Saturday, January 7, 2012

Mou, CR7 & Perez cannot bear to see Barca scoop more awards

PEREZ: Guys, guys! We're losers, guys!

Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo will not be attending the Ballon d'Or gala on Monday in Zurich.

The official line from the club is that the pair will be too busy focusing on the Copa del Rey round of 16 second-leg against Malaga the following evening.

Zinedine Zidane and Emilio Butragueno will represent the Spanish giants at the star-studded event, which will see Ronaldo battle it out with Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Xavi for the prestigious award of best player in the world.

Mourinho will be up against Catalan counterpart Pep Guardiola, with Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson completing the shortlist for best coach.

One has to praise the Portuguese duo's professionalism to shun the glitz and the glamour, yet the pessimist in us all will wonder whether the real reason for the no-show is the unwillingness to watch Barcelona win another double.

Firmagon animation

 
FIRMAGON® is a unique hormone therapy that treats advanced prostate cancer. It is called a GnRH receptor antagonist or blocker and works by blocking the production of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) by the pituitary gland. GnRH stimulates the testes to produce testosterone. Testosterone affects the growth of the prostate gland and any cancer cells that may be present. By blocking GnRH, FIRMAGON® reduces the body's level of testosterone.
Animation by: Omar Momani and Sameer Timoshenko Aburezeq

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson drinks through the New Year


Sir Alex Ferguson was left needing a stiff drink over the New Year period after watching his Manchester United team crash to successive defeats.

The Premier League champions had the chance to go into 2012 top of the table with what appeared to be the easiest match of the season - at home to basement club Blackburn.

It was not to be. Yakubu sent the relegation candidates into a two-goal lead, before the hosts got back on level terms. Fate intervened and a late Jack Hanley effort gave Rovers an unlikely 3-2 victory at Old Trafford.

Four days later it was a similar story. A lacklustre display at the Sports Direct Arena saw Newcastle run out 3-0 winners, with Phil Jones scoring a comical own goal to compound matters. 


Liverpool's Pepe Reina hands Manchester City a tasty meal

Thursday, January 5, 2012

'Duck, everybody' - Ancelotti's on the hunt


 Carlo Ancelotti has been appointed as the new coach of Paris Saint Germain, and is expected to go on the offensive this January.

With the Qatari Investment Authority backing the big-spending Ligue 1 side, the Italian coach may well go back to former club AC Milan for transfer targets.
Alexandre Pato had a frustrating 2011 through injuries and a dip in form, and has been linked with a move from the Giuseppe Meazza.

Will Ancelotti use PSG's financial firepower to ensnare The Duck this January?

Lampard & Terry refuse to boogie with AVB


Last month Andre Villas-Boas dismissed reports that he had asked his Chelsea players to include him in their goal celebrations as nothing more than spurious speculation.

But on Monday afternoon his players, instructed or not, did swarm to their manager on the touchline to give him a great big hug after Ramires slotted home the opening goal against Wolves.

However, while David Luiz, Ashley Cole, Ramires and Raul Meireles were all keen to boogie with their boss, stalwarts John Terry and Frank Lampard stood bemused as their team-mates crowde round their manager