Football News: Weekly Football News Roundup
7/19/09
Manchester United cancel a friendly game due to Jakarta bombings
The English champions Manchester United cancelled a friendly in Indonesia to be played on Monday
due to two bombing attacks last Friday in Jakarta.
Suspected Islamic terrorists carried out suicide bombings in two
luxury hotels and a commercial centre of the capital city. One of the stricken hotels was the Ritz-Carlton, where the United squad
planned to stay during their time in Jakarta.
At least two people died in the explosion in Ritz-Carlton with a
further seven casualties at the Marriott and a commercial centre
in the north of the city. The attacks were attributed to the radical
Islamic group Jemaa Islamiya, an Al-Qaeda affiliate in South East
Asia.
United were supposed to play a game against an Indonesian select
eleven during their Asian tour.
Estudiantes claim their fourth Latin American title
The Argentinian side of Estudiantes from La Plata were crowned
champions of the Copa Libertadores for the fourth time by beating
Cruzeiro 2-1 in Belo Horizonte.
Once labelled "the roughest soccer team in the world,"
Estudiantes drew 0-0 in the first leg in La Plata, but upset the
Brazilians in their packed Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte.
The "Students" came from behind in the second half after
conceding a goal from Henrique in the 51th minute. The Argentinian
goals were scored by Gaston Fernandez five minutes later and Mauro
Boselli in the 72th minute. This has been the first Copa Libertadores
for Estudiantes in 39 years after having won the competition in
1968, 1969 and 1970. Their win means they will take part in the
World Club Cup in abu Dhabi next December along with Barcelona, Atlante of Mexico
and Auckland City, among other continental champions.
Estudiantes won one world club title back in 1968 by defeating Manchester United 1-0 and 1-1 in two infamous, violent clashes. The current
generation coached by Alejandro Sabella and the supremely intelligent
Juan Sebastian Veron, the son of Juan Ramon Veron, who starred in
the triple-crown winning team four decades ago.
David Beckham booed on his return to LA Galaxy
On his long awaited and belated return to Los Angeles Galaxy, David
Beckham had to face a not entirely friendly crowd, unhappy at
his preference of AC Milan over the Major League Soccer franchise.
Last week Becks played his first game for Galaxy in nine months
even though his initial loan agreement had required his return to
the US by the end of last March.
In the meantime, LA skipper Landon Donovan was quoted in a book
expressing his disdain for Beckham on account of his lack of commitment
and attachment to Galaxy colours.
At the end of the game between Galaxy and Red Bulls of New York
(3-1) the former England captain asserted he was aware of the booing
directed at him.
"That was something I expected, but I still believe I can help
this team," said Becks.
The animosity between him and Donovan has apparently been settled and Beckham seems set to continue his American adventure, or The
Beckham Experiment, as author Grant Wahl titled his controversial
book in which he slammed the most expensive signing in the history
of US soccer.
Platini: If Cristiano costs 92 million, I would have cost 93
The UEFA president and former soccer king Michel Platini launched an ironic comment on the price Real Madrid paid Manchester United
for star winger Cristiano Ronaldo.
"If he cost 92 million euros, I would have cost 93 million
at his age, although maybe in my case it would have been old French
francs," said Platini, adding a twist to his comment:
"In fact, my transfer would have been free, because I respected
my obligations and stayed in my clubs until the end of the contracts,"
declared the soccer supremo.
Although denying that he has it in for Real Madrid and Florentino
Perez in particular, Platini claims that the transfer fees and wages
have reached unsustainable levels.
"It is a moment to remember that a half of the European clubs
have losses (...). The pharaonic costs push the market upwards and
feed the inflationist surge that has negative consequences on all
the European clubs.
While announcing new UEFA norms designed to introduce more equality
in European soccer by 2012, the Frenchman again dismissed the idea
of a new continental Superleague promoted by Real Madrid, among
others.
"We already have such a Superleague and it's called the Champions League."
Ibrahimovic to Barca for 45 million plus Eto'o plus Hleb
Another gargantuan transfer is being forged in Spanish soccer.
In what could be the second biggest transfer in history, after the
recent Cristiano Ronaldo switch from Manchester United to Real Madrid,
Zlatan Ibrahimovic would change Inter's shirt for Barcelona's, while
the current European champions would pay the Italians 45 million euros in cash plus the ownership of Samuel Eto'o and a one-year loan of Aleksandr Hleb. The total price
of the transfer would amount to 85 million euros, since Eto'o is
valued at some 35-37 million plus a couple of million for the former
Gunner's loan deal.
Inter and Barca have apparently reached an agreement, Ibrahimovic
is also willing to move south-west to Camp Nou, but the African
goleador may still cause problems because this is the way he is.
"I will be the one to decide if the transfer goes through,"
Eto'o apparently told the Catalonian Sport daily, awaiting
a proper offer from Inter.
Jose Mourinho on the other hand seems eager to see the Cameroonian
in his squad, fully aware of Eto'o's terrific goal scoring abilities.
Barca's president Joan Laporta admitted that the efforts to sign
Ibrahimovic "are going in the right direction," but allowed for the possibility that in case it fails, the club may yet turn to Valencia's David Villa or Atletico's Diego Forlan.
Valencia priced Villa, the most lethal Spanish scorer in recent years, at 50 million euros, which initially seemed a tad too much
for Barca. Still, they will have to show something to their fans
after Real signed Kaka, Cristiano and Benzema. Even at an exorbitant price Michel Platini has been referring to in his criticism of the
inflated European soccer market.
