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Hodgson prays for Zamora boost

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Roy Hodgson is hopeful Bobby Zamora can shake off an Achilles problem in time for Fulham’s Europa League semi-final second leg against Hamburg (Fulham 6/5, Hamburg 11/5, draw 12/5, 90 Minutes) at Craven Cottage on Thursday.

The Cottagers boss has been keeping a close eye on his 29-year-old 19-goal top scorer after he aggravated the Achilles during last wek’s 0-0 first leg draw in Germany.

Zamora missed Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Everton, but is now waiting to see if he will be fit enough to face Hamburg in Thursday’s crunch second leg which could see Fulham progress to their first ever European final (Fulham 5/6 To Qualify) and a real chance of silverware (Fulham 3/1 Europa League Outright).

“Bobby is much improved and has done some work today with the physios, but we chose for him not to take part in the light training session we had,” said Hodgson.

“We just have to wait until tomorrow to have a 100% decision on whether or not he can play.

“Obviously we are concerned about the situation, because if he was fully fit, he would have been training for the last couple of days.”

Hodgson added: “When Bobby plays we know what we are doing, and when he does not play, we have people who come in and know what we are doing, so we can leave it late in that respect.

“He will have treatment again tomorrow, then go in front of our medical people, and I think by lunchtime I should know whether or not he has a chance of playing.

“It will be about their assessment, Bobby’s own assessment, how he feels, how he thinks it will go – because knowing him as well as I do, he will not want to let the team down.

“He wants to play, but he wants to play as a fit player rather than play and in any way hamper our chances of doing well.”

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Ribery set for UEFA plea

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Franck RiberyBayern Munich star Franck Ribery will plead his case to UEFA next week as he looks to have his Champions League ban overturned in order to face Inter Milan in the final in Madrid on Saturday May 22 (Bayern 9/4, draw 9/4, Inter evens – 90 Minutes).

The France winger was sent off in the first leg of the semi-final against Lyon following a strong challange on Lisandro Lopez which saw him earn a straight red card from referee Roberto Rosetti.

UEFA subsequently handed Ribery a three-game ban rather than the automatic one-match suspension which ruled him out of the return leg against Lyon in France plus the final and the opening game in the tournament next season.

Bayern have now appealed the decision as they look for one of their best players to be available for the game against Inter, the conquerors of reigning European champions Barcelona.

A club statement read: “In detailing the reasons for their verdict from a jurisdictional point of view, UEFA said Ribery was guilty of assault. FC Bayern cannot accept this verdict in any sense and holds that it is entirely false.

“The accusation of assault is inapplicable in this case. Ribery certainly cannot be accused of intentionally attempting to injure his opponent. The player in question, Lisandro Lopez (Olympique Lyon), was able to continue the match uninjured.

“FC Bayern and Franck Ribery cannot accept the verdict and will lodge an appeal, using all legal remedies at the club’s disposal.”

Whether or not Bayern’s appeal is successful remains to be seen, but for now boss Louis van Gaal admits he is glad to be facing Inter rather than Barca, who were looking to become the first side to retain the Champions League.

He told the club’s website: “We have a little bit more of a chance against Inter than against Barcelona.

“Inter are not as attacking as Barcelona. In a final, we’re capable of beating anyone.”

Inter also had a player sent off at the semi-final stage of the competition in Thiago Motta following a tangle with Barcelona’s Sergio Busquets at the Nou Camp.

The Brazilian is now calling for Busquets to be punished by European football’s governing body.

Motta said: “I have seen the television pictures of how he looks up to see what action the referee is going to take and then continues rolling over.

“It is not the first time he has done it and UEFA should really do something about it.”

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Rooney and Rio in contention for United

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Sir Alex FergusonWayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand are both expected to be back to boost Manchester United’s title bid in Sunday’s clash at Sunderland (latest title odds: United 6/4, Chelsea 1/2 ).

The influential duo both returned to full training on Friday after shaking off injuries and Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson expects them to be in contention for the Stadium of Light showdown.

Ferdinand has not figured since the goalless draw at Blackburn because of a groin injury while Rooney, who appears to have got over the ankle injury he suffered against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, has also had a groin problem.

United’s leading scorer missed the win over Spurs last week but did start against Manchester City the week before and Fergie is hopeful his recent injury woes are now behind him.

“Wayne missed last week’s game against Tottenham to allow the ankle to settle,” he said.

“We don’t have any issues with that now. Hopefully he is okay.”

Ferguson will keep a close eye on the pair over the next few days but it is thought they could both start against the Black Cats as United aim to keep the pressure on Chelsea at the top (United to win 2-0 – 5/1 on totesport).

“We will see how they do but we have a couple of days,” the Scot added.

Chelsea are a point clear ahead of this weekend’s fixtures but could extend that to four if they manage a win at Liverpool earlier on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Gary Neville has become the latest United veteran to agree a contract extension at Old Trafford after it was confirmed he has signed a new one-year deal with the champions.

The 35-year-old follows Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs in committing himself to the club until the end of next season.

The full-back has enjoyed a return to regular action in the second half of the campaign and his form has been so good he has even been mentioned as an outsider for England boss Fabio Capello’s World Cup squad.

Ferguson is delighted the experienced defender has signed on although he admitted he was concerned at one point that injuries would cut his glittering career short.

“We worried about him coming back,” said the United boss.

“When you are out for 18 months in your mid-30s it is a concern.

“You don’t worry about Gary Neville’s commitment and his endeavours to get back from injury. He is more determined than any of us.”

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Kalou eyes maximum points

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Salomon Kalou has warned his Chelsea team-mates that they must win at Liverpool on Sunday if they are going to win the Premier League title (Chelsea 1/2 Outright) this season.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side lead Manchester United by just a single point ahead of their trip to Anfield on Sunday lunchtime (Liverpool 11/4, Chelsea 5/6, draw 13/5 90 Minutes) and anything less than a win could hand the initiative over to the Red Devils, who face Sunderland in the later game.

Therefore Kalou is looking for the Blues to remove any doubts by heaping more misery on Liverpool and securing maximum points to keep the title destiny in their own hands going into the final weekend.

“I think we have to win. There’s two games to go and there’s no other way of going about it,” said the Ivory Coast frontman.

“If you want to keep your chance at your end, you have to win every game.

“I hope United will go to Sunderland and drop points, but you can only focus on your own game.

“If we take the three points against Liverpool, we don’t need to worry about what United will do.

“Anfield will be a difficult journey but we will be very motivated and know that if we win there, everything will be in our hands at home against Wigan.”

Chelsea will be boosted by the absence of Liverpool’s prolific striker Fernando Torres due to injury, but Kalou says they cannot afford to be complacent.

“Liverpool at home are still a strong team, even without Torres,” he said.

“It’s true that if Torres played it would be a plus for them, but I think they are still difficult to play at Anfield because they have that spirit at home and their supporters will push them 200 per cent.

“We have to go there and take control of the game. We need to keep the ball and play our own game and not wait for Liverpool to take the initiative.”

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Garcia guards against nerves

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Raul Garcia has warned his Atletico Madrid team-mates they can expect a hostile atmosphere when they go to Anfield to protect a 1-0 semi-final lead against Liverpool in the Europa League on Thursday (4/7 Liverpool 3/1 draw 9/2 Atletico Madrid – match betting).

Los Rojiblancos hold a slight advantage from last week’s first leg thanks to an early strike from Diego Forlan at the Vicente Calderon.

Liverpool appeared heavy-legged off the back of a gruelling trip to get the Spanish capital, caused by complications arising from the volcanic ash in Iceland, and struggled to get a foothold in a match that never really caught fire.

However, 23-year-old midfielder Raul Garcia expects Quique Sanchez Flores’ side will come under heavy pressure on Merseyside.

“Going to Anfield in a relaxed mood would be a huge mistake,” he said. “We know they are going to put us under a lot of pressure, a lot more than they did here. When they play at home they are a completely different side.”

One potential bonus for the La Liga side is that they will not have to contend with former Atletico hero Fernando Torres.

The Spain international will miss the rest of the season because of knee surgery and former Osasuna star Raul Garcia believes Liverpool will be weakened by his absence.

“When he is not there, his absence is felt throughout the team,” he said.

Atletico are bidding for a first major European title since they won the 1961/62 Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup (5/6 Atletico Madrid – To Qualify) and teenage goalkeeper David de Gea is convinced they can cause an upset.

The 19-year-old does not subscribe to the theory that Los Rojiblancos could suffer from stage fright on such an important night and has predicted they will relish the occasion.

“People talk very positively about the fans and the ground, so we have to enjoy it, but everyone from Atletico must give their maximum there to qualify for the next round,” he told uefa.com.

“Our fans are very excited. That is normal; we are in a semi-final. But we are taking it step by step. We have to fight for them, for the fans, to win a title after so many years.”

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Moniz doesn’t fear Fulham

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Hamburg coach Ricardo Moniz says his side have nothing to fear as they bid to become the first side to beat Fulham (6/5 to win in the match betting) at Craven Cottage in Europe this season.

The Dutchman, who was part of Martin Jol’s backroom staff when he was in charge of Tottenham, has been placed in charge of the Bundesliga side until the end of the season following the sacking of Bruno Labbadia.

Despite having reached the semi-final of the Europa League Sunday’s 5-1 defeat to Hoffenheim was the final straw for the Hamburg (11/4 to win the Europa League) board, who have viewed results in 2010 as unacceptable with the club sat in seventh with no chance of winning the Bundesliga title.

Thursday’s game with Fulham represents Moniz’s first as a manager with the 45-year-old having previously worked solely as a specialist skills coach.

Moniz is now hoping to make a triumphant return to Craven Cottage having been part of the Tottenham set-up which beat Fulham 4-0 in the FA Cup in February 2007.

However, the newly appointed Hamburg coach has a defensive headache to deal with following the news that Dennis Aogo will be unavailable for the clash, the 23-year-old unable to travel because of a virus.

Midfielder Piotr Trochowski and Turkish striker Tuncay Torun will also miss the game due to suspension and injury respectively.

Having failed to break down a resolute Fulham in the first leg the Cottagers look to have the advantage heading into Thursday’s game with the scoreline still goalless.

However, despite Fulham’s unbeaten home record and his sides stuttering performances this year Moniz remains confident Hamburg will progress to the Europa League final, which is scheduled to be held at their home ground.

“There is no fear. I am only happy and just look where I can help – I have to be objective, I have to be neutral,” said Moniz.

“The players know me and I’m looking forward to it.

“My only task is to give each player the confidence and be their strength.”

While Hamburg have problems on and off the field Fulham’s only concern is over the fitness of top scorer Bobby Zamora (7/4 anytime goalscorer).

Cottagers boss Roy Hodgson said on Wednesday he thought it was unlikely the 29-year-old would be fit for the match after he limped off in the first leg with an Achilles problem.

The only other concern for Hodgson will be over the suspended Chris Baird, although John Pantsil looks as though he will slot into the right back position having overcome a knee injury.

Hodgson is likely to make a whole host of changes to the Fulham side that lost at Everton on Sunday as he looks to book a place in what would be the club’s first European final.

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New Zealand coach unfazed by challenge

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New Zealand (8/1 to qualify from Group F) are going to face a tough battle at this summer’s World Cup and their chances are not going to be helped by the lack of match action a number of their stars have seen in recent months.

The All Whites are outsiders for the competition and have been paired in Group F for the competition along with Italy (12/1 to win World Cup 2010 Outright), Paraguay and Slovakia.

While their rivals will be full of players who have been performing regularly in top flights across the globe, the New Zealand A-League season ended in February and many of their squad members will not have played competitive football for many months by the time the World Cup starts in June.

Even some of their star players who play abroad have not been experiencing first team football due to injuries, with Ryan Nelsen and Winston Reid both struggling in recent months to make the first team of their respective clubs.

New Zealand’s last game was a 2-0 defeat to fellow World Cup qualifiers Mexico in Los Angeles near the beginning of April, which has prompted coach Ricki Herbert to arrange a special training camp for his players based in both Australia and New Zealand.

Herbert is not fazed by the challenges which his squad will face and told the New Zealand Herald he does not have “too many concerns” about the fitness of his players going into the World Cup.

“Ideally it would be fantastic if everyone was playing every week and not getting injured. I’m nervous about the ones still playing in Europe because we can’t do without them,” said the coach.

“I know we have some really good lead-in games so the players will be fine by the time they get to the World Cup. It’s not like they haven’t had any activity, they are training every day, so they will be ready. They will be fresh and hungry.”

Herbert added that he reckons there are a few places available in his squad as he has already decided on up to 19 players for his 23-man squad.

One man looking to impress and force his way into the New Zealand (40/1 to win Group F) World Cup squad is amateur player Andy Barron.

The 29-year-old is a banker by day and a midfielder for New Zealand Football Championship team Team Wellington, and is taking time off from his everyday job to take part in Herbert’s training camp.

Barron has played for a number of years for the international side and is likely to be the only amateur footballer at the World Cup 2010, but this has not undeterred him in his ambition to play a major role for New Zealand.

“I don’t want to be there just to make up the 23. I want to be there, getting on the park and playing some of the best teams in the world so I’ll be pushing for that as much as I can,” he stated.

New Zealand kick-off their group games against Slovakia in Rustenburg on June 15th before playing defending champions Italy on June 20th and Paraguay on June 24th.

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Moratti lauds “fantastic” Inter

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Jose MourinhoInter Milan president Massimo Moratti admits boss Jose Mourinho has proved him wrong by taking a side reduced to 10 men through to the Champions League final (Inter 8/15 Outright).

The Serie A giants will contest the showpiece with German side Bayern Munich at the home of Real Madrid, the Santiago Bernabeu, on Saturday May 22 (Bayern Munich 9/4, draw 9/4, Inter Milan evens – 90 Minutes) after overcoming holders Barcelona in the semi-finals.

Inter went down 1-0 on Wednesday night at the Nou Camp thanks to Gerard Pique’s composed late strike, having had midfielder Thiago Motta harshly sent off following a tangle with the theatrical Sergio Busquets.

But Mourinho’s men dug in and mounted a tremendous rearguard action to stifle Barca superstars Lionel Messi and Xavi, and in the process go through 3-2 on aggregate thanks to a 3-1 first-leg victory in Italy the week before.

And Moratti has revealed that he actually discussed the issue of a red card in Europe with former Chelsea boss Mourinho earlier in the campaign.

“Not long ago I told Mourinho that I believed that it would be impossible to play down to 10 players and progress in a Champions League game,” Moratti told Inter Milan’s website.

“But instead, it is possible and that is thanks to great character and a fantastic team that Inter has proved to be.

“We played with 10, against the world champions and in their stadium. Yet the players knew what to do in every episode, playing with intelligence.

“I have to compliment everyone because this achievement gives me infinite happiness.”

Inter’s progression at the expense of Barcelona did nothing to help Mourinho’s relationship with the fans of a club he served as a translator and assistant boss between 1996 and 2000.

And the Portuguese, who also dumped the Catalans out of Europe during his time with Chelsea, admits he will never return to take the top job at the Nou Camp despite the fact he plans to coach for “23 more years”.

The 47-year-old said: “I’m not stupid enough to think that this hate can be turned into love.

“I respect Barca and I’ll never forget what the club gave me in the four years I was here, but something has been created around me that is hard to make positive.

“It is clear that I will end my career without having coached Barca.”

On the night Barcelona saw a second goal chalked off for handball earlier in a move finished by Bojan Krkic, a strike which would probably have sent them through on away goals.

But afterwards boss Pep Guardiola paid tribute to Inter’s defence and called his own side’s European campaign a “success”.

He said: “I know we’re Barca but when nine players are defending inside the opposition box it’s not easy.

“Sometimes attacking seems a lot harder than defending. We tried, but they defended well.

“We won’t be looking for excuses. Every player, every coach and every team plays how they want to and it’s not for me to judge.”

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1966 hero makes case for Scholes

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France legend Zinedine Zidane once famously described Paul Scholes as “my toughest opponent” in a trophy-laden career that saw him win domestic titles in Italy and Spain, as well as the Champions League and World Cup (11/2 England – World Cup outright).

It was a remarkable statement given that Zidane was a giant among his peers and rightly regarded as the best player in world football at his peak.

“Scholes is undoubtedly the best midfielder of his generation,” added the former Juventus and Real Madrid icon.

The Scholes appreciation club gained a new member this week when World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst suggested the 35-year-old Manchester United star should end his international exile with England.

The Old Trafford favourite won 66 caps – the last was in the European Championship quarter-final defeat by Portugal – and scored 14 goals for his country before retiring in 2004, largely down to the fact that Sven Goran Eriksson played him in a wide-left position.

Steve McClaren made four unsuccessful attempts to try and persuade Scholes to return to the international stage and the consensus now is that his time has gone.

However, Hurst, England’s 1966 hat-trick hero, believes current manager Fabio Capello should make one last attempt to convince one-club man Scholes he could do a job at the World Cup in South Africa this summer.

Hurst said: “If Paul Scholes changed his mind and came out of international retirement I would pick him, definitely, for the World Cup.”

Scholes, a winner of nine Premier League titles, scored a crucial winner in the recent derby against Manchester City to keep Sir Alex Ferguson’s side in the chase for a record 19th domestic crown (6/4 Man United – Premier League outright).

Hurst said on current form Scholes is still as good as any other England midfielder and deserves his place at the World Cup this summer.

Speaking at Lilleshall National Sports Centre, he added: “There is a position for him in the England squad this summer if he changes his mind. Six months ago I was not so sure but now I would say ‘put him in’.”

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Cahill admits Australia battle

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Tim Cahill claims he knows Australia (15/2 to win Group D) face a tough challenge to make it into the knockout stages of the World Cup this summer, but he remains confident they can surprise a few people.

The Everton midfielder is one of Australia’s footballing superstars and may need to be on top of his game as the country has received a tough World Cup draw after being placed in Group D with Germany, Serbia and Ghana.

Cahill played in the World Cup four years ago as Australia made it into the second round and only went out due to a late penalty to eventual winners Italy (12/1 – World Cup 2010 Outright).

The 30-year-old told Fifa.com that he is looking to add to his 19 international goals in 37 appearances for Australia in South Africa, but it is a “difficult” task they have ahead of them – starting with a match against Germany (14/1 – World Cup 2010 Outright), one of the pre-tournament favourites, in Durban on June 13th.

Speaking about their opening opponents, he said: “We know they’re very disciplined and tactically very strong but, as it’s the first game, there’s no reason why we can’t catch them cold.”

He claims that a draw and a win in their three group games could be enough to get Australia out of Group D, but even then they could face the likes of England (11/2 – World Cup 2010 Outright) or USA in the second round if they qualify.

“I think the most important thing for us is to take each game at a time and not get ahead of ourselves,” stated Cahill.

One attacking option which will be unavailable to Australia boss Pim Verbeek in South Africa is Melbourne Victory striker Archie Thompson.

The forward has scored 21 goals in 33 appearances for Australia (9/4 to qualify from Group D) but ruptured his anterior cruciate and medial ligaments in the A-League grand final and has been ruled out of the World Cup.

While Australia have been hit by an injury blow, their Group D rivals blow have received some good news as their number one goalkeeper Rene Adler has returned to training after a broken rib.

The Bayer Leverkusen stopped suffered the injury in a game with Stuttgart and his speedy return to fitness could be a real boost to Germany boss Joachim Low.

Meanwhile, Ghana (2/1 to be eliminated in the last 16), who Australia face in their second game on 19th June, are hoping that Portsmouth midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng will be able to play for them in the World Cup.

He has previously played for Germany at under-21 level but is currently waiting for his nationality switch to be ratified by Fifa so he can play a part for Ghana in South Africa.

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