FC Porto have eased into the Europa League semi-finals after crushing Spartak Moscow 10-3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.After taking out the first clash in Lisbon 5-1, the Portugese outfit continued their romp in the return fixture, winning 5-2 in the Russian capital.
Porto got off to a flying start thanks to three unanswered goals from Hulk, Cristian Rodriguez and Fredy Guarin in the first hour.
Artem Dzjuba scored on the other end for Spartak before a headed effort from Colombian Radamel Falcao restored Porto’s three goal cushion.
Ferreire Ari responded with Spartak’s second of the night, but Ruben Micael had the final say as he rounded off the scoring and the resounding victory for the recently-crowned Liga Sagres champions.
Awaiting them at the next stage will be Villarreal, who are the only non-Portuguese side to reach the semi-finals.
The Spaniards resoundingly defeated Dutch champions FC Twente 8-2 on aggregate following a 3-1 win in the second leg in Holland.
Emir Bajrami’s 32nd minute opener had Twente in with a chance of getting themselves back into the tie, but Dwight Tiendalli’s dismissal just before the hour mark signalled the end for Michel Preud’homme’s side.
Villarreal capitalised almost immediately on their advantage, with Giuseppe Rossi, Marco Ruben and Cani all scoring in the final half hour to seal a comfortable win.
Elsewhere, PSV Eindhoven crashed out of the competition after their 2-2 draw against Benfica was not enough to overcome a 4-1 deficit from the first leg.
Goals to Balazs Dzsudzsak and Jeremain Lens within eight first-half minutes and PSV had moved within striking distance, but a goal from Luisao deep into first-half injury time and a penalty from Oscar Cardozo 18 minutes after the interval put an end to the Dutch comeback.
Benfica’s semi-finals opponents will be fellow Liga Sagres outfit Braga, whose 0-0 draw at home to Dynamo Kiev saw them through to the last four on away goals following their 1-1 tie in Ukraine last week.
Both sides finished the second leg with 10 men, with Braga’s Paulo Cesar and Dynamo’s Goran Popov both receiving their marching orders.
France’s World Cup campaign was certainly a calamitous one, Nicolas Anelka sent home after an argument with then manager Raymond Domenech and the subsequent revolt left any distant dream of glory in tatters but the most recent story to materialise from the French Football Federation is perhaps even more staggering.
The 18 match International ban handed to Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka holds little point to it and is one which he is right to ridicule.
After all, Anelka himself admitted when he exited South Africa his international career was over for the shouting, and it seems the French Football Association have took action simply to try to assert their authority after player power reared its ugly head.
The peace in which Laurent Blanc needs to conduct a new era dictates such confounding chastisement but surely the new manager would rest easier knowing a player of Anelka’s ilk and quality was in his squad.
For Anelka has flourished at Chelsea, his work-rate on and off the ball has coincided perfectly with his selfless play and a career that was once described as nomadic should now be presented more favourably.
Anelka said: “This whole thing is nonsense, to turn the page because [new coach] Laurent Blanc needs to be able to work in peace. These people are clowns. I’m dying with laughter. The whole commission thing is a charade not to lose face.” And he may well have a chuckle, as the only team that will benefit from this is Chelsea.
He will again be a central figure in Chelsea’s hopes of retaining the Premier League and without the burden of International football the enigmatic Frenchmen may even equal his impressive goal tally last term.
Carlo Ancelotti has been good to Anelka during his time at Chelsea and the boss at the Bridge may well be repaid as his number 39 looks to replicate the form which has silenced those who one doubted him for what he is, a world-class centre forward.
Click on image below to see the gallery of Mario Balotelli’s stunning girlfriend
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Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew is bracing himself for big money offers for holding midfielder Cheick Tiote in January according to the Daily Mail.
London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea are both interested in the Ivorian international who has been on the sidelines for two months with injury. Although only a big money offer would interest the North East club, Pardew has failed to rule out the sale of their prized midfielder.
Arsenal are looking to replace the departed Cesc Fabregas still and the Champions League football could attract Tiote to the Emirates, however Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas is also interested and could build his new look midfield around the player who will return to first team action against Swansea on Saturday.
The club are no doubt in a better position both on and off the pitch than they were this time last year and so the need for a big name departure is less, but a big money deal could interest Mike Ashley.
Pardew said: ‘You never know with the window — it’s such a minefield of possibilities. I think I’ve learned from the Andy Carroll situation and outside of Manchester City, every club has a player that is vulnerable.
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“We have one or two players here that top clubs, I’m sure, would be interested in.
“The one thing I would say is that they will have to pay a lot of money to take anyone out of here because we’re in a good position — not just on the playing side but financially.”
So Wayne Rooney has hit the headlines again today – but not for the reason he would have liked. Ronney was in fine form on Saturday, as he scored a superb match-winning hat-trick to secure a 4-2 win for Manchester United against West Ham United. However, Rooney appeared to swear directly at the television camera – when celebrating his third goal. The Manchester United striker recognised he was in the wrong and has since apologised for his actions and must now await a decision by the FA on a potential charge. The FA could impose a ban and/or a fine, but it’s likely Rooney will get away with just the fine.
The real question here is should Rooney put a stop to his antics on and off the field? The obvious answer to that question is yes, but I don’t totally agree with that viewpoint. Although, Rooney is not everyone’s cup of tea, few people can doubt his ability as a footballer. Furthermore part of that ability is shown with him mouthing off at players, managers, referees and fans. I honestly believe he does it because of his passion for the game and his desire and determination to win. In much the same way as Andy Murray does when he is playing an important tennis match.
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I would agree Wayne Rooney should act in a responsible manner in the public eye and be careful about what he says in interviews and when out and about, but please don’t change as a footballer. As far as the incident on Saturday goes, let’s remember that it was a tense game and was a reaction in the heat of the moment to a thrilling comeback from Manchester United. I would also add that Rooney was probably getting grief from the West Ham fans for much of the match and this may have been a reaction from Rooney to this.
Football grounds are places where swearing does take place and the majority of it comes from the supporters. Also Wayne Rooney is not the only footballer that would have sworn over the weekend, but he is the most high profile player and he was caught on camera.
Although, Wayne Rooney should refrain from such outbursts in the future, he should not change his style. That attitude makes him the player he is and every football fan surely wants to see a fiery and determined player. Yes, he will get the occasional red card and fine from the FA – but that is just part and parcel of Wayne Rooney. In summary, don’t change a thing on the field.
So that’s my view, but what is yours? Is it time for Wayne Rooney to grow up or do we just need to give the lad a break?
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Newcastle haven’t exactly splashed the cash this summer, as Mike Ashley has kept a tight rein on Chris Hughton’s spending, but the Magpies have brought in one high profile player. That has come in the form of former Tottenham, Arsenal and England defender Sol Campbell. Sol will add some experience to Newcastle’s back line and will be hoping to contribute to a fair few clean sheets in the 2010/11 Premier League season. Since joining Newcastle on a free transfer, a lot has been made in the media about the 35-year old being a little on the large side. Whether he’s fat or fit, he won’t be ready in time for Newcastle’s first match of the season against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Here’s Campbell watching a Newcastle friendly at St James’ Park that celebrated the management career of Sir Bobby Robson, but will this be the last time Sol is sat in the stands this season?
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Tottenham winger Gareth Bale has heralded Gary Speed after the manager’s death, and has vowed that the Wales side will continue the work he started.
The former Newcastle and Everton midfielder was found dead in his Cheshire home at the weekend, with sources confirming that he took his own life.
Bale was part of Speed’s Wales team that has won four of their last five games, and the 2010/11 PFA Player of the Year wants the good form to continue in the departed coach’s honour.
“It was a massive shock, I don’t think anybody ever thought anything like this would happen,” Bale told The Telegraph.
“Everyone is devastated and it is a massive loss to everyone in football. It is a tragedy, everyone still can’t get their head around it and all our condolences go out to his family and his kids. It is a hard time.
“We were on the up, he changed the way we play and the whole mentality of our game. It is a massive loss, but we will try and carry on the best we can in his honour,” he concluded.
Bale is only one of countless players, coaches and officials in the game to herald Speed’s contribution to the sport and offer messages of condolences to his family.
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With the bad boy theme running on Football FanCast this week I thought it would be apt to supply you with a video list of some shocking incidents seen over the last few years on the football pitch. From player bust-ups, to dodgy tackles and even the bizarre actions involving referees and fans, there were many to choose from. Players are expected to be professional on the pitch, respecting the referee, respecting the opposition and being able to control their anger but football is a passionate game, which the following top 10 shows.
10: Mascots Fighting – This is one of the most bizarre incidents and although it does not feature football players, when do you see opposing mascots having a real punch up on the pitch? Well it happened between Wolves’ mascot Wolfie and Bristol Rovers’ three little piggies. Unfortunately this is the most light hearted of the entries in the list.
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9: Ruud Van Nistlerooy receives Arsenal attack – After winning a last minute penalty against Arsenal, Ruud Van Nistlerooy steps up to smash home a winner from the spot for Manchester United but it hits the crossbar and comes back out into play. The match is shortly over and Martin Keown along with his team mates decide to let the Dutchman know what they think of him.
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8: Di Canio pushes Ref – Although this incident is bad it is rather humorous at the same time, Sheffield Wednesday’s Paulo Di Canio was sent off in a game against Arsenal at Hillsborough and the passionate Italian shoves referee Paul Alcock. But the way the ref falls to the ground makes it look more comical than a serious matter.
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7: Gattuso loses it – Recent incident involving the AC Milan captain gradually losing the plot in the Champions League game against Tottenham Hotspur. He takes exception to Spurs coach Joe Jordan on the touchline first grabbing him by the throat and later trying to head butt him. Although his actions were disgraceful, I’m sure many of us would’ve liked to have seen Joe Jordan retaliate and stop the Italian in his tracks.
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6: Team-Mates Fight – There’s been a few of these incidents over the years but this one is probably one of the best (or worst) depending on how you look at it. Newcastle United’s Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer exchanged some heated words on the pitch which quickly turned to blows. It reminds me of a similar incident in the 1990s between Blackburn Rovers pair David Batty and Graeme Le Saux. There’s also been quite a few from the training ground, Sweden’s Mellberg vs Ljungberg and West Ham’s John Hartson vs Eyal Berkovic are two examples.
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5: Another Muscat tackle – One thing I have never understood in football is how Kevin Muscat made a career in the sport from assaulting players? This was just one of the latest from playing in his homeland of Australia getting sent off for a horrendous over the ball tackle. He had just come back from suspension after landing a kidney punch on a player during a game. In England, he made some horrible tackles, most notably on Mattie Holmes which ended his career short.
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4: Zidane – You know what, during the 2006 World Cup final, Zinedine Zidane bows out to the football world with a shocking headbutt on Italy’s Materazzi. Cursing between players happens in every game but Zidane took exception to whatever Materazzi said to him and knocked him completely off his feet to the millions of live viewers watching.
3: Roy Keane’s retribution – This incident made me lose any respect I had for Roy Keane as a player. He even admitted in his autobiography that he deliberately set out to injure Haaland and should’ve received a lengthy ban. Keane saw it as revenge for an incident a few years earlier, Keane had tried to deliberately kick Haaland in front of him but ended up injuring his own leg. Haaland accused Keane of faking it, which is why Keane set out for revenge. Haaland never played a full game of football after this incident and Roy Keane was left to continue playing football for many years to come.
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2: Thatcher elbow – The defender has had previous for his over aggressive challenges on the pitch but this incident on Tottenham’s Pedro Mendes topped it all. Thatcher’s over enthusiastic tackle led with his elbow caused Mendes to be knocked out and hospitalised. The alarming thing is, Thatcher acts like it was a fair challenge. Maybe Wayne Rooney should watch this to see how dangerous flying elbows could be?
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1: Kung-Fu Cantona – An incident that shocked the football world. When Eric Cantona was sent off for Manchester United against Crystal Palace a Palace fan gave him abuse that sent the Frenchman over the edge and resulted in the flying kung-fu kick attack on the fan. He was banned for several months and it somewhat overshadowed the talented footballer’s career.
Portsmouth manager Steve Cotterill has urged England goalkeeper David James to make a decision over whether he will remain with the club next season in the near future.
The Pompey hierarchy have held talks with the 39-year-old following England's dismal World Cup campaign, but James has not yet indicated if he will remain on the South Coast following relegation to the Championship.
Cotterill told The News:"I probably think we will know very soon as to what David is going to do. We need to know if it's not going to be with us. We need to move on.
"So sooner or later there's going to have to be a decision made there. We're definitely going to need to know and maybe if David can't make his mind up, we've got to make a decision.
"He could contribute as a coach here. We've chatted about a few things in the area. But, like I say, at the end of the day, sooner or later there's got to be a decision made.
"We need to know what he is going to do."
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Meanwhile, Senegal midfielder Papa Bouba Diop has left Fratton Park to join Greek side AEK Athens.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
It must be difficult when your brother is a multi-millionaire footballer who all the fame and fortune in the world when you are a run-of-the-mill footballer just trying to get by in the lower leagues.
There are many brothers in football who have had equal amounts of success as each other and have made it to the top of their game but what about the players whose brother has dwarfed their own success. These footballers remain forever in the shadow of their famous brother and some struggle to make a career for themselves.
This is a list of players who had to take a back seat while their more famous brother developed into a household name. We’re sure that their parents love them just the same…
Click on Stephen Jagielka to unveil the top 10
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Compiled by Aidan McCartney
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Liverpool’s lacklustre defeat to West Ham this week has only served to highlight that the second-coming of Kenny Dalglish has merely been papering over the cracks. Expectations were lessened around the club at the beginning of this season and yet the side have still struggled to meet them at times. So with that in mind, what should be considered a realistic expectation in terms of the club’s ambitions with concern to next season?
Dalglish’s much heralded return to the club after the sacking of Roy Hodgson has prompted a resurgence of sorts for the club both on and off the pitch. Dalglish has united the club in a way only a true club legend can. He’s galvanised the club and the players seem all the more happier on the pitch for it. His appointment on a full-time rather than interim basis looks all but assured at the end of the season, perhaps even sooner.
The Scot is often credited with being a master man-motivator, rather than an astute tactician. To be honest with you, that would appear to be being unkind to Dalglish who hasn’t been afraid to chop and change and experiment since he took charge of the club once again and to great effect. But his arrival and the improved results and performances on the pitch have left many fans giddy at the prospect of next season, as they estimate that Dalglish will have more of a chance to mould the side into one of his own making.
The fact of the matter remains though, that the playing squad is woefully under prepared to mount anything more than a sustained challenge for a European place at the minute, let alone a Champions League place. The arrivals of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll in the January transfer window to point to a promising future, but that is all it is at the moment – promise. The arrivals of Suarez and Carroll have addressed the imbalance with the forward line at the club, yet the imbalance throughout the rest of the squad remains a pressing issue.
The side lacks sufficient depth and quality all over the park. It lacks width and at times a degree of guile. Dalglish will know more than most the effect a new manager can have on a club. It creates a competitive atmosphere that more often than not leads to an increased level of performance. The real test starts now.
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To return to the subject matter, I’d say that 6th place in the league and a decent cup run should constitute the minimum expectations for next season and that anything more should be considered a bonus. Many of you may have realised that the above expectations were what the club had hoped to achieve this season and it’s worth noting that the club maintain on course, despite their troubles, to do just that this term.
It’s also worth remembering that Roy Hodgson was appointed as the club’s manager with the mission statement of achieving stability. He was thought to be a steady hand on the tiller. His tenure proved to be anything but stabile in the end, yet there needs to be a reality check with concerns to future ambitions.
A rebuilding process was always required for the club to achieve anything in the future. The same ethos remains today despite the improvement under Dalglish. It’s easy to get carried away by what many outsiders may perceive as the ‘cult of Dalglish’ and there must be a very real worry that a over-estimation of expectations may occur in the near future.
Upon taking control of the club from those that shall not be named, NESV stated that they came to the club with a long-term vision in mind and that they understood that the success the fans so craved, was not likely to happen over night. They espoused the virtues of incremental steps in terms of development on and off the pitch as opposed to a radical overhaul. This sensible leadership in the boardroom can only help foster sustained success on the pitch and their approach will pay dividends if it’s adhered to.
There appears to be a real sense of togetherness under Dalglish at the club and it feels as if a burden has been lifted. The West Ham result, while a setback, does not mean that all of the hard work since Dalglish’s return to the club has been undone; no, the bubble-bursting defeat merely serves to put the result and the club’s current relative standing into some sort of perspective.
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The club finally appears to be heading in the right direction, but a modicum of realism needs to return to the club after the honeymoon period is over. This current Liverpool side is brittle and in need of serious investment. Their deficiencies are clear for all to see, but this change must come over a long period of time, as NESV quite correctly proposed.
Dalglish has done brilliantly so far since his return and he’s helped to create a positive atmosphere at the club, something which has been missing around Anfield for quite some time. But please forgive me for this dose of cynicism, but it may take the club a little more than the return of the King to truly challenge for anything in the near future. Liverpool can finally look forward rather than back for the first time in nearly two years, and the relief has been evident.
However, when it comes to next season, while the playing staff may need addressing in certain areas, the expectations placed upon them do not and fans of the club will be wise not to even consider altering them for the foreseeable future. The mission remains the same and the rebuilding process looks to be back on track under Dalglish, but patience is a virtue as the old adage goes, and it’s a quality Liverpool fans may have to rather reluctantly accommodate over the course of next season.