Showing posts with label Football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Football. Show all posts

Wednesday, 6 June 2012

One for the ladies: The 10 best-looking footballers at Euro 2012


We looks at 10 of the most dashing players who will be wooing the fans with more than just their skill and talent


We've surveyed 100 female football fans - some of whom know the game better than most men, others need help with the offside rule - to ask them who they thought is the most popular and best-looking footballer who will be dazzling the crowds at Euro 2012.

Below, in alphabetical order, are the players who amassed the most votes from our survey.

GIANLUIGI BUFFON | ITALY

Goo-goo over Gigi | Buffon has always been good with his hands

JOE HART | ENGLAND

England's Hartthrob | The Three Lions' keeper is quite the catch

MATS HUMMELS | GERMANY

Mad for Mats | Hummels will be eagerly defending his territory

SEBASTIAN LARSSON | SWEDEN

Swede sensation | The set-piece specialist looking to set hearts aflutter

FLORENT MALOUDA | FRANCE

French fancy | There's plenty of demand to see more of Malouda at the Euros

GERARD PIQUE | SPAIN

Pique condition | The Barca man doesn't seem to be off-form with the ladies

CRISTIANO RONALDO | PORTUGAL

Walk the walk | Ronaldo hoping to impress more than just the female fans

ANDRIY SHEVCHENKO | UKRAINE

Host with the most | Last chance to catch Sheva on the international stage

FERNANDO TORRES | SPAIN

Babyface charm | Can El Nino blow the competition away at Euro 2012?

ROBIN VAN PERSIE | NETHERLANDS

Oranje crush | The Dutch striker is hitting all the right notes this season

Tuesday, 29 May 2012

FRANCE'S Euro 2012 Squad

Laurent Blanc has finalised the France squad that will travel to Euro 2012, reducing his numbers to the Uefa-requisite 23 by cutting Yoann Gourcuff and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa from his unit.

Initially the France boss had named a total of 27 players in his pre-selection panel, but Olympique de Marseille’s Loic Remy dropped out last week because of a thigh problem sustained at the tail end of the Ligue 1 season along with Tottenham centre-back Younes Kaboul, who is also stricken.

Speculation was rife as to the identities of the other two unfortunate men would be, but Gourcuff was always considered to be a likely player to drop out after a difficult campaign with Olympique Lyonnais. He was given the chance to impress in Sunday’s 3-2 friendly win over Iceland in Valenciennes, but clearly did not do enough in Blanc’s eyes to justify his selection.

Yanga-Mbiwa, meanwhile, was one of four centre-backs named in the initial squad, but the uncapped Montpellier player will not travel to Ukraine with the rest of the team, with his lack of experience probably a key factor in the coach’s decision making.

France meet Serbia on Thursday and then face Estonia on June 5 as their warm-up matches end. They will meet England, Sweden and co-hosts Ukraine in Group D of the competition proper.

France's 23-man squad to play Euro 2012:

NameClub
Goalkeepers:
Hugo LlorisLyon
Steve MandandaMarseille
Cedric CarrassoBordeaux
Defenders:
Gael ClichyManchester City
Mathieu DebuchyLille
Patrice EvraManchester United
Laurent KoscielnyArsenal
Philippe MexesAC Milan
Adil RamiValencia
Anthony ReveillereLyon
Midfielders:
Hatem Ben ArfaNewcastle
Yohan CabayeNewcastle
Alou DiarraMarseille
Yann M'Vila
Rennes
Marvin MartinSochaux
Florent MaloudaChelsea
Blaise MatuidiPSG
Samir NasriManchester City
Franck RiberyBayern Munich
Attackers:
Karim BenzemaReal Madrid
Olivier GiroudMontpellier
Jeremy MenezPSG
Mathieu ValbuenaMarseille

Ivanovic: I know that Real Madrid want me


The Serbian defender affirmed that he knows about Los Blancos' interest in his services, but noted that he does not think about leaving the Blues after their continental success



Branislav Ivanovic has confirmed that he is on Real Madrid's wish list for the new season.


Spanish sources have claimed that Ivanovic is high on the list of targets of Jose Mourinho as the Portuguese coach looks to fine-tune his squad to give Madrid their 10th Champions League trophy.

The 28-year-old, who was a starter in Serbia's 2-0 defeat against Spain on Saturday, stated that he is aware of Los Blancos' interest, but stressed that he is happy with life at Stamford Bridge.

"I know what has been written about my future and that Madrid are following me, but now is not the time to talk about this," Ivanovic told Marca.

"I am focused on the national team now and I am very happy at Chelsea. 

"I won the Champions League just one week ago and to think about changing clubs now is complicated. I am very happy in London."
Ivanovic, who missed the Champions League final through suspension, joined Chelsea from Lokomotiv Moscow in 2008 in a reported €12 million (£9m) deal.

Monday, 28 May 2012

Match Fixing Scandal In Italy; ...Again!


Following the Calciopoli Scandal, it seems the Italians haven't quite learn't their lesson

Stefano Mauri, Lazio Captain,... Arrested!


Lazio captain Stefano Mauri and several other top Serie A players were arrested on Monday as part of an investigation into the so-called Calcioscommesse sports betting scandal.

Lazio Midfielder Stefano Mauri, 32, who joined the Rome club from Udinese in 2006 and has 11 caps for Italy, made 16 league appearances last season as Lazio finished fourth in Serie A was held along with former Genoa midfielder Omar Milanetto, 36, signed for Serie B side Padova last summer after five years at Genoa and made 15 starts last season. police said.

They were one of 19 people implicated in the affair as police swooped on a number of addresses up and down the country, according to the Ansa news agency

Juventus coach Antonio Conte, who just led the club to the Serie A title in his first season in charge, is among those being questioned by police.
Officers also visited Italy's pre-Euro 2012 training camp to question left-back Domenico Criscito, 25, a former Genoa and Juventus defender, is now at Zenit St Petersburg in Russia and has 19 caps for Italy
Police are searching more than 30 homes, including those of players, trainers and administrators of clubs in Serie A, Serie B and lower divisions.
Five people were also arrested in Hungary on suspicion of being part of an illegal international betting ring.
Monday's operation was part of a wider investigation which has already seen a number of arrests of current and former Italian players. In June last year, the Interior Ministry set up a special match-fixing task force in response to a number of high-profile cases.
Former Atalanta captain and Italy midfielder Cristiano Doni was banned for three-and-a-half years in August  for his part in the 'Calcioscommesse' scandal involving Serie B matches last season. He was also arrested in December 2011 over match-fixing and betting allegations.
Atalanta, promoted from Serie B, were deducted six points in the top flight this season as a result of the scandal.
Former Lazio and Italy striker Giuseppe Signori was banned for five years and 15 other players were banned for between one and five years for their parts.