Cristiano Ronaldo wins Ballon d’or 2013

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Jan 13, 2014

The 33-year-old had been linked with a switch to the Turkish giants, but will now remain in Brazil as he hopes to earn a place in Luiz Felipe Scolari’s World Cup squad.

It was reported that the star had been in talks with Besiktas regarding a move, although club president Alexandre Kalil confirmed that he will be staying put.

“The fans can be annoying but Ronaldinho loves them, he has renewed his contract,” he posted on Twitter.

Ronaldinho has been capped 97 times by Brazil but has not featured for the national team since April last year.

Written by Steve Milne

FIFPRO WORLD XI!

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Jan 13, 2014

The Team of the Year has been announced tonight at FIFA’s award ceremony, and below you can see who made the starting XI!!!

GOALKEEPER – Manuel Neuer – Bayern Munich

DEFENDERS – Phillip Lahm (Bayern Munich), Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Dani Alves (FC Barcelona)

MIDFIELDERS – Andres Iniesta (FC Barcelona), Xavi (FC Barcelona), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich)

FORWARDS – Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint-Germain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

What are your thoughts of this then?

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Moyes denies Van Persie injury reports.

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Ben Reardon

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Jan 13, 2014

Manchester United manager David Moyes has suggested that it is wrong to speculate about striker Robin Van Persie, with rumours flying about that the striker may be out for another month.

Van Persie has made just two appearances for United since he scored the only goal against former club Arsenal in the 1-0 victory in early November, after struggling to recapture the form of his first season.

The influential Dutchman has sat out United’s last nine fixtures, with David Moyes sweating over the former Arsenal man’s fitness.

United sit seventh in the Premier League, after a difficult start to life under David Moyes.

Reports in the printed media had claimed the 30-year-old would be out for another six weeks, but Moyes dismissed those reports about the Netherlands international’s fitness.

“I don’t know where that has come from,” said Moyes after United’s 2-0 home win over Swansea on Saturday. “That would be wrong information as far as I am concerned.”

Speaking before the game, Moyes confirmed that Van Persie has recently been back in his native Holland to undergo treatment on the injury.

The United boss added: “We’re trying to get Robin back. He’s got a thigh strain similar to the one he had at Arsenal [in the second half of the 2007/2008 season].

“He never had an injury all last season. He took a corner against Shakhtar and felt his thigh so it was a freak thing really and not [aggravating] an injury he’d had before.

“It’s a different injury. We have to manage it correctly and he’s been to Holland to see a guy he works with there. So we’re doing everything we can to give him the right treatment and get him back as soon as we possibly can. But I don’t want to put a date on his return.”

The striker signed for United in the Summer of 2012, joining on a free from Arsenal, helping the Red Devils to the title that season.

By Ben Reardon

@BenReardon1

Sturridge pleased to be back.

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Ben Reardon

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Jan 13, 2014

Daniel Sturridge has stated his delight at his return to the Liverpool first team fold, after an unfortunate injury which left him on the sidelines for siz weeks.

But the England international returned to the squad in emphatic fashion, helping his Liverpool side to a 5-3 victory away at Stoke City, resuming his formidable partnership with Luis Suarez.

It did not take long for their understanding to click again on Sunday, with Sturridge making his return off the bench to score in the win at the Britannia.

Sturridge’s return reunited him with strike partner Luis Suarez, with Suarez in deadly form of recent late, and the two were instrumental in the Merseysiders win in the Potteries yesterday.

He helped to lay on Liverpool’s fourth for Suarez before rounding off the scoring himself, and the 24-year-old striker is convinced that Brendan Rodgers’ side can kick on from this point.

Sturridge told the Liverpool Echo: “I’m delighted with the result for the boys.

“It’s a difficult place to come and play and we showed a lot of character so we’re very happy with the result.

“Being out of the fold has been very hard for me mentally, but it’s also good that we’ve been getting results and working very hard as a team.

“It’s very hard when you’re on the side, watching a team, and you want to be involved in the fun and be out there.

Sturridge also hopes he can keep the partnership going, and keep the Reds in the hunt for a title challenge.

The striker concluded…

It’s very special for me, he’s a world-class player,” added Sturridge.

“We’ve got other world-class players out there and it’s important that as a team and a unit we keep working hard, take each game as it comes and try to get maximum points in every game we play.”

By Ben Reardon

@BenReardon1

Revolution Re-Sign Winger Donnie Smith

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Jan 13, 2014

The news keeps coming today for the New England Revolution. Per a team press release, they’ve re-signed midfielder Donnie Smith for the upcoming season. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We’re pleased to bring Donnie back this season,” General Manager Michael Burns said. “He’s a young player with great speed, and as a left-footed player, he’s also very versatile. We’re looking forward to seeing him develop further this year.”

Smith, 23, made one appearance in 2013, his rookie season in Major League Soccer. He started at left wing in the season opener at Chicago on March 9, but did not see any time the rest of the season.

The Revolution drafted Smith with the 21st overall pick of the 2013 MLS SuperDraft, and he appeared in six preseason games with the Revolution, recording one assist in the 3-1 win against the New York Red Bulls before signing with the club in late February. Smith was a 2012 NSCAA Scholar All-America at UNC-Charlotte, and scored four goals and added four assists in 19 appearances (16 starts) in his 2012 senior season.

In 2011, he earned second-team All-Atlantic 10 Conference honors, scoring five goals and adding three assists in 25 appearances (10 starts). He was recognized on the 2011 NCAA College Cup all-tournament team after helping the 49ers advance to the national championship match.

Smith is an out-and-out left winger, and he provides New England with depth on the left side of the midfield. He saw only a little more than half a game in 2013 when he started against the Chicago Fire in the Revs’ first game of the season on March 9th. He only featured in U.S. Open Cup play after that (where he was featured as a left-back), but he still stayed with the Revs in Foxboro for the entirely of the season instead of going out on loan the Rochester Rhinos.

Smith is a cost-friendly addition to the squad that adds valuable and versatile depth to the Revs’ attacking options. In all likelihood, though, he’ll still have his work cut out for him this season and will need to fight for minutes week-in and week-out.

Written by Steve Milne

Andre Villas-Boas: ‘I want to take an extended break’

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Jan 13, 2014

Former-Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has revealed that he has no plans to return to management just yet.

The Portuguese manager was sacked by Spurs after a poor run of results and after being spotted in Germany talking to Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola, he confirmed that he plans an extended break away from the game to re-fresh and re-charge his batteries.

The 36-year-old was linked briefly with the West Bromwich Albion job, but they eventually looked elsewhere and now with AC Milan firing their manager after a poor run of results, Boas may be linked with them also, but he has told reporters that he doesn’t want a return to management just yet.

“I have decided to take a break. I want to learn a bit and refresh my batteries, but I can’t imagine a life without football,” Villas-Boas told Abendzeitung Munich.

“I have learnt that it (the next job) has to fit 100 per cent, and the club has to value the coach.”

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Michael Bradley’s move to MLS good and bad

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Jan 13, 2014

It’s great for MLS. Bringing back an American player of Bradley’s caliber after eight years abroad is a major coup and cost the league a $10 million transfer fee. The league is desperate for more credibility in the United States and abroad, so having Bradley, Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey on MLS rosters certainly has to help. Those are three of the most famous and gifted U.S. players, and they all have chosen to make a living in MLS.

If all three prove their worth this summer at the World Cup, the biggest international stage, it would be a nice advertisement for MLS.

Let’s face it, how will MLS ever elevate its level of play if it doesn’t attract players away from Europe? The more talented players in the league, the better the league will be.

The move is also fabulous for Bradley personally. He gets to earn a handsome seven-figure salary and be much closer to his native New Jersey, which is a bigger deal now that he is married and a father. He also signed a long-term deal, reported to be for five or six years, and he didn’t have that kind of job security at Roma.

Bradley had started only five games this season, and the recent signing of Belgian Radja Nainggolan meant there were five midfielders battling for playing time. In Toronto, Bradley will be the star and surely will play far more minutes.

But Bradley’s transfer might not be so great for the U.S. World Cup team because, no offense to Toronto or MLS, Roma is an established European team that competes for Champions League berths. The level of play and competition there is higher than what Bradley will face in our domestic league.

Despite the evolution of MLS and its much-improved quality from the early days, there is still a bit of a stigma attached to U.S. players who play here rather than in Europe. U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann has been saying all along that he’d prefer his players compete at the highest possible level, against the best possible players, which, for now, are in Europe’s top leagues.

Unfortunately for the U.S. players, top European clubs aren’t knocking on their doors.

“There is no demand” for U.S. players, Klinsmann told ESPN.com. “It’s just a sign of reality. The demand isn’t there.”

So, Klinsmann and U.S. fans will just have to hope that Bradley’s move to Toronto, the third-worst team in MLS last season, will be a good one for him in the long run and that his happiness and increased playing time will compensate for the cutthroat, high-profile soccer he left behind in Italy.

Written by Steve Milne

Samir Nasri OUT for eight weeks!

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Jan 13, 2014

Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has confirmed that he will be out for two months after he suffered knee ligament damage during their victory against Newcastle United yesterday.

The Frenchman was hacked down by Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa in a very heated match and after the game, City boss Manuel Pellegrini feared that the injury could be a long-term one, however, the scans have come back revealing the injury is not as bad as first feared.

Nasri took to his official Twitter account to confirm the news that he will be out for two months, and he stated that he was relieved it wasn’t any longer as there were fears that he could miss the World Cup in the Summer.

Nasri tweeted: “Thank you everyone for your kind words and overwhelming support, I suppose its kind of good news that i will be out around 8 weeks”

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Arsene Wenger backs Arsenal youngster to make World Cup

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Jan 13, 2014

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes teenager Serge Gnabry could be in line to make Germany’s squad for this Summer’s World Cup.

The powerful winger has put in some fine performances for his club this season so far, including a dominating display against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup, and now that Theo Walcott will miss the rest of the season, it will surely give Gnabry a chance to play regular first-team football.

Earlier on in the season, Germany head-coach Joachim Low admitted that he is a fan of the 18-year-old and even stated that the Arsenal youngster could make his squad for Brazi, a statement which Wenger agrees with.

“There is more than a small chance. There’s a big chance,” Wenger said. “We are looking at a guy who has good individual talent, he can go past people, is a good finisher and has a very good football brain with good vision.

“I am not afraid with him. I have shown that against Tottenham – it was a big game. He has convinced many people that he at least deserves another chance.

“He was influential in that game, and until now when I played him he has always had an impact on the game.”

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Manchester United target won’t be leaving, according to club

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Jan 13, 2014

Juventus General Director Giuseppe Marotta has confirmed that Manchester United target Claudio Marchisio will be staying at the club this month, despite reports linking him with a move to the Premier League champions.

United have been admirers of the midfielder for some time now, and their interest heated up this month as David Moyes is desperate to strengthen his team after a poor first-half to their season.

Moyes was even seen in Italy watching Juventus’ match against Cagliari at the weekend, but after the game, Marotta confirmed that the midfielder will not be leaving the club despite serious interest from England.

General director Giuseppe Marotta told Radio Rai: “There is no problem with Marchisio. Claudio is a player who grew up in the Juventus youth teams and he loves the shirt.

“During a busy season it is inevitable that every player will have their lows, but everything is normal.”

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Jose Mourinho: ‘I belong to Chelsea’

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Jan 13, 2014

According to the Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, the club belongs to him and he is likely to stay there for a long-time.

The self-proclaimed special one returned to Stamford Bridge this Summer after spells with Inter Milan and Real Madrid, which followed his first stint in West London, where he went on to become a club legend.

Now in his second stint at the club, Mourinho is adamant that he is there to stay and he is confident that he is the perfect suit for Roman Abramovich’s club.

‘I’m here to stay. I belong to Chelsea, Chelsea belong to me.’

‘More than one year ago, even before I decided to stay in Madrid for one or two more years, our decision was made,’ he admitted. ‘We wanted to go to England next because we feel it’s the best for all four, as a family and me as a professional.

He added: ‘My wife just loves the city to live in. We kept our house from last time and, although we tried to hide it, we came lots of times.’

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Inter Milan concede that Fredy Guarin could be leaving

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Jan 13, 2014

The Colombia international midfielder has been heavily linked with a move to Chelsea for some time.

They are not the only side to have expressed an interest in the 27-year-old’s services, but are believed to be the ones leading the chase.

No announcement of an official approach from Stamford Bridge has been made, but Thohir says Guarin’s head has been turned and concedes that he may soon be heading for the exits.

He told Indonesian site Liputan6.com: “Guarin is an excellent player and we’d like to keep him, but when there are offers from big clubs you need to take it into consideration.

“We can’t force him to stay if his heart isn’t in the club.”

Thohir is eager to rebuild Inter and their fortunes, but he has conceded that they will need to sell in January before recruiting – suggesting that they may look to cash-in on Guarin.

He told Republika Online: “The January window comprises of a series of opportunities in the market.

“Fans should not expect bombs but, if we have our chances, we will do something interesting.

“In any case, we have to sell before making any purchase.

“Our project is clear, there is no doubt about this. We want to build a healthy club, competitive in the industry, so this year we are going through a state of transition.

“This is not year zero, this is the last year of a fantastic era. Starting next season we will begin a new era.”

Written by Steve Milne

Jose Mourinho dismisses suggestions of Chelsea move for striker

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Jan 13, 2014

The Blues have been linked with a number of players already this month, including their former midfielder Nemanja Matic, who left Stamford Bridge as part of the deal that brought David Luiz to west London.

However, Mourinho insists any incomings will not include a striker as he has faith in Fernando Torres to continue his good recent form, with the Spain international having scored in two successive games.

“Fernando is calm. He knows we are not going into the market now,” said Mourinho.

“In the summer, normally a club like Chelsea is always trying to improve and get new players but he knows that we like him and support him and he knows there is no problem.

“Everyone needs strikers to score goals; the strikers are the goalscorers.

“If you have players in other positions who can score an important number of goals – better. If you have a Frank Lampard – better. If you have Eden Hazard – better. But the strikers are the ones that normally score the goals.”

There has been much speculation about the future of Mata, who has failed to win a regular starting place under Mourinho.

The Spanish midfielder has won Chelsea’s player of the year award for the last two seasons but has found himself consigned largely to the bench this campaign.

However, Mourinho says both Mata and summer signing Andre Schurrle, who has also spent more time on the bench than in the team this season, will not be sold.

“The others (Oscar, Willian, Eden Hazard), they are playing very well and the team is playing very well,” Mourinho added.

“But we need other players. If the game goes on being 0-0 then Mata is coming into the game as he is a fantastic player. But the game went into another direction, we scored and then after that my brain worked in another way.

“But we need them. We need Mata, we need (Andre) Schurrle, we need these players as we cannot do it with three.

“Maybe in February maybe some are not in the best form and Juan is coming at the top of his game.”

Written by Steve Milne

United’s Adnan Januzaj praised by David Moyes

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Jan 13, 2014