boss enjoyed a happy meeting with his former team

Carlo Ancelotti’s reunion with Paris Saint-Germain proved to be a successful one as Real Madrid continued its unbeaten start to preseason with a 1-0 win over the Ligue 1 champions in Gothenburg.

The Italian coach left the French outfit a matter of weeks ago to take charge at Santiago Bernabeu and saw Karim Benzema strike the opening goal for his side midway through the opening period.

Benzema’s effort was magnificently crafted down the

Jean Marie Dongou bagged a double as Gerardo Martino's new outfit put seven past the Norwegian side in Oslo

Barcelona cruised to its first win of the pre-season campaign, hammering Valerenga in Oslo on Saturday.

Alexis Sanchez, Cristian Tello and Lionel Messi all scored within the first 15 minutes, giving the Norwegians a mountain to climb. A goal just before halftime from Jonathan Dos Santos, a double from Jean Marie Dongou, and a late strike from Joan Roman sealed the win for the Catalan side.

It didn't take the Blaugrana long to open up their

The 60 million-euro summer signing from Atletico Madrid took his time to get going, but eventually found the back of the net

Radamel Falcao helped Monaco to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Leicester City in a preseason run out at the King Power Stadium.

The 27-year-old, who this week denied claims that he is in fact 29, took a while to get going at the sharp end of the Ligue 1 club's attack, but added to Layvin Kurzawa's goal before the break, and a late addition by Marcel Tisserand, to give Claudio Ranier's men the win.

The second half became something of

The Brazilian was in and out of the side under Jose Mourinho and will have to improve his physical condition if he is to make a mark under the Italian

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti says Kaka is too slow and revealed the midfielder is doing extra work to improve his speed, while adding that Paris Saint-Germain cannot buy success.

The Italian worked with Kaka at AC Milan and played a big part in transforming the Brazilian from one of the world's finest prospects to a polished world-class performer.

But after leaving Milan for Madrid in 2009, the 31-year-old has failed to set the heather alight at the Santiago Bernabeu and there have even been rumors of a return to

The 20-year-old has already scored during Manchester United's preseason and the defender believes his new teammate has "great individual skills"

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has hailed Wilfried Zaha as a "fantastic talent" and believes the winger has already impressed in his early career at Old Trafford.

The 20-year-old helped guide Crystal Palace to the Premier League last season and was signed by United in January before being loaned back to Ian Holloway's side for the remainder of the campaign.

Zaha netted during a preseason friendly against J.League side Cerezo on Friday and

The Spurs boss insists he cannot respond to speculation linking the winger with a move to Real Madrid but says the Wales international should be fit to start training after injury

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has refused to comment on reports suggesting that Real Madrid has launched a bid for Gareth Bale.

Madrid-based newspaper Marca claimed on Friday that Bale had also told Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy that he wanted a move to the Spanish capital this summer.

When asked about the reports at a press conference, Villas-Boas replied

Manchester City secured victory against Sunderland and United States international Jozy Altidore in the Barclays Asia Trophy thanks to a solitary first half goal from Edin Dzeko on a rain-soaked pitch in Hong Kong.
Manuel Pellegrini's side took the lead through Dzeko's unstoppable 10th-minute volley, smashing the ball into the back of the net, but the Bosnian missed a chance to wrap up the win from the penalty spot in the second half.

Paolo Di Canio named an unchanged side from

The playmaker has suffered from inconsistency ever since his move to les Parisiens in 2011, but his representative insists he will remain at Parc des Princes next season

Javier Pastore will not be leaving Paris Saint-Germain this summer, according to his agent Marcelo Simonian.

The 24-year-old arrived at Parc des Princes from Palermo for a reported 39.8 million euros in 2011 but has yet to live up to his sizeable price tag following two inconsistent campaigns.

That has led to reports Pastore could move to

The prolific attacker has made the decision to continue his career in Serie A and joins former Real Madrid teammates Jose Callejon and Raul Albiol

Napoli has confirmed the signing of Gonzalo Higuain from Real Madrid in a deal believed to be worth up to 40 million euros.

The Partenopei were in the market for a new striker following the 63 million-euro sale of Edinson Cavani to Paris Saint-Germain and quickly earmarked Higuain as the ideal replacement

Club president Aurelio De Laurentiis revealed the deal on

The Barcelona director reveals the young attacker has spurned advances from other clubs in order to fight for his place at Camp Nou

Barcelona director of football Andoni Zubizarreta claims Cristian Tello has rejected the chance to leave the club in order to fight for his place in the first team.

The 21-year-old has been linked with a move due to competition for places from the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Pedro and new signing Neymar, although he stressed last week his "dream" was to stay at the club for the foreseeable future.

Zubizarreta confirmed that Barca has received bids from other clubs for

The ex-Red Devils midfielder, who retired for a second time in May, believes the wantaway striker should shun a move to the capital and stay at Old Trafford

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has urged Wayne Rooney to reject the advances of Chelsea and Arsenal and remain at Old Trafford.

The London clubs have shown an interest in signing the 27-year-old striker this summer, who asked to leave the club at the end of last season - according to Sir Alex Ferguson.

But Scholes, who retired from football for a second time in May, is convinced that Rooney would be best served by staying with the

The Frenchman has revealed Arsenal is "not close" to making any signings, but is confident the club can challenge for honors without any new faces

Arsene Wenger has broken his silence on Arsenal's pursuit of Luis Suarez, claiming the north London club is "prepared to wait" to sign the Liverpool striker.

The Gunners made an improved 40 million-pound bid for the Uruguay international earlier this week, but with Anfield managing director Ian Ayre confirming the bid was rejected, Arsenal remains a long way away from agreeing a deal.

]"We are not close to signing

The Sweden star feels the side is far stronger following another summer of spending and is better prepared after last season's exploits in the competition

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is confident that Paris Saint-Germain has what it takes to challenge for the Champions League in 2013-14.

The Ligue 1 champion reached the quarterfinal stage last year before being edged out by Barcelona on away goals, but the Sweden star believes the team's experience in the tournament last season - coupled with another summer of big investment in the squad - has left les Parisiens with a genuine chance of European

The U.S. coach will be banned during the Gold Cup final in Chicago on Sunday after a CONCACAF Disciplinary Committee decision.

The United States advanced to the 2013 Gold Cup final under the guidance of head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. However, the German will not join his team on the sideline come Sunday, after the CONCACAF Disciplinary Committee suspended him for the final.

Referee Walter Quesada ejected Klinsmann in the final minutes of a 3-1 semifinal win over Honduras on Wednesday, and the region's Disciplinary Committee decided to levy a one-match ban.

"Mr. Klinsmann was ejected from the

The 20-year-old scored his first goal for the club in Friday's 2-2 draw with Cerezo Osaka and says he wants to be in the first team squad this season

Manchester United winger Wilfried Zaha does not want to be loaned out during his first season with the club.

United acquired the 20-year-old from Crystal Palace in January of this year before immediately loaning him back for the remainder of the 2012-13 campaign.

He went on to play a prominent role in the club's promotion to the Premier League via the playoffs and has subsequently been strongly linked with

Hummels interested in Barcelona move

The center back has admitted the Blaugrana are an exciting prospect for any player, while backing Dortmund's transfer policy of not pursuing marquee signings

Mats Hummels has admitted he would be interested in a move to Barcelona if the club approaches Borussia Dortmund for his services.

The center back, who began his career with Bayern Munich, is one of a number of central defenders believed to be on the Blaugrana's radar, with new boss Gerardo Martino eager to sure up a defense that looked vulnerable at times last term.

"I don't have a career plan and I will never have

The 28-year-old has been heavily linked with a move this summer, but the club has held its ground over the 30 million euro transfer fee it has placed on the striker

Valencia coach Miroslav Djukic has admitted that star striker Roberto Soldado could leave the club this summer.

Soldado's future has been the subject of much speculation, leading club president Amadeo Salvo to state that the 28-year-old could leave the Mestalla for 30 million euros (25.9 million pounds).
"The possibility that he will leave is real," Djukic is quoted as saying by Super Deporte.

"Soldado is our striker and

The midfielder refused to say when he might move back to Spain, while revealing his delight that former teammate David Villa got the transfer he wanted

Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla has played down rumours linking him with a return to La Liga with Atletico Madrid this summer.

The 28-year-old, who joined the Gunners from Malaga a year ago, was reported to be subject to heavy interest from los Rojiblancos this month, but he was keen to play down the transfer speculation.

"Much has been made the subject of Atletico Madrid, but I am very good in

The Swede wanted to refrain from saying the Real Madrid attacker is the greatest in the game and believes it is normal for PSG to be linked to him

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has branded Cristiano Ronaldo one of the best players in the world, but stopped short of suggesting he is the game's finest footballer.

Paris Saint-Germain have repeatedly been linked with a move for the Real Madrid forward, whose contract at the Santiago Bernabeu runs out in just under two years' time.

And ahead of a friendly between the European giants on

The Bavarians will be without two of their key men for the clash with their arch rival, as Pep Guardiola looks to get his hands on his first piece of silverware at the club

Bayern Munich will face Borussia Dortmund in the DFL-Supercup without Manuel Neuer and Franck Ribery through injury.

The Bavarians swept all before them last season, lifting a treble of major honors and beating BVB to both the Bundesliga and Champions League.

The two sides face off again on Saturday as Pep Guardiola looks to get his hands on his first piece of silverware at the Allianz Arena, but he will have to do

The Barcelona fullback says his teammates are struggling to put the coach's illness behind them, while adding that compatriot Neymar is delighted to be at the club.

Barcelona defender Adriano has stressed that former coach Tito Vilanova is still in the hearts and minds of the entire squad.

The 44-year-old Vilanova was forced to step down from his post last week as he continues his treatment for cancer and while he may be away from the team, he is has not been forgotten by his players.

"We're trying to raise our heads. We tried to

The Italian coach indicated that the Portugal star was special among the many top players with whom he has worked.

New Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has talked up the quality of star forward Cristiano Ronaldo.

Conducting a conference call with American reporters ahead of his team's participation in the Guinness International Champions Cup, the two-time European Cup winner was asked if the Portuguese was the best player he had ever managed, and he had nothing but praise for the forward.

The 53-year-old is confident his soon-to-be 37 million euro signing will prove a success with the Partenopei and is hopeful Juan Zuniga will opt against leaving the club

Napoli boss Rafa Benitez is backing Gonzalo Higuain to hit the ground running at the San Paolo when the striker finalises his move from Real Madrid.

The 25-year-old is expected to complete a €37 million deal to the Partenopei in the coming days having passed his medical with the Naples-based club earlier this week.

And Benitez is confident his acquisition will enjoy a

The striker, who joined the West London club in January from Newcastle, does not fear competition for places and is eager to prove his worth to boss Jose Mourinho.

Chelsea striker Demba Ba wants to fight for a first-team place at the club, rejecting any notion that he could leave.

The Senegal international will vie for a role up front at Stamford Bridge next season with the likes of Fernando Torres, Andre Schurrle and Romelu Lukaku, while Chelsea has also seen a bid rejected for Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney.

The former Newcastle forward insists he is

The new Barcelona coach has vowed to play attacking football with the Catalans and is delighted to have been given the chance to prove himself in Europe.

Gerardo Martino has insisted that he will be looking to instill his own football philosophy and ideas at Barcelona following his appointment as the club's new head coach.

Martino was named this week as the successor to Tito Vilanova, who was forced to step down due to health issues, and he is determined to have Barca continue playing attractive and attacking football.

"I want to find a style the players are comfortable with and also add my own personal touches, to introduce a few ideas of my own and make the team more

The Primera Division side's president Jose Maria del Nido was left fuming at the French outfit over their behavior during the switch, but PSG says it did not break any rules

Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido has hit out at Paris Saint-Germain, claiming his club were "mistreated" in the transfer of Kevin Gameiro.

The former Lorient star signed a five-year deal with Sevilla on Thursday after protracted talks between both sides, and Del Nido was not amused with the

The Belgium international finalizes his move to North London after agreeing on personal terms and passing a medical to become the second summer signing at White Hart Lane.

Tottenham has confirmed the signing of Nacer Chadli after the winger agreed personal terms and successfully completed a medical.

The North London club agreed on a fee with FC Twente on Sunday, and the deal for the versatile Belgium international is now complete. Chadli, who has 14 international caps to his name, scored 12 goals in the Eredivisie last season and will provide much-needed cover for Spurs in the final

The Blues' manager believes his Spanish striker will be happy and can benefit now that there is a battle for places at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes that competition for places up front next season can only benefit striker Fernando Torres.

After initially struggling at Stamford Bridge following his 50 million pound move from Liverpool, the Spain striker appears to be on his way back to rediscovering his best form, scoring 27 times in all competitions last season.

However, Torres was

Guardiola plays down storming Bayern preseason

Following victory over Barcelona, the coach says his side can still improve, and Toni Kroos is philosophical about his first-team chances.

Pep Guardiola has called for patience to build his vision of Bayern Munich despite enjoying a storming preseason so far.

As well as beating the coach's former club Barcelona on Wednesday 2-0, the Bavarians have dispatched the likes of Hamburg and Borussia Monchengladbach in the build-up to the new Bundesliga season.
The 42-year-old still sees room for improvement in the treble winner, however, and wants his team to increase its precision in front of goal ahead of the DFL-Supercup on Saturday against last season's
Champions League final opponent Borussia Dortmund

The midfielder says Carlo Ancelotti will be changing things up, Karim Benzema praises Zinedine Zidane's coaching and Alvaro Morata wants to emulate Raul.

Mesut Ozil says the tactics Real Madrid will be altered under new coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Jose Mourinho crafted a team that was destructive on the counterattack and clinical with possession, but the German midfielder - who wants to play in the center of the pitch this season for the Blancos - explained that the incoming boss is keen to see his side more comfortable with ball retention.

"The right wing is not my favorite position. I prefer to play

The Mexican teammate of the in-demand Spanish striker, who is wanted by Tottenham, is hoping Los Che can convince the 28-year-old to not leave

Valencia winger Andres Guardado is unsure where Roberto Soldado will be plying his trade next season amidst interest from Tottenham.

The north London club has become increasingly confident it can seal a deal for Soldado, with the player considering submitting a transfer request to speed up his exit from Los Che.

And Mexican winger Guardado has added fuel to the fire by admitting his doubt regarding whether the prolific striker will still be at the

Despite Manchester United rejecting Chelsea's offer, the Blues boss insists he is in no panic to secure the England international's signature

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has insisted he is calm regarding the club's attempt to lure Wayne Rooney to London, despite a lack of progress with the proposed transfer.

The Blues had an opening offer for the wantaway striker immediately rejected last Tuesday and are expected to return with an improved

The midfielder has denied suggestions he was close to joining Manchester United and says he had his heart set on a move to Bayern Munich this summer

Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara has hit out at Barcelona for undervaluing him during his time at the club.

The midfielder left Camp Nou for 20 million euros earlier in July, ignoring overtures from Manchester United to join up with former coach Pep Guardiola at the Allianz Arena.

"I wanted to feel valued," Thiago revealed to

The goalkeeper has left Napoli for 500,000 euros following the transfer of Rafael from Santos and ahead of the expected arrival of Pepe Reina from Liverpool

Roma has signed goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis from Napoli for a fee of 500,000 euros.

The Italy international, 36, has joined the Giallorossi on a two-year deal having seen his chances of retaining a first-team position at the Stadio San Paolo plummet this summer.

Rafael Benitez's arrival as head coach in place of Walter Mazzarri, who joined Inter in

Les Parisiens are determined to hold on to the 20-year-old, with Napoli waiting in the wings, but a deal to extend his stay at the Parc des Princes is far from being completed.

Marco Veratti is understood to be in contract talks with Paris-Saint Germain as speculation mounts over a return to Serie A after PSG received a "monstrous" offer from Napoli for his services.

The Italy midfielder is earning 800,000 euros a year and is meeting with club directors regarding an increase in wages for the upcoming season, while his agent Donato Di Campli insists some tempting offers are coming in from abroad.

The Brazilian center back has dismissed rumors surrounding a possible move to Barcelona, pledging his allegiance to the Ligue 1 outfit and owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

Thiago Silva has rubbished claims he will leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer amid interest from Barcelona.

The Brazil defender has been heavily linked with the Blaugrana, who see him as the main target to shore up an aging backline, but the 28-year-old insists he will honor his contract with Les Parisiens.

“There’s always this kind of speculation during the transfer period,”

The out-of-favor striker arrives at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on a five-year deal as a replacement for new Manchester City signing Alvaro Negredo.

Sevilla has agreed on a 10.2 million euro fee with Paris Saint-Germain to complete the signing of Kevin Gameiro.

The 26-year-old Gameiro arrives on a five-year deal and in search of first-team minutes after the arrival of Edinson Cavani put the striker further down the pecking order at the Parc des Princes.

Sevilla announced the signing in a statement on its official

While Arsenal has thus far failed to agree terms with the Belgian, and Manchester United remain linked with the left back, the Everton boss says that the situation is unchanged.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez has declared that there have been no new bids for star men Leighton Baines or Marouane Fellaini.

Arsenal reportedly activated Fellaini's release clause in June but has not agreed to personal terms, while Baines has reportedly been the subject of an offer from Manchester United, now managed by former Toffees boss David Moyes.

The Blues boss is as confident as ever in the midfielder's ability but is mindful of managing his workload, comparing his plans to how he used to utilize Claude Makelele.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho says that he will monitor Frank Lampard's playing time over the coming season.

The veteran signed a new 12-month contract last season, following a campaign in which he broke Bobby Tambling's goal-scoring record for the Premier League club, but Mourinho believes that a pragmatic approach is best to

The Bundesliga giant has opted to call off the midfielder's official goodbye in an attempt to avoid aggravating supporters ahead of the Super Cup clash with Bayern Munich.

Borussia Dortmund has decided to cancel the scheduled farewell ceremony for Mario Gotze ahead of this weekend's German Super Cup match against Bayern Munich, in order to prevent any supporter protests.

The Germany international angered BVB fans when announcing his decision to leave Dortmund for Bayern in a deal worth 37 million euros earlier this year, but Dortmund was nonetheless keen to give the 21-year-old an official goodbye and thank him for his contribution to the club's recent

The Scot was unwilling to give too much away when asked about the progress of the Red Devils' pursuit of the midfielder but confirmed Robin van Persie is fit to play on Friday.

Manchester United manager David Moyes has revealed that negotiations with Barcelona for Cesc Fabregas are "ongoing."

It emerged this week that the Premier League champion is willing to make a final 40 million euro bid after its second approach was rejected. Moyes has spoken candidly about United's desire to sign the former Arsenal captain in recent weeks, but he was unwilling to go into detail when asked about the current

The former Liverpool and Chelsea boss is delighted with the capture of the Real Madrid striker and has little doubt he will fill the goalscoring void left by Edinson Cavani.

Rafa Benitez is confident that Gonzalo Higuain will become an instant hit at Napoli and feels the Argentina international is exactly what the Serie A side needed in attack.
Club president Aurelio De Laurentiis announced on Wednesday that the 25-year-old forward has already passed a medical, and the Partenopei are expected to complete a deal imminently.
Benitez is thrilled to have Higuain, whose older brother Federico plays for the Columbus Crew, at Stadio San Paolo ahead of the coming campaign and has backed him to slot into the side seamlessly following the departure of

The Giallorossi legend has asked the club's vice captain to honor his 30th birthday by committing his future to Stadio Olimpico.

Francesco Totti has urged Daniele De Rossi to stay at Roma amid ongoing speculation that the midfielder could be on the move this summer.

Chelsea showed an interest in signing the Italy international in the early part of the offseason, while Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked with

The young forward had recently been linked with a summer transfer but has now opted to extend his stay in the Spanish capital for the next four years.

Real Madrid has confirmed that promising youngster Jese Rodriguez has signed a new contract with the Santiago Bernabeu side until the summer of 2017.

The Spain Under-20 star's previous deal was due to expire in 2014 and the attacker recently hinted at a potential transfer elsewhere in order to bolster his chances of first-team football; however, Jese has now ended all speculation about his future by inking a four-year extension with Madrid.

The former Barcelona and AC Milan star was delighted to have joined a prestigious group of players to win both the Copa Libertadores and Champions League.

Ronaldinho has voiced his delight with Atletico Mineiro's hard-fought Copa Libertadores win over Olimpia and has hit back at his critics who claimed the forward was in decline.

Mineiro was beaten 2-0 in the first leg of the final in Paraguay but turned things around in the return leg, as goals from Jo and Leonardo Silva leveled the tie before the Brazilians ultimately triumphed on penalties.

Ancelotti 'sorry' for Leonardo

The Italian says he always enjoyed a good relationship with the Brazilian at his former club, while Zinedine Zidane spoke about learning the coaching reins under the coach

Carlo Ancelotti has admitted he is "sorry" over Leonardo's decision to quit Paris Saint-Germain after he was given a 13-month ban for shoving a referee.

The Italian coach, who left PSG for Real Madrid earlier this summer, enjoyed a fruitful relationship with Leonardo at the Parc des Princes, as they secured several high profile signings during their time together

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Saturday, July 27, 2013

The Frenchman was decisive against the Ligue 1 champions as the Spaniards' boss enjoyed a happy meeting with his former team

Friday, July 26, 2013

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Wednesday, July 24, 2013