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Inter start with ‘lucky’ draw

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Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti says Monday’s 0-0 draw at Bologna could be a lucky omen after they opened their Serie A title defence under pressure to match the signings of their rivals (6/5 Serie A Outright 2010/2011).

Inter could not find a way past the packed Bologna defence at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, but Moratti was not concerned by the lack of a cutting edge in their play.

“We always started with a draw for three years now so I think, if nothing else, it was good luck.” he said.

Rafael Benitez’s team hit the bar in the second half but created few chances with a strong line-up, missing just Maicon and Dejan Stankovic from the team that lost to Atletico Madrid in Monaco on Friday.

The manner of that UEFA Supercup defeat was more worrying as the Jose Mourinho’s treble winners were comfortably second best on the night to the Spaniards.

Moratti admits AC Milan’s capture of Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a season-long loan from Barcelona makes them a stronger force than last season, when they finished 12 points behind Inter in third place.

“Yes, they have a good team,” he said.

“They have a formidable attack, and finally become something more like real competition for us.”

AC Milan (2/1) defeated Lecce 4-0 at the San Siro to go top of the standings after week one’s fixtures.

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Mascherano completes Barca spree

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Barcelona’s sporting vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu confirmed that Javier Mascherano’s ‘dream’ move to the Nou Camp completes their transfer dealings for this season (Barcelona 13/5 Champions League Outright).

The Spanish champions swooped to bolster their already impressive midfield options by snapping up Argentina international captain, Mascherano, from Liverpool for a reported £18million on a four-year contract on Monday evening following his five-hour medical.

The Catalan giants, who are aiming to secure the Champions League title this season after failing to emulate their May 2009 success last term, have already snapped up David Villa (11/2f Champions League Top Goalscorer) and Adriano to help them do that.

Bartomeu has now spoken out to reveal that they feel Pep Guardiola’s squad has enough strength in depth to fight it out for the Primera Liga and Champions League.

He said: “The squad is now complete and we will not sign anyone else. We have reached the decision that there is no need to strengthen the team any further.”

Meanwhile Mascherano, who took a pay cut to join Barcelona, could not hide his delight at finally joining the club.

“When I landed I said that I was achieving a dream. At last I will be able to say that I play for Barcelona, the team who I wanted to play for.”

The 26-year-old must now fight it out with some quality players to get into a Barca side that consists of eight of Spain’s World Cup-winning squad.

“It would be stupid if I thought I was going to play all the time. You need to respect the people here who have been doing so well,” he added.

“In my position there are three world champions who have won everything (Xavi, Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta). For me it is a dream to grow, learn and enjoy playing next to them.”

He added: “I know that they’ve won everything, it’s a team full of great players, with a base of world champions and I will try to be humble and help the team continue winning things.

“I’m going to have the chance to play with players who I admire and I will able to say that I’ve grown and that I’ve been a better player at this club.

“This is an opportunity of a lifetime. I will train to be ready when I’m needed.”

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Mancini frustrated with hit-men

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Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini was disappointed with his side’s finishing after watching Sunderland snatch all three points with an injury-time winner on Sunday (City 8/1 to win Premiership).

The Eastlands outfit drew their first game of the season with Tottenham before hammering Liverpool 3-0 last Monday but they failed to keep up the momentum as Darren Bent’s injury-time penalty made sure all three points remained at the Stadium of Light (Sunderland 12/1 to be relegated).

Emmanuel Adebayor and Yaya Toure missed excellent chances but it was Carlos Tevez who was guilty of the worst miss, blazing over from 12 yards with an empty net ahead of him.

As is so often the case in the Premiership, a team that fails to score when dominating periods of play ends up losing the match – a fact not lost on the City boss.

“Football is very strange,” he said. “We played fantastic football in the first half but if you don’t score, sometimes you can lose these games.

“We had the Carlos chance, but we also had three or four other opportunities.”

Mancini has assembled a world-class squad at the City of Manchester Stadium and is looking to break the dominance of city rivals United and Chelsea at the top of the Premiership, while also battling in the Europa League.

Qualification for next season’s Champions League is thought to be a minimum requirement for the club’s owners, who have already shown that they are not afraid to make changes if things are not going to plan.

Mark Hughes was sacked in December last year with the club still challenging for a European place and the Italian tactician will hope that his strikers are not so profligate in front of goal throughout the rest of the season, or he too might be looking over his shoulder in the New Year.

City are now already five points behind table-topping Chelsea, while Manchester United and Arsenal make up the top three, and Mancini admitted his frustration at letting three points go in a match that seemed destined for a draw.

“I am disappointed because we wanted to win this game,” he added.

“We were good in the first half but in the second half we defended too deep and they put us under a lot of pressure. Every game is difficult and you must play until the last second.”

The north-west club is next in action on September 11, due to the international break, when Sam Allardyce will bring his Blackburn Rovers squad to Eastlands.

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Pulis expecting transfer frenzy

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Tony Pulis claims there could be a lot of transfer activity occurring around Stoke City (4/1 to be relegated) in the next 24 hours as he aims to improve his squad for the long Premier League season.

The manager has seen his side lose their first three games in the Premier League, the latest of them coming in a 2-0 defeat to defending champions Chelsea.

Stoke (40/1 to finish in the top six) were resolute and dogged throughout that game, but Pulis knows he needs to improve his squad if the club are to climb the Premier League table this season.

Pulis spent big money bringing Kenwyne Jones to the club before the start of the campaign and he has been linked with a host of transfer targets throughout the summer.

He is being linked with the likes of Jermaine Jenas, Hugo Rodallega and Eidur Gudjohnsen in the national press and the manager has admitted there are likely to be a few last-minute deals going through before the transfer window closes at 6pm on Tuesday.

“We’re hoping to get four or five players in by Tuesday and there will be players leaving as well,” said Pulis.

“It may go to the wire but we are prepared to wait and ensure we get the right deals.

“We want to bring in some younger players, some players who will improve the group. That is important.”

The manager will be hoping that he can have some new faces at his disposal when Stoke take on Aston Villa in their next Premier League game on September 13th.

One of the faces who could be on his way out of the Britannia Stadium is Bosnian goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.

The player was only signed from Portsmouth in January but has now caused controversy after he refused to play for Stoke in the Carling Cup (Stoke 40/1 to win Carling Cup) win over Shrewsbury.

Stoke chairman Peter Coates has admitted that Premier League champions Chelsea (6/5 to win the title this season) made a £4.5 million offer for Begovic that was rejected by the club.

He added that he is “not expecting” the west London side to come back with a bigger offer, but it could tempt Stoke to cash in on the 23-year-old if that did happen.

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Villa set new boss terms

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Aston Villa (9/1 to finish in the Premier League top four) have announced they are looking to appoint a new manager in the near future, but it will be someone with proven Premier League experience.

Kevin MacDonald has been in caretaker charge since Martin O’Neill resigned five days before the start of this season, and his time in charge has been up-and-down.

An opening day win over West Ham was then followed by a 6-0 thumping at Newcastle and Villa’s elimination from Europe at the hands of Rapid Vienna.

The Villans managed a 1-0 win over Everton on Sunday thanks to a Luke Young goal, and it was expected a new manager would be in place by the time they face Stoke City (1/7 to be relegated) in their next Premier League game.

Name such as Bob Bradley, Ronald Koeman and Jurgen Klinsman have all been linked with the managers position, but a statement from the club’s chief executive Paul Faulkner seems to rule them out of the running.

His claim that the new man should have managed in the Premier League before could also seem to suggest that MacDonald might not remain in the Villa hot seat for much longer – though the current caretaker has stated he would inform club owner Randy Lerner on Tuesday if he wants the job permanently or not.

Faulkner said the club have “immersed” themselves in the process have “clearly” identified “key criteria” the new boss must have.

“Two of the traits we believe are of crucial importance are that candidates have experience of managing in the Premier League and a strategy for building on the existing strengths in our current squad,” he added.

“We have thoroughly researched potential candidates and have reached out to a variety of contacts we have within the game for advice and guidance, as well as keeping key staff at Villa Park informed and focused.

“We will now start the process of interviewing candidates we believe meet the key criteria required to manage Aston Villa with a view to making an appointment in the near future. Kevin MacDonald will continue as caretaker manager until that time. ”

One thing MacDonald could have to do before he relinquishes the hot seat is attempt to hold on to Ashley Young.

He has already seen James Milner leave for Manchester City and now Tottenham Hotspur are reported to be ready to move for Young before the transfer window closes (City 8/13, Spurs 11/4 to finish in the Premier League top four).

The loss of two star players for Villa in the space of a few weeks would be a big blow to the club’s fans and create a headache for whoever is appointed permanent manager in the near future.

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Wigan set for Di Santo deal

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franco di santoWigan (10/11 to be relegated) have agreed a £2million deal to bring Chelsea’s Franco Di Santo to the DW Stadium, after being frustrated in their efforts to loan him from the Blues.

Boss Roberto Martinez was unable to bring in the 21-year-old Argentinian striker on loan as he already has two loan players from Premier League clubs, which is the maximum allowed.

Martinez has already signed Manchester United?s Tom Cleverley on a temporary basis as well as goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi from Bolton.

Wigan wanted to bring in Al-Habsi on a permanent deal, but their Premier League rivals quoted £3million for him which took him out of the equation for the Latics.

Martinez has also agreed a deal with free agent Mexico World Cup striker Guillermo Franco but he has yet to sort out terms.

The frustrated Wigan boss said: “The restrictions from the Premier League do not help young players in this country.

“You can bring in as many foreign loans as you want but only two from here. It is unfair on the clubs and the talent coming through.”

The Wigan boss took some of the pressure off himself following his side?s dismal start to the season when the Latics won 1-0 at Spurs on Saturday, in one of the shocks of the season so far in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Martinez says the way is still open, but very difficult, for midfielder Charles N’Zogbia to force his way back into the Wigan side.

The 24-year-old looked to be on his way to Birmingham last week, after a deal was agreed between the two clubs. But the move broke down over the Blues? failure to agree personal terms.

“Obviously we agreed a fee with another Premier League club and it seemed that transfer was going to go ahead,” Martinez told Sky Sports News.

“Now, the situation is up in the air. Charles is a Wigan Athletic player and he needs to do a lot on the training ground to persuade this group of players to open up and allow him to come in and fight for a place.”

“It’s difficult to accept that certain players don’t want to be committed and don’t want to be at the football club. It’s very, very difficult to see a way back for Charles,” he added.

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Liverpool land Meireles

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Liverpool, who are 15/8 traul merieleso finish in the top four this season, have spent some of the money they received for Javier Mascherano on Porto midfielder Raul Merieles.

The Reds agreed on Friday to send the unsettled Mascherano to Barcelona, ending a difficult period for the club with the player making his feelings known through the media.

But boss Roy Hodgson has moved swiftly to bolster his squad by landing Meireles on a four-year deal.

The player, who has played 38 times for Portugal including all four of their games at the World Cup in South Africa, has cost the Anfield club around £11.5million.
Meireles, who operates in the centre of midfield, has won four league titles in his home country.

Meireles said: “Roy Hodgson was key to me coming here because he worked so hard to sign me. I am Meireles and not Mascherano and that will be clear to the fans. I hope one day the Liverpool fans will remember me for being successful.”

Alberto Aquilani’s loan departure to Juventus, ending an injury-hit spell in the city, had also left Liverpool (25/1 to win the Premier League) short of numbers and Hodgson now seems keen to add at least one more new face to his squad before the transfer window ends on Tuesday.

Christian Poulsen from Juve and Joe Cole from Chelsea have been the big names to have joined the club since the summer, but Hodgson reportedly wants to bring in Carlton Cole from West Ham while Paul Konchesky is expected to join in the next few days from his old club Fulham.

Hodgson wanted to sign Peter Crouch from Spurs, but Harry Redknapp has warned him that the striker is not for sale.

A target man is the Liverpool boss’ main priority, though, and he is reportedly considering offering Ryan Babel plus cash to West Ham in exchange for Cole.

Reports in Sunday newspapers have also linked PSV forward Ola Toivonen with the Anfield club, although the Dutch outfit apparently want more than £13million for the Swede.

Stoke City have already failed with two bids, believed to be up to £9million, for Cole, but sources say Liverpool are ready to table an offer of £10million for the player.

However, with West Ham struggling themselves near the foot of the Premier League, Avram Grant knows that selling any of his players would cause uproar with the Upton Park faithful and he has officially told potential buyers that Cole is not available at any price.

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Injury woe for Capello

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England boss Fabio CapelloFabio Capello is already facing an injury crisis ahead of England’s two Euro 2012 qualifiers after John Terry and Frank Lampard were both ruled out, while Peter Crouch and Bobby Zamora are also doubtful for next week’s games (England 2/7 Group G winners).

The Italian manager will name his squad for the games against Bulgaria and Switzerland on Sunday but is already facing a selection headache following the news about two of his first choice players.

Chelsea announced on Saturday evening that Lampard had a problem with a hernia and would need to undergo surgery on either Tuesday or Wednesday to correct it, ruling him out for the next two weeks.

The 32-year-old endured a difficult afternoon on Saturday, missing a penalty and being forced off midway through the second half of the Blues’ 2-0 win over Stoke.

After the game, manager Carlo Ancelotti confirmed Lampard would need surgery, stating they had already spoken with the national team to inform them of the situation.

Later in the day, the Blues also revealed that Terry would play no part in either match after picking up a hamstring problem, although a statement on the club’s website claimed he had been playing with it during pre-season.

A statement released on the club’s official website read: “John Terry has tonight (Saturday) been ruled out of England’s next two games due to injuries to his right hamstring and glute muscles.

“John has spoken personally to the England management team, and Chelsea and England medical staff have also been in touch. All are agreed that John’s injuries, that he has carried since pre-season, would benefit from a period of rest and rehabilitation.”

The news will no doubt annoy Capello, who was able to call up and play Terry during England’s friendly with Hungary despite his injury.

More bad news could be on its way to the Three Lions (6/1 not to qualify for Euro 2012) coach after Spurs boss Harry Redknapp revealed Peter Crouch may have broken his ribs during their defeat to Wigan.

Should Crouch have injured his ribs, he would more than likely join Tottenham team mate Jermain Defoe on the sidelines, with the former West Ham forward currently struggling with a groin problem.

Capello’s bad day was rounded off by Fulham manager Mark Hughes revealing that Bobby Zamora had picked up a thigh injury in the 2-2 draw at Blackpool and could miss out.

“Bobby went really stiff at half-time. He thought it was just a bang on the muscle and went out again. But he could not shake it off,” said Hughes.

“I think he must be a doubt (for England) unfortunately. He was really looking forward to getting a chance.”

The Welsh (16/1 to qualify for Euro 2012) manager went on to say that goalkeeper David Stockdale may also be unavailable for an international call-up, with Capello rumoured to be interested in bringing him into the national fold.

Capello will name his squad on Sunday hoping that no more of his star names are forced to withdraw before Friday’s first match against Bulgaria.

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Juve seek to protect Balotelli

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Juventus have promised to clamp down on any fans who racially abuse Mario Balotelli when they meet Manchester City in the Europa League (City 11/2 – Europa League outright).

The 20-year-old striker joined the Eastlands club from Inter Milan this summer for a fee thought to be in the region of £24m, as City continue to build a squad capable of breaking the duopoly at the top of the Premier League.

They now have a squad that appears, on paper, to be the match of the majority of the top European teams, and will hope to progress to the latter stages of the Europa league this term.

Racism in English football seems to be, by and large, a thing of the past, with the days when bananas were thrown onto the pitch and ‘monkey chants’ heard in the stands resigned to history, but a few European teams still have a problem with a minority of supporters.

Balotelli was subjected to racist chants when Inter played Juventus at the Olympic Stadium last season and the club’s chief executive, Jean-Claude Blanc, hopes that there will be no repeat performance this time around.

“This will be the chance for the supporters to demonstrate that the standard has been raised,” he said. “Hopefully fans will behave the way they should be behaving and supporting the team and only this.

“Supporting your team is to support your team, and not to make remarks of a racist nature toward other players. We will be extremely demanding and intransigent about this.”

City will be confident of progressing to the knock-out stage of Europe’s second tier competition as they have been grouped with Austrian outfit Salzburg and Polish side Lech Poznan, as well as Juve, who will provide the toughest challenge for Roberto Manicin’s men.

City fans are desperate for some silverware and would love to win the Europa League but reports suggest that Mancini’s number one priority this season is to get the club into next year’s Champions League with a top-four finish in the Premier League (Barcelona 13/5 – Champions League outright).

They signalled their intent with a crushing 3-0 victory over Liverpool on Monday night and have amassed enough quality players over the past two years to cover injuries that are bound to occur throughout the long season.

With Liverpool under new management and Arsenal looking in good form, the race for the Premier League could be as open as it has been for years, with the new ‘top five’ likely to take points off each other throughout the campaign (City 13/2 – Premier League outright).

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Hammers look to land Demel

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West Ham (40/1 – Premier League top six) have tabled a bid for Hamburg defender Guy Demel – as well as seeking to beat Stoke to the signature of Portsmouth’s highly-rated Marc Wilson.

But the Hammers’ chances of landing Juventus’ David Trezeguet look to be over.

West Ham boss Avram Grant, looking to give himself more strength in his problematic right-back spot before the transfer window closes, has reportedly bid just under £2million for Ivory Coast international Demel.

Demel’s agent, Saif Rubie, says the Hammers have firmed their bid for the former Arsenal defender, currently playing for Hamburg.

“West Ham have made an offer on Friday of 2million euros for Guy,” Rubie told skysports.com.

“However, whether it will be enough for Hamburg to do business with just three days of the transfer window left remains to be seen.

“Guy is very happy at Hamburg and committed to doing the very best he can for the club.”

The Upton Park outfit (40/1 – FA Cup outright) are also in the market for Portsmouth captain Wilson, who can play at the back or in midfield.

Wilson looks set to leave Fratton Park before the transfer deadline, and three clubs are now battling for his signature.

West Brom have bid more than £2.5million for the player, after having a lower bid rejected.

Stoke City are believed to have valued the player at just over £3million, which would be made up of a combination of cash plus players, with out-of-favour striker Dave Kitson and midfielder Liam Lawrence the makeweights.

However, West Ham have now entered the race though they have yet to make a formal offer for the player. Pompey’s administrators may look more kindly on a Hammers cash bid rather than the player exchanges offered by Stoke.

Meanwhile, West Ham look to have failed with a bid to sign former France international Trezeguet.

The Juventus ace, 32, looks set to leave the Italian club and has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs including Birmingham and Liverpool, but he now looks set to join Spanish side Hercules.

A Hammers insider told Soccernet: “West Ham tried, but they were told he’s going to Spain.”

Asked about the situation on Friday, boss Avram Grant said: “I cannot answer about Trezeguet or others. There are a few areas that we don’t have players at all so this is our first priority, but in any position if there are players that can be good for us because we have a long season.”

West Ham are still looking to add another striker to the side despite the arrival of Victor Obinna on loan from Inter.

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