Lyon leading the race for Liverpool target

Lyon are in pole position to sign Sochaux midfielder Ryad Boudebouz, according to L’Est Republicain.


The highly rated winger is widely tipped to leave Sochaux in January after deciding against extending his contract that expires in June 2013.
The 21-year-old is tracked by a number of Premiership sides and he even confirmed an interest from Liverpool in the summer.


However, it is French giants Lyon that are leading the race for the Algerian, with les Gones already preparing a January bid for the player.
Lyon officials have contacted Sochaux president Alexandre Lacombe, although no offers have been made.


Les Gones are hoping to wrap up the deal quickly in order to beat other interested clubs to the player’s signature.

Inter may woo Messi

Inter’s Thiago Motta believes that if Lionel Messi ever leaves Barcelona he would join the San Siro outfit over any other club in the world.
The 29-year-old midfielder thinks that Messi could decide to quit the Camp Nou giants at some point in the future and join the Italian side who have always admired him.
“If Messi was to leave Barcelona then the first team he would join would be Inter,” Motta told Inter Channel.
“He is still young, but sooner or later the moment for him to change will come.”
The Italy international played alongside Messi during his time at Camp Nou before leaving for Atletico Madrid in 2007.
Motta explained the striker’s qualities off the pitch and suggested he would like to team up with the superstar once more.
“I am a good friend of Messi, he is a simple guy and very humble,” added Motta.
Motta then spoke about the Blaugrana’s footballing philosophy – just 24 hours after the Spanish club opened their new La Masia youth academy.
“When I arrived at Barcelona, they taught me to always pass the ball and look for the play, never to waste possession,” added Motta.
“When I arrived at Camp Nou my idol was Rivaldo. Then when Louis van Gaal came I realised my position on the pitch was that of Phillip Cocu who I played with for two or three years. I learned a lot from him.”
The Brazilian-born midfielder joined Barcelona in 1999 and played for the B team before making his debut for the senior side two years later.

Sir Alex Ferguson Ready for Manchester Derby

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has called Sunday’s match-up between United and City at Old Trafford the biggest Manchester derby since he took over the club in 1986.
In recent years, Fergie has made some bold statements when referring to United’s bitter rivals. The Scottish manager has dubbed City a “small club with a small mentality” and “noisy neighbours”, but even Sir Alex knows those days are long gone.
City are finally legitimate candidates to win the Premier League, which will surely make Sunday’s clash even more intense than usual.
That being said, Sir Alex dubbed  last week’s game at Anfield the Red Devils most important game of the season.

“The last couple of years they (the derbies) have become more intense and there is more importance attached to them,” said Ferguson.
“On Sunday it’s top of the league against second top and it really builds up into a fantastic prospect for everyone. I am looking forward to that.”

Nani on City Threat
Manchester United winger Nani believes that City’s legitimate title hopes this season will provide even more motivation for the Red Devils.

“These are the games that always get the team motivated,” said Nani.
“When we play these games the team has a different attitude and a different motivation. Of course we like to play big games like this and we hope to win as well.
“Every year the games against City seem to get more important. We usually play well against them and I hope I can make a contribution to make sure we win on Sunday.
“They are playing well, they have a good team, they have good players, and of course it will be more difficult than other games. But we should not forget we are United. When we play at home it is difficult to beat us.
“My confidence for these games is high,” added Nani.
“I feel comfortable in these sort of games. I like the pressure they bring. I have the quality and mentality to play in them.
“I have scored a few goals against City recently. I scored a good goal in last season’s win at Old Trafford but Rooney’s was even better. But I feel confident I can score against them again.
“The semi-final defeat is not playing on our minds. All the players have forgotten this now, especially as we beat City in the Community Shield at the start of the season. It’s important that we remember that, rather than the semi-final.
“It is too early to say it is just going to be about Manchester United and Manchester City for the title. “You cannot ignore Chelsea. They have also been playing well.”

Agent denies Arsenal made an offer for hulk

The agent of Porto forward Hulk has moved to deny reports that Arsenal have contacted his client regarding a move to the Emirates.


Recent reports suggested that the Gunners were willing to pay €23 million for the Porto star in addition to offering Marouane Chamakh in exchange, but the player’s representative has laughed off such claims.


“Twenty three million, is that a joke?” Teodoro Fonseca was quoted as saying in A Bola.
He then revealed that the Gunners were indeed interested in signing the Brazilian.
“It is no wonder that the news have emerged, because every year there are clubs who want Hulk.


”I am sure that other interested clubs will appear. In the case of Arsenal, this is news to me.
“There was a time when they have shown their interest, but that’s about it.”

Fenerbahce weighing up move for Ricardo Carvalho

Turkish giants Fenerbahce are pondering January bid for Real Madrid defender Ricardo Carvalho, according to Turkish newspaper Milliyet.


The Portuguese defender has one year left on his contract at Santiago Bernabeu and it is believed that he is now looking for a new challenge.
Jose Mourinho still sees the 33-year-old as an important member of the starting line-up, but with so many defensive options at his disposal, The Special One could decide to cash in on Carvalho in January.


Tukish Super Lig side Fenerbahce are hoping to take advantage of the situation and they are already preparing a bid for the veteran defender.
The Turks are willing to offer around €8 million for the player’s services, with the bid likely to be taken into serious consideration by Real Madrid officials.

Ibrahimovic wants more of the ball

Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes he can only score more goals if the ball is played to him more often.
Ibrahimovic is determined to prove the point against Juventus, who he played for from 2004-06, in theSerie A clash on Sunday.


The 29-year-old has only recently returned from an ankle injury and scored in his side’s 2-0 Champions League victory against Viktoria Plzen in midweek.
It was his third goal in as many matches this season, and Ibrahimovic said he can perform even better, but only if he gets some extra help.


“In the Champions League match I played in a position I really like,” he told Milan Channel.
“I can move back and forth a lot, even to help my team-mates.”
“I have more chances to do my thing and be more dangerous if I get the ball more frequently.”
Ibrahimovic went on to talk about this weekend’s clash against Juventus, , saying he is anticipating a close encounter.


“They are a really strong team, they have improved a lot when compared to last year, they have signed many players and appointed a new coach,” he said.
“And then there is our man, Andrea Pirlo, who is doing great. We should be careful, it will be very hard, just like every big match, but we must play our game because we remain favourites in Serie A, but also in the Champions League.”
Despite starting the match against the Czech side on Wednesday, Ibrahimovic said he was not yet fully fit.


“I am happy because I am feeling fine and for this I want to thank the people I worked with, but also my team-mates,” he added.
“Obviously I cannot be at 100 percent yet, but I am working every day to continue my recovery. In Wednesday’s game, I did not feel pain, but you never know what could happen.”
Meanwhile, Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini sees Ibrahimovic as the dangerman on Sunday.


“When you play against a player as good as Ibrahimovic then you have to be prepared, not just individually, but as a team,” Chiellini told Juventus Channel.
“It will be great to play against a champion like him, even better if we win.”

Karanka: Kaka deserves to be fit

Assistant coach Aitor Karanka said it was important for Real Madrid to have Brazilian playmaker Kaka fit and firing this season.
Kaka has been well below his best after struggling with a series of injuries in the last two years, but the Brazilian showed signs he is on his way back to his best by scoring one goal and setting up another in Real’s 3-0 win over Ajax in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Karanka – standing in for suspended manager Jose Mourinho – said he hoped that as Kaka’s fitness returns, so too will his form.


“Kaka has, frankly, had a rough time. He is a quality player and it is very important for us to see him happy and enjoying himself because it means he will be an essential player on this team,” Karanka said.
“He is the first one who deserves to be fit. The rest of us simply have to stand by him and support him.”


The victory against Ajax means Real maintained their 100 percent record in the Champions League this season, and continued their resurgence after consecutive winless games in La Liga prior to Saturday’s 6-2 thumping of Rayo Vallecano.
“Getting three more points at home is always important in the Champions League,” Karanka said.
“After winning in Zagreb, having six points and leading the group is important. Six goals on Saturday and three today is phenomenal for team morale. With the players that we have, we have shown we are lethal on the counter-attack.”
“To be honest, after our third goal, we gave away more possession to Ajax, but we still didn’t have too many moments of danger to deal with.”


Ajax boss Frank de Boer said his side had been given a ‘lesson’ by Real, who counter-attacked with devastating effect.
“We have shown some very good aspects of our game tonight. We started well and could have taken the lead early on,” de Boer said.
“After that we got taught a lesson in efficient counter-attacking football. Sometimes we are a bit naive.”


“I had already warned my team that Madrid were dangerous on the break and you have to be smarter than we were for the second goal. We deserved to score tonight. We played well in parts; that should give us confidence for the future.”

Inter back on track, says Ranieri

New Inter Milan manager Claudio Ranieri has signalled the importance of his side’s 3-2 victory at CSKA Moscow in the Champions League.


A late Mauro Zarate goal handed Inter a vital victory on Tuesday after a turbulent month that saw the sacking of Gian Piero Gasperini after just five matches as club manager.
The turnaround in form is just what Inter needed after shock losses to Serie A newcomers Novara and an opening Champions League loss to European minnows Trabzonspor on matchday one – both under Gasperini.


Under Ranieri’s reign, Inter now has two victories from two games, following the 3-1 league win against Bologna on Saturday.
After the win against Dinamo, Ranieri said the San Siro outfit were now back on track.
“It is three points on the board and after losing the first game that is what we needed to get us back on course in Europe. Now we are in it,” Ranieri said.
Following four losses from their first five matches in all competitions, Inter’s players came under intense scrutiny, but Ranieri believes the Dinamo result will erase all doubts about the quality of the squad.


“It was great to see the the players wanting to win again and pushing forward as they know how to,” he said.
“We have a team full of top players and some more on the sidelines still to return, but let us give credit to those who did well tonight – they were fantastic, all of them.”


“We have world-class players who proved their worth tonight, showing that they are not past it. All I did was put them back in place. You do need a bit of luck too, that never hurts.”

Laudrup quits as Mallorca boss

Michael Laudrup has resigned as Mallorca coach with immediate effect in the wake of the club’s decision to sack his assistant Erik Larsen.
Larsen was fired on Monday after openly criticising club owner Lorenzo Serra Ferrer in an interview with a Danish publication at the weekend.
The sacking of one of his assistants was the latest chapter in a number of incidents between Laudrup and Serra Ferrer. The former Barcelona and Real Madrid player had been on bad terms with the club owner ever since the summer transfer window, and the Dane has now decided to throw in the towel.
“Mallorca will be whatever Serra Ferrer wants it to be,” Laudrup said at the press conference in which he announced his departure.
The 47-year-old had been in charge at Mallorca since July 2010. His contract with the La Liga side was due to expire at the end of the season.

Iraq to play home games at neutral venue

FIFA have ruled that the Iraqi national team will have to play their home qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup and 2012 Olympics at a neutral venue.

The game’s governing body sent a letter to the Iraq Football Association (IFA) due to concerns relating to safety and security at the World Cup qualifier between Iraq and Jordan in Arbil on September 2.

It is understood the crowd at the match appeared well over capacity and there was also a power cut during the match.
Iraq will now have to nominate a neutral venue by October 1 for its home World Cup qualifiers, where it is grouped against Singapore, China and Jordan.
IFA president Najih Hmoud told Reuters he accepted the ban but said the organisation would fight it, claiming it was based on false information.

“We will respect the FIFA decision and we will implement it. But I think it was not appropriate because it was based on incorrect information,” Hmoud said.
“Arbil is a safe city. Fifa could have sent a fact-finding delegation. They could have asked the attaches of foreign embassies in Arbil. I don’t believe the circumstances that the report included… are enough to transfer matches to another venue.”

“It is too early to nominate a new venue. There are many alternatives. We have no problem with that. All decisions in the world are subjected to appeal. We will follow other channels that help Iraq in lifting this ban.”

Kaka invites Neymar to Real

Real Madrid playmaker Kaka says he would like to see Santos hotshot Neymar join him at Santiago Bernabeu.

The Brazil international was widely tipped to join Real this summer, but the two clubs failed to agree on a transfer fee.

Neymar has vowed to stay at Santos for another season, but is very likely to make a move to Europe next summer.

Real Madrid remain the favourites for his signature and now Kaka has invited his compatriot to join him at the Bernabeu.

“During the summer transfer market there was much talk of Neymar,” Kaka told Expresso de Esporte.

“Obviously, I do not know the details of the negotiations, but I would like to have Neymar as my teammate.”

Inter sack Gasperini

Inter Milan have fired head coach Gian Piero Gasperini following their disastrous start to the 2011-12 campaign.

The Serie A giants have confirmed the 53-year-old’s departure on their official website.
“Inter want to communicate that the first-team training at Appiano Gentile this morning was taken over by Daniele Bernazzani and Giuseppe Baresi,” a statement on inter.it reads.
“The club wishes to thank Gian Piero Gasperini for the effort shown during his tenure and manifests its true disappointment for the interruption of the relationship with the coach.”
Gasperini replaced Leonardo as the man in charge at Giuseppe Meazza earlier this summer, but the former Genoa tactician failed to stamp his authority on the Coppa Italia holders and has consequently been relieved of his duties.
Gasperini began his spell at Inter with a 2-1 Italian SuperCup loss against AC Milan. He then followed the derby defeat up with a 4-3 reverse at Palermo and a scoreless draw with Roma in Serie A.

A 1-0 home defeat to Trabzonspor in the Champions League last week only added to his misery, and club president Massimo Moratti moved to dismiss Gasperini after Tuesday’s shock 3-1 loss against Novara in the latest Serie A fixture.

Fire damages Bayern star's house

Bayern Munich defender Breno was hospitalised on Monday following a fire which badly damaged the Brazilian’s home.
Breno, 21, is believed to have suffered smoke inhalation, but otherwise escaped from the blaze in the Grunewald area of Munich.
He was reportedly alone in the house when the fire broke out, with his wife and children arriving on the scene later.
“We were alerted by a small alarm at 12.30am, and we were told there was refuse on fire,” the Munich-Grunewald Voluntary Fire Brigade’s Thomas Lix said.
“When we arrived here it was clear that it was more than just refuse, the whole building was on fire.”
“We sent out another alarm to call on more of our force and people from the neighbouring force.”
“We were then only able to fight the fire from outside as we were then no longer able to enter the building.”
Police and fire authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, which reportedly caused between half a million and one millions euros worth of damage.
Breno joined Bayern from Sao Paulo in 2008, but is yet to establish himself as a first-team regular at the Allianz Arena.
He spent part of the 2009/10 season on loan at Nuremburg.

Who really wants to win the Carling Cup

The third round of the Carling Cup will take place over the next couple night of nights and some big teams may be taking it more seriously than in past years.
In past years the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool probably wouldn’t have cared much for the Carling Cup. This year could well be different.


Trophy
It seems its becoming harder and harder to win a trophy for Arsenal’s hapless boss Arsene Wenger. The club thought they had secured their first trophy in five years as they lined-up to face Birmingham in last years Carling Cup final.
However a late defensive mix-up cost the Gunners a goal and the trophy. Some might say that was the start of the clubs downfall. Their season then fell apart. With all his problems in the Premier League Wenger can’t afford to lose at home to League Two Shrewsbury.
Wenger may field his reserves tonight but the Carling Cup is probably the clubs best chance of a trophy this season. They are not good enough to win the Champions League or the Premier League. So the Carling Cup and the FA Cup are their best chance of winning silverware this season.


Nightmare
Liverpool endured a nightmare at Tottenham, having two players dismissed and losing 4-0. Their defeat at Tottenham showed that they are not quite ready to challenge for the Premier League title and they are not in Europe, so the domestic cup competitions will be their only chance of silverware as well.


Win
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has admitted that he wants to win the Carling Cup, but will change his side around slightly for his teams visit to Stoke. However he has stated that he will include the likes of Sebastien Bassong, William Gallas and Roman Pavlyuchenko in his starting eleven.
Unlike the Europa League then, Redknapp is not going to play his kids in this competition. He seems to really want to win the competition, despite it not being his priority.


Middle
Then you have the teams who have started the season in decent fashion, the likes of Everton, Aston Villa and Newcastle. All three have very winnable ties against clubs that are currently struggling.
Everton host West Brom at Goodison Park and are probably going to field a relatively strong team. West Brom boss Roy Hodgson is likely to field a weakened side with his team currently bottom of the Premier League table. The Carling Cup is definitely not Hodgson’s priority right now.
For Everton though a good cup run could do wonders for morale and I’m sure Everton boss David Moyes wouldn’t turn his nose up at the European place that winning the trophy would bring.
Aston Villa also host a Premier League struggler in Bolton at Villa Park. The Trotters are just one place better off than West Brom in the table and struggling to find any sort of form. Villa boss Alex McLeish will see this as a good opportunity to progress into the next round.
Newcastle visit Championship strugglers Nottingham Forest in the third round. Forest have made a nightmare start under new boss Steve McClaren.
They are currently third from bottom in the Championship and couldn’t win a raffle with the winning ticket at the moment. This has a Newcastle win written all over it but you never know.



Reserves
Premier League title challengers Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea are likely to field their reserves in the Carling Cup. However some of the players that those clubs have in reserve is frightening.
A lot of the players that would be considered Manchester City reserves would get into the majority of  Premier League teams. And Manchester United are set to field the likes of Michael Carrick and Ryan Giggs when they visit Leeds. Not bad reserves I have to admit. So the big clubs aren’t completely writing the Carling Cup off.


Serious
The majority of Premier League teams should take the Carling Cup seriously, as it may be their only hope for silverware this season. It also carries the added bonus of European football. A fact which seems to annoy Premier League bosses rather than attract them.
However the fans love European football and the crazy excursions it sometimes takes them on. I certainly wouldn’t mind my club winning the trophy and I’m sure there’s a whole host of fans from other clubs hoping their club can bring the trophy home as well.


Does the Carling Cup matter to Premier League clubs?

Barcelona join race for Gary Cahill; Arne Friedrich leaves Wolfsburg

Barcelona join race for Gary Cahill
Barcelona have shown interest in Bolton defender Gary Cahill, according to Catalan daily Sport.
The England international has attracted a lot of attention with his impressive displays in the Premier League and is reportedly looking for a new challenge.
Arsenal had a couple of bids for the 25-year-old rejected earlier this summer, while few other Premiership clubs are also keen.
According to Spanish newspaper Sport, mighty Barcelona are also interested in the promising defender and could make a formal bid in January.
Pep Guardiola found himself short on options at the back when Carles Puyol and Gerrard Pique were on the sidelines at the start of the season and he is looking to bring at least another defender in January.
He reportedly has a very high opinion of the Bolton defender and would like to see him at Camp Nou.
While Bolton’s £15 million valuation of the player is unlikely to be a problem, the Catalans could face a stiff competition for the player’s signature.

Arne Friedrich leaves Wolfsburg
Bundesliga side Wolfsburg have announced they have rescinded the contract of Arne Freidrich.
The Germany international’s contract was not due to expire until June 2013, but he has now decided to terminate his deal with the Wolves.
The Bundesliga outfit agreed to terminate the contract with immediate effect, announcing the news on their official website.
“Arne Friedrich approached us with the request to terminate his contract,” Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath was quoted as saying.
“We obviously rue his decision, but we want to wish him all the best for the future.”
Freidrich arrived to Wolfsburg from Hertha in 2010, but failed to prove his worth at Volkswagen Arena due to ongoing injury problems.


Bologna boss rejects Ramirez to Liverpool rumours
Bologna coach Pierpaolo Bisoli has moved to deny reports linking Gaston Ramirez with a move to Liverpool.
The Uruguayan midfielder has impressed in Serie A last season and he is said to be looking for a way out of the club after failing to agree on a new deal with Bologna chiefs.
The 20-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool, but Bologna coach denies there is any truth in such rumours.
“The transfer market is closed and I don’t see what I’m supposed to say about this right now,” Bisoli told RAI.
“The issue just doesn’t exist. It was the first game I could’ve fielded the lad, as he was suspended last week.
“He played for 35 minutes and is regularly at the disposal of the squad. As for anything else, that will wait until January.”
Manchester United and Manchester City have also been linked with the Uruguayan playmaker, as Premier League remains most likely destination for the player.
For more news about football transfers and rumours, visit our Transfer News section. To view all football transfers for 2010/11 season, visit our Soccer Transfers section.

Frustated Dalglish laments horrible result

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish refused to blame the referee for the Reds’ nine-man 4-0 defeat to Tottenham on Sunday.

The Merseysiders were left stranded by the sending-off of Charlie Adam in the opening half-hour, and that of Martin Skrtel just past the hour mark, with Spurs striker Emmanuel Adebayor scoring a brace over the depleted opposition in their English Premier League encounter.

But rather than ruing the decision from central referee Michael Jones to give a second yellow to two of his players, Dalglish credited Tottenham’s eagerness out of the blocks at White Hart Lane as the reason for the hosts’ victory.

“I thought Tottenham started better than we did, I thought they played very well. We never reached the level that we are capable of,” Dalglish told Sky Sports.
“For us, it’s been a bad day on the football side. It’s a horrible result. Probably the best performance from anyone at the football club was the fans.”
“We gave ourselves a difficult start because we never started properly and if you don’t do that, and go a goal down, then you are going to be in a bit of trouble because Tottenham are a good side.”

“Everything else that you probably want to talk about – the controversy and the sendings off – I think we will just leave it.”
Redknapp agreed with his counterpart, in that Spurs’ opening to the match was nothing but electric, and it built the base for a strong performance.

“It was a fantastic performance from start to finish. We started the game so brightly and created three or four great chances before we scored with a great finish from Luka (Modric),” Redknapp said.
“The only thing that bothered me is that we weren’t two or three up at that time because I think we were that good in that first 25-30 minutes it would have been difficult for anyone to live with us.”

“When they had the first sending off, I thought ‘we don’t need that now’. Sometimes against 10 men the attitude can change. People think it is easy, the crowd get restless and the players want to play differently.”
“When it was 11 against 11 we were absolutely well on top and it was going how we wanted it. We had a little flat spell before half-time.”
“We ended up scoring some good goals and it was a complete all-round performance.”

Villas-Boas plays down Torres miss

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas was quick to defend Fernando Torres after the striker’s shocking miss in the defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford.
After scoring with a brilliant finish just after half-time, it looked as though the under-fire Spaniard had brushed off the controversy that had been created following his big-money move from Merseyside to London.

There was more evidence that the front man had regained his touch as he caught the United defence napping, dancing past goalkeeper David de Gea, only to see all his hard work evaporate in one wild shot on an open goal.

But Portuguese manager Villas-Boas was sympathetic to Torres, saying it can happen to all top strikers and comparing the miss to Wayne Rooney’s unsuccessful penalty earlier in the second half, which he blazed off-target.

“You have an example of Rooney missing a penalty too, which is basically the same,” the former Porto man told Sky Sports.
“The worst things happen to the best strikers in the world and today it happened to both of them.”

Villas-Boas said he felt his side’s comeback after trailing 3-0 at the break was promising, despite eventually only hauling back one goal.

“It was a strange game, very, very open and a lot of opportunities for both teams.” he said.

“If luck could play a better part for our side today, maybe (we could have won). We had some very good chances to even the score or even to score first.”

“The scoreline went crazy in the first half, but we had good opportunities to do something in this game.”

“Coming back from 3-0 down is always difficult and we had to take risks without exposing ourselves too much.”

“The second-half recovery was very good and we had a couple of chances to even the score. The scoreline is crazy.”

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was preoccupied by Ashley Cole’s late lunge on Javier Hernandez in the penalty area, which saw the defender earn a yellow card, although there was no penalty kick paid.

“To me it was a shocking tackle, an absolutely shocking tackle,” Ferguson said.

“The referee has booked him, but if he’s booked him, I don’t know why it wasn’t a penalty. I must ask him.”

“We’re going to have to wait until the morning. At the moment his leg is very numb and he doesn’t have any feeling, so he could be out for a couple of weeks maybe.”

Wayne Rooney: United, Man City and Chelsea will compete for the EPL title

Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney believes that the English Premier League title race will come down to Chelsea FC, Manchester City, and Manchester United. I’m sure the majority of people who follow the English Premier League would tend to agree with Rooney’s assessment. That being said, here is exactly what Rooney told The Sun:

“I think it will be the most open and exciting title race for years and the top three will be United, Man City and Chelsea. I definitely think it will be between the three of us.
“Liverpool have spent a lot of money and they’ll be pushing for the top four at least. Arsenal have struggled but have now brought in some new players and they’re normally very consistent – and Spurs can go well again.
“But I’m backing United obviously and after that it doesn’t matter who finishes where.”

Rooney Backs Chelsea for Title Contention
England international Wayne Rooney has rightfully backed Chelsea as legitimate Premier League title contenders in 2011-12. The Blues improved their already strong side by doing some of the best business in England this summer. Andre Villas-Boas brought in Portuguese star Raul Meireles and the talented Spanish winger Juan Mata, who was reportedly a transfer target of Spurs and Arsenal. Mata has already looked the part for Chelsea, who haven’t played tremendous, but are right behind United and City in the Premier League table.
Rooney said of Chelsea, “They’ve been challenging us hard for the title for the past eight years now and won it three times and I’m sure they’ll be challenging again this season. When you have a spine of Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, John Terry and Petr Cech that’s something special. They’re all winners so you just build the side around them.”

City Doing Their Part
United’s noisy neighbours have looked extremely good in the early going this season. Strikers Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko have bagged six goals apiece and are second only to Rooney’s eight.
City’s positive start hasn’t gone unnoticed by Rooney, who told The Sun:

 ”Yes, City have spent a lot of money and signed a lot of great players. I have watched them and they are playing well.
“So we know it is going to be a difficult season. But we’re not scared. We’ll just keep doing what we do best – try and win games and make sure we’re in a good position for the last few months of the season and take it on from there.”

Arsenal Left Out?
One club he did not list as potential title contenders was Arsenal, and rightfully so. The Gunners woeful defending saw them concede four goals earlier today at Ewood Park versus Blackburn Rovers. Four! Of the four goals, two of the goals Arsenal conceded were own goals. Their defending can simply be described as woeful, pathetic, and lackluster. After losing 4-3 at Blackburn, Arsenal secured their worst run in away form in 20 years.
How much longer can the Gunners trust Arsene Wenger? For one thing, Wenger was not really given enough money to rebuild a midfield that saw Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri depart to Barcelona and Manchester City respectively. Surely Arsene’s new signings must be given time to adjust to life at the Emirates, but it’s not looking good at the moment. Sadly enough, the Gunners seem more likely to be relegated to the Championship than to finish in the top four in the Premier League this season.

SAF: Blues lurking dangerously

With both Manchester clubs blazing a trail at the top of the table - City and United have yet to drop a point between them - Chelsea are being ignored.

Ferguson believes that will suit new Stamford Bridge manager Andre Villas-Boas down to the ground.

For, while the Etihad Stadium and Old Trafford attract all the publicity, the top flight's youngest coach can acclimatise himself to the new surroundings.

And, when Chelsea head to United on Sunday, Ferguson anticipates United will be taking on one of their biggest rivals.

"They will be there at the end of the season, there is no doubt about that," he said.

"At the moment, of course, the two Manchester teams are enjoying the publicity that comes from the predictions that they are going to be involved in the winning of the league.

"In the background lurks Chelsea. They don't need the publicity. They will be enjoying being out of the profile at the moment."

Chelsea had enjoyed the better of recent confrontations between the teams until last season, when United recovered from losing the opening meeting between the teams to win three on the trot in just over a month, including both legs of a Champions League quarter-final.

"It will be a fantastic game," Ferguson said.

"The games between both sides over the last seven years have been very close affairs.

"There is usually just one goal in it and it will be very tight on Sunday again."

Ferguson has also been impressed with the manner in which Villas-Boas has adapted to his new surroundings, having been recruited from Porto in the summer at the tender age of 33.

"The new coach has started very well," he said.

"For a young man who has come to Chelsea, it is a great challenge.

"It is a hard challenge at his age but when you go to a new club, you hope you get an immediate response. He has got that.

"They are a team with great experience and they will always be a challenge to us."

Ronaldo fails to rule out Barcelona move

Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo says he cannot rule out a future move to Barcelona.

The Portuguese forward is playing the best football of his career, but has failed to pledge his future to Real Madrid.

“If I ever change clubs, Barcelona would be a door really, really distant,” Ronaldo told TVI.

“There would be other doors much closer to open.

“But right now I am very happy. As I have said before, if I had to sign a contract with Real Madrid for the rest of my life, I would do it right now.”

Draw wasn't a disaster for City on Champions League debut

Manchester City opened their maiden Champions League campaign with a 1-1 draw at home to Italian side Napoli at the Etihad Stadium. It wasn’t the worse result in the world considering the team they were up against.

Mugs
A lot of English press and football fans seem to have thought that Napoli would show up and Manchester City would steamroller them.
However Napoli are a very good team and were never going to be pushovers. If anybody has seen the Azzurri in Serie A then they will know how good a team they are.
The likes of Marek Hamsik, Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi are some of the most highly rated and wanted attackers in European football. Napoli really have done well to keep hold of the trio. So Napoli were always going to come and give City a game.

Nervous
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini came out after the match and stated that the players were nervous. I don’t know why they were so nervous, a lot of these players have experienced Champions League football previously and shouldn’t have been overawed by the occasion.
The likes of Samir Nasri, Yaya Toure and David Silva have all played in the Champions League before and in Toure’s case won the competition. Although they are only human and were likely to get nervous,  a lot of these players have played in far bigger games than this one.

Debut
As a club it was Manchester City’s first game in the Champions League. It wasn’t the vintage display that a lot of people expected from City. City have been on fire in the Premier League but the Champions League is a different kettle of fish.
You have to be patient and thoughtful. The pace of the game can be slower and it can take longer to make an impact in a game, especially if your at home and the away side is set up for the counter-attack.

Learning
Manchester City suddenly find themselves in a competition that they are not accustomed to. Not only is it new to some of the players, its new to the fans and officials at the club. This sort of night will be a good learning curve for everybody at Manchester City.
Some of the players are still relatively new to the team as well with the likes of Nasri and Aguero only joining the team in the summer. They may have gelled in the English top flight but its going to take lots of time and practice to gel in the Champions League.

Experienced
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has extensive experience of the Champions League, having managed Italian giants Inter in the competition. He only ever reached the quarter-final stage of the competition, so he will want to take City further.
I’m sure his experiences with Inter in Europe will stand him in good stead for this seasons campaign. He will need to help his players through bad results and tough ties though.


Reality
Prior to last nights game people were talking about Manchester City as potential winners of the Champions League. This was based on the fact that the club have started their Premier League campaign in such good fashion.
However last night was a bit of a reality check for the players, fans and pundits. City now know they cannot just turn up and beat every opponent in the Champions League. Even the great Barcelona have to work hard for victories in Europe’s elite competition.

Tough
Next up for Manchester City in the Champions League is a trip to German giants Bayern Munich. Bayern look like a rejuvenated side this season under veteran coach Jupp Heynckes and will be another tough opponent for Mancini’s side.

However, I believe playing away will allow City to counter-attack and get the best out of the likes of Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Samir Nasri. Manchester City are definitely still a work in progress but I believe its so far so good for the Champions League new boys.

Ajax boss has big plans in Europe

Ajax boss Frank de Boer has urged his players to go for glory in this year’s Champions League, hailing it as the pinnacle of the game.

The 41-year-old helped lead the Dutch champions to their second and last Champions League trophy in 1995, under then manager Louis van Gaal.

Although his side is not tipped to make much of a splash in this year’s tournament, de Boer said his men should be aiming high when they kick off their European adventure on Wednesday against Lyon at Amsterdam ArenA.

“Playing in the UEFA Champions League is the most beautiful thing there is for a player; that is what you come to Ajax for,” de Boer said.

“That is what you try to get across to the players. If you want recognition at international level, and most players do, then this is the best stage to act on.”

The Dutchman is expecting a stern challenge from Lyon, who Ajax are drawn with in Group D along with group favourites Real Madrid and Croatians Dinamo Zagreb.

“The French league is a bit underrated in the Netherlands, but I rate it very highly. They have three teams in the Champions League,” he said.

“Lyon are among the strongest teams in France, so I am curious to see how big the difference between Lyon and Ajax is.”

European giants clash in the first round of Champions League games

Just incase you didn’t know Europe’s top competition the Champions League starts tonight.
One of the biggest ties of the first round games is European Champions Barcelona vs. Italian champions AC Milan at the Nou Camp. These are two proper giants of European football.

Winners
Between them these two clubs have won the European Cup 11 times. That is an impressive haul of trophies.
Milan have won the trophy seven times in their history, their most recent victory coming in 2007 when they defeated Premier League Liverpool in final of the competition.
Barcelona have won the European Cup four times. Two of those victories have came in the last three years, both against Manchester United. Although they haven’t won as many European Cup’s as AC, they are currently regarded as the bigger club worldwide.

Draws
Both clubs drew 2-2 at the weekend. However the draws came under different circumstances. AC Milan were two goals down before coming back to claim a point against new look Lazio. It was their first Serie Agame of the season after the start of the league campaign was delayed due to a players strike.
Barcelona on the other hand were two goals up in the first 15 minutes away at Real Sociedad in their latest league game. However the club from San Sebastian came back strong in the second half and shocked the champions. The champions had fielded a weakened side in the La Liga encounter.

Defence
Barcelona may have had a weakened side out at Real Sociedad but you can be sure that their team will be at near full strength for the fixture against the Italians giants. Barcelona have had injury problems in defence in recent months.
However the club are likely to have the likes of Carles Puyol and Maxwell back in the squad that hosts Milan at the Nou Camp. Barcelona will need to be at their best at the back with Milan’s attack the main strength of their side.

Attack
Ac Milan have a threatening strike force. In the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robinho and Alexandre Pato the Rossoneri carry a major attacking threat. AC Milan’s attack is probably the strongest department of their team. Unfortunately, there is bad news for AC Milan fans.

Teams
Mercurial Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be denied the chance to appear against his former-team as he is currently out injured. AC will also be without midfield general Gennaro Gattuso, who is still suspended from last season. Dutch midfielder Mark Van Bommel could come in to replace the Italian international. The Italians champions will be missing centre-back Philippe Mexes, who is also on the injury list but would have been suspended anyway.
Barcelona are likely to welcome back club captain Carles Puyol to the centre of their defence. His first choice central-defensive partner Gerard Pique hasn’t appeared for the club since the Super Cup victory over Real Madrid and is likely to miss out on this encounter as well.
New signing Alexis Sanchez is ruled out of this clash after sustaining a hamstring injury during the Real Sociedad match. Spanish international David Villa is likely to replace the Chilean. Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi is also likely to return to the team after starting the last match on the substitutes bench.
Tight
This should be a tight game. Italian champions AC Milan will be underdogs in this clash but it will no doubt prove to be a closer encounter than most Barcelona games. AC Milan are considered to be one of the challengers for Barcelona’s crown as European Champions.

Reaction
The draw at Real Sociedad was considered a poor result for Barcelona. Barca boss Pep Guardiola will be looking for a reaction from that game and Barcelona’s players usually produce what Guardiola wants.
AC Milan are a strong outfit but I can see Barcelona starting the defence of their European crown with a victory. Both sides will no doubt qualify for the knockout stages of the competition though and that’s when the real fun starts.

Can AC Milan defeat Barcelona at the Nou Camp?

Ballack ready to surprise Chelsea

Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Michael Ballack believes the Bundesliga side can cause an upset at Chelsea on Tuesday.
The Germans return to the Champions League for the first time since 2004-05 – and Ballack is keen to get off to a winning start.
“We have a bit of international experience thanks to the Europa League last season, but of course it’s completely different to be playing in the Champions League,” Ballack told the UEFA website.
“I know from experience that it’s a different level. Yet in the opening match in London, where we can go without any pressure, we may spring a surprise.”
Ballack then went on to say that he’s looking forward to a return to Stamford Bridge after leaving Chelsea for Leverkusen in the summer of 2010.
“I was very happy. For me the draw could hardly have been any better. I am looking forward to travelling there again, to playing there. Emotionally this will certainly be a special match for me.”
Leverkusen will be high on confidence ahead of Tuesday’s match following their 4-1 Bundesliga win over Augsburg at the weekend.

Rooney treble as magical United destroy Bolton

Wayne Rooney?s second consecutive hat-trick saw Manchester United reclaim top spot in the Premier League after losing it to Manchester City for just a few hours.

Rooney, who scored a treble in the 8-2 demolition of Arsenal, scored twice before the break to set Sir Alex Ferguson?s side on the way to eclipsing the efforts of closest rivals City, who had beaten Wigan 3-0 earlier in the day.

The England striker scored his third in the second half as his efforts, along with a brace from Javier Hernandez, mean United have scored 18 times in their four opening league games.

Both Manchester clubs have signalled that this year?s duel for the title will be a two-horse race, but it is United who lead the way at this early stage on goal difference.

It was an afternoon where the old guard shone alongside a new generation of stars as Rooney combined brilliantly with Hernandez and summer signing Phil Jones.

Ferguson fielded an arguably stronger line-up than the one that hammered Arsenal at Old Trafford in their last match before the international break.

Mexican Hernandez returned to partner Rooney in place of Danny Welbeck, while Rio Ferdinand replaced Chris Smalling in the centre of defence.

The architect of this latest victory, perhaps even more so than Rooney, was Nani. His hat-trick of assists, and two more from the impressive Jones, was as much a part of this triumph as the fine finishing of Rooney and Hernandez.

The champions began the game at break-neck speed and Ferguson was left cursing referee Andre Marriner for not booking Kevin Davies after his challenge forced the United boss to replace Tom Cleverley with Michael Carrick.

The Bolton skipper escaped with a talking to and the angry United manager had only just caught up with play when his side took a fifth-minute lead.

Wayne Rooney found Nani on the right and the Portuguese crossed into the six-yard box where Harnandez arrived and beat Jussi Jaaskelainen at the near post.

United were immediately forced into the change when Cleverley limped off, and they also found themselves on the back foot in their own box.

The ball was cleared by Jonny Evans and fell to Chris Eagles, whose shot was cleared by Rooney when an equaliser looked odds-on.

Davies finally found his way into Marriner?s notebook when his tackle on Patrice Evra earned him a yellow card. Within seven minutes, United were further ahead.

Phil Jones exchanged passes with Nani after a throw-in and Rooney finished the cross after reaching the ball ahead of Gary Cahill and Dedryck Boyata.

Then in the 25th minute, United made it three. Former Blackburn midfielder Jones was involved again as he raced through home defence unchallenged.

He evaded Zat Knight?s attempted block before seeing his shot saved by Jaaskelainen?s legs. But Rooney was on hand to tap in the rebound. Hernandez thought he had added a fourth, only to see it ruled out by the referee?s assistant for offside.

He did, however, make it four in the 59th minute following good work from Nani. The winger weaved into the box and teed up Carrick, and the former Spurs midfielder saw his shot blocked and run loose into the path of the Mexican, who pounced once again.

Nine minutes later, the job was complete when Rooney completed his hat-trick with a right-footed strike after more creative magic by Nani.

United also missed countless chances to get closer to the eight goals put past Arsenal in their last outing, with Hernandez guilty of misfiring at least twice.