Troubled Valencia stadium project hit by financing woes
Friday, 21 September 2012
Valencia president Manuel Llorente sought to reassure fans of the cash-strapped La Liga club on Friday after problems emerged in the financing plan for the project to build a new stadium. Valencia were forced to halt construction of the “Nueva Mestalla” in early 2008 but reached an agreement with Spanish lender Bankia ... Read More
Angry Friedel fires Twitter broadside at ‘ignorant’ Barthez
Friday, 21 September 2012
Tottenham Hotspur’s Brad Friedel has called former France keeper Fabien Barthez “ignorant and disrespectful” for saying current France No.1 Hugo Lloris should be starting for the Premier League club instead of him. Lloris joined Tottenham on the final day of the January transfer window for 12 million pounds ($19.51 ... Read More
Brazil cancels planned friendly match with Egypt
Friday, 21 September 2012
An international friendly between Egypt and Brazil originally scheduled for Oct. 12 has been cancelled by the Brazilian Football Association on Thursday as Brazil is set to play against Iraq on the same day, Egypt’s Ahram Online has reported. The Egyptian Football Association has begun discussions with South Korea and China ... Read More
Match-fixing proof can be elusive, European forum told
Thursday, 20 September 2012
The battle against match-fixing is being undermined by a lack of sufficient evidence which often leads to the abandonment of investigations, a European sports forum was told on Thursday. In a declaration adopted in Cyprus, EU sports ministers and representatives of European sport called for “effective and sustained ... Read More
Mourinho takes legal action against journalist
Thursday, 20 September 2012
Real Madrid and Jose Mourinho are taking legal action against a journalist and a former Barcelona vice-president who made separate attacks on the Portuguese coach this week. Mourinho acted through lawyers against sports daily Marca’s editor-in-chief Roberto Palomar following an article he wrote that was published on ... Read More
Foolad Sepahan and Al Ahli draw 0-0 in ACL quarterfinals
Thursday, 20 September 2012
Iranian champions Sepahan and Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia drew 0-0 in their Asian Champions League quarterfinal first leg in Iran on Wednesday. Both sides created chances, but could not find the net. Al Ahli’s Colombian midfielder Jairo Fabian Palomino Sierra headed well from an early corner, but Sepahan goalkeeper Reza ... Read More
Ulsan beats Al Hilal in ACL quarterfinals
Wednesday, 19 September 2012
An early goal by Brazilian striker Rafinha gave South Korean side Ulsan Hyundai a slender advantage in their AFC Champions League quarterfinal against Al Hilal with 1-0 first-leg win on Wednesday. The Brazilian striker found the net after nine minutes at the Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium with a shot which took a wicked ... Read More
Fans say homophobia more likely than racism: report
Wednesday, 19 September 2012
Homophobia may now be a bigger problem in British football than racism, a report published by the government said on Wednesday. The study, undertaken by a cross-party parliamentary committee, found that while anti-racism schemes had proved successful, fans were becoming increasingly aware of homophobic chants at ... Read More
Zamalik extends contract for ‘Shikabala’ after Wasl deal
Tuesday, 18 September 2012
Egypt’s Mahmoud Abdulrazak, nicknamed as Shikabala, has extended his contract with al-Zamalik football club for two seasons despite signing contract with UAE’s al-Wasel Read More
Abu Dhabi-owned City looking to upset Real aristocrats
Monday, 17 September 2012
Upstart nouveau riche Manchester City will attempt to rattle aristocratic nine-times winners Real Madrid when they play their Champions League Group D opener at Real’s Bernabeu stadium on Tuesday. Bankrolled by Abu Dhabi owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, City have splashed more cash on players than even big-spending ... Read More
Al Ahli avoids semi-final with cup holders Esperance
Sunday, 16 September 2012
Egypt’s Al Ahli, record winners of the African Champions League, drew 1-1 with Zamalek on Sunday to finish top of their group and avoid a semi-final meeting with defending champions Esperance of Tunisia. Winger Mohamed Barakat came off the bench to equalize for Al Ahli in the 64th minute of the Cairo derby against Zamalek, ... Read More
Morocco fires Belgian coach Gerets
Sunday, 16 September 2012
Eric Gerets was fired by Morocco on Saturday, less than a week after a 2-0 defeat in Mozambique left their hopes of African Nations Cup qualification in the balance. His contract was terminated after a meeting of the Morocco Football Federation, committee member Karim Alem told the official MAP news agency. Former Belgian ... Read More
Renewed debate over UAE local footballers’ salary limits
Saturday, 15 September 2012
Calls for setting a ceiling for the salaries of local footballers in the UAE will come under the spotlight this week at a seminar to be organized by the UAE Football Federation. The seminar, scheduled on Wednesday, will include the UAE Olympic Committee and the League Committee to discuss the status and transfer of players ... Read More
Algeria arranges for international friendly with Brazil
Saturday, 15 September 2012
Algeria currently negotiates with Brazil to host the team in a friendly match scheduled for Nov. 14, president of the Algerian football federation, Mohammed Raouraoua, said. “In the first place, the Brazilian FA was demanding a huge sum of $3 million (R 25m) to have them come here to play, but we were able to make them ... Read More
Champions League and domestic success achievable for City, says Vieira
Friday, 14 September 2012
Former Manchester City midfielder Patrick Vieira believes the club are good enough to retain their Premier League title - even if winning it a second time will be harder. Speaking at a media event at the launch of the Western Union PASS education scheme, Vieira added that City need not fear Europe's best teams in the ... Read More
Boxing legend Muhammad Ali receives Liberty Award
Friday, 14 September 2012
Muhammad Ali, former boxing world heavyweight title holder, was awarded for his humanitarian efforts and work for civil rights at a special ceremony in Philadelphia on Thursday. The $100,000 award, called the Liberty Medal, is sponsored by the National Constitution Center, a non-profit devoted to the U.S. Constitution. The ... Read More
New FIFA game debuts Saudi Premier League
Friday, 14 September 2012
With the demo released this week, football fans and gaming enthusiasts alike are eagerly awaiting the official release of FIFA 13, the latest edition of the internationally popular videogame by developing giant Electronic Arts (EA) available on a range of platforms such as PlayStation, XBox, Wii, Mac and Read More
Japan beats Iraq 1-0 in World Cup qualifier
Thursday, 13 September 2012
Japan moved a step closer to a place at Brazil 2014 by beating an inexperienced Iraq 1-0 in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier. The sole goal came in the 25th minute from some lax defending, as Shinji Okazaki got in behind the defense from a throw-in and his volleyed cross found an unmarked Ryoichi Maeda, who headed home from ... Read More
Jordan’s football team readies for matches against Oman, Qatar
Thursday, 13 September 2012
After a surprising win against Australia, Jordan’s national football team will start training early October to be ready to meet its Omani and Qatari counterparts in the fifth round for the Asian qualifiers of the 2014 World Cup, reported Kooora sports news site. Jordan will play against Qatar in Doha on October 8 and will ... Read More
Jordan stun Australia in World Cup qualifier
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
Australia face a fight to reach the World Cup after they slumped to a shock 2-1 defeat away to Jordan on Tuesday, producing a pitiful performance which coach Holger Osieck described as an enormous disappointment. The atmosphere at the King Abdullah Stadium in Amman was electric after outsiders Jordan, thrashed 6-0 by Japan ... Read More