Selasa, 23 Desember 2008
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Lassana Diarra has agreed to join Real Madrid CF from Portsmouth FC for a fee reported to be in the region of €20m.
Dream move
The defensive midfielder will pen a four-and-a-half year deal with the Spanish champions subject to passing a medical at the club on Monday and will officially become a Madrid player on 1 January. The 23-year-old had recently expressed his desire for a move to the Santiago Bernabéu saying: "When people speak of Real Madrid, other teams don't seem so important. It would be a dream to play for such a big club."
English experience
The French international moved to England when he signed for Chelsea FC from Le Havre AC in 2005 before joining Arsenal FC two years later. However, as at Stamford Bridge, Diarra could not cement a starting role in north London and he moved to Fratton Park in last season's winter transfer window. Diarra – who has made 12 league appearances for Portsmouth this season – will team up with Madrid's recently appointed coach Juande Ramos and fellow new signing Klaas Jan Huntelaar.
©uefa.com 1998-2008. All rights reserved.
Christoph Metzelder will return to action with Real Madrid CF in the new year wearing a protective mask after undergoing surgery on his broken nose.
Third time
The German international defender picked up the injury following a clash with Raúl Albiol during Madrid's 1-0 weekend win against Valencia CF. Metzelder – who has made four Liga appearances this season – has been advised to play in the mask for the next four weeks, giving him plenty of time to recover before the Spanish club take on Liverpool FC in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League in late February. Metzelder, who will fly home to Germany on Tuesday, said he had twice broken his nose during his spell at BV Borussia Dortmund and had played with a face mask to protect it.
©uefa.com 1998-2008. All rights reserved.
Lassana Diarra is ready to hit the ground running at Real Madrid CF after completing his estimated €20m move from Portsmouth FC on Monday.
'Impossible to refuse'
The 23-year-old France midfielder has signed a contract running until summer 2013 after completing a medical at Madrid, continuing a career which took him from Le Havre AC to Chelsea FC and Arsenal FC before his switch last January to Portsmouth. "It is impossible to refuse an offer from Real Madrid," Diarra said: "I feel capable. I have the abilities and I think Real Madrid is what I needed. I need to adapt to the Spanish game and do it quickly. I've played with big clubs, got good experience with the French national team, and I still want to improve."
Makelele comparison
Diarra follows in the footsteps of another French defensive midfielder at Madrid, Claude Makelele, but played down comparisons with his former Chelsea FC team-mate. "It's an honour to be compared to Makelele, but Makelele is Makelele and I am me," Diarra said. "We have some things in common but I'm my own player. They compare me to him, but he came here when he was a little older – I'm younger."
Possible debut
He could make his debut at home to Villarreal CF on 4 January as Madrid attempt to improve on their current Liga position of fifth, 12 points behind leaders FC Barcelona, under recently-appointed coach Juande Ramos. Madrid have been drawn against Liverpool FC in the UEFA Champions League first knockout round on 25 February and 10 March but are only able to register one of Diarra and fellow new signing Klaas Jan Huntelaar from AFC Ajax for the competition as both have appeared in this season's UEFA Cup. For the relevant regulation click here and go to article 17.18.
©uefa.com 1998-2008. All rights reserved.
FC Bayern München have recruited Los Angeles Galaxy striker Landon Donovan on loan until 15 March 2009, with a longer deal dependent on the United States international's performances.
Leverkusen spell
The 26-year-old already possesses experience of the Bundesliga after making seven appearances for Bayer 04 Leverkusen while under contract between 2001 and 2005. "We have a great team and it's no coincidence that we haven't lost for 16 games in a row," said Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. "Thus we do not need any new signings. We have only loaned Landon Donovan until 15 March. If and how it will go with him after that will depend on how he develops." Donovan, who has been a LA Galaxy player since March 2005, will be available for Bayern's UEFA Champions League first knockout round ties against Sporting Clube de Portugal on 25 February and 10 March.
©uefa.com 1998-2008. All rights reserved.
Holders Manchester United FC will take on FC Internazionale Milano in the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League following today's draw in Nyon.
Mourinho return
Sir Alex Ferguson will renew acquaintances with José Mourinho who famously led FC Porto to victory against United at this stage in 2004 en route to winning the trophy. In other stand-out ties nine-times champions Real Madrid CF were paired with five-times winners Liverpool FC, and 2008 losing finalists Chelsea FC tackle a Juventus side coached by former Blues manager Claudio Ranieri.
Sporting face Bayern
Sporting Clube de Portugal, in the knockout stages for first time, take on four-time winners FC Bayern München, while Porto will meet Club Atlético de Madrid in an all-Iberian duel. French champions Olympique Lyonnais, in the knockout phase for the sixth successive season, face a two-legged tie against FC Barcelona while Arsenal FC take on AS Roma and Villarreal CF play Panathinaikos FC. Clck here for the fixtures.
Fascinating ties
Matches will be played over two legs on 24/25 February and 10/11 March. In the ceremony staged at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, the eight winners of the group-stage pools were paired with teams that finished second. No clubs from the same association could be pitted together, while sides that met in the group stage were also kept apart. The draw for the remaining rounds will be made on 20 March, with this season's final taking place in Rome on 27 May.
With Juventus and FC Internazionale Milano's passage into the knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League already assured, can AS Roma make it three Italian clubs in the draw on 19 December by avoiding defeat against FC Girondins de Bordeaux?
Poor start
It's been a peculiar season for the Giallorossi, whose domestic campaign got off to a terrible start in the form of six defeats in their first nine Serie A matches. Coach Luciano Spalletti, who had struggled to secure his preferred transfer targets in the summer, came under even further pressure when his side lost two of their opening three matches in Europe's premier club competition.
Chelsea triumph
However, Roma's unexpected 3-1 defeat of Chelsea FC on 4 November stopped the rot and following a further 3-1 win at CFR 1907 Cluj, the club from the Eternal City now find themselves top of their pool and a point away from continuing a European journey which they hope will end at their very own Stadio Olmpico on 27 May next year. The question is, can they hold off Bordeaux? The French outfit's 4-0 and 3-1 losses to Chelsea and Roma in their first two group games suggested Laurent Blanc's men were out of their depth at this level, but much like the wine from their region, Bordeaux appear to be improving with time.
Bordeaux run
Since their defeat by Roma, Blanc's men have lost just once in 13 matches - to Olympique Lyonnais. They have beaten CFR Cluj twice, held Chelsea to a 1-1 draw and, inspired by the prodigious 22-year-old AC Milan loanee Yoann Gourcuff – himself developing into a player of fine vintage – Bordeaux will prove a tough proposition on Tuesday.
Talismanic Totti
But Roma will be turning to a creative force of their own for the visit of the Ligue 1 side. It is no surprise that Roma's recent revival has coincided with the return from injury of Francesco Totti. Their charismatic captain has scored five goals in the last six matches and provided the leadership and charisma required to guide his side out of the dark. Another authoritative performance from the talismanic Totti will surely be enough to earn a point for the Italian side, or will it?
With the world's leading players taking part, it is no surprise the UEFA Champions League produces great goals on any given matchnight. This year's group stage was no different and out of 247 successful strikes the uefa.com team has picked ten of the best over the past three months, listed below in chronological order. Do you agree with the picks?
Steven Gerrard
Olympique de Marseille v Liverpool FC, Matchday 1
The Liverpool captain has a prolific record in Europe's premier club competition and added another special strike to his continental collection when he angled a shot over home goalkeeper Steve Mandanda that dipped so viciously it almost looked like a mis-hit. He added a second six minutes later to secure his side an opening-day victory.
Juan Culio
AS Roma v CFR 1907 Cluj, Matchday 1
Battle-hardened over many a European campaign, Roma were expected to give Romanian debutants CFR a rude awakening at the Stadio Olimpico. However, the Transylvanian side and Culio had different ideas. CFR were a goal down when Culio played the ball into Eugen Trică, who back-flicked a return pass which the Argentinian drilled into the bottom corner from 25 metres. He scored again after half-time and by full time it was the Italian side who had received a wake-up call.
Fernandinho
FC Basel 1893 v FC Shakhtar Donetsk, Matchday 1
Any group stage is going to feature its fair share of spectacular set-piece goals. Marcos Senna, Anders Due, Miguel Veloso and Alessandro Del Piero (twice) were just a few of the players who scored from dead-ball situations but for pure unstoppable power, Fernandinho's long-range effort at St. Jakob-Park takes some beating.
Lionel Messi
FC Basel 1893 v FC Barcelona, Matchday 3
Messi had already downed Shakhtar with a dramatic last-minute winner on Matchday 2, but for shear impudence his opener in Switzerland takes the prize – and for once, the audacity was not wholly supplied by the Argentinian maestro. After a flowing Barça move, Messi fed Daniel Alves who played a return pass with the outside of his right foot while looking in the opposite direction. It was perfectly-weighted and allowed Messi the simplest of side-foot finishes.
Alessandro Del Piero
Juventus v Real Madrid CF, Matchday 3
Back on 21 October, Juve and their coach Claudio Ranieri were under pressure after an inauspicious start to the season. As he has done so often, though, Del Piero provided the spark his team needed, exchanging passes with Amauri before sending in an early 30-metre effort that dipped over Iker Casillas. The Bianconeri went on to win the match 2-1 and finish top of Group H.
Mirko Vučinić
AS Roma v Chelsea FC, Matchday 4
After losing in London on Matchday 3, Roma needed victory against Chelsea to ignite their hopes of qualification. Christian Panucci and Vučinić had already given the home side a two-goal lead, but the Montenegrin made sure of the points when he robbed John Mikel Obi of possession deep in his own half. He then embarked on a 70-metre run where he rounded Mikel again, before sending Petr Čech the wrong way with a clinical finish.
Giorgos Karagounis
Werder Bremen v Panathinaikos FC, Matchday 4
Panathinaikos had only accrued one point from their opening three games and so it could be said Karagounis picked an appropriate time for his first UEFA Champions League goal in six-and-a-half-years. The Greek side were 1-0 up, but Karagounis sealed the points in emphatic fashion, allowing a throw-in to run across his body before sending in a swerving strike from the corner of the penalty area that gave Tim Wiese no chance. The Greens ended up winning Group B after successes in their two remaining games.
Willian
FC Shakhtar Donetsk v FC Basel 1893, Matchday 5
There were some fine solo goals in the group stage including efforts from Danny, Del Piero and Zé Roberto. Shakhtar were aiming to clinch third place in Group C ahead of Basel and Willian scored his side's second, setting off on a mazy run which sent several visiting defenders the wrong way, before placing an accurate shot into the far corner.
Jeppe Curth
Manchester United FC v Aalborg BK, Matchday 6
There were several excellent headed goals – ACF Fiorentina's Alberto Gilardino scored three himself and Panathinaikos's Vangelis Mantzios two – but Curth's perfectly placed effort at Old Trafford, running on to Anders Due's cross-field pass before bending the ball around Tomasz Kuszczak, was the pick of the bunch.
Arjen Robben
Real Madrid CF v FC Zenit St. Petersburg, Matchday 6
Madrid were already through to the first knockout round, but in Juande Ramos's first game in charge many players were out to impress the new boss. Raúl González may have scored twice, but it was Robben's effort which caught the eye. The Dutchman, fed by Raúl, broke clear of the visitors' defence and, running at full pace, dinked a lovely chip over Vyacheslav Malafeev: raw pace followed by slow-motion precision.
FC Barcelona have rewarded midfield player Sergio Busquets with a four-and-a-half-year contract extension which ties the academy graduate to the club until June 2013.
Learning curve
The 20-year-old – part of the Barça youth team led by Josep Guardiola that won promotion to Segunda B last season – has looked more than comfortable during his eleven Liga appearances this term and has also enjoyed four outings and two goals in the UEFA Champions League. Speaking after penning his new deal, Busquets said: "I'm so happy as this is a moment that I've been dreaming about since I was a young boy. Last season I was playing in the third division. I'm going to continue to get better as a player and to learn from my coach and team-mates." Barça, the Spanish Liga leaders, were paired with Olympique Lyonnais in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.
©uefa.com 1998-2008. All rights reserved.
Real Madrid CF-bound striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar will have some big boots to fill if he replaces Ruud van Nistelrooy in the lineup at the Santiago Bernabéu in the spring but it is another Dutch forward who inspires him.
Exclusive interview
The 25-year-old Netherlands international, who has scored ten times in 18 appearances for his country, completes a €27m move to the Spanish champions from AFC Ajax on 2 January. In an exclusive interview for the UEFA Training Ground he revealed that former Ajax, FC Internazionale Milano and Arsenal FC forward Dennis Bergkamp is the player he most looks up to.
Bergkamp best
"When I was younger my idols were Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit," said Huntelaar. "When I was a little bit older they quit football and then came Bergkamp and Patrick Kluivert, but most of the time I'm looking at Bergkamp because he's a very clever player, very smart." You can see his full interview and his tips on how to make it as a top striker by clicking here.
Goal machine
Huntelaar, who has been prolific at Ajax with 76 goals in 92 Eredivisie games, is seen as a replacement for Van Nistelrooy in the Real Madrid forward line with his compatriot ruled out for the season with a knee injury. Increasing the club's Dutch contingent from five to six, Huntelaar is expected to make his debut in Juande Ramos's team on 4 January against Villarreal CF and could feature in the UEFA Champions League first knockout round encounter against Liverpool FC on 25 February and 10 March if registered.
Big names
The Training Ground now hosts over 170 videos and features exclusive masterclass sessions with the likes of Kaká, Andrea Pirlo, Robinho, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Deco – arguably the greatest array of football talent assembled for a learning-based website. Coaches Roy Hodgson and Lars Lagerbäck have also been recruited to help inform and educate players and coaches of all ages and abilities, while Europe's top referees offer guides to rules, regulations and much more - all as part of the most comprehensive guide to skills and tactics on the internet.
©uefa.com 1998-2008. All rights reserved.
rsenal FC captain Cesc Fàbregas is out for "three to four months" after a scan on his injured right knee revealed a partial ligament rupture.
Fears realised
The Spain midfielder did not emerge for the second half for Arsenal's 1-1 Sunday draw against Liverpool FC and manager Arsène Wenger suggested that Fàbregas was likely to have at least a short spell on the sidelines. But a scan on Monday has revealed a much longer absence for the 21-year-old and at the very least he will miss the UEFA Champions League first knockout round tie against AS Roma on 24 February and 11 March according to the diagnosis. Spain's next FIFA World Cup Group 5 qualifiers are against Turkey on 28 March and 1 April.
Wenger sorrow
"The news is not good because it is a partial rupture of the medial knee ligament which is taking three to four months injury time," said Wenger. "We count four, we know he will be working very hard to come back earlier but I count four months. How much [we will miss him] is difficult to say, the only thing we can say for sure is that we will miss him of course. We have to find a way to compensate for the fact he will not be on the pitch, and give everybody a bit more. I am sure we can deal with it. When he comes back he can help us to get over the line in the final months." Arsenal lie fifth in the English Premier League and visit Aston Villa FC on Friday before facing Portsmouth FC two days later.
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