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Enter the March fanatix leaderboard competition and win a goodie bag of football prizes!

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 15:33:35 +0000

We’ve got a great prize to give away for our March fanatix app leaderboard competition!

Download the free fanatix app now for iPhone: Sport news, social features and more!

Diego Maradona would (probably) love this prize!

We’ve got some great prizes to give away in the March fanatix leaderboard competition!

The highest scorer of points on the fanatix app in the month of March will win a goodie bag including some classic football DVDs and books!

To enter, all you need to do is download the free fanatix app from the link, and start checking into events.

As well as checking-in to any of the thousands of sporting events covered by fanatix, points can be accumulated by making predictions, sharing via Facebook and Twitter and encouraging friends to check-in too. There’s loads of other ways you can earn valuable points and climb the Leaderboard, so get checking in and discover for yourself!

The Global Leaderboard is just one click away on the App, so it’s easy to track your progress and keep an eye on how your friends are doing.

The fanatix team would like to wish all users the best of luck.

Terms and conditions are below:

Terms and Conditions:

1. The fanatix competition and any other competitions run by fanatix are not affiliated with Apple in any way.

2. In order to enter the fanatix competition, users must be older than 14 years of age and have an address within the UK.

3. The winner will receive a goodie bag of items chosen by fanatix.

4. The prize will be sourced by the fanatix team and is subject to availability.

5. fanatix reserves the right to use the full name of any competition winner for social media and marketing purposes.

6. The fanatix competition will not be affected by other fanatix competitions or prize draws.

7. The winner will be notified via email within 7 days of the close of the competition and will have 14 days to respond (the claim period). In the event that fanatix does not hear back from the winner within the claim period, the competition is declared null and void.

8. The competition is not open to employees or contractors of fanatix, or any person directly or indirectly involved with those who have worked with the fanatix company.

9. fanatix has the right to change, cancel or extend prize offerings at our absolute discretion during the running of the competition.

Download the free fanatix app now for iPhone: Sport news, social features and more!

Enter the February fanatix leaderboard competition and win a great prize!

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:18:00 +0000

We’ve got a great prize to give away for our fanatix app leaderboard competition!

Download the free fanatix app now for iPhone: Sport news, social features and more!

Okay - we’re not able to give away the UEFA Champions League trophy.

We’ve got a tremendous prize to give away this month though, with iTunes vouchers up for grabs for the lucky winner.

You can use them on apps, music, movies or TV shows on iTunes, helping you get the most out of your iPhone, iPad or computer!

To enter, all you need to do is download the free fanatix app from the link, and start checking into events.

The Global Leaderboard is just one click away on the App, so it’s easy to track your progress and keep an eye on how your friends are doing.

The fanatix team would like to wish all users the best of luck.

Terms and conditions are below:

Terms and Conditions:

1. The fanatix competition and any other competitions run by fanatix are not affiliated with Apple in any way.

2. In order to enter the fanatix competition, users must be older than 14 years of age and have an address within the UK.

3. The winner will receive an iTunes voucher to the value of £25.

4. The prize will be sourced by the fanatix team and is subject to availability.

5. fanatix reserves the right to use the full name of any competition winner for social media and marketing purposes.

6. The fanatix competition will not be affected by other fanatix competitions or prize draws during the month of November.

8. The competition is not open to employees or contractors of fanatix, or any person directly or indirectly involved with those who have worked with the fanatix company.

9. fanatix has the right to change, cancel or extend prize offerings at our absolute discretion during the running of the competition.

Download the free fanatix app now for iPhone: Sport news, social features and more!

Enter our January leaderboard competition and win a great prize!

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 12:36:00 +0000

We’ve got a choice of three great prizes for our January fanatix app leaderboard competition!

Download the free fanatix app now for iPhone: Sport news, social features and more!

The league tables across Europe are beginning to take shape.

Manchester United have built a lead in the Barclays Premier League, Barcelona look set to regain La Liga, and Juventus look on course to retain the Serie A Scudetto.

However, the January fanatix leaderboard is still very much open. Each month, any user of the fanatix app has a chance of winning some top prizes!

This month, we’re giving away a choice of either:

- FIFA 13
- Football Manager 2013

We will contact the winner about what platform they would like the game on at the end of the month.

To enter, all you need to do is download the free fanatix app from the link, and start checking into events.

The Global Leaderboard is just one click away on the App, so it’s easy to track your progress and keep an eye on how your friends are doing.

The fanatix team would like to wish all users the best of luck.

Terms and conditions are below:

Terms and Conditions:

1. The fanatix competition and any other competitions run by fanatix are not affiliated with EA Sports, FIFA, Sega or Sports Interactive in any way.

2. In order to enter the fanatix competition, users must be older than 14 years of age and have an address within the UK.

3. The winner will receive a copy of either FIFA 13 or Football Manager 2013 based on their choice.

4. The prize will be sourced by the fanatix team and is subject to availability.

5. fanatix reserves the right to use the full name of any competition winner for social media and marketing purposes.

6. The fanatix competition will not be affected by other fanatix competitions or prize draws during the month of November.

8. The competition is not open to employees or contractors of fanatix, or any person directly or indirectly involved with those who have worked with the fanatix company.

9. fanatix has the right to change, cancel or extend prize offerings at our absolute discretion during the running of the competition.

Download the free fanatix app now for iPhone: Sport news, social features and more!

Only one Udinese fan travelled 320 miles to watch his team play...

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 10:16:34 +0000

Only one Udinese fan travelled 320 miles to watch his team play Sampdoria last night, as this picture via Mark O’Haire shows.

At least he got to see his team win 2-0 away!

Udinese tickets

Download the free fanatix app now for iPhone: Sport news, social features and more!

Enter our December leaderboard competition and win one of three prizes!

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 09:30:07 +0000

We’ve got a choice of three great prizes for our December fanatix app leaderboard competition!

Download the free fanatix app now for iPhone: Sport news, social features and more!

Manchester United may top the Premier League table at the end of November, and here at fanatix the competitions are hotting up too.

Justin Lee Cooper won the November competition, and he has our congratulations, but thoughts have already moved on to the December leaderboard.

This month, we’ve decided to give away the winner’s choice of three prizes:

- A football replica jersey selected by the winner
OR
- A copy of Football Manager 2013 for Mac or PC
OR
- A copy of FIFA 13 for PS3 or Xbox 360

Dan Kilpatrick is an early leader with 460 points, but that total is certainly not enough to win the competition - so you’ve still got a real shot at victory even if you win now.

All you need to do is download the free fanatix app from the link, and start checking into events.

The Global Leaderboard is just one click away on the App, so it’s easy to track your progress and keep an eye on how your friends are doing.

The fanatix Team would like to wish all users the best of luck.

Download the free fanatix app now for iPhone: Sport news, social features and more!

David Beckham aims to end LA Galaxy career on high with MLS Cup

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 09:25:54 +0000

David Beckham hopes to claim the MLS Cup in his final game for Los Angeles Galaxy.

Former England captain David Beckham hopes to close out his Major League Soccer career with a bang as a win in Saturday’s final against Houston would give him two-straight championship titles.

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Beckham’s six-year playing career with Los Angeles will end with his final game in a Galaxy uniform against the Dynamo after he announced last week he was looking forward to “one more challenge” outside of the MLS.

He is expected to make a decision on where he will end up playing next by the end of the year, saying he has several offers on the table.

“On the field, to have played in three finals and to have been able to lift the championship last year in our own stadium, I felt that I had achieved everything I wanted to do,” he said.

“Now that we have reached the MLS Cup final, that it is going to be in our stadium again in front of our own fans, it just felt it was the right time.”

Beckham told British broadcaster Sky Sports that playing in the Premier League isn’t one of the options.

“I can’t see myself playing for any other Premier League club” than former team Manchester United, he said this week.

He has been linked to possible moves to Australia’s A-League or Paris Saint-Germain.

Regardless of Saturday’s outcome, Beckham will have left his mark on the league since he began playing for the Galaxy in 2007.

The league has expanded from 12 to 19 teams and it has more than doubled its overall attendance.

“He was an unbelievable ambassador for the league, for the Galaxy,” said MLS commissioner Don Garber.

Beckham scored a seven goals this season and had 15 assists last year with the Galaxy. Both were personal MLS season best marks for Beckham.

Some thought it was a long time coming as Beckham got off to a slow start in his first few seasons with Los Angeles, sparring with fans and dividing his playing time between teams in Europe and North America.

“When I first came here people expected me to score 10 goals and that was never going to happen,” Beckham said. “Wherever I played there has always been expectations. Whether I reach them, that is for other people to decide just what my impact was.”

Beckham’s teammate Landon Donovan also could be playing his last game with the Galaxy on Saturday.

“We haven’t always gotten along, especially in the beginning. But he’s a good person and I think we’re all happy for him,” Donovan said of Beckham.

Donovan hinted recently that he may retire after this season which would end a superb North American career that saw him score more goals than any player in US national team history.

Galaxy coach Bruce Arena says playing their final game at The Home Depot Center instead of on the road is a blessing.

“We could play this in Anchorage if they asked us to,” said Arena, who has coached the Galaxy since 2008. “But playing at home should be an advantage in an MLS Cup.

“We hope it helps us a little bit, because we’re going to need all the help we can get. I’d rather be playing in L.A. than Houston.”

The Galaxy have come a long way in 2012. Three months into the season they were in last place in the Western Conference. But they went 12-3-2 in their next 17 games to clinch a playoff spot with five weeks remaining in the season.

They advanced to the final by overcoming deficits in each of their first two playoff series.

A lot of the credit goes to Arena.

“He’s a leader,” says Dave Sarachan, the Galaxy’s associate head coach. “A decent balance of when to step on guys and when to back off. He knows how to manage.

“When you add up all these components, you get Bruce.”

This marks just the second time in MLS history the same two teams will meet in consecutive finals.

Donovan scored the only goal of the match last year to give the Galaxy the 1-0 win over the Dynamo who are playing in the MLS Cup for the fourth time in their seven-year history.

Midfielder Brad Davis said the Dynamo has improved from last year, especially at midfield.

“I definitely think we’re a bit more dynamic,” Davis said. “The additions of Ricardo [Clark] and Boniek [Garcia] to our midfield has brought nothing but confidence to our team right now.

“It’s been a lot of fun to play, and hopefully we can keep it going in the last game.”

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Serena Williams is WTA Women's Tennis Player of the Year

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 09:20:18 +0000

Serena Williams wins a deserved WTA player of the year trophy for a great 2012 season of two grand slam titles and Olympic gold.

Serena Williams has been named WTA Tour Player of the Year for the fourth time after winning Wimbledon, the US Open and Olympic gold in a stunning summer of success.

The American started the year poorly amid concerns over her fitness and motivation and lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open.

But back-to-back tournament wins in Charleston and Madrid in April and May marked a remarkable change in fortune for her.

Williams, who turned 31 in September, went on to win 48 of 50 matches, landing Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon and the US Open and taking gold in London where she defeated Maria Sharapova 6-0, 6-1 in the final.

She then finished the year in fitting style by winning the WTA Tour Championships in Istanbul although she remained ranked third in the world behind Victoria Azarenka and Sharapova.

After her win in Turkey she said: “I’ve always said if I’m playing well and doing everything right, it’s really difficult to beat me.

“I still believe that, which is great that I can still kind of play that way. I feel like there are always ways for me to improve, but I think it’s a true statement, without trying to sound really full of myself or anything.”

Williams was previously honoured with the WTA award in in 2002, 2008 and 2009.

In the 36-year history of the Player Of The Year award, Williams is one of only three players to win it more than twice, alongside eight-time winner Steffi Graf and seven-time winner Martina Navratilova.

Four players have won the award twice - Monica Seles, Lindsay Davenport, Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters.

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Shakhtar's Brazilians flourishing in Ukrainian mining city

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:35:49 +0000

Willian, Fernandinho, Luiz Adriano and co. are making a real impression at Shakhtar.

It’s hard to imagine a bigger contrast with the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. The Ukrainian city of Donetsk is surrounded by slagheaps, was once named Stalino and is a gritty industrial hub dominated by mining.

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Yet it is in this unlikely location on the fringes of Europe where for the last few years a legion of Brazilian footballers has prospered to turn the local football team, Shakhtar Donetsk, into arguably the finest in the former Soviet Union.

An entire football team could be formed from the Brazilian players who have pulled on the orange jersey of The Pitmen in the recent decade.

Backed by the financial clout of club owner Rinat Akhmetov and inspired by the leadership of Romanian manager Mircea Lucescu, the Brazilians have now made the club a force to be reckoned with in Europe.

“They all are really talented, hard-working and well-adapted for our playing style,” Akhmetov told AFP. “They all are also full of desire to keep on progressing. And that means that we are moving in the right direction.”

The city, founded by Welsh industrialist John Hughes in the 19th century, is marked by Soviet high-rises and no architectural jewel. But thanks to Akhmetov it now boasts the Donbass Arena, one of the finest football grounds in Europe.

Shakhtar won the last edition of the UEFA Cup in 2009 but the club is now enjoying what could be its best ever season — outclassing rivals Dynamo Kiev to head the Ukrainian domestic league and into the last 16 of the Champions League.

Current star Fernandinho, who hails from the balmy climes of Londrina in southern Brazil, remembered the shock of arriving in Donetsk seven years ago.

“Frankly speaking, when I was a 20-year-old guy and crossed the ocean to find myself in a completely uncommon country I could hardly imagine that I would stay here for more than three seasons,” he told AFP.

“But it became a rapidly growing club and everything changed quickly for the better. We achieved some serious results and my opinion about Shakhtar and its prospects has also changed.”

“Today I’m 27 and my current contract with Shakhtar runs until 2016. And it would not be a sensation if I decided to finish my career here,” he added.

Fernandinho acknowledged that money was the main driving force for young Brazilian players in their transfer moves to Europe.

“Of course money is the main thing,” he said. “Financial opportunities of the European clubs outweigh the means of Brazilian sides.”

“Besides, the advanced western European countries like Italy, Germany, France attract footballers with their high standards of life, which are much better than the conditions in Brazil.”

He added that though Ukraine has so far failed to reach the level of the advanced European countries, the club from Donetsk is an oasis of comfort which allows the footballer to concentrate on the game completely and to show rapid progress.

Forward Brandao was the first Brazilian player to come to Shakhtar. He appeared in the Donbass mining belt team two years before Lucescu became manager in 2004.

Under Lucescu’s coaching, Brandao developed his playing skills, which attracted the attention of French giants Marseille, who lured the Brazilian in 2008.

Lucescu has made no secret of his admiration for Brazilian football since he captained Romania in the 1970s and had players like Ronaldo at his disposal when he was coach at Italian Serie A giants Inter Milan.

The manager said he considered defender Francelino Matuzalem, whom Shakhtar purchased in 2005, as the key signing which triggered the club’s “Brazilian” development.

“The Matuzalem transfer became a turning point for Shakhtar as we started to create the new team around this player, who immediately became its true leader,” said Lucescu, who even learned Portuguese to help coach the Brazilians.

“I’m really happy to have an opportunity to take very young players into the team and raise their skills to the level of the Champions League in just two or three years,” Lucescu said.

Lucescu’s practice of nurturing young talents allowed Shakhtar to overcome the departure of its leaders Matuzalem and Elano, who left the club in 2008.

Top European sides have now woken up to the riches on display in the Donbass.

Another Brazilian star at Shakhtar, 24-year-old midfielder Willian, who netted a double in November’s clash with European champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, was hugely disappointed when his transfer move to the west London club failed because the clubs were unable to agree financial terms.

“Willian was really upset when the deal collapsed but he behaved as a true professional,” Lucescu commented.

“He managed to overcome his disappointment and now we see at the pitch that Willian is as he once was.”

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Interpol expects Serie A match-fixing arrests in Singapore

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:32:24 +0000

Italy arrests expected in Far East.

Interpol expects imminent arrests in Singapore linked to Italy’s mushrooming ‘Calcioscommesse’ football match-fixing scandal, a report said Thursday.

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The global police body’s chief Ronald Noble said more links to the Asian city-state had been revealed following this week’s arrest in Italy of Serbian footballer Almir Gegic, after more than a year on the run.

“In the near future, Singaporeans will be reading about arrests made here in Singapore of people linked to illegal betting or match-fixing either in Singapore or outside Singapore,” Noble told the Straits Times.

He added that Gegic, suspected of involvement in Calcioscommesse (football betting), had links to Singapore’s Tan Seet Eng or Dan Tan, “one of the leaders of an organised crime group” who is reportedly also wanted by Italian police.

Noble was speaking during a conference on match-fixing in Singapore, which has been identified as a hub for football corruption affecting leagues across the globe.

In one of the most notorious cases, Singapore’s Wilson Raj Perumal, an alleged associate of Dan Tan who was suspected of rigging games in several countries, was jailed in Finland in 2011.

Calcioscommesse whistle-blower Simone Farina, a former left-back with Italian lower-league side Grubbio, told the Interpol conference a former team-mate offered him 200,000 euros ($259,131) to throw a match last year.

“I was told that this amount was guaranteed because of his support from an organisation based here in Singapore,” Farina said in an address on Wednesday.

Nineteen people were arrested during raids in May, including some senior figures in Italian football. Juventus manager Antonio Conte is currently serving a four-month ban over the affair.

Indicating the scale and extent of the problem, in recent weeks Zimbabwe disbanded its national team in the wake of a 2009 scandal — also linked to Singapore — and Czech authorities probed fixing claims in its top league.

“The size of the illegal gambling market has been estimated at close to 500 billion euros per year,” Noble told the Singapore conference.

“The sizes of the bets can be in the tens, and even hundreds of thousands of euros. There are estimates that the large Asian bookmakers have revenues on the same scale as the Coca-Cola company.”

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Rafa Benitez in search of elusive first Chelsea goal after Fulham stalemate

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:24:16 +0000

Benitez searching for first goal as Chelsea boss.

Rafael Benitez admitted his Chelsea side were in need of a confidence boost after successive scoreless draws in the new manager’s opening two Premier games in charge.

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Benitez’s men were held by Fulham in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, four days after the draw with champions Manchester City.

And the Spaniard admitted that marked a disappointing start to his time with the west London club, where he has been appointed as interim manager until the end of the season.

Benitez insisted there were positives from the Fulham stalemate but he added: “You cannot be satisfied when you haven’t won these games.

“City are a top side, a team with a lot of options. “Today (against Fulham) I saw a lot of positive things, sustaining the attacks and regaining the ball very high. I didn’t like the two chances we gave away on the counter-attack, and when we didn’t move the ball too quickly, but it’s a question of time.

“We’ve only had a few training sessions. We need more time.

“The main thing is to win games. If we do we’ll be there and we can win competitions. We need to start doing that and the confidence will come back.”

Chelsea have now gone six league games without a win and their problems in front of goal against Fulham were reflected in another frustrating performance from Fernando Torres.

The forward, who flourished under Benitez at Liverpool, had few opportunities and has now failed to score in almost 11 hours of Premier League action, a run the new Chelsea boss also put down to a lack of confidence.

“It’s a question of confidence,” Benitez explained. “He’s not scoring goals, so it’s confidence. But it’s not easy when you’re playing against lots of defenders. You could see how they defended against him.

But it’s not just a case of Fernando… You saw how they defended with a lot of bodies there. It wasn’t easy for him, or Hazard or Oscar.

“We were on top of them, regaining the game higher up the pitch, and might have won it in the last minute.”

Chelsea have now slipped seven points behind league leaders Manchester United but Benitez insisted the European champions remain in the domestic title race.

“It’s still a long way to go,” he said. “We have to keep going. We’ll have chances. Remember last season when City were ahead and it was easy. Then they needed to win their last game.

“It’s a long, long competition. Why can’t we (win the league)?”

The Chelsea supporters were less vocal in their criticism of the appointment of Benitez on Wednesday than they had been last weeked and the new man at the helm was adamant his players remain unaffected by the tensions between fans and manager.

“If you talk with them, and we do all the time, they’re quite happy with the things we’re trying to achieve. It’s a question of time now.”.

Fulham manager Martin Jol believed Dimitar Berbatov was the stand-out player and that his side could easily have claimed all three points in this derby.

“At 80 minutes we had two possibilities to ‘make it’,” Jol said. “I’m not disappointed to only get a draw away from home, but disappointed we didn’t make more of those chances.

“Berbatov was almost unplayable and linked our play, and we had a few chances. After the game everyone said Berbatov was fantastic, and he was, but the other players worked every so hard.

And the Dutchman added: “I knew we are a difficult team for them to play against. If you keep a clean sheet… they have to take initiative, and we could break them time after time.”

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Man City boss Roberto Mancini aims to turn Europe pain into Premier League gain

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:15:22 +0000

Mancini sees silver lining to Champions League exit, after Wigan win.

Roberto Mancini predicts tough times ahead - but the Manchester City manager also sees a silver lining in his team’s impending exit from the Champions League.

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For the second successive season, City will miss out on the knockout stages of Europe’s elite competition following their failure to beat Real Madrid at Eastlands.

Mancini’s deputy, David Platt, is one casualty of that drawn encounter, banned from the touchline by European governing body UEFA for two matches for remarks made to the fourth official.

City’s European hopes look likely to take a complete tumble, with even victory at Borussia Dortmund next week no guarantee of overtaking Ajax for the consolation prize of the Europa League.

But with English champions City hard on the heels of Premier League leaders Manchester United after a hard-won 2-0 victory at Wigan, Mancini knows that, just as last season, absence from the Champions League can be a blessing.

“I think this season is long,” Mancini said after Wednesday’s win at the DW Stadium. “There are a lot of games in the next month and in February, if teams are playing in the Champions League, it can change everything.”

While some might believe the title contest to be turning into a two-horse race centred on Manchester, given the recent upheaval at Stamford Bridge, Mancini will have none of it.

The Italian added: “I think Chelsea can compete. We are at the top at the moment, we are OK.”

Mancini also expects to have Mario Balotelli at his disposal for the long haul, despite rumours linking the controversial striker with a January move back to Milan with either Inter, his former club, or AC Milan, the team he supports.

He waved away suggestions of a deal and instead chose to celebrate Balotelli finally scoring his first Premier League goal of the season at Wigan, a crucial strike in a game that see-sawed much more than the champions would have wished against a team only a few points clear of the relegation zone.

“We have on the team three or four offensive players and one striker who scored,” Mancini said. “I’m very happy for him because he scored. He is not for sale. It’s his first goal this year and I hope he can improve after that game.

“We have four top strikers and some difficulty in scoring goals like last year, but I’m hoping we can move on from this.”

Balotelli will need to up his game — his first league goal of the campaign, after Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi spilled a shot from Gareth Barry, was also his first league goal in a year — as City face a testing run of fixtures.

The trio of games next on the Eastlands agenda will, in one shape or another, help to define their season.

Saturday’s visit of Everton pits them against their bogey team, who so often leave Eastlands with points and were one of only five league sides to beat Mancini’s team last season.

The midweek brings that trip to Dortmund in the Champions League.

But neither of those games will match the third in supporters’ eyes, with the home derby against Manchester United now about gaining the upper hand in the title race as much as winning local pride.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez, meanwhile, must wait a while longer both for a goal against Mancini’s side or a victory over the Blues since Mancini took power in September 2008.

Martinez could only groan as Arouna Kone missed the game’s best chance before Balotelli and James Milner tied up the points for a City side still to reach the heights of last season.

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Brendan Rodgers adamant Liverpool paying unfair penalty

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:09:05 +0000

Rodgers bemoans referee after Spurs loss.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is convinced his side do not deserve to be just four points above the Premier League relegation places, citing refereeing errors as a key reason for their plight.

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Rodgers saw Liverpool lose 2-1 away to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, with Gareth Bale setting up Aaron Lennon for the first goal, scoring the second himself direct from a free-kick and then unluckily accounting for the visitors’ goal when Lennon blasted a clearance straight into his face.

Rodgers was convinced referee Phil Dowd had committed a series of misjudgments at White Hart Lane, including awarding Tottenham the free-kick from which Bale scored, and turning down two Liverpool appeals for penalties, first when Mousa Dembele tackled Steven Gerrard in the first half and then when Luis Suarez went down under William Gallas’s challenge after the break.

For the former Swansea manager, these were just the latest in a long list of incorrect decisions that have so far blighted his first season at Anfield.

“I thought we should have had two penalties,” he said. “It’s incredible we haven’t had a penalty and the statistics will tell you we have been in the penalty box as much as anybody.

“We know we need to be more clinical and finish our great play but to arrive at this part of the season without having had a penalty is incredible. I don’t know what the players had to do.

“Steven Gerrard’s, it was nearly assault, the first one. How that isn’t a penalty is incredible.

“And then Luis Suarez swings and William Gallas swings his left foot and catches him.

“For the free-kick Clint Dempsey has been clever and had a hand on his back. Jordan (Henderson) has worked really hard to get back and he goes down.

“At Swansea at the weekend, Everton away, Sunderland, Norwich away even though we won the game there was a clear penalty. So it racks up the points.

“I hear pundits saying it evens itself up throughout the season. Well, if so then in the second half of the season we are going to get a lot of decisions and a lot of points.”

Tottenham are in fifth place and are now just three points behind Chelsea in third, but manager Andre Villas-Boas admitted fortune may have favoured his side on this occasion.

“On the penalties, I’m not sure,” he said. “Phil Dowd is one of the referees who gives the most penalties in the Premier League — that is a statistic that I am aware of. He knows how to judge situations like that.

“Today (Wednesday) it might have gone our way and we were lucky. But it is up to the referee to decide and they can’t decide right all the time.”

Indeed, Dowd also booked Bale for diving when it looked as though he had been fouled by Daniel Agger.

“I have been told there was some sort of contact,” Villas-Boas added.

“He (Bale) is very quick and sometimes it is difficult for the referee to judge the situation. It is very difficult to judge a player of his pace.”

But the former Chelsea manager was keen to point out that his side’s superior start, which saw them go 2-0 up within 16 minutes, was also a significant factor in the victory.

“It was important in the beginning to put Liverpool under pressure and we did it very well,” the Portuguese said. “In the second half Liverpool we getting more of the ball and it was difficult for us.

“It was an important result bearing in mind it was a midweek Premier League fixture. Other teams have dropped points and we have gained and it puts us in an extremely good position.”

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Inter Milan Sneijder 'blackmail' could see Man Utd transfer resurrected

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 09:55:26 +0000

Inter Milan have been accused of blackmailing Wesley Sneijder, and both parties would love the playmaker to leave for Manchester United.

The professional footballers’ trade union FIFPro on Wednesday hit out at clubs who “blackmail” players into accepting poorer contracts, including Inter Milan.

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Inter recently announced they would not field Dutch international midfielder Wesley Sneijder, a World Cup finalist, until he agreed to new terms on an existing deal which does not run out until June 2015, and seemingly would be happy to sell him at a cut price.

Manchester United have been linked with the Netherlands star since at least 2010, and are sure to be watching the situation carefully.

FIFPro said it “wants to talk to FIFA, UEFA and the European Commission about measures to adjust the behaviour of a growing number of clubs.”

It highlighted the cases of Sneijder and Spain international striker Fernando Llorente of Athletic Bilbao, who has been benched after refusing to extend a deal which runs out at the end of the current season.

In an article headlined ‘FIFPro wants to end blackmail behaviour of clubs’, FIFPro said: “Sneijder’s contract runs until the middle of 2015. Inter has demanded that the Dutch international extend his contract until 2016, but then for exactly the same total salary.

“In other words, to work a year longer without receiving any salary for it. Sneijder refused and since then, coach Andrea Stramaccioni has kept the playmaker outside the match selection.”

FIFPro secretary general Theo van Seggelen said in an interview with Dutch radio NOS the practice used to be an exception: “Unfortunately, we now see clubs in all countries in Europe using this type of measure.

“For us, the time has come to sound the bell.”

Van Seggelen added: “The way in which contracts are handled is also a disaster for FIFA and UEFA.

“Winning a match is something you do with your best players. It seems as if football is increasingly becoming more of a business, football is taking second place and that is unacceptable for us.”

Manchester United could profit from Inter Milan’s vulnerable financial situation to sign Sneijder, while Fernando Llorente has been repeatedly linked with a move to Arsenal.

Whilst of course the UK has certainly been affected by the financial crisis, could the richest English clubs benefit from the difficulties at clubs in Spain and Italy?

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Chelsea linked to Italy star signing after AC Milan chief said sales expected

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 15:46:09 +0000

Chelsea could swoop for this AC Milan star after the Rossoneri confirmed their financial struggles.

AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani said the club will have to trim their playing personnel before any new players can be brought to the club - with Stephan El Shaarawy next in line to be sold after Zlatan Ibrahimovic left last summer for Paris Saint-Germain.

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“I suffered a lot from the sale of Ibrahimovic but the economic situation in this country is what it is,” Galliani told www.acmilan.it.

“Ibra was a great player but he was luxury we could no longer afford.”

Ibrahimovic’s departure paved the way for Stephan El Shaarawy to come through to Milan’s first team, and the 20-year-old has since scored 10 league goals to top Serie A’s scoring charts.

“With Ibra in the side El Shaarawy may not have scored so many goals,” added Galliani.

Now the club’s most valuable player, Milan may have to sell if their financial state is as bad as is being indicated, with Chelsea sure to be keen on the Italy international.

Seven-time European champions Milan qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League last week and followed up with a 1-0 win over Juventus to hand the champions only their second defeat of the season Sunday.

Now sitting ninth, albeit 14 points adrift of Juventus, things are looking rosier for the Rossoneri after they lost the spine of their squad over the summer and went on to begin the season in disastrous fashion.

Despite already losing big names like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva, both to Paris Saint Germain, Galliani has not ruled out more departures.

With the January transfer period on the horizon, Galliani said Milan, owned by former Italy Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, are in the selling market.

“We have 23-30 players. First we must sell then we can buy, when we have reduced the squad size,” he added.

“We have some players who want to leave, not many, and others who we had already sold but who didn’t accept the offers because they like it here at Milan.

“I have to thank president Berlusconi because for the last 26 years he has allowed Milan to eat and drink caviar and champagne.

“Now we may not have champagne every day but we do still drink it.”

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Arsenal resurrect £29.8m transfer bid for Borussia Dortmund star Goetze

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 15:05:00 +0000

Arsenal have again been linked with a transfer move for Borussia Dortmund ace Mario Goetze after a release clause in the Germany international’s deal was revealed.

Germany’s midfield star Mario Goetze can leave Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund as early as January 1st for 37 million euros (£29.8m), according to a report in national sport newspaper Bild.

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The news will alert Arsenal, who have been linked with a bid for a player deemed one of the best in the world in his age range for the last few years.

20-year-old Goetze extended his Dortmund contract in March which sees him tied to Borussia until 2016, with a transfer clause in his deal allowing him to leave in 2013 for a minimum of 37 million euros, claims Bild.

He can also leave at a later date before his deal expires with a sliding scale of cost.

Goetze has attracted plenty of attention after Dortmund’s impressive performances in the Champions League with the German champions top of Group D ahead of Real Madrid, Ajax and Manchester City.

Although Gotze’s agent Volker Struth says his client has no plans to leave Dortmund in 2013, everyone knows football changes by the day.

Arsene Wenger is a confirmed admirer.

“Goetze is a very good player. I can understand there is a lot of interest in him around Europe,” said Wenger before last season’s clash against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League.

Perhaps Goetze will finally make the Emirates Stadium move predicted of him for the last two years.

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Fulham v Spurs tickets available for this Saturday

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 14:36:11 +0000

Pick-up tickets for clash at Craven Cottage.

Spurs travel to Craven Cottage this Saturday as AVB’s side look to pick up their second consecutive win against a London rival in the Premier League and we can confirm Fulham vs Tottenham tickets are available to compare now with tixdaq.com

Last Sunday, Tottenham picked up an impressive 3-1 win against West Ham at White Hart Lane with goals from Gareth Bale and Jermain Defoe. Fulham, meanwhile, lost to 1-0 Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium. Charlie Adam put the home side up, while Berbatov and co. were not able to find the back of the net.

Before facing Martin Jol’s Fulham, however, Spurs will host Liverpool this evening in what is likely to be one of their toughest tests so far this term. While the match is not being broadcast on British TV, we have produced this very handy Tottenham v Liverpool streaming guide.

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Watch Tottenham v Liverpool online for free

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 12:14:00 +0000

Live media coverage of the big game at White Hart Lane.

Sky Sports’ decision not to broadcast tonight’s clash between Tottenham and Liverpool (in favour of Wigan v Man City), has left fans without tickets scratching their heads wondering how to watch the big match.

Tottenham v Liverpool tickets

Fear not! We’ve assembled a list of ways that fans across the globe can follow the match live or watch the highlights online.

The game kicks of at 7.45pm, so if you’re overseas check what time it is where you are with our handy Kick Off time World Clock.

UK audiences can, of course, catch extended highlights on BBC One’s Match of the Day at 10.45pm.

If you miss MOTD, highlights will be available on Yahoo from about 01.00am.

iPhone or iPad users might wish to download the ESPN Goals App (free on ios), which will have instant highlights as soon as the game is finished.

If you’re a seeking live media coverage in the UK you best bet is via the radio, with both BBC London (may be UK only) and talkSPORT covering the match.

If you’re a Spurs fan already signed up to Spurs TV Online (or you just fancy some biased commentary), then you can listen to live audio commentary from White Hart Lane and endlessly watch the highlights afterwards.

The Reds equivalent, LFC TV, is available to watch free on Sky Channel 429 & Virgin Channel 544 and at LFC TV Online but there’s no live coverage, just an in-game phone-in.

For overseas audiences, below is list of channels showing the match live:

SATELLITE TV

Live Soccer TV: USA, Canada, Europe, South America, Africa, Japan etc

LJ’s Live on Sat: Europe and Africa

Delay

Sky Sport 1: NZ

BROADBAND TV

mio Stadium 102: Singapore

Sport 1 Internet TV: Netherlands

CABLE TV

GO Sports 3: Malta

i-Cable ch. 202/302: Hong Kong

Sport 1 Select: Netherlands

TrueSport HD2: Thailand

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Everton ready to challenge Aston Villa for LA Galaxy striker Robbie Keane

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 07:05:27 +0000

Toffees to challenge Villa for journeyman forward.

Everton are ready to challenge Aston Villa to sign LA Galaxy striker Robbie Keane on loan in January, fanatix has learnt.

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The Toffees had hoped to land Keane’s teammate Landon Donovan on loan for the third time but the US international says he is jaded and in need of a rest.

Donovan has even hinted he is ready to hang up his boots and Everton boss David Moyes will move for Keane on a short-term deal instead.

The Irish international joined Villa for two months last season and was a big hit at Villa Park, scoring three Premier League goals in six games for Alex McLeish’s struggling side.

The Midlands club are faring little better under Paul Lambert this term and the Scot is keen for the 32-year-old to return for a similar spell this season.

Everton, however, are ready to challenge Villa for the well-travelled striker, with Moyes believing his high-flying squad could benefit from the former Tottenham man’s experience.

Moyes’ hopes of landing Donovan, who joined the Toffees on loan in 2010 and last term, have been dealt a blow, with the forward refusing to discuss a move claiming he needs a rest after a tiring campaign in MLS.

“I’m going to take as much time as I need and decide if and when I’m ready to come back,” Donovan said. “I can’t put a time frame on that. If it takes two weeks and I’m ready to go again or two months or a year or two years. Or never. I don’t know.”

Keane is thought to be keen to return to the Premier League for two months in January but is yet to indicate where he is likely to end up.

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Arsenal eye 'new Vieira' transfer to protect vulnerable defence

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 07:00:29 +0000

Arsenal aim to boost the spine of their team with a raid on Toulouse for their tall midfielder - labelled the new Patrick Vieira.

Arsenal are thought to be lining up a bid for Toulouse midfielder Etienne Capoue, who is having a magnificent season in Ligue 1.

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The France international, newly capped in 2012 and now with three appearances for his country, has earned comparisons with Gunners legend Patrick Vieira for his ability to dictate games from midfield.

Capoue makes an average of 68 passes per game, which is the 18th most in Europe’s top five leagues. No one will be surprised to read that Barcelona star Xavi is top with a mean of 100 each match.

Capoue is a different type of player to Xavi though - more of a Makelele type figure.

The 24 year-old sits in front of the back four and keeps play ticking over, but certainly gets stuck in when required.

Tackling is one of Capoue’s key strengths, but most importantly his positioning ensures that opposition attacks don’t always develop into real danger as he is there to intercept.

At 6’2” tall, Capoue’s height would also be a real bonus for both defensive and offensive set pieces, and he is able to fill in as an auxiliary centre back if required.

Arsene Wenger is a confirmed fan, and signing Capoue would liberate Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla to provide a more physical presence than Mikel Arteta in games where that is required.

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Fenerbahce interested in January deal for Arsenal flop

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 06:30:24 +0000

Turkish giants to offer striker Emirates escape route.

Fenerbahce are interested in Arsenal flop Marouane Chamakh, according to Italian source CalcioMercato.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is ready to accept any nominal offer for the 28-year-old, who is reportedly on wages of around £60k a week at the North London club.

Arsenal tickets

Chamakh has not played a single minute of Premier league football this season, even with new-boy Olivier Giroud intially struggling for form at the Emirates.

After a promising start to his Gunners career, with ten goals in his first four months, Chamakh hit a run of woeful form and has looked out of his depth ever since.

The forward, who joined the Gunners on a free transfer from Bordeaux, is some way down the pecking order and only sees first team action in the Capital One Cup at present.

The striker did score two goals from outside the box in the dramatic 7-5 League Cup win over Reading but has since found himself back in the stands.

A move to Fenerbahce would suit all parties, with Chamakh understood to be desperate to end his Premier League nightmare.

The Morocco international has racked up 14 goals in 65 appearances since his move from Ligue 1 to Arsenal in the summer of 2010.

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