Category Archives: news-t

Casillas reveals nerves

Posted on by
Reply

Spain captain Iker Casillas has admitted that his side have struggled with nerves throughout the World Cup Finals ahead of Sunday’s final (Spain 8/15 to win).

The Euro 2008 champions – who face Holland in the final to be played at Soccer City in Johannesburg – have come under fire in the tournament and have not always been at their thrilling best. Now, Casillas readily admits that the pressure of being one of the favourites has affected them.

“We’ve felt a bit anxious all the way through the tournament, even the early matches,” said the Real Madrid keeper.

“This is a very important match – the most important of our careers – and we do feel nervous.”

La Roja began the tournament as one of the favourites but lost their first group match 1-0 to Switzerland before recovering with victories over Honduras and Chile to qualify for the knock out rounds.

They have continued to progress through the finals with single goal victories over Portugal, Paraguay and Germany but have struggled to reach the heights that have seen them lose only three times in 50 games.

In contrast, the Dutch, who have been accused of being pragmatic, have been involved in a number of high scoring games.

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque heads into the match with a number of selection dilemmas, with the main issue being whether Liverpool striker Fernando Torres starts up front with David Villa switching to the wing.

Torres (7/4 to score in the final) was dropped for the semi in favour of Barcelona wide man Pedro who impressed. However, the veteran coach was reluctant to reveal what his starting line-up will be but said he was confident in whatever side he settles on and wasn’t afraid to change tactics if he needed to.

“We’ve got a team filled with many possibilities – Plan A, plan B and other distinct solutions,” said the former Real Madrid coach.

Del Bosque also revealed that he hadn’t made any specific plays to counter the threat of Holland playmaker Wesley Sneijder, who has scored five goals in the tournament so far and has been described by team mate Arjen Robben as “the best player in the world over the last 12 months.”

However del Bosque insists that he’s not making any special plans to take care of the Inter player and was confident his midfielders would be able to deal with the threat the Dutchman poses.

“An anti-Sneijder plan? No,” said del Bosque. “Teams nearly always have a player like this that drifts between the lines and that is difficult to mark. We have midfield players who are used to marking these types of players.”

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Ferguson denies Sneijder link

Posted on by
Reply

Manchester United boss Sir Alex FergusonManchester United (12/5 to win the Premier League)  boss Sir Alex Ferguson has dismissed speculation that the club have had an offer turned down for Wesley Sneijder by Inter Milan.

The Dutch midfielder has attracted interest from a number of clubs after putting in some impressive performances at the World Cup in South Africa.

Sneijder is currently preparing for the final of the competition as Holland take on pre-tournament favourites Spain in Johannesburg on Sunday night.

The Inter midfielder is currently joint top goalscorer at the World Cup and could win the golden boot award if he scores and Spain’s David Villa fails to find the back of the net.

United are just one club that have been linked with a move to buy the 26-year-old however Ferguson has refuted claims the club have had an offer rejected for the player.

He said: “I don’t know where those reports about Sneijder came from.

“How can anybody turn me down when I haven’t even made a bid?”

“I believe the squad is stronger than last season with the younger players having another year under their belts,” he added.

The United manager has also denied claims that the Old Trafford club are lining up a bid for Wolfsburg’s Mesut Ozil who has also had an impressive World Cup with Germany – who finished in third place in the tournament after they beat Uruguay 3-2 on Saturday.

Sneijder could win his fourth trophy this season after helping Inter Milan win a domestic double and the coveted Champions League title and a World Cup trophy would complete a stunning season.

Jose Mourinho, who led the Italian giants to an astonishing season, has moved on to Real Madrid and it is now former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez’s task to keep hold of their key players ahead of next season.

Manchester City and United have both been linked with Inter striker Mario Balotelli, who was not a regular first-team player under Mourinho.

The 19-year-old has revealed his admiration for both Manchester clubs and could be tempted by a move to the Premier League if Benitez does not offer him regular football.

United begin their Premier League campaign against newly promoted Newcastle United as the club look to win back the top flight title from rivals Chelsea (Manchester United 1/5, draw 9/2, Newcastle United 11/1).

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Benayoun slams Benitez

Posted on by
Reply

Former Liverpool midfielder Yossi Benayoun has revealed that former Anfield boss Rafa Benitez was the reason he left the club and joined Chelsea this summer (Chelsea 6/4 to win the Premier League title).

The 30-year-old moved to the London club after failing to secure regular first-team football at Liverpool and will now be helping Chelsea try and retain the Premier League title and push on in Europe next season.

However the Israeli has come out and slammed his former manager for his behaviour during their time at the Merseyside club (Liverpool 10/1 to win the Premier League).

He told the News of the World:  “I made up my mind to leave a long time ago because of Benitez. He never treated me with the respect I deserved. If I played well, I never felt he gave me credit.

“And when the fans wanted me to play, Benitez told me he couldn’t understand why.”

Benayoun stated that on a number of occasions last season he was put down by the Spaniard after the player himself thought he had performed well.

He said: “There are many examples of him treating me badly.

“Last season, against Fulham  and Lyon,  the fans booed when I was subbed. They thought I was playing well but Benitez told me he was surprised they booed because I was not good enough,? he added.

The midfielder joined Liverpool from West Ham United in July 2007 and became a good utility player at the club but found it difficult to claim a starting eleven spot under Benitez.

Despite Roy Hodgson taking over as a manager at the Anfield club Benayoun decided it was time to leave and, after being given plenty of offers from clubs around Europe, he decided to join the Blues.

The player decided not to express his opinions of his former manager whilst at the club but has stated how Benitez damaged the player’s self belief.

He said: “He tried to destroy my confidence. You can’t treat a player like this and expect him to be happy.

“I felt so unhappy but, out of respect to the club, I never spoke out. The players and the people at the top of the club knew how I felt.”

Liverpool will be looking to improve on last season’s seventh place in the Premier League and begin their campaign against Arsenal at Anfield on August 14 (Liverpool 5/4, draw 23/10, Arsenal 7/4).

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Benayoun slams Benitez

Posted on by
Reply

Former Liverpool midfielder Yossi Benayoun has revealed that former Anfield boss Rafa Benitez was the reason he left the club and joined Chelsea this summer (Chelsea 6/4 to win the Premier League title).

The 30-year-old moved to the London club after failing to secure regular first-team football at Liverpool and will now be helping Chelsea try and retain the Premier League title and push on in Europe next season.

However the Israeli has come out and slammed his former manager for his behaviour during their time at the Merseyside club (Liverpool 10/1 to win the Premier League).

He told the News of the World:  “I made up my mind to leave a long time ago because of Benitez. He never treated me with the respect I deserved. If I played well, I never felt he gave me credit.

“And when the fans wanted me to play, Benitez told me he couldn’t understand why.”

Benayoun stated that on a number of occasions last season he was put down by the Spaniard after the player himself thought he had performed well.

He said: “There are many examples of him treating me badly.

“Last season, against Fulham  and Lyon,  the fans booed when I was subbed. They thought I was playing well but Benitez told me he was surprised they booed because I was not good enough,? he added.

The midfielder joined Liverpool from West Ham United in July 2007 and became a good utility player at the club but found it difficult to claim a starting eleven spot under Benitez.

Despite Roy Hodgson taking over as a manager at the Anfield club Benayoun decided it was time to leave and, after being given plenty of offers from clubs around Europe, he decided to join the Blues.

The player decided not to express his opinions of his former manager whilst at the club but has stated how Benitez damaged the player’s self belief.

He said: “He tried to destroy my confidence. You can’t treat a player like this and expect him to be happy.

“I felt so unhappy but, out of respect to the club, I never spoke out. The players and the people at the top of the club knew how I felt.”

Liverpool will be looking to improve on last season’s seventh place in the Premier League and begin their campaign against Arsenal at Anfield on August 14 (Liverpool 5/4, draw 23/10, Arsenal 7/4).

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Xavi confident goals will come

Posted on by
Reply

Midfielder Xavi is confident that his team-mates can find their shooting boots and score the goals that will propel Spain to their first ever World Cup title (Spain 21/20 to win World Cup final).

The Spaniards take on Holland in the showpiece final on Sunday evening in Johannesburg hoping to shake off the tag as the great under-achievers in world football and back-up their success at Euro 2008.

Spain came into the tournament as favourites but doubts were cast over their title credentials when they suffered a 1-0 reverse to Switzerland in their opening group fixture.

However, they bounced back to beat Honduras and Chile and top Group H to progress to the last 16 in South Africa.

Three 1-0 victories over Portugal, Paraguay and Germany followed to set up Sunday’s showdown with the Dutch as the Spanish put in solid, if unspectacular performances.

They do possess a plethora of talented attacking players but have had to rely on a resolute defence to see them through to the final as goals have been at a premium, and Xavi hopes that things will change against the Netherlands on Sunday.

“It is clear we have not scored many goals,” he said. “But we are feeling very comfortable with the way we are playing, and we are creating plenty of opportunities. Usually when you do that, you tend to get goals.

“But we are not converting the chances to our normal percentage. Let’s see if we can lift that because it will be particularly important.”

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has a lot to think about ahead of the match, with a striking dilemma to solve.

Liverpool forward Fernando Torres, who scored the winning goal for Spain at Euro 2008, has not really ignited at the World Cup and was dropped for the semi-final win over Germany in favour of Pedro.

But his experience may see the former Atletico Madrid man back in the fray for the final with Pedro dropping back to the bench.

Whatever side the Spanish tactician decides to put out, Xavi believes that the 2010 squad will be worthy winners of the World Cup if they can edge what looks set to be a very tight affair.

“Football around the world is very even at the moment, very balanced. It’s the minor details that can be decisive,” he added. “If there is a change in the world order I hope it’s in favour of Spain. It’s time for Spain to take its place at the top and I think this generation of players fully deserves that.”

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Germany wait on key man

Posted on by
Reply

Germany striker Miroslav Klose (5/1 to win the World Cup Golden Boot) will have a late fitness test ahead of Saturday evening’s World Cup 2010 third-place play-off against Uruguay.

The 32-year-old, who is one strike away from equalling Ronaldo’s World Cup goal record, suffered a back injury in the semi-final defeat to Spain.

Klose, who has four goals in the tournament, missed Friday’s final training session but Germany remain upbeat about his prospects of facing Uruguay in Port Elizabeth (Uruguay 19/5, Draw 14/5, Germany 7/10 – Match Betting).

Assistant coach Hansi Flick admits it will be Klose “who will decide” whether he is fit to play, with the squad keen to help him reach the impressive goalscoring feat.

Flick stated: “He can go down in history if he scores one or two goals. The whole team wants to help him do it.”

Germany will also make late decisions on Philipp Lahm and Lukas Podolski having been suffering with a bout of flu this week, which has also laid low coach Joachim Low.

Midfielder Thomas Muller is also set to return to the starting line-up after suspension, while Joachim Low has minor doubts over Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil.

Assistant Flick, who faced the press conference in the absence of Low, insists that the squad will be going all out for victory, despite outside apathy about the third-place match.

Low’s number two stated: “Third place is our minimum target and the match allows us to finish on a positive note.

“We are facing a Uruguayan side who are hard to unsettle, but we have shown against England and Argentina that the players are not frightened by this task.”

Meanwhile, the South Americans will look to Diego Forlan to deliver the goods, with four goals in the tournament so far.

The Atletico Madrid frontman picked up a slight thigh problem in the semi-final loss to the Netherlands, forcing him to be withdrawn in the last five minutes.

But Forlan is expected to start and is likely to be paired alongside Luis Suarez, who is available again after suspension following his sending-off against Ghana.

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez has warned Germany that they will “fight to the death” and that Saturday’s game is very important to them.

Tabarez insisted: “We will go in with the same commitment and enthusiasm as always. We will prepare to fight to the death.”

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Robben predicts pain for Spain

Posted on by
Reply

Arjen Robben says he and his Holland team-mates are determined not to let their opponents Spain control Sunday’s World Cup final (Holland 11/4 to win – 90 minutes).

The Spaniards dominated their semi-final against a very defensive Germany side and the Bayern Munich midfielder is determined his side will not suffer the same fate.

“We will defend from the front,” said Robben. “No-one here feels they are too special to get their hands dirty.

“I was surprised with how freely Germany let Spain play. We have to start pressing them earlier.”

Spain have dominated possession in their games so far in the tournament with players such as Xavi, Iniesta and Xabi Alonso controlling the pace of the game with their patient passing approach.

The key to a Dutch success could be down to the performance of the Oranje’s defensive midfielder Mark Van Bommel who has been key alongside Nigel De Jong in breaking down play and winning the ball in order to give it to Holland’s more creative players.

The Bayern midfielder came under criticism for a number of robust challenges in the semi-final against Uruguay, one which led to Holland’s first goal and was eventually shown a yellow card for kicking the ball away in the final moments.

However, Dutch coach Bert Van Marwijk, who is also Van Bommel’s father-in-law says he sees no problem in the midfielder’s aggressive approach.

“I don’t agree with what people are saying,” said Van Marwijk. “The yellow card on Tuesday was his first in the entire competition. He has shown a lot of discipline in his play.”

Despite winning all of their six games so-far in the tournament, the Oranje have come under fire for shunning the traditional Dutch style of ‘total football’ in favour of a more pragmatic approach.

The total football philosophy was first employed by the Dutch side in 1974 who went on to lose 2-1 in the final to hosts West Germany. They went on to lose again in the final in 1978 and Robben says his side are happy to expense with his nation’s traditional flair in the favour of winning football (Robben 9/1 first goal scorer).

“I would much prefer to win a very ugly game than lose a beautiful one,” said Robben. “We can still play attractive football but we can always rely on our good organisation as well.

“If you are organised, you know one goal could be enough, which has been the case so far. The point is, we are in a World Cup final. From now on how you actually play no longer matters.

“Of course, the intent is there to play good football but the result is far more important.

“We have heard enough of talk about how our football is very nice. But it gets you nowhere. We want to achieve something.”

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Balotelli pleased by Premier League interest

Posted on by
Reply

Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli has revealed that he is flattered by the recent speculation which has linked him with Premier League rivals Manchester United (12/5 to win the Premier League) and City.

The 19-year-old has been out of favour at the San Siro despite club president Massimo Moratti stating that they would not want to lose the player.

City (5/1 to win the Premier League) look the most likely to sign the youngster as manager Roberto Mancini worked with the player when he coached at the Italian giants.

Balotelli has stated that he would only stay at Inter if he was guaranteed regular first-team football.

He said: “I expect an important year for my career. Now I’m on vacation, I am resting and recharging for a good start to the season. If you want to know more, ask my agent Mino Raiola.

“(President Massimo) Moratti? It is nice that the president considers me an important part of the club, but I need to play. I cannot be important and not play,” he added.

Balotelli has not had the easiest of times at Inter after having a turbulent relationship with former boss Jose Mourinho the player also has had mixed reactions from the club’s fans.

The Italian had positive things to say about both Manchester clubs and admitted that he is unsure where he will be playing football in the future.

He said: “Roberto Mancini? He’s a great coach, I debuted in Serie A with him because he is a great friend.

“If he and (Sir Alex) Ferguson want me, it means I’m not as bad as I thought.

“United is a great club. They have not seen the real Balotelli, for sure I need to learn and achieve more goals. I want to win the Golden Ball in 2011. As for the future, I always say I don’t know,” he added.

New Inter boss Rafa Benitez will be looking to continue the outstanding season the club had last season after winning the a domestic double and the coveted Champions League title.

The San Siro club are keen to keep hold of their key players with the likes of Wesley Sneijder being linked with a move away from the Serie A champions.

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Cesc pleas for final spot

Posted on by
Reply

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas says he is desperate to play some part in the World Cup final against Holland but claims he will understand if he is left out of the Spain side (8/15 World Cup winners).

The 23-year-old has been a bit part player in Spain’s run to Sunday’s final having been hampered by injuries and having a long list of talented players ahead of him.

The likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Xabi Alonso have all been given preference in the middle of the part over Fabregas and Vicente del Bosque is unlikely to change that for the final.

Spain (21/20 to beat Holland in 90 minutes) looked finally back to their best in Wednesday’s semi-final victory over Germany, passing Joachim Low’s side into submission in a superb display of possession football.

Del Bosque’s side had struggled at times on their route to the final, losing to Switzerland in their first group match while stumbling through the knock out rounds against Portugal and Paraguay.

However, they looked in top form in Durban in mid week and will carry a lot of confidence into Sunday’s match against the unbeaten Dutch.

Spain came into the tournament as favourites having won the European championship two years ago, beating Germany in the final.

While they haven’t quite lived up to their previous billing a Fabregas-less outfit look in good shape for the final.

With Spain finally clicking into gear without Fabregas it seems certain that he will start on the bench in Soccer City.

The Arsenal star was tipped to start the semi-final against Germany before leg and shoulder injuries saw him start amongst the substitutes, del Bosque reluctant to risk the midfielder considering his previous injury concerns.

Having played so well against Germany and with no fresh injuries it looks as though the Spain coach will stick with the starting eleven, meaning Pedro (5/2 anytime goalscorer) will start ahead of Fernando Torres (7/4) again.

Fabregas admits it is unlikely he will start on Sunday but says he is just desperate to play any part in a World Cup final.

“I’m so proud Spain is in the World Cup final, but it means nothing if we don’t win it,” Fabregas told The Sun.

“I am desperate to play at least some part in tomorrow’s game.

“What player on the planet wouldn’t be? It’s everything we dream of from the moment we start kicking a ball to the moment we learn all about the world’s greatest football tournament.

“If I’m lucky enough to get a start, I will give everything I have. But if I have to start on the bench, then so be it. All I can pray for is that I get a chance to play some part of this unbelievable game.”

Fabregas started the Euro 2008 final against Germany in place of the injured David Villa having made a telling impact in the quarters and semi-finals.

However, he looks destine to be a bit part player in Sunday’s final despite his previous performances in major tournaments.

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Three Englishmen end on a high

Posted on by
Reply

English referee Howard WebbEngland may have had a disastrous World Cup, but for three Englishmen the tournament will end on a high (England 9/1 to win Euro 2012).

Rotherham-born Howard Webb has been chosen to referee Sunday’s World Cup final between Spain and Holland in Johannesburg (Holland 13/5, draw 12/5, Spain 21/20).

The 38-year-old will be joined by his English assistants, Michael Mullarkey and Darren Cann.

Webb is the first Englishman to referee the final since Jack Taylor took charge of the Holland v West Germany game in 1974.

He has refereed three World Cup matches in South Africa and has neither shown a red card nor awarded a penalty.

However, Webb has handed out an average of 5.67 bookings per game – the second highest tally in the tournament.

Webb made his World Cup finals debut in Spain’s shock 1-0 defeat by Switzerland.

He was also in charge for Slovakia’s 3-2 victory against Italy and was praised for his handling of a dramatic finale to the match.

Taylor said Webb had been “almost perfect” in the three games he has officiated so far.

“I’ve known Howard for a long time,” Taylor told the BBC. “I’ve seen him as a young referee and I’ve seen him come through, I’ve seen his ability.

“He’s had three games and he’s been almost perfect.

“He’s fit, he’s strong, he’s diplomatic, he reads the game terribly well, in my opinion they couldn’t pick a better man.”

Webb’s achievement comes off the back of a highly successful season for him and his assistants after they officiated the Champions League final in May when Inter Milan beat Bayern Munich 2-0 in Madrid.

Premier League referees chief Mike Riley says those experiences mean all three men will be more than prepared for such a high-profile match.

“As a team they will be prepared for the challenges and I’m sure they will be more than looking forward to the occasion,” he told the BBC.

Webb, a former police officer from Rotherham, started officiating in the Northern Counties League in the mid-1990s.

He has been a Premier League referee since 2003 and took charge of the 2007 Carling Cup final and the 2009 FA Cup final.

One of Webb’s assistants, Mullarkey, recently revealed how Fifa training sessions had included preparation for the noise of the vuvuzelas in South Africa.

Mullarkey said: “When we’re doing our training exercises Fifa is actually playing recorded sounds of vuvuzelas through the speakers.

“For three hours a day we’re exposed to that sound which helps preparation.”

Meanwhile, Italian Roberto Rosetti quit refereeing on Thursday but said his decision had nothing to do with allowing a clearly offside goal in the World Cup.

The 42-year-old, who took charge of the Euro 2008 final, has opted to retire and become the referee designator for Serie B less than two weeks after Carlos Tevez’s goal was allowed to stand in Argentina’s 3-1 win over Mexico in the last 16.

“The disappointment of the World Cup did not influence my decision,” Rosetti said.

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.