Brazil & Spain set to serve up a Confederations Cup treat

 

The climax to the Confederations Cup takes place on Sunday night as Brazil host World and double European champions Spain in the Maracana in front of an expectant crowd.

Neymar has lit up the tournament so far, while Fernando Torres has banged in crucial tournament goals again for Vicente Del Bosque's side.

It all adds to an enticing final match that should provide a lovely taster for next summer and the fervour with which the tournament has been received by the Brazilian public will have whet the appetite of football fans around the globe ahead of World Cup 2014. 
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this is for the fans in http://vk.com/momani

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Outcast Arshavin dreams of better days

 

Andrey Arshavin has revealed how difficult he found life at Arsenal in his final season at the club.

The Russian sealed a free transfer back to Zenit St Petersburg on Thursday after spending a lot of time on the Gunners bench in 2012-13.

Having taken the league by storm upon his arrival in 2009, the 32-year-old will no doubt have spent most of his time dreaming of his former glories. 
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Spain penalty prowess too much for Italy

 

Spain booked their place in the Confederations Cup final on Thursday with a penalty shoot-out victory over Italy.

Cesare Prandelli's side battled the world and European champions for 120 minutes but neither side could break the deadlock.

But Spain's superstars proved to be as accurate from the spot as they are with their passes, as Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Juan Mata and Sergio Busquets all netted.

Italy matched their opposition for quality every step of the way, until Leonardo Bonucci fired over the bar, leaving Jesus Navas to calmly slot past Gianluigi Buffon to book a final clash with Brazil on Sunday. 
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مقابلة جول مع المدرب الاماراتي مهدي علي

قام الزميل ميشيل نصر الله باجراء مقابلة مع مدرب المنتخب الاماراتي مهدي علي, و اللذي فاز مؤخرا ببطولة كأس الخليج.

و قمت من ناحيتي بتصميم رسم كاريكاتوري للكابتن مهدي ليرفق المقابلة

 

و هنا رابط المقابلة

.

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Drawing cartoon process

 

1. Sketching 

2. Inking

3. Coloring

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Casillas reduced to tears by Mourinho

 

Barcelona star Andres Iniesta was one of many to be glad to see the back of Jose Mourinho when the former Real Madrid coach departed Spain for a return to Chelsea.

But one player much closer to home was even happier for the Special One to exit the Bernabeu this summer.

Iker Casillas lost his place to Diego Lopez after an injury, and found himself sat on the substitute's bench over a difficult period which he admits reduced him to tears.

"I've cried," Casillas told the Fifa website. "I've suffered, I've been unwell, I've had sleepless nights."

With Mourinho gone, however, the Spain international - who is closing in on a Confederations Cup final appearance - believes he is a new man.

He continued: "I have regained happiness. It was not easy but I'm another Iker Casillas now.

"After five months, it takes some time until everything comes back to you, but, luckily, I have had a great deal of help of my team-mates and coach [Vicente del Bosque] and that's important when it comes to having to start over again." 
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Ancelotti in the driving seat at Real Madrid

 

Carlo Ancelotti has been unveiled as Real Madrid head coach on Wednesday after a short and successful spell in charge of Paris Saint-Germain.

Ancelotti replaces Jose Mourinho, who 'damaged' La Liga, according to several figures in Spanish football, including Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta.

Club president Florentino Perez insists Mourinho did not sully the image of the Bernabeu side during his stint in Madrid.

"I always give the example of F1, Ferrari does not always win, but they are the team that everybody knows," Perez said. "In football, that brand is Real Madrid."

But it is now Ancelotti who takes the driving seat. 
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Pep steals the show at Bayern Munich unveiling

 

Pep Guardiola wasted little time in turning on the charm during his first press conference as Bayern Munich head coach on Monday.

The former Barcelona boss spoke fluent German, having spent four hours a day learning the language in preparation for his arrival at the Allianz Arena.

The 42-year-old's transformation into a Bavarian appears to be well under way ahead of the 2013-14 Bundesliga season. 
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Blanc rides in for PSG talks

 

Hold your horses! Paris Saint Germain's search for a replacement for Carlo Ancelotti could be over.

Former France boss Laurent Blanc looks set to be the man to occupy the saddle once, as expected, Ancelotti exits the Parc des Prances club and heads for the bright lights of Madrid.

After weeks of speculation it appears the finishing post is finally in sight for those anxious PSG supporters, with Blanc himself confirming that talks would get underway with the Ligue 1 champions on Monday. 
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Yabba-dabba-doo! Fred sees Brazil through

 

Brazil made it three wins out of three at the Confederations Cup on Saturday night, seeing off Italy 4-2 to finish top of Group A.

Having already beaten Japan and Mexico, Luiz Felipe Scolari’s men kept their perfect record intact with a victory that should see them avoid Spain in the semi-finals.

Neymar has been the star for the hosts so far and once again got on the scoresheet with a superb free kick after Dante had opening the scoring.

However, it was Fred with a real show of strength who grabbed the headlines, scoring twice in the second half to send the hosts into the last four.  
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My solidarity for the Bosnian baby

 

Here is the story of the baby:

http://news.sky.com/story/1104561/bosnia-id-law-protests-after-baby-death

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Another Caricature Victims

 

If you want a caricature you can follow the instructions here:

http://omarmomani.blogspot.com/2013/02/omar-momani-draws-you-caricature.html

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De Laurentiis warns Cavani over leaving Napoli 'cradle'

 

Edinson Cavani is a transfer target for some of Europe's biggest clubs this summer, but Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is not convinced the striker should leave the club.

Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City all want the Uruguay international, though none of the interested parties are yet to activate his £53.7 million release clause.

And De Laurentiis has warned the 26-year-old against leaving Napoli for a club where he may not take centre stage.

"Napoli is a true cradle for Cavani, allowing his inner child to express himself and fulfill his potential," De Laurentiis said at a press conference.

"He knows that he is the star of the show here at Napoli and you never know whether this will also be the case at Real Madrid or anywhere else.

"We have already seen how [Diego] Forlan and [Luis] Suarez have outshone him for Uruguay and how this has affected his goalscoring record.

"I have little doubt that he will take all of this into consideration before making a decision. He will make a decision on his future and we will follow his direction." 

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Tahiti-tamer Torres targets Golden Boot

 

The much maligned Chelsea striker has not found it so easy to hit the back of the net in recent years, having struggled since moving to Stamford Bridge from Liverpool for £50 million.

So it was understandable when he filled his boots against Tahiti at the Confederations Cup on Thursday, bagging four of Spain's 10 goals in the biggest victory ever in a senior Fifa competition.

Despite missing a penalty, the striker is now in the driving seat to win yet another Golden Boot thanks to his target practice against the Oceania minnows. 

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It's raining goals for Buffon and Kawashima

 

Italy's epic 4-3 victory over Japan will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest ever Confederations Cup matches.

Supporters were treated to a feast of football as goals from Daniele De Rossi, Mario Balotelli and Sebastian Giovinco, as well as an own goal from Atsuto Uchida, sealed Italy's place in the semi-finals of the competition.

Do spare a thought for the two goalkeepers involved, though, with Gianluigi Buffon and Eiji Kawashima facing a downpour of goals over the 90 minutes in the Itaipava Arena Pernambuco. 
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Spanish production line creates latest batch of winners

 

Spain continued their domination of world football on Tuesday when their Under-21 side defeated Italy in the final of the European Championship in Israel.

Thiago Alcantara netted a first-half hat-trick, with Malaga playmaker Isco also on the scoresheet to cap a sensational tournament on a personal level, in the 4-2 victory.

With the likes of Xavi, Carles Puyol, Iker Casillas and Fernando Torres approaching the end of their time with the full national side, Spain fans need not fear as their production line continues to churn out the next generation of superstars. 
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Running scared: Tahiti & Nigeria get ready for Spain test

 

Nigeria thumped Tahiti 6-1 in Monday's Confederations Cup clash but a far tougher test awaits both nations before Group B reaches its conclusion.

Far from being bullish about their chances, both sides could be forgiven for packing up and heading home early ahead of their respective fixtures against the might of Spain - world and European champions no less.

Vicente del Bosque's powerhouse kicked off their campaign in Brazil with a 2-1 win over Uruguay and will expect to take maximum points from their final two group games. 

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Kicking & screening: Balo bares all after Confederations Cup winner

 

Despite scoring the winner against Mexico in Italy’s Confederations Cup opener, Mario Balotelli still managed to end up in coach Cesare Prandelli’s bad books.

The former Manchester City man sealed a 2-1 victory for the Azzurri at the Maracana and promptly took off his shirt to celebrate.

Balotelli was promptly booked for his actions leaving a frustrated Prandelli to warn the striker against picking up cheap yellow cards. 

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Neymar carries Brazil to Confederations Cup opening win

 

Not only is the pressure on Neymar and Brazil to deliver at next summer's World Cup, but Luiz Felipe Scolari's side are also expected to impress at the Confederations Cup this month.

Barcelona's latest recruit got Brazil off to a flying start on Saturday as his stunning strike in the third minute helped Brazil secure a 3-0 victory over Japan. 

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Football's biggest names land in Brazil ahead of Confederations Cup

 

With the World Cup under a year away, host nation Brazil stage the 2013 Confederations Cup with the rest of the world set to get a glimpse of what the country has to offer.

The hosts kick off proceedings on Saturday evening against Japan, with the likes of Oscar, David Luiz, Hulk and Neymar all expected to be in action.

And if that game alone does not boast enough big names, Spain have a star cast including Juan Mata, Fernando Torres and Andres Iniesta, Italy have Mario Balotelli and Andrea Pirlo, and Uruguay boast Edinson Cavani and, of course, Liverpool striker Luis Suarez. 
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Paper talk: Ronaldo rubbishes contract renewal rumours

 

Cristiano Ronaldo has set tongues wagging all over the world by announcing via Twitter that "all the news about my renewal with Real Madrid are false".

President Florentino Perez has previously insisted the forward wanted to stay with Los Blancos for many more years despite reported interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.

Reports in Spain also suggested Ronaldo was close to signing a new deal that would keep him at the club, until 2018, but in the wake of the forward’s comments that seems to be just paper talk. 

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Lewandowski trapped as Dortmund refuse to budge

 

Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski’s future remains the topic of fierce speculation as BVB attempt to hold onto the Poland international.

The 24-year-old enjoyed a stellar season last time out scoring 36 times in all competitions for Dortmund to become one of Europe’s hottest properties.

Dortmund have recently insisted they will not allow the striker to move to Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich this summer, although they have stopped short of ruling out at summer exit entirely.

Real Madrid, Manchester City and Manchester United have all been linked with Lewandowski but for the moment at least, the striker seems to be going nowhere.
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Neymar & Messi under the microscope at Barcelona

 

Neymar’s big-money move from Santos to Barcelona will place the Brazilian under huge scrutiny according to Michael Laudrup.

The Swansea boss has explained that while Neymar has been a "great player" back home in South America, he faces an entirely different challenge in La Liga

The Brazilian has been branded as too small and thin to succeed by many, and while Laudrup says he does not want to compare Neymar with Messi, the Argentine superstar has proved that size simply does not matter. 
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Mourinho brings the Happy Days back to Chelsea

 

Jose Mourinho has given his first press conference since his return to Chelsea with the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ now declaring himself “the happy one”.

Of course much has changed since the Portuguese first arrived at Stamford Bridge, a mere nine years ago.

Mourinho has gone on to taste success in Italy with Inter, leading the Serie A side to two league titles as well as Champions League glory.

The 50-year-old then moved on to a controversial tenure at Real Madrid, winning the Liga title in 2012 but calling his last season in Spain the “worst in his career”.

And so back to the Blues, where Mourinho and the club will be hoping he can bring the happy days back to Chelsea. 

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Where the Wild Things Are

 

A tribute to Maurice Sendak

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الفكة

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Mourinho's trail of destruction in Spanish football

 

Andres Iniesta was scathing in his analysis of Jose Mourinho's time at Real Madrid.

"Yes he damaged Spanish football," the Barcelona midfielder said. "In general, more harm than good."

With La Liga in ruins, let's just hope the Premier League can withstand the whirlwind of carnage that is Mourinho. 
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Sleepy

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England Under-21s exit European Championships under a cloud

 

Stuart Pearce had high hopes for his England Under-21 side heading into the European Championships in Israel.

But after defeat in the opener against Italy, Norway dumped the Young Lions out of the tournament, beating them 3-1 on Saturday.

Prior to the game, Pearce had suggested the heat in Israel may prove to be an advantage for England.

"That's good for us," he said. "The Norwegians haven't seen the sun for eight months!" 
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Arshavin & Gallas lead way as Premier League rejects run wild & free

 

Andrey Arshavin, William Gallas and Florent Malouda were among the names on the Premier League's list of released players which was revealed on Friday.

All will be looking for new clubs this summer, and while some may still have something to offer to the Premier League, others could be plying their trade abroad next term. 
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خريج جامعة اردني

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Another target bites the dust as Man City snap up Fernandinho

 

In a stark contrast to last summer, Manchester City are stepping up their efforts to get their business done in good time before the new campaign gets underway.

The Premier League runners-up announced the signing of Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho from Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday, and the club are close to confirming the arrival of Jesus Navas from Sevilla.

Napoli striker Edinson Cavani, Malaga's Isco and Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara remain City's summer targets, while the club are still to confirm the appointment of Manuel Pellegrini as their new manager. 
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Martinez escapes plummeting Wigan to join Everton

 

Despite Wigan Athletic's relegation from the Premier League last season, Roberto Martinez convinced Everton chairman Bill Kenwright that he was the right man to succeed David Moyes at Goodison Park.

The Everton chief claimed his decision to appoint Martinez took just 45 seconds after they held talks, and now all the 39-year-old has to do is follow up his promise of securing Champions League football. No pressure, then. 

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Wenger left with Rooney dilemma

As Goal exclusively revealed on Tuesday, Wayne Rooney is giving a potential move to Arsenal some serious consideration.

Arsene Wenger has already gone public with his interest in the Manchester United striker, but will the Gunners boss stump up the cash to fund the striker's £250,000-a-week salary? 
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Night Club or What??

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Neymar arrival grabs headlines as Mourinho exits La Liga

A summer of incomings and outgoings in La Liga is now underway following the arrival of Neymar, Barcelona's latest signing, and the departure of Jose Mourinho, who has left Real Madrid for a second stint at Chelsea.

A whopping 56,500 fans turned up at Camp Nou to welcome the Brazil international to Barcelona, while Mourinho revealed the plan for his new club to Chelsea's own television station. 
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ReMOUnion: Chelsea stars welcome back the Special One

The day most Chelsea fans have been eagerly anticipating is almost upon us.

Having ended his stay at Real Madrid on Saturday, Jose Mourinho is expecting to confirm his return to Stamford Bridge this week.

The 'Special One' is flying to London on Monday to complete the move, and the Chelsea players - particularly the likes of Frank Lampard, John Terry and Petr Cech - are likely to roll out the blue carpet for his return. 
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Jupp Heynckes hands Pep Guardiola the key to the Bayern Munich steamroller!

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