Saturday, June 9, 2012
Messi Versus Neymar
MetLife Stadium will host when Lionel Messi and Argentina meet Neymar and Brazil, with each team gearing up for the Olympics. Goal.com will have LIVE commentary of the matchup.
International Friendly Preview: Argentina - Brazil
Alejandro Sabella's side will be at full strength when they take on a relatively inexperienced Selecao outfit in their final warm-up game before the tournament in England
Alejandro Sabella's side is coming into the match off the back off an impressing 4-0 win over Ecuador in World Cup qualifying. Despite that the 57-year-old has sought to shake things up and has been testing out a 5-3-2 in training that would see Javier Mascherano move into the defense.
However, with Mascherano and Sergio Aguero picking up bookings in that match that rule them out of the Albiceleste's next qualifier, Sabella could choose to line up in a 4-4-2 but opt for different personnel. Agustin Orion is likely to be given a chance between the sticks at the expense of Sergio Romero.
Brazil's Olympic hopefuls impressed with wins over both Denmark and the United States in the past two weeks before a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Mexico brought expectations back down to earth.
Mano Menezes faces one key injury worry with Thiago Silva unlikely to recover from a knock in time for the clash. Bruno Uvini will thus partner Juan Jesus at the back, giving Brazil a defense with an average age of just over 21.
The rest of the team is likely to remain the same but Menezes may decide to bring in a new name to the attack with Hulk possibly making way for Wellington Nem.
Guardiola's goodbye (Statistic of Guardiola)
Pep Guardiola's numbers as manager
13 titles won and a 70% win rate are just a few of Pep Guardiola’s stats since his took charge of FC Barcelona’s first team
Pep Guardiola started his career on the bench in 2007 when he took charge of Barça B when the team was in the Spanish Third Division. A year later, after having led the reserve side to Second Division B, the Catalan took the reins from Frank Rijkaard as the first-team manager. In his over 200 matches at the FC Barcelona helm he won 13 titles.
PEP GUARDIOLA'S TOTAL NUMBERS
- Matches: 242
- Victories: 175
- Draws: 46
- Defeats: 21
- Goals scored: 618 (2,55 per match)
- Goals conceded: 178 (0,73 per match)
- Winning % : 72,31%
PEP GUARDIOLA IN LA LIGA
- Titles: 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11
- Matches: 148
- Victories: 113
- Draws: 24
- Defeats: 11
- Winning % in 08-09: 71%
- Winning % in 09-10: 81,5%
- Winning % in 10-11: 78,9%
- Winning % in 11-12: 73,5%
PEP GUARDIOLA IN THE KING'S CUP
- Titles: 2008/09
- Matches: 30
- Victories: 21
- Draws: 6
- Defeats: 3
PEP GUARDIOLA IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
- Titles: 2008/09 i 2010/11
- Matches: 52
- Victories: 31
- Draws: 15
- Defeats: 6
PEP GUARDIOLA: Other competitions (European Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup, Club World Cup)
- Spanish Super Cup Titles: 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12
- European Super Cup Titles: 2009/10 and 2011/12
- Club World Cup Titles: 2009/10 and 2011/12
- Matches: 12
- Victories: 10
- Draws: 1
- Defeats: 1
Honours as manager
- 2011 FIFA Best Manager of the Year
- Best manager in 2009 and 2011 according to the IFFHS
- ONZE d’Or as best European manger in 2009 and 2011
- Best LFP manager in 2009 and 2011
- World's best manager according to World Soccer in 2009 and 2011
- Royal Order of Athletic Merit 2010
- Gold medal from the Parlament de Catalunya
2009 Catalan of the year
- Santpedor's favourite son in 2009
Villa: “The new season will be a new challenge”
The Barça striker is counting the days until he is fully recovered from the fractured tibia that has seen him sidelined since December
“All I want right now is to be fit all year in order to be able to compete at 100% and win a place in the team”, said the Asturian, who wants to be back by July 16, the day that the squad will regroup for the new season
On missing out on Euro 2012, Villa said “I owe myself to the club and I can’t go there assuming the risk of getting injured even more seriously and for Barça to have to pay the cost”
On June 15, it will be six months since David Villa fractured his tibia in the semi finals of the Clubs World Cup in Japan. Half a year later, and the player senses it is nearly time to resume the old routine of training, travelling and playing alongside his Barça team mates. In an interview with Barça TV, Villa admitted that his target had been to be ready in time to play at Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine. “In the end I didn’t make it in time for logical reasons seeing as it was such a serious injury. I won’t be in Poland, but the new season starts in July and that’ll be a new challenge … I owe myself to the club and I can’t go there assuming the risk of getting injured even more seriously and for Barça to have to pay the cost”.
New competition for places
Villa is not too worried by the possibility of the club reinforcing its forward line this summer. “That is the club’s decision, and it is them who plan the team and evaluate the shortcomings. I know I am at the best club in the world and I know how much competition there is for places … All I want right now is to be fit all year in order to be able to compete at 100% and win a place in the team”. Villa is still working hard every day on his recovery, saying “I want to be fit as quickly as possible, get my form back and be able to join the rest of the squad when they return on July 16”.
From Guardiola to Vilanova
On the change of manager, Villa reckons the decision for Tito Vilanova to take over from Pep Guardiola was the right one. “Tito is more than ready to accept this challenge. Barça fans are scared that he won’t be able to fill the void left by Guardiola, but I don’t think there’s anybody in the world who could do it better than Tito. I think it was the best decision they could have made. I’m sure the team will continue to grow”.
Grateful to Guardiola
But he’ll never forget Pep Guardiola, who “trusted me enough to bring me to Barça … He won the right to decide on his own future and we should respect his decision. I thank him for all he has done for me and the team, and wish him all the best in the future”.
Anzhi Makhachkala Make Plans to Sign Lionel Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo
Anzhi hoping to sign world’s best
Anzhi have already taken big strides forward as a club, with the likes of Samuel Eto’o, Yuri Zhirkov and Christopher Samba all having moved to Russia, and Guus Hiddink has now taken charge of the club.
Carlos, who acts as an assistant to the president Suleiman Kerimov in addition to his playing duties, has revealed the club are now setting their sights a little higher.
“Today, Messi is the best player in the world,” he told Radio Marca. “He continues to show that. Cristiano is the key star for Real Madrid.
“I have no preference for either, but certainly Anzhi will try to sign both when their contracts expire.”
Anzhi may well have bucket-loads of cash but the chances of the Dagestan based side landing either Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are slim to none. Whilst the likes of Samuel Eto’o, Yuri Zhirkov and Christopher Samba are very decent captures who may well assist Hiddink’s chances of taking his side further up the Russian Premier League they are not signings in the same league as arguably the two best footballers on planet earth!
Roberto Carlos could well be a useful tool to persuade big name players to make the move to Anzhi but some targets are just out of their reach.
To put things into some sort of perspective it’s also been reported that Stoke City striker Kenwyne Jones has been targeted by Anzhi but the Potters man is not keen on making the move.
Barcelona Tracking Napoli Striker Edinson Cavani - Report
Barcelona design a move for Napoli striker Edinson Cavani, according to Spanish reports...
Barcelona are drawing up a unique composition for Napoli striker Edinson Cavani.
Cadena Ser reports the Camp Nou giants are looking at Cavani, who has exploded into stellar form at Napoli - helping them rise to third in the league.
It is said the Blaugrana believe Cavani would fit in well with Lionel Messi and Pedro up front. However, conflicting reports in Il Corriere del Mezzogiorno prefigure a stay at San Paolo.
And Cavani is aiming to become the league's top scorer.
"I must get past Samuel Eto'o. The people here always make me feel important and they show me affection," said the striker.
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