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Guardiola to go on the attack


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Updated Apr 10, 2011 7:06 AM ET
Pep Guardiola says Barcelona will attack in next weekend's Clasico against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, despite their big lead in La Liga.
Madrid thrashed Athletic Bilbao 3-0 at San Mames on Saturday evening and Barca came from behind to beat Almeria 3-1 at home straight afterwards, meaning Guardiola's side still lead by eight points at the top of the table ahead of the Clasico.

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"Let's not be mistaken - we won't go to the Bernabeu to sit back," Guardiola said.
"We have the opportunity to strike a decisive blow in this league because obviously if we lose, they will be five points behind with six games left."
Guardiola is concerned that, psychologically, his players may go out in the belief that a point in Madrid is enough, and hopes to convince them that a win is needed.
"The feeling I have is that I have to convince the players (of the need) to win the match, and reject this idea that if we don't lose, everything is fine," he said.
"We have to try and dominate and we have to try and score goals."
Since taking over as coach at Barca, Guardiola has led the Catalans to five straight Clasico wins, including a famous 6-2 success at the Santiago Bernabeu in his first season in charge and a 5-0 drubbing of Jose Mourinho's side at the Nou Camp earlier on in the current campaign.
Next weekend's Clasico is the second meeting between the two teams this term, but will be followed four days later by a third, when Barca and Madrid face off in the final of the Copa del Rey at Mestalla.
Two more meetings in the Champions League semi-finals also look likely after both Barca and Real built up big first leg leads over Shakhtar Donetsk and Tottenham respectively in the their quarter-final ties last week.
Madrid beat Spurs 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu and Barca thrashed Shakhtar 5-1 at the Nou Camp, but both sides must finish the job away from home before they meet in the Primera Division at the weekend.
Barcelona travel to Ukraine to face Shakhtar on Monday.
"We will have to play a very good game defensively and combine well so we don't suffer," Guardiola said.
"And we will have to make sure we control the game emotionally."
Defenders Eric Abidal and Carles Puyol remain sidelined and are set to miss that match, along with striker Bojan Krkic, who suffered a cruciate ligament injury in the win over Almeria on Saturday and will be out for the rest of the season.
But Victor Valdes and Sergio Busquets return after missing the Almeria game through suspension.
Javier Mascherano is also available, but the Argentina midfielder will be banned for next weekend's Clasico after picking up a fifth league booking of the season against Almeria.
 
Carroll: Nataka bao kwa Liverpool Send to a friend Saturday, 09 April 2011 09:44

LIVERPOOL, England
MSHAMBAULIAJI Andy Carroll amekiri kuwa kwa sasa yuko fiti baada ya kucheza mechi kwa timu ya taifa ya England na Liverpool.

Mshambuliaji huyo aliyekuwa majeruhi tangu akiwa Newcastle kabla ya kuhamia Anfield mwezi Januari ni mwezi uliopita tu ndio ameweza kurejea uwanjani rasmi baada ya miezi miwili.

"Najisikia nipo fiti kabisa," alisema mshambuliaji huyo wa Liverpool aliyesajiliwa kwa pauni 35milioni."Nafanya mazoezi ya ziada natumia muda mwingi kwenye gym ili kuwa fiti kabisa.î

Nyota huyo wa zamani wa Newcastle ameonyesha furaha yake kwa bao alilofunga kwa England ikiwa ni mechi yake ya pili na sasa anataka kuifungia Liverpool."Najisikia furaha kufunga tena kwa England baada ya kuwa majeruhi kwa muda mrefu.

"Sasa kinachosubiliwa ni goli kwa Liverpool. Itakuwa ni jambo zuri kwa sababu mashabiki wamekuwa nyuma yangu kwa muda wote bila kufunga bao lolote, hivyo kwa sasa sitakiwi kusubili kwa muda mrefu zaidi kabla ya kuwafurahisha.
 
Kaka brace boosts confidence


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Updated Apr 10, 2011 8:25 AM ET
Kaka believes his two goals in the 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao will do wonders for his confidence as he seeks silence his Real Madrid critics.
The Brazil international has been sidelined for significant parts of the campaign due to injuries and last night's game at Athletic was his first start since February and only his 13th appearance in all competitions this term.

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It was to prove a good night for the £56million man and Madrid though, with Kaka scoring his side's first two goals from the penalty spot before substitute Cristiano Ronaldo added a third midway through the second half to complete the win.
Kaka, the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year, said: "Those two goals are good for my self-confidence, they are very important goals.
"I understand the fans (criticism towards him). I hope that with time and with important games I can win over the supporters again. I only ask they give me time.
"I need to work hard to enjoy football again. The only problem was with my knee, which limited me from playing all out. I have to work hard in this final stretch of the season. I hope to have fun playing football.
"I feel like I owe it to Real Madrid and the fact that I haven't fulfilled expectations bothers me," added the 28-year-old, who also dismissed suggestions he was looking to leave the Spanish giants and insisted he has no problems with coach Jose Mourinho.
"I know what the truth is about my injury. Some have taken advantage of my absence to say I want to go and that's not true. I want to triumph at Madrid," he added in AS.
"My relationship with the coach (Mourinho) is very good. People are saying many things that are not true, but I have no problem with him whatsoever and I'm grateful to him for everything he has done to help me. He's a great coach and he is helping me grow as a footballer."
Madrid's win over Athletic was hugely impressive considering Mourinho made seven changes to the side that started Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg win over Tottenham and rested many of his first-choice stars.
However, it was not enough to cut into Barcelona's eight-point lead heading into next week's mouth-watering showdown between the two at the Bernabeu as the league leaders defeated rock-bottom Almeria later in the evening.
With only seven games left, Barca are overwhelming favourites to retain their league title, but Kaka believes his side can still claim the treble this season.
Aside from the league, Madrid will also meet Barca in the final of the Copa del Rey and the Spanish superpowers look set to clash in the semi-finals of the Champions League as well with both clubs holding big advantages in their respective quarter-final ties.
Kaka added: "Madrid can defeat Barcelona, they are not unbeatable. We have to believe we can win La Liga, the Copa and the Champions League, but first we need to focus on Tottenham."
 
Spanish La Liga Roundup, Apr. 9


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Updated Apr 9, 2011 6:05 PM ET
Lionel Messi scored twice as Barcelona rallied for a 3-1 win over last-place Almeria on Saturday in the Spanish league to maintain its eight-point advantage over second-place Real Madrid, which beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0.
Almeria took the lead in the 50th when Miguel "Corona" Garcia scored on a counterattack, but Messi equalized from the penalty spot three minutes later and in the 64th served a corner kick for Thiago Alcantara to head in.
Messi added his league-best 29th goal- one more than Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo- in injury time.
At San Mames stadium, Madrid winger Angel Di Maria earned two spot kicks that Kaka converted in the 14th and 54th.

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Ronaldo came on as a second-half substitute, and capped the win in the 70th on a counterattack.
"Madrid is going to fight for the league to the very end, until it is not mathematically possible, because that's the way we have been taught," said Madrid captain Iker Casillas.
After Madrid hosts Barcelona next Saturday in La Liga, the pair meet in the Copa del Rey final four days later. And with both holding commanding leads heading into the second legs of their respective Champions League quarterfinal, they are likely to meet twice more in the semis.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said that next weekend's "clasico" match "is an opportunity to decide the league."
"If we lose they will be within five points with six games to play. We have to play in Madrid like we did last year or two years go," he said, referring to the historic 6-2 win in the 2008-09 season.
Guardiola put Bojan Krkic, Thiago and Gabi Milito in the starting lineup to rest some players for Tuesday's Champions League match at Shakhtar Donetsk in the Ukraine.
The Catalan club owned 85 percent of the possession in the first 10 minutes at Camp Nou stadium, but was sluggish in attack.
David Villa made an early entrance for the injured Bojan at the half-hour mark, and Barcelona began to push Almeria deep into its area as its short passing game began to click.
Messi soon tore through the defense before laying off for Maxwell, who misfired, and the Argentina star drew a pair of saves from goalkeeper Diego Alves before the halftime whistle.
"Messi was very incisive and dynamic, beyond the goals," Guardiola said.
Villa hit the post three minutes before Almeria forward Pablo Piatti set up Corona to beat goalkeeper Jose Pinto.
But Almeria coach Roberto Olabe's hopes of an upset in his debut soon faded when Villa was fouled in the area by Alves and Messi converted the penalty.
Villa drew a diving save from Alves, and Pedro sent the rebound into the side of the net as the hosts pressed for the lead that soon arrived through Thiago's header.
Messi then took advantage of an error by Almeria defender Marcelo Silva to chip Alves two minutes into injury time.
The double brought the two-time FIFA player of the year's season total to 47 goals, matching a club record shared by himself from last season and Ronaldo from 1996-97.
"In the second half we converted the chances we couldn't in the first half," said Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano, who will miss next week's "clasico" after collecting his fifth yellow card.
Barcelona has now beaten Almeria four times this season by a combined score of 19-1 between the league and the Copa del Rey, including an 8-0 rout.
Madrid coach Jose Mourinho experimented with his starting 11 by moving Pepe up into midfield to make way for a rare appearance by Argentine Ezequiel Garay in the center of defense, as Madrid easily shook off last week's home loss to Sporting Gijon by dominating throughout.
Di Maria flashed a shot past the far post 10 minutes before he raced unmarked into the area and was cut down by Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz, and Kaka perfectly placed his shot into the lower left corner of the net.
Gonzalo Higuain had a pair of excellent opportunities to double Madrid's advantage in his first start since returning from injury. But the striker lacked the precision to beat Iraizoz one-on-one in the 26th, and two minutes later missed an empty net with a long-range strike.
The visitors soon made it 2-0 when Di Maria dribbled into the area and was pulled down by Bilbao defender Xavier Castillo. Kaka sent the penalty down the middle after Iraizoz dove early to one side.
Kaka, who has struggled with injuries all season, said the goals are "important for (my) self-confidence."
Madrid took complete control and Ronaldo, who came on for Higuain in the 62nd, silenced the crowd for good when he got behind the defense, cut back and beat Iraizoz with a right-footer.
Elsewhere, Japanese midfielder Akihiro Ienaga scored his first goal for Mallorca, but Sevilla rallied twice to draw 2-2.
On Sunday, it's: Valencia vs. Villarreal, Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad, Sporting Gijon vs. Osasuna, Hercules vs. Espanyol, Racing Santander vs. Levante, and Malaga vs. Deportivo La Coruna.
Zaragoza hosts Getafe on Monday.
 
United can win Treble - Hughes


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Updated Apr 10, 2011 8:15 AM ET
09/04/2011 21:01 +0100

First-half goals from Dimitar Berbatov and Antonio Valencia ensured United were never seriously threatened. Victory took them 10 points clear in the Premier League ahead of a crucial week that includes Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final return with Chelsea and next weekend's eagerly-anticipated FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City. And whilst Hughes accepts United still have plenty of work ahead of them to emulate the heroes of 1999, he knows it can be done. "They could win everything," said the Fulham manager. "They are ticking games off and when you get to this stage of the season, they have been here, understand what needs to happen and what it takes. "It is a big ask. Sir Alex would say himself it is very difficult to do. "But trust me, it is something they will try and achieve. Good luck to them." If all goes to plan, United's season still has 12 games to go and will reach its conclusion in the Champions League final at Wembley on May 28. However, their hard-to-please manager will demand far more than he saw on Saturday afternoon. To most observers, it seemed like the perfect afternoon ahead of two such significant tests. For Ferguson it was a disappointment. "It was a result but I wouldn't say it was a job well done at all," he said. "We were a bit casual and lackadaisical. "In the first half we played some very good football and could have scored a couple more. But we became wasteful with our possession in the second and might have suffered for that." It seemed a churlish response to his team opening up such a formidable lead on Arsenal, who play one of their two games in hand at Blackpool on Sunday. However, Ferguson has not won so many honours by settling for second best, or avoiding big decisions, which is why Berbatov can expect to be back on the bench in midweek despite bagging his 22nd goal of the season. "That was a great goal," said Ferguson, who made eight changes in total, although he denied he had taken Fulham lightly. "You trust the squad. It wasn't a risk when you know the players. I picked the right team." Ferguson has already confirmed Valencia will start on Tuesday. The Ecuador star has stepped superbly back into the heat of combat after spending six months on the sidelines with a major knee injury. He nodded home the loose ball after Aaron Hughes had cleared Nani's goalbound shot, his first goal since August's Community Shield. "Valencia is a marvellous footballer," said Ferguson. "We chose the right time to take him off and get him fresh for Tuesday. He will have an important role to play then." It was the brightest part of Ferguson's afternoon given his well-fancied horse, What A Friend, failed to complete the Grand National at Aintree. "Apparently What a Friend was lying seventh three fences out," said the Scot. "But he came home tired."
 
Barca labour past Almeria, Real keep up chase




  • Reuters, Saturday April 9 2011 * Barca come from behind to beat Almeria 3-1
    * Kaka scores two penalties as Real win 3-0 in Bilbao
    * Sevilla held 2-2 at Real Mallorca (Adds Sevilla draw)
    By Mark Elkington
    MADRID, April 9 (Reuters) - Lionel Messi ensured Barcelona maintained their eight-point lead over Real Madrid ahead of next weekend's Clasico, scoring twice as the leaders came back to beat basement side Almeria 3-1 in La Liga on Saturday.
    The World Player of the Year equalised with a penalty and settled the match in the last minute with his 29th league goal of the campaign, after Thiago Alcantara had put Barca 2-1 up in a nervous display at the Nou Camp.
    Real had put them under pressure by easing through a match that had been expected to be far tougher, when Kaka scored two penalties and set up Cristiano Ronaldo for a third at sixth-placed Bilbao.
    Leaders Barca moved on to 84 points with seven games left to play. Sevilla climbed to fifth with 46, one ahead of Bilbao, after Ivan Rakitic scored a 68th-minute equaliser for a 2-2 draw at Real Mallorca.
    "Madrid are going to fight for this league until the end, until it is mathematically impossible because this is the way we have been educated," Real captain Iker Casillas told reporters.
    Both sides rested players ahead of their Champions League quarter-final second legs next week, when Barca visit Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday with a 5-1 advantage and Real travel to play Tottenham Hotspur with a 4-0 lead.
    On top of that, Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola will have been preparing for the first of four possible meetings between the Spanish giants in 18 days starting with next Saturday's league encounter.
    Four days later, they have the King's Cup final in Valencia and they look likely to meet again in the two-legged Champions League semi-finals.

    BARCA STRUGGLE
    Barca struggled to create clear openings against a side they hammered 8-0 earlier in the season, despite their almost complete domination of possession.
    They were caught out after 50 minutes when Almeria broke and Corona beat Juan Manuel Pinto in a one-on-one to silence the Nou Camp, but Barca quickly levelled.
    David Villa, who came on for the injured Bojan Krkic in the first half, was brought down by the slightest of touches from goalkeeper Diego Alves as he raced into the area, and Messi netted from the spot.
    Thiago headed in from a corner after 64 minutes and with Guardiola nervously prowling the touchline the tireless Messi pounced on an error to settle the match with almost the last kick.
    "It was difficult because at this stage of the championship everyone is fighting for something," Barca midfielder Javier Mascherano told Spanish television.
    "Almeria are fighting for survival, but we remained calm and quickly equalised after their goal. The important thing is to keep winning games and to keep our pursuers eight points behind us."

    KAKA IMPRESSIVE
    Real fielded an unfamiliar looking side at San Mames with the likes of Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil, Xabi Alonso and Ricardo Carvalho on the bench and Pepe playing in midfield.
    "You could have had doubts seeing the starting XI but you can see Madrid has a good squad," Aitor Karanka two told a news conference as Mourinho once again left his number two to face the media.
    "Pepe played a great game in midfield and Kaka was really impressive."
    Bilbao mounted a typical aerial bombardment of the visitors' area but for all their pressure they created few chances and left themselves vulnerable to counter-attacks.
    One such break led to goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz upending Argentina winger Angel Di Maria in the area, and Kaka slotted away from the spot in the 14th minute.
    Di Maria went down easily for a penalty after 54 minutes and Kaka outwitted Iraizoz again from the spot, before releasing substitute Ronaldo with a ball over the top.
    The Portuguese cut back inside his marker with style to end local hopes of a comeback in the 70th minute, bagging his 28th league goal of the season.
    (Editing by Ed Osmond. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

 
Los Angeles fires dig at Mohamed Al Fayed and Michael Jackson statue

The LA Times criticises Fulham's 'lunatic' owner over 'the ugliest statue in Britain' at Craven Cottage


  • Giles Richards
  • The Observer, Sunday 10 April 2011 <li class="history">Article history
    Michael-Jackson.-Fulham.--007.jpg
    Mohamed Al Fayed poses in front of the statue of Michael Jackson at Fulham's Craven Cottage. Photograph: Str/EPA

    Go to hell. Or go to Chelsea. The stark choice posited by the Fulham owner, Mohamed Al Fayed, to detractors of his Michael Jackson statue, unveiled last week. But before this fairly large demographic ("the ugliest statue in Britain" said almost 70% in a Guardian poll) takes the easy option and joins the Evil One for an eternity of suffering, it turns out that there is another potential destination: Los Angeles.
    La la land, somewhat inexplicably, seems to have taken against Fayed's folly more enthusiastically than domestic fans weighing-up Drogba or Dante. Reporting on the proposed statue in March, the LA Times set a tone it was to develop with gusto: "One wonders what Fulham soccer greats of the past &#8211; Johnny Haynes, for instance &#8211; would make of all this fuss. Well, at least the pigeons will appreciate it." A gentle dig, written before the city of angels had a look at the actual piece. 'Statue outside Fulham soccer stadium even more appalling than feared,' read the first banner in reference to what the article called "the thing" that was "grotesque" and "up there with the worst of London's many visual atrocities".
    A little harsh for admirers of St Paul's, but it turned out to be only the opening salvo: 'Statue is an affront to decency and an insult to fans', read the next headline. "I thought we had some crazy sports owners here", the piece continued, "but not one of them would have been so unaware and obtuse as to erect a giant statue of a man accused multiple times of child molestation." It then asked: "What's next? A huge bas-relief of Gary Glitter on the walls of Craven Cottage?"
    Yet the humorous tone soon turned mournful: "Things looked rosy for the Cottagers heading into this season ... That is gone now. The grim realization that their club is owned by a raving lunatic with piles of cash is unavoidable. Oh, I almost forgot. If you aren't into Fayed's pederast on a pedestal, he has a personal message for you: Go f*&$ yourselves." Which surely means hell. Or Chelsea.
    Spain: Gillette plays rough by shaving Kaká from books

    Tough times economically for sports stars, with Spain's El Economista pointing out that Gillette has dropped Tiger Woods, Thierry Henry, Rafa Márquez, Kaká and Lionel Messi from their books as brand representatives (surplus to requirements, with the exception of Messi, who is too expensive for requirements). This budgetary shave occurred back in December but is being revisited because of a splendid Kaká conspiracy theory.
    Well-known for his baby face and clean good looks, says Economista, Kaká appeared at Real Madrid's game with Spurs sporting noticeable facial fur, but why? Gillette, it suggests, had been interested in a sponsorship deal and, far from the player merely forgetting to shave or angling for that bad-boy look, he had got wind and was offering his very own "before" to encourage Gillette to stump up the necessary to make a clean-and-smooth "after". A deal that Economista says could be worth $1m (£610,000) &#8211; making Kaká's stubble the most expensive in sport.
    NBA's James gets down to business with Liverpool

    Another busy week for LeBron James began with his widely reported buying into Liverpool, via the Boston Red Sox's owners. "The first time I stepped on an NBA court I became a businessman," James told the Wall Street Journal. "This is a great opportunity for me." It was viewed less favourably by Red Sox fans, who lost their first six games of the season, with the Boston Globe asking sarcastically: "What a week for Red Sox fans. They may be 0-6 at the end of the day, but their owners have made a deal with arguably the most hated man in all of sports. What is there to complain about?"
    Next, his new cartoon, The LeBrons, made its debut on YouTube. An expanded version of some Nike ads, it features four LeBrons &#8211; each representing part of his character: "Kid", "Athlete", "Wise" and "Business". James's intention is to inspire kids and raise awareness in life lessons, but for Liverpool fans it may just mean a new product at Anfield as Business explained he was "strategising about making my own line of cologne: like Diddy and Fiddy".
    But the week ended on a down note for James, as his mother was arrested for "battery" and "intoxication", reports the Miami Herald. Police said: "A hotel valet worker claimed he was assaulted by Ms James, who was angered because her car was taking too long to be delivered." The valet, Rockfeller Sorel, was treated for injuries to his swollen face &#8211; "It's really, really big," said his brother.
    Iceman's return makes Camping Trucks hot news

    The former Formula One world champion Kimi Raikkonen is to race in the Nascar Camping World Truck Series, reports Helsingin Sanomat. How the series &#8211; a sort of Formula-pick-up-truck on ovals, which lacks only deer on the track, moonshine and the Dukes of Hazzard's Boss Hog to be perfect &#8211; will make of a driver nicknamed The Iceman is anyone's guess, but it has attracted attention. The publicly unemotional Raikkonen is to be sponsored by the in your face beef-and-energy-drink combo, Perky Jerky.

 
Los Angeles fires dig at Mohamed Al Fayed and Michael Jackson statue

The LA Times criticises Fulham's 'lunatic' owner over 'the ugliest statue in Britain' at Craven Cottage


  • Giles Richards
  • The Observer, Sunday 10 April 2011 <li class="history">Article history
    Michael-Jackson.-Fulham.--007.jpg
    Mohamed Al Fayed poses in front of the statue of Michael Jackson at Fulham's Craven Cottage. Photograph: Str/EPA

    Go to hell. Or go to Chelsea. The stark choice posited by the Fulham owner, Mohamed Al Fayed, to detractors of his Michael Jackson statue, unveiled last week. But before this fairly large demographic ("the ugliest statue in Britain" said almost 70% in a Guardian poll) takes the easy option and joins the Evil One for an eternity of suffering, it turns out that there is another potential destination: Los Angeles.
    La la land, somewhat inexplicably, seems to have taken against Fayed's folly more enthusiastically than domestic fans weighing-up Drogba or Dante. Reporting on the proposed statue in March, the LA Times set a tone it was to develop with gusto: "One wonders what Fulham soccer greats of the past – Johnny Haynes, for instance – would make of all this fuss. Well, at least the pigeons will appreciate it." A gentle dig, written before the city of angels had a look at the actual piece. 'Statue outside Fulham soccer stadium even more appalling than feared,' read the first banner in reference to what the article called "the thing" that was "grotesque" and "up there with the worst of London's many visual atrocities".
    A little harsh for admirers of St Paul's, but it turned out to be only the opening salvo: 'Statue is an affront to decency and an insult to fans', read the next headline. "I thought we had some crazy sports owners here", the piece continued, "but not one of them would have been so unaware and obtuse as to erect a giant statue of a man accused multiple times of child molestation." It then asked: "What's next? A huge bas-relief of Gary Glitter on the walls of Craven Cottage?"
    Yet the humorous tone soon turned mournful: "Things looked rosy for the Cottagers heading into this season ... That is gone now. The grim realization that their club is owned by a raving lunatic with piles of cash is unavoidable. Oh, I almost forgot. If you aren't into Fayed's pederast on a pedestal, he has a personal message for you: Go f*&$ yourselves." Which surely means hell. Or Chelsea.
    Spain: Gillette plays rough by shaving Kaká from books

    Tough times economically for sports stars, with Spain's El Economista pointing out that Gillette has dropped Tiger Woods, Thierry Henry, Rafa Márquez, Kaká and Lionel Messi from their books as brand representatives (surplus to requirements, with the exception of Messi, who is too expensive for requirements). This budgetary shave occurred back in December but is being revisited because of a splendid Kaká conspiracy theory.
    Well-known for his baby face and clean good looks, says Economista, Kaká appeared at Real Madrid's game with Spurs sporting noticeable facial fur, but why? Gillette, it suggests, had been interested in a sponsorship deal and, far from the player merely forgetting to shave or angling for that bad-boy look, he had got wind and was offering his very own "before" to encourage Gillette to stump up the necessary to make a clean-and-smooth "after". A deal that Economista says could be worth $1m (£610,000) – making Kaká's stubble the most expensive in sport.
    NBA's James gets down to business with Liverpool

    Another busy week for LeBron James began with his widely reported buying into Liverpool, via the Boston Red Sox's owners. "The first time I stepped on an NBA court I became a businessman," James told the Wall Street Journal. "This is a great opportunity for me." It was viewed less favourably by Red Sox fans, who lost their first six games of the season, with the Boston Globe asking sarcastically: "What a week for Red Sox fans. They may be 0-6 at the end of the day, but their owners have made a deal with arguably the most hated man in all of sports. What is there to complain about?"
    Next, his new cartoon, The LeBrons, made its debut on YouTube. An expanded version of some Nike ads, it features four LeBrons – each representing part of his character: "Kid", "Athlete", "Wise" and "Business". James's intention is to inspire kids and raise awareness in life lessons, but for Liverpool fans it may just mean a new product at Anfield as Business explained he was "strategising about making my own line of cologne: like Diddy and Fiddy".
    But the week ended on a down note for James, as his mother was arrested for "battery" and "intoxication", reports the Miami Herald. Police said: "A hotel valet worker claimed he was assaulted by Ms James, who was angered because her car was taking too long to be delivered." The valet, Rockfeller Sorel, was treated for injuries to his swollen face – "It's really, really big," said his brother.
    Iceman's return makes Camping Trucks hot news

    The former Formula One world champion Kimi Raikkonen is to race in the Nascar Camping World Truck Series, reports Helsingin Sanomat. How the series – a sort of Formula-pick-up-truck on ovals, which lacks only deer on the track, moonshine and the Dukes of Hazzard's Boss Hog to be perfect – will make of a driver nicknamed The Iceman is anyone's guess, but it has attracted attention. The publicly unemotional Raikkonen is to be sponsored by the in your face beef-and-energy-drink combo, Perky Jerky.
 
Klopp marvels at Dortmund


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Updated Apr 10, 2011 6:41 AM ET
Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has been captivated by the football being played by his side.
Klopp raced the full length of the touchline in celebration after a goal from Jakub Blaszczykowski earned his side a point against Hamburg on Saturday to extend their lead at the top of the Bundesliga table to eight points over Bayer Leverkusen.

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It was a goal which could be worth the title for the Westphalians and one which brought out all of Klopp's emotions.
"I am not just the coach of Borussia Dortmund, but also a fan of my team," said Klopp.
"I just felt it was fair that we did not leave here empty-handed."
"The important thing is that we still played our style of football here in Hamburg."
Dortmund's style of football is winning more and more fans by the game as they aim to become the youngest side ever to win the title.
Although Leverkusen can narrow the gap to five points with five games to go today, Dortmund are not letting a minor stumble knock them off course.
"We have the most fantastic squad and we will stick together," midfielder Kevin Grosskreutz told LIGA total television.
"We want the trophy and we are now eight points clear. I feel sorry for people who say bad things about it just because we don't win two games."
And Hamburg coach Michael Oenning was not too disappointed that his side did not win, even if the timing of the goal in the second minute of stoppage time hurt.
"At the end of the day, this is a point against the future German champions," he said.
 
Magath backs Wolves to survive


RivalsDM



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Updated Apr 10, 2011 8:22 AM ET
Felix Magath remains convinced Wolfsburg will still be in the Bundesliga next season despite a 1-0 defeat to his former club Schalke.
Not only is Magath optimistic about his side's final five games of the season, but he believes he can turn them back into the team they were under him in 2009, when they won the title, next year.

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"Of course we will still be in the Bundesliga, and we will be in a far better position next season," he told ZDF television.
He now needs to ensure his team share his optimism while making sure they do not expect safety to just happen overnight.
The Wolves are now two points adrift of safety with five games of the season to go, including three relegation battles against St Pauli, Werder Bremen and Kaiserslautern.
"We now have a lot of hard work to do to make sure everybody realises the severity of the situation," added Magath.
"We deserved to lose today. We defended well, but we were harmless in attack.
"We did not put them under pressure and we never took the initiative."
Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick can now turn his attention to Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Inter Milan and the final of the DFB-Pokal after yesterday's win took the Royal Blues to a safe distance from the relegation zone.
"We no longer have any Bundesliga worries," he said.
"And I have just noticed while looking at the league table that we are only six points behind the top five. That's interesting."
 
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