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Leonardo relishing Milan derby


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Updated Apr 1, 2011 10:32 AM ET
Inter Milan coach Leonardo will have plenty of emotions when he faces former team AC Milan on Saturday for the first time.
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However, the Brazilian insists he does not however, want to be the centre of attention.
"To say that this is my game is an exaggeration," Leonardo said. "It will not be my game because I don't feel as though I have to prove anything.
"I am just happy to live through this experience."
Leonardo spent many years playing for the Rossoneri and coached the team last season before choosing to leave last summer and return to Brazil.
He had a short stay in South America because when Inter decided it was time to sack Rafael Benitez in January, they turned to Leonardo and he did not hesitate to return to Italy.
Since taking over, Leonardo has presided over 12 wins in 15 Serie A games.
"I would not change anything from the past, if I had to do everything again, I would," Leonardo said.
"I will feel emotions because I cannot forget what I have experienced in the past, but I will keep them to myself."
Leonardo does not believe Saturday's derby will be crucial in the title race, but a defeat would leave Inter five points behind their rivals.
"The derby gives you energy," Leonardo said. "But it is worth three points like any other game and hence, it's not crucial.
"There would still be 21 points up for grabs after this game and with Napoli and Udinese flying high in the standings, this match is not crucial for the Scudetto."
Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has a different opinion.
"The derby is more important for Inter than it is for Milan," he said. "We already beat them in our last meeting and a draw could even be enough for us."
AC Milan won the reverse fixture 1-0 with former Inter star Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring the winning goal from the penalty spot.
Ibrahimovic will have to watch from the stands of a sold out Giuseppe Meazza stadium as he completes a two-match ban, meaning the Serie A leaders will be without their leading scorer on Saturday.
"It's a shame that Ibrahimovic cannot take part in the game, as we could've done with his quality," Allegri said.
The good news for the Rossoneri is that Brazilian striker Alexandre Pato has shaken off an ankle injury and will start.
Inter will be without suspended defender Lucio.
 
Pazi: Manyara Stars iandaliwe vizuri Send to a friend Saturday, 02 April 2011 10:17

Sweetbert Lukonge
KIPA wa zamani wa Simba na Taifa Stars, Idd Pazi amelitaka Shirikisho la Soka Tanzania (TFF) kuhakikisha timu ya vijana chini ya miaka 23 (Manyara Stars) ambayo itapambana na Cameroon hivi karibuni inapata maandalizi ya kutosha kabla ya pambano hilo la marudiano litakalofanyika jijini Dar es Salaam.

Akizungumza na Mwananchi jana kwa njia ya simu Pazi alisema maandalizi mazuri kwa vijana hao ndiyo silaha pekee itakayosaidia Manyara Stars kusonga mbele.

"Nimevutiwa sana na uwezo mkubwa ulionyeshwa na vijana wetu wakati wakipambana na Cameroon kuwania nafasi ya kufuzu kushiriki mashindano ya Olimpiki licha ya kupoteza mchezo huo,"alisema Idd Pazi.

"TFF inatakiwa kujipanga na kutafuta mbinu mbalimbali ambazo zitasaidia kuhakikisha timu hiyo inapata maandalizi ya kutosha kabla ya kurudiana na Cameroon," alisema Pazi ambaye kwa sasa yupo nchini Oman akifundisha Soka.

Alisema maandalizi mazuri kwa timu hiyo ndiyo silaha pekee itakayosaidia Manyara Stars kusonga mbele na kufanikiwa kupata nafasi hiyo ambayo inasubiriwa kwa hamu kubwa na Watanzania wengi ambao hupenda kuona vijana wao wakifanya vizuri kimataifa.

Manyara Stars ipo chini ya kocha mzalendo Jamhuri Kihwelu na katika mchezo wake wa kwanza uliofanyika nchini Cameroon ililala kwa mabo 2-1.Manyara Stars ili iweze kusonga mbele inahitaji kufanya vizuri katika mechi yake ya marudiano ambayo itafanyika Aprili 9 jijini Dar es Saalam.
 
Milan derby highlights big Serie A weekend


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Updated Mar 31, 2011 9:06 AM ET
The Milan derby on Saturday could potentially decide which side wins Serie A, and that's not the only big game in Italy this weekend.
Third-place Napoli, which is also still in the title hunt, faces fifth-place Lazio and sixth-place Roma hosts seventh-place Juventus in a matchup of two clubs desperate to get back into the Champions League.


To top it all off, there's also the always heated Sicilian derby between Catania and Palermo.
Still, it's the match at the San Siro that counts the most.
AC Milan holds a two-point lead over Inter Milan but is without suspended striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Boosted by its come-from-behind win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Inter is on a roll and aiming to take the lead from its city rival.
It's a big turnaround from just a few months ago. When Leonardo was hired to replace Rafa Benitez as Inter's manager during the winter break, Inter trailed Milan by 13 points.
"Entering the derby two points behind was one mission, and now we're starting a new mission," Inter midfielder Dejan Stankovic said. "The derby can change an entire season, it gives us a chance to gain back something that was impossible three months ago."
Milan is on a three-match winless streak, having followed its elimination from the Champions League by Tottenham with a draw against Bari and a loss in Palermo.

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"This derby is important but it's not decisive, because afterward there will still be seven matches with 21 points up for grabs," Milan vice president Adriano Galliani said. "Whoever wins will have an advantage - it will be a significant lead if we win, a little less so if Inter does because they would go in front by just one point. But there's also still Napoli and Udinese."
Milan leads the league with 62 points, followed by Inter with 60, Napoli with 59 and Udinese with 56.
As Galliani pointed out, Inter plays its penultimate match at Napoli and Milan finishes the season at Udinese.
"The season is going to be decided at the finish," Galliani said.
Ibrahimovic's ban for punching Bari defender Marco Rossi in the stomach was reduced from three to two matches, but he's still out this weekend, leaving the attack to Brazilian teammates Alexandre Pato and Robinho, plus Italy international Antonio Cassano. Andrea Pirlo is still likely out in midfield due to a right knee injury.
Ibrahimovic scored when Milan beat Inter 1-0 in the season's opening derby in November.
For Leonardo, the derby will mark the first time he coaches against the team he managed last season and played with for five years.
Leonardo will also have to do without a key player, as defender Lucio is ruled out due to accumulated cards. Fellow center back Andrea Ranocchia appears ready to play again after getting released from Italy's training camp with a knee injury, although Cristian Chivu has a calf problem.
While Diego Milito could return from injury and gain a spot on the bench, Inter's attack should once again fall to Samuel Eto'o and Giampaolo Pazzini, who has scored six goals in 10 matches since transferring from Sampdoria in January.
Pazzini also scored three goals with Sampdoria against Milan over the past two years.
Inter midfielder Thiago Motta has also shown he's in form, scoring in Italy's 1-0 win over Slovenia in European Championship qualifying last week.
However, Inter might want to hold some of its players in reserve, with the opening leg of the Champions League quarterfinals against Schalke slated for three days after the derby.
Meanwhile, Lazio coach Edy Reja will also be facing his former squad this weekend.
Reja guided Napoli for five seasons between 2005-09, leading Diego Maradona's former squad back up to Serie A from the third division.
Roma has a had a tumultuous week, dominated by negotiations for the sale of the club to a group of American investors led by Boston executive Thomas DiBenedetto, with the deal expected to be signed by mid-April.
Juventus captain Alessandro Del Piero was being examined for a leg muscle injury that occurred during training Thursday, possibly leaving the Turin club's attack to Alessandro Matri and Luca Toni.
Also this weekend, it's: Brescia vs. Bologna; Cesena vs. Fiorentina; Chievo Verona vs. Sampdoria; Genoa vs. Cagliari; Lecce vs. Udinese; and Parma vs. Bari.
 


Abbiati bemoans Leonardo switch


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Updated Mar 30, 2011 12:16 PM ET
AC Milan keeper Christian Abbiati has expressed his disappointment over Leonardo's decision to coach Inter Milan ahead of this weekend's derby.


The Brazilian will be in the Nerazzurri dug-out for the top-of-the-table clash, a season on from when he was in the opposite camp as AC's manager.
After leaving the current leaders at the end of last season, he made a surprise return to the game as Inter's boss at Christmas, and has sparked a revival of their title challenge.
"The fact that when he left he made us understand that he wouldn't be coaching the following year left me perplexed," Abbiati told Sky Italia.
"I think his passage to Inter has disappointed many Milan fans. Some of my team-mates were also hurt by the decision."
 
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  • Report Abuse turiddhu
    • 3/31/2011 7:29:42 PM
    ive been reading in italian soccer circles about pirlo going for a long time now, his contract expires in about a month and they have not renewed it, means galliani does niot want him back. i'm really dunbfounded for a player of his quality,i doubt if there are five in the whole world of his class. besides players like pirlo and inzaghi always come through in big games for milan.without those two they haven't done too bad but big failures in big games. i would bring both back play them sparingly and extend their careers for a couple of more years. also i wouldn't like it much,but pirlo should retire from national team play.
  • Report Abuse turiddhu
    • 3/31/2011 7:14:32 PM
    i think what abbiati is saying between the lines is that he's not happy with allegri. i can't blame him , allegri has made many mistakes and he's so stubborn that he keeps on making them, he won't stop until he loses the scudetto .it might happen this game.
  • Report Abuse Mannyo
    • 3/31/2011 3:34:22 PM
    milan has to ride off all the old people (gatusso,sidor,,abbiati,etc,pirlo maybe 1 o2 year more) and create a new school and no keep buying old player only by names.Ibra so arrogant and his good time passing most seling him,flmini and boateng they need to play more,they need two good laterals,pipo you most retire this year ,leonardo did good,he get what milan refuses to give him ,he put milan en good level with a bunch of old pleayers tired at the end of the season,but berlusconi dont like him i think,by the way it is final season milan is geting out fo gas INTER is goint to win again and leonardo too.
  • Report Abuse acmilanrox99
    • 3/31/2011 3:32:21 PM
    I just had a little day dream that we got Ganso and Kaka with Ibra leaving! Unfortunately, Ibra will stay and Kaka AND Ganso cannot both come.
  • Report Abuse bargentina
    • 3/31/2011 11:45:41 AM
    Milan get Ibra, Inter get Leo...So far Inter is getting a better return.
  • Report Abuse PMaldini333
    • 3/30/2011 4:32:13 PM
    yes, Pirlo is getting older but he's one of those players who never fully relied on his speed and quickness to become a great player..it's his vision and technical ability that makes him great so he can continue at the very highest level for 4 or 5 more years in my opinion.....a midfield of Pirlo, Flamini, and Boateng would be awesome for Milan. Flamini and Boateng could cover for whatever defensive shortcomings Pirlo has and for his lack of pace....anyway, i don't want to get too far ahead of myself..we have the derby this saturday...i want to focus on that...and YES i am nervous about it but I have a feeling.... 🙂
  • Report Abuse forza_milan
    • 3/30/2011 4:18:38 PM
    I love Kaka but replace Pirlo I dont see it. Kaka is not a defensive player. unless milan changes to a 4-2-1-3 I dont see it happening. passing skills and an eye for the game he has but he commits fouls when he runs back to help defensively
  • Report Abuse acmilanrox99
    • 3/30/2011 3:51:07 PM
    333, Abbiati has been solid this season! But Seedorf MUST retire. He's turning 35 on April 1st!... Anyways I agree, Ancelotti is class. It's surpising that Leonardo would leave after so long at Milan.

    As for Pirlo, I may sound crazy but we've done pretty well without him this season. Granted having him could've made a difference, we can't forget he's getting older. Plus if we sell Pirlo, we'll have a greater incentive to get ANOTHER good, passing midfielder. Getting Kaka back would make me so happy it's unbelievable! That guy deserves to captain Milan one day.
  • Report Abuse PMaldini333
    • 3/30/2011 3:32:33 PM
    I agree rox....Abbiati is doing a fine job...let's remember that Milan have given up the fewest goals in Serie A this year so far. Anyway, should be a good game on Saturday (that's all I'll say at this point)...BTW, did you guys read that Ancelotti says there's no way he would ever go to Inter...gotta respect that...and what's the latest on Pirlo...please tell me that those reports of him moving to Juve next season are just rumors..Milan cannot let him slip away even if we get Kaka back!
  • Report Abuse acmilanrox99
    • 3/30/2011 2:45:09 PM
    Abbiati is a good goalkeeper and I'm happy to have him at Milan. I do think it's a bit dissapointing that Leonardo went to Inter after spending 13 years at Milan.

    Of course Milan is worried, you people act like it's something new! Inter is only 2 points behind us and on better form plus we're without Ibra; quite obviously we are worried. Anyways we'll see how the situation is after the derby.
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Ligi ya wanawake Dar yaendelea Send to a friend Saturday, 02 April 2011 10:14

Salome Millinga
LIGI ya wanawake Mkoa wa Dar es Salaam imeingia katika hatua ya mzunguko wa pili jana baada ya ligi hiyo kusimama kwa wiki moja kuipisha timu ya taifa ya Jamhuri ya Afrika ya Kati iliyokuwa ikifanya mazoezi kwenye Uwanja wa Karume.

Timu ya Mburahati Queens ndiyo inayoongoza ligi hiyo kwa kuwa na pointi 19 ikifuatiwa na Sayari Queens yenye pointi 16, wakati Simba Queens inashikilia nafasi ya tatu ikiwa na pointi 15 na Mlimani Queens inaburuza mkia ikiwa haina pointi.
Katika mechi ya juzi Sayari Queens iliwachapa Simba Queens mabao 4-1, ambapo Simba Queens ndiyo iliyokuwa ya kwanza kupata bao katika dakika ya 4 kupitia mshamburiaji wake Kulwa Juma kutokana na makosa ya walinzi wa Sayari Queens.

Sophia Mwasikili aliifungia Sayari Queens mabao mawili dakika ya 46 na 49 na Fatuma Bahau aliipatia timu yake bao la tatu dakika ya 65 huku Pruteli Chagali akikamilisha idadi ya mabao dakika ya 67.

Akizungumza na Mwananchi kocha wa Simba Queens Antony Mkunja alisema, "timu yangu bado ina nafasi nzuri na sijakata tamaa kutwaa ubingwa wa mkoa kwa sababu muda bado na nitarekebisha makosa yaliyojitokeza."

Kocha huyo aliongeza kuwa,"Tatizo kubwa kwenye ligi hii bado hatujapata wadhamini hivyo timu zinashindwa kujiendesha zenyewe hata kukosa vifaa na kusababisha wachezaji kukata tamaa mapema na kushindwa kufika mbali."

Ligi hiyo iliendelea tena jana kwenye uwanja wa Karume, ambapo ilichezwa mechi moja kati ya Uzuri dhidi ya Tanzanite.
 
Squad sheets: Manchester City v Sunderland



  • guardian.co.uk, Friday 1 April 2011 18.37 BST <li class="history">Article history Both sides have problems with strikers. For City, Roberto Mancini says Carlos Tevez's form has regressed lately, Edin Dzeko is struggling to get in the team and Mario Balotelli has been, well, Mario Balotelli. "His behaviour must improve," Mancini said of a player who seems to have a magnetic attraction to controversy. Sunderland's issue is goals, with only seven different scorers in league, the lowest in the division. They have not scored in the past three games, taking only one point from the last six, although Asamoah Gyan will relish renewing acquaintances with Joleon Lescott after eluding him for Ghana's equaliser against England on Tuesday. Daniel Taylor
    Venue City of Manchester Stadium, Sunday 4pm
    Tickets £39 (0870 062 1894)
    Last season Manchester City 4 Sunderland 3
    Referee Howard Webb
    This season's matches 22 Y69, R2, 3.23 cards per game
    Odds Manchester City 8-15 Sunderland 33-5 Draw 16-5
    Manchester-City-v-Sunderl-001.jpg
    Probable starters in bold, contenders in light. Photograph: Graphic Manchester City

    Subs from Taylor, Vieira, Jô, Dzeko, Wright-Phillips, Milner, A Johnson, Wabara, Razak, Vidal
    Doubtful None
    Injured Boateng (knee, May), Given (shoulder, May), Richards (knee, May), M Johnson (match fitness, unknown)
    Unavailable K Touré (club suspension), Zabaleta (personal reasons)
    Form guide LWDLWD
    Disciplinary record Y62 R5
    Leading scorer Tevez 18
    Sunderland

    Subs from Gordon, Angeleri, Knott, Malbranque, Elmohamady, Zenden, Turner, Riveros, Colback, Campbell, Noble, Cook
    Doubtful Gordon (knee), Bardsley (knee), Turner (knee)
    Injured Richardson (hamstring, 9 Apr), Meyler (knee, May)
    Suspended None
    Unavailable Onuoha (loan terms)
    Form guide LDLLLL
    Disciplinary record Y50 R5
    Leading scorer Gyan 9
    Match pointers

    &#8226; City have won 10 of their 13 Premier League meetings with Sunderland, losing only two, both by a 1-0 scoreline
    &#8226; Sunderland's draw at Arsenal is the only point they have gained in their last six games
    &#8226; Joe Hart has saved 77% of the shots he has faced this season, a better rate than any other keeper in the top flight
    &#8226; Sunderland have the worst shooting accuracy (37%) in the division in 2010-11
    &#8226; City's last nine league games have followed a sequence of DWLDWLDWL and if this continues, this match will end in a draw

 
US group plans to sign Roma deal in next 20 days


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Updated Mar 30, 2011 1:12 PM ET
ROME (AP)

A group of American investors led by Boston executive Thomas DiBenedetto plans to sign a deal to buy three-time Italian champion Roma by mid-April.
DiBenedetto's group is reportedly prepared to pay ?77 million ($109 million) for a 60 percent share of the club. The Unicredit bank, which last year became co-owner of Roma following a debt-for-equity swap with the Sensi family, will retain 40 percent of the club but then sell part of its share to ''strategic Italian investors.''
''The signature for the agreements is scheduled for within the next 20 days,'' a joint statement late Tuesday said after days of extensive negotiations in Rome.
Roma shares on the Milan stock exchange fell sharply Wednesday, down 7.5 percent to close at ?1.11 ($1.56) per share.
The deal, which will apparently be signed in Boston, would make the four-man American group the first foreign majority owners of a Serie A club.
DiBenedetto is one of approximately 13 limited partners in the Boston Red Sox ownership group. The other members of the group planning to buy Roma are Boston Celtics minority owner James Pallotta, Michael Ruane and Richard D'Amore.
Roma has some of the biggest debt among Italian clubs, with the Gazzetta dello Sport estimating its deficit this year at ?40 million ($56 million).
Roma could fall further into debt if it doesn't qualify for next season's Champions League. The team sits sixth in the table, six points short of fourth - with the top four gaining entry to the lucrative competition.
Roma was eliminated from this season's Champions League by Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk this month.
Roma, which last won the Serie A in 2001, has had a tumultuous season, with Vincenzo Montella replacing Claudio Ranieri as coach last month.
However, the club has some of the most dedicated fans in Italy and DiBenedetto has already declared he plans to build a new stadium.
There is also the issue over DiBenedetto's participation in the Fenway Sports Group, which owns Liverpool. UEFA rules prevent ownership of two clubs competing in the same competition and Roma and Liverpool could both qualify for next season's Europa League.
DiBenedetto was greeted by a mass of photographers and reporters when he landed at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport Monday, then entered two days of marathon negotiations. He spent Wednesday touring Rome and meeting various dignitaries.
 
Squad sheets: Newcastle United v Wolverhampton Wanderers



  • guardian.co.uk, Friday 1 April 2011 14.40 BST <li class="history">Article history As an ex-Sunderland manager Mick McCarthy expects a hot reception on Tyneside. Undeterred, he trusts that, despite lacking the injured Kevin Doyle &#8211; a striker integral to Wolves's strategy &#8211; his side can drag Newcastle into relegation waters. Aware Alan Pardew's team have won one of their past 10 games, McCarthy said: "Newcastle have 36 points but, if we beat them they're in it, no question." In contrast, a win would place the hosts, for whom Stephen Ireland should make his debut, within touching distance of safety. "It would put seven points between us," said McCarthy. "That would make catching Newcastle hard." Louise Taylor
    Venue St James Park, Saturday 3pm
    Tickets £25-40 (0844 372 1892)
    Last season n/a
    Referee Mike Dean
    This season's matches 24 Y82, R2, 3.50 cards per game
    Odds Newcastle 10-11 Wolves 16-5 Draw 5-2
    Newcastle-v-Wolves-001.jpg
    Probable starters in bold, contenders in light. Photograph: Graphic Newcastle

    Subs from Krul, S Taylor, Campbell, Perch, Ferguson, Lovenkrands, Ranger, Kuqi, Richardson
    Doubtful Ireland (thigh), José Enrique (hamstring)
    Injured Ben Arfa (leg, Apr 16), Gosling (knee, May), Smith (knee, Aug)
    Suspended R Taylor (last of three), Tioté (first of two)
    Form guide LLDWDD
    Disciplinary record Y62 R2
    Leading scorer Nolan 11
    Wolves

    Subs from Hahnemann, Craddock, Fletcher, Jones, Ward, Hunt, Kightly, Mancienne, Guédioura
    Doubtful None
    Injured Zubar (back, 9 Apr), Edwards (back, 23 Apr), Mouyokolo (knee, 23 Apr), Doyle (knee, May)
    Suspended None
    Form guide WDWDLW
    Disciplinary record Y47 R2
    Leading scorer Ebanks-Blake 6
    Match pointers

    &#8226; All three Premier League meetings between these sides have ended 1-1 with the home team scoring first and the visitors equalising
    &#8226; There were 12 yellow cards in the reverse fixture earlier this season &#8211; more than in any other match
    &#8226; Matt Jarvis has put in the most crosses (290) of any player in the top flight
    &#8226; Leon Best has scored six goals from nine shots on target in the Premier League this season
    &#8226; Wolves have lost only one of their last 12 meeting with Newcastle in all competitions

 
Squad sheets: Stoke City v Chelsea



  • guardian.co.uk, Friday 1 April 2011 16.16 BST <li class="history">Article history Stoke will feel two more wins would guarantee top-flight survival and allow them to concentrate on their FA Cup semi-final, but for Chelsea, a run of wins now will thrust them back into the defence of their league title. This trip feels awkward on paper, but Chelsea have won the past three meetings between the sides 11-0 on aggregate and have not dropped league points to Stoke since 1984. They are expected to prefer Didier Drogba's brawn up front. Fernando Torres's wait for a first Chelsea goal may be prolonged. Dominic Fifield
    Venue Britannia Stadium, Saturday 3pm
    Tickets £35-45 (01782 367599)
    Last season Stoke 1 Chelsea 2
    Referee Peter Walton
    This season's matches 19 Y64, R6, 3.68 cards per game
    Odds Stoke 24-5 Chelsea 8-11 Draw 11-4
    Chelsea-001.jpg
    Probable starters in bold, contenders in light. Photograph: Graphic Stoke

    Subs from Sorensen, Pugh, Faye, Whitehead, Collins, Diao, Wilkinson, Fuller, Shotton, Carew
    Doubtful Carew (back), Sorensen (back)
    Injured Sidibe (achilles, Aug)
    Suspended None
    Form guide WLDLLW
    Disciplinary record Y54 R2
    Leading scorer Huth 6
    Chelsea

    Subs from Turnbull, Hilário, Alex, McEachran, Bosingwa, Ferreira, Mikel, Zhirkov, Torres, Kalou, Benayoun
    Doubtful Alex (match fitness), Benayoun (match fitness)
    Injured None
    Suspended None
    Form guide WWWDLW
    Disciplinary record Y42 R1
    Leading scorers Drogba, Malouda 9
    Match pointers

    &#8226; Didier Drogba has had the most shots on target this campaign (39), but none since Fernando Torres joined Chelsea
    &#8226; Stoke have lost their last eight league meetings with Chelsea, scoring three goals and conceding 21
    &#8226; Chelsea have won the most corners this season (198) and have also conceded the fewest (100)
    &#8226; Stoke are the only club in the top flight to have a defender as their leading scorer in 2010-11
    &#8226; Florent Malouda has scored in his last three league appearances against Stoke

 
Squad sheets: West Bromwich Albion v Liverpool



  • guardian.co.uk, Friday 1 April 2011 15.38 BST <li class="history">Article history Some will see this as Roy Hodgson's chance to get back at his previous employers but the West Brom manager will be more concerned with seeing his side take enough from the game to stay out of the bottom three in a relegation situation which is becoming too tight to call. While Albion have not lost in five matches four of those have been draws and this time nobody is likely to find salvation a point at a time. Kenny Dalglish will want all three today and a repeat of Liverpool's performance at Sunderland should be enough. David Lacey
    Venue The Hawthorns, Saturday 3pm
    Tickets £42 (0871 271 9780)
    Last season n/a
    Referee Martin Atkinson
    This season's matches 21 Y73, R10, 3.95 cards per game
    Odds West Bromwich 11-5 Liverpool 7-5 Draw 9-4
    Liverpool-001.jpg
    Probable starters in bold, contenders in light. Photograph: Graphic West Bromwich

    Subs from Myhill, Jara, Zuiverloon, Fortuné, Cox, Cech, Ibáñez, Barnes, Vela
    Doubtful None
    Injured Dorrans (ankle, 9 Apr), Tamas (unknown)
    Unavailable Tchoyi (personal reasons)
    Suspended None
    Form guide DWDDDL
    Disciplinary record Y44 R6
    Leading scorer Odemwingie 10
    Liverpool

    Subs from Gulacsi, Jones, Hansen, Aurélio, Wilson, Kyrgiakos, Cole, Gerrard, Poulsen, Rodríguez, Jovanovic, Shelvey
    Doubtful Aurélio (adductor), Gerrard (groin), Shelvey (knee)
    Injured Kelly (hamstring, May)
    Suspended None
    Form guide WWLDWW
    Disciplinary record Y48 R2
    Leading scorer Kuyt 8
    Match pointers

    &#8226; Albion have lost all nine of their Premier League meetings with Liverpool without scoring and have not beaten them in any competition since February 1981
    &#8226; Lucas Leiva has made more tackles (125) than any other player in the division
    &#8226; Albion have set a new Premier League record by going 28 games in a row without keeping a clean sheet
    &#8226; Liverpool have played 26 league matches since their last score draw
    &#8226; If Albion draw, they will equal the Premier League record for consecutive draws at home (five)

 
Aquilani open to Anfield return


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Updated Mar 30, 2011 1:13 PM ET
Midfielder Alberto Aquilani is willing to return to Liverpool at the end of the season if Juventus do not want to sign him on a permanent deal.
The 26-year-old is on a season-long loan with Juve, having failed to impress in his first season at Anfield after joining from Roma.

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Juventus do have the option to purchase Aquilani at the end of the current campaign, but if they do not exercise it, he is happy to go back to Anfield.
He told Gazzetta dello Sport: "The future? I'm at Juve, but I don't know what will happen.
"I'm on loan and if I'm not retained I'd go back to Liverpool in the best league in the world. We'll see."
Aquilani has also been linked with a move back to Roma, who are on the verge of being bought out by Thomas Di Benedetto, a partner of the company which owns Liverpool.
Asked if he would go back to the capital club, he said: "It is a delicate question. I would do, but I think it will be difficult.
"As a fan I'm curious to see what happens, especially if they begin to buy players and to revolutionise the team."
 
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  • Report Abuse dutchboy88
    • 3/30/2011 8:07:52 PM
    I would love to see Aquaman back at Anfield, but only if his heart is in it. If not, then I see pool getting 13-15 mil for his xfr away . Bring in Adam,, he seems to be the best option for us at this point and he wants to be there. I see him motivated to keep moving up in quality of team he puts the shirt on for.
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Vita ya wataji wa jadi wa Milan kibarua kigumu kwa Allegri Send to a friend Saturday, 02 April 2011 10:12

ROME, Italia
KOCHA wa AC Milan, Massimiliano Allegri hajawahi kupata wakati mgumu kama itakavyokuwa leo kwenye mchezo dhidi ya mahasimu wao Inter Milan.Kikosi cha Allegri kinashuka dimbani hapo leo (Saa 3:45 Usiku)waliongoza ligi kwa pointi mbili mbele ya mabingwa watetezi huku zikiwa zimebaki mechi nane kabla ya kumalizika kwa msimu.

"Hii ni mechi muhimu kwa maisha yangu," aliimbia jarida la Gazzetta dello Sport."Ni vizuri kuongoza ligi kwa pointi 10, lakini ni bora kuwa kuicheza mechi hii dhidi ya wahasimu tukiwa kwenye hali hii.Kama tukishinda tutakuwa tukiongoza kwa pointi tano."

Mabingwa Inter wapo nafasi ya pili wakiwa mbele kwa pointi moja zaidi ya Napoli na nne zaidi kwa Udinese.

Milan imepata pointi moja tu kati ya mechi mbili walizocheza dhidi ya Inter na kiungo Clarence Seedorf alisema mechi ya leo ndiyo itakayoamua nani atakuwa bingwa Serie A."Saikolojia ndiyo kila kitu na uwezi kusema kingine itakuwa ni uogo," alisema kiungo huyo mkongwe (34). "Hakuna mtu anayetaka kutoka uwanjani akiwa amepoteza mechi hii.

MIAKA SABA
"Ni miaka saba imepita tangu tulipotwaa ubingwa'scudetto' na timu hii haijatwaa taji lolote. Tumepoteza pointi nyingi hivi karibuni, lakini sasa ni muda wa kubadilika na kuonyesha kuwa tunaweza.

"Mambo yote mazuri ya timu hii yataoneka kwenye mechi ya leo usiku," aliongeza Seedorf kuzungumzia mchezo huo utaoshudiwa na mahabiki 80,000 kwenye Uwanja wa San Siro.

Timu ya Seedorf itamkosa mshambuliaji wao Zlatan Ibrahimovic aliyefunga bao kwa mkwaju wa penalti ukiwa ni ushindi wao wa kwanza msimu kwenye mechi hiyo ya mahasimu wa Milan.

Ukiongoza uwepo wa kocha wa zamani wa Milan, Leonardo aliyeiongoza Rossoneri kushika nafasi ya tatu msimu uliopita na sasa yuko Inter kunaongeza radha zaidi ya mchezo huo.Leonardo, aliyechukua nafasi ya Rafa Benitez mwezi Desemba amekuwa na mafanikio makubwa hapo baada ya kuisaidia timu yake hiyo kutoka kuwa pointi 13 nyuma hadi sasa wamebakiza pointi mbili tu.

Kwa upande wa pili, Inter imefanikiwa kutinga robo fainali ya Ligi ya Mabingwa na nusu fainali ya Kombe la
 
Liverpool bado ni bidhaa adimu Send to a friend Saturday, 02 April 2011 10:11

MANCHESTER, England
TIMU ya Liverpool watajiweka kwenye nafasi mgumu ya kupata maktaba manono wa udhamini kama watashindwa kufuzu kwa michuano ya Ulaya msimu huu, alisema mkurugenzi wa ufundi wa klabu hiyo Ian Ayre juzi.

Mabingwa hao mara tano wa Ligi ya Mabingwa, wanaoshikiria rekodi ya kutwaa ubingwa wa ligi ya England mara 18 sawa na Manchester United, wapo kwenye hatari ya kukosa kushiriki kwenye michuano klabu barani humo kama hawatobadilika mwenendo wao wa kusuasua walioanza nao msimu huu.

Wakati klabu mbalimbali zikiwaza kujiongezea kipato kutokana na sheria mpya ya mgawanyo wa mapato iliyopitishwa na UEFA itawalazimu kupigana kwa nguvu ili waweze kucheza Ligi ya Mabingwa au Europa Ligi, lakini Ayre alisema hiyo si suala kwa Liverpool kwa sasa.

"Kama utawekeza katika klabu ya Liverpool, utakuwa ujawekeza kwa msimu huu, wachezaji hawa au matokeo haya," Ayre aliimbia Reuters kwenye mahojiano yake na jarida laSoccerex mjini Manchester.

"Utakuwa umewekeza kwenye taasisi ambayo ni Liverpool FC, iliyodumu kwa zaidi ya miaka 100, moja ya timu zilizokuwa na mafanikio zaidi England na bado inaendelea.

"Moja ya sababu ni kuwa hii ni timu inayopendwa zaidi duniani na mafanikio yetu yatadumu kwa miaka ming. Watu bado wanaamini na uwekezaji bado unaendelea na mapenzi na Liverpool yapo pale pale."
 
Fifa and Uefa suspend Bosnia-Herzegovina from all world football

&#8226; Suspension prompted by three-member presidency
&#8226; Bosnian Serbs oppose change to structure



  • Agencies
  • guardian.co.uk, Friday 1 April 2011 09.36 BST <li class="history">Article history
    Edin-Dzeko-seen-here-in-a-007.jpg
    Bosnia, whose most famous player is the Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, have been suspended from world football. Photograph: Action Images Fifa and Uefa have suspended Bosnia-Herzegovina from world football, because its federation refuses to replace its three-member presidency with a single leader.
    Fifa said it "deeply regretted that this decision had to be taken". Fifa and Uefa officials will meet soon to discuss options "to bring Bosnia back into the football family as soon as possible".
    A joint statement from Fifa and Uefa said: "The NFSBiH general assembly held in Sarajevo on 29 March 2011 did not achieve the necessary quorum of support to adopt the NFSBiH statutes.
    "Consequently, the NFSBiH loses all its membership rights with immediate effect and until further notice. The NFSBiH representative and club teams are no longer entitled to take part in international competitions as of 1 April 2011 and until the aforementioned problem is solved.
    "This also means that, as of 1 April 2011, no NFSBiH official or representative may participate in any international match or event.
    "Fifa and Uefa deeply regret that this decision had to be taken and will meet shortly to discuss the next steps required to try to bring NFSBiH back into the football family as soon as possible."
    An emergency committee could be installed to run the Bosnian federation. Bosnia's federation presidency is shared by a Bosniak, a Croat and a Serb. Bosnian Serbs opposed the single president plan because they fear it could jeopardise their autonomy.
    Bosnia-Herzegovina are currently fourth in Group D of Euro 2012 qualifying but, as it stands, they will not be able to fulfil their next fixture against Romania on 3 June.

 
Celtic overturn part of Neil Lennon's touchline ban from SFA

&#8226; Manager's suspension reduced from eight to five games
&#8226; SFA chief executive admits rules need 'updating'



  • Ewan Murray
  • guardian.co.uk, Friday 1 April 2011 20.16 BST <li class="history">Article history
    Celtic-Manager-Neil-Lenno-007.jpg
    Neil Lennon can return to the dug-out on 9 April after Celtic successfully challenged a ban imposed by the SFA. Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA Celtic have succeeded in their challenge to the Scottish Football Association over a touchline ban imposed on their manager, Neil Lennon.
    The Scottish FA had issued Lennon with a four-game sanction at a period when he was already serving a similar punishment. Celtic successfully argued that there was no specification within association guidelines that the bans should run consecutively rather than concurrently. As a result, Lennon will serve a five rather than eight-game dug-out ban.
    The governing body said: "The Scottish FA has received independent counsel advice on this point and regrettably has been advised that its interpretation of the rule is legally unenforceable. As such, the club have been notified that Lennon can return to the dug-out on 9 April 2011."
    Stewart Regan, the Scottish FA's chief executive, plans to update legislation relating to points such as these. He said: "With regard to the timing of the suspension we must accept that, if our rules cannot be enforced in a court of law, then they cannot be imposed and it is foolish to waste money defending such a point.
    "We acknowledge that our rules do need updating and I have proposed to our board that we commission a complete rewrite of the disciplinary procedures from a legal perspective to address this whole matter."
    In what is the latest chapter of ongoing drama between Celtic &#8211; who had hired a QC to take on their case &#8211; and the SFA, the club replied: "We note the lengthy statement issued today by the SFA in connection with the very straightforward issue of Neil Lennon's suspension running consecutively or concurrently.
    "We are pleased that the SFA has recognised that Celtic's position is absolutely correct.
    "It should not have been necessary for Celtic Football Club to involve our lawyers in this simple matter and we would have much preferred not to have had to do so.
    "But it is vital that the SFA properly applies the rules that it imposes, whatever those happen to be. The SFA cannot operate above the law or its own rules.
    "A full review of the SFA disciplinary procedures is clearly required and we note that the SFA are addressing this matter. We are supportive of this and hope that legal interventions will not be necessary in the future.
    "We will continue to protect the interests of Celtic and fairness and, as a member club, hold the SFA to account if required."

 
Leonardo: Inter has performed better than expected


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Updated Apr 1, 2011 12:12 PM ET
MILAN (AP)

Inter Milan's rise in the Serie A standings has exceeded Leonardo's expectations since he replaced Rafa Benitez as coach at Christmas.
When the Brazilian was appointed to the job, Inter was 13 points behind city rival AC Milan in the Serie A. The club also had finished second to Tottenham in the group stage of the Champions League.
On Saturday, Inter could move into first place if it beats Milan. And on Tuesday, the team meets Schalke in the Champions League quarterfinals after beating Bayern Munich in the round of 16.
''At the time it seemed difficult; to get here and in the way we have,'' Leonardo said Friday. ''To be second in the league and then have the quarterfinal of the Champions League a few days afterward, a lot of things came together.
''A derby is always decided by small details. First off we had to get to second in the table and now it has become a massively important game.''
This time last season Leonardo was in the opposite dugout, where he endured 4-0 and 2-0 losses to Inter in his one season in charge of Milan.
He spent six years at Milan as a player before becoming one of the club's technical directors.
''I think it has been exaggerated about me coming back here as coach of the other team,'' Leonardo said. ''There's a lot of players with connections to both teams and everyone knows about my relationship with the other club. I respect the club and the way they play football.
''I think they are two teams that want to attack and play good football. Both teams have a certain style and of course it is a derby and both teams will want to win it.''
Milan is without former Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is serving a one-match ban for punching Bari defender Marco Rossi.
''He (Ibrahimovic) is a great player and anyone would miss him,'' Leonardo said. ''He is very important for Milan, but whichever strikers Milan puts on the pitch, they will be able to play at the level asked of by Milan.''
Milan coach Massimo Allegri will have three fit strikers - Italy international Antonio Cassano and Brazil teammates Alexandre Pato and Robinho.
Milan is on a three-match winless streak, having followed its elimination from the Champions League by Tottenham with a draw against Bari and a loss in Palermo.
''We have taken one point from two games, but the great thing about football is that everything can change,'' Allegri said. ''We have been in the lead for 21 matches and knew well that we can't win the championship a month out.
''Tomorrow we just need to concentrate on getting a result. It is a massively important match, but more so for Inter than us.''
Along with Ibrahimovic, Milan is without midfielders Andrea Pirlo and Massimo Ambrosini, and defender Daniele Bonera, but Allegri hopes the possibility of opening a five-point lead will inspire his team to snap its winless run.
''Milan will be top until the final whistle,'' Allegri said. ''If we win we will lead by five points with seven games remaining. That wouldn't be bad, but it is true that we have only taken one point in two games.''
 
Fulham fans cry foul over 'bizarre' Michael Jackson statue

Al Fayed's tribute to the pop star &#8211; who has no links to the club &#8211; causes disquiet ahead of Sunday's unveiling at Craven Cottage




  • Barney Ronay
  • guardian.co.uk, Friday 1 April 2011 18.36 BST <li class="history">Article history
    Michael-Jackson-and-Moham-007.jpg
    Mohamed Al Fayed invited Michael Jackson to watch a Fulham home game in 1999. Photograph: Michael Craig/LFI It may be approaching the two-year anniversary of his death from cardiac arrest in Los Angeles, but as of this weekend there will be a corner of suburban south-west London that is forever Michael Jackson. On Saturday, to a chorus of outrage from supporters and disquiet even from Jackson loyalists, a six-foot high golden statue of the King of Pop will be unveiled at Fulham football club, creating an incongruous permanent shrine to a pop culture icon of the 80s and 90s.
    The statue is at the behest of the Fulham chairman and owner Mohamed Al Fayed, a close friend of the singer. "Michael Jackson was truly a legend, a term used too often in this modern world," Fayed told Fulham's website, when news emerged of the unveiling. "I hope that Fulham fans will appreciate seeing the finest performer in the world in and among them."
    Football clubs have their own loyalties, however, and the unveiling of the statue &#8211; which depicts Jackson draped in ammunition belts and wearing what has been described as "his underpants outside his trousers" &#8211; has caused disquiet. Hundreds of supporters have signed a petition in protest at the club honouring "a controversial American pop star, who has no links to Fulham Football Club &#8230; causing heated debate and much unrest". A demonstration is being planned to mark the unveiling tomorrow before the home match against Blackpool.
    "Why? Why us? Fulham football fans do not want a statue of Michael Jackson," said Fulham supporter Lee Robinson. "It's completely mad. He's got nothing to do with us. To be honest, he's the last person you'd want there."
    From the outside there is little to connect the two. On one hand, the most commercially prolific recording artist of the modern era, a man who almost single-handedly popularised the moonwalk. On the other, London's sleepiest Premier League football club, whose starriest encounters have tended to be the odd appearance in the stands by Hugh Grant. Indeed, this is something of a marriage of convenience: Fayed originally planned to erect the statue outside Harrods, which he sold to the Qatari royal family for £1.5bn shortly after commissioning it.
    "The whole thing is bizarre," said David Lloyd, editor of the club fanzine, There's Only One F in Fulham. "If I was asked: did I want it? I would say no. But we've got a chairman who has done so much for us if he wants a Michael Jackson statue, so be it. What we don't want is the ridicule that will come with it."
    Jackson's effigy will not be alone. Fulham's stadium, Craven Cottage, already plays host to a tribute to the club's greatest player, the legendary 1960s midfielder Johnny Haynes. For some, the confluence of the two has added to the affront. As Fulham supporter Andrew Lawford said: "I'm not sure fans will delight in the contrast of Johnny Haynes, Fulham legend, a man of standing and dignity who inspired generations of young supporters, and Michael Jackson."
    The Haynes statue was a supporter-funded effort, erected in 2008 with planning permission from Hammersmith and Fulham council. By contrast, the council's planning department said the Jackson statue had been "discussed" and was deemed not to require permission, despite the fact that Craven Cottage is a Grade I-listed building. "It's not a black and white issue," said the council's duty planning officer, echoing one of Jackson's most memorable lyrics.
    With the unveiling imminent, even Jackson's famously devout fans seem disquieted. "I think what Mr Al Fayed wants to do is a great thing and really nice," said Matt Blank, spokesman for Michael Jackson World Network, an online fan group. "It's lovely for Michael Jackson fans over the world to have a statue in such a public place. But I understand the anger of the football fans too. I think there are lots of locations in London that would be more fitting to the legacy Michael left behind."
    A group identifying itself as The United Michael Jackson Fans of the World has posted a counter-petition calling for the statue's relocation, noting "as has been clearly demonstrated by the awful comments on the club's website, FFC is no place for Michael to reside and certainly no safe place for MJ fans to visit him".
    In Fayed's defence, Jackson did at least visit the club once, attending a home game against Wigan as Fayed's guest in 1999. Lloyd was there to witness Jackson's pre-match lap of the pitch. "I thought he was an impersonator so I didn't take much notice."
    Jackson has also appeared as an effigy in London once before. In 1995 a gold statue of the singer was floated down the Thames by his record company to mark the release of the album HIStory.

 
Fulham fans cry foul over 'bizarre' Michael Jackson statue

Al Fayed's tribute to the pop star – who has no links to the club – causes disquiet ahead of Sunday's unveiling at Craven Cottage



  • Barney Ronay
  • guardian.co.uk, Friday 1 April 2011 18.36 BST <li class="history">Article history
    Michael-Jackson-and-Moham-007.jpg
    Mohamed Al Fayed invited Michael Jackson to watch a Fulham home game in 1999. Photograph: Michael Craig/LFI It may be approaching the two-year anniversary of his death from cardiac arrest in Los Angeles, but as of this weekend there will be a corner of suburban south-west London that is forever Michael Jackson. On Saturday, to a chorus of outrage from supporters and disquiet even from Jackson loyalists, a six-foot high golden statue of the King of Pop will be unveiled at Fulham football club, creating an incongruous permanent shrine to a pop culture icon of the 80s and 90s.
    The statue is at the behest of the Fulham chairman and owner Mohamed Al Fayed, a close friend of the singer. "Michael Jackson was truly a legend, a term used too often in this modern world," Fayed told Fulham's website, when news emerged of the unveiling. "I hope that Fulham fans will appreciate seeing the finest performer in the world in and among them."
    Football clubs have their own loyalties, however, and the unveiling of the statue – which depicts Jackson draped in ammunition belts and wearing what has been described as "his underpants outside his trousers" – has caused disquiet. Hundreds of supporters have signed a petition in protest at the club honouring "a controversial American pop star, who has no links to Fulham Football Club … causing heated debate and much unrest". A demonstration is being planned to mark the unveiling tomorrow before the home match against Blackpool.
    "Why? Why us? Fulham football fans do not want a statue of Michael Jackson," said Fulham supporter Lee Robinson. "It's completely mad. He's got nothing to do with us. To be honest, he's the last person you'd want there."
    From the outside there is little to connect the two. On one hand, the most commercially prolific recording artist of the modern era, a man who almost single-handedly popularised the moonwalk. On the other, London's sleepiest Premier League football club, whose starriest encounters have tended to be the odd appearance in the stands by Hugh Grant. Indeed, this is something of a marriage of convenience: Fayed originally planned to erect the statue outside Harrods, which he sold to the Qatari royal family for £1.5bn shortly after commissioning it.
    "The whole thing is bizarre," said David Lloyd, editor of the club fanzine, There's Only One F in Fulham. "If I was asked: did I want it? I would say no. But we've got a chairman who has done so much for us if he wants a Michael Jackson statue, so be it. What we don't want is the ridicule that will come with it."
    Jackson's effigy will not be alone. Fulham's stadium, Craven Cottage, already plays host to a tribute to the club's greatest player, the legendary 1960s midfielder Johnny Haynes. For some, the confluence of the two has added to the affront. As Fulham supporter Andrew Lawford said: "I'm not sure fans will delight in the contrast of Johnny Haynes, Fulham legend, a man of standing and dignity who inspired generations of young supporters, and Michael Jackson."
    The Haynes statue was a supporter-funded effort, erected in 2008 with planning permission from Hammersmith and Fulham council. By contrast, the council's planning department said the Jackson statue had been "discussed" and was deemed not to require permission, despite the fact that Craven Cottage is a Grade I-listed building. "It's not a black and white issue," said the council's duty planning officer, echoing one of Jackson's most memorable lyrics.
    With the unveiling imminent, even Jackson's famously devout fans seem disquieted. "I think what Mr Al Fayed wants to do is a great thing and really nice," said Matt Blank, spokesman for Michael Jackson World Network, an online fan group. "It's lovely for Michael Jackson fans over the world to have a statue in such a public place. But I understand the anger of the football fans too. I think there are lots of locations in London that would be more fitting to the legacy Michael left behind."
    A group identifying itself as The United Michael Jackson Fans of the World has posted a counter-petition calling for the statue's relocation, noting "as has been clearly demonstrated by the awful comments on the club's website, FFC is no place for Michael to reside and certainly no safe place for MJ fans to visit him".
    In Fayed's defence, Jackson did at least visit the club once, attending a home game against Wigan as Fayed's guest in 1999. Lloyd was there to witness Jackson's pre-match lap of the pitch. "I thought he was an impersonator so I didn't take much notice."
    Jackson has also appeared as an effigy in London once before. In 1995 a gold statue of the singer was floated down the Thames by his record company to mark the release of the album HIStory.
 
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