With all three of Germany's UEFA Cup challengers eliminated in the Round of 32 last night, the country's most popular newspaper, Bild, was today reflecting on 'a dark day for German football'.

Hopes dashed
FC Schalke 04, VfB Stuttgart and TSV Alemannia Aachen all entered their second-leg ties hopeful of progressing only to respectively suffer elimination by FC Shakhtar Donetsk, Parma FC and AZ Alkmaar. Level at the top of the Bundesliga with FC Bayern München and in the ascendancy following a 1-1 draw in Ukraine, the 1-0 defeat by Shakhtar in Gelsenkirchen was particularly difficult for Schalke to swallow.

Poor passing
Coach Ralf Rangnick was left "extremely disappointed", adding: "We weren't in the game in the first 20 minutes and we allowed them too many chances. Our passing lacked accuracy but we improved slightly after 30 minutes and my players really tried their best after the break." Striker Ebbe Sand called on his team-mates to "put this match behind us quickly" and "concentrate on the Bundesliga".

Ten men
In Stuttgart, coach Matthias Sammer also had to search for reasons why his side failed to overcome Parma, a side fighting relegation in Serie A. "I am not happy with our display and to make it worse we couldn't beat a side down to ten men, although they created the better chances from open play," he said. "I am disappointed because we wanted to go a long way in the UEFA Cup." Bayer 04 Leverkusen away on Sunday will be equally tough.

'Fantastic performance'
Aachen coach Dieter Hecking remained upbeat, however, taking pride from the second division side's performances in the competition. No one thought the German Cup runners-up would negotiate the group stage, yet they did so and were within ten minutes of eliminating Eredivisie high-flyers Alkmaar. "It is a pity seeing that we delivered a fantastic performance," said Hecking. "We not only fought really hard, but played very good football. The UEFA Cup was a great experience."

Bremen down
All three German sides could find themselves in familiar company when the return legs of the UEFA Champions League last-16 ties are played in a fortnight. Werder Bremen look down and out after losing 3-0 at home to Olympique Lyonnais, while Leverkusen face a difficult but not impossible task of overturning a 3-1 deficit when Liverpool FC visit the BayArena.

'Stupid goal'
Of the German challengers in Europe, only Bayern were victorious, 3-1 against Arsenal FC. Yet even that success was tainted as the English side struck in the 88th minute to salvage some hope for the return in London. "It was a stupid goal to concede," said coach Felix Magath. "If we had beaten them 3-0 we would almost certainly been through to the next round." Should they live to regret Kolo Touré's goal, German football will too.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h27
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With Tuesday's 3-1 win against Arsenal FC in the bag, FC Bayern München will travel to lowly SC Freiburg on a high on Saturday as they aim to increase the pressure on their main rival for the Bundesliga title, FC Schalke 04.

Pressure on Schalke
Bayern's cause could also be boosted by Michael Ballack's return after nine days on the sidelines. "We will have to wait and see how Michael does in our final training session but he will play if he is fully fit," said coach Felix Magath.

Hertha host Hamburg
Elsewhere on Saturday, Hertha BSC Berlin host Hamburger SV with both sides hoping for a place in next season's UEFA Cup. Hamburg are currently sixth, only one point behind Bayer 04 Leverkusen and VfB Stuttgart, who will meet at the BayArena on Sunday, with Hertha a further point adrift of Hamburg.

Doll confident
"My players have gained confidence in recent weeks and we are optimistic about the match in Berlin," said Hamburg coach Thomas Doll. "We worked hard this week and want to extend our winning run to five games."

Götz defiant
Hertha coach Falko Götz, who saw his team slip to their first defeat in 12 matches at Stuttgart last week, will obviously want to prevent that. "Hamburg have definitely raised their game under Thomas but we want to win our home matches," said Götz.

Bremen hopeful
Elsewhere on Saturday, Werder Bremen will hope to put their 3-0 loss to Olympique Lyonnais behind them when they take on VfL Bochum 1848 at the Weserstadion, with coach Thomas Schaaf insisting: "We have to forget about Lyon and concentrate on Bochum."

Other action
In Saturday's other games, BV Borussia Dortmund entertain 1. FSV Mainz 05, VfL Wolfsburg visit 1. FC Kaiserslautern, DSC Arminia Bielefeld welcome 1. FC Nürnberg, and VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach travel to FC Hansa Rostock.

Forget Europe
On Sunday, Schalke will try to bounce back from their UEFA Cup defeat by FC Shakhtar Donetsk when they host Hannover 96. "We must forget about the UEFA Cup and concentrate on the Bundesliga," said striker Ebbe Sand. "We are still in with a very good chance of winning the title."

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Leaders FC Barcelona travel to bottom side CD Numancia in the Primera División on Saturday while Real Madrid CF's injury list is growing ahead of their trip to RC Deportivo La Coruña the same day.

Riazor test
Madrid trail Barça by seven points and visit the Riazor looking to slay the ghosts of a costly defeat there last season. Goalkeeper Iker Casillas said: "We lost any hope of winning the league because of that. But we have to remain positive because we cannot afford to drop any more points if we are to stay on Barça's tail."

Injury worries
Coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo has drafted in reserve-team right-back Miguel Palencia because of injury problems. Ronaldo (toe), Zinedine Zidane (right knee ligament) and Míchel Salgado (left knee ligament) are all struggling for fitness, while Roberto Carlos, Raúl González and David Beckham are fighting a flu bug and Iván Helguera is suspended.

'Great rival'
Eighteen points below Madrid in tenth place, Depor have Lionel Scaloni, Aldo Duscher and César Martín doubtful, and goalkeeper José Molina recovering from a back injury. But midfielder Juan Carlos Valerón remains upbeat, saying: "We should not feel pressure against Madrid, it is a pleasure to face such a great team in front of your own fans. Playing against Madrid inspires you to raise your game and we will be going out to give our best."

Valdés wait
Meanwhile, Numancia's on-loan midfielder Ramón Ros will be ineligible to take on his former Barcelona team-mates on Saturday. The visitors are waiting news on goalkeeper Víctor Valdés who suffered a blow to the head during Wednesday's UEFA Champions League win against Chelsea FC.

Oliveira date
Elsewhere, the Seville clubs both have 41 points and fill third and fourth positions. Real Betis Balompié, who lead their neighbours on goal difference, are away to sixth-placed Valencia CF. Betis's 15-goal top scorer Ricardo Oliveira will be relishing the meeting with his former employers. Sevilla FC entertain Real Racing Club Santander.

UEFA Cup places
A point behind in fifth, Villarreal CF go to a Real Zaragoza side missing suspended forward Savio Bortolini. RCD Espanyol, in seventh, will hope to make up lost ground at home to Albacete Balompié on Sunday. Elsewhere, San Mamés is the venue for Athletic Club Bilbao's encounter with Getafe CF, Club Atlético de Madrid tackle Real Sociedad de Fútbol, CA Osasuna play Málaga CF, and Levante UD make the journey to RCD Mallorca.

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Olympique Lyonnais will not have time to dwell on their stunning 3-0 UEFA Champions League win against Werder Bremen as local rivals AS Saint-Etienne visit the Stade Gerland on Saturday looking for revenge.

Prestigious derby
Les Verts were beating the Ligue 1 pacesetters 2-1 with two minutes remaining in October, yet still managed to lose 3-2. It was a sign that this once-prestigious derby is back on the football map, much to the delight of Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas. He said: "I've always wanted St Etienne to be strong because the better they are, the better we have to be to stay ahead."

Lyon own a palace whereas we're still trying to build a house Jérémie Janot

Six-point lead
Lyon are ahead of everyone at the moment, with a six-point lead over Olympique de Marseille, but will be deprived of suspended midfielder Mickaël Essien, as well as injured defenders Claudio Caçapa and Anthony Réveillère. Their opponents have no such worries and are unbeaten in 13 games, although goalkeeper Jérémie Janot is not getting carried away. "Lyon own a palace whereas we're still trying to build a house," he said.

Marseille poised
Marseille will hope to punish any slip-up when they welcome basement club FC Istres on Sunday. Philippe Troussier's side are looking for a fourth consecutive victory and midfielder Laurent Batllès believes they have become serious title candidates. "We're getting closer to Lyon all the time and we're determined to finish what we started," he said. The visitors will be full of confidence, though, having shocked AJ Auxerre with a 1-0 win last weekend.

Auxerre reaction
Fifth-placed Auxerre bounced back from that with a stunning 3-1 triumph against AFC Ajax yesterday, and their next test is at home to Toulouse FC. Meanwhile, their next opponents in the UEFA Cup, LOSC Lille Métropole, will try and end a run of four draws at home to Stade Rennais FC. Eliminated from Europe by Olympiacos CFP, FC Sochaux-Montbéliard entertain FC Metz in Sunday's other match.

Monaco disappointment
AS Monaco FC have their own European disappointment to exorcise when they travel to OGC Nice on Saturday. The fourth-placed club lost 1-0 at PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday, but need to focus on reducing the nine-point gap between them and Lyon. Also on Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain FC face SC Bastia behind closed doors as punishment for crowd trouble, AC Ajaccio meet RC Lens, FC Nantes Atlantique play RC Strasbourg and SM Caen visit FC Girondins de Bordeaux.

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After a week of contrasting fortunes, UEFA Champions League contenders Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC return to domestic action as they meet in the English League Cup final in Cardiff.

Liverpool boost
Liverpool travel to the Millennium Stadium on a high after their first knockout round win at home to Bayer 04 Leverkusen on Tuesday. Rafael Benítez's side were the only English winners in the Champions League this week, and by contrast, Chelsea go into the game having suffered two consecutive defeats for the first time under manager José Mourinho.

Costly defeat
Chelsea's first-leg loss at FC Barcelona on Wednesday followed their FA Cup elimination at the hands of Newcastle United FC the previous weekend. The latter defeat cost the Premiership leaders the services of full-back Wayne Bridge, who broke his ankle, and goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, suspended for the final having been sent off.

History lesson
Liverpool, on the other hand, can recall both midfielder Steven Gerrard, banned against Leverkusen, and centre-forward Fernando Morientes, who remains ineligible for European competition. The Reds also have history on their side, having won this trophy a record seven times against Chelsea's two.

United test
Twenty-four hours earlier, in the Premiership, second-placed Manchester United FC will look to close the nine-point gap at the top. Portsmouth FC, the visitors to Old Trafford on Saturday evening, could face a United backlash following AC Milan's midweek victory on English soil.

Arsenal disappointment
Champions Arsenal FC, in third place, will also want to put midweek disappointment behind them when they play host to Southampton FC on Saturday lunchtime. Kolo Touré's away goal at FC Bayern München was little consolation to manager Arsène Wenger, who described the 3-1 defeat as one of Arsenal's worst performances since he came to England.

Everton push
Saturday's other matches see Everton FC's push for Champions League qualification continue at Aston Villa FC, struggling Crystal Palace FC chase vital points at home to Birmingham City FC, and Tottenham Hotspur FC entertain Fulham FC. On Sunday, meanwhile, UEFA Cup challengers Middlesbrough FC and Newcastle welcome Charlton Athletic FC and Bolton Wanderers FC respectively, while Norwich City FC take on Manchester City FC on Monday night.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h22
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El Villarreal se clasificó para los octavos de final de la Copa de la UEFA con relativa facilidad, ya que, tras adelantarse en el marcador con un 2-0 ante el Dinamo de Kiev al poco de superar la media hora de juego, la posterior expulsión del argentino Juan Román Riquelme antes del descanso le obligó a realizar un mayor esfuerzo en el segundo periodo.

Con la misma filosofía que le acompaña durante toda la temporada, el Villarreal salió decidido a por el partido. Se dejó de especulaciones y, comandado por el argentino Juan Román Riquelme, manejó el partido frente a un equipo que trató de pertrecharse en su área para aguantar el empuje local.

Pero con esta táctica aguantó el equipo ucraniano 20 minutos, momento en el que el argentino Lucho Figueroa, de cabeza, enviaba al fondo de la red un balón centrado por José Mari que abría el marcador e iniciaba el camino de los castellonenses hacia los octavos de final del torneo.

El gol no varió el guión del choque. El balón era del Villarreal, que tocaba en el centro del campo a la espera de buscar una buena oportunidad para aumentar el marcador, lo que consiguió al poco de superar la media hora de juego.

Cazorla anotó el segundo tanto
Un nuevo pase de José Mari se convirtió en la antesala de segundo gol del equipo del chileno Manuel Pellegrini. El joven Santi Cazorla resolvió ante el marco del Dinamo de Kiev con la tranquilidad propia de un veterano, al salvar la salida del guardameta Shovkovskiy con un balón picado que suponía el segundo tanto.

Sin embargo, la nota negativa para el Villarreal fue la acción de Riquelme que le llevó a ser expulsado con tarjeta roja directa por agresión, al propinarle una patada a un contrario cuando ambos estaban en el suelo.

Con el paso de los minutos, el Villarreal acusó el desgaste que supone jugar con un jugador menos y vio como el árbitro anulaba otro gol por fuera de juego al Dínamo de Kiev, poco antes de que Reina detuviese, con un magnífica intervención sobre la misma línea de gol, un lanzamiento de Yussuf desde dentro del área.

Una vez superados, sin muchos agobios, los momentos de mayor ímpetu del Dinamo de Kiev, el equipo de Pellegrini volvió a manejar la situación con solvencia hasta el final del choque y concretó su pase a los octavos de final, ronda en la que se medirá al Steaua de Bucarest.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h20
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En un final de infarto, el Sevilla le ha dado la vuelta a la eliminatoria en los últimos minutos y se ha clasificado para los octavos de la UEFA al ganar 2-0 al Panathinaikos, que traía un gol de ventaja. El próximo rival será el Parma italiano, que superó al Stuttgart alemán en la prórroga.

El equipo griego, que venía de la Champions, llegó a Sevilla dispuesto a defender su gol de ventaja y a punto estuvo de conseguirlo. Aguantó casi una hora y media con su portería a cero.

No obstante, el conjunto que dirige Joaquín Caparrós dispuso de una clarísima oportunidad en el minuto 19, en un balón en profundidad sobre Carlos Aranda, pero el delantero andaluz, tras enfilar a la meta griega, no supo resolver ante la media salida de Galinovic, que desvió finalmente el esférico a córner.

Luego, un querer y no poder del Sevilla que a los 41 minutos tuvo otra opción ante el meta del club ateniense, por medio del brasileño Renato, que remató mal y de Jesuli, que no pudo remachar ante la desmembrada zaga griega.

A la desesperada
Caparrós se jugó el todo por el todo tras el descanso y acabó con cinco delanteros en el campo -Antoñito, Aranda, Makukula, Darío Silva y Baptista- lo que acabó dando resultado.

Así, en el minuto 39 Makukula cabeceó un balón en el segundo palo e igualó la eliminatoria, mientras que ya en el tiempo de prolongación Adriano evitó la prórroga y clasificó al Sevilla con un gran gol tras una jugada de toda la delantero sevillista. Los 42.000 espectadores que poblaron el Sánchez Pizjuán lo celebraron como si del título se tratase.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h19
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Liedson e Fábio Rochemback fizeram os gols da equipe portuguesa na vitória sobre o Feyenoord, pela Copa da Uefa.

ROTERDÃ - Gol dos brasileiros Liedson e Fábio Rochemback sacramentaram a classificação do Sporting para as oitavas-de-final da Copa da Uefa. O ex-jogador do Corinthians e o antigo volante do Inter marcaram na vitória por 2 a 1 da equipe portuguesa sobre o Feyenoord na Holanda. O time de Lisboa já havia vencido o jogo de ida.

Pouco depois do gol de Liedson aos 18min do segundo tempo, a partida foi paralisada em Roterdã pelo árbitro alemão Florian Meyer.

Depois que o português Rui Jorge foi atingido por um objeto lançado pelos torcedores holandeses, o juiz determinou que todos os jogadores voltassem ao vestiário. O recesso demorou 20 minutos.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h13
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Equipe do brasileiro Vágner Love empatou com o benfica por 1 a 1 e assegurou vaga nas oitavas-de-final da Copa da Uefa.

Das agências internacionais

LISBOA - Um empate por 1 a 1 com o Benfica no estádio da Luz, em Lisboa, credenciou o CSKA Moscou às oitavas-de-final da Copa da Uefa. Tudo porque na partida de ida a equipe do brasileiro Vágner Love havia vencido o adversário português por 2 a 0 na Rússia.

Os visitantes russos saíram em vantagem aos 5min do segundo tempo, com de Ignashevitch. O Benfica conseguiu o empate 14 minutos depois, com Karadas. Mas foi pouco para quem precisava de vitória por três gols de diferença.

Brazilian midfielder Dudu could be set to finally join up with Russian giants CSKA Moscow.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h09
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Michael Owen no se cansa de asegurar que ES muy feliz en el Real Madrid y que, a pesar de lo que se diga, "no podría haber deseado un mejor comienzo" en el club blanco. "Estoy encantado, a pesar de todo lo que se ha dicho, he jugado tantos partidos como cualquiera", declaró el delantero inglés en una entrevista concedida a 'BBC Radio Five Live' que se emitirá el próximo domingo.

Su habitual ausencia en el once titular y el hecho de que no haya podido desbancar a Raúl y Ronaldo sembraron el escepticismo en su país, pero él se considera muy satisfecho y no se plantea regresar. "Inglaterra es mi país, pero quién sabe si volveré o cuándo a jugar allí", destacó. "Cuando vine hubo mucho escepticismo en Inglaterra, la gente se preguntaba: 'cuarto delantero, ¿para qué vas?, estarás todo el tiempo en el banquillo', pero para ser el cuarto delantero estoy más que satisfecho de cómo me he adaptado", añadió Owen.

El futbolista del Real Madrid afirmó que sigue cada día lo que sucede en el fútbol de su país, y en el Liverpool, y se siente halagado por el interés, pero descarta una vuelta inmediata. "No tengo nada contra la 'Premiership', es donde comencé y donde me hice un nombre. No puedo apartar mis ojos de ella en la tele cuando estoy en casa. Tengo grandes recuerdos del Liverpool y pase lo que pase siempre tendrá un hueco en mi corazón", manifestó Owen. "Es un halago que se me relacione con grandes clubes ingleses, es una alegría que no se hayan olvidado de mí, pero no podría haber deseado un mejor comienzo en el Real Madrid", agregó para concluir.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h06
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Vanderlei Luxemburgo, técnico del Real Madrid, no podrá contar con Ronaldo, Raúl y Guti en su importante visita a Riazor. El brasileño ve como se queda sin cinco futbolistas de nivel para jugarse un capítulo decisivo de la lucha por la Liga, ya que estos tres se unen a las bajas ya conocidad de Iván Helguera por sanción y de Michel Salgado, que estará un mes de baja.

Ronaldo no se ha podido recuperar de su artritis en el dedo gordo del pie izquierdo, mientras que Raúl sigue con gripe. Guti se ejercitó, pero no pudo terminar el entrenamiento aquejado de una contractura.

Al menos, Luxemburgo podrá contar con Zidane, recuperado de sus problemas físicos, y con Roberto Carlos y Beckham, que parecen haber superado su proceso vírico.
De esta forma, el Real Madrid desplazará a A Coruña una convocatoria de diecinueve jugadores, compuesta por los dieciseis futbolistas de la primera plantilla disponibles y por los canterano Palencia, Jurado y Juanfran.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h02
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The applications originate from 176 different countries, with 96 percent from Europe and 85 percent from Germany. "Some matches are overbooked, the Final in particular. But we still have tickets for many of the group matches so there's a good chance of success," declared OC senior vice-president responsible for ticketing Horst R. Schmidt. "We're delighted with the response, and just as delighted at the complete absence of technical problems."

Some 812,000 tickets are on offer in the first sales period until 31 March 2005. The lucky recipients of FIFA World Cup tickets will be chosen in a match-by-match random ballot on 15 April 2005. The draw procedure must be completed before ascertaining ticket quotas and a start date for the anticipated second sales period.

Escrito por fraja8 às 18h00
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El Santos va otra vez por Carlos Bianchi

“Hay negociaciones y las chances de que venga son grandes”, reveló un dirigente del club.

Santos volvió a tentar a Carlos Bianchi, múltiple campeón de América y del mundo con Boca Juniors y Vélez Sarsfield, y esta vez está cerca de contratarlo, afirmó hoy el diario deportivo Lance! "Estamos necesitando un técnico de punta, de nivel internacional. Existe una negociación y las chances de que él venga son grandes", reveló a Lance! un dirigente de Santos, que pidió mantener su nombre en el anonimato.

Santos ya intentó en dos oportunidades contratar a Bianchi, pero el entrenador siempre se negó aduciendo motivos familiares, los mismos que lo llevaron a alejarse de Boca y a rechazar una oferta para dirigir la Selección. Además, en diciembre el técnico también había dicho que no a una oferta de Corinthians. Ahora, según Lance!, las posibilidades de que Bianchi trabaje en Brasil son mayores.

Luego de que Vanderlei Luxemburgo se fuese al Real Madrid, en diciembre, Santos pasó a ser dirigido por Oswaldo de Oliveira. Con De Oliveira, el club marcha segundo en el Campeonato Paulista, a un punto del líder, Sao Paulo, pero empezó mal la Copa Libertadores, con una derrota ante el Bolívar en La Paz. Esa caída en lo que es el principal objetivo del club reavivó las críticas de muchos dirigentes de Santos hacia De Oliviera, a quien nunca consideraron a la altura de las pretensiones internacionales de Santos.

Escrito por fraja8 às 17h59
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"Federal rules allow me to ask any question relevant to the claims or defenses in the case," Wood said.

The woman sued the Los Angeles Lakers guard in Denver federal court last summer, three weeks before the criminal case against him in Eagle County collapsed when she decided she could not take part in a trial. The federal lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for mental injuries, humiliation and public scorn the former hotel worker said she has suffered since the incident at a Vail-area resort.

Bryant, a married father of one, issued an apology but insisted the sex was consensual.

Judge Richard Matsch rejected a request by Bryant's lawyers to limit what the woman's attorneys will be able to ask during the deposition. The questioning was initially scheduled for December, but Bryant's attorneys refused to allow questions about his sexual history, claiming they could violate the privacy rights of people not involved in the lawsuit.

Matsch said he would deal with any objections by Bryant's lawyers after the deposition. Wood said there will be a second round of questioning later to ask Bryant about his "financial condition."

The trial could begin as early as this summer. Bryant is expected to be in the lineup for the Lakers' home game on Friday against the Detroit Pistons.

Escrito por fraja8 às 17h45
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While Spain's two representatives are fêted in print for their performances in the UEFA Champions League, today's newspapers make grim reading for Chelsea FC and Manchester United FC. uefa.com rounds up the European media reaction to this week's first-leg ties in the last 16 of club football's premier competition.

FC Barcelona 2-1 Chelsea FC
Last night's game produced a predictable score from an unexpected script. In effect, Barça claimed a modest 2-1 victory against Chelsea in the first round of this passionate European tie; a result that leaves everything hanging in the balance. Yet Barça did everything - from scoring an own goal to mounting a brave fightback. (El Mundo Deportivo, Spain)

José Mourinho was lost for words last night, but it was not Barcelona who took his breath away, despite their clear superiority. A tunnel fracas involving backroom staff from both clubs convinced the Chelsea manager to walk out of the Nou Camp without saying a word about his team's 2-1 defeat. (The Times, England)

Werder Bremen 0-3 Olympique Lyonnais
It has been a long time since Werder were taken apart at home the way Lyon did in their 3-0 win: now nobody believes Bremen will reach the next round. Lyon were committed, quick, skilful and courageous and Werder now know why they are the reigning champions in France. (Bild, Germany)

It's a genuine achievement Lyon recorded yesterday at the Weserstadion and it is now all but unbelievable to see the German side coming and stealing their UEFA Champions League quarter-final ticket. In front of the TF1 television cameras, Lyon have earned the sort of media acknowledgement they had been waiting for so long, a night to remember later with relatives during long winter evenings. (L'Equipe, France)

Manchester United FC 0-1 AC Milan
At a stroke Crespo's goal smashed the formula that has served Ferguson well in European football; land the knockout blow at Old Trafford and hold the line away from home. This was United's first European defeat at home in four years and in that time they have generally performed feebly in the great stadiums of Europe. (The Independent, England)

The real devils are red and black. AC Milan had never won in England before and this was their first success. Although they cannot underestimate Manchester United, if Milan play like they did yesterday, the devils in red and black will not lose at San Siro. (Gazzetta dello Sport, Italy)

FC Porto 1-1 FC Internazionale Milano
Porto only have themselves to blame for the draw against Inter. The tie is not decided but it is certain that the Dragons have to score in Italy. The result means Inter have the advantage, yet Porto proved in the second half that they can impress in Italy. (A Bola, Portugal)

Inter played a perfect first half – like a real team, always balanced and with every player helping each other out – and were clearly better than the European champions. They always seem to miss something when striving to achieve great results, but will surely qualify if they don't lose their nerve in two weeks. (Corriere dello Sport, Italy)

FC Bayern München 3-1 Arsenal FC
The goal just before the end was very disappointing. For 88 minutes of the match the home side were in charge and took a 3-0 lead. But then Bayern lacked concentration at the back for a second and Arsenal pulled a goal back. That silly goal could have been avoided, because it was Bayern's evening from the word go. (Süddeutsche Zeitung, Germany)

Kolo Touré's late goal has given Arsenal hope where there seemed none but Arsène Wenger's team remain not just down but in serious danger of going out. Defensive and goalkeeping frailties have dogged them all season and were brutally exposed by Bayern. The English champions face an uphill task and there was nothing to suggest that Arsenal will keep the clean sheet that will be vital. (The Guardian, England)

Liverpool FC 3-1 Bayer 04 Leverkusen
A 3-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen would have been grasped hungrily if Rafael Benítez had been offered it beforehand, but his players had edged so close to perfection that the final whistle could only bring a twinge of regret. (The Times, England)

As they left the field in their dirty white shirts, the Bayer players looked very disappointed. They put up a great fight in Liverpool, creating numerous chances to finally get a Bundesliga team's first win at Anfield but none the less slipping to a 3-1 defeat. (Express, Germany)

Real Madrid CF 1-0 Juventus FC
Zidane came in from the cold - or from wherever he has been hiding for the last few months - and directed Madrid to a simple, if not conclusive, victory. But Juventus disappointed, some players not showing why they merited being in the starting lineup of one of the most prestigious clubs in the world. (El País, Spain)

Even if everything is far more difficult, it's not over yet. Real Madrid's attacking power is lethal and they could have scored more than just one goal. Capello has two weeks to find the team which dominated the group stage. Real gave the Bianconeri a lesson in good football. Now Juve have to answer. (Gazzetta dello Sport, Italy)

PSV Eindhoven 1-0 AS Monaco FC
Getting through the winter in Europe has for so long been an obsession for PSV, but their already historical breakthrough in the Champions League could be set to continue after their perfect performance against Monaco. (De Volkskrant, Netherlands)

Monaco's defeat was to be expected considering the development of the game at the Philips stadium. Revengeful and comfortable with the ball, PSV edged the debates, flexed their muscle and even made a good impression for an hour before the game became uninteresting. (L'Equipe, France)

Escrito por fraja8 às 17h42
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Roy Carroll: Another blunder. (AlexLivesey/GettyImages)

United will go to the awe-inspiring San Siro stadium in a fortnight trailing 1-0 after Carroll fumbled Clarence Seedorf's shot and Hernan Crespo fired home the loose ball.

Escrito por fraja8 às 17h33
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Chelsea have confirmed that they are in the process of making a strong protest to UEFA about Frank Rijkaard's conversation with match referee Anders Frisk during their Champions League clash on Wednesday night.

Jose Mourinho and Frank Rijkaard get caught up in the atmosphere. (AdamDavy/Empics)

Although Chelsea have yet to accuse the Barcelona coach of entering the Swedish official's dressing room Rijkaard was witnessed leaving Frisk's quarters and that is almost certain to be the main thrust of the Blues' imminent complaint to UEFA.

UEFA are likely to take a dim view of Rijkaard's actions which would appear to be highly inappropriate irrespective of the topic they discussed. Chelsea issued a staement confirming they are compiling a complaint but also moved quickly to scotch stories of an alleged tunnel bust-up in which Mourinho was understood to have been kicked up the backside by Barcelona's assistant coach Henk Ten Cate.

Chelsea today issued a further comment denying such an incident took place. The statement read: 'Following Chelsea's statement after the Barcelona match last night, it is being reported through various media outlets that an incident occurred between Jose Mourinho and a member of the Barcelona coaching staff. This incident did not happen and Chelsea can therefore confirm that this will not form part of our report to UEFA which is currently being prepared.'

Speculation had been rife that Ten Cate had kicked the Chelsea manager on the backside during an alleged tunnel fracas involving the Barca assistant and the club's goalkeeping coach Silvinho Louro. Chelsea have yet to make any comment on that incident but insist that Ten Cate did not assault Mourinho.

However, the Londoners will be pressing UEFA to deal with Rijkaard's actions at half-time. It is understood that Rijkaard was seen leaving Frisk's dressing room during the interval. UEFA have already claimed that their own tunnel representative witnessed nothing out of the ordinary during the half-time break and were waiting for the arrival of Frisk's report as well as Chelsea's complaint before investigating the matter further.

'We are puzzled,' said UEFA spokesman William Gaillard. 'We have had no contact from Chelsea.' 'The situation last night as far as we are concerned was rather normal. 'We had people in the dressing room area, probably more people than normal, and they didn't notice anything going on. We are rather surprised.'

Meanwhile, the Londoners could find themselves on the receiving end of a heavy fine for refusing to talk to the media after last night's 2-1 defeat in the Nou Camp.

Escrito por fraja8 às 17h31
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Principal ídolo atleticano terá Imagem explorada com linha de camisas em versões infantil e adulta.

BELO HORIZONTE - O carisma conquistado pelo goleiro Danrlei junto à torcida do Atlético-MG, em menos de um ano, será utilizado pelo departamento de marketing do clube alvinegro nesta temporada. O novo uniforme do camisa 1 atleticano será personalizado e terá versões adultas e também infantis, já que Danrlei faz sucesso com os novos torcedores que começam a acompanhar o futebol do Galo.

"Todo mundo nota o carinho das crianças comigo. Tanto que agora na coleção de camisas de goleiro que vai sair, o Atlético vai fazer a coleção infantil também. Eu estou sentindo na rua que é uma coisa que falta e todo mundo me pede", comentou Danrlei, elevado ao posto de principal ídolo da exigente e entusiasmada torcida atleticana.

No Grêmio, o goleiro também era ídolo e utilizava uma camisa personalizada, que fez sucesso com os torcedores. No Atlético, o goleiro Taffarel foi o último que conquistou tanto carisma com a torcida alvinegra e também se utilizou de uniformes personalizados para se aproximar ainda mais do público.

Além das crianças, Danrlei disse que sente que o torcedor que vai ao Mineirão tem um carinho especial para com ele. O goleiro disse que o último clássico contra o Cruzeiro, no domingo passado, ficará gravado em sua lembrança pela forma como foi recepcionado pela torcida alvinegra.

"O clássico foi inesquecível. No Grêmio, eu fazia um gesto pedindo para cantar mais alto e o grito ia murchando. No Atlético, não foi assim. Eu nunca ouvi ninguém gritando meu nome tão alto. Eu pedia para cantar mais alto e eles cantavam muito além do que imaginava. Acho que se pedisse um desfecho todo mundo cairia no gramado", ressaltou o goleiro.

No empate com o Ipatinga, em 2 x 2, nesta quarta-feira, Danrlei voltou a sentir de perto o carinho do torcedor atleticano, que gritou alto e em coro o seu nome, ainda no primeiro tempo, quando o Galo perdia por 1 x 0 e ele evitou o gol, duas vezes consecutivas, em chutes à queima roupa do meia Walter.

Danrlei disse que conquistou a torcida atleticana com trabalho. "Eu não quero nem lembrar da forma que cheguei aqui. Todo mundo achava que eu iria chegar e queria já jogar", comentou o goleiro, referindo-se à resistência que enfrentou quando foi contratado no início do Brasileiro do ano passado.

"Eu trabalhei normal. Eu só fui jogar quando chegou o Picerni. Eu conquistei o torcedor assim. Mostrando que não sou arrogante, como eles imaginavam. Agora para mim, o Atlético é um paraíso", comentou o goleiro, que tem contrato com o Galo até o final deste ano. Ele se destacou apesar da fraca campanha atleticana, ano passado, quando o time só se livrou do rebaixamento na última rodada.

Escrito por fraja8 às 17h29
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Eliminado da Liga dos Campeões, da Copa do Rei e com uma campanha ruim no Campeonato Espanhol, o Valencia tinha como salvação da temporada a Copa da Uefa, competição que conquistou em 2003/2004. No entanto, a frustração atingiu os espanhóis mais uma vez na eliminação para o Steua Bucareste, na Romênia.

A equipe do técnico italiano Claudio Ranieri, que havia vencido o jogo de ida por 2 a 0, foi derrotada pelo mesmo placar nesta quinta. O Steua venceu com dois gols de Andrei Cristea no segundo tempo. O confronto da terceira fase então acabou decidido nas cobranças de pênalti, em que os romenos levaram a vantagem de 4 a 3.

Com o resultado, o Steua Bucareste assegura vaga nas oitavas-de-final da Copa da Uefa e espera o sorteio da entidade para conhecer seu próximo adversário.

Por sua vez, o Valencia tem completada sua temporada negra. Na última temporada, quando era dirigida por Rafa Benítez, hoje no Liverpool, o time espanhol celebrou a melhor temporada de sua história, com os títulos nacional e da Copa da Uefa. Os fracassos seguidos parecem indicar uma reformulação nos atuais campeões.

Escrito por fraja8 às 17h27
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Serie A side AC Chievo Verona have signed goalkeeper Júlio César on a free transfer until the end of the season. The Brazilian international, 25, was free to join any club after cancelling his contract with previous team CR Flamengo. "I am thrilled to be in Italy, where it is very difficult for a foreign goalkeeper to find a club," he said. "This is a dream come true."

Escrito por fraja8 às 17h25
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 Shakhtar Donetsk conseguiu assegurar uma vaga nas oitavas-de-final da Copa da Uefa nesta quinta-feira, com a façanha de bater o Schalke, um dos líderes do Campeonato Alemão, em seu próprio campo, na cidade de Gelsenkirchen, na Alemanha.

Elano, de camiseta laranja, disputa a bola com o alemão Asamoah nesta quinta

O time ucraniano, dos brasileiros Elano, Jadson e Matuzalem, que havia empatado em casa por 1 a 1 na última semana, venceu nesta quinta por 1 a 0, com gol do atacante nigeriano Julius Aghahowa aos 16min do primeiro tempo.

"Tivemos um começo muito ruim. Depois, corremos riscos no segundo tempo, mas não conseguimos marcar", lamentou Ralf Rangnick, técnico do Schalke 04.

No segundo tempo, Ailton e o dinamarquês Ebbe Sand deram bastante trabalho para a defesa do Shakhtar, mas não conseguiram boas oportunidades para concluir em gol. A melhor chance alemã aconteceu aos 25min, quando o atacante brasileiro recebeu do compatriota Lincoln, mas errou a finalização já dentro da área.

Mas, se o Shakhtar Donetsk conseguiu a classificação, outra equipe ucraniana não teve mesma sorte. Mesmo jogando em casa, o Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk foi derrotado pelo Partizan Belgrado por 1 a 0 e foi eliminado. O time sérvio, que havia empatado em casa no jogo de ida, avança às oitavas-de-final.

Escrito por fraja8 às 17h23
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Começou hoje, em Nísia Floresta, no Rio Grande do Norte, a 1ª etapa do Circuito Brasileiro de Surf Profissional. Armando Daltro e Saulo Carvalho foram os maiores destaques da 1ª fase classificatória da Seletiva Petrobras de Surf Masculino. Um forte vento prejudicou um pouco a formação das ondas, que variaram entre meio e um metro de altura.

"Essa primeira bateria foi muito difícil, fiquei até um pouco nervoso porque no começo eu não consegui pegar boas ondas, mas depois tirei aquele 8 e pouco ali numa boa esquerda e fiquei mais tranqüilo", disse Armando.

Se Armando é experiente e participa pela 11ª vez do evento, Ricardo Wendhausen, mais conhecido como Riquinho está no seu primeiro ano de surfista profissional."Essa é a minha primeira competição como profissional e espero conseguir um resultado importante aqui para iniciar com o pé direito. A bateria foi boa, todos os atletas surfaram bem e eu achei duas ondinhas boas abrindo até a beira que deu para fazer várias manobras para conseguir passar em primeiro lugar", disse Riquinho.

Ao todo, participam do campeonato surfistas de 13 estados do país, e o Rio Grande do Norte participa com 22 atletas. Soares e Ivan Medeiros venceram as duas primeiras baterias realizadas na Praia de Búzius. Felipe Oliveira eliminou os cearenses Michel Adriano e Tiago Moreira para se classificar no 2º lugar, atrás de Romeu Cruz.

"Não é querendo desafiar ninguém, mas nível é igual a muitos que estão aqui eu tenho e só preciso mesmo de um patrocinador que acredite também em mim para eu poder competir mais lá fora. Quero tentar um bom resultado aqui, porque assim acredito que irei despertar o interesse para que alguém invista em mim", deseja Felipe.

Escrito por fraja8 às 17h20
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Doha (Catar) - Prova de sua ótima fase, a russa Maria Sharapova avançou nesta quinta-feira em Dubai, nos Emirados Árabes, à nona semifinal consecutiva no circuito feminino. A tenista de 17 anos derrotou a francesa Marion Bartoli por 2 sets a 0, parciais de 6/3 e 6/2 e marcou sua primeira vitória no confronto direto contra a 35ª do ranking.

Hoje em quarto lugar, Sharapova chegou no mínimo à penúltima rodada nos nove últimos torneios disputados. Neste período, conquistou dois títulos em Tóquio e se sagrou campeã de Seul e Copa do Mundo de Los Angeles. Ficou ainda com o vice-campeonato em Zurique e parou na semifinal de Pequim, Filadélfia e Aberto da Austrália.

Este é o primeiro torneio da russa desde o início do mês, quando venceu a norte-americana Lindsay Davenport, atual líder do ranking, na final do torneio de Tóquio, no Japão. Nas duas semanas seguintes, a russa precisou preterir os torneios de Paris e Antuérpia para se recuperar de uma forte gripe, que chegou a lhe causar problemas respiratórios.

Sharapova luta por vaga na final de Doha contra a eslovaca Daniela Hantuchova, que atropelou a espanhola Conchita Martinez por 2 sets a 0, parciais de 6/4 e 6/1. No confronto direto entre as musas do tênis, a vantagem pertence à russa: venceu dois de três jogos, incluindo os mais recentes. Hantuchova, por seu lado, bateu Sharapova no começo de 2004, por 2 a 0.

Escrito por fraja8 às 17h18
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Os novos uniformes apresentados pela Confederação Brasileira de Vôlei (CBV) vão voltar para o armário apenas uma semana depois de terem sido lançados em uma cerimônia de pompa no Rio de Janeiro, com a presença dos "globais" Luciano Huck e Daniele Winits.

"Globais" desfilam com os uniformes proibidos pelo patrocinador da CBV

O Banco do Brasil, patrocinador da entidade, vetou a utilização dos uniformes rosa e preto. Assim, o Brasil trocará o modelo 'fashion' de 2005 pelos tradicionais branco, verde, azul e amarelo.

A apresentação dos novos uniformes desagradou o Banco do Brasil, que não foi consultado sobre a mudança das cores. A instituição decidiu jogar pesado contra a CBV para fazer valer a sua vontade. E recebeu apoio do Ministério do Esporte, que apresentou ao Comitê Olímpico Brasileiro (COB) uma reclamação contra a utilização do rosa e do preto pelas seleções nacionais.

Assim, uma reunião foi marcada para esta quinta-feira em Brasília para resolver a situação. E a CBV voltou atrás, retirando de circulação as novidades.

A criação de um uniforme rosa e outro preto foi defendida pelo presidente da CBV, Ary Graça, na apresentação das camisas. Segundo ele, a idéia era popularizar os uniformes, transformando-os em roupas de "balada".

"A garotada vai adorar, as mulheres vão amar e os conservadores vão ter que se acostumar. É uma camisa moderna e os jovens poderão usar nas baladas", disse o dirigente. "O Brasil é um país de todas as raças, então temos que usar todas as cores no uniforme. Temos que olhar sempre para frente. O preto está na nossa raça, então tínhamos que ter um uniforme desta cor", concluiu. >makeFooter('');

Escrito por fraja8 às 17h15
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O piloto alemão Michael Schumacher admitiu que nesta temporada terá maiores dificuldades para vencer na Fórmula 1, principalmente depois de não ter conseguido vencer os seus principais adversários nas sessões de testes da pré-temporada.

- Sei que teremos muitas dificuldades no GP da Austrália. Sei também que os outros pilotos estão muito bem preparados, mas a temporada será longa. Temos 19 provas para disputar e, se olharmos para o calendário como um todo, posso dizer que me sinto otimista - disse o piloto às vésperas do início do campeonato, dia 5 de março, com o GP da Austrália.

Apesar de ter ficado atrás de seus principais concorrentes, o alemão considera que a Ferrari
conseguiu superar algumas falhas no carro.

- Os últimos dias de testes antes de irmos para Melbourne foram bons e estamos satisfeitos com os resultados obtidos. Tivemos problemas com o tempo, mas conseguimos recolher dados e informações úteis - disse Schumacher.

Escrito por fraja8 às 14h49
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Argentinos querem 1 milhão de euros a mais que o oferecido

O presidente do River Plate, José María Aguilar, afirmou nesta quinta-feira que a transferência do meio-campo Javier Mascherano para o Corinthians "ainda não se concretizou", apesar do anúncio feito na quarta pelo clube paulista.

- O Corinthians deve responder a uma contra proposta feita pelo River - disse o dirigente.

Apesar de Aguilar não ter falado sobre os números da negociação, fontes do clube argentino disseram que "há uma diferença de um milhão de euros" entre o que o River quer e o oferecido pelo Timão. Segundo a imprensa esportiva de Buenos Aires, o clube argentino pediu 9 milhões de euros líquidos.

Mesmo se houver acordo, o jogador continuará no River até junho. As negociações estão a cargo de Aguilar e do intermediário iraniano Kia Joorabchian, que desde o final do ano passado assumiu o controle financeiro do Corinthians e é o cabeça do grupo investidor britânico MSI, associado ao clube.

Escrito por fraja8 às 14h39
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UEFA Chief Executive Lars-Christer Olsson has urged the European football family to keep talking so as to keep its affairs in order within the current football environment.

'Mutual respect'
In his latest column in the official UEFA publication, uefadirect, Mr Olsson also welcomed the generally positive response to UEFA's recent proposals on the local training of players, and called for "dialogue, mutual respect and understanding" as the elements required to help preserve football's wellbeing in the future.

Important meetings
Mr Olsson was writing after recent key meetings of the UEFA Executive Committee, the presidents and general secretaries of UEFA member associations and the European Club Forum, which brings together UEFA and more than 100 major European clubs.

Economic subjects
"As a sign of the times, many of the subjects discussed at these meetings were of an economic nature, such as the sale of television rights and the repositioning of certain competitions to raise their value," Mr Olsson said.

Useful knowledge
The UEFA CEO emphasised the importance of Europe's national associations within this continent's football landscape. "Economic questions are often closely linked to legal aspects, especially with regard to European legislation, which gives further weight to the argument that it is vital for the national associations to have the necessary knowledge and expertise in these fields in order to be able to deal with their partners on an equal footing," he said.

Vital balance
"It is only in this way that the associations, which constitute the traditional basis of football, can fulfil their role of governing football as a whole in their respective territories, while defending the general interests and maintaining a balance between the different parties involved."

Local talent
The three recent meetings had one item in common - the promotion of the local training of players. UEFA is proposing that the 'A' list that teams submit for UEFA club competitions will continue to be limited to 25 players, and from season 2006/07, at least two places on this list will be reserved for players trained by the club's own football academy and a further two places for players trained by other clubs from within the same association.

Additional places
In the following two seasons, one additional place for a club-trained and one additional place for an association-trained player will be reserved on the 'A' list, so that by the 2008/09 campaign, each club will have in its 25-man squad four club-trained and four association-trained players. "It was reassuring that the measures proposed and adopted by the Executive Committee largely met with a positive response from the conference delegates and forum participants," Mr Olsson noted.

Encouraging consensus
"Not only is such consensus encouraging, it also demonstrates the importance of dialogue, since these measures are the result of wide consultation," he added. "It also shows a general awareness of the fact that after years of unrestrained developments a certain degree of control is now required."

Chaos rules
Mr Olsson said that the same need was felt during the European Club Forum, when players' agents were discussed. "By putting individual and immediate interests first, a state of chaos has been allowed to develop in this area, to the advantage of third parties in particular," he said in uefadirect.

Self-regulation
"The European football family is not immune to the general rules. If it wants to be sure that others do not take it upon themselves to sort out its problems, then it had better put its affairs in order itself. And this requires dialogue, mutual respect and understanding above all else," Mr Olsson concluded.

Escrito por fraja8 às 14h26
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Ronaldo reconoce haber cometido un error pero pide que no se "dramatice" más con eso.

El brasileño ha reconocido a Onda Madrid haber recibido la notificación oficial de la multa por parte del club y ha asegurado no estar enfadado, aunque reconoce que no le ha gustado la forma en que se ha llevado el asunto. "No estoy enfadado con el club, pero en los equipos grandes las cosas se deben arreglar en el vestuario y no en la prensa", criticó el madridista.

Tras recibir la notificación, Ronaldo acepta su responsabilidad y pide que no se "dramatice" más con el tema: "Yo soy el primero que sabe lo que se puede hacer o no, pero no ha sido una cosa voluntaria", comentó el jugador.

El delantero brasileño, en alusión a los pitidos que recibió tras su sustitución el pasado martes en el Bernabéu en el partido ante el Juventus, aseguró entender perfectamente "que la afición esté enfadada cuando un jugador no juega bien", pero añadió: "no quiero pensar en que me han pitado por otras cosas, como las que pasaron durante la semana".

Sobre las declaraciones del técnico madridista, Vanderlei Luxemburgo, en las que aseguró que la sanción a Ronaldo debía servir como ejemplo al resto de la plantilla, el jugador aseguró "no querer polémicas". "No entendí sus palabras antes del partido contra el Juventus, pero no le voy a pedir explicaciones. Me pareció extraño porque no he hablado con él de esto. No sé a qué se refería con dar ejemplo conmigo", confesó el brasileño. "Lo que Luxemburgo necesite de mí lo va a tener. Acepto sus decisiones y cada uno piensa y dice lo que quiere", aseguró Ronaldo.

El madridista, además, comentó la situación actual que atraviesa su equipo en la competición de Liga, segundo a siete puntos del Barcelona. "Siete puntos no son muchísimos porque ellos tienen que venir todavía a Madrid. Quiero ganar la Liga, pero me hace más ilusión ganar la Champions", desveló el jugador.

Sobre su lesión en el dedo del pie, el delantero aseguró estarse recuperando: "Volveré a jugar y volveré a marcar goles. No sé si jugaré contra el Deportivo de La Coruña, aunque hoy he podido hacer bicicleta".El brasileño aseguró no recordar cómo se produjo su lesión. "No recuerdo ningún golpe en el partido contra Osasuna, pero al día siguiente de mi boda me desperté con el pie hinchado. Pudo ser un golpe o cualquier otra cosa", afirmó.

Para el posible fichaje de Adriano, delantero brasileño del Inter de Milán, Ronaldo también tuvo algunas palabras al asegurar: "Entiendo que el Madrid tiene que tener a los mejores jugadores. Adriano está encantado en el Inter y ha renovado hace poco su contrato. Hablo mucho con él, pero hay que saber si el Madrid tiene interés en él o no", concluyó.

Lleva seis partidos sin marcar y para un goleador nato como Ronaldo, eso pesa mucho. Por eso, no le sentaron mal algunos pitidos que salieron de la grada cuando fue sustituido el martes ante la Juventus, ya que él es su primer crítico. “Entiendo perfectamente que la afición esté enfadada cuando un jugador no juega bien, comprendo que muestren su descontento”.

No obstante, lo cierto es que el brasileño sigue teniendo molestias en el primer dedo de su pie izquierdo. “Estoy bien, el tamaño de mi sonrisa es el máximo. Aunque me molesta el dedo que me crea algunos problemas, pero ya volveré a jugar y volveré a marcar goles. No sé si jugaré contra el Deportivo de La Coruña, aunque hoy he podido hacer bicicleta”. Y asegura no recordar cómo se produjo la lesión: "No recuerdo ningún golpe en el partido contra Osasuna, pero dos días después me desperté con el pie hinchado. Pudo ser un golpe o cualquier otra cosa".

También quiso hacer referencia al partido de Champions ante la Juventus y advirtió que en Turín se verá otro equipo: "Venir al Bernabéu es muy difícil, muy complicado. La Juve no es ofensiva, pero allí seguro que no se parecen en nada, van a salir más de su campo porque necesitan un mejor resultado". Y no quiso olvidarse de la Liga: “Siete puntos no son muchísimos porque el Barcelona tiene que venir todavía a Madrid. Quiero ganar la Liga, pero me hace más ilusión ganar la Champions”.

En lo que respecta a la multa que le ha impuesto el Club por sus retrasos a dos entrenamientos, Ronaldo confesó no estar “enfadado con el club, pero en los equipos grandes las cosas se deben arreglar en el vestuario y no en la prensa. Cuando se comete un error hay que reconocerlo, pero no hay que dramatizar con él. Yo soy el primero que sabe lo que se puede hacer o no; no ha sido una cosa voluntaria”. Y con el humor que le caracteriza, el brasileño quiso quitar algo de hierro al asunto: “Voy a calcular cuánto me ha costado el minuto”.

En cuanto a las declaraciones que Vanderlei Luxemburgo hizo antes del encuentro ante la Juve, Ronie declaró que “lo que Luxemburgo necesite de mí lo va a tener. Acepto sus decisiones y cada uno piensa y dice lo que quiere". Y mandó un mensaje muy claro sobre su situación el Real Madrid: “Vivo bien en Madrid, soy muy feliz en el equipo, tenemos un equipazo y estoy muy bien”.

Escrito por fraja8 às 14h13
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Traffic Marketing Esportivo, holder of the broadcasting rights to South American soccer’s Libertadores Cup, with the exception of the Americas, has started the distribution of rights to 55 countries.

Markets include Spain, Italy, England, Russia, Greece, Hungary, Albania, Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Australia and Indonesia.

Marcelo Milliet, Traffic CEO, said the company expects to broadcast the competition to up to 75 countries this year. Both he and a sales team in partnership with Asian agents will be at SportelAsia, the international sports television market, taking place in Hong Kong from March 14 to 16.

The Libertadores Cup package includes 34 matches, including at least two matches featuring Brazil and Argentina. The product is distributed for customers worldwide through TV7 VídeoComunicção, a company within Traffic Group that uses satellite technology to broadcast in real time supplemented by comments and graphics in English.

Escrito por fraja8 às 14h06
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Carlos Alberto Parreira disse que o time mereceu o resultado por jogar tão na defesa."O Chelsea demonstrou uma postura exageradamente defensiva e acabou merecidamente punido com a derrota", disse o treinador da seleção brasileira ao site oficial da CBF.

"Esperávamos um super-Chelsea e no final não foi isso", afirmou o zagueiro mexicano do Barcelona Rafael Marquez após a vitória de sua equipe."Quando uma equipe que tem poucas chances marca um gol, dá muita raiva. Hoje ficou claro qual equipe é superior e que nós jogamos futebol. Vamos ver como será a volta", acrescentou ele.

A imprensa esportiva espanhola também não perdoou a postura da equipe comandada pelo português José Mourinho, atual campeão europeu com o Porto."É muito triste gastar 300 milhões em novos jogadores para atuar assim", escreveu o jornal El Mundo Deportivo.O colunista do jornal Marca Julián Ruiz concordou: "Temos que nos alegrar quando o futebol vence, e não a paranóia deste futebol de paredes de aço."O Chelsea entrou em campo com um sistema de jogo ultradefensivo contra o Barcelona e poucas vezes foi ao ataque.Os ingleses saíram na frente aos 30 minutos de jogo após um gol contra do brasileiro Belleti, que acertou a própria meta após cruzamento de Damien Duff.

O Barcelona continuou pressionando no segundo tempo, mas só conseguiu furar a defesa adversária após a expulsão de Didier Drogba por uma falta no goleiro Victor Valdés.O argentino Maxi Lopez, que entrou no segundo tempo, marcou o gol de empate 11 minutos depois, e Samuel Eto'o definiu o placar após chute cruzado de Lopez para dentro da área.

Escrito por fraja8 às 14h02
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Revelações migram para os EUA e "racham" a natação

Contrariando a CBDA, Thiago Pereira, Joanna Maranhão e Rebeca Gusmão seguem mesma trajetória feita pelos grandes nadadores do país e vão morar no exterior atrás de melhores condições para de desenvolverem seu talento.

Maiores expoentes da nova geração da natação brasileira, que despontou no Pan de 2003 e teve em 2004 o seu ano de afirmação, Thiago Pereira e Joanna Maranhão deixaram o país para seguirem a mesma trajetória cumprida por todos os grandes nomes da natação nacional até hoje: foram morar nos Estados Unidos.
A decisão dos jovens atletas contrariou a posição da CBDA (Confederação Brasileira de Desportos Aquáticos) e reacendeu a polêmica sobre a estrutura (ou a falta de) para o desenvolvimento desses talentos aqui no Brasil.

Encabeçado pelo presidente da entidade, Coaracy Nunes, um grupo com alguns técnicos e atletas defende que o país oferece hoje as condições necessárias para que construam suas carreiras. Do outro lado estão grande parte dos nadadores e treinadores, ainda céticos quanto ao seu futuro na modalidade aqui dentro.
"Não queria que a Joanna, a Rebeca e o Thiago fossem para lá. Desde o começo eu deixei claro que era contra. Eles treinam bem os estrangeiros no começo, depois abandonam. Não é que sejam más pessoas, não é isso. Mas eles são norte-americanos acima de tudo, não conseguem deixar o patriotismo de lado. Sempre vão beneficiar o atleta da casa quando tiverem que escolher entre ele e um de fora", comenta o dirigente.

Joanna: Universidade da Flórida

Outra justificativa para a mudança é a melhor estrutura oferecida aos atletas, com técnicos qualificados, material de primeira linha e tecnologia de ponta. Mas para Leodegário Arruda, técnico do paraibano Kaio Márcio Almeida, a discrepância entre o que existe no exterior em relação ao que é feito no Brasil já não é tão grande.

"Hoje a gente tem acesso a informação e material, por isso acredito que não existe a necessidade de sair. Temos tudo o que precisamos aqui e, se tiver alguma novidade, vamos buscar lá fora e implantar aqui dentro", opina o treinador, que segue treinando Almeida no Nordeste, longe até dos grandes centros nacionais da modalidade.

Para os nadadores, porém, o que pesa mais é a facilidade que existe de conciliar a carreira esportiva com os estudos nos EUA, onde a base do esporte está instalada dentro das universidades. "Acho que aqui seria mais complicado conciliar as duas coisas, tanto que muita gente tem que escolher entre estudar e treinar. Lá a gente tem um apoio maior para fazer tudo ao mesmo tempo, então essa foi a minha opção", explica Pereira, 19, atual campeão mundial dos 200 m medley em piscina curta.

"Lá a gente faz nossos horários de acordo com os treinos e competições, não o contrário. E as competições são mais fortes e freqüentes, estamos sempre nadando contra os melhores do mundo", diz Rebeca Gusmão, 20, velocista que representou o Brasil nas últimas Olimpíadas e está em Coral Springs desde o dia 20 de janeiro, morando junto com Pereira e Nayara Ribeiro.

"Eu acho que o Brasil tem excelentes treinadores. Só que não é só o treino. Você tem que ter ciência, tecnologia, trabalho, teimosia e tolerância", diz Hugo Lobo, técnico de Rebeca, que também está de partida para os EUA. "O que o atleta ganha não é só medalha. Ele ganha informação, caráter e personalidade, isso ele vai levar para o resto da vida", completa.

Rebeca quer ir para Atlanta

Mas mesmo entre os atletas há divisão de opiniões. O catarinense Eduardo Fischer, com duas Olimpíadas no currículo apesar da pouca idade (25), só não foi ainda porque não conseguiu. "Eu acho muito importante. Aqui no Brasil você acaba se dispersando com outros problemas e outras preocupações. Lá você foca no treinamento", diz.

"Pensei em fazer isso neste ano, mas por motivos financeiros e alguns outros problemas não consegui. Mas quero treinar pelo menos uns seis meses lá antes do Pan, fazer um intensivão. Lá o pessoal leva o negócio bastante a sério, aqui ainda tem muito amadorismo", aponta Fischer.

Já Kaio Almeida, 20, que também esteve em Atenas, não pretende sair tão cedo do país. Com patrocínios e apoio financeiro tanto em João Pessoa como em Recife, o paraibano prefere ficar perto da família. "Ele vai continuar lá. A estrutura que nos oferecem é fantástica. Aqui nadadores como Kaio têm condições de desenvolver todo um trabalho exclusivo para eles, enquanto lá fora eles são apenas mais um entre vários bons nadadores", explica seu treinador.

Entre os quatro nadadores que foram embora recentemente, só Joanna Maranhão, quinta colocada nos 400 m medley em Atenas, já está em uma universidade. Aos 17 anos, ela ganhou uma bolsa para estudar educação física na Universidade da Flórida, por onde já passaram outros brasileiros como os atletas olímpicos Carlos Jayme e Gabriel Mangabeira.

Escrito por fraja8 às 13h54
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MLSE President Richard Peddie explains why Toronto should be an MLS city in 2007

Sean Wheelock: Where do the current negotiations stand between your Toronto ownership/investment group and MLS?

Richard Peddie: We've expressed strong interest to Major League Soccer, have met with (MLS Commissioner) Don Garber three times already, and (MLS Chief Operating Officer) Mark Abbott twice. We've expressed why Toronto, the nation of Canada, and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment would be an excellent choice if they were considering additional expansion.

It's moving along. If we were to acquire a franchise and launch it, it would be for two years this April (the 2007 season). We're not dragging our feet, but at the same time we don't have to move with lightning speed. It's being done in a very orderly fashion.

SW: Are you having regular discussions with MLS?

RP: I think you could characterize them as regular. Don (Garber) and Mark (Abbott) were here in Toronto on Wednesday (February 16). They stayed for the (NBA's Toronto Raptors) basketball game and sat courtside with our chairman Larry Tanenbaum.

SW: Are all of the discussions about acquiring an MLS expansion franchise, or has there been talk of purchasing an existing club for relocation?

RP: The relocation word has not shown up. We've been thinking that our team is going to have significant Canadian content. And moving a team to Toronto, would give us an existing roster which would not be the type of roster we would want here in Canada.

SW: How vital is the new stadium in Toronto to your bid?

RP: One of the keys is the right place to play soccer. We'd like to think that the crowds will get up to 25,000 at some point. But on average it will be below 20,000. And you don't put crowds below 20,000 into something like Sky Dome that seats 54,000 for soccer.

It' not an intimate building, it's a multi-purpose facility, and it doesn't lend itself to soccer. What the CSA (Canadian Soccer Association) and the (Canadian Football League's Toronto) Argonauts are creating at York University is a very intimate building. The seats are going to be six meters from the playing field. We think it will be a wonderful soccer building.

SW: Will field turf rather than natural grass definitely be installed?

RF: Yes, it's going to be field turf.

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, a viable economic entity, made a $180,000 contribution to the South Asia tsunami fund at an NBA game between the MLSE owned Toronto Raptors and the Boston Celtics. (Ron Turenne / GettyImages)

SW: Have the football lines from the Argonauts games been addressed?

RP: I've asked that question, and been told that you can take them off or clean them off the field turf.

SW: Who would be the primary tenant at the new stadium, the Toronto MLS club or the Argonauts?

RP: For scheduling it would be the Argonauts. But I think that you could argue that with 20 plus games for us, versus 10 or so for the Argonauts, even with conservative estimates, we believe that we would be over 40% of the actual guests coming to the building.

SW: Why did Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment decide to pursue an expansion franchise in MLS?

RP: We go through a major strategic exercise every October. Our Board is not only interested in winning championships, but in increasing enterprise value. When we went through the strategic exercise, it was very apparent that we are running out of runway in how to grow revenue.

Our suites are all sold out, our sponsorships are all sold out. We look at our growth initiatives in three bundles. We're interested in facilities. We already have three sports teams, the NHL (Toronto Maple Leafs), the NBA (Toronto Raptors), plus an American Hockey League team that we're moving to Toronto next year, and we're looking for a fourth team. MLS fits that. And we concentrate on broadcast, and we think there could be a broadcast play here as well.

SW: In your discussions with MLS, has the issue of the currency difference and exchange rates been addressed?

RP: Currency has come up. We've introduced the idea, but nothing has been resolved.

SW: Have you spoke with the league about the issue of citizenship classification as it would pertain to Canadian players on a Toronto MLS club?

RP: That's not resolved. We've had three meetings, and we're still really at the start of this process. It's something like currency that has been brought up. One of the points we really made to them, is that you're not moving into Utah, you're not moving into Los Angeles. You're moving into a foreign country, and so this expansion is different. It really needs a solution that's made for Canada.

SW: Would a Toronto MLS club try to attract many of the Canadian internationals currently with clubs in the U.K. and Europe, and make attempt to make it Canada's Team?

RP: We'd like to, and we think that's important. We really think this can help grow soccer in Canada. We see what MLS has done for the American program. That's not lost on us. We understand that there is a need to have Canadians play for National Team reasons. But at the same time, what sells is great product. The deal I have with my general managers in hockey and basketball is put the best product out there and fans will follow.

SW: Has the issue of FIFA been raised, in regards to how they'll react to a Canadian club joining MLS?

RP: Don (Garber) has never said, we're interested in you, but we've got to get over this. He's never raised it as a concern.

SW: Have you had close contact with the CSA since you began speaking with MLS?

RP: We've known (CSA Chief Operating Officer) Kevan Pipe for a long time, and have met with him a number of times. For this to succeed we need a really strong three party partnership: MLS, CSA, and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.

SW: Would there be any financial partners included with your bid?

RP: It would solely be our group.

SW: Have you had any discussions with the USL's Toronto Lynx regarding your interest in acquiring an MLS franchise?

RP: We're certainly aware of them, but we've had no discussions.

SW: What is the timetable for Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment to ultimately be awarded an MLS club in Toronto?

RP: It's moving along at a pace that we're comfortable with at this time. Because MLS would be expanding into a foreign country, it's not cookie-cutter. It's not as simple as the other markets. I imagine that it will take most of this year, and I think the ball is in both of our courts.

SW: Are you optimistic that you will have an MLS club in Toronto in 2007?

RP: I'm cautiously optimistic, yes.

Sean D. Wheelock writes about American soccer every Thursday.

Escrito por fraja8 às 13h39
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Sam I am

Sosa puts on BP clinic for new teammates

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) -- As a way of introducing himself to his new teammates, Sammy Sosa slammed about two dozen baseballs far over the center-field wall during his first workout with the Baltimore Orioles.

Before he was done, nearly half the squad interrupted their drills to watch the show.

"Sammy, we're going to run out of balls!" joked outfielder Larry Bigbie, who watched in awe as one shot after another soared onto an airfield behind the practice field."They'll be parking the planes in the hangars from now on," Bigbie said later.

The Chicago Cubs were relieved to get rid of Sosa after his troubled 2004 season, and the Orioles are delighted to have him."I'm in a new house with a young team that I can help," he said. "I'm very happy to be here, no question. And I can see in their faces that they're really happy for me to be here."

Sosa came to the Orioles earlier this month in a trade that sent Jerry Hairston Jr. and two prospects to Chicago. Sosa once was a hero in the Windy City, but his 13-year stay soured after a series he was caught using a corked bat, had a rift with Cubs manager Dusty Baker and left early during the 2004 season finale."That page is closed, and I don't want to touch that page no more," he said. "We're here to move on and go forward."

During his stay in Chicago, Sosa battled with Mark McGwire in a memorable home run duel in 1998, went to the All-Star Game seven times and was the 1998 NL MVP. But he contends that the corked bat and his early departure from the ballpark ruined an otherwise wonderful relationship."For the 13 years I was in Chicago, I only made two mistakes. That's pretty good," he said. "If I had known that leaving early last year would have caused such a controversy, I would have never done it. My manager told me I had a day off. But what can I say?"

When the Cubs fell out of playoff contention last season, Sosa received much the blame. He spent a month on the disabled list with a bad back and finished with a .253 batting average, 35 homers and 80 RBIs -- his fewest since 1994.

Still, 35 homers is more than anyone on Baltimore hit last season, so the Orioles think he'll be a perfect fit in their tiny ballpark at Camden Yards.Upon arriving in Baltimore three weeks ago, Sosa requested that the Orioles send him a stretch limo at the airport. On Wednesday, he found his way to camp without the aid of a limousine.

He emerged from his white Range Rover at 9:38 a.m., slipped into the clubhouse and had a quick chat with manager Lee Mazzilli before joining his new teammates on the back fields of Fort Lauderdale Stadium."I told him, 'I don't want you to just fit in. Be Sammy. I don't want you to change,'" Mazzilli said.

Sosa created a stir in Chicago with a boom-box that ultimately was destroyed by a teammate. That won't be a problem in Baltimore; Mazzilli does not allow the players to listen to music before games, except through headphones."That's the rule and they all go by it," Mazzilli said. "If I listen to your 50 Cent, then you should be able to listen to my Dean Martin."

From the moment he arrived, Sosa was followed by cameramen and reporters. He nearly tripped over a photographer upon emerging from the dugout for the first time, wearing an unfamiliar orange jersey with the familiar No. 21 on the back.

When he was done, Sosa signed autographs in the main stadium.Had things gone differently last summer, Sosa still might be with the Cubs. Had the New York Mets been more aggressive in their pursuit, he might have been in Port Saint Lucie this spring."I think for about a month I was going to the New York Mets. I think God was looking out for me and drive me in the right direction," Sosa said. "I want to come to Baltimore for a lot of reasons. I feel perfect here."

Escrito por fraja8 às 13h36
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El presidente de la FIFA desea introducir cambios sustanciales en el reglamento. También aboga por la súper-profesionalización de los árbitrosJoseph Blatter aseguró que "si se profesionaliza el arbitraje, entonces se convertirá en un trabajo. Y cuando vas a tu trabajo no haces trampa. Tienes un honor profesional".

"Lo vengo diciendo desde hace diez años. Los árbitros deberían percibir alrededor de 100.000 euros al año", comentó.

Y opinó sobre el formato actual de la ley del offside, que debería ser removido y transformado. "Mi deseo es que sólo el jugador que reciba el balón pueda considerarse en fuera de juego. He hablado sobre ello con Jan Koller y Milan Baros, así como con Ronaldinho y Schevchenko. Los delanteros están muy satisfechos con la idea", confió Blatter.

La tercera proposición del presidente, para que los jugadores que simulen faltas vean la tarjeta roja, la justifica en que similar una falta es una "estafa a los otros jugadores, al árbitro y al público" y, aunque es difícil de constatar, lo considera algo más grave que tomar a un contrario de la camiseta o derribarlo con una zancadilla.

Por último, ante la posible utilización de recursos técnicos para disminuir los errores arbitrales, Blatter se mostró escéptico y comentó que sólo se pueden introducir reformas que puedan ser aplicadas en todas las categorías del fútbol, desde las divisiones inferiores hasta las ligas profesionales. La próxima reunión de la International Board (IFAB), grupo de expertos que estudia posibles modificaciones en las reglas del fútbol, abordará este sábado una serie de propuestas para cambiar las normas actuales relativas al fuera de juego, a las sustituciones, a los lanzamientos de penalti y a las acciones que deben ser objeto de falta, como quitarse la camiseta

Escrito por fraja8 às 13h24
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El Barça lo hizo todo ante el Chelsea: desde un autogol hasta la remontada

Maxi López, inesperado héroe del triunfo, marcó un gol y generó el de Eto'oLA CRÓNICA Se produjo un marcador previsible dentro de un guión inesperado. En efecto, el Barça ganó al Chelsea el primer 'round' de su apasionante euro eliminatoria por un apretado 2-1, que lo deja todo en el aire, pero el encuentro fue un monólogo azulgrana. El Barça lo hizo todo.

Desde romper el equilibrio del encuentro con autogol de Belletti, poco después de la media hora de juego, hasta la remontada final, con goles de Maxi López y Eto'o, que llevaron el delirio a las gradas de un repleto Camp Nou.

El delantero argentino fue el inesperado héroe de la victoria favorecida su presencia por la inferioridad numérica con que el Chelsea disputó prácticamente la media hora final después de la expulsión de su 'ariete' Drogba. El temido delantero marfileño se ganó una tarjeta amarilla en el primer tiempo y se condenó, tras el descanso, con una entrada a destiempo sobre Valdés en un balón dividido. A partir de aquel momento, el Chelsea ya no se sintió tan cómodo parapetado tras su ventaja de 0-1. La presión azulgrana resultó agobiante para el área londinense y el doble pivote ofensivo planteado por Rijkaard con la entrada de Maxi por Giuly no encontró freno en la defensa inglesa. Primero el argentino con un duro remate cruzado y luego Eto'o, aprovechando otro balón cruzado al área por su compañero, hicieron saltar por los aires el 'cerrojo' del Chelsea que, cuando se encontró con un gol de ventaja en su primera aproximación a puerta se sintió como pez en el agua.

Un gol sin rematar

En efecto, la situación fue curiosa porque tras una salida trepidante del Barça y una media hora inicial de absoluto control azulgrana, el primer balón suelto al contragolpe permitió a Duff escaparse y lanzar un centro envenenado que Belletti introdujo en su propia portería en su afán por despejarlo. De esta forma el Chelsea se encontró con un gol de oro y de ventaja sin haber tenido necesidad de chutar a puerta. Más que sarcástica la situación resultaba frustrante. Desde luego fue un duro mazazo para el once barcelonista, al que le costó recomper su ánimo . Incluso planeó el fantasma del KO e un remate de Drogba, solo ante Valdés, que cruzó fuera por muy poco. Sólo tras la expulsión de Drogba, al verse en superioridad numérica, el Barça recobró las ilusiones por el triunfo. Lo alcanzó en los últimos compases y hasta lo pudo ampliar tras quince remates a puerta durante el segundo tiempo, pero faltó inspiración en los metros finales y el meta Cech emanó siempre mucha seguridad.

El Chelsea fue un calco del Porto de la pasada temporada sin la magia de Deco. Ese rol debe estar destinado al holandés Robben, ausente por lesión. Lo cierto es que su imagen como 'grande de Europa' rozó la decepción. Mantuvo siempre un mínimo de ocho jugadores en su medio campo, defendió con uñas y dientes al límite del reglamento, apenas inquietó a Valdés ni conectó tres pases seguidos, despejó infinidad de balones directamente fuera y ejerció una presión asfixiante sobre el rival al más puro estilo del anterior equipo de Mourinho que, por cierto, no sólo engañó con la alineación inicial, en la que incluyó por sorpresa al 'descartado' Duff, sino que, además, pudo comprobar que su equipo es capaz de perder perfectamente dos partidos seguidos en el plazo de cinco días. En el fútbol actual no quedan 'intocables'.

El estilo del Porto

Dicho lo anterior hay que admitir que como adversario el conjuto inglés es un auténtico 'hueso' porque juega a no jugar y dispone de hombres veloces y combativos en punta de ataque. En su gélido planteamiento a lo Porto sólo le falló el árbitro, capaz de dejarlos en inferioridad numérica, algo impensable en la Champions anterior como algunos recordarán.

Al Barça, en cambio, le saltaron por los aires todos sus planteamientos. Desde el autogol inesperado al discreto partido de Deco y las intermitentes apariciones de Ronaldinho. Los jugadores desequilibrantes acabaron desquicidos por la muralla que encontraron delante. Eto'o, por fortuna, fue de menos a más y acabó encontrando el camino del gol después de un primer tiempo espeso. En la zona ancha fue Xavi el que llevó la manija y atrás Puyol fue un coloso que lo frenó todo. Rijkaard tuvo que echar mano del banquillo en busca de revulsivos. Primero Iniesta, luego el providencial Maxi, finalmente Gerard. Pero no fue un victoria de nombres propios, protagonismo del argentino al margen, sino que el Barça ganó por convicción, paciencia y, desde luego, méritos sobrados. Ahora la eliminatoria está en el aire pero en el minuto 67 todos hubiéramos firmado este panorama

Escrito por fraja8 às 13h22
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En Londres están encantados de la vida con la derrota del Chelsea. The Mirror dice que el míster portugués fue agredido por el azulgrana El diario sensacionalista The Mirror ventiló que "Rijkaard pateó a Mourinho en el trasero durante una sorprendente enganchada en el túnel de vestuarios, lo que empañó el choque del Camp Nou".

El citado medio no se extiende en la información pero la misma parece fruto de alguna imaginación fértil. ¿Puede alguien pensar en una reacción semejante del míster del Barça? En todo caso no vendría mal preguntarle su opinión acerca de semejante dato.

Por otra parte, el diario Daily Express asegura que "la lección para el Chelsea consistió en aprender que lleva tiempo ganar la clase aristocrática que tienen los mejores espadachines del continente". Y remató: "El histrionismo de Mourinho, sumado a la pataleta de silencio después del partido hará difícil que alguna vez este equipo logre adquirir un toque de clase".

En tanto el sensacionalista The Sun alude a que "Mourinho está furioso" y habla de "guerra" segura contra el Barcelona. Este diario recuerda que la expulsión de Droga "podría costarle al Chelsea la Liga de Campeones" y de ocurrir así, los de Londres "podrían arremeter contra el árbitro Anders Frisk".

Escrito por fraja8 às 12h38
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El técnico decidió no comparecer en rueda de prensa y que nadie del Chelsea hablase alegando “presión” del Barça sobre Anders FriskEl partido de vuelta de los octavos de final de la Champions League 2004-2005 entre el Chelsea y el Barça comenzó a jugarse en el momento en el que Anders Frisk decretó el final del de ida. Con un 2-1 final que mantenía vivo al Chelsea a pesar de un agonizante segundo tiempo, José Mourinho tomó la decisión, sin precedentes en un partido organizado por la UEFA, de no dar rueda de prensa ni permitir a ningún jugador hacer declaraciones, lo que le puede costar al Chelsea una fuerte multa. El pretexto, un altercado entre técnicos de ambos equipos en el descanso del partido mientras se dirigían a los respectivos vestuarios, donde según el club inglés Rijkaard fue a ver a Frisk.

La sala de prensa del Camp Nou esperaba expectante a Mourinho. En su lugar apareció Simon Greenberg, director de comunicación del club londinense, quien leyó un escueto comunicado en el que básicamente pedía disculpas y hacía referencia a un “grave hecho sucedido en el descanso del partido”, sin dar más detalles y anunciando que el club inglés presentará un informe a la UEFA.

Al Chelsea le puede caer un 'palo' económico por haberse saltado el protocolo de una forma absolutamente arbitraria. Sin embargo, todo depende de delegado de la UEFA en el partido, el polaco Michal Listkiewicz, que presentará un informe al Comité de Disciplina, que es el que debe decidir si sanciona o no al club inglés.

El altercado

Los hechos sucedieron al finalizar el primer tiempo. En el túnel de vestuarios, Henk ten Cate dialogó con Anders Frisk, al que señaló que el gol del Chelsea había llegado tras una situación de fuera de juego de Duff. El entrenador de porteros del Chelsea, Silvino, ex suplente de Vítor Baía en el Oporto de Robson, acudió entonces a increpar a Ten Cate, quien le pidió que marchara por su parte del túnel de vestuarios. Silvino golpeó a Ten Cate en el brazo y Carles Naval, que también se llevó una pequeña caricia, acudió a separarlos. Hasta aquí, con más o menos empujones, unos hechos de tipo sainetesco.

El Chelsea acusa también a Rijkaard de acudir a presionar a Frisk en el descanso, un extremo que nadie ha sabido aclarar con total certeza. William Gallard, portavoz de la UEFA, manifestó a MD que “oficialmente, el Chelsea no ha protestado, pero verbalmente ya ha anunciado que lo hará. La protesta es que Rijkaard ha estado con el árbitro en el descanso. Pero Graham Turner, representante de la UEFA, estaba presente cuando ambos coincidieron y afirma que sólo le dijo 'good evening'”.

La conclusión es que el Comité de Disciplina analizará, primero, el informe de su delegado; segundo, el informe del Chelsea; tercero, si el club inglés merece sanción por no atender a los medios de comunicación; y cuarto, si de la protesta del club inglés puede derivarse alguna actuación.

El papel de Mourinho

Mourinho, entretanto, estuvo al margen del rifirrafe, a pesar de algunas versiones contradictorias. Sin embargo, es el responsable de la decisión de no atender a los medios, que en cualquier caso ninguna culpa tienen de lo que pueda haber sucedido en el túnel de vestuarios. Su ausencia en la sala de prensa fue acogida, sobre todo, con incredulidad por parte de todos.

Lo que está claro es que Mourinho decidió comenzar a calentar el partido de vuelta. El Chelsea va a seguir la estrategia de rodear ese partido de un aura esotérica y, para empezar, ha recurrido a una estratagema muy poco británica y sí muy latina. De momento, el técnico ha logrado que sólo se hable de algo que pudo haber sucedido en el descanso del partido de ida

Escrito por fraja8 às 12h36
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El delantero argentino explicó su noche más grande como jugador y recibió los elogios de toda la plantilla.Ni en sus mejores sueños Maxi López pudo imaginarse una noche como la de ayer. En su debut en la Champions como azulgrana, el argentino abrió el marcador para el Barça y con su asistencia a Eto'o, condujo la victoria ante el Chelsea. Todo le salió redondo a este joven jugador de 19 años.

“Estoy muy contento por haber debutado con un gol pero sobre todo porque he contribuido a que el equipo gane, que es lo más importante. Creo que he jugado muy bien en los primeros minutos en que he salido al campo y me he sentido muy a gusto con esta plantilla. Quiero agradecerle a Rijkaard su confianza en mí y a toda la gente que en los momentos difíciles me ha hecho sentirme bien”, señaló al salir del vestuario.

Los consejos del míster

Maxi explicó cuáles fueron las consignas de Rijkaard cuando le hizo saltar al campo: “Me ha pedido movilidad y que me colara entre los dos centrales, Terry y Carvalho, y que esperara la oportunidad para marcar”. Así lo hizo Maxi y mejor no le pudieron salir las cosas. El azulgrana saltó al césped, marcó un golazo y lo celebró de una manera muy especial, haciendo los gestos típicos de las gallinas en una clara alusión al equipo de River, donde sus jugadores son conocidos popularmente como los 'gallinas': “Es el equipo de mi vida, el de mis orígenes. A ellos les debo haber fichado por el Barça y estar aquí. Siempre llevaré a River conmigo”, afirmó.

También explicó el jugador qué es lo que le pasó por la cabeza en el momento de marcar el tanto: “Obviamente, me pasaron muchas cosas. Pensé en mi familia, en la gente que ha hecho tantas cosas por mí. Intento tomarme esto con tranquilidad”, confesó un Maxi visiblemente emocionado y que no se cansó de repetir que “han sido unas sensaciones increíbles las que he podido vivir esta noche”.

Sobre el juego del Barcelona, el jugador comentó que “hemos demostrado que tenemos más fútbol y creatividad que el Chelsea. En la vuelta en Stanford hemos de hacer lo mismo y aguantar la fuerte presión de ese estadio. Ahí el Barça tiene un partido muy difícil, en que debe tratar de hacer otra vez su juego”.

Agradece el apoyo del público

Por último, felicitó a la afición por su constante apoyo y admitió que sintió algo muy especial al oír su nombre coreado en el estadio por toda la afición azulgrana, sin duda algo que no olvidará en su vida: “Nunca antes había jugado ante cien mil personas. El Camp Nou es increíble, envolvente. Ha sido una experiencia muy linda”.

Sobre Maxi López, sus compañeros sólo tuvieron palabras de elogio. El mexicano Márquez destacó que “ha salido con muchas ganas, con mucha fuerza. Es un gran jugador que aprovecha las oportunidades que tiene, tal como ha hecho esta noche”. 'Gio' van Bronckhorst se definió en la misma línea al exclamar que “ha estado muy bien. El gol ha sido muy importante, igual que su pase a Eto'o. Estoy muy contento por él”. También Iniesta celebró el feliz debut en Champions del argentino y aseguró sentirse “muy contento por él, ha marcado un gol vital”

Escrito por fraja8 às 12h35
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Si antes presionaban para comprarlo, ahora que Javier se mandó un golazo maradoneano... Ah, River debutó en la Copa con un 3 a 2 sobre el Olmedo.

¿Cuánto vale ese gol?

Para el espíritu de este River, que arrancó en la Libertadores con juego y huevo, con cantidad y calidad de situaciones de gol que justificó con plenitud el triunfo en el estreno, ante el poco exigente Olmedo ecuatoriano.

Para el iraní Kia Joorabchian, a quien cuya desesperación por contar ya mismo con el volante central lo llevó hasta Buenos Aires elevar su última oferta, mostrar una sonrisa mientras les anunciaba a los directivos de River que había 11.700.000 dólares si el Jefecito se mudaba ya mismo al Corinthians. Se tendrá que quedar con las ganas hasta junio.

Para el propio Javier Mascherano, envuelto desde hace más de un semestre en rumores sobre una transferencia, pero con la claridad mental para demostrar que las corridas se sustentan con estado físico, pero se transforman en golazos con una inevitable cuota de calidad.

Porque tuvo un aire a lo Diego, por la decisión, porque no lo podían parar pese a que la jugada no desbordaba de estética...

El Jefecito, a los 18 minutos, tal vez inquieto porque conseguía que su equipo hiciera pie a base de ubicación, quite y criterio para distribuir, decidió animarse a más. Fue al piso para quitarle la pelota a Damián Yañez, quien estaba ya enredado en la telaraña de presión que habían montado el volante central junto con Lucho González y Zapata. Giró y fue hacia adelante. Con ese típico slalom del pibe en velocidad. Perseguido por el argentino que juega en el Olmedo. Cuando tuvo a su rival a la par, tiró la pelota larga pasó entre Luis Caicedo y Oscar Baguí, quienes intentaban cerrarle el paso pero no se animaron a convertirlo en sandwich porque recién estaban en mitad de cancha. Aceleró mientras miraba de reojo cómo el Tecla Farías le picaba por la izquierda, pero siguió. A esa altura, Carlos Caicedo ya veía que tampoco lo alcanzaría. Y entonces, Mascherano relojeó a Francisco Caidedo (¡no hay parentezco entre ninguno de los tres!) y antes de pisar el área, definió con la cara interna del botín derecho, al segundo palo, por arriba del arquero, una delicia, mezcla de atleta y artista, 12 segundos de pura adrenalina y placer.

La sonrisa extra large, el índice de la mano derecha apuntando hacia el cielo. Era el 2-0, pero su primer grito con la camiseta de River, justo en su 50° partido en el club. Y no hay caso: siempre lejos de su país. Con la Selección, había festejado un par de conquistas: en el torneo Esperanzas de Toulón del 2003 (Francia), había mostrado su categoría en un tiro libre con el que venció al arquero de Japón; y seis meses después, en el Mundial Sub 20 que se disputó en Emiratos Arabes, mostró su temple para convertir un gol clave de cabeza, frente a EE.UU., patriada que obligó al alargue para concretar el pase a la semi con gol de oro.

Y esta vez, nada de quedarse sin aire. Ni los 2.754 metros de Riobamba alcanzaron para ahogar un gol con semejante altura.

Escrito por fraja8 às 12h34
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Las alarmas se disparan en el Real Madrid de cara al encuentro de Riazor. Y es que el conjunto de Vanderlei Luxemburgo podría llegara a acumular hasta ocho bajas para rendir visita al Deportivo en su feudo. A las bajas seguras de Iván Helguera por sanción y de Michel Salgado por lesión, el preparador brasileño tiene seis serias dudas de cara al vital choque por seguir en la lucha por la Liga. Y las seis son de jugadores claves en el equipo. Tres de ellos sufren un proceso gripal que les impidió asistir al entrenamiento de hoy en el caso de Roberto Carlos y David Beckham y que obligó a retirarse a los minutos de empezar a Raúl. Zidane, que no se entrenó ayer con molestias, tampoco trabajó esta mañana. El que sí lo hizo fue Ronaldo, también ausente el miércoles, pero al retirarse aseguró que no sabe si podrá jugar el sábado. Finalmente Guti también se encuentra tocado con una contractura.

El panorama se presenta muy negro para el conjunto blanco, que no se puede permitir ningún tropiezo más en su persecución al Barcelona. Luxemburgo tendrá que buscar soluciones de emergencia en su plantilla y en los jugadores del filial que habitualmente entran en sus planes. Aunque es posible que alguno de los afectados se pueda recuperar a tiempo, lo cierto es que el brasileño tendrá algunas sensibles bajas en A Coruña.

Escrito por fraja8 às 12h29
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-¿Fue la Juventus tanto como parecía antes del partido?
-No es eso. Lo que ocurre es que el Real Madrid hizo un gran partido. Sabíamos que saldrían más o menos así. Ellos intentaron no encajar un gol y luego, en jugaditas aisladas que suelen tener, hacernos uno. Pero eso no les bastó.

-¿Un resultado demasiado corto?
-Para como fue el partido sí. La verdad es que se nos escaparon vivos. Merecimos ganar 2-0 mínimo, pero la ventaja es nuestra para la vuelta. El árbitro también nos perjudicó bastante. El penalti a Raúl fue clarísimo. Y con un 2-0 ahora estaríamos mucho más tranquilos. Y luego está el penalti a Samuel...

-Pues mire que a mí me recuerda a lo que pasó en semifinales de la 2002-03. Muchas ocasiones en el Bernabéu, y al final un 2-1 que no fue suficiente...
-Sí, pero no es la misma renta. Es mucho mejor un 1-0 que un 2-1. Ellos van a necesitar marcar cuanto antes, y eso les forzará a cambiar su juego. Dejarán más huecos atrás y nosotros podremos hacer mucho daño.

-¿Qué le pareció Ibrahimovic?
-Bueno, es muy gran jugador y le viene muy bien a la Juventus, porque tiene unos laterales que suben mucho al ataque, sobre todo Zambrotta, e Ibrahimovic puede combinar bien con ellos. En realidad le vendría bien a cualquier equipo, porque tiene mucha calidad.

-¿Y no le pareció que se excedía en sus florituras con el balón? ¿Les faltó al respeto a usted y sus compañeros?
-No, no... Mire, cómo voy a decir eso, si Zidane también lo hace. Es su juego. No creo que quiera vacilar al contrario. Zidane es igual, todo fantasía.

-¿Lo mejor para el Madrid es que Trezeguet no juegue la vuelta en Turín?
-Es un goleador, pero me asusta lo mismo que Del Piero. La otra vez, Alessandro nos eliminó él sólo.

-¿Cómo influyó al equipo la lesión de Míchel Salgado?
-Raúl Bravo estaba fuera de sitio. Eso nos perjudicó mucho en ataque, pero la verdad es que en defensa el chaval estuvo acertado por un sitio por donde entraba con peligro Zambrotta.

-En la otra banda, ¿vuelve a ser Roberto Carlos el de siempre?
-Cogió muy bien la espalda a los defensas de la Juve y puso tres balones de gol que no supimos concretar. Roberto está subiendo y defendiendo más. Está siendo el mejor lateral del mundo, el que siempre fue en el Madrid.

-¿Han dejado de respetar al Real Madrid los árbitros?
-En Champions ya nos ha pasado más veces. Como el año pasado con el Bayern, donde hubo penaltis bastante claros no pitados. También pasó con el Mónaco. Eso por no hablar de la Liga. Para que luego, cuando nos favorecen, se arme la marimorena.

-¿Cuál puede ser el motivo?
-Bueno, no es fácil de asimilar que un equipo gane tres veces casi seguidas la Champions en seis años. Pero no creo que haya nada raro. Ser árbitro tiene que ser muy complicado.

-¿Cómo habrá que salir a jugar en Delle Alpi en la vuelta?
-Ya hemos visto muchos partidos de equipos españoles como el Valencia o el Depor que nos han enseñado cómo se debe ganar en Turín o en Milán. Aguantando atrás, siendo serio y trabajando mucho para luego salir al contraataque, donde tenemos gente que va bien, como Ronaldo o Owen. Marcando un gol será muy difícil no pasar.

-¿Se enchufa el Madrid más en la Champions que en la Liga?
-Sí, hombre. Está claro que ante la Juve se sale con una motivación extra. Fíjese. Hicimos un partidazo y sólo ganamos 1-0. Y cuando salimos al campo, todos éramos conscientes de que encuentros ante la Juventus se juegan muy pocos a lo largo de nuestra carrera. Había que salir a por todas.

-¿Y es imposible salir a por todas en todos los partidos?
-Pues sí, es muy difícil. Incluso el público se muestra distinto en este tipo de partidos. La gente actúa de una manera diferente de cuando van al campo a ver a un equipo colgarse del larguero en Liga.

-Usted ha marcado dos goles decisivos en los últimos partidos. ¿Suerte, inspiración, trabajo bien hecho...?
-Siempre he marcado de cabeza, y encima me ha tocado una buena época para hacer goles, porque a estas alturas siempre es importante para el equipo.

-¡A usted siempre le ha gustado eso de ir al ataque!
-Lo que pasa es que últimamente es más difícil. Sin embargo, desde que está Gravesen, tengo las espaldas más cubiertas y eso me facilita las cosas. De cualquier manera no subo en juego, sólo lo hago en córners y faltas, como Samuel.

-Hablaba de Gravesen...
-Es cierto que nosotros teníamos dos jugadores muy buenos como Beckham y Guti. Pero Tommy nos ha venido muy bien en defensa, porque los otros eran muy de tirar más arriba, al ataque. El danés defiende muy bien y eso se está notando en el rendimiento de todo el equipo.

-¿Y la Champions?
-Complicada, como siempre. Dependerá de quién nos toque si eliminamos a la Juve. A mí, me motiva especialmente junto con la Selección. Ganarla es lo máximo. De esta competición guardo mis mejores recuerdos. Tengo la sensación de que con dos Champions no he ganado nada, así que necesito la tercera (risas).

-Hábleme de qué ha cambiado con Vanderlei Luxemburgo.
-Siempre digo lo mismo: mucho trabajo, mucha dedicación y nada de flor. Luego, tácticamente, está muy encima de cada detalle del jugador. Da igual que sea con Zidane o con cualquiera. Ahí es donde le hemos dado la vuelta a todo.

-¿Usted es de los partidarios de que se le consienta a Ronaldo?
-Ni a Ronaldo ni a nadie. Es un jugador igual que cualquiera de los que sube de la cantera. Marca muchos goles y es una estrella mundial, vale. Donde vamos le piden más firmas que a nadie y se ha ganado lo que le pagan, pero es un jugador más de la plantilla. Hay que consentir a todos por igual. En este Madrid no te puedes dormir en los laureles.

-¿Se merece la multa?
-No me parece mal. Yo también he sido multado. Si las tengo yo por hablar, también las puede tener él por llegar tarde.

-¿Depende el Madrid de Ronaldo?
-Si no llega a ser por cinco defensas (incluye a Gravesen) no hubiéramos ganado ninguno de los últimos cinco partidos. Tanto no dependemos de Ronaldo. El Madrid ha ganado Champions y Ligas con Ronaldo, pero también sin él. El Real está muy por encima de cualquier jugador. Lo contrario sería faltarle al respeto a Raúl, a Owen, Zidane, Salgado... Somos un equipo. Y se marchó Morientes, que es un pedazo de jugador. No sé quien se ha inventado que dependemos de Ronaldo, porque todos los delanteros han hecho goles en el Madrid desde siempre.

Escrito por fraja8 às 12h26
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SONINHA
COLUNISTA DA FOLHA

Não me lembro da última vez que vi um Palmeiras tão ruim como este. E pensar que o time começou bem a temporada, mantendo Magrão e outros jogadores importantes, trazendo bons nomes para a lateral direita e o meio-campo, estreando com goleada fora de casa e vitória sobre o campeão da Copa do Brasil (e seu carrasco) no Parque Antarctica... Uma decadência bem mais rápida que a de 2002.
Estou longe de dizer que esse time esteja fadado a um novo rebaixamento, mas, atuando como no domingo, ele é candidato a ser último do grupo na Libertadores.
O São Paulo não jogou nada de mais, muito pelo contrário -a criatividade e a beleza não compareceram. O maior mérito do Tricolor foi a marcação muito bem-feita no meio-campo, acompanhada de firmeza na zaga, com uma aplicação que não arrefeceu um instante. Só que os jogadores do Palmeiras erravam sozinhos...
É verdade que a bola chegou muito mais aos atacantes do São Paulo do que aos rivais, mas o melhor tratamento que ela recebeu na partida foi dos pés de Rogério Ceni. Antes de fazer o gol, ele já tinha dado uma demonstração casual de como se sente confortável para chutar: ao devolver uma bola para o Palmeiras cobrar escanteio, fez um passe em curva, preciso, com a maior naturalidade. Outro goleiro teria chutado rasteiro, sem criar dificuldades, ou lançado com a mão.
Ceni conta que chegou a cobrar faltas cem vezes por dia. É a mais que manjada combinação de talento e diligência, impossível de não dar certo. Enquanto isso, no Corinthians, Gil e Carlos Alberto têm dificuldade no treino de finalizações. Falta de talento ou de aplicação? Nenhum dos dois, creio. Gil não sustentou a expectativa inicial de que seria um fora-de-série, mas certamente pode ser melhor do que tem sido nos últimos meses. Falta ambição? "Sangue-nos-olhos", no que a expressão pode ter de positivo? (Sangue não é só sinônimo de violência, sangue é vida... Aproveitando: doe!). Já Carlos Alberto parece muito auto-suficiente, complacente com as próprias falhas, relutante em reconhecer suas insuficiências. Quem sabe Regina Brandão, boa pedida, ajude.
Enquanto o Corinthians segue trazendo grandes e bons nomes e vai mal no Paulista (que não é seu principal objetivo), o Mogi se vira como pode. O presidente diz que vê cinco torneios estaduais e descobre bons jogadores. Certo ele! Quando alguém reclama da carência em uma posição ou de um reforço consagrado, mas discutível, ouve logo: "Quem você queria?". Procurem, ora!
Podemos, comentaristas e torcedores, torcer o nariz para desconhecidos -"Foi bem na Bahia, mas agüentará a pressão?"-, mas quem tem de agüentar a pressão, muitas vezes, é o dirigente. Com paciência, confiando na sua visão ou em uma boa assessoria (olheiros, comissão técnica), pode arriscar. Afinal, atletas mais caros podem não funcionar e, em vez de culpar a "pressão", vão dizer que, sei lá, o motivo do fracasso foi a desunião do grupo. Hmpf.

6 minutos
Luxemburgo dá muita importância à vitória contra a Real Sociedad, em sua estréia relâmpago à frente do Real Madrid. Tem razão -embora um empate fosse justificável naquelas circunstâncias, a força simbólica do bom resultado provavelmente o ajudou muito. Por isso, considero um erro pensar que o Paulista seja pouco importante para quem disputa a Libertadores. O título estadual não garante o sucesso internacional, mas pode ajudar na formação da tal "atitude de campeão".

Horas
A coleção dos melhores momentos de Zidane em uma partida é mais extensa do que a maioria das coletâneas com os melhores lances de dois times. Como joga!

E-mail soninha.folha@uol.com.br

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h33
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Governo rastreia investimentos do parceiro corintiano e identifica 1ª "pessoa física", um lobista político

EDUARDO ARRUDA
DA REPORTAGEM LOCAL

O primeiro dinheiro que chegou ao Corinthians graças à MSI saiu da Geórgia pelas mãos do político Zaza Toidze. Esse ó o único nome que as investigações feitas por autoridades brasileiras ligaram até agora à parceria comandada pelo iraniano Kia Joorabchian.
Toidze é da terra de Badri Patarkatsishvili, acusado de crimes como lavagem de dinheiro, a principal suspeita dos órgãos do governo brasileiro em relação à MSI.
A Folha apurou que Ministério Público de São Paulo e Banco Central receberam informações de que Toidze participou de movimentações financeiras envolvendo o Corinthians e sua parceira. Os dois órgãos não se pronunciam sobre essa investigação.
Toidze entrou no circuito em dezembro de 2004, quando tentou enviar ao Brasil US$ 2 milhões, dinheiro que seria emprestado ao clube, na primeira operação financeira da parceria.
A remessa não foi aceita porque a parceria informara ao Banco Central que os dólares seriam enviados pela Devetia, empresa com sede nas Ilhas Virgens Britânicas. A operação foi refeita, e a quantia foi remetida pela firma.
Apesar da entrada dessa quantia, a MSI brasileira foi aberta com capital de R$ 1.000. O empréstimo foi usado para quitar dívidas.
Toidze se envolveu em outro envio da Devetia. No documento, a empresa é registrada como pagadora e o político tem seu nome anotado como ordenador. Ou seja, a quantia, pouco mais de US$ 1 milhão, foi remetida pela "offshore" por ordem do georgiano.
Como a Devetia é uma das sócias da MSI brasileira, o político pode estar diretamente ligado à parceira corintiana.
A MSI, por meio do escritório de advocacia Rao, Cavalcanti e Pacheco, afirmou não conhecê-lo.
"Não sei quem é ele. A Geórgia tem mais de cinco milhões de habitantes. Mas é alguém que não tem problemas", declarou a advogada Dora Cavalcanti.
Segundo ela, Doitze participou de uma operação com a Devetia. A advogada disse que a movimentação obedeceu as regras financeiras internacionais e brasileiras. Ela afirmou ainda que, após o fechamento do contrato de câmbio, o dinheiro saiu da Devetia nas Ilhas Virgens Britânicas e foi remetido ao Brasil por um banco de primeira linha, como exige o contrato entre Corinthians e MSI. "O Zaza fez um empréstimo para a Devetia, que fez para o Corinthians", declarou.
Os órgãos que investigam a MSI aguardam agora informações de serviços de inteligência do exterior sobre Toidze. Pouco sabem sobre o político, que integra o partido União pelo Renascimento. Ele também fez parte da Comissão Central das Eleições da Geórgia, dois anos atrás.
O próximo passo é saber se há ligação entre ele e Patarkatsishvili, magnata de Geórgia, e o russo Boris Berezovski, também acusado de lavagem de dinheiro, entre outros crimes. Ambos tiveram seus nomes ligados à MSI pelo presidente corintiano, Alberto Dualib, que depois negou o vínculo.
Informações sobre Toidze também devem ser solicitadas à Geórgia pelo Coaf (Conselho de Controle de Atividades Financeiras), órgão ligado ao Ministério da Fazenda. Seus técnicos já pediram dados sobre Kia Joorabchian e os supostos envolvidos com a MSI a organismos de inteligência do Reino Unido, Geórgia, Ilhas Virgens Britânicas e Rússia.
Hoje, quem terá de responder se conhece o político georgiano é Paulo Angioni, administrador da MSI brasileira. Ele será ouvido pelos promotores do Gaeco, grupo de combate ao crime organizado do Ministério Público Estadual. Até agora, nenhuma pessoa ligada à MSI revelou quem são os investidores ligados a Kia.
O relacionamento do Corinthians com a Geórgia começou a se estreitar ainda quando o iraniano negociava a parceria. No ano passado, levou a cúpula do clube para o país. Dualib se disse impressionado com a riqueza de Badri, que o recepcionou.
Uma parceria entre o clube e o Dinamo de Tiblisi, do magnata georgiano, foi concretizada.

Ruim com a bola, país ganha na força e no tatame

DA REPORTAGEM LOCAL

O retrospecto não deixa dúvidas: a Geórgia é um fiasco no futebol. A seleção do país nunca disputou uma Copa do Mundo e ocupa a longínqua 102ª posição no ranking elaborado pela Fifa.
Mais: a situação não dá sinais de mudança. O time ocupa a penúltima posição em um grupo de sete nações nas eliminatórias européias para o Mundial de 2006.
É um panorama bem diferente do que a Geórgia criou em outras modalidades. O país é uma potência em esportes que exigem força ou habilidade em combate.
Na história olímpica, os georgianos se firmaram como potência em três categorias: lutas, judô e levantamento de peso. Todas renderam medalhas em Atenas-04. O judô teve um ouro e uma prata. Do levantamento de peso brotou outro campeão dos Jogos. Na luta, o país ficou com uma prata.

Firma "offshore" já ostenta 74% da MSI Brasil

DA REPORTAGEM LOCAL
DO PAINEL FC

A Just Sports, empresa com sede nas Ilhas Virgens Britânicas, tornou-se a sócia majoritária da MSI Licenciamentos e Administração Ltda., braço brasileiro da parceira do clube do Parque São Jorge.
No novo registro, a empresa tem 74% das cotas, mas ainda não fez a integralização de capital -a MSI informou que a empresa tem prazo de um ano para fazer o aporte, de R$ 9,4 milhões.
A Devetia, também com sede nas Ilhas Virgens, é dona de 25%, e aportou R$ 3,36 milhões no país. A MSI Limited, com sede em Londres, tem 1%. Essa empresa e a versão brasileira são presididas pelo iraniano Kia Joorabchian. Porém, na firma registrada em São Paulo, ele só exercerá a função oficialmente após conseguir visto permanente no país.
Com a alteração, feita no último dia 17 na Junta Comercial de São Paulo, deixam de ser sócios os advogados do escritório Veirano, contratado pela MSI.
"Isso mostra a seriedade dos investimentos que estão sendo feitos. Todas as promessas estão sendo cumpridas", disse a advogada Dora Cavalcanti. (EAR E RP)

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h30
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Um dos maiores problemas do pugilismo mundial é a proliferação de títulos.
Existem de todas as variedades: os mundiais, intercontinentais, regionais, nacionais, estaduais etc.
É tanta coisa que os mais puristas até fazem campanha para que a mídia deixe de considerar alguns deles.
Na última semana, entretanto, um comentarista do canal a cabo HBO Plus criou, sem querer, um novo cinturão.
Ao traduzir o termo "luta eliminatória" (que geralmente define desafiante oficial ao campeão mundial), se confundiu e disse que além de um título regional o vencedor ganharia também o título de "eliminador".
Provavelmente deduziu que o tal título se devia ao fato de

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h26
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Mourinho: Defeat in Barcelona (ShaunBotteril/GettyImages)

Their decision was thought to be founded on Mourinho's unease at a tunnel incident at half-time which Chelsea have pledged to report to European football's governing body.

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h25
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Reyes: Violent conduct charge. (BenRadford/GettyImages)

The 21-year-old Spain international slapped Andy Liddell around the face in a fracas which also led to the dismissal of Dennis Bergkamp, who has also been banned for three games.

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h24
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Jose Mourinho and Frank Rijkaard get caught up in the atmosphere. (AdamDavy/Empics)

Although Chelsea have yet to accuse the Barcelona coach of entering the Swedish official's dressing room Rijkaard was witnessed leaving Frisk's quarters and that is almost certain to be the main thrust of the Blues' imminent complaint to UEFA.

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h23
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By Berend Scholten & Jim Wirth

	Ruud Gullit has taught his young charges a few tricks

Since winning the UEFA Cup in 2001/02, Dutch giants Feyenoord have not been going through the easiest of times.

Lean years
In every season since 2001/02, Feyenoord have finished third in the Eredivisie, trailing PSV Eindhoven and AFC Ajax, while under current coach Ruud Gullit, they lie fourth in the league, having been leapfrogged by a resurgent AZ Alkmaar side.

	Feyenoord won the UEFA Cup in 2001/02

Striking discoveries
None the less, the emergence of an inspirational attacking partnership in Dirk Kuijt and Salomon Kalou has provided reason for some optimism at the De Kuip stadium, and as Sporting Clube de Portugal visit Rotterdam for the second leg of their UEFA Cup last 32 tie holding a slender 2-1 lead, a European trophy could be looming.

Different targets
"Before I leave Feyenoord I want to win a European cup," Kalou told uefa.com, while Kuijt added: "My dream is always to win the national title with Feyenoord and of course the UEFA Cup. That will be difficult but if we can win one of those prizes I will be happy."

Late developer
A late developer, 24-year-old Kuijt is only beginning to make a name for himself after joining Feyenoord from Eredivisie rivals FC Utrecht. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Kalou, the younger brother of AJ Auxerre striker Bonaventure Kalou, is regarded as one of Europe's hottest young striking properties.

Complementary styles
The two have found their playing styles complementary, with Kuijt's finishing instincts meshing well with his young strike partner's vision and creativity. "I am a striker who makes goals and assists but I am different from Kalou who is an all-action striker like Ronaldinho or Henry," explained Kuijt.

Creative role
"I like to make things happen," added Kalou. "If I can score a goal that is great but to make an assist is even better." That combination of skills has seen Ivorian international Kalou and newly-capped Dutch international Kuijt become the most potent strike partnership in Dutch football.

Positive influence
Gullit - who was a fabulous front-man in his time - has been a positive influence on both players. "Gullit was a big striker and we can learn a lot from him," said Kuijt. Kalou added: "You listen to him because you want to be like him. When he gives me a compliment I feel proud and I want to give my best."

Strong forward
The former AC Milan and Chelsea FC player has been watching his two strikers closely and is delighted with their development. Of Kuijt he said: "I always compare him with [former Manchester United FC and Wales striker] Mark Hughes - the strength, the build, the technique. He still has a lot to learn because he still wastes a lot of energy on things that are not important."

More responsibility
Kalou, meanwhile, has his own problems. "You can see he still has not got the responsibility that comes with people knowing how good he is," said Gullit. "That comes now. Now he has made a name for himself people will look at him in a different way. He will be kicked a little bit more but he is a great talent."

Transfer speculation
Speculation has linked Kalou with an imminent move to England with one of Gullit's old side's, Chelsea, having been named as potential suitors, but Kuijt is not looking beyond his home country for the time being - especially since becoming part of Marco van Basten's new-look national team.

Cementing work
More UEFA Cup success with Feyenoord would doubtless cement his position in the Dutch consciousness, while for his young partner, the sky really is the limit.

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h20
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By Rui Matos Pereira

	CSKA got the better of Benfica in Krasnodar

SL Benfica came into this week knowing that it was one of the most important seven days of their season.

Tentative start
It began with a tentative 2-1 win against Vitória SC on Monday which left Giovanni Trapattoni's side as joint leaders of the Portuguese SuperLiga, ahead of their trip to face champions FC Porto at the Estádio do Dragão next Monday - the day that Benfica celebrate the 101st anniversary of their formation.

Bigger game
However, before that they have another, perhaps even bigger, game, as they try and repair the damage done by a 2-0 defeat in Krasnodar last week when PFC CSKA Moskva arrive at the Estádio da Luz. Trapattoni knows that his side will not be allowed to pass up as many goalscoring chances as they did on their trip to Russia.

Erratic form
Erratic form has been something of a theme of Benfica's season, but one player has stood aside from such inconsistency - in the year since he made his Benfica debut under former coach José Antonio Camacho, midfield player Manuel Fernandes, who turned 19 on 5 February, has been a model of consistency.

Consistency performed
A box-to-box player with a great physique and a handy ability with long-range shots, the youngster has established himself as the ideal replacement for Portuguese international Tiago, who was one of José Mourinho's first signings after his move to Chelsea FC last summer.

Makelele comparisons
Mourinho is already one of Manuel Fernandes' most ardent fans. In his weekly column for Portuguese sports paper Record, the coach compared the young midfield player to another of his Stamford Bridge charges, tireless French international Claude Makelele.

I do not think that, at 19, Makelele was a better player than Manuel Fernandes José Mourinho

Mourinho impressed
"Even though his conversion to central midfield was relatively recent, I do not think that, at 19, Makelele was a better player than Manuel Fernandes," wrote Mourinho. "From my vantage point, this kid looks calm, wise, sensible and, according to Tiago, deserves all the luck, because he a nice person.

Winning characteristics
"I follow him very carefully," added the coach. "He is very strong defensively, and suited to pressuring teams in their own half. Without being tall, he seems to be sufficiently agile to compete in the air. His passing is accurate, he takes good positions near the opposition's box and has a powerful shot."

International debut
It was probably a sum of all these factors that prompted national team coach Luiz Felipe Scolari to call Manuel Fernandes up for Portugal's 1-0 friendly defeat against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin just four days after the Benfica midfielder turned 19.

Quick start
That was only 376 days after Manuel Fernandes had made his first appearance for Benfica as a added-time substitute in a 2-0 win at CF Os Belenenses. That game in turn was played just eight days after the midfield player was promoted into the first team for the 'Lisbon Eagles'.

Europe awaits
All of which is symbolic of a player who is taking no time at all to carve out a big reputation in Portuguese football. If Benfica are to dig themselves out of the UEFA Cup mire against CSKA tonight, perhaps Manuel Fernandes can make as big a name for himself on the European stage as he already has at home.

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h19
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By Türker Tozar

	Nicolas Anelka cost Fenerbahçe €10m in January

They may have a superb record in Turkish football, but ever since their arch-rivals Galatasaray SK won the UEFA Cup in 1999/00, there has been the feeling that Fenerbahçe SK have been playing catch-up.

Big investment
Club chairman Aziz Yildirim has invested large sums of money in bringing Fenerbahçe to Europe's top table, but they have yet to win any silverware - a fact that was underlined as they bowed out of the UEFA Champions League after the group stage again this season. However, having finished third in Group D after two 1-0 wins against AC Sparta Praha and a 3-0 defeat of Manchester United FC in Istanbul, Fenerbahçe were given a second chance to earn some European kudos in the UEFA Cup.

	Christoph Daum has not lost faith in his side

Inexperienced side
Coach Christoph Daum had been keen to downplay his club's European prospects. He praised his player's skills but also bemoaned their lack of experience. That lack of European savvy was perhaps one of the reasons behind the decision to sign French striker Nicolas Anelka from Manchester City FC for €10m in January.

Anelka signing
The former Arsenal FC, Real Madrid CF and Paris Saint-Germain FC striker has not exactly won a reputation for settling well at new clubs, but his new captain Ümit Özat said: "He is a wonderful person. He has settled in quickly here and now he is not like a foreigner - it's more like he's Turkish."

One goal
With one goal in his first four games, Anelka is finding his feet, but after a 1-0 defeat at home against Primera División side Real Zaragoza in the first leg of their UEFA Cup last 32 tie, Fenerbahçe would dearly love him to hit full goalscoring form in Spain tonight. Last week's loss was preceded by a massive wave of hype as the Turkish press predicted that Fenerbahçe - so imperious in the Turkish Super League - would roll over Zaragoza. Perhaps that contributed to a complacent-looking performance, as did the suspension of playmaker Marco Aurélio.

Suspended playmaker
The Brazilian's creativity has long been regarded as a vital element in Daum's side, and in his absence it was clear to most at the Zaragoza game that Fenerbahçe's wingers were not able to provide adequate service for the strikers and that the team conceded possession far too easily.

Team cohesion
More worryingly, there was also a lack of cohesion. With the skill of individual players - at set-pieces in particular - having accounted for so many of Fenerbahçe's successes in Turkey this season, they looked uncomfortable as a unit as they faced a well-disciplined Zaragoza side.

Morale boost
A 7-0 league win against lowly Kayserispor on Sunday underlined German coach Daum's confidence in his side. "The result we got raised our morale on the eve of Thursday's clash against Zaragoza," he said. "I have faith in my team - they have enough talent to give more."

Suspension over
With Marco Aurélio returning from suspension, wingers Tuncay Sanli and Serhat Akin should certainly be able to provide a better service to strikers Anelka and Marcio Nobre, but will it be enough to overcome a side who have proved to be stern opponents in the UEFA Cup?

'We will beat Zaragoza'
Ümit Özat thinks so. "We have no reason to feel hopeless," said the 28-year-old. "Nothing is lost. There's no desperate need to talk in football but I know that we will beat Zaragoza." Fenerbahçe fans will be hoping that he can back his claims up by the end of tonight.

Escrito por fraja8 às 11h17
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Invicta desde o início da temporada 2004-05, iniciada em setembro do ano passado, a Inter de Milão conseguiu sair do estádio do Dragão com um importante empate por 1 x 1, contra o Porto, que lhe garante vantagem de assegurar vaga nas quartas-de-final da Liga dos Campeões se não tomar gols na partida de volta das oitavas-de-final da competição, que acontece em duas semanas, no estádio Giuseppe Meazza.

Única equipe das 16 classificadas para as oitavas que não perdeu nenhuma partida na primeira fase da Liga dos Campeões, a Inter de Milão conquistou um resultado bastante comum em sua trajetória, já que só no Campeonato Italiano a equipe já acumulou 16 empates.

O brasileiro Luís Fabiano recebe forte marcação de Materazzi, no Porto

Enfrentando o domínio territorial do Porto, atual vencedor da Copa dos Campeões, a Inter saiu vencendo com gol do nigeriano Martins. O sufoco imposto pelos portugueses, porém, definiu a igualdade.

O Porto, aliás, preferiu iniciar o jogo sem nenhum brasileiro em campo, mesmo contando no elenco com jogadores como Cláudio Pitbull, ex-Grêmio, e Leandro, ex-Cruzeiro, que ficaram no banco de reservas. O meia Diego cumpriu suspensão por ter sido expulso na final do Mundial Interclubes, no Japão, em novembro. E o ex-flamenguista Ibson não foi relacionado.

Já Luís Fabiano, ex-São Paulo, entrou ainda no primeiro tempo, substituindo Bosingwa, machucado. O brasileiro, porém, pouco espaço tempo para ameaçar o goleiro italiano Toldo.

Em contrapartida, o técnico d Inter de Milão, Roberto Mancini, poupou Recoba, Davids e Vieri -que substituiu Adriano no fim do jogo- para o clássico contra o Milan, no domingo.

O jogo

Apesar do maior domínio durante a maior parte do tempo, o aproveitamento cirúrgico da Inter de Milão determinou o andamento do confronto na etapa inicial. Jogando com uma dupla de ataque -Adriano e Martins-, enquanto o Porto apostava em um meio-campo reforçado e contando apenas com o sul-africano Benni McCarthy na frente, a Inter de Milão começou forçando a marcação da equipe da casa.

Aproveitando a força de meio-campistas como Stankovic e Verón, a equipe dirigida por Roberto Mancini começou arriscando arremates de fora da área, como aconteceu logo aos 6min, quando o brasileiro Adriano teve a primeira chance do jogo.

O Porto reagia timidamente, enfrentando dificuldades para furar o bloqueio defensivo da equipe italiana, que permitia ao seu meio-campo explorar os contra-ataques. E, mesmo tendo sido ameaçada aos 12min, quando Ricardo Quaresma obrigou Toldo a fazer boa defesa, a Inter de Milão abriu o placar em um jogada de insistência do sérvio Stankovic.

Aos 24min, o meia ganhou disputa de bola contra Giourkas pela beira do campo e cruzou para o nigeriano Martins aparecer livre para empurrar a bola para o gol.

E não bastasse a desvantagem, o técnico José Couceiro foi obrigado, quatro minutos depois, a uma substituição radical, colocando em campo o atacante brasileiro Luís Fabiano no lugar do volante Bosingwa, contundido. Mas, mesmo apostando numa postura mais ofensiva, o Porto, que continuava dominando o setor de meio-campo, ainda enfrentava dificuldades para levar ameaça real ao gol do italiano Toldo.

No segundo tempo, porém, o Porto adotou uma postura mais prática, sufocando a saída de bola da Inter desde o início, o que levou a equipe anfitriã a criar chances boas com Quaresma e Maniche ainda antes dos cinco minutos.

O empate, no entanto, só saiu aos 18min, depois de um longo cruzamento de Nuno Valente, que encontrou a cabeça de Costinha e sobrou para o zagueiro Ricardo Costa entrar rompendo pela área para bater para o gol.

A partir daí, o Porto adotou uma pressão total contra a Inter, criando chance para virar três minutos depois, com Maniche, destaque da equipe campeão da edição 2004 da Liga dos Campeões e que vivia momentos inspirados no segundo tempo.

Mesmo assim, a sólida defesa da Inter, que sofreu apenas três gols na primeira fase, acabou bloqueando as iniciativas do Porto e garantindo vantagem importante para a partida de volta, em Milão.

PORTO 1 x 1 INTER DE MILÃO

Porto
Vitor Baia; Seitaridis, Pedro Emanuel, Ricardo Costa e Nuno Valente; Bosingwa (Luis Fabiano), Costinha, Raul Meireles, Maniche e Ricardo Quaresma (Postiga); Benni McCarthy
Técnico: José Couceiro

Inter de Milão
Toldo; Javier Zanetti, Cordoba, Materazzi, e Favalli; Verón (Emre), Cristiano Zanetti, Cambiasso e Stankovic; Adriano (Vieri) e Martins
Técnico: Roberto Mancini

Árbitro: Graham Poll (ING)
Gols: Martins, 24min do primeiro tempo; Ricardo Costa, 18min do segundo tempo.
Cartões amarelos: Favalli (I), Córdoba (I), Costinha (P), Materazzi (I)

Escrito por fraja8 às 19h50
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No esperado choque entre os líderes dos campeonatos de Espanha e Inglaterra, o Barcelona derrotou o Chelsea de virada por 2 a 1 nesta quarta-feira, no estádio Camp Nou, em Barcelona, no jogo de ida das oitavas-de-final da Liga dos Campeões da Europa. Maxi López e Samuel Eto'o marcaram no triunfo espanhol.

Ronaldinho Gaúcho encara a eficiente marcação inglesa no jogo desta quarta

Jogando em casa, o Barcelona adotou uma postura ofensiva desde o começo, mas teve muito trabalho para levar vantagem sobre a retranca inglesa, principal virtude do Chelsea na temporada. Ronaldinho Gaúcho foi bem marcado durante o confronto e apareceu pouco em lances de criação.

Mas, a bem da verdade, enquanto esteve com 11 homens em campo, a defesa do Chelsea foi a principal protagonista da partida, praticamente anulando os homens de frente do Barcelona. Os ingleses tiveram duas linhas de jogadores à frente da área para tentar anular os espanhóis. Foi preciso que Didier Drogba fosse expulso para que a equipe, melhor defesa do Inglês e segunda mais eficiente da Liga dos Campeões, cedesse espaço ao adversário.

O jogo desta quarta marcou o encontro de alguns atuais vencedores da Liga dos Campeões. Pelo Chelsea, os portugueses Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho e Tiago, além do técnico José Mourinho, estavam presentes no título do Porto no ano passado. No Barcelona, o meia Deco, melhor jogador da última edição, também estava no mesmo time.

As duas equipes voltam a se enfrentam no próximo dia 8 de março, em Londres, no estádio Stamford Bridge. Com o resultado desta quarta, o Chelsea precisa vencer pelo menos por 1 a 0 para ir às quartas-de-final. Repetição do resultado do Camp Nou leva a decisão para os pênaltis. Por sua vez, o Barcelona avança com vitória, empate, ou derrota por um gol, desde que seja igual ou superior a 3 a 2.

O jogo
O Barcelona começou a partida em cima do Chelsea, botando pressão desde os primeiros minutos. Aos 4min, Ronaldinho fez bela jogada dentro da área, tirou dois marcadores e serviu Samuel Eto'o, que bateu por sobre o gol de Petr Cech.

Seis minutos depois, Ronaldinho voltou a receber na área inglesa. O brasileiro recebeu cruzamento do compatriota Belletti e bateu colocado, à esquerda do gol do Chelsea.
Em seguida, o Chelsea conseguiu se estabilizar na partida e freou o afã ofensivo dos donos da casa. A defesa inglesa se acertou, interrompeu o acesso do Barcelona à linha de fundo e praticamente impediu que a bola chegasse a sua área.

Aos 31min, na primeira vez que conseguiu armar um contra-ataque, o Chelsea abriu o placar. O irlandês Damien Duff foi lançado em profundidade, entrou na área e tirou do goleiro. Belletti tentou impedir que a bola chegasse a Lampard e acabou mandando para as redes, fazendo o gol contra.
Logo em seguida, o marfinense Didier Drogba recebeu livre na frente e perdeu grande chance de aumentar a vantagem inglesa chutando para fora, na frente do goleiro Victor Valdes.

No segundo tempo, o Barcelona seguiu encontrando dificuldades para passar pelo sistema defensivo do Chelsea. O primeiro disparo em gol aconteceu aos 9min, quando Xavi tentou de longe e Cech encaixou com tranqüilidade.

Logo na seqüência, Drogba cometeu falta no goleiro Valdes e recebeu o segundo cartão amarelo. A partir deste momento o Barcelona, com um jogador a mais, teria 35 minutos para conseguir a virada.

Aos 19min, depois de uma breve confusão na área, Iniesta bateu de esquerda para fora, em boa chance do Barcelona. Dois minutos depois, o argentino Maxi López recebeu de Eto'o e bateu forte na saída de Cech para empatar o confronto.
O argentino, que entrou bem no jogo, participou também do segundo gol do Barcelona. Aos 28min, López bateu cruzado de fora da área, e Eto'o fechou com velocidade para desviar de Cech.

No restante do jogo, Cech evitou o terceiro gol do Barcelona com boas defesas em disparos de fora da área. Em desvantagem, o Chelsea não chegou a esboçar uma reação, mostrando não estar exatamente insatisfeito em ir para Inglaterra com saldo de menos um gol.

Escrito por fraja8 às 19h39
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No duelo entre o atual campeão alemão e o atual tricampeão francês, o Lyon saiu vencedor no confronto contra o Werder Bremen por 3 a 0, nesta quarta-feira, no Weserstadion, na Alemanha, em partida válida pelas oitavas-de-final da Liga dos Campeões da Europa.

Os gols da vitória foram anotados por Sylvain Wiltord, Mahamadou Diarra e Juninho Pernambucano.

Com o resultado, o time dos brasileiros Juninho Pernambucano, Cris, Nilmar e Caçapa está muito perto de garantir vaga na seqüência da principal competição européia. O embate de volta acontece no dia 8 de março Estádio Gerland, e os franceses podem perder por até dois gols de diferença.

O Lyon espera, enfim, acabar com o rótulo de time caseiro. No ano passado, o time chegou às quartas-de-final, sua melhor colocação na história, e quer ir mais longe neste ano. O Werder Bremen terá de contar com um verdadeiro milagre para conseguir avançar e igualar sua melhor participação, que aconteceu em 1989, com vaga nas quartas-de-final.

Os alemães começaram pressionando e quase abriram o placar logo aos 2min. Ludovic Magnin cruzou na área e Daniel Jensen tocou de cabeça para fora. Coupet estava batido no lance. Quatro minutos depois, Johan Micoud desperdiçou outra oportunidade ao chutar fraco para defesa do goleiro.

WERDER BREMEN X LYON
Estatística	Werder	Lyon
Chutes	27	8
Chutes a gol	6	4
Faltas	13	19
Escanteios	13	3
Posse de bola	57%	43%

Os franceses apostavam nos contra-ataques e assim inauguraram o marcador aos 8min. Após boa jogada do ataque, Sidney Govou chutou e a bola sobrou para Sylvain Wiltord dentro da área pelo lado esquerdo. O atacante francês, que atuava no lugar de Revelliere, tocou de pé direito para venceu o goleiro Andreas Reinke.

Após o gol, o Werder Bremen insistiu ainda mais atrás do empate. O ataque alemão, no entanto, não estava em uma boa jornada e errava muito nas finalizações. Tim Borowski e Miroslav Klose eram os principais responsáveis pelos gols perdidos.

O primeiro tempo terminou com um amplo domínio dos alemães, que finalizaram 14 vezes contra apenas três dos franceses. O placar, porém, apontava vantagem para o atual tricampeão do Campeonato Francês: 1 a 0.

A etapa final seguiu com o mesmo panorama. O Werder buscava desesperadamente o empate, afinal estava atuando sob seus domínios. O Lyon tentava apenas administrar sua vantagem e apostava nos contra-ataques.

Apesar de finalizar menos, os franceses eram mais efetivos e definiram o jogo. Aos 31min, Mahamadou Diarra acertou belo chute da entrada da área sem chances para o goleiro. Três minutos depois, Juninho Pernambucano cobrou falta com perfeição e fez o terceiro.

WERDER BREMEN
Andreas Reinke; Paul Stalteri, Valerien Ismael, Petri Pasanen e Ludovic Magnin; Daniel Jensen, Fabian Ernst, Tim Borowski (Hunt) e Johan Micoud; Nelson Valdez e Miroslav Klose
Técnico: Thomas Schaff

LYON
Coupet; Lamine Diatta, Michael Essien, Cris e Eric Abidal; Sidney Govou (Ben Arfa), Mahamadou Diarra, Pierre-Alain Frau (Nilmar), Juninho Pernambucano e Florent Malouda; Sylvain Wiltord (Clément)
Técnico: Paul Lê Guen

Local: Weserstadion, em Bremen (Alemanha)
Árbitro: Frank De Bleeckere (Bélgica)
Auxiliares: Mark Simons e Peter Hermans (Bélgica)
Cartões amarelos: Tim Borowski (Werder Bremen); Sidney Govou, Sylvain Wiltord (Lyon)
Gols: Sylvain Wiltord, aos 8min, do primeiro tempo, Mahamadou Diarra, aos 31min, Juninho Pernambuco, aos 34min, do segundo tempo

Escrito por fraja8 às 19h31
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Crespo comemora o gol da vitória do Milan em pleno Old Trafford

Um profissional da delegação do Milan foi preso, torcedores do Manchester protestaram, o time inglês promoveu o retorno do artilheiro Ruud van Nistelrooy. Mas o grande nome desta quarta-feira foi mesmo o argentino Hernán Crespo, que, desprestigiado após uma infeliz passagem pelo Chelsea, ajudou o time italiano a surpreender os "Diabos Vermelhos" em Old Trafford ao marcar o gol da vitória milanista por 1 a 0 em jogo de ida pelas oitavas-de-final da Liga dos Campeões.

Com o resultado, o Milan pode empatar no San Siro, em Milão, em 8 de março, data do jogo de volta. Já o time inglês, que provavelmente terá que se contentar com o vice-campeonato nacional - o Chelsea é líder disparado - precisar vencer por dois gols de diferença. Uma reedição do placar da Inglaterra leva a decisão para os pênaltis.

Contusões privaram os adversários de terem seus principais atacantes em forma em Old Trafford. Enquanto o treinador do Manchester, o escocês Alex Ferguson, foi forçado a começar o jogo com Ruud van Nistelrooy no banco - o holandês se recuperou recentemente de contusão que o afastou por três meses -, o Milan perdeu pelos próximos 15 dias os gols e assistências o ucraniano Andriy Shevchenko.

O "Bola de Ouro" da última temporada européia sofreu uma fratura no rosto na última partida do Milan pelo Campeonato Italiano. Como se não bastasse, o treinador do time italiano, Carlo Ancelotti, perdeu no aquecimento o zagueiro Jaap Stam. Cafu entrou no lugar no holandês.

SUJANDO O NOME

O médico Armando Gozzini, integrante da delegação do Milan, foi preso na noite de terça-feira, em Londres, sob a acusação de "exposição indecente". A polícia recebeu um chamado por volta das 21h50 (horário local) e, minutos depois, prendeu Gozzini, acusado de expor seus genitais para uma funcionária do hotel Lowry, em Salford, ao norte de Londres, onde a delegação do Milan estava hospedada. O médico permanecia detido na manhã desta quarta. O Milan protestou, divulgando nota na qual alega que Gozzini é um "homem de moral"

Quanto ao ataque, Ancelotti promoveu a entrada do português Rui Costa, com Kaká atuando mais avançado e apenas o argentino Crespo como atacante nato. Com essa formação, o Milan começou o jogo priorizando avanços pelo lado direito, principalmente com Kaká e Rui Costa. Numa triangulação entre Seedorf, o brasileiro e Rui Costa, este último chutou forte, cruzado. A bola saiu à esquerda do gol de Carrol.

A melhor chance do Milan no primeiro tempo não demorou a vir. Gary Neville cometeu falta na intermediária e, na cobrança, Seedorf acertou o travessão de Carrol. O Manchester deu troco aos 10min. Fortune fez bela jogada pela esquerda e cruzou para Scholes. O meia, mesmo livre dentro da área, chutou à direita do gol de Dida.

O Milan não demorou a responder. No ataque seguinte, a zaga do Manchester errou ao tentar afastar a bola, que sobrou para Seedorf. O holandês tocou de primeira para Rui Costa que, dentro da área, chutou forte, mas a bola desviou em em Brown.
Aos 20min, o ritmo frenético já havia sido controlado pelo melhor posicionamento das duas defesas. Tanto que as ameaças a Dida e Carroll passaram a ser chutes de longa distância, como o efetuado por Pirlo aos 21min e que o goleiro do Manchester, bem posicionado, não teve problemas para defender.

Aos 36min, Giggs puxou rápido contra-ataque e viu Fortune entrar em diagonal, sem marcação, na intermediária do Milan. O galês tocou rápido e Fortune se antecipou ao corte de Dida, mas a bola raspou a trave esquerda do brasileiro e saiu pela linha de fundo. No lance seguinte, o Milan reclamou de pênalti do argentino Heinze em Kaká.
O início do segundo tempo marcou uma mudança de postura do Milan. Se na primeira etapa Cafu praticamente não apoiou, nos 15min iniciais o lateral brasileiro foi presença constante no ataque do time italiano.

RICO, PORÉM HONRADO

Cerca de mil torcedores do Manchester United ligados às facções "Shareholders United" e "Independent Manchester United Supporters Association" protestaram contra o empresário norte-americano Malcolm Glazer antes do jogo em Old Trafford. "Não está à venda" e "Você compra, você morre" são exemplos dos cartazes exibidos na manifestação contra Glazer, que no início deste mês fez uma proposta US$ 1,51 bilhão para se tornar o acionista majoritário do clube mais rico do mundo.

Mas, como não podia se dar ao luxo de empatar - imagine perder - em casa, Ferguson mexeu no Manchester. Aos 17min, van Nistelrroy entrou no lugar do apagado Cristiano Ronaldo.

Cinco minutos depois da entrada do holandês, no entanto, foi quase o Milan que marcou. Seedorf e Rui Costa tabelaram pela esquerda e deixaram Crespo livre na área para chutar. O argentino demorou para concluir a permitiu que seu chute fosse desviado pela defesa.

Minutos depois, no entanto, Crespo justificou a confiança de Ancelotti, que pediu sua - questionada - contratação. Em rápido contra-ataque, Seedorf se livrou do marcador na entrada da área e chutou forte. Carroll não segurou. Pior: soltou a bola ao alcance de Crespo, que abriu o placar aos 31min.

Três minutos depois, o Milan não ampliou por pouco. E com Kaká. O meia-atacante brasileiro aproveitou falha de Ferdinand, driblou o zagueiro mais caro do mundo - custou mais de US$ 40 milhões - e chutou forte, mas a bola saiu à esquerda da meta do Manchester.Nos minutos finais, o técnico do Milan fez alterações para segurar o resultado. Sacou Pirlo e Cafu para as entradas de Ambrosini e Costacurta, respectivamente.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Carroll; Gary Neville (Silvestre), Ferdinand, Brown e Heinze; Cristiano Ronaldo (van Nitelrooy), Keane, Scholes, Fortune (Saha) e Ryan Giggs; Wayne Rooney
Técnico: Alex Ferguson

MILAN
Dida; Cafu (Costacurta), Kaladze, Nesta, e Maldini; Gattuso, Pirlo (Ambrosini), Seedorf, Rui Costa e Kaka (Serginho); Crespo
Técnico: Carlo Ancelotti

Local estádio Old Trafford, em Manchester (ING)
Árbitro: Manuel Mejuto González (ESP)
Auxiliares: Oscar Martínez Samaniego (ESP) e Juan Carlos Yuste Jimenez (ESP

Escrito por fraja8 às 19h24
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Os craques do futebol Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Roberto Carlos, Thierry Henry, David Beckham, Fernando Torres, Raul Gonzáles e Rafael Van Der Vaart são as estrelas do filme Surf, novo comercial da Pepsi.

Durante os 90 segundos de duração, eles jogam bola e surfam ao mesmo tempo. Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Beckham e Roberto Carlos tiveram aula com o surfista Francois Liets, que passou a eles posições e técnicas da modalidade.

A imagem de uma ilha abre o comercial. Numa de suas praias, os jogadores estão batendo bola perto de um cooler, espécie de geladeira térmica, cheio de latinhas geladas do refrigerante. O jogador Thierry Henry está sentado na areia, vendo os amigos se divertirem.Um surfista aproxima-se de Beckham e interrompe o jogo, apontando para uma placa onde se lê: "Só para surfistas". Em seguida, chuta a bola para o mar.

A cena corta para o holandês Rafael van Der Vaart, que está pegando onda. Ele vê a bola se aproximar, apóia-se na prancha e a chuta. Os jogadores que estão na areia pegam suas pranchas e entram no mar, liderados por Beckham. Enquanto surfam, controlam a bola, fazendo verdadeiras acrobacias. O filme termina com uma surpresa bem humorada para o surfista que corre para o cooler, aproveitando a ausência dos jogadores para tentar roubar uma Pepsi.

Os noventa segundos são acompanhados pela  guitarra de Dick Dale em Misirlou, faixa que serve de trilha para o filme.

Criado pela AlmapBBDO para divulgar a Pepsi globalmente, a direção fica a cargo de Tarsem Singh, produtor do longa-metragem The Cell, com Jennifer Lopez, e também do clipe Losing my Religion, do grupo norte-americano REM. Um dos desafios da produção foi juntar todos os atletas no vídeo. Devido suas agendas, em nenhum momento Singh conseguiu filmar cenas com todos os jogadores juntos. Suas imagens foram reunidas apenas na edição.  

Para a produção foram montados dois sets de filmagens. As seqüências de surfe foram feitas na ilha Tavarua, em Fiji, com surfistas profissionais parecidos com os jogadores.

Já as cenas com os atletas foram gravadas no Aeródromo Casarubios, um aeroporto particular a 40 quilômetros de Madri, na Espanha. Apenas Henry foi filmado no Shepperton Studios, em Londres, numa fria noite de novembro, sendo que depois as imagens foram inseridas no comercial. 

As gravações foram realizadas entre 20 e 24 de setembro, em dias com temperatura média de 30ºC. Para criar os takes de surfe com os jogadores, foram construídas duas enormes piscinas: uma aquecida para saltos e uma com máquina de ondas.

Os jogadores davam seus chutes e cabeçadas na bola saltando sobre uma cama elástica. Quando estavam remando em suas pranchas, as tomadas eram feitas numa das piscinas.Na manhã desta quarta-feira, a propaganda foi exibida na sede da AlmapBBDO, em São Paulo. E a partir da quinta-feira estréia em primeira mão no Brasil e depois invade a Europa, América Central e Austrália.  

Escrito por fraja8 às 16h54
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www.surfasu.com.br

Escrito por fraja8 às 15h33
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The 23-year-old Russian athlete - known more for her looks than her play on the court - sought the civil stay-away order after her attorney claimed Lepeska was badgering her with e-mail and unwanted letters.

In one letter, Lepeska explained that if they "were lovers we would have no need for other people, food or water," according to court papers. Lepeska served a Wisconsin prison term for stabbing a man sleeping in a university student union coffeehouse and telling police he was "a slave to an evil that he could not escape" in 1995.

Escrito por fraja8 às 15h24
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Chelsea winger Damien Duff will play after all in tonight's Champions League tie in Barcelona. Blues boss Jose Mourinho named his team yesterday for this first-leg match at the Nou Camp - and it did not include the Republic of Ireland international.

Duff suffered a knee injury during the latter stages of Sunday's FA Cup defeat by Newcastle. But Mourinho revealed on Sky Sports News tonight: 'He has recovered - we knew it was not a difficult injury - but it was painful. 'This is the Champions League, and we need him - so from a mental point of view he is ready to take a risk.'

Escrito por fraja8 às 15h19
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NEW YORK — Imagine photographers snapping photos of people they have never seen or heard about before. Imagine hundreds of people cheering, hoping that these people they also know nothing about can hear them. Imagine a city spending an estimated $750,000 a day to entertain this group of 13 people.

In the entire sporting landscape, there is perhaps nothing like a local organizing group in a room wooing the IOC in a face-to-face evaluation for the hosting rights for the Olympic Games.

There is no such thing as doing too much. The New York City organizers do not consider it strange that this particular room was mapped out, complete with architect's blueprints depicting chair-by-chair placement, just for the four-day presentation. Over the next couple of days, the IOC will spend hours and hours in this room learning the intricacies of the New York bid, just one stop in their five-city tour. The organizers don't have any qualms about telling the evaluation committee that breaks are planned to the minute, as are Wednesday's 30-minute jazz performance at the Time Warner Center and a two-hour meal at Mayor Michael Bloomberg's residence that evening.

"The bid process is the biggest Olympic event there is, and there is nothing like it," said Rob Livingstone, producer of GamesBids.com, an Olympic bid information Web site. "There isn't anything in the sports world where the stakes are so high. For a city to win, it will need about 55 votes. When it's over, that city will have spent at least $1 million per winning vote."

If only those who were waving flags at a Rockefeller Center rally Monday knew the complexity of what was going on in that room just 10 blocks away.

Think the IOC cares only about funding and the building of venues to go along with spectacular opening and closing ceremonies? If it were that easy, NYC2012 wouldn't need a lawyer who attended Harvard to run the bid. For New York to become an Olympic host city for the first time in its history, NYC2012 bid founder Dan Doctoroff and his crew must be prepared to answer questions concerning exactly 119 recommendations put forth by the IOC.

The cities that don't survive the ultimate test still have to pay $500,000 for the right to take it, and the questions are far from simple.

The organization that is responsible for awarding a sporting event that takes place over a two-week period is indeed concerned with the "irrigation rate," "raw material consumption" and "endangered species." Sure, ticket prices are important, but so are the "weight of public debt" and something called the "Gini income distribution index." Varied sporting venues are key, but a bidding-city representative is required to complete a table showing what the projected wind strength and amount of precipitation is expected to be around the venue during the time when the Olympic Games could come to town — more than seven years from now.

Doctoroff, New York's deputy mayor for economic development and rebuilding, said 32 people participated in the presentation to the commission on Monday and six videos were shown.

"This is a work session," Doctoroff said. "They are very serious about what they are doing."

Then there are the rules to worry about. One of the hardest to follow might be that officials with bid cities aren't supposed to compare plans with competing cities.

"They say that you cannot disparage another city," said Jay Kriegel, executive director of NYC2012. "We prefer to be meticulous, though I would say that not everyone else has been that meticulous. At the end of the day, you focus on your own plan. You're not going to win by putting down another."

Kriegel might have been referring to comments made by Cherie Blair, the wife of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who took some heat for a comment last week. "We are going to win the bid," Cherie Blair said. "What does Paris know about culture?" Cherie Blair is an "ambassador" for the bid despite having no formal role in the process.

Part of the intrigue of the process is how little the public knows about the key decision makers and how little the group of 13 is actually seen over the four-day period.

They stopped momentarily upon arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Sunday night and again upon entering The Plaza soon after. On Monday morning, a five-minute photo opportunity apparently was cut short.

"It wasn't even a minute," said one photographer, upset he didn't get the shot he needed. "I got more time with President Bush."

The media isn't privy to the meetings. A pool reporter filed a report from the meeting room that described who was sitting where and gave a brief play-by-play.

"Not much happened in the couple of minutes we were in the room," the reporter wrote. "There were no speeches. Doctoroff, Bloomberg and [United States Olympic Committee chairman Peter] Ueberroth got up and walked around the front of the IOC table shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries. Then we were ushered out."

Because of the nature of the visit, odds are extremely low that any of the IOC members, who will vote on the host city in Singapore on July 6, will get in a cab or even walk much on a New York City street. Interaction with real New Yorkers will be limited.

Not that any of the hundreds of people waving flags and screaming at the rally would know if they bumped into commission chairwoman Nawal El Moutawakel, a gold medalist in the 400-meter hurdles in the 1984 Olympics. Nor would the Australian accent give up Simon Balderstone and Bob Elphinston, two commission representatives who formerly served as a journalist and a physical-education teacher, respectively. Some enthusiasts no doubt would like to make their case personally to the IOC's executive director of the Olympic Games, except they'd be hard-pressed to pick out Gilbert Felli, the one-time Swiss architect who holds that position.

Said Jonathan Gouveia, a New Yorker at the rally who supports the bid: "I can't name one [of the 117 IOC members]. I don't think any of my friends know of them either."

Escrito por fraja8 às 15h13
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BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) -- Ben Grieve said he was surprised to find his name mentioned in Jose Canseco's book that details alleged steroid use in baseball.

Unlike several major-leaguers, Grieve was not accused of having used illegal substances in Canseco's book, Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits and How Baseball Got Big, which was released Feb. 14.

On the contrary, Canseco devoted a page to Grieve using him as an example of a young player whose career would have benefited from steroid use."Let me tell you, Ben Grieve is a kid who needed to take steroids," Canseco wrote. "He had a slow bat, slow feet and average ability. I could have taken Grieve and turned him into a stud. He would have been the perfect kid to benefit from the combination of steroids and growth hormone."

Asked about Canseco's book Tuesday after he reported to spring training with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Grieve said he never was pressured to take steroids."Jose said if he worked with me for four months, he could have made me into the next Mark McGwire," Grieve said. "But he never even approached me."

After pausing, Grieve laughed and said, "Or else I probably might have done it."Grieve and Canseco played one season together for the Oakland Athletics in 1997.Grieve said he was never has been tempted to use steroids even though his batting numbers have sagged since leaving Oakland after the 2000 season.

"I'm sure Jose will tell you there are no side effects if you use them the right way, but I don't buy into that," Grieve said. "They can't be good for your body. When I was coming up, I was having success without them. I never really thought I needed them."

Grieve was the American League Rookie of the Year with the A's in 1998 and hit 55 homers and had 190 RBIs over the next two seasons. When he joined Tampa Bay in 2001, Grieve batted .264, .251 and .230 in three seasons, combining for 34 homers and 153 RBI.After being a role player for the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs last season, Grieve signed a minor-league contract with the Pirates in January and is in camp as a non-roster player.

"If I took (steroids), there's no doubt they would have helped me," Grieve said. "But I don't like the risk that's involved in the whole thing."

Grieve said he didn't expect that Canseco would mention him for being clean. He read the passage when he stopped in a bookstore while traveling from Dallas to Bradenton for spring training.

With the Pirates, Grieve will compete for a spot on a team overloaded with outfielders. Aside from Grieve, the Pirates have five veterans in camp and general manager Dave Littlefield is trying to trade for a sixth."It makes sense to look at him and see if he can make our club better," manager Lloyd McClendon said. "Why he hasn't put up the numbers he did in the past, I don't have those answers."

Notes: Left-hander Oliver Perez played catch again Tuesday and could begin throwing off a mound later this week. Perez will take Wednesday off, then throw catch again Thursday before his condition is re-evaluated. Perez hasn't pitched because of stiffness in his left shoulder. ... Non-roster right-handers Joe Roa (lower back) and Kirk Bullinger (hamstring) missed their second consecutive turns off the mound Tuesday. ... Outfielder Matt Lawton, acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Indians, was the only member of the 40-man roster who had not reported to camp as of yesterday afternoon. The Pirates expect to have 64 players on hand Wednesday for the first full-squad workout.

Escrito por fraja8 às 15h10
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Happy Valley: The Movie

Here's a script for Nittany Lions fans: a fading 78-year-old football legend rediscovers his youth and rides two freshman playmakers to a Hollywood ending

(Fade in. A dimly lit room, game film flickering on the wall. Outside, snow falls gently as Joe Paterno, Penn State's 78-year-old football coach, stands behind a projector, massaging his temples and rubbing his eyes.)

JOEPA (mumbling to self): Bowden three forty-five, me three forty. Bowden three forty-five, me three for --

(Knock on the door; an assistant coach enters.)

ASSISTANT: Coach, sorry to interr --

JOEPA: Six to four?! We lost to Iowa 6-4?

ASSISTANT: Um, yes, sir. It was Homecoming. Coach, there's a phone
call for --

JOEPA: What's wrong with our offense?

ASSISTANT: Well, Coach --

JOEPA: At least our D forced two safeties.

ASSISTANT: Actually, one was a bad snap on a punt and the other was intentional on their part.

JOEPA: Hmm. Thanks, son. What do you do here?

ASSISTANT: I'm the quarterbacks coach, sir.

JOEPA: Well, nice to meet you ...

ASSISTANT: Jay, sir.

JOEPA: Jay ...

ASSISTANT: Paterno, sir. Jay Paterno. About that phone call --

JOEPA: Sure, I'll take it. Have them blow me up on the celly.

ASSISTANT: Sir?

JOEPA: I'm just messin' with you, son. I'm not going senile. I don't have Old-timer's.

ASSISTANT: You mean "Alzheimer's"?

JOEPA: Put the call through.

(A minute passes; Kanye West's Jesus Walks plays on JoePa's ring tone.)

JOEPA: Yo, 'sup?

DERRICK WILLIAMS: Coach? Coach Paterno?

JOEPA: D-Dub! Mr. Number 1 recruit in the nation, what can I do for you?

WILLIAMS: Coach, I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to sign with Penn State.

JOEPA: D, that is tight! We can't wait to -- hold on, got another call. (Answers call.) Yo?

JUSTIN KING: J.P.?

JOEPA: Jus-tinnnnn! 'Sup?

KING: J.P., get happy, 'cause I'm comin' to the Valley!

JOEPA: That's hot. I got D on the other line. He's coming too. We're gonna house the Big Ten next fall.

KING: I'm feelin' ya, J.P.!

(Montage from the 2005 football season. Behind King and Williams the Nittany Lions beat Ohio State, Michigan, Purdue and Wisconsin to sweep through the regular season undefeated and finish No. 2 in the BCS rankings, setting up a matchup with No. 1 USC in the Rose Bowl for the national title. Cut to the set of College GameDay, where host Chris Fowler is interviewing JoePa two days before the game.)

FOWLER: Coach, Penn State had four losing seasons in five years entering this season. You finished two-and-six in the Big Ten a year ago. People said you were past your prime. How do you explain the turnaround?

JOEPA: Chris, we just recruited smarter. Last year I saw that the Trojans let Snoop Dogg practice with them for a day. We knew it wasn't going to be easy to compete with that. So I called up Xzibit and basically said, "Yo, pimp my program." We hired The Game as our recruiting coordinator -- and he's from South Central. We got Fifty as our linebackers coach. Eminem gives our pregame talks. The players love it. And the rappers, well, they get free jerseys. It's all fly, Chris.

(Cut to the Rose Bowl. The scoreboard shows usc 20, penn state 18 with 10 seconds remaining. Flash to the huddle.)

MICHAEL ROBINSON: Derrick, Justin. You boys ready to take this in?

KING: No place else for it to go.

WILLIAMS: Let's put the swine in the hizzy.

ROBINSON: Alright, see you in the end zone.

(Cut to the line of scrimmage. Robinson takes the snap and turns left on a bootleg before cutting it back to the right side amid diving tacklers. As he's hit, he heaves it down the sideline into the waiting arms of Williams. Suddenly, a USC defensive back slams Williams, who just manages to pitch it to King as he's falling down. Spinning around the defender, King waltzes the final 20 yards into the end zone for the winning score. As teammates engulf King and Williams, two linemen hoist JoePa onto their shoulders. The old coach smiles.)

JOEPA: I'm getting too old for this.

Escrito por fraja8 às 15h03
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Superstar

Amherst wide receiver Rob Brown, currently on the big screen in Coach Carter, may lie low on campus, but in Hollywood he's a budding superstar

By day he's Regular Rob Brown, just another student-athlete hitting the books and the weight room with his football teammates.

But if you've dropped by a multiplex recently, you may have seen another Rob Brown. This Rob Brown was playing ball on the big screen, going toe-to-toe with Samuel L. Jackson and -- yeah, he's the guy -- making out with Ashanti.

Who is this Rob Brown, you ask? He looks familiar, but you can't quite place him. And that is exactly how he wants it. You think Clark Kent wore those glasses to look trendy? Brown, the 20-year-old leading man of Finding Forrester and, most recently, Coach Carter, is not out flaunting his success at Avalon or Lotus or Marquee; instead he's holed up in his Amherst, Mass., dorm suite with his boys, his Madden, his psych books and maybe a new script to read.

Brown burst onto the Hollywood scene as Finding Forrester's Jamal Wallace, a teenager struggling to fit in at an elite private school. Remarkably, Brown had never acted before, at any level. He attended an open casting call hoping to land a role as an extra to make a little money to pay his cellphone bill, but director Gus Van Sant saw something in the then 16-year-old. "It was instantaneous," Van Sant told Jet in 2001. "We felt it at once. Here was Jamal." After a subsequent reading with costar Sean Connery confirmed Van Sant's instincts, the role was Brown's. Suffice it to say, making your silver screen debut opposite Academy Award winners Connery and Anna Paquin is kind of like taking your first collegiate kickoff 100 yards to the house.

But Brown had some other goals before fully taking on Hollywood. Enter Amherst College. The elite small college (enrollment: 1,600) in rural western Massachusetts presented about as un-Hollywood an environment as possible, which is why the actor chose it. It's the type of place where his peers got the "You're the man now, dawg" out of their system by the end of orientation. Now when Brown enters the dining hall, heads no longer turn. He's "Just Rob."

On an overcast Saturday in early February, "Just Rob" is taking part in a photo shoot outside a building on West 37th Street in Manhattan. Brown, who grew up in New York City, is visiting home for the weekend. He is quiet, humble and easy on the eyes. He is dressed in a black T-shirt and Sean John jeans. A small gold chain hangs from his neck, and two small diamond earrings sit in his ears. There is no entourage. "I don't ever want to be the person who goes, 'Get me a waaaater,'" says Brown, affecting an elitist air. "I've been at Hollywood parties and seen those types, the ones that look all jaded and self-important. I don't want to be like that, ever. Me and my friends usually make fun of those people."

He sounds no different from any other college junior, but there are moments when his alter ego, the Rob Brown with the SAG card, makes an appearance. He becomes animated and almost acts out every story he tells, and it's apparent what Van Sant saw in him five years ago. There's an air about him that screams star. During the photo shoot, for which he dons a Calvin Klein tux, Brown stands on the faux red carpet laughing and joking with extras posed as paparazzi and fans. They are giddy at this brush with fame, even as Brown remains perfectly at ease, riffing with the photographer one minute and nailing his mark the next.

Brown occasionally rubs his shoulders and neck; he just resumed working out for his role as a wide receiver for the Division III Lord Jeffs. Why does he subject himself to such punishment when an easy paycheck is a phone call away? Because he loves the game, the competition, the camaraderie. He acknowledges that he has virtually no shot at the NFL. (Brown saw limited action in his first two seasons and sat out last fall while recovering from surgery on his left foot.) He knows his window of opportunity to play the sport is quickly closing. His eyes brighten when we talk pigskin, especially the Amherst-Williams rivalry, D-III's version of Alabama-Auburn. "You have to be there to understand," he says. "I mean, there are fights in the stands."

Brown plays the part of regular college student well: class at the egregiously early hour of 9, two more at 12:30 and 2, lifting, dinner, kicking it with his teammates or roomies. School is his No. 1 priority. Yes, the psychology major took a semester off last spring to make Coach Carter. But for him to leave school, the film must be something special. He is sent as many as four scripts a month, and they usually get put on the back burner because of his studies. "I never think, I don't want to be here," he says of college.

He does his best to maintain a low profile wherever he is. "He will never use his fame to get things," says his teammate and best friend, Kelvin Coker. "Of course, I use his name to the fullest. If we're hanging out in the city, I'll walk up to some girls and ask if they've seen Finding Forrester or Coach Carter. I point to him and ask the girls if they want to meet up later. I have to do it on the down-low, because he hates it."

There is one perk, though, that Brown would be happy to take advantage of. "I wear Nike, so if I can get Nikes, I'm like, 'O.K., cool,'" he smiles. "But that's probably the most glamorous thing."

Rather than maintain a Hollywood 'tude on campus, Brown brings a collegiate vibe to movie sets. In a scene that was cut from Coach Carter, star Jackson gives the team new jerseys. Before shooting the scene for the first time, Brown and his costars replaced the jerseys with an inflatable woman and condoms. Did Jackson break? Not a chance.

Brown smiles as he tells this story and reflects on his good fortune. Connery called to wish him luck on Coach Carter and to make sure he's still in school. Producer Mike Tollin (Radio, Varsity Blues) praised his intelligence and work ethic. He met Denzel Washington when auditioning for Antwone Fisher. And, of course, he's made out with an Oscar winner (Paquin) and a Grammy winner (Ashanti).

Brown's experience locking lips with the R&B diva is the source of a constant stream of questions. "Her mom was on the set all the time," he says. "I didn't really think about it like that. It's work."

Just like this shoot. But work is almost over. In a few minutes Brown will exit into the Manhattan night. Once again he will become just another college student, this one getting ready to take his mom out for an early Valentine's Day dinner. He will study, play football and wait until he chooses to return to Hollywood.

Escrito por fraja8 às 15h02
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Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson AP

Rob Brown's not the first thespian with a li'l bit of athlete in him. Did you know that Robert Redford attended Colorado on a baseball scholarship? That John Wayne was a USC tackle? And that Old School's Craig Kilborn roamed the perimeter at Montana State? Check out these seven athletes who played college ball before moving on to the silver screen.

DWAYNE (THE ROCK) JOHNSON

NOW The pro wrestler turned actor's size (6'5", 260 pounds) matches his box office clout. His first starring role was in The Scorpion King, which grossed more than $90 million. He has five films in the works, with Be Cool out March 4.

THEN Johnson's time on the D-line at Miami served as a preview of what was to come: In a 1992 fight he pinned a teammate in the weight room and literally tried to rip out his tongue; later that year he chased the San Diego State mascot into the stands.

ED O'NEILL

NOW Forever identified as Married ... with Children's Al Bundy, O'Neill tries on a different character for In the Game, an upcoming ABC sitcom. He dipped into the sports realm for Blue Chips, playing a reporter who unravels recruiting violations.

THEN Parlayed his skills as a high school D-end into football scholarships at Ohio and Youngstown State. Invited to Pittsburgh Steelers training camp in 1970 but didn't make the team. "I was sick of football," he remembers.

JON STEWART

NOW Comic and Daily Show anchor has struggled to translate his small-screen success to the big screen, with minor roles in Big Daddy and Death to Smoochy and scenes that were cut from The First Wives Club.

THEN Walked on to the soccer team as a sophomore at William & Mary and became a starter later that season. He played in the NCAA tournament his senior year.

BURT REYNOLDS

NOW Onetime Cosmo pinup has eight movies in production, including turns in the remake of The Longest Yard (he starred in the original) and the upcoming The Dukes of Hazzard movie.

THEN Committed to Miami, but Florida State coach Tom Nugent swayed him during a visit to Tallahassee. Lettered as a freshman running back but injured his knee during a practice before his sophomore season.

MARC BLUCAS

NOW Last seen (though that may be too strong a word) wooing Katie Holmes in First Daughter. Best remembered for his days as Sarah Michelle Gellar's boo on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

THEN Played one season alongside NBAer Tim Duncan at Wake Forest. "I can beat [him] one-on-one, and I do it every time," jokes Blucas. "He needs to be put in his place."

MATTHEW FOX

NOW After one blink-and-you-missed-it theatrical release (A Token for Your Thoughts) and the failed drama Haunted following the end of Party of Five, now stars on ABC's hit freshman drama Lost.

THEN Hit the gridiron at Columbia in 1985 -- not a good time for the Lions, who were in the midst of a 44-game losing streak. As a sophomore receiver he had a career-high 14 catches; his senior year Columbia got it together and whacked Princeton and Brown.

DEAN CAIN

NOW Shed his Superman tights (TV's Lois & Clark) to play Scott Peterson in a TV movie last year; also turned heads as a wife-beating former pro QB in Denzel Washington's Out of Time.

THEN Former Princeton All-America set a Division I-AA record for interceptions in a season (since broken) with 12 in 1987. Also managed to captain the volleyball team and date the cutest girl on campus, Brooke Shields.

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The Top 16 College Movies of All Time

Courtesy of Miramax Films

Text by Adam Duerson, Maggie Haskins, Jaime Lowe, Arash Markazi and Matthew Waxman

When the American Film Institute dropped its 100 greatest films back in 1998, it included nary a college flick. The list apparently was compiled without consulting a person under the age of 45. Ever sit through the appropriately titled From Here to Eternity (No. 52)? Tried enduring The Birth of a Nation (44)? Neither has SIOC. We have, however, seen The Best Years of Our Lives (37) -- and it has about as much to do with college life as Star Wars (15).

In an effort to improve, and significantly vitalize, the quality of your lazy Saturday afternoons, SIOC watched every movie about the real Best Years of Our Lives, from the half-baked (How High) to the over-baked (Higher Learning), to come up with our very own list of the top 16 college movies ... as well as the worst ever. 

You may notice a sports flavor to our nominees. Face it: The tensions of curve-breaking and roommate squabbles just don't keep audiences' attentions. And that "What's the deal with loofahs and mini fridges?" bit has been done to death, leaving writers and directors tapping the sports well till it's run ... well, have you seen The Waterboy?

1. OLD SCHOOL

Not since Bobby Knight crash-landed on college basketball has anything existed so deliciously for the purpose of being quoted. This wonderfully sophomoric farce about a group of lackadaisical, middle-aged men starting their own college fraternity has quickly become a younger generation's must-see movie while clearly bewildering the Ebert set ("This is not a funny movie," blah, blah, blah). And did we mention the quotes? They taste so good when they leave your lips -- again and again. "Boy-band ass." "Earmuffs." "You're my boy, Blue!" Does it get old? Yeah, just like sex and chocolate and Bobby Knight get old.

SIGNATURE SPORTS MOMENT: Beanie (Vince Vaughn) coolly puffs a cig while doing the iron cross.

THEY SAID IT: "You can sit down and watch it a million times and always
find something new to laugh about."
-- PAM ROSANIO, UMASS '08, WOMEN'S HOOPS

2. PCU

If the concept of PC weren't so passé, one could make a serious argument for Jeremy Piven's masterstroke at No. 1. Still, this cult classic is required viewing for any high school student with college on the brain. David Spade's at his weaseliest, Jon Favreau's at his fattest, and Piven lends his best pre-Entourage performance as Droz Andrews, a frat-house flunky showing a potential frosh the college ropes: "Classes? Nothing before 11. Beer? It's your best friend; you'll drink a lot. Women? You're a freshman, so it's pretty much out of the question."

SIGNATURE SPORTS MOMENT: Says Spade of the Hippy Olympics Ultimate game: "It doesn't matter who wins, because they're all losers."

3. GOOD WILL HUNTING

Hunky bff's Matt Damon and Ben Affleck cowrote a brilliant screenplay about a genius MIT janitor struggling with love, life and an aggression problem that rivals those of most college coaches. Damon's NSA speech was a first glimpse of his acting chops, the boys got shiny Oscars, and every girl wanted to be Skylar (Minnie Driver). How 'bout dem apples?

SIGNATURE SPORTS MOMENT: Robin Williams and Damon leap to their feet as they discuss Carlton Fisk's 1975 World Series Game 6 dinger.

THEY SAID IT: "I especially like the scene at the Harvard bar when Matt Damon totally punks the Harvard student who was making fun of Ben Affleck."
-- BLAKE HOLLER, STANFORD '07, BASEBALL

4. NATIONAL LAMPOON'S ANIMAL HOUSE

The original college-shenanigans movie. Deltas Otter, Boon, Bluto et al. lead pledges on a debaucherous journey through Semester One at Faber College. From "Toga!" parties to homecoming hijinks, the Delts continue to inspire misbehaving college students (not to mention a few movies on this list). Thirty years later you still find more John Belushi-in-college-sweater posters hanging on dormitory walls than Mona Lisas and Water Lilies combined. Props to ex-Oregon president William B. Boyd: He allowed the film to be shot on campus after he uppities at Missouri pooh-poohed hosting.

SIGNATURE SPORTS MOMENT: Otter and Boon work on their golf game with Neidermeyer's head serving as a target.

THEY SAID IT: "For a college athlete who lacks the true college experience, it's a great reminder of what the college experience is truly all about."
-- KELLY THESIER, MICHIGAN STATE '05, WOMEN'S GOLF

5. DRUMLINE

You're more likely to draw peppermint schnapps from a cow's teat than drama from a marching-band pic. But this offbeat wonder marches to the cadence of a different (and cornrowed) drummer: Nick Cannon as a stick twirler with a thing or two to learn about teamwork. Bonus points for a band brawl, Zoe Saldana as a dance-squad leader and a lack of "This one time, at band camp ..." gags.

SIGNATURE SPORTS MOMENT: The climactic BET Southern Classic spectacle, with Free and AJ Calloway (106 & Park), Blu Cantrell and Petey Pablo, makes Paul McCartney's Super Bowl halftime show look like -- well, we all know what it was.

SUPERBONUS: Real-life Battle of the Bands powerhouses such as Grambling performed, and the authenticity shows.

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6. RUDY

Angelo Pizzo (of Hoosiers fame) fudges facts all over the script but reminds a younger generation that -- no lie -- the Irish used to have a decent football squad. This heartwarming little pic about a little guy from a little town making it on college football's grandest stage is still shown to underdog teams before big games and has played a crucial role in landing Irish recruits, including current QB Brady Quinn. No matter what you think of the Golden Domers, it's hard not to get at least a little verklempt when the five-foot-nothin', 100-and-nothin'-pound Rudy Ruettiger (Sean Astin) gets carried off the field. Almost makes a grown man wanna cry. O.K., we cried. Hard.

SIGNATURE SPORTS MOMENT: Ruettiger nets a sack in the season finale -- and is financially set for the rest of his life.

THEY SAID IT: "It makes you want to go out and play instantly."
-- TONY BOWNE, CENTRAL MICHIGAN '05, MEN'S HOOPS

7. NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VAN WILDER

EVERY FRAT-PARTY-LOVING 22-year-old with 12 credits to go before his life turns into a walking, talking Office Space can relate to Wilder's extreme case of super-senioritis. Extra kudos to Ryan Reynolds for overcoming gratuitous use of Tara Reid and bulldog testicles.

SIGNATURE SPORTS MOMENT: Then Clippers Michael Olowokandi, Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson cameoed as dunkalicious Coolidge College Chickadees.

THEY SAID IT: "It's my generation's Animal House -- which, I hate to say, I haven't even seen. Anytime you take a comedic look at college, it's an easy hit."
-- GERRY MCNAMARA, SYRACUSE '06, MEN'S HOOPS

8. BREAKING AWAY

Animal House for the community college/10-speed set. Four Bloomington Cutters (the nickname refers to stonecutting, a blue-collar job popular among locals) clash with Lee Corso-era Hoosiers meatheads and barge in on their Little 500 bike race, a long-standing IU tradition. Mike (Dennis Quaid) is the angsty athletic one. Cyril (Daniel Stern) is the lanky nut job. Moocher (Jackie Earl Haley) is the slack-jawed yokel. And Dave (Dennis Christopher) is the kooky one. SIGNATURE SPORTS MOMENT: Dave races a moving van on a 50-mile highway stretch and later athletic-tapes his feet to his pedals for the 500.

9. ROAD TRIP

Where have you gone, Tom Green? Last we saw, the Canadian cutup's second MTV show tanked hard. Lesson learned: Green is best served in small portions. Road Trip doles him out in perfect doses as narrator Barry Manilow, emcee of a 93-minute Ithaca College walking tour-road trip story recantation. His tale features a topless Amy Smart, a talking dog named Corky, a sex tape sent to the wrong girl and a cross-country trip that leaves little to the imagination. College at its best: when you're not there.

SIGNATURE SPORTS MOMENT: Horatio Sanz sticks French toast in his underpants, then feeds the sullied toast to a gleeful DJ Qualls. O.K., not sporty. Just funny.

10. WITHOUT LIMITS

The second of two nearly identical biopics on Oregon runner Steve Prefontaine. (The earlier Jared Leto version simply blew.) Billy Crudup's mustache alone warrants an Oscar. Precision casting includes a top-of-his-game Donald Sutherland as coach Bill Bowerman and up-and-comers such as Monica Potter (Saw), Matthew Lillard (Scooby-Doo) and Jeremy Sisto (Six Feet Under).

SIGNATURE SPORTS MOMENT: Sutherland tinkers with the waffle soles of running shoes, a hobby that later led to a small family-owned business called Nike.

11. REVENGE OF THE NERDS

In this classic jocks (Alpha Betas)-versus-nerds (Tri Lambdas) battle, the underdogs triumph over the typically arrogant and overprivileged frat pack. It's the anti-John Hughes flick, and a pretty good Animal House knockoff to boot. Cliché dweebs with cliché names (Booger, Poindexter, Wormser) take on cliché college football bullies with cliché names (Ogre) and cliché cheerleader girlfriends. The head nerd ultimately seduces the quarterback's gal while wearing a Darth Vader mask. What? That's not your college experience? We should also mention that Adam Brody (The O.C.) is producing a remake.

SIGNATURE SPORTS MOMENT: The Alpha Betas put on a musical, gender-bending football skit, only to be topped by the Tri Lambs' geeked-out '80s jam session.

12 & 13. THE PROGRAM/BLUE CHIPS

They're basically the same movie, aren't they? Coach at State U. feels pressure to return his team to its winning ways -- at any cost. Put the children to bed before popping in The Program, which gives screen time to every vice imaginable. Blue Chips plays more family-friendly: Recruits get lured into a world of point-shaving and grade-bending in a true cameo-whorer flick.

SIGNATURE SPORTS MOMENT: The Program: Heisman hopeful Joe Kane is slain on the tennis court by the original Buffy (Kristy Swanson). Blue Chips: Coach Bell's recruiting trip takes him to see Shaq ballin' in the Bayou, Penny in a dilapidated gym.

THEY SAID IT: "All the partying is a little over the top. I'm not a Joe Kane character. He met [his girlfriend] in the weight room, though, which is not too far off. I meet a ton of girls in the weight room that I've never met before."
-- ALEX SMITH, UTAH '06, FOOTBALL

14. HORSE FEATHERS

The Marx Brothers, the Wayans brothers of their day, team up in this old-timey, satirical condemnation of higher education and football. The quartet sets about correcting a college agenda that has for too long "neglected football for education." The troupe bungles its attempts to hire ringers and kidnap the opposition, finding itself in precarious positions -- like on the ravishing Thelma Todd's lap.

SIGNATURE SPORTS MOMENT: In the pigskin finale the comedy team outwits the opposition, slipping would-be tacklers with banana peels and galloping to the end zone in a horse-drawn chariot.

15. WONDER BOYS

Michael Douglas lets his hair down -- literally -- as a creative-writing prof who can't tie up the loose ends in his own book ... or in his life. His wife has left him; his book is well over 2,000 pages; a sultry student (Katie Holmes) is in love with him; his editor (Robert Downey Jr.) needs a manuscript; his prize pupil (Tobey Maguire) needs guidance; and his boss and girlfriend-on-the-side (Frances McDormand) is preggers with his baby.

SIGNATURE SPORTS MOMENT: Douglas's department head waxes philosophical on the Monroe-DiMaggio marriage.

16. LOVE & BASKETBALL

This Omar Epps-Sanaa Lathan ode to athlete-on-athlete lovin' is to college hoopsters what Von Dutch and Franz Ferdinand are to college hipsters, so we nod our heads with due respect. The action is divided into four neat "quarters," with emphasis on nooky and hoops, and the simple fact that it takes place and was filmed on campus at USC lends some serious cred. In this, his fourth of five sporting roles, Epps firmly establishes himself as an on-screen athlete. Lathan holds her own as a worthy foil on and off the court.

SIGNATURE SPORTS MOMENT: The climactic, for-all-the-marbles one-on-one showdown leaves no college gamer dry-eyed.

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Clemson's Sharrod Ford lands on Maryland's Will Bowers' face after a dunk.

Andre Agassi takes a whack from the helipad of the Burj al Arab hotel in Dubai.

LSU's Darrel Mitchell and the hometown crowd celebrate after the Tigers win over Alabama.

Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter share a lighthearted moment during spring training.

The Russia I bobsled takes a training run during the FIBT 2005 Four-Man Bobsleigh World Championships.

Shaquille O'Neal grimaces in pain after injuring his knee.

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Devin Harris Danny Turner

Since 22-year-old Mavericks point guard Devin Harris wrote about adjusting to life in Dallas in his Jan. 31 diary entry, he has averaged 7.0 points and 2.0 assists in 15.1 minutes for the 35-16 Mavs.

I have to admit I was a little surprised -- and very excited! -- when I found out two weeks ago that I was selected for the rookie/sophomore game. I've played pretty well this season, but they only pick nine guys for the rookie squad. After a big win at Phoenix on Thursday night, I flew to Denver and didn't get in until 3 a.m. on Friday. I got some sleep and went to a meeting with the coaches to talk about the game. I guess the NBA didn't want it to be played like it was last year, where late in the game it turned into a dunk contest (although I really enjoyed watching it on TV).

The game, on Friday night, was a blast. I started, and it was great to be on the same floor with guys like LeBron James and [Heat guard] Dwyane Wade. Both teams played hard, and even though we lost [133-106], I had a lot of fun. It motivated me not just to come back and play in this game next season but hopefully to someday earn a spot in the main event.

The party scene is pretty crazy during All-Star weekend. On Friday after the game I went to a party thrown by Shaq (above) and Amaré Stoudemire at a club called Serengeti. I saw a lot of familiar faces there like the Suns' Shawn Marion and Quentin Richardson, who I played with in Chicago over the summer. It was a good party, but it was packed -- everyone was shoulder to shoulder. I couldn't help but notice Shaq's outfit. He's 7'1", and he was wearing this dark suit with a top hat. I think I could wear the suit, but I could never pull off wearing a hat like that.

I checked out the dunk contest on Saturday night. Hawks forward Josh Smith deserved to win, but that dunk that Amaré did where the ball bounced off the backboard and then off Steve Nash's head? That was unbelievable -- the best dunk of the night in my mind.

Later that night I stopped by a party thrown by the players' association. It was cool, because all the NBA guys were there (like Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce) and a lot of celebrities like Brandy and Nelly (who also performed later that night), which made for a pretty fun night.

The weekend was a great experience, but now it's time to get back to work. We had a strong road trip [4-0] before the break, and I hope we can keep it going. I know I said earlier that my goal is to be a starter, but I'm pretty happy with the way things are going now. We have three guys, including me, rotating in at point guard, and sometimes I also play the two guard. I don't mind playing off-guard, because even when I'm on the floor with [guard] Jason Terry, I'm still running a lot of point guard plays like the pick-and-roll. The only real difference is that I'm guarding the bigger guard on the other end. The bottom line is that all three of us are producing, and the main goal for all of us is to get better for the playoffs.

Personally, I'm pretty happy. I've had some ups and downs, but I think as the season has gone on, I've become more consistent. The team has shown a lot of poise over the last couple of weeks, and I've been on the floor a lot more in the fourth quarter. I feel more comfortable with the coaching staff, and I think they're more comfortable with me.

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By Adam Duerson

1. TEMPE DIABLO STADIUM (Angels) This place is devilish -- and dangerous. Angels SS Gary DiSarcina broke his left forearm when first base coach George Hendrick accidentally thwacked him with a bat in 1999; in a 2002 bench-clearer (Padres versus Angels), Anaheim lefthander Dennis Cook wound up on the DL with bruised ribs.

2. TUCSON ELECTRIC PARK (Diamondbacks and White Sox) In '98 Rockies manager Don Baylor accused the D-Backs of spying on his team by videotaping from centerfield without permission. In 2001 Arizona's Randy Johnson infamously struck and killed a flying dove with a fastball.

3. HOHOKAM PARK (Cubs) Where hope springs eternal: Cubs set a spring training attendance record with 189,692 fans in 16 games in 2004 and regularly lead the league in fan turnout.

4. HI CORBETT FIELD (Rockies) The oldest park (it opened in 1928) in the Cactus League adjoins a zoo and a public golf course. Also where some of the ball-playing scenes in Major League were filmed.

5. MARYVALE BASEBALL PARK (Brewers) The Brew crew's home away from home: mid-game sausage races, bratwursts with Brewers "secret stadium sauce" and sparse crowds.

6. PHOENIX MUNICIPAL STADIUM (A's) In 1991, with outfielder Rickey Henderson griping publicly about his meager $3 million-a-year salary, A's manager Tony La Russa and players stuffed a jar with dollar bills and gave it to him. "You're worth more than $3 million. We know it; we want you." Said Rickey, "Fill it up again."

7. SCOTTSDALE STADIUM (Giants) Home of the Arizona Fall League Hall of Fame. Not among its members: a long-legged outfielder named Michael Jordan, who played for the league's Scottsdale Scorpions here in '94, hitting .252 in 35 games.

8. PEORIA STADIUM (Mariners and Padres) During batting practice in 1995 Mariners manager Lou Piniella bet Ken Griffey Jr. a steak dinner that Griffey couldn't hit the next pitch out of the batting cage. Griffey whiffed. He later delivered a 1,200-pound cow to Piniella's office.

9. SURPRISE STADIUM (Rangers and Royals) How's this for a surprise: Just before an A's-Royals exhibition game here last year, a huge swarm of African bees had to be fought off by firefighters. The facility cost $48.3 million to build by its 2003 opening and lured both teams from their spring homes in Florida.     -- Adam Duerson

FAN SIGHTS

Local spots where sports stars have left their mark

A. TONY ROMA'S Where Ichiro Suzuki, visiting as a member of Japan's Orix Blue Wave in '99, believed he may have gotten food poisoning. Said Ichiro, "No more Tony Roma's." He's right. Rib spot has closed, replaced by Italian eatery.

B. AXIS/RADIUS Trendy nightclub brings in the rookie crowd. When Michael Jordan's in town, he likes to come by too.

C. PACKARD STADIUM Home to five-time national champion Arizona State baseball team, which has yielded elite sluggers Barry Bonds (pictured in 1983) and Reggie Jackson.

D. PUSSYCAT LOUNGE In November, Mike Tyson hopped onto the hood of a car outside the club and pummeled it. Damages: $1,400.

E. ALCOR LIFE EXTENSION FOUNDATION Home of Ted Williams's cryogenically frozen remains.

F. PINK PONY Harry Caray and Billy Martin were springtime regulars at this steak house, as was late Angels owner Gene Autry.

G. GAINEY RANCH GOLF CLUB A 27-hole course lies adjacent to Bud Selig's vacation home.

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Mitchell Layton

JUAN DIXON
WIZARDS GUARD

Dixon's mother, Juanita, depicted here, and father, Phil, both died of AIDS while Juan was attending Calvert Hall High in inner-city Baltimore. Both parents were heroin addicts, and Juan and his three siblings lived with grandparents from the time Juan was four. "My mom gave me a whole lot of support even though she wasn't always around," Dixon said. "We knew she loved her kids. It was tough for her having children at a young age, and it was tough for us having her die at a young age. I used basketball as an escape. I got the tattoo of her over my heart to let her know she is always with me."

Randy Belice/NBAE/Getty Images

EDDY CURRY
BULLS CENTER

Curry's former teammate Jamal Crawford (now a Knick) and other of Curry's closest friends have identical markings: home on the right biceps, team on the left. "Your main group is your home team," Curry says. "There are a lot of hangers-on who want to be your friend because they want something. When I look at the tattoo, I remember the friends who mean the most to me." Curry has a high number of "friends" because he plays near home. "That's probably the main reason I got [the tattoo]," he says. "I felt overwhelmed by ticket demands and people wanting something from me. I said, I've got to get me a home team."

Gary Dineen/NBAE/Getty Images

MARCUS FIZER
BUCKS FORWARD

When people see this image on Fizer's left biceps, "they say, 'Mike who? Michael Jackson? Michael Jordan?'" says the fifth-year pro. "But this Michael does a lot better things than those guys." Fizer's tattoo (it says bad like michael) honors the archangel Michael, who had epic Biblical fights against Satan. Fizer was impressed by stories of Michael he heard while at church growing up in Arcadia, La. He got the tattoo when he was at Iowa State, and it's one of what may be an NBA-record 28 tattoos on his body. "I've had surgery for two ACLs," he says. "Getting a tattoo is like getting a mosquito bite."

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The Questions

With Brevin Knight, Bobcats Guard

Brevin Knight, Bobcats Guard Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

What was your welcome-to-the-NBA moment?

Shaking David Stern's hand [on draft night in 1997]. Hearing my name called was awesome. The culmination of it was shaking this man's hand.

Your most embarrassing moment?

In practice this year Jahidi [White, a Bobcats center] fell. I went over to talk junk to him, and I slipped and hit the floor.

Your favorite off-day activity?

Golf. It doesn't use as much athletic talent, and it keeps your mind sharp. I love how peaceful it is.

If I weren't in the NBA, I'd be ...

Working at a Boys and Girls Club. My dad ran them in Newark, and I liked the impact they had on kids.

If I were commissioner for a day, I would ...

Not let a lockout happen. I would get both sides on the same page, with everyone able to prosper and keeping the integrity of our game. I'm not going to say it's easy. I know David Stern has a big challenge. But that would be one thing I wouldn't let happen.

Last Week
Knight, in his first game back from a sprained ankle, had 11 points in a 94-88 win over the Nuggets on Feb. 16.

This Week
Charlotte and Knight, who's named for his mother, Brenda, and father, Melvin, host the Bucks. Knight had 10 points and 10 assists in the teams' last meeting, on Jan. 17.

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First Person

Tim Hudson, Braves Pitcher

ON BEING TRADED TO ATLANTA AFTER SIX YEARS WITH THE A'S My wife, Kim, and I loved Oakland so much: the relationships we built with teammates, with fans. I had a pretty hard time with the trade the first few days. Kim had a really hard time. All the wives were calling her and crying, she was crying. But Atlanta was the one place that, if I was going to get traded, I would be happiest. It makes the transition a little easier. [Hudson grew up in Alabama, near the Georgia border, and was a Braves fan.]

ON WHAT HE'LL MISS MOST The camaraderie, the joking around. The players were like little kids, always into toys. One year we had remote-control cars, and everybody got to the park early to drive them around the field. Guys played [the combat video game] Halo, guys played guitars. Last year we'd get to the clubhouse and have a big Texas hold 'em tournament.

ON OAKLAND G.M. BILLY BEANE'S OFF-SEASON TRADES OF HIM AND LEFTHANDER MARK MULDER He's taken a lot of heat, but he's made the right decisions for the future of the organization. He's brought in good, young talent, and in the long term [the A's] will probably be better off, if you look at their finances. The guys in those trades could be studs, and who knows, me and Mulder could be washed up. I always wondered if Billy knew something I didn't.

ON BEING JOHN SMOLTZ'S TEAMMATE I grew up a huge fan of his, so it's weird. I'd never met him. I don't know what to call him. Sir? Mr. Smoltz?

ON HIS HOMETOWN, SALEM, ALA. There's one four-way stop sign in the middle of town. I grew up in the country on five acres of land. [Hudson's father, Ronnie, was a supervisor at a factory that made cereal boxes.] Me and kids from the neighborhood, we were always out in the woods or riding bicycles or playing baseball. Not a lot of trouble to get into. We played baseball in a cow pasture.

ON HIS WIFE, KIM, WHOM HE MET AT AUBURN, WHERE HE WAS AN ALL-SEC OUTFIELDER AND PITCHER We sat beside each other in a class, World History 101. She's really smart, made straight A's. She was the notetaker while I was busy goofing off.

ON KIM'S LAW CAREER (SHE PASSED THE BAR IN ALABAMA) She's my subagent. I have my agent, and she checks my agent out, makes sure he's on top of things. She's sharp. I hope our kids get her brains and my athletic ability.

ON HIS DECLINING STRIKEOUT RATE When I first came up, like any young pitcher, I loved strikeouts. It shows dominance. Everybody wants to be Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson. I've learned that I've got a great sinker, I get a lot of ground balls, and it's easy to get a ground ball double play. I've matured as a pitcher. I understand what my strengths are.

ON FORMER A'S TEAMMATE JASON GIAMBI He's one of the best guys, one of the best teammates I've ever been around. I feel sorry for him as a person because I don't want him to get dragged through a lot of mud. He has to understand that he's a great player, with or without steroids.

ON BARRY BONDS Barry is probably the best hitter in the history of the game, and I don't think he needs steroids to put up those numbers.

ON MLB'S NEW STEROID TESTING POLICY I think everybody's going to be surprised at how well it works. A lot of people say, 'It's only a 10-game suspension,' but the simple fact that your name's going to be associated with steroids, you're not going to do it. I'm serious. There's a lot of pride in baseball, and I don't think players want to have that cloud over their heads -- 'Well, this guy's a steroid guy, no wonder he had that good year in '99.' Guys won't want to take that chance.

ON WHO'LL HAVE THE BETTER HITTING SEASON, HIM OR MULDER, WHO'S WITH THE CARDINALS We've got a bet for highest average, most home runs and whoever gets the most bunts down. I've told him, 'When I face you, whatever you give me, I'll give you. If you give me heaters away, nice and easy, don't try to make me look stupid, that's what I'll give you. As soon as you try to make me look like a jackass, I'm throwing you my best stuff.'

HUDSON, 29, WENT 92-39 WITH THE A'S. HE AND KIM, WHO IS PREGNANT, HAVE A THREE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, KENNEDIE ROSE, AND AN INFANT, TESS

Escrito por fraja8 às 14h51
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Plot Twist: The $100,000 Question

Wait a minute! Who really has the football that made Dwight Clark famous?

Clark used to display his ball in his Bay Area restaurant, but collector McDonagh (above) has given him food for thought. Michael Zagaris

By George Dohrmann

In a story last month about the whereabouts of the football that former 49ers receiver Dwight Clark snagged to make the Catch that won the 1982 NFC championship (SI Players, Jan. 24), Clark told us about the ball's travels over the past 22 years and how he now had it stored in a cardboard box at his home in Charlotte. One reader, longtime 49ers season-ticket holder William F. McDonagh Jr., wasn't buying it. He wrote in: "Dwight Clark does not own the catch ball. I own it."

McDonagh, 55, a San Francisco building contractor and memorabilia collector, says that in 2002 he bought the ball for $50,000 from Jack McGuire, who was a ballboy the day Clark made his historic grab at Candlestick Park. In an affidavit signed by McGuire at the time of the sale, McGuire affirms the ball's authenticity as the one Clark caught. What, then, about the football Clark received in the postgame locker room? "I gave Dwight a ball, but it wasn't the ball," McGuire told SI earlier this month.

McGuire says ballboys were allowed to keep a game ball, and "[the catch ball] was just the ball I kept." He says Clark never asked which ball he was getting. For his part, Clark recalls getting the ball from then 49ers assistant equipment manager Ted Walsh. Now the clubhouse manager for the Seattle Mariners, Walsh doesn't remember whether he gave a ball to Clark but says, "If Jack McGuire says he kept the ball, well, I wouldn't know if he did or didn't."

McGuire, who still serves as a ballboy at 49ers games, says he sold the ball to McDonagh, a longtime acquaintance, to pay for tuition for McGuire's two children. He worries that news of his ball handling might cost him his 49ers job. McDonagh is concerned that controversy over the validity of the ball could hurt its value; memorabilia experts say the real article could fetch up to $100,000.

"There can't be two balls," says McDonagh, and Clark agrees. When reached by SI, Clark seemed at once perturbed at McGuire's claim and confident he had the real ball. "Was the guy dishonest then or dishonest when he signed the affidavit?" asks Clark, 48. "I have seen [McGuire] several times since that game. He was the first guy who hugged me after I made the catch. If he did what he said, I don't know why he would do that to me at that time. But I could see why he would make up a story later on to make some money."

Escrito por fraja8 às 14h46
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Things To Do In Denver

Stern Optimistic That NBA Can Avoid Lockout

While Turner's ratings for the NBA All-Star Game won't be available until later this week, NBA Commissioner David Stern already dubbed the weekend in Denver a success, saying the experience "couldn't be better". Among the business highlights from the weekend: Stern, NBPA Exec Dir Billy Hunter and players in-the-know all sound optimistic a new CBA could be reached by the end of the season; Stern says the league plans to have three teams hold preseason training camps in Europe in '06 and play exhibition games against European teams; Turner Sports increases its 11% equity stake in NBA TV; and the league is ready to begin talks on extending its TV deals after a new CBA is signed. One lowlight: Charles Barkley and others take shots at the league for its questionable choice of country artists for Sunday’s halftime entertainment.

Escrito por fraja8 às 13h11
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European champions FC Porto and various pretenders to their crown - including the Italian, Spanish, English and French league leaders - will all be in action tonight when the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League continues with the remaining first-leg matches.

Delicately balanced
If Tuesday night's pattern is repeated then all four ties will be delicately balanced going into the second legs next month. Late goals scored by Arsenal FC at FC Bayern München and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Liverpool FC transformed those ties in dramatic fashion, and more drama is expected in tonight's quartet.

Financial muscle
While Porto and AS Monaco FC proved by reaching last season's final that the relatively 'smaller' teams in the competition can outdo their richer and bigger rivals, the giants of the European game will take some beating this time around. And few come bigger or richer - in terms of financial muscle and European successes - than Manchester United FC and AC Milan.

Shevchenko out
United, who hope to welcome back striker Ruud van Nistelrooij after a three-month injury lay-off, have lost just twice in their last 27 matches. They face an in-form Milan side who went top in Italy at the weekend, and who have been enjoying their visit to Old Trafford where they beat Juventus FC on penalties to lift the European Champion Clubs' Cup in 2003. However, European Footballer of the Year Andriy Shevchenko, who scored the deciding penalty in the shoot-out, is injured and misses tonight's game.

Milan successes
Despite both clubs being involved in European competition since its beginnings in the mid-1950s, United and Milan have only met twice before, with the Italians defeating United in the European Cup semi-finals in both 1958 and 1969.

Barcelona triumphs
While Milan have the better record against United, FC Barcelona also have a better head-to-head record against Chelsea FC since their first encounter in the old Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1966. Their most recent meeting came in the Champions League quarter-finals in April 2000 with Chelsea winning 3-1 in London before Barcelona triumphed 5-1 after extra time at the Camp Nou.

Mini-crisis
Although they have impressed all season in both the English Premiership - which they continue to lead - and in Europe, Chelsea have hit their first mini-crisis of the campaign. Injuries to Arjen Robben, Wayne Bridge, Didier Drogba, William Gallas and Damien Duff leave Jose Mourinho's side slightly depleted.

Great form
In contrast, Barcelona, pacesetters in Spain, appear refreshed and full of confidence with World Player of the Year Ronaldinho and African Player of the Year Samuel Eto'o in great form, while Portuguese midfielder Deco is looking forward to challenging Mourinho's men after their shared Champions League success at Porto last season.

Unbeaten Inter
The champions face FC Internazionale Milano at the Dragão stadium where they have yet to be beaten in Europe since they started playing there last February, while Inter go into the match undefeated in Serie A or the Champions League this term. Tonight's lineup is completed by the game between German champions Werder Bremen and an Olympique Lyonnais side on course to retain their French title.

Escrito por fraja8 às 13h10
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Nesta quinta-feira, acontece em Gelsenkirchen, na Arena Aufschalke, o jogo de volta e, mesmo com o Shakhtar atuando fora de casa, Elano garante que a equipe é matura o suficiente para surpreender e se garantir na próxima fase.

“Estou convivendo com o grupo há menos de um mês, mas já pude perceber que o elenco é formado por jogadores experientes e que não irão se impressionar ao enfrentar um estádio lotado pela torcida adversária”, garantiu o meia.

Vestindo a camisa 36 do Shakhtar, Elano garante estar totalmente adaptado ao futebol ucraniano e a cidade de Donetsk, mesmo com o rigoroso frio do inverno europeu. Para facilitar ainda mais a vida no país, o meia já agilizou a mudança dos seus pais e de sua esposa.

“Já esperava que o início não fosse fácil. Mas o tratamento que tenho recebido dos jogadores, dirigentes e funcionários do clube está ajudando bastante para que eu me sinta à vontade durante os treinamentos”, destacou Elano, que conta com a ajuda de Matuzalém e Brandão, experientes de Shakhtar, na adaptação.

Escrito por fraja8 às 13h08
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O jogador, de 36 anos, deu sinais de que já pensa na aposentadoria. 

'É possível que estes sejam os últimos meses de minha carreira como jogador', disse o zagueiro. 'O futebol tem sido a minha vida, o que me dá mais satisfação. Por isso, quero pensar com calma no que vou fazer depois de parar de jogar', completou.

Hierro foi capitão da seleção espanhola e atuou durante 13 anos no Real Madrid, se tornando um dos maiores nomes da história do clube merengue. Antes de se transferir para o Bolton, Hierro teve uma rápida passagem pelo Al Rayyan, do Catar.

Escrito por fraja8 às 13h04
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Está tudo certo entre o Corinthians e o volante Kleberson, segundo o procurador e sogro do jogador, Maco Antônio e Silva. Mas em relação ao Manchester United, onde atua o atleta campeão mundial de 2002 pela seleção brasileira, até agora não há qualquer confirmação oficial.

Em entrevista concedida nesta quarta-feira à Rádio Jovem Pan, Silva revelou preocupação em relação ao acerto entre a MSI e o clube britânico. 'Com o Kleberson, o acerto financeiro já está definido. Só tenho dúvidas se eles realmente acertaram tudo com o Manchester', admite o procurador do volante.

Silva também revelou que sempre recebeu duas versões diferentes em relação ao andamento das negociações entre o fundo presidido por Kia Joorabchian e o Manchester. 'Ao mesmo tempo em que o Corinthians sempre me disse que tudo estava certo com o Manchester, o presidente (do clube inglês) me dizia que a negociação não estava concluída', conta.

O procurador de Kleberson afirmou que 'restam apenas algumas questões de contrato' a serem resolvidas entre o jogador e o clube paulista. 'São questões, por exemplo, de compensação por uma possível convocação para uma Copa do Mundo, alguns percentuais em futuras negociações, coisas desse tipo', diz Silva.

Condição física - Segundo Marco Antônio e Silva, o volante vem realizando um trabalho de 'fortalecimento muscular' após sofrer uma artroscopia no tornozelo há cerca de duas semanas. 'O médico nos disse que o Kleberson tem condição de jogo em, no máximo, 15 dias', afirma, otimista, o procurador.

Em relação à experiência do jogador nos 'Diabos Vermelhos', Silva disse que o principal problema foi a falta de uma seqüência de partidas como titular da equipe. 'O Alex Ferguson (técnico do Manchester) possui três seleções nas mãos, uma para cada campeonato. Para estar bem, o jogador precisa de uma série de jogos', opina.

Para o procurador do volante, a adaptação não foi o principal problema de Kleberson na Inglaterra. 'Ele estava muito bem adaptado à cidade, ao clube e ao grupo', afirma. 'O motivo da volta é o fato de o Corinthians ser um grande clube e, claro, de o Kleberson ter a chance de jogar e ser observado'.

Escrito por fraja8 às 12h56
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Long regarded as a highly talented maverick, Bosnian-born Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has taken on a new dimension in Italy, where he has offered just the right mix of flair and self-discipline to fit right into the Juventus mould.

This physically impressive centre-forward (1m92, 84 kg) has successfully embraced the daunting task of earning a place at the spearhead of the Old Lady’s attack, where he is now rotated with Alessandro Del Piero and David Trezeguet. Not bad for a player whose talent was long overshadowed by his indiscipline and lack of moderation, both on and off the field.

Since making the move to Turin last September, Ibrahimovic has become a model professional.

"I had a difficult first season (2001-2002) in Holland with Ajax. When I left Malmo, I was a young player experiencing my first spell as a professional abroad. These days, I’m much more at ease and very confident in my ability,” he explains.

Eight goals at the halfway point
His natural precociousness is never far from the surface, of course. “Why content yourself with playing second fiddle when you could be number one. It’s no secret that I’m targeting the Golden Ball. I want to be the best. Here at Juventus, we have the resources to achieve all our ambitions,” he asserts.

That view is very much shared by his team-mate Pavel Nedved, who feels the Swede "has a great deal more in his locker yet. He could even do better than Shevchenko."

Zlatan has always had plenty of confidence in his own ability. Even as a 10 year-old playing for the young Balkans, a team of migrants from the former Yugoslavia, he once famously spent the first half warming the bench as his team-mates went 4 goals down, before coming on after the break to earn his team a improbable victory by scoring no fewer than eight times against Vellinge (8-5). So it was that the Ibrahimovic legend was born.

The timing of his arrival in Italy was hardly ideal. On 18 June 2004, with the Italians leading Sweden 1-0 and on course to qualify for the knockout stage of the European Championship in Portugal, he popped up in a crowded box to score with an impudent backheel. Ironically, history has a habit of constantly repeating itself, for the Squadra’s tormentor that day soon found himself in the Calcio, playing alongside a certain David Trezeguet, whose strike had broken Italian hearts in the final of Euro 2000.

A favourite with the tifosi
"Zlatan is the future. He’s a player with extraordinary potential who has acclimatised rapidly to Juve. When I play with him, I stay in the centre and let him roam around the flanks. We complement each other well, actually,” the Frenchman emphasises.

A real bright spark, Ibrahimovic succeeded in winning over thetifosi soon after his arrival in Turin. "I understand the Italian fans, who live, sleep and breathe football seven days a week. I’m the same. It’s all about culture, not fanaticism. My work is my passion,” he declared, in a statement that was music to the fans’ ears. A big fan of Chinese food and rice before coming to Italy, a few months down the line, he only has eyes for pasta. And whereas he used to swear by New York, he is now bowled over by the charms of Venice.

On the pitch, he has managed to compensate for Del Piero’s poor run of form and the injury to Trezeguet by firing Juve to the top of Serie A. "Capello knows how I like to play and allows me to express myself freely. He also knows the best way for me to train and I feel perfectly at home with him,” declares Ibrahimovic, who is not only formidable in front of goal but also an excellent passer and dribbler.

Before the Champions League match with Real Madrid, he could not hide his satisfaction at playing against Ronaldo: "He’s my childhood hero. Not only for his goals, but also for his ability to find gaps in defences and play his team-mates in,” explains the Swede

Escrito por fraja8 às 12h40
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Barcelona-Chelsea. Excited? Everyone around here is.

This is the choice tie in a second round absolutely rammed with glamour contests. The mouth-watering prospect of two teams on top of their leagues, both unlikely to be caught by their rivals. Two teams with compellingly different gameplans.

Chelsea, a pragmatic side with a mean defense, playing a British version of catenaccio, absorb pressure, then attack on the break. This side will not receive a 5-1 drubbing like they did upon their last visit to the Nou Camp in 2000.

And when they do venture forward they rely on the ever-present Frank Lampard, whose range of passing opens up holes and has an eye for goal (seven this season). Chelsea are also dependent on width, with two old-fashioned wingers (Damien Duff and the unavailable Arjen Robben) either side of a lone striker (Didier Drogba).

Barca, as always, will play a possession game, with Deco as the 'engine' of the midfield, Xavi as the distributor and Ronaldinho, in the roving role, as the magician.

What the Brazilian conjures from his dancing feet will be vital for a side who have looked more vulnerable since Christmas, after having strolled the first four months of the season.

Samuel Eto'o's influence will also be crucial — the Cameroon striker has plundered 17 goals in Spain this term already. His confidence will be high.

As a managerial duel we have a mouth-watering confrontation. Two multilingual, much-travelled men sharing a similarly philosophical demeanor.

Frank Rijkaard is very much the touchline stoic; Jose Mourinho, with his famously meticulous dossiers, ice-cold eyes and evening shadow of stubble, the erudite PI.

Both have attracted widespread admiration for the rapid transformation of their clubs, for their studious approach and thorough tactical preparation.

Holland defender Frank Rijkaard (L) had a few choice words to share with German striker Rudi Völler during the 1990 World Cup in Italy.

Their overall careers however could not be more different.

Rijkaard was a classy defender, ever calm under pressure in the mythical Milan team of the late eighties/early nineties.

As a player, he won the Euopean Cup, Cup Winners Cup, Supercup, Italian Scudetto, Italian Cup and European Championship (with Holland in 1988).

As a manager, Rijkaard still has everything to prove. As Holland coach he took the Oraanje to the semifinals of the 2000 Euro Championships, before losing on penalties to Italy.

After such a promising start, a low-key stint at Sparta Rotterdam hardly set the world on fire, before Barca came knocking.

Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, had a disappointing career, playing as a full-back with obscure Portuguese outfits Belenenses, Rio Ave and Sessimbra, before retiring early to concentrate on coaching.

But as a manager he has blossomed, the limited success of his playing career adding fuel to his drive to achieve.

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho achieved his greatest success last year when he guided FC Porto to the Champions League title over rival outsiders AS Monaco.

At Sporting Lisbon he acted as Bobby Robson's translator before becoming increasingly involved in training sessions.

Mourinho followed Robson to Barcelona and when Robson was toppled became assistant to successor Louis Van Gaal. Titles followed and his reputation burgeoned.

In 2000 he went solo, taking charge at Benfica, where he was denied enough time to build a decent side. A stint at Union Leira followed before the call from Porto, where he won the league two seasons in a row and the UEFA Cup against Celtic, followed by the Champions League title against AS Monaco last year.

Then — let me pause for breath — it was off up the Thames on one of Russian millionaire Roman Abramovich's horrendously expensive yachts to take over at nouveau riche upstarts Chelsea.

So, an intriguing prospect — two debonair men, one a hero as a player, zero as a trainer. The other a zero as a player, a hero as a trainer. The Nou Camp will be packed to witness their duel.

Show four the door: Jose Mourinho's bid to bring Chelsea four trophies this season has been shattered following their FA Cup loss to Newcastle.

Escrito por fraja8 às 12h35
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Campanhas aquecem guerra entre Coca e Pepsi

Ronaldo, Beckham e Jennifer Lopez estão entre as estrelas escaladas


A "guerra das colas" deve se acirrar nesta quarta-feira (23/02), quando a Pepsi lança uma nova campanha publicitária cujo objetivo é reduzir a diferença entre o volume de vendas da segunda maior fabricante desse tipo de refrigerantes e a sua maior rival, a Coca-Cola.

Em um ofuscante evento de marketing em Madri, a Pepsi planeja lançar novas propagandas comerciais que promovam a marca por meio de dois temas: a música e o futebol. As propagandas, que deverão ser divulgadas nos mercados fora da América do Norte, mostrarão cantores e jogadores de futebol conhecidos, incluindo Beyoncé Knowles, Jennifer Lopez e David Beckham.

E, como a Coca-Cola reforça a sua própria campanha publicitária, com o objetivo de veicular novos comerciais em escala global nesta primavera, a competição entre as duas empresas se acirra.

Coca e Pepsi têm encontrado dificuldades para aumentar as vendas dos seus principais produtos "cola" no momento em que os consumidores se voltam para refrigerantes mais saudáveis e para a água, e se afastam das sodas gasosas e açucaradas. Como vários mercados já estão saturados, os analistas dizem que os ganhos com as vendas desses refrigerantes só ocorrerão se as empresas abocanharem fatias de mercado da rival.

Ao utilizar "propagandas de eventos", com destaque para astros populares, a Pepsi vem ganhando algum terreno em relação à Coca-Cola nos últimos anos, embora as vendas da Coca ainda superem as da Pepsi no mercado internacional por uma margem de mais de dois para um.

A Coca-Cola, cuja famosa música dos anos 70, "I'd like to teach the world to sing" ("Gostaria de ensinar o mundo a cantar"), ajudou a transformá-la em uma das mais famosas marcas mundiais, lançou nos últimos anos uma série de propagandas sem brilho.

Neville Isdell, diretor-executivo da Coca-Cola, anunciou no outono passado planos para aumentar em US$ 400 milhões as verbas da companhia destinadas ao marketing. Atualmente tais verbas estão em torno de US$ 2 bilhões.

Agora a empresa busca novas idéias para restaurar o brilho "icônico" da marca, afirma Kelly Brooks, porta-voz da Coca-Cola.

Enquanto isso, a Pepsi tentará expandir a sua ação no mercado internacional com novas propagandas criadas por unidades da BBDO, uma agência de publicidade que pertence ao Omnicom Group, com sede em Nova York.

Uma série de propagandas televisivas que irão ao ar nesta quarta-feira mostra Beyoncé, Lopez e Beckham no papel de artistas marciais. As propagandas lembram uma mistura dos filmes "Kill Bill", de Quentin Tarantino, e das fitas de kung fu filmadas em Hong Kong.

Em um comercial de 30 segundos, dois lutadores de kendo mascarados se enfrentam. O vencedor remove a máscara, revelando a face de Jennifer Lopez, que diz ao oponente derrotado, "Lembre-se, a paciência é tudo, o contato não é nada". Ela vai até uma máquina de vendas de Pepsi e aperta um botão para selecionar um refrigerante. Enquanto isso, o seu adversário, que é Beckham, diz a ela: "Às vezes o contato é tudo". Quando Beckham se vira para partir, Lopez mostra-lhe a língua. A mensagem é "ouse mais".

Beckham também estrela em uma outra propaganda que mostra craques do futebol em episódios cujo contexto é o surfe. Nessas propagandas, ele e outros companheiros do esporte, como Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos e Thierry Henry trocam passes de bola enquanto surfam ondas gigantes. Durante a ação eles procuram manter as suas Pepsis longe das mãos dos surfistas territoriais parafinados da Califórnia.

"As propagandas visam utilizar o poder da celebridade, mas de uma maneira inesperada que surpreende os telespectadores", explica Valerie Accary, diretora de vendas para clientes internacionais da BBDO Europe.

"As pessoas desconfiam das celebridades", diz ela. "A melhor forma de contornar esse fato é mostrá-las usando o seu talento de uma forma muito real, mas inesperada".

O lançamento das propagandas cujo tema é o surfe, originalmente agendado para janeiro, foi adiado em mais de um mês porque as imagens de ondas gigantes foram consideradas inapropriadas logo depois do tsunami que atingiu a Ásia em dezembro.

Um indivíduo que conhece os planos de marketing da companhia informou que os comerciais de surfe poderão ser introduzidos de forma sutil, e somente em mercados selecionados, enquanto que os musicais terão divulgação mais ampla, pelo menos inicialmente. Um porta-voz da Pepsi não respondeu aos telefonemas da reportagem solicitando comentários a respeito.

Embora a Pepsi use propagandas diferentes nos Estados Unidos, uma série anterior de comerciais baseados em celebridades --incluindo um que mostra Britney Spears em um cenário de arena de gladiadores romanos-- pode ter ajudado a aumentar as vendas nos mercados internacionais.

Embora a Pepsi não use uma estratégia de vendas baseada em marcas individuais, a empresa anunciou neste mês que, fora da América do Norte, no quarto trimestre do ano passado, as suas vendas gerais de bebidas cresceram 12%.

Na Coca-Cola, o volume geral de vendas das várias marcas de bebidas da companhia cresceu mais vagarosamente, embora tenham sido registrados aumentos de 3% na Europa e na Ásia, e de 4% na América Latina, naquele período. No entanto, na América do Norte o volume de vendas sofreu uma redução de 1%.

Ao contrário da Pepsi, com a sua iniciativa de propagandas globais, a Coca-Cola vem utilizando uma estratégia local para o seu principal produto nos últimos anos. Em um dado momento, várias centenas de comerciais diferentes podem estar indo ao ar em todo o mundo, mas poucos são vistos fora dos seus respectivos mercados locais.

Mas tal estratégia está mudando à medida que a Coca-Cola procura melhorar o seu desempenho com uma abordagem híbrida de publicidade segundo a qual alguns comerciais são escolhidos para uma divulgação mais ampla. "A questão é que precisamos de tal número de propagandas para divulgar a mensagem desta única marca", diz Brooks.

No verão passado, uma propaganda criada pela agência Mother, no Reino Unido, mostrando a interpretação de "I Wish", de Nina Simone, por uma cantora pouco conhecida, foi vista em vários mercados diferentes. Um outro comercial, feito pela McCann Erickson, da Espanha, cujo tema eram boas-ações de fim de ano, foi utilizado nos Estados Unidos e em vários outros mercados na época do Natal.

Segundo Brooks, nas propagandas esperadas para esta primavera, a Coca-Cola quer se concentrar em alguns temas globais, escolhidos entre agências de todo o mundo. O escritório em Amsterdã da agência Wieden+Kennedy, por exemplo, está trabalhando em comerciais cujo tema é o futebol.

Escrito por fraja8 às 12h33
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SIRIUS Satellite Radio has reached agreement for North American satellite radio rights to broadcast NASCAR racing and events.

Beginning in 2007, SIRIUS will broadcast all NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races live on a specially created, 24/7 NASCAR channel.

As part of the agreement, SIRIUS will become the Official Satellite Radio Partner of NASCAR, with exclusive trademark and marketing rights, and the right to sell all advertising time on its NASCAR channel and during the race broadcasts.

It will pay NASCAR rights fees totaling $107.5million over the term of the agreement, with the highest payments in the final years of the term.

SIRIUS and NASCAR will work together to develop an extensive consumer marketing and outreach campaign for NASCAR fans. This effort could include advertising, cross-channel promotion throughout SIRIUS programming, officially licensed products, extensive at-track activation and ways for current NASCAR fans to switch to SIRIUS.

NASCAR is now the number-two-rated sport on television, second only to the NFL, with 75 million fans nationwide.

Said Scott Greenstein, SIRIUS president of Entertainment and Sports: “With NASCAR, we will be able to develop endless creative programming and marketing opportunities, as we have with our SIRIUS NFL Radio channel, to benefit NASCAR fans and SIRIUS subscribers throughout the country.”

In addition to NASCAR, SIRIUS is the Official Satellite Radio Partner of the NFL, the NHL and soccer’s Barclays English Premier League.

Escrito por fraja8 às 12h28
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Soccerex has announced that The FA, FA Premier League, The Football League and The Football Conference have all signed up to The Soccerex London Forum.

They will be joined by organising bodies from all over the world including FIFA, the South African FA and Premier League, UAE FA and The Nigerian FA. Senior executives from clubs all over the world are already committed, including Barcelona, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Arsenal, Boca Juniors and Galatasaray among others.

The forum takes place at The Institute of Directors, Pall Mall, London on April 20. Soccerex is the only dedicated B2B professional soccer convention of it's kind in the world.

To find out more visit www.soccerexforum.com

Escrito por fraja8 às 12h24
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Innocent plea

Kournikova's alleged stalker pleads not guilty

MIAMI (AP) -- A homeless man accused of stalking tennis star Anna Kournikova pleaded innocent Tuesday to battery and other charges stemming from his arrest on her neighbor's pool patio.

William Lepeska, 40, has been jailed in a psychiatric unit on $250,000 bond. He could face 30 years in state prison if convicted of two counts of battery on police officers, resisting arrest and burglary, all felonies. He also faces misdemeanor charges of stalking, indecent exposure and criminal mischief.

Circuit Judge Diane Ward set a trial date for May 2 for Lepeska, who sat in court with his arms handcuffed behind his back.

Lepeska is accused of swimming nude across Biscayne Bay, bound for Kournikova's $5 million Sunset Island estate Jan. 30. He was arrested when he turned up at the wrong house and started yelling, "Anna! Save me!"

Lepeska, who has the name Anna tattooed on his right arm, has served a prison term in Wisconsin for stabbing a man sleeping in a university student union coffee house. In the Milwaukee case, he cited Old Testament sacrifice and told police that he needed to sacrifice his victim "to appease the power of evil."

Escrito por fraja8 às 12h23
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Doha (Catar) - Nem mesmo as duas semanas de inatividade foram suficientes para parar a russa Maria Sharapova em sua estréia no torneio de Doha, no Catar. Nesta quarta-feira, a tenista de 17 anos mostrou que permanece em boa fase ao arrasar a argentina Gisela Dulko por 2 sets a 0, com duplo 6/1, em menos de uma hora de jogo.

Sharapova não jogava desde o dia 6 de fevereiro, quando derrotou a norte-americana Lindsay Davenport na final do torneio de Tóquio, no Japão. Neste período, precisou preterir os torneios de Paris e Antuérpia para se recuperar de uma forte gripe, que chegou a lhe causar problemas respiratórios.

Cabeça-de-chave 2, Sharapova recebeu bye e já está nas quartas-de-final, onde enfrenta a vencedora da partida entre a francesa Marion Bartoli e a croata Jelena Kostanic. Na teoria, a musa só deve ter problemas a partir da semifinal, fase em que pode encontrar a compatriota e atual campeã de Doha Anastasia Myskina.

Sharapova busca seu nono título como profissional e o segundo na temporada. A russa esteve bem perto de conquistar o Aberto da Austrália, em janeiro, mas desperdiçou match points contra a norte-americana Serena Williams na penúltima rodada e viu a vaga na final escapar entre os dedos. No ano passado, a quarta do ranking se sagrou campeã em Wimbledon e Copa do Mundo feminina, realizada em Los Angeles.

Além de Sharapova, outra favorita ao título se classificou sem trabalho para as quartas. A australiana Alicia Molik, quarta cabeça e quadrifinalista na Austrália, despachou a austríaca Nicole Pratt por 6/3 e 6/2. Sua próxima adversária sai do duelo entre a japonesa Ai Sugiyama e a italiana Francesca Schiavone. Por sua vez, a eslovaca Daniela Hantuchova bateu a russa Elena Bovina por 6/0, 3/6 e 6/3 e pode encarar Myskina nas quartas.

Escrito por fraja8 às 12h20
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O hexacampeão mundial de Fórmula 1, Michael Schumacher, afirmou que o segredo de seu sucesso está em não se permitir sentir emoções enquanto pilota, em viver totalmente para o esporte e em gostar dele.

Fora das pistas, Schumacher brinca com seu cachorro em Valência, na Espanha

"Dirijo com muita consciência. Não me permito sentir emoções no 'cock-pit' porque as emoções só fazem cometer erros estúpidos", disse Schumacher, em uma entrevista que a revista "Die Zeit", de Hamburgo,
publicada nesta quarta-feira.

"Além disso, vivo para meu esporte. Treino para estar preparado e renovo a cada dia minha satisfação em dirigir", acrescentou o piloto alemão.

Schumacher reconhece que ganhar o título na temporada 2005 vai ser mais difícil do que nos últimos anos. A Renault e a McLaren são consideradas por Schumacher as equipes rivais mais perigosas para a Ferrari. O piloto diz ainda que não seria dramático para ele não vencer o campeonato.

"Sei que nossa seqüência tem que terminar algum dia e que alguém mais rápido do que eu chegará. Tenho que conviver com isso", explicou.

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Jose Antonio Reyes faces the prospect of joining Dennis Bergkamp on the sidelines for the next three games at tomorrow's hearing into his violent conduct charge.

Bergkamp today lost his appeal for wrongful dismissal after being sent off during Arsenal's FA Cup fifth-round tie against Sheffield United last weekend. As a result, his automatic three-match ban will start with immediate effect, ruling him out of this weekend's game against Southampton, as well as next week's cup replay and a home league match against Portsmouth.

Under the Football Association's 'fast-track' rules, the Spanish international cannot attend tomorrow's hearing, but Arsenal will defend the winger in his absence. He is said to have slapped Andy Liddell amid the melee which ensued over Danny Cullip's tackle on Cesc Fabregas, with Bergkamp having also pushed Cullip in the face to earn his red card.

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Revered AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini believes Manchester United have one of the best strike forces in Europe - with or without Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Captain Paolo Maldini enjoys his previous visit to Old Trafford. (AP)

Maldini is unconcerned whether van Nistelrooy returns to the Red Devils line-up at Old Trafford tonight, even though the Dutchman's 36 goals in 37 European appearances for United marks him out as an extreme threat to Milan's hopes of progressing to the Champions League quarter-finals.

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El lateral derecho del Real Madrid Michel Salgado sufre un "esguince de grado 2 en el ligamento lateral interno de su rodilla derecha" que le tendrá de baja unas cuatro semanas, según confirmó el club en su 'web' oficial.

El zaguero tuvo que ser sustituido en el inicio del partido de Liga de Campeones de ayer ante la Juventus tras un choque con el checo Pavel Nedved y las primeras estimaciones, confirmadas por las nuevas pruebas a las que fue sometido hoy en la Clínica Ruber, descartaron la temida rotura y el paso por el quirófano.

Así, se perderá varios partidos con el equipo, comenzando con los tres próximos de Liga ante Deportivo, Betis y Valencia, además de los siguientes ante Getafe y Málaga y la vuelta de la Liga de Campeones ante la Juventus.

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Newcastle manager Graeme Souness has admitted he would face stiff competition if he tried to bring Real Madrid striker Michael Owen to St James' Park.

language=JavaScript> The Scot revealed on a radio phone-in last night that England frontman Owen is the type of player he is looking to recruit to help Newcastle's quest for honours. Souness said this morning: 'I was asked about players who we would like at the club and his name was mentioned. I will say the same as I said last night - that type of player is the type of player we would be interested in. 'But we would not be alone. I would imagine there would be a lot of clubs out there interested in Michael Owen and people like him.'

Souness has already been linked with moves for former Magpie Jon Dahl Tomasson and there are suggestions he made a tentative inquiry about Owen during the January transfer window. 'I cannot talk about Michael Owen,' he said. 'He is contracted to Real Madrid and he is involved in big stuff out there, like the Champions League last night. 'Our concern is trying to win a very difficult game tomorrow.'

Escrito por fraja8 às 12h00
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20.45h/TVE1 - Barça y Chelsea, líderes en España e Inglaterra, dirimen una final anticipada

El Camp Nou se llenará para ver un duelo de estilos: el talento local contra la disciplina 'blue'Después de tres meses de espera, la Champions League regresa a lo grande al Camp Nou. Barça contra Chelsea, el líder de la Liga española contra el de la Premier League inglesa, Frank Rijkaard contra José Mourinho, Ronaldinho, Eto'o y compañía contra el imperio Abramovich. Suficientes argumentos para calificar la eliminatoria de final anticipada.

No obstante, y pese a que el rival en ambos casos sea de tanta entidad, nadie quiere imaginarse el golpe que supondría caer en octavos de final mientras otros siete conjuntos siguen en liza a tres meses de acabar la temporada. Por eso, ni los técnicos ni los jugadores de catalanes y londinenses quieren plantearse el efecto de un KO por mucho que lideren con solvencia sus respectivos Campeonatos.

La afición abarrotará el Estadi para un partido equiparable por su repercusión mediática a todo un Barça-Madrid. La expectación se ha disparado tras un fin de semana reconfortante por el 0-2 blanco ante el Athletic y la ampliación de la renta liguera a siete puntos.

En el vestuario azulgrana no hay miedo a un Chelsea venido a menos por las importantes bajas de Robben y Duff, las dos 'flechas' del ataque inglés que posiblemente hubieran condicionado las incorporaciones de Van Bronckhorst y, sobre todo, Belletti. Oleguer será la única ausencia por lesión del Barça al margen de las ya conocidas de Motta, Gabri, Edmílson y Larsson, por lo que Frank Rijkaard repetirá el mismo once que se impuso (2-0) el sábado al Mallorca. La de hoy debe ser la noche de Ronaldinho, que lo bordó en los dos otros partidazos (3-0 al Real Madrid y 2-1 al Milan) de la presente campaña antes de ser premiado con el 'FIFA World Player'. Y la de Samuel Eto'o, flamante Balón de Oro africano por segundo año seguido y sólido 'pichichi' del Campeonato español. Y la de Deco, hipermotivado por tener enfrente a su ex entrenador en el Porto. Y la del resto de azulgranas hambrientos de títulos encabezados por el capitán Puyol, a quien Abramovich también quiso pescar en sus poderosas redes.

Será un duelo entre dos concepciones del fútbol casi opuestas. El juego preciosista y efectivo del Barça de Rijkaard está claro, aunque con menos variantes que el del Chelsea. Los de Mourinho saben jugar al ataque pero también a verlas venir y un tanto a la italiana. Sin Robben ni Duff (el lateral Bridge también está lesionado) mucho más previsibles serán los 'blues'. Su objetivo será marcar un gol pero sin arriesgarse a ser avasallados por el potencial barcelonista.

Si de algo debe armarse el Barça hoy es de paciencia. La mejor defensa de Europa (sólo ha encajado ocho goles en 27 jornadas de la Premier) se las verá con el segundo equipo de la Champions que más dispara a portería (8,5 por partido tras los 9 del Lyon). Los 'blues' fueron el 28º de la liguilla con sólo 3,83. El pulso del mediocampo será también clave al medirse el Barça a todoterrenos como Makelele, Lampard y Tiago. Los 'culés', no obstante, son líderes en posesión (62% por sólo 49% del Chelsea) y si siguen controlando el balón tendrán mucho ganado en un Camp Nou que les llevará en volandas. Eso sí, sin perder de vista al citado Lampard, Gudjohnsen y un portento físico y técnico llamado Drogba. Como avisó Rijkaard, el Barça hablará en el terreno de juego. La cosa promete

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Rijkaard 'pasó' de responder a Mourinho y afirmó que la presión es para el Chelsea El pasado viernes, en la conferencia de prensa previa al encuentro ante el Mallorca, Frank Rijkaard eludió pronunciarse sobre lo que Jose Mourinho había dicho veinticuatro horas antes a los periodistas españoles desplazados a Londres, respecto a los títulos como entrenador de uno y otro. El holandés quería que todo el barcelonismo, desde el primer jugador hasta el último aficionado, concentrara toda su atención en el trascendental duelo liguero ante los isleños. Ayer, tras la importante victoria frente a los de Cúper, todo el mundo esperaba la respuesta de Rijkaard, pero finalmente, en una nueva demostración de su elegancia como persona, se mordió la lengua. “Mourinho tiene su forma de ser, es así y ya está. Prefiero no reaccionar. No tengo nada que decirle. Yo las cosas prefiero decirlas sobre el campo”, se limitó a contestar Frank cuando le preguntaron por las palabras del portugués. “Eso sí, es un gran entrenador porque ha conseguido grandes resultados”, añadió después.

Momento delicado

El entrenador azulgrana considera que el encuentro llega en un momento delicado para el conjunto londinense. “Es un partido muy importante para ellos. El domingo perdieron su primera competición (cayeron en la Cup ante el Newcastle), tienen bajas importantes y en la Premier el Manchester está apretando con un fútbol muy atractivo. Están en una situación muy particular que aún no han vivido, tienen mucha presión”, aseguró. Frank opina que las palabras de Mourinho durante los últimos días son la demostración de la intranquilidad que hay en el Chelsea: “Cuando uno actúa así es porque no tiene mucha confianza en lo que puede pasar”.

A Rijkaard, que compareció en la sala de prensa media hora después que Mourinho, le comentaron que su colega había anunciado tanto la alineación del Chelsea como la del Barça. “La nuestra ya la veremos”, dijo sorprendido Frank. “Lo que no entiendo es hacer el entrenamiento a puerta cerrada y después dar el once. No sirve para nada”, indicó el holandés, que explicó por qué nunca facilita el equipo inicial antes de los partidos: “Yo creo que si cambias algo por sorpresa puede ser un golpe de efecto para el rival en algunas ocasiones y además pienso que los jugadores merecen saber siempre el equipo antes que la prensa”.

Rijkaard también se justificó por no haber 'espiado' al Chelsea en directo, como sí hizo Mourinho con el Barça en el Camp Nou frente a la Real Sociedad: “Mi ayudante (Henk ten Cate) sí viajó a Inglaterra, los observadores del club también y yo he visto muchos partidos del Chelsea por televisión. Ya sé cómo tengo que preparar los dos encuentros”. Frank remarcó que lo tiene todo estudiado: “El Chelsea juega con un sistema táctico muy elaborado, con una defensa muy fuerte y una presión grande en el centro del campo. Pero también sabe atacar. Es imposible saber cómo será el partido y por esta razón nos hemos preparado para jugar de varias maneras distintas”.

Pese a que el potencial ofensivo de los ingleses ha disminuido notablemente sin Robben y Duff, Rijkaard lamentó las bajas de los dos extremos: “A mí siempre me gusta enfrentarme a los mejores, es una motivación añadida. Aunque el Chelsea dispone de una gran plantilla, con muchos jugadores de primer nivel, y sacará otro once también muy competitivo”.

Por último, exigió máxima concentración a sus hombres. “Sobre todo para evitar jugadas a balón parado. El juego aéreo es una de sus mejores cualidades y hay que tratar de darles pocas opciones”, apuntó. Y a la afición le pidió apoyo incondicional: “Queremos que el partido sea una fiesta y por eso necesitamos su ayuda”

Escrito por fraja8 às 10h44
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Mourinho rehuyó buscar excusas en los lesionados y recordó que son dos partidosJosé Mourinho ofreció su tercera rueda de prensa en cinco días y, como las anteriores, no pasó desapercibida. El técnico portugués mantiene una relación de tensión permanente con los medios de comunicación británicos que ayer se hizo patente en la sala de prensa del Camp Nou, en la que además demostró conservar un vivo recuerdo de los medios locales. Mourinho, que rehuyó la estrategia del victimismo por las lesiones, acabó recitando las probables alineaciones de ambos equipos ante la insistencia de los periodistas en preguntarle cómo iba a reaccionar ante tal o cual ausencia.

El técnico, quien manifestó que la eliminatoria es “una gran prueba para dos equipos que aspiran al título de campeón de Europa”, no quiere “lamentar las bajas como si ya hubiésemos perdido. Hay que jugar el partido con nuestras opciones y con los jugadores que tenemos. No se puede dar la imagen de que no hay nada que hacer”. Recordó que “la eliminatoria consta de 180 minutos y la vuelta se juega en Londres” y, sobre la baja de Robben y Duff comentó que “son dos jugadores muy importantes para nosotros, pero no están. Eso no significa que tengamos que cambiar nuestra forma de jugar, sino que tendremos que contar con Drogba y Gudjohnsen”.

La estrategia a balón parado puede desempeñar un papel decisivo en la táctica del Chelsea, ausentes sus dos extremos habituales. Mourinho, sin embargo, explicó que “podemos preparar muchas jugadas, pero el Barça contrarrestarlas. Por ejemplo, dejando a tres hombres arriba, con lo que nosotros dejaríamos a cuatro para defender y tendríamos menos gente para rematar. Pero también estamos preparados para defender tres contra tres si durante el partido lo necesitamos”.

La comparación con Rijkaard

Poco después de haber liquidado por la vía rápida un duelo dialéctico con un periodista español que le preguntó por su ascensión desde su condición de traductor de Robson, Mourinho fue cuestionado por los informadores ingleses sobre la razón de mostrarse siempre tan desafiante, en referencia a sus declaraciones de la pasada semana, en las que dijo que como jugador él no puede compararse a Rijkaard pero en cambio como entrenador es todo lo contrario. Mourinho, molesto, respondió en inglés que “siempre sacáis las cosas de contexto. A mí me hicieron una pregunta sobre un jugador (Eto'o) que había dicho que Rijkaard es mejor entrenador que yo. A ese jugador no le conozco ni él me conoce, nunca me lo han presentado. Por lo tanto, no puede saber cómo trabajo. Ese es el contexto, lo demás es el complemento”.

También su más reciente afirmación en el sentido de que el Chelsea nunca pierde dos partidos seguidos, Mourinho explicó que “no dije que yo no pierdo. Dije que nosotros (el Chelsea) todavía no hemos perdido dos partidos seguidos. Y eso es un hecho. Perdimos contra el Manchester City y después estuvimos tres meses sin perder. Y perdimos en Oporto en Champions y después estuvimos un mes ganándolo todo. Son los hechos. Después del partido del Camp Nou, ya se verá si podemos seguir diciendo lo mismo”.

A pesar de las interpretaciones que ayer mismo ya se hacían de la rueda de prensa, Mourinho afirmó que “en Barcelona tengo muchos amigos y yo quiero al Barça. Le deseo lo mejor siempre que el rival no sea el Chelsea. Le deseo suerte si supera la eliminatoria, igual que supongo que harán conmigo si pasa el Chelsea”.

A modo de conclusión, Mourinho recitó las alineaciones de ambos equipos (sin Oleguer en el Barça y sin Duff en el Chelsea) y rubricó su intervención con un “es un buen final”. Teniendo en cuenta las bajas seguras a causa de lesiones, poco margen le queda para el error en su pronóstico

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Jose Mourino cambiará su tradicional esquema 4-3-3 a un 4-4-2 con la idea de no encajar ningún gol pensando en el encuentro de vueltaJose Mourinho despejó todas la dudas de la alineación en la rueda de prensa, pero no desveló el cambio de sistema, más defensivo de lo que en él es habitual por la ausencia del extremo Duff. El técnico portugués abandonará su habitual 4-3-3 para jugar con un 4-4-2, más 'reservón'.

Nada más aterrizar en Barcelona el domingo, el técnico del Chelsea dejó claro que una de sus obsesiones era no encajar goles en el Camp Nou. Drogba, superados sus problemas físicos, será la referencia en el ataque del Chelsea, junto al islandés Eidur Gudjohnsen. Por detrás de ellos, Joe Cole será la gran novedad en ausencia de Duff y pasará a reforzar el centro del campo, que estará compuesto por Tiago, Makelele y Lampard. En cuanto a la defensa, Ricardo Carvalho, tras superar una lesión, formará tándem de centrales con el capitán Terry, mientras que Gallas pasará al puesto de lateral zurdo supliendo a Bridge, que se lesionó el pasado domingo en el encuentro de la Cup en Newcastle.

Robben idolatra a Romario

El extremo holandés del Chelsea, Arjen Robben, la baja más importante del conjunto londinense para la eliminatoria de Liga de Campeones contra el Barcelona, reconoció a la revista 'Champions' que “cuando era joven era un gran admirador de Romario”. “Nunca intenté copiar su juego, pero sí tengo muchos regates con el balón similares y ésa era su gran cualidad”, explicó sobre el ex azulgrana.

Por otro lado, en una entrevista concedida a 'The Sun', Robben afirmó que en el Chelsea no tendrían cabida 'galácticos' como David Beckham o Ronaldo. “Nosotros no tenemos a jugadores como Ronaldo o Beckham y ésa es la razón por la que somos más fuertes”. “Nuestra unión es nuestro poder”, agregó. El delantero holandés cree que “el Madrid no trabaja como un equipo, depende sólo de sus grandes cracks”. Robben tiene muy claras las virtudes del Chelsea. “Aquí todos trabajamos para todos. Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba y Petr Cech son grandes jugadores, pero no son estrellas”

Escrito por fraja8 às 10h38
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Damià se estrena en una convocatoria de Champions y Deco avisa del peligro del Chelsea pese a las bajas Finalmente se confirmó la baja de Oleguer para el partido de esta noche. El defensa no se ha recuperado a tiempo de su lesión, una contusión en la cresta ilíaca, por lo que Albertini repetirá titularidad en el mediocampo y Márquez ocupará su puesto en la defensa. Es decir, que Rijkaard alineará al mismo equipo titular que venció al Mallorca. La novedad en la lista de los 19 convocados es la entrada del canterano Damià, quien ya fue inscrito en la Champions durante la apertura del plazo de inscripción invernal.

A puerta cerrada

El míster dirigió ayer a puerta cerrada el último entrenamiento previo al duelo ante los ingleses. Oleguer participó de las carreras continuas y los rondos con sus compañeros, lo que en un principio hizo pensar en un posible regreso. Pero los médicos han decidido que aún deberá esperar.

Los jóvenes Damià y 'Leo' Messi también se ejercitaron junto al resto del grupo. El catalán, que ya había sido un habitual en el primer equipo durante la plaga de lesiones pero que últimamente había regresado al filial, entró en la lista y se estrenará en Champions. Otros debutantes en una lista europea como barcelonistas son los dos últimos refuerzos del equipo, Maxi López y Demetrio Albertini.

El portugués Deco avisó del potencial del Chelsea pese a las bajas que arrastra: “No me importa qué jugadores salgan. La fuerza del Chelsea está en su bloque. Además, nosotros tenemos cuatro jugadores muy importantes como Gabri, Larsson, Motta y Edmílson que tampoco podrán jugar”, explicó. El jugador dio algunas de las claves para batir al conjunto de Mourinho: “Tenemos que imponer nuestro estilo. El Chelsea es un equipo muy sólido, así que no veo muchos goles”. También admitió que antes de firmar por el Barça su representante se reunió en varias ocasiones con directivos del Chelsea.

Los diecinueve convocados

Rijkaard facilitó ayer una lista de 19 jugadores, por lo que antes del partido deberá descartar a uno. La convocatoria está formada por Valdés, Belletti, Márquez, Puyol, Xavi, Giuly, Eto'o, Ronaldinho, Maxi, 'Gio', Gerard, Sylvinho, Navarro, Deco, Albertini, Iniesta, Jorquera, Messi y Damià

Escrito por fraja8 às 10h36
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"Pido a la afición que no nos deje de animar, eso nos da muchísima fuerza"

"Siento que estoy en un gran equipo, que será campeón cuando gane algo"

Lo primero, ¿cómo está su tobillo?

Bien. Fue un golpe fuerte y doloroso pero sin más consecuencias. Jugaré.

Capitán de un Barça líder indiscutible en la Liga. ¿Cuántas veces soñó con una cosa así?

Nunca me paro a pensar en eso. Sólo sé que este año el equipo tiene mucha ilusión y confianza en sí mismo. Lo más importante es que vamos líderes, lo demás, incluido la capitanía, es secundario.

Hablemos del Chelsea. ¿Cree que se puede decidir la eliminatoria en el Camp Nou?

Se puede pero lo veo muy difícil. Veo más una eliminatoria que no se decidirá hasta el final.

El Chelsea acaba de quedar eliminado en la Cup, ¿puede afectarles de cara al partido?

No sé qué importancia le darán a la competición pero no creo que les afecte. Sobre todo porque ante un partido de la importancia de éste todo lo demás se olvida.

¿Le gusta el estilo del Chelsea?

Todos los estilos son buenos si funcionan. El del Chelsea se basa en un gran sistema defensivo pero es que además delante también lo hacen muy bien. Sí, su estilo me gusta.

¿Ve a Deco especialmente motivado?

Deco siempre está motivado. Es un jugador que, aunque a veces parece que no brille, siempre trabaja y siempre rinde. Es muy importante para nosotros.

Deco afirma que el Barça tiene más calidad que el Chelsea.

Nuestro potencial ofensivo es incuestionable porque tenemos arriba jugadores de mucha calidad. Del Chelsea no puedes destacar a un jugador por encima de otro porque prima el conjunto. Nosotros también jugamos en equipo pero delante tenemos futbolistas que marcan la diferencia.

Resumiendo, ellos no tienen a Ronaldinho.

Ronaldinho sólo hay uno.

Y tampoco tienen a Eto'o.

Eto'o sólo hay uno y tenemos la suerte de tenerle a él y a 'Ronnie' en el Barça.

Tendrá delante a Drogba y Gudjohnsen. ¿A quién teme más?

Los dos tienen un juego parecido. Son muy potentes, rápidos y tienen movilidad.

¿Estudia usted a los delanteros antes de enfrentarse a ellos?

A principios de semana empiezo a interesarme, siempre pregunto a los técnicos del Barça que han ido a ver el rival por los jugadores que me interesan y si hacemos vídeo, me fijo especialmente en los delanteros. También pregunto a jugadores que los conozcan, que se hayan enfrentado ya a ellos.

¿Cómo hará el Barça para frenar el juego aéreo?

Yo creo que por encima de todo lo más importante es que nosotros hagamos nuestro juego. Es cierto que ellos trabajan muy bien la estrategia y está claro que nosotros estudiaremos cómo contrarrestarles de algún modo.

¿Qué le parece el central y capitán Terry, su doble en versión Chelsea?

Muy buen jugador. Es joven pero lleva muchos años en la elite. Es agresivo y contundente y lleva varias temporadas a un gran nivel.

Coincidió usted con Mourinho.

Sí. En mi primera temporada en el primer equipo.

¿Le ha sorprendido su progresión como entrenador?

Sinceramente sí, sobre todo por la rapidez. En tres años ha ganado casi todo lo que se puede ganar. Y lo increíble es que lo hizo con el Oporto, que tiene más mérito que hacerlo en clubs como el Chelsea. Ya en el Barça se veía que tenía las ideas claras, que sabía mucho de fútbol.

¿Un entrenador puede ser el crack del equipo?

El entrenador es siempre importante. Por lo que sé Mourinho prepara muy bien los partidos y es un buen motivador pero los que ganan y pierden los partidos son los jugadores.

¿Siente usted que forma parte por fin de un equipo campeón?

Siento que estoy en un gran equipo que será campeón cuando gane algo y eso no lo sabremos hasta el final de la temporada. Sí es cierto que vamos por el buen camino, que hay confianza y ganas.

Esta es su sexta temporada. ¿Es el mejor equipo en el que ha estado?

El equipo del primer año también era muy bueno.

¿Qué recuerda del Barça-Chelsea del 5-1, el de abril del año 2000?

Es uno de los mejores partidos que he jugado. El ambiente fue espectacular, y todo salió bien. Jugamos con tres centrales, yo por la izquierda junto a Frank de Boer y Reiziger.

Acabe usted de recitar aquella alineación...

Hesp en la portería, Guardiola, Gabri y Cocu en el centro del campo, Rivaldo, Figo, Zenden y Kluivert.

Bien. Quizás sería bueno pasar el vídeo de aquel partido a la actual plantilla...

Aquel partido fue muy distinto. Estábamos obligados a remontar y atacamos casi a la desesperada desde el principio. En este partido tenemos que vigilar más, ir con más cuidado.

Acabó usted aquel día hecho polvo...

Me cambiaron en el minuto 86 porque me entraron rampas. Marqué a Flo y todos los balones largos iban para él. Me pasé el partido corriendo y saltando... Era muy alto.

Si el Camp Nou consigue crear una atmósfera como la de aquel día el miércoles habrá mucho ganado...

Está claro. Yo a la afición le pediría que no deje de animar del minuto uno al noventa. Ellos nos dan muchísima fuerza.

¿Qué le pasa por la cabeza cuando ve que Xavi y Gabri, que igual que usted formaban parte de esa plantilla, son ahora jugadores consagrados?

Somos los tres de la cantera, hemos subido juntos y la verdad es que hace mucha ilusión. Para nosotros es muy importante haber llegado hasta aquí.

Del Barça tres supervivientes y del Chelsea sólo queda Cudiccini, portero suplente, cinco años después. ¿Sorprendido?

Sí sorprende pero es que el fútbol ahora cambia a toda velocidad. Esto demuestra lo difícil que es mantenerse en un mismo equipo varias temporadas. Hay traspasos, cambios... Quizás en el Chelsea se ha notado mucho la llegada de Abramovich y en el Barça el hecho de no ganar en las últimas temporadas ha provocado renovaciones de plantilla muy importantes.

¿Se siente un superviviente?

Lo que me siento es un privilegiado porque estoy en el Barça.

El Chelsea fue a por usted hace dos Navidades. ¿Qué le viene a la cabeza cuando piensa en aquella mega-oferta?

Nunca me ha pasado por la cabeza dejar el Barça. Sólo me lo plantearía si el Barça quisiera y llegase a un acuerdo con otro club. Pero eso nunca ha pasado.

Escrito por fraja8 às 10h34
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CHICAGO (AP) -- Ben Gordon hit five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and overtime and scored 29 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 105-101 victory Tuesday night over the Miami Heat, who lost Shaquille O'Neal in the opening minutes to a knee injury.

O'Neal strained his left knee in the opening minutes after he went up for an alley-oop pass from Dwyane Wade and fell on Chicago's Othella Harrington.

O'Neal stayed on the floor for several minutes holding his knee before being helped off the floor. X-rays were negative and he will be re-evaluated before Wednesday's game at Indiana.

Gordon continues to deliver in the clutch, hitting three 3s and scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter. He leads the NBA with 15 games scoring 10 or more points in the fourth quarter.

After Eddie Jones tied it for the Heat at the buzzer in regulation, scoring off a teammates airball, Gordon scored the first eight points in the overtime period. His second 3-pointer in OT put the Bulls up 100-92 with 2:11 left in overtime. Wade and Eddie Jones hit back-to-back 3's for the Heat to cut the Chicago lead to two points.

After Deng hit a pair of free throws and Gordon hit one, Damon Jones hit a 3 for Miami cutting the Chicago lead to 103-101 with 13.8 seconds left. Chris Duhon then hit one of two free throws, making it 104-101. Damon Jones had a chance to tie it for the Heat, but missed a 3 with 7 seconds left.

Wade scored 21 points, had 11 assists and six rebounds for Miami and Damon Jones added 18 points and eight rebounds, who had won seven straight prior to the game. With the Bulls trailing 86-77, Gordon took over the game. The Bulls outscored the Heat 15-6 to end the game. Gordon had 11 of those points. He hit a jumper to start the run, then hit a 3 to cut the Heat lead to 88-84. After Shandon Anderson hit a jumper to put the Heat up 90-86, Gordon followed with back-to-back 3's, the second one was over the 6-foot-8 inch Udonis Haslem, giving the Bulls a 92-90 lead with 39.2 seconds left.

The Bulls had a chance to secure victory in regulation, but Wade blocked Kirk Hinrich's shot with 3.1 seconds left with the shot clock winding down. After a timeout, Damon Jones forced up a jumper, which was an airball, but Eddie Jones caught the ball and shot it in just before the buzzer sending the game in overtime tied at 92.

Eddy Curry added 16 points for Chicago and Luol Deng scored 14 points, who have won four straight and 17 of 22. With O'Neal out and Michael Doleac in foul trouble, Miami head coach Stan Van Gundy had to go with Wang Zhi-Zhi, who has been sparingly used. Wang scored back-to-back baskets to give the Heat a 69-62 lead late in the third quarter. He finished with six points in 20 minutes Eddie Jones added 15 for Miami and Haslem scored 13 points. Both had nine rebounds.

Notes

Wade hit a shot from mid-court at the end of the second quarter, but it was waved off after the officials reviewed the play. ... Bulls head coach Scott Skiles was issued a technical in the third quarter

Escrito por fraja8 às 10h28
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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Jason Giambi took a swing, the ball cleared the right-field wall and the crowd cheered.

He was back to hitting baseballs in public, not dodging questions about steroid use, happy to return to a venue where grand slams are discussed more often than grand juries.

"Today was a big day, today was a fun day, for me to get out there and be part of the mix and get back into playing baseball," he said Tuesday.

Giambi, Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson and the rest of baseball's first $200 million team took the field together for the first time as the New York Yankees began fullsquad workouts ahead of their March 3 spring training opener.

Fans were lined up an hour before the gates opened, and 2,772 came to Legends Field just to watch batting practice, bullpen work and conditioning drills by this glittering array, which included 18 All-Stars with a combined 77 All-Star appearances. The group has five Cy Young Awards (all by Johnson) and 13 Gold Gloves.

There are three World Series MVPs (Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Johnson), two American League MVPs (Giambi and Rodriguez), two AL championship series MVPs (Rivera and Bernie Williams) and one All-Star game MVP (Jeter).

Gary Sheffield, Hideki Matsui and Mike Mussina don't even merit above-the-title billing. When the Yankees play an intrasquad, it's an All-Star game by itself."It's good to know they're on my side," Johnson said. "Tomorrow I'll introduce myself to a few of the players."He grinned."I'm throwing batting practice tomorrow," he said.

It was the first time all the Yankees were together since October's historic collapse against Boston in the championship series, when the Red Sox became the first major league team to overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a series."I think we developed even more of a thirst after the way we ended last year," Rodriguez said.

Yankees manager Joe Torre addressed the team for an hour before the workout, but didn't touch on last year's low point. Then the players, counted on by owner George Steinbrenner to win the title for the first time since 2000, took the field.

With Torre and hitting coach Don Mattingly looking on, Giambi homered on four of 29 pitches from Yankees minor league manager Joe Breeden, hitting three to right and one to center.

"I didn't think I was going to hit grounders to second," Giambi said, laughing.

Giambi tried to use all parts of the field, hitting 17 balls to right, eight to center, three to left and one off the batting cage. Last year, when he tried to play through an intestinal parasite, strained groin, respiratory infection and benign pituitary tumor, he became a pull hitter. By the time his season ended, he didn't hit much at all.

Mattingly wants him to get back to the Giambi of old, who hit to all fields. Giambi isn't trying for homers. He's not approaching batting practice the way he treats the All-Star Home Run Derby and says he won't this spring.

"Maybe just one round goofing around, to see how many I can hit," he said.

He'll be a designated hitter for the first three weeks of exhibition games, so he can get as many at-bats as possible, and Tino Martinez will play first base.

But will Giambi regain the form that earned him the 2000 AL MVP award? Did performance-enhancing drugs cause his body to break down? Can he be a top player without using steroids?"As far as really trying to learn something, I think it's too early now," Torre said. "He takes batting practice for about five days or so, I think you can start getting a feel on how comfortable he is."

Giambi felt his legs under him while hitting for the first time since the illnesses. He joked with Jeter in the batting cage and acted like just another guy.But for him to have a renaissance, it will take more than just feeling right."It's a rebuilding of the confidence and the ego and that sort of inner conceit you need to be successful," Torre said.

Giambi is sure to receive a hostile reception on the road, especially at Fenway Park. A December report in the San Francisco Chronicle said he told a federal grand jury that he used steroids, and fans are sure to needle him about that.But In New York's own ballpark, fans have backed him."For the fans to give me that kind of support, look at you as a human being, that's special," Giambi said.

He took grounders at first base along with Martinez, back with the Yankees for the first time since the seven-game World Series loss to Arizona in 2001. Giambi, signed to a $120 million, seven-year contract, took over at first from Martinez. Giambi recruited him when Martinez faced the Yankees.

"Every time he got on first base, he'd say, 'We have to get you back here,"' Martinez said.

Giambi spent the winter working out twice a day. He ran, threw and hit in the morning, then did lifting in the afternoon. His body looked sturdier this week -- his uniform pants even seemed a bit tight around the thighs as he pulled them on.He says he has no doubts he can do it. In many ways, he has to in order to prove himself, if not to everyone else, to Jason Giambi."When you're a player at this level, you expect to be great," he said. "I'm always going to have that expectation level."

Escrito por fraja8 às 10h15
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El Real Madrid aplazará el fichaje de Robinho hasta el próximo mes de julio. Tanto el club madridista como el futbolista han dejado aparcado este asunto ya que en estos momentos el delantero está plenamente comprometido con lograr la Copa Libertadores con el Santos. Juan Figer, representante del brasileño, confirmó que, de momento, no hay nada nuevo.

Figer está, de hecho, en España, aunque asegura que no ha venido a nuestro país para cerrar el traspaso de Robinho. “Entre el Real Madrid y el Santos no hay ninguna negociación y sólo lo va a haber en el próximo mes de julio. No hay absolutamente ninguna negociación”, recalcó el agente. En este sentido, se le cuestionó si el asunto se ha dejado para el verano por parte de ambos clubes, ya que será entonces cuando se aborde el fichaje con la seguridad de que el mismo se cerrará. Sin embargo, Figer no da nada por seguro. “Eso es otra cosa, ya que podrá venir como no venir. En julio va a haber negociaciones, pero antes no las habrá”, insistió.

Tampoco quiso aclarar Juan Figer dónde reside la clave para que Robinho pueda terminar vistiendo finalmente la elástica madridista. “En julio vamos a contestar a esa pregunta”.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h56
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Michel Salgado estará aproximadamente un mes de baja ya que padece un esguince de grado 2 en el ligamento lateral interno de la rodilla izquierda y una desinserción en el menisco izquierdo, aunque no deberá pasar por el quirófano, según informó el Real Madrid. El defensa, que se lesionó durante el partido de ida de los octavos de final de la Liga de Campeones que disputó el equipo blanco contra la Juventus en el Santiago Bernabéu, se sometió en la mañana de este miércoles a una resonancia magnética en la Clínica Rúber Internacional en la que se confirmó el alcance de la lesión.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h55
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FUTEBOL-ARTE

Livro conta a história do esporte mais popular do Brasil em mais de 300 charges, cartuns e caricaturas de 103 artistas

DIEGO ASSIS
DA REPORTAGEM LOCAL

As glórias e as derrotas do futebol brasileiro desde (quase) sempre foram assunto para os cartunistas de jornal. Mas, se as primeiras estão fartamente registradas em livros, filmes e arquivos de TV, a memória gráfica do esporte ainda espera uma catalogação mais sistemática. Ou esperava.
A editora Bom Texto lança neste mês "A História do Futebol no Brasil através do Cartum", com texto e organização de José Alberto Lovetro e Gualberto Costa.
O trabalho é, em parte, resultado da exposição "Técnicos: Deuses e Diabos na Terra do Futebol", que a dupla preparou para o Sesc Ipiranga (SP) em razão da Copa do Mundo de 2002. O mergulho nas Copas fez com que Jal e Gual, como também são conhecidos os autores e organizadores do tradicional Troféu HQ Mix, optassem por ampliar a pesquisa e "contar a história do futebol no Brasil de forma resumida" e a partir não só dos cartuns, como sugere o título, mas também de suas "primas", a charge e a caricatura.
São ao todo quase 300 ilustrações, assinadas por 103 artistas e extraídas de diversos periódicos brasileiros -algumas, no entanto, foram produzidas especialmente para a edição.
O livro é dividido em cinco capítulos ("A Introdução do Futebol no Brasil", "A Popularização do Futebol", "O País das Chuteiras", "O Futebol-Arte x Força" e "O Topo da Glória") organizados em ordem cronológica. Mais que um tratado em profundidade sobre o tema, o texto está editado em vinhetas que, além de explicar os desenhos, trazem curiosidades sobre o esporte bretão.
Revela, por exemplo, que a primeira pelada de rua foi disputada em 1878 entre marinheiros do navio Criméia, em frente à casa da princesa Isabel -que teria ficado torcendo em sua janela.
Ou ainda que, "no início, o grande público não se interessava pelo futebol", visto pelos anarquistas e comunistas como "uma forma de os patrões explorarem seus funcionários de bom porte atlético, para promoverem suas empresas e a si mesmos perante a alta sociedade".
"Foi só quando o povão começou a participar que o futebol se consolidou como assunto para os chargistas. O que acontecia antes era, no máximo, usar a estética do jogo para tratar de assuntos políticos", afirma Gual, que, apesar de santista, "esqueceu o que era futebol desde que Pelé aposentou a camisa 10 do Santos". "Geralmente desenhista não joga bola. Enquanto as outras crianças estavam brincando na rua, ele estava em casa desenhando", completa. (Fim do primeiro tempo).

Foco em clubes de RJ e SP e dificuldade em encontrar originais abrem possibilidades de ampliar a pesquisa

Obra é "jogo-treino" para projetos futuros

DA REPORTAGEM LOCAL

Apesar da timidez inicial, no primeiro tempo, a tabelinha futebol-arte (gráfica) tornou-se mais freqüente nas páginas da imprensa brasileira a partir dos 1920, tão logo os atletas transformaram-se em ídolos nacionais -surgiam os primeiros caricaturistas especializados em futebol, como Miécio Caffé, Messias, Nássara e Mendes, seguidos por Nino Borges, que criou os mascotes de diversos times paulistas, e Lan, pioneiro nos célebres cartazes "de barbearia" com a formação dos times.
"Foi o momento máximo das artes gráficas no futebol. Os chargistas criavam os mascotes, e os times adotavam. Era a charge influenciando o futebol", avalia Gualberto Costa, um dos autores de "A História do Futebol no Brasil Através do Cartum".
"O Miécio morreu em 2003, e até agora ninguém havia feito nada com o material que ele deixou. É uma grande falha com alguém que registrou os momentos mais importantes do futebol no Brasil", completa José Alberto Lovetro, o Jal, co-autor do livro.
As primeiras disputas internacionais também alimentaram a charge esportiva. Em 1925, os jogadores do Clube Athletico Paulistano voltaram de uma temporada vitoriosa na Europa não só apelidados como "os reis do futebol" pela imprensa francesa mas homenageados na capa da publicação brasileira "A Cigarra".
Dois anos antes, a rivalidade entre Brasil e Argentina recebia o pontapé inicial graças a uma charge num jornal argentino chamando os brasileiros de "macaquitos uniformizados".
O registro, assim como vários outros da primeira fase do futebol brasileiro, não foi encontrado pela dupla de autores e acabou substituído por uma charge de Orlando. "Acionei todo mundo que conheço na Argentina, mas não consegui encontrar a charge dos "macaquitos". Ainda vou procurar. Na próxima vez em que eu for à Argentina, não volto de lá sem essa charge", promete Gual.
Outras ausências do livro, apenas um "jogo-treino" para edições próximas e mais aprofundadas no futuro, segundo Gual e Jal, são times de fora do eixo Rio-São Paulo. "Como o futebol envolve paixão, é difícil, num espaço fechado, incluir tudo e todos", afirma o palmeirense Jal. "Nossa seleção se baseou mais naqueles craques que se sobressaíram nas seleções brasileiras e tiveram um reconhecimento além dos clubes."
Assim, há espaço para Domingos da Guia, Leônidas da Silva, Tostão, Rivellino, Fio Maravilha, Zico, Roberto Dinamite, Bebeto, Romário, Ronaldo e Robinho, de um lado. Feitiço, Romeu, Tesourinha, Garrincha, Zizinho, Telê, Baltazar, Didi, Canhoteiro, Jairzinho e Kaká, de (e entre) outro(s).
Sem falar em Pelé, claro, espalhado por diversos verbetes do livro e personagem de uma das charges mais polêmica das artes gráficas no país: entre mascotes do Santos e do Corinthians, uma imagem de Nossa Senhora Aparecida carregava o rosto de Pelé. Criada por Otávio, em 1962, para o jornal "Última Hora", a charge provocou protestos dos católicos e "quase fechou o jornal de Samuel Wainer", segundo Gual.
Os craques do traço são muitos. Carregam ainda o nome de Ziraldo, Henfil, Laerte, Angeli, Nani, entre outros. Mas, como "o jogo sempre acaba quando termina" e esse texto já vai chegando aos 45 do segundo tempo, não poderemos tratar de todos eles por aqui. (Fim de jogo?). (DA)

A HISTÓRIA DO FUTEBOL NO BRASIL ATRAVÉS DO CARTUM. Autores: Jal e Gual. Lançamento: Bom Texto. Preço: R$ 50 (136 págs., cor).

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h52
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A question to Juan Pablo, this is your first year with the West McLaren Mercedes team, how has it been settling in?

JPM: It has been really good. My relationship with everyone within the team has been really good. Testing wise it has been positive, and I'm pretty pleased about everything to be honest.

How has the test programme prior to the start of the season been going for you Kimi?

KR: It's been good, we had the new car nearly a month ago and we are still working through small problems with it. But that is quite normal with a new car and it is nothing major, and we are fixing everything that comes up. The speed is there, the car is easy to drive, but it is hard to say where we are, we just need to wait and see what happens in the first race.

How has it been testing the car Juan Pablo?

JPM: It's been good, I feel a little bit more comfortable in MP4-20 than I did in last year's car, so that is positive. Like Kimi said, we have had a couple of little problems, but everything is fixed already and that is the point of winter testing. This week is it also about settling in a little bit more with the race team, and I would say things are going pretty smoothly.

How well do you get on with each other, and more specifically, how do you help each other when you are working?

KR: Everything is going smoothly between us, it is early days but we are getting on fine. The atmosphere is good and we are working well together.

JPM: We are working together pretty good, going into the season we have actually only tested together at the same time for five or so days so far, but it is fine and I am looking forward to the year.

How hard has it been to adapt to these new car regulations?

KR: The new rules are different, but they are different for all the drivers. We will know more after the first few races how the rules are working and what we need to do as drivers to change if necessary.

Kimi, how do you think it will go between you and Juan Pablo in qualifying?

KR: We have always been quite close in qualifying in previous seasons and I'm sure that will continue to be the case. For sure there are some races when I'm quicker and others when maybe Juan Pablo is quicker, so we will just have to wait and see what happens.

Juan Pablo, what are your thoughts on the new qualifying format, is it better for you than the other drivers?

JPM: Whatever the format is, it is the same for everybody. Obviously you will drive differently in the two sessions, you will push in both, but you do have to do things like look after the tyres particularly in the first session, as they are the same tyres we will race in so you don't want to flat spot them. But at the end of the day all the drivers are in the same position, and I don't think we can judge who it will suit more until we start racing.

To both drivers how do you feel about the changes to the qualifying rules?

KR: I don't think it is much different from last year really for the drivers, but it might be more difficult for the spectators to understand what is going on because you have to add the two qualifying times together. But hopefully the television companies will find a good way to show to the spectators how much you are behind or in front of someone in real time.

JPM: That's the important thing isn't it, for the organisers to find a way to make it easy for the fans to understand when they are watching it, so they know where the car on track really is. You might be slow in first qualifying but mega quick in the second session for example, so people might get a bit confused at first, but I'm sure everyone will get used to it.

Juan Pablo, how does the power of the Mercedes-Benz engine compare to the one you were using last season at Williams?

JPM: I wouldn't like to compare them, they are completely different engines for different regulations. Also, you can't expect two different brands of engine to behave the same. From what I have seen so far, Mercedes-Benz has does a really good job and I'm pretty happy to be honest.

Juan Pablo, you are known as one of the most aggressive drivers in the sport. How much have the new regulations affected your driving style?

JPM: I wouldn't say it has really. People always say that I have a really aggressive driving style, but I would say I push as hard as anyone else out here. Now of course we have to look after the cars a bit more. I think it is going to be interesting and perhaps at the first few races some drivers are going to get it really right, others are going to get it really wrong.

Do you think with the new tyre and engine regulations, do you think that the ability of a better driver will be shown more?

JPM: We will have to wait and see, it will be more important this year to have a good balance on the car, as poor balance will have a bad affect on the tyres, so you will need to work closely with your engineers and the other people in the team to do this.

Kimi has Juan Pablo joining the West McLaren Mercedes team made a difference?

KR: In the end it doesn't actually change anything for me and how I work with the team. I am working with the same people for everything as I was last year. So I wouldn't say it is a big difference no.

How important do you think it will be that the team is running a third car in Friday practice?

KR: I think it will be good for the team, especially with the one engine for two race weekends rule. We can put as many laps as we want on the third car and will get the information back to make decisions on our Michelin tyres and other set-up requirements.

The new rules have been implemented to make Formula One more exciting for the spectators, do you think that overtaking is going to be easier?

KR: I don't think it is really going to change much, you might get some situations when people are having problems with their tyres and then other cars will be much faster, but we will have to see what happens. There was some good racing last year and hopefully it will be the same in 2005.

There is another new track this year, in Turkey, how do you prepare to race at a new circuit?

JPM: I normally just get there and drive around. I'll do a couple of laps in a road car and see how it is. You can see where the racing line is, braking points and so on, it's pretty straightforward really.

KR: I also drive round, but usually also walk round some parts of it with my engineers. I have seen a couple of pictures of the track and it looks good.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h41
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A equipe de F-1 anunciou contrato com a Johnnie Walker, cuja marca aparecerá na tampa do motor do carro a partir do GP da Turquia, em 21 de agosto. O acordo pode indicar o fim da parceria do time com marcas de tabaco -a McLaren é patrocinada pela West.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h37
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JORGE KAJURU
ESPECIAL PARA A FOLHA

Ninguém leva nada de seu. A vida é um empréstimo de ossos. O belo foi aprender não se saciar da tristeza nem da alegria. Reler Pablo Neruda é quase uma terapia, e não custa nada. Que semana... dura de agüentar. Baixou o espírito de Tostão.
Calma, gente! Só o espírito, o corpo (cérebro), jamais, eu terei. O bom mineiro, em sua última coluna antes de ir descansar, falava da falta de paciência com certas coisas. Enxergava um Brasil de patotas, não suportava mais ver tanta incompetência e pedia férias. E agora? Que faço eu dessa vida sem pé nem cabeça? Deu Severino Cavalcanti no segundo poder, ou terceiro posto. O Eurico Miranda chegou à presidência da Câmara. Que chique, xique! Após anos de paciente busca do melhor amanhã, francamente, parece praga, em pleno governo Lula.
Na mesma semana, vem Agnelo Queiroz, um ministro fiel à patota da CBF, que acusa um jornalista como Juca Kfouri de ter recebido do governo de FHC para elogiar Pelé. Só mesmo GreenHAHAHAlgh! como bem sacou o braço armado da gandaia nacional, a coluna do José Simão nesta Folha. Maldita leviandade.
O mais triste foi ter que gargalhar vendo os telejornais da semana. Em pauta a "tragédia anunciada" em Goiás com as mortes de sem-teto -como fiquei estarrecido com toda aquela barbárie- e as hilárias declarações: o Ministério Público goiano está investigando "se houve abuso da Polícia Militar". Se houve, caras-pálidas!? Santa paciência. Depois apareceu o governador goiano: "Vou punir policiais que tenham cometido eventuais excessos". Eventuais? Sim, tomara, que seja eventual esse tipo de governante.
Em tempo: o site www.midia independente.org trouxe o áudio do depoimento do mesmo governador, aos 300 sem-terra, em auditório do palácio, quando garantiu que jamais haveria invasão policial. Bem, voltemos ao futebol. Alberto Dualib e Kia Joorabchian, os "donos" do Corinthians, foram depor na Polícia Federal. O brasileiro assumiu o papel de rainha da Inglaterra: "O Kia paga, e eu assino". Maldito negócio ou santa gelada.
Para fechar a ingrata semana, já que citamos tanta gente santa, questiono toda a dinheirama que entra nos cofres da CBF e aplaudo a sugestão de José Luiz Portella, o ex-secretário do Ministério do Esporte. Portella escreveu que a CBF deveria destinar, no mínimo, 33% de sua receita anual aos clubes, com regras claras para a utilização, gerando caixa imediato.
Enfim, sobrevivi a mais uma semana neste mundo chamado de sociedade ideal, juntando pedaços espalhados de mim mesmo, e metendo a colher até o cotovelo nas adversidades que não são minhas. Obrigado, Neruda. Obrigado, Folha e Tostão. Ao jornal, pelo terceiro ano me permitir escrever o que penso e ainda me pagar. Ao titular, repito: Tostão é o caso clássico de uma licença matemática em que o 9 vale mais que o 10. Fora de campo, então...

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h34
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Roger Federer x Andre Agassi. O confronto entre o suíço e o americano registrado no último Grand Slam de tênis, na Austrália, teve outro capítulo ontem. Mas num lugar para lá de inusitado e que mexeu com os atletas.
Idealizada pelos organizadores do Torneio de Dubai, nos Emirados Árabes, a partida foi realizada a 320 m de altura, no heliponto do hotel Burj Ai Arab.
A quadra improvisada foi aprovada pelos tenistas:
- Foi algo único. Jogar tênis, vendo toda a cidade lá embaixo, é espetacular, disse Federer, atual campeão do torneio local.
- Uma vez que você se dá conta de onde está e começa a jogar as sensações são incríveis. Eu não havia vivido nada semelhante antes, completou Agassi.
Mas eles não puderam abusar, já que volta e meia a bola ia para fora, ou melhor, 320 m abaixo.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h29
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by Pete Sanderson

	The Dane was one of the officials at UEFA EURO 2004™

The return of the UEFA Champions League has brought a frenzy of activity but for at least one of the participants in Wednesday's games may have felt inclined to take a few moments out for reflection.

Famous landmark
As he took the field with his assistants Jørgen Jepsen and Torben Jensen to officiate the game between FC Bayern München and Arsenal FC at the Olympiastadion, Kim Milton Nielsen became the first referee to take charge of 50 games in Europe's premier club competition.

	Nielsen would like to see Pierluigi Collina keep officiating

'Tremendous honour'
"It is a tremendous honour that I am the first referee to officiate 50 Champions League games," the 44-year-old Danish official, who is an IT manager off the pitch, told uefa.com. "It only seems like only yesterday that my Champions League career began."

Final appearance
One of the officials on duty at UEFA EURO 2004™ last summer, the 1.94m-tall Nielsen received the ultimate accolade when he officiated in the final of the Champions League between FC Porto and AS Monaco FC last season. However, it is not the most memorable of his 49 previous matches.

Memorable games
He said: "So many games stand out - perhaps the biggest and best will be this week's game between Arsenal and Bayern. Games between English and German teams are always very memorable affairs and both sides like to play fast flowing, physical football.

Replayed fixture
"I have officiated some amazing games but I vividly remember refereeing a match between Leeds United [AFC] and [VfB] Stuttgart in 1992 and the match had to be replayed at the Camp Nou because Stuttgart fielded an ineligible player," remembered Nielsen. "The atmosphere was incredible."

Passionate affair
Nielsen added: "I also enjoyed taking charge of the game between Rangers [FC] and [PFC] CSKA Moskva which was played in Bochum later that year [on 9 December]. That was a fiery fixture and always stands out in my mind. [Rangers won the game 1-0]."

Special atmosphere
"There is something special about taking charge of Champions League matches," continued Nielsen. "As the famous anthem booms out around the stadiums it sends shivers of pride down your spine so just to be involved in these kind of occasions is something which means a lot to me."

Early developer
It is certainly a far cry from Nielsen's first steps in refereeing, taken when he was a teenager back in Denmark in 1976. Ten years later, and still only in his mid-20s, Nielsen was a top-flight referee in Denmark, and he received his full FIFA license in 1988.

Famous face
Since then he has been everywhere as a referee and has become a minor celebrity. "I do get noticed a lot when walking down the street in Denmark but maybe that's because I am quite tall and easy to spot," he said. "People are always very friendly - hopefully that is because they see me as a fair referee."

Retirement age
At 44, Nielsen is now within sight of the end of his career as an international referee, as the current rules dictate that officials cannot continue to be put in charge of major international games beyond the age of 45. However, having reached his latest landmark, Nielsen is far from keen to retire.

Final wish
"The 50-game landmark is not a record that I have ever really thought about achieving - it has just happened and long may it continue," he said. "If I had one dream it would be for the age to be raised so the likes of myself and Pierluigi Collina could continue to officiate at the highest level."

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h28
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By Matthew Spiro

	The defender was at Lille last season

Olympique Lyonnais defender Eric Abidal is preparing himself for a testing evening against Werder Bremen in the Weserstadion tonight.

'Tough opponent'
The French international expects Bremen to start Wednesday's UEFA Champions League tie at a ferocious pace and admits that Lyon will need to be at their best to resist the German pressure. "They're going to be really tough opponents," Abidal told uefa.com. "They're an attack-minded team and I expect them to be up for it and come at us from the first whistle."

	Cris (left): "He defends his goal better than anyone in France"

Hard to beat
But as Abidal is keen to point out, Lyon's defence has been their strong point this season. The runaway leaders in France have conceded just 13 goals in 26 Ligue 1 matches and the former AS Monaco FC stopper knows they have become a team that is hard to beat. "We've got a good team spirit and have been very solid, both in France and in the Champions League this season," Abidal said.

'Positive result'
Lyon's left-back added: "We'll be stretched to the fullest extent against Bremen but I think we're good enough to get a positive result over there. When a team has a solid base it will always have a chance of winning games."

Outstanding addition
Abidal, who joined Lyon from LOSC Lille Métropole, was one of three defensive reinforcements last summer. One of the others, Brazilian international Cris, has proved an outstanding addition in the centre of defence. "With Edmílson leaving, the coach [Paul Le Guen] needed a player who could hold the defence together," Abidal explained. "Cris isn't as skilful as Edmílson but he defends his goal better than anyone in France."

Caçapa return
Cris began the season playing alongside his compatriot Claudio Caçapa, but the Lyon captain had been out for four months with a knee injury before he made his return as a substitute against Monaco on Friday. In Caçapa's absence, Le Guen chose to move Ghanaian midfield player Michael Essien to centre-half to partner Cris.

'More responsibility'
Abidal admits he is disappointed not to have been given a run in central defence, where he performed exceptionally for Lille last season. "Lyon signed me to play in the middle but I've only had three games there," said the 25-year-old. "It's gone well on the left, but centre-half is my true position. Playing in the centre is more demanding in terms of concentration. You have more responsibility because if you make one mistake it will almost certainly lead to a goal."

I'm not the only one being asked to play out of position, but none of us complain Eric Abidal

Formidable performances
The way in which Abidal has accepted his new role has pleased Le Guen, while the Frenchman's formidable performances on the left have justified the coach's decision. "I'm a footballer so I keep my mouth shut and do what the coach says," Abidal explained. "I'm not the only one being asked to play out of position, but none of us complain. We just get on with it and do what is best for the team."

Champions League debut
Certainly Abidal looked comfortable on the left in Lyon's first Champions League game of the season against Manchester United FC in September. The 25-year-old did such a fine job of marking Cristiano Ronaldo that the Portuguese international only influenced the game after switching flanks in the second half.

'Infuriate the opponent'
Abidal said: "Marking Ronaldo was a great challenge. He's one of the best wingers in the game and I know I did a good job on him. As a defender, my aim is to infuriate the opponent and on that night I think I succeeded." He will be confident of infuriating more opponents in Bremen tonight.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h28
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By Darío López

	Deco has told Ronaldinho all about his old coach

In a round already overburdened with massive ties, Premiership top dogs Chelsea FC's fixture against Primera División leaders FC Barcelona still looks like the biggest tie of the last 16 in the UEFA Champions League, as Barça heroes Ronaldinho and Carles Puyol were only too happy to acknowledge.

'Worthy final'
"I think our match with Chelsea would have been a worthy final," said Ronaldinho. "It will be played as if it was the final, and will be a tie of the highest standard. The two teams lead the two strongest leagues in Europe, so it has to be the most attractive and appealing cup tie out there at the moment."

	Arjen Robben's injury was a big blow for Chelsea

'Tremendous battles'
Defender Puyol, who captains Frank Rijkaard's side, added: "It's a very appealing tie - both sides are playing at a very high level and I am sure that for the whole 90 minutes, there will be tremendous battles going on in each and every part of the field."

Mourinho marvels
As the London side travelled to the Camp Nou, Ronaldinho reserved special praise for Chelsea manager José Mourinho. "My team-mate Deco has told me of the marvels of Mourinho," he said. "He loved playing for him and cannot praise him enough. He said Mourinho was the best coach that he has ever had and I believe him."

Rijkaard's strengths
However, he was equally florid in his praise for his own coach, saying: "Rijkaard understands players perfectly and knows how to deal with them in the dressing room because he has been there and done it all before as a player. He has the ability to unite players and get everyone pulling together."

Work ethic
Such a work ethic is very much a hallmark of Chelsea this season. For all that they are renowned as a big-spending team, Puyol remains only too aware that they have congealed into a fine footballing unit too. "They rarely give a goal away and that shows how well the team is working," said the 26-year-old.

I approach every game confident that my team will score goals, win, and enjoy the match Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho confident
However, all of that respect for their opponents is not evidence that Barça are approaching the tie with trepidation. Ronaldinho expects a hard contest, but has no doubt that his side can come through it. He said: "I approach every game confident that my team will score goals, win, and enjoy the match."

Missing players
With Arjen Robben perhaps the most significant name on an increasingly lengthy list of injured absentees from Mourinho's squad, Puyol is also aware that Barça will not necessarily be facing a Chelsea team at the peak of their considerable powers.

Important figure
"Robben is an important absentee for them because he was playing so well," he said. "He is great going forward but also contributes by recovering balls and helping the defence. However, with the squad that they have at their disposal, I am sure that they will not be stuck for substitutes."

Big future
Ronaldinho was happy to acknowledge that Chelsea are a big team with a bright future, saying: "Chelsea's success this season has made them even more respected around Europe than Manchester United [FC] and Arsenal [FC]. Chelsea's renown will only continue to grow as they become consistent trophy winners."

Winning chance
But Puyol is aware that Barça's prospects could yet be even brighter. "We aren't just excited about being in the Champions League this year - there is a buzz to be involved in all competitions," he said. "The Champions League is a great competition and it would be unbelievable to go on and win it."

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h27
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By Pete Sanderson

	Boban enjoyed a glittering career with the Rossoneri

When the cast list at your testimonial includes great bastions of the game such as George Weah, Jean-Pierre Papin, Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit, Leonardo and Franco Baresi, you know you must have done something right in your football career.

Croatian stalwart
These were just a handful of the men who wanted to pay their respects to Zvonimir Boban when the Croatian decided the time had come to hang up his boots after a glittering career in which he collected 51 international caps, four Italian titles and a UEFA Champions League winners' medal with AC Milan.

	'Andriy Shevchenko simply does not miss, he is like an assassin'

Golden generation
Boban even had the honour of representing, albeit as a late entrant, the immortal Rossoneri generation who will live long in the memory of purists for the 'total football' they played during a dominant spell between 1988 and 1993.

Nice trip
But the 36-year-old now believes the current Milan side would have given his generation of stars a run for their money. "This current crop are one of the best sides Milan have ever produced," said Boban, who spoke to uefa.com in Nice where he was representing ex-players to discuss possible rule changes with the UEFA Referees' Committee.

'Strong spine'
"I think they will be far too strong for Manchester United [FC] over the two legs," Boban said ahead of their last 16 encounter. "Milan are so strong in defence, have plenty of flair in midfield and have one of the best strikers in the world in attack. You would have to be mad to bet against a side containing Paolo Maldini, Kaká and Andriy Shevchenko. It is such a strong spine and I expect them to beat United."

Defensive record
The former Croatian captain, who has so far resisted the opportunity to move into management, was also keen to point out the success Milan have enjoyed in recent years. "For some reason people outside Italy seem to dismiss Milan's chances of success," he said. "They forget just how successful Milan have been over the last few years. Instead they prefer to speak about their defensive record or the great side of the early 1990s; I find it very strange."

'Domestic dominance'
He continued: "Two years ago they won the Champions League and last year it took a freak result at [RC] Deportivo La Coruña to topple them. Add to that the fact they won their 17th Scudetto last season, are looking good to win an 18th this year and [Shevchenko] has just won the Ballon d'Or, and you've got a very strong case."

'Great memories'
Milan certainly have good memories of Old Trafford. On their last visit they clinched the 2002/03 Champions League trophy after beating Juventus [CF] on penalties in a closely-fought final. And Boban believes there is only one man who can stop them in their tracks. "I think there is only one man who can stop Milan and that's Ruud van Nistelrooij. If United are to achieve anything I think he is the key player. His record in Europe is phenomenal.

'Great finisher'
"But in the same way I think United will struggle to contain Shevchenko and Kaká," said Boban. "Shevchenko simply does not miss, he is like an assassin, and Kaká is so hard to mark. He has been compared to me but I think that is unkind. He is a much better finisher than I ever was and United will struggle to contain him."

Final beckoning?
Should Milan overcome United and maintain their current form, his former club, cheered on by Boban, could have another unforgettable night in Istanbul on 25 May.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h26
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By Pete Sanderson

	George Best: "This lad's got more than anyone else"

After a seemingly endless list of contenders over the decades, it seems that Cristiano Ronaldo has finally put an end to the search for the new George Best. For 30 years, the media had touted every young winger to pull on the Manchester United FC shirt as the 'new Best' but for one reason or another they never quite made the grade.

'Big compliment'
That was, until Ronaldo entered the fray. And who better to hand out a comparison than Best himself. "There have been a few players described as 'the new George Best' over the years, but this is the first time it has been a compliment to me," said Best. "A few have had similarities, but this lad's got more than anyone else. He is genuinely two-footed, he can play on either wing, beat players with ease and put in dangerous crosses with his left or right peg."

	The 19-year-old is itching to take on Paolo Maldini

'Big compliment'
But Ronaldo insists the best is yet to come. The Portuguese international, who comes up against AC Milan in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League at Old Trafford tonight, believes United fans have plenty to look forward to. "You have not seen the finished article yet," Ronaldo told uefa.com. "And hopefully I can give them something special to talk about in the AC Milan game."

Enormous challenge
Tonight's match pits Ronaldo against Paolo Maldini - arguably the best defender to play in the Champions League since its inception in 1992. But the supremely confident 19-year-old, who was named in the uefa.com users' Team of 2004, merely sees the contest with the Italian as part of his football education as he steps up his quest to become the best winger in the world.

'Wonderful defender'
"Facing Paolo Maldini will be a huge test - probably one of the biggest in my career," said Ronaldo. "But I relish big challenges and love to play against the best in the world. There is no doubt he is a wonderful defender - but my aim is to come out of the game with him saying I am one of the best wingers in the world.

'Special atmosphere'
"I like to think I raise my game for the big matches," he added. "There is something electric about the atmosphere of big Champions League nights. And I have been been playing well of late, scoring goals, making goals and I feel I have now settled in at Old Trafford so I see no reason why this game can't be my best so far for the club. But I have always admired Maldini. He is very graceful, incredibly experienced and one of the best defenders of his generation. Hopefully it will be a contest neither of us will ever forget."

Poor record
United have entertained Italian opposition ten times, winning seven, drawing twice and losing once but have never previously got past the Rossoneri in a UEFA competition. Milan, who have fond memories of Old Trafford after winning the Champions League at the stadium in 2003, have a poor record on English soil, a weakness Ronaldo believes United must exploit.

European winner
"We must take the game to them at Old Trafford," he said. "It is certainly one of the most important European games I have played for Manchester United and it will be tough to break them down in Italy. It is our job to make the most of our home advantage." Doubtless Best, a European Champion Clubs' Cup winner in 1968, will be cheering Ronaldo on all the way.

Escrito por fraja8 às 09h25
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Depois de ser expulsa do casamento de Ronaldo Nazário e Daniella Cicarelli, realizado no castelo Chantilly, em Paris, a modelo Caroline Bittencourt reuniu a imprensa, nesta terça-feira, 22, na Casa Costa do Sauípe, em São Paulo, para esclarecer o ocorrido.

Antes mesmo de começar as perguntas, Eli Haddi, dono da agência Mega, que cuida da carreira de Caroline, fez questão de ressaltar o talento da modelo. E para preservar a imagem dela, garantiu que Caroline não posará nua, embora várias revistas masculinas a tenham convidado. “Eu trabalho há dois anos com Caroline, e ela está entre as 100 melhores modelos do país. Ela já fez trabalhos importantes, como nas passarelas de Milão”, disse o empresário da moda.

Já a modelo, considerada desafeto de Cicarelli, chegou ao local da coletiva arrancando muitos elogios dos presentes. Mesmo simples, ela travaja uma blusa frente única, calça jeans e sandália rasteira de miçangas, a moça realmente é muito bonita. O repórter Vesgo, do "Pânico na TV", não cansou de elogiá-la e, claro, de perdir-lhe um selinho.

Ao lado de Elli, Caroline Bittencourt fez questão de esclarecer o ocorrido, em Paris, onde foi expulsa por Daniella Cicarelli de sua festa de casamento. A modelo nega que o motivo tenha sido o fato dela ter namorado o empresário João Paulo Diniz ao mesmo tempo que Cicarelli, no ano passado. "Não houve isso. Eu namorei o João Paulo depois que ele e a Daniella já haviam terminado."

Caroline disse que Ronaldo chegou a cumprimentar a ela e o namorado na festa de casamento e que a noiva fez o escânalo uma hora depois que ela já estava lá. “Eu cheguei na festa, subi as escadas, encontrei o Ronaldo e o cumprimentei. Cerca de uma hora depois, a Cicarelli veio gritando se referindo a mim como aquela mulher”, relembrou Caroline, admitindo a humilhação, pois muita gente presenciou tudo. "O Roberto Carlos estava perto e viu tudo", disse a modelo, garantindo que, até então, nunca havia falado com Ronaldo, muito embora o tenha encontrado justo na festa em que ele e Daniella se conheceram.

“ Eu queria que o chão se abrisse para eu me enfiar ali”, falou a modelo, que recebeu a ajuda de Elli para complementar o caso. “Caroline me ligou no dia seguinte, chorando. Ela ficou muito chateada e se sentiu muito humilhada. Ela foi convidada pelo namorado”, falou a dono da Mega, que justificou o convite apresentando-o diante dos jornalistas.

O convite para a festa, entregue ao amigo de Ronaldo, o empresário Álvaro Garnero, namorado de Caroline, dizia que o mesmo teria direito à companhia da mulher. "Como sou namorada dele, tinha o direito de ir", disse a modelo, mostrando uma xerox do envelope do convite de Álvaro.

Ao ser questionada sobre o vestido branco, com o qual teria ido ao casamento para afrontar Daniella Cicarelli, Caroline fez questão de mostrá-lo na coletiva, negando que seja branco: o modelo claro com brilho dourado, é da luxuosa e cara grife paulista Daslu e foi presente do namorado.

Sem entender o real motivo de ter sido expulsa do castelo, Caroline releva o que sente, agora, diante da atitude da “noiva”.

“Não desejo mal a Danielle. Eu desejo toda a felicidade ao casal, e não entendo por que Cicarelli agiu assim”, afirmou a modelo, que finalizou a coletiva mostrando não ter nenhuma mágoa de Daniella Cicarelli. “Se eu cassasse, convidaria Daniella para o meu casamento, e não vou mover nenhuma ação judicial contra ela”, disse Caroline.

O que ninguém pode negar é que, além do cachê de Caroline ter aumentado, a modelo foi destaque dos principais veículos do país.

O dono da Mega aproveitou a ocasião e explicou como o fato repercutiu na carreira da modelo. “Embora as pessoas achem que isso seja bom para carreira dela, não é. Ela é uma modelo profissional e não uma aventureira, uma picareta, conforme foi passado”, enfatizou Elli.

Ao ser questionado sobre os inúmeros trabalhos que surgiram para Caroline Bittencourt, Elli respondeu:

“Ela não vai posar nua, embora tenha recebido várias propostas. Ela é uma modelo internacional. Quanto à "VIP", ela já tinha um editorial pronto, de uma matéria interna da revista, publicada no ano passado, e agora será a capa”, explicou o empresário.

Em relação às propostas para comerciais, o dono da Mega não revelou quais são, mas garantiu que todas serão analisadas.

Escrito por fraja8 às 19h16
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Martin Demichelis, Argentine defender of Bayern Munich (L) challenges Patrick Viera of Arsenal London for the ball during their Champions League first knock out round first leg match in Munich's Olympic stadium

Escrito por fraja8 às 19h08
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A frase que absolve o técnico Tite

A Íntegra da coluna Prancheta do PVC é publicada às terças no LANCE

Tite errou. Indiscutivelmente, o técnico do Corinthians teve participação negativa na derrota para o Santos, no domingo. E o pior tipo de equívoco, aquele não reconhecido. É só ouvir suas declarações depois da partida, no vestiário, para perceber que o técnico não se considera culpado. Mas preste bastante atenção a um das declarações do treinador:
– Eu não podia frear o crescimento de uma equipe que havia jogado muito bem na quarta.-
O time havia feito sua melhor apresentação, desde que foi montado, diga-se. Esse era o diagnóstico depois da vitória sobre o Rio Branco. O time tinha dois armadores, dois atacantes, jogava solto, com apoio dos laterais. Precisava de ajustes de posicionamento na defesa e tinha vencido apenas o Rio Branco. Mas a evolução era flagrante na comparação com outras equipes frágeis, como o América.
A formação com dois meias e dois volantes serviria também para diminuir a fama de retranqueiro. E, então, o que fez o treinador? Manteve a formação vitoriosa.
– Eu não podia frear o crescimento da equipe.
Num país de 170 milhões de técnicos, todos reclamam quando se escala zagueiros. Treinadores não têm ousadia, dizemos. Num país de 170 milhões de comentaristas de resultados, reclama-se quando a estratégia não dá certo, seja qual for.
Pois a estratéiga ofensiva de Tite ainda pode dar resultado. Não se fala do clássico perdido irremediavelmente, mas do futuro deste Corinthians. O melhor é jogar com Dinelson e Carlos Alberto armando, com Tévez e Gil no ataque. O melhor é jogar com dois zagueiros e uma linha de quatro na defesa, o que vai exigir tempo de treino e de adaptação do próprio técnico, que não se acostumou a montar sistemas defensivos assim. Com um pouco de treino, o novo Corinthians poderá jogar com times poderosos, como o Santos, num 4-4-2.
Então Tite não errou? Errou, errou sim. Porque domingo era o dia de dar dois passos atrás, antes de dar dois para a frente.

Paulo Vinícius Coelho escreve neste espaço às terças-feiras

O Corinthians contra o Santos: o erro de Tite



O time ideal para o jogo contra o Santos



O melhor Corinthians para os jogos normais'

Escrito por fraja8 às 19h05
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Optimistic outlook

NBA to face difficult issues in upcoming labor talks . Asked to name the specific areas where they've made progress on a new collective bargaining agreement, NBA commissioner David Stern and union director Billy Hunter pursed their lips and slowly turned toward each other.

Neither man came up with an answer.More public optimism was dished out Saturday at Stern's annual All-Star news conference, but little detail disclosed about what kind of progress -- if any -- has been made in negotiating sessions thus far.

The league's seven-year labor agreement expires at the end of June, and the two sides have agreed to meet several times in the upcoming weeks in an effort to narrow their differences.

"I may be combining reality with hope, but I think there will be a deal by the end of the season," Stern said.But both sides have said the differences that remain are substantial, and Hunter has gone so far as to describe some of the owners' demands as "repugnant" in meetings with his membership.

Among the items the owners and players differ on are the league's desire to raise the minimum age from 18 to 20, the use of the NBDL as a minor league to which young NBA players could be assigned to, and the percentage of overall league revenues that will be devoted to player salaries.Stern indicated the sides have jumped from issue to issue, making more progress on some topics than others."You sort of move pieces around and see how it feels and whether the collective bargaining bouillabaisse that you've created tastes better than you thought it might," Stern said.

The commissioner also addressed a number of other issues, although collective bargaining was the dominant theme of the 45-minute news conference.Stern said the National Basketball Development League plans to expand into the southwestern United States and add four new teams next season, and he would like to see the league eventually expand into larger cities.

Stern also addressed speculation over whether he might reduce the season-long suspension he handed down to Ron Artest of Indiana for his role in a brawl with fans at a Nov. 19 Pacers-Pistons game."I don't anticipate there will be an application for reinstatement, and I'm not thinking about the subject now, period," he said.

Deputy commissioner Russ Granik said there would likely be no rules changes for the 2005-06 season, the league generally pleased with the flow of the game and the trend toward higher-scoring games.

Stern also said the league would set records for attendance, gate receipts, and local television revenue this season."Business is better than ever," he said.

Escrito por fraja8 às 19h03
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Jogador fala em atuar como atacante; técnico diz que poderá pensar na possibilidade, mas diante de uma escolha.

O técnico Emerson Leão afirmou nesta terça-feira que Falcão ainda está pouco adaptado ao futebol e, por isso, não vem sendo aproveitado regularmente.

A ex-estrela do futsal não entra em campo desde o confronto diante da Inter de Limeira, no dia 27 de janeiro, e, no clássico contra o Palmeiras, no último domingo, sequer foi relacionado. A situação fez até o jogador pensar em mudar de posição e atuar como atacante. Desde sua chegada ao clube, ele deixou claro que queria atuar no meio-campo.

"O Falcão tem falado algumas coisas e eu estou procurando auxiliá-lo. Ele mesmo não está definido. Precisa escolher", afirmou o treinador. "Cada um merece ser observado no que se sinta melhor. O Falcão não será diferente. Ele não falou nada ainda sobre jogar como atacante, mas podemos discutir o assunto", emendou.

A briga no ataque, no entanto, parece mais acirrada. Além de Diego Tardelli e Grafite, que são intocáveis até aqui para Leão, o São Paulo conta com Luizão, que será titular diante da Portuguesa Santista na quinta-feira, e Jean, elogiado pelo comandante nesta terça-feira.

No meio-campo, a disputa era com Danilo, Vélber e Souza. Concorrentes teoricamente mais fáceis de serem superados. "Eu vou conversar com o Leão. Se ele achar melhor, eu posso mudar e atuar no ataque", afirmou o ex-jogador de futsal.

Aliás, tal posição não é segredo para Falcão. Em 2001, quando atuou pelo Paulistano de São Roque na Copa São Paulo de Juniores, ele atuou mais à frente. O técnico naquela oportunidade era Mílton Cruz, atual auxiliar-técnico de Emerson Leão.

"É uma posição mais fácil para mim. É quase sempre driblar e finalizar ao gol. Já atuando no meio-campo preciso carregar, pensar o jogo", comentou Falcão.

Mesmo sem contar com Grafite, que terá de cumprir suspensão automática pelo terceiro cartão amarelo na quinta-feira, o jogador não deverá ser novamente relacionado para o confronto diante da Portuguesa Santista. Leão deixou clara sua preferência para Jean e também Marco Antônio.

Escrito por fraja8 às 18h53
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A velocista Kelli White, uma das atletas envolvidas na investigação de uma corte federal americana pelo escândalo dos esteróides que diversos esportes nos Estados Unidos, continuou dando detalhes de como obtinha substâncias proibidas e o que fazia para não ser descoberta.

Segundo White, os esteróides chegavam a ela por intermédio de um médico amigo de Victor Conte, dono do laboratório Balco, que fabricava as substâncias e as distribuía aos atletas profissionais.Para encobrir qualquer resultado positivo em um exame antidoping, White afirmou ter recebido indicações de Conte que, segundo seu próprio testemunho, lhe recomendou dizer que sofria narcolepsia, uma doença que não permite um sono contínuo e que é tratada com remédios como o modafinil.

- A idéia foi até boa - comentou White.Após muitas competições - e depois de ganhar a medalha de ouro nos 100 e 200 metros do Mundial de Paris, em 2003 - um exame de White deu positivo.

- Telefonei para ele (Conte) horas após o exame dar positivo e ele me disse que eu já sabia o que tinha que fazer. Conte me colocou em contato rapidamente com o doutor Goldman, que não conhecia até esse exato momento, e eles me ajudaram a emitir esse primeiro comunicado em 30 de agosto de 2003 - lembrou a velocista.