Tag Archives: Robinho

Robinho reveals Milan delight

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Brazilian playmaker Robinho finally managed to put an end to his spell with Manchester City yesterday by completing a move to Italian giants AC Milan – where he hopes to get his hands on some silverware (AC Milan 2/1 to win the Serie A).

The Rossoneri have been overshadowed in recent years by city rivals Inter Milan, with the Nerazzurri securing the Serie A title for the last five consecutive seasons – although their success in 2006 was due to the Calciopoli Scandal, with Juventus stripped of the title – as well as picking up the Champions League and Coppa Italia titles in the last campaign (Inter 14/1 to retain their Champions League title).

In contrast AC Milan have endured somewhat of a trophy drought by their own standards of late, the San Siro side last won the Champions League in 2007, their last Scudetto triumph came in 2004 and the Coppa Italia has eluded them since 2003.

However, Robinho has promised to help the side get back to winning ways and is confident he can secure some silverware during his stay in Milan.

“I hope with the rest of my team-mates to be able to contribute to hand many titles to this club,” he told the club’s official website.

“Milan has great players and it’s a fantastic side with a very important history.

“Kaka has always spoken to me very well about Milan and now I know that the Brazilian players in the team will give me a great hand in adapting to the team.

“I will work very hard to make the fans very happy. I want to bring so much joy to them.”

AC Milan have already made a fine start to their Serie A campaign and have seen their odds shorten after the opening weekend fixtures in Italy.

Inter Milan remain the 6/5 favourites with Totesport but AC Milan are now priced at 2/1 following their opening day 4-0 mauling of Lecce, with Robinho’s compatriots Alexandre Pato (2) and Thiago Silva netting in the victory (Pato 33/1 to be the top goalscorer in the Champions League).

Reigning champions Inter, now under the guidance of former Liverpool and Valencia boss Rafael Benitez, could only manage a goalless draw at Bologna in their first fixture.

Juventus and Roma are seen as the other contenders who could challenge for the Serie A title this season but neither managed to pick up three points in their respective openers.

Roma also drew a blank as they could only manage to pick up a point in their home tie newly promoted AC Cesena, while Juve suffered a 1-0 defeat away at Bari.

The Milan faithful have every reason to be confident this season.

Jose Mourinho is no longer at the helm of their fierce rivals and Inter were left largely frustrated in the transfer market as Javier Mascherano chose to join Barcelona instead of linking up with former boss Benitez for a second spell.

With the £22million arrival of Robinho they have a benchmark signing of their own to welcome to the San Siro and new boss Massimiliano Allegri, although not particularly well known outside of his homeland, is a respected coach in Italy after his exploits with Cagliari, where he implemented an exciting brand of attacking football despite the financial limitations of the Italian minnows.

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Robinho ready for ‘world football classic’

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Manchester City star RobinhoBrazilian superstar Robinho believes his country’s quarter-final showdown with the Netherlands will be a great spectacle, while his team remain confident of progressing (Holland 16/5, draw 11/5, Brazil 20/21).

Robinho endured a difficult domestic season in England with Manchester City before being loaned out to Santos in his homeland in January but has enjoyed a successful World Cup, with Brazil breezing into the last eight.

Boss Dunga has been criticised in his homeland for the style of play, with a greater emphasis on defence than has perhaps been seen in previous Brazil sides, but Robinho is sure the quarter-final showdown with the Netherlands will be a mouth-watering contest (Brazil 4/9 to qualify, Holland 13/8).

“It’s a world football classic. It’s going to be like a final,” he explained.

It could be argued that neither Brazil nor the Netherlands have produced an exceptional performance as yet in South Africa. The European giants comfortably made it through their group, beating the likes of Denmark, Japan and Cameroon, but did not produce the kind of ‘total football’ for which the nation is so famous for.

The Oranje saw off a spirited Slovakia side in the last 16 but while Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder may have impressed the likes of Robin van Persie and Rafael van der Vaart have arguably failed to deliver at this stage in the competition.

Brazil have surpassed Spain as favourites for the tournament after easing through a group that included North Korea, Portugal and the Ivory Coast and comfortably seeing off Chile 3-0 in the last 16.  However, while Brazilian teams in the past have been characterised by the flair and guile of players such as Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Romario and Pele, amongst numerous others, the current side relies as heavily on other aspects of their game.

The superb goalkeeping ability of Julio Cesar, the experience of defender and captain Lucio and the workmanlike attitude of holding midfielder Gilberto Silva are as crucial to this crop of Brazilian stars as the skills of players such as Robinho and Benfica playmaker Ramires.

Dunga has brushed aside any criticism of his team by Brazil?s press in the past, and like Robinho he expects their quarter-final showdown to be one for the football purists.

He said: “We know the Netherlands are a very difficult team to play against.

“Their football is actually very similar to South American football. They don’t try to stay defending and rely on long balls.

“They have technical quality and we will need to be ready for that. It’s a solid team.”

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Robinho in shop window

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Manchester City star RobinhoRobinho (25/1 to be World Cup Top Goalscorer) has broken off from his World Cup focus to reveal he would be open to joining his former Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster at Besiktas.

The Brazilian star is in the shop window after falling out of favour at Manchester City in January and spending the rest of the season on loan at his former club Santos.

Robinho, who joined the Premier League club for £32.5million, has spoken of his desire to join Barcelona but the Catalan club appear to have cooled their interest.

Schuster, who coached Real Madrid from 2007 to 2008, took charge of the Turkish side on Thursday and confirmed his interest in taking Robinho to the club.

And Robinho, speaking to reporters at the Brazilian training base ahead of their opening Group G clash with North Korea (28/1 to win in 90 minutes) revealed he is open to moving to Turkey.

“If Schuster is there, I could go too,” he said.

Team-mate Luis Fabiano claims he is not concerned by his lack of recent goals going into Tuesday’s opening match (Brazil 1/11, Draw 8/1 in 90 minutes betting).

The Sevilla star has not found the back of the net for his country in eight matches – dating back to a World Cup qualifier against Argentina in September.

“I know it’s normal, I have to keep trying and the ball will eventually go in,” he said. “I can’t worry about it, it’s how it goes for strikers.”

Luis Fabiano was Brazil’s top scorer in last year’s Confederations Cup with five goals, but failed to register in warm-up matches against Zimbabwe and Tanzania.

“I brought a DVD with my goals,” he joked. “I keep watching it from time to time.”

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