Victory for Italian soccer

Milan win will help Italy's credibility - Ancelotti

ATHENS, May 23 (Reuters) - AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti hailed his side's 2-1 win over Liverpool in the Champions League final on Wednesday as a victory for Italian soccer.
The 47-year-old said it would go some way towards restoring faith in the Italian game after last year's match-fixing scandal that saw four Serie A clubs punished, including Milan who were only reinstated in the Champions League on appeal.
'Winning the Champions League is completely unexpected in a sense because we had to overcome so many difficulties,' he said.
'I wouldn't call this revenge for the scandal but I do think that Italian football suffered from it, especially Milan, so I would say this is good for Italian football in general. It will help us to regain some of our credibility.'
Ancelotti, who also led Milan to the Champions League title in 2003, stopped short of describing the win as revenge for Milan's defeat by Liverpool on penalties in the final two years ago in Istanbul but drew comparisons between the two games.
'Sometimes, tactically you want to play a game in a certain way but the actual game forces you to change. In Istanbul, the game was more open, more bubbly. This game was tighter, more controlled from the first minute.
'Against Manchester United in the semi-final we were able to play more the way we wanted but tonight we came under considerable pressure from Liverpool.
'And that meant we couldn't get the ball to players like Kaka and Clarence Seedorf who struggled to get into the game. But what we saw tonight was the other face of AC Milan. We saw that it is a tough team.'
Ancelotti, who won the European Cup twice as a player for AC Milan, before becoming coach in 2001, declined, however, to be drawn on his future at the club.
'My market value has certainly increased with this victory but my relationship with Milan is very strong. I have worn the shirt of Milan on the field and that builds a strong relationship. What I have achieved depends a lot on my feeling of belonging.'

Baptista can go

Arsenal are letting me go, insists Baptista

MADRID, May 24 (Reuters) - Arsenal are not going to take up the option to turn Julio Baptista's loan deal from Real Madrid into a permanent move, the Brazilian attacking midfielder has said.
'Arsenal have told me they are not able to buy me and so all I can do is return to Real Madrid,' Baptista told sports daily Marca on Thursday, in a telephone interview from New York.
The 25-year-old international moved to London last August in a one-year loan swap, with Arsenal's Jose Antonio Reyes moving in the opposite direction.
The deal included an option for the clubs to buy the respective players at the end of the season but neither man has consistently impressed during the loan period.
'I have enjoyed my season with Arsenal and in England. I adapted well. I didn't play much at first but finished much better. The first year is very difficult,' Baptista said.
'The English league is very strong and very competitive with great teams. Manchester United and Chelsea are very strong and it is difficult to compete against their great squads.'
In Baptista's absence, Real have come from behind to grab first place in the Primera Liga and with three games left are on course for their first major trophy in four seasons.
'I speak a lot with Robinho and Roberto Carlos and I have wished them all the best for the league. If I am honest I am a little jealous I can't be with them playing for the title,' he said.
'I am keen to know what happens in the last three games and hope they go on to win.'
Baptista joined Real from Sevilla two years ago in a deal worth $24.2 million but failed to make it into coach Fabio Capello's plans when he took over last July.

The Premier League prepare fixture list for next season

League to prepare fixture list despite Tevez tribunal

The Premier League are to press ahead with preparations for next season's fixture list despite agreeing to set up an arbitration tribunal to rule on relegated Sheffield United's complaints over the Carlos Tevez affair.
The three-man panel is due to be appointed on Friday but any final decision is not likely before the end of June.
The League are to publish the fixtures for the new season on June 21 and are preparing to do so on the basis that the Blades have been relegated and West Ham remain in the top flight.
League chiefs are confident the arbitration tribunal will find they acted strictly according to their regulations in both the disciplinary case against West Ham and in regards to the registration of Tevez.
The Blades will pursue their claim that an independent commission should have deducted points from West Ham and that the League should have cancelled Tevez's registration.
It is more likely however that should they persuade the arbitration panel of their case they would be awarded a compensation payment rather than the commission's decision be overturned.
Sheffield United plc chairman Kevin McCabe said he believed the Blades' stand would be justified.
McCabe said: 'I'm here to protect Sheffield United's position against what I firmly believe was an irrational decision.
'I genuinely believe that the arbitration proceedings will reverse decisions.
'Whether that means they are able to reverse decisions to deduct points rather than fines I do not know.
'But I state very clearly when you see the commission hearing minutes say `points should normally be deducted but because it's April not January we're going to fine you', when you consider there are 20 clubs in the Premier League who only play for one thing every Saturday - points, I find it absolutely irrational that you can fine and not deduct points.
'If you clearly breach the rules surely you deduct points because that's what the commission says, but the irrationality says that because it's April not January, we're only going to fine you. I cannot work it out.'

AC Milan beat Liverpool to win Champions League(2006/2007)

AC Milan 2-1 Liverpool: Pippo punishes Reds

This time there was to be no miracle escape and no sixth European Cup.
Filippo Inzaghi turns to celebrate after forcing in the first for AC Milan
Even though Dirk Kuyt's last-minute header raised the prospect of a comeback equally as memorable as the one Liverpool produced in Istanbul two years ago, ultimately only a Greek tragedy was awaiting Rafael Benitez as his side fell victim to AC Milan's Champions League revenge mission in Athens' Olympic Stadium.
There will be no consolation for the Merseysiders' vast following that Milan's crucial opener was a fluke, Andrea Pirlo's 45th-minute free-kick flicking off Filippo Inzaghi to give Pepe Reina no chance.
All they can reflect on is the knowledge that, in a tight contest, infinitely more watchable than Saturday's woeful FA Cup Final, the Anfield men had enough chances to emerge victorious and squandered them.
For once Steven Gerrard's shooting boots failed him when it mattered and with Liverpool unable to find a second in a frantic late scramble, it was Inzhagi's 82nd-minute second that allowed Milan to complete a British hat-trick, having already eliminated Celtic and Manchester United from the competition.
Of far more significance to the Serie A giants, whom some will remain convinced should not have been allowed back into the tournament after initially being expelled in the wake of the Italian match-fixing scandal, is confirmation of a seventh European triumph - only two behind Real Madrid - and a fifth winners' medal for the remarkable Paolo Maldini.
Unlike on that delightful Turkish night two years, it had all begun rather promisingly for Liverpool.
Although they were starved of possession for long spells, Benitez's men largely kept Milan at arm's length.
Javier Mascherano, who won Olympic gold with Argentina on this ground in 2004, was a key factor in the Merseysiders successful smothering operation.
Twice Liverpool's holding midfielder was left for dead by an initial moment of brilliance from Kaka. On both occasions, rather than dive in, Mascherano stayed on his feet, recovered his position and took the ball back.
As Benitez predicted, Milan got their full-backs forward at regular intervals.
However, not only did Marek Jankulovski and Massimo Oddo continually pick out Pepe Reina with their crosses, their enthusiasm to push down the flanks provided Liverpool's wide men with the space to attack.
Jermaine Pennant in particular rose to the challenge.
The speedy former Arsenal man was by far the Reds most effective performer and visibly rose in confidence after having one early shot parried away by Dida.
Pennant gave the Rossoneri defence a torrid time, providing the cross which Gerrard, asked to provide the main attacking support to lone striker Dirk Kuyt, volleyed over.
Gerrard was his usual energetic self but, without direct involvement in the midfield skirmishes, struggled to exert the kind of influence he would have wished.
Instead, Pennant continued to torment Jankulovski, indirectly creating the opportunity Xabi Alonso fizzed wide just before the half hour, then cutting inside to set up John Arne Riise, who drilled over.
The winger linked with Gerrard to set up Kuyt, only for Alessandro Nesta to block.
At that point, with the snarling Gennaro Gattuso booked for one borderline tackle too many on Alonso, Liverpool were by far the more likely scorers.
Unfortunately, just as in Istanbul, a rude shock was awaiting Benitez right on half-time as Inzaghi's desire to hunt a rebound saw him deflect Pirlo's free-kick past Reina.
Ripping intended interval team talks up against Milan is nothing new for Benitez and in the knowledge Liverpool's position was nowhere near as acute as the one he faced before, he opted not to change things until close to the hour mark.
By that stage two years ago, Benitez's side had thrillingly drawn level. This time, not only were they still behind, Milan were starting to get on top.
The arrival of Harry Kewell at least gave the Italians something else to think about, although the momentum was with them and had Pirlo curled home a 20-yard free-kick instead of dipping it over the bar, Liverpool would surely have been doomed.
Pirlo's near-miss ignited Gerrard's fire and Liverpool's talisman should have levelled when he sped onto Kuyt's pass, then flashed past Nesta, only for Dida to save a precise shot aimed at the far post.
It was the Reds clearest opportunity before Inzaghi raced onto Kaka's inspired through ball, rounded Reina and tapped home Milan's second.
A few Italian hearts must have stopped when Kuyt nodded home from close range but instead of the beginning of a comeback, it proved merely to mark the beginning of the end.

Praise for Benitez

Lippi lavishes praise on boss Benitez

Italy's World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi has hailed Rafael Benitez ahead of Liverpool's Champions League final against AC Milan.
The Merseysiders have ousted several clubs with arguably stronger squads on their way to the final in Athens and Lippi, who quit the Azzurri post after leading them to glory in Germany last summer, believes their success is largely due to the Spaniard.
'Benitez has the rare characteristics of a great tactician,' said Lippi.
'He gets the best out of his players, especially at a crucial time in a competition, even if his team's quality may be inferior to that of their opponents.
'He is practical and precise.'
Benitez's quality first came to the fore on the European stage in 2003-04 when he led Valencia to a Primera Liga and UEFA Cup double.
He moved to Anfield in the summer of 2004 and led Liverpool to the Champions League final a year later in which they beat Milan on a penalty shoot-out after coming back from a 3-0 half-time deficit.
Lippi, a Champions League winner with Juventus, believes the Rossoneri will have a battle on their hands if they want to avenge that painful defeat in Istanbul.
'Liverpool defend very well,' he added. 'They are strong on the counter-attack and have Steven Gerrard, who controls a strong midfield alongside Xabi Alonso.
'Then they have Peter Crouch in attack, who is an effective forward.'
Lippi has not ruled out a Milan win, however, after being impressed with the way Carlo Ancelotti's side brushed aside Manchester United in the semi-finals.
'I don't want to make any predictions,' he said. 'There is one certainty, though, and that is that Milan go into the encounter in great condition physically and mentally.
'They go into the final in confident mood having played a great game against Manchester United.'

Hargreaves transfer to MU

Hargreaves' £17m Man Utd deal moves closer

Owen Hargreaves expects his £17million move to Manchester United to be completed by the end of the week.
Bayern Munich have already confirmed Hargreaves is leaving the Allianz Arena and while the Red Devils have refused to make any comment on the issue, it is inconcievable the 26-year-old will not become Sir Alex Ferguson's first summer signing.
Although Hargreaves was due to feature for England B against Albania at Burnley on Friday, there is now some speculation Steve McClaren has said he does not need to see the midfielder in action prior to next week's friendly with Brazil and the key Euro 2008 qualifier with Estonia that follows on June 6.
Such a move would leave Hargreaves free to complete the final stages of his United move and the player confirmed further details should be known by the end of the week.
'It has been one of the longest transfer sagas,' he told BBC's Inside Sport.
'I am sure this week we'll hear some new information.'
With Ferguson due to watch the Champions League final in Athens and chief executive David Gill heading out to Malaysia in an attempt to smooth the anger which erupted over United's impending summer tour, the deal may not actually be concluded until the end of the week.
However, having idenitified Hargreaves as one of the men to take the Red Devils forward following their Premiership title triumph this term, Ferguson will eventually tie the Calgary-born player up on a four or five-year contract.

Vfb Stuttgart won Bundesliga title on final day

Stuttgart finally earn their star

There were more tears at Schalke on Saturday. Yes, the fans and the players had resigned themselves to the fact their chances were slim - but fate does tend to be cruel and gave them a glimmer of hope.
Having lost the Bundesliga Schalke's beaten players perfrom a lap of woe. With Schalke leading Bielefeld 2-0, Stuttgart suddenly fell behind against Cottbus. The Royal Blues were on top - for eight minutes, until Thomas Hitzlsperger showed why he was called 'The Hammer' in England, scoring with an unlikely and stunning volley from 20 or so yards out.
It was tough on Schalke. But there is some sort of poetic justice to the way this Bundesliga season ended. I'm aware that this sentence will elicit howls of protest from people in Bremen and Gelsenkirchen (Schalke). Perhaps even in Munich, where they always protest about one thing or another. So let me explain what I mean.
I'm sure you all remember my column entitled 'It's good to be back' from way back, meaning August of 2004. That was the month the German Football League (DFL) introduced those stars worn on the players' shirts, representing championships won. Or rather Bundesliga titles won, which is not the same, as our professional league only came into being sixty years after the first national champions were crowned (VfB Leipzig, in 1903).
As you no doubt recall, there was a story about how and why the DFL introduced those stars which, erm, starred VfB Stuttgart quite prominently. For the benefit of the readers who have not memorised all of my 123 regular columns to date, let me not so briefly recap and expand.
VfB Stuttgart were formed in 1893 as a multi-sports club. (The unwieldy abbreviation VfB stands for, believe it or not, Club for Physical Games.) Hmmm, well. As is so often the case in Germany, where those years of foundation are a great source of pride, the year given is not entirely correct.
What was founded in 1893 was actually a club called FV Stuttgart. The 'F' stood for football, but in those days that meant rugby football. It was only some years later that the club also created an association football, or soccer, team.
In April of 1912, FV Stuttgart 93 merged with another club to form VfB Stuttgart. Of course the older club's foundation date was chosen to adorn the new entity's name. I say 'of course' because this is common practice when clubs merge in Germany.
Anyway, considering 1893 is universally accepted as VfB's year of birth, the club should have celebrated its centenary in 1993. But apparently the Swabians, as we shall see, have their own ideas of jubilees or when and how to celebrate what.
Granted, there was a problem in 1993, namely the fourth World Championships in Athletics, which were held at Stuttgart's ground in August. Since this month, the football off-season, would have been the best time to celebrate their jubilee, VfB simply decided to hold many of the planned festivities a year later, in 1994.
I suppose there must have been a few people at the club who felt that this was somewhat incorrect and didn't constitute a proper birthday bash.
At least that's my best explanation for the fact that there was suddenly another flurry of celebratory activity in 2003, on the occasion of the club's 110th birthday. (Which is not a real jubilee, but who cares about semantics?) There were, for instance, a few charming items that got printed, among them a commemorative coin. And players' shirts with four stars on them.
Those stars referred to the four championships Stuttgart could lay claim to at that time, won in 1950, 1952, 1984 and 1992. It was a nice idea - but also a rather bold one, as VfB had not asked the league for permission to wear this garment. This being Germany, the DFL quickly decreed that people couldn't do as they please and, this being football, that there had to be a rule for everything.
This rule was finally formulated and put into practice in 2004. It said that a club could wear one star for three Bundesliga titles won (two stars for five, three stars for ten or more). Yes, read the fine print: Bundesliga titles. That meant neither championships before 1964 nor league titles won in the GDR would count.
The German FA, who ran all of this country's football until the professional leagues won partial independence in 2000, were in favour of honouring all championships, but the DFL held firm and declared, in April of 2005, that the professional game would reward Bundesliga titles only.
VfB Stuttgart celebrate the Bundesliga title
Slyly, and perhaps even mischievously, the FA allowed those amateur clubs which were crowned champions at least once either before 1964 or in the GDR to incorporate a star into their badge.
However, that snubbing of the DFL was of no help whatsoever to VfB Stuttgart. They had instigated all that hullabaloo, all those red tape debates, but were left out in the cold when the dust settled. The DFL's rule meant that only the 1984 and 1992 titles won by Stuttgart would count - meaning no star for you, Swabians. Let alone four.
But Swabians are not only considered diligent, tidy and thrifty in Germany - they are also known for being cunning. And so they came up with an absolutely watertight plan to get their will after all: win the Bundsliga for a third time.
Last Tuesday, three days after VfB had gone two points clear at the top, Tom Bender (the DFL's managing director for marketing and communications, not the American green activist, obviously) declared that Stuttgart would become the sixth professional club permitted to wear a star on the shirt should they end the season in first place.
That's what they have done now, thus earning the right to legally wear the patch of honour that was denied them in 2003. And the team could do one better next weekend, when they contest the German FA Cup final against Nuremberg in Berlin.
So far, only four (West) German teams have ever won the league and Cup double: Bayern, Bremen, Schalke and Cologne. Should VfB become the fifth, I have a hunch they'll try to sneak something by the DFL again.
Perhaps the summer break will see football officials discussing how and where to honour doubles on a shirt.

FA Cup final : Chelsea vs Man Utd (2006-2007)

Chelsea 1-0 Man Utd

Didier Drogba pounced five minutes from the end of extra-time to hand Chelsea the FA Cup and thwart Manchester United's Double dream with a 1-0 win at Wembley.
Didier Drogba scores past Edwin Van der Sar to win the FA Cup for Chelsea
Among the biggest let-downs of a final where tired legs ensured there was no hope of lofty pre-match expectations being met by England's top two, Drogba produced his 33rd and final goal of an incredible season at just the right time as a penalty shoot-out seemed certain.
It was harsh luck on United, who were marginally the better side, but there was so little in the contest they could not really complain and the excellence of Drogba's finish, after playing an excellent one-two with Frank Lampard, was beyond debate.
United did their best to rally but after a draining season, in which they extended every sinew to finish champions, they had nothing left to give as two teams too tired to reach the Champions League final did finally fall on the ropes exhausted.
The evidence of a draining campaign was there for all to see.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Drogba, widely accepted as the best two players in the Barclays Premiership, were virtual bystanders.
Ronaldo was walking by the end of normal time, unable to raise a gallop to aid Wayne Rooney as the United youngster tried in vain to inspire his side to a late winner without the need for an extra 30 minutes.
As usual, Rooney defied his body, pushing it to the absolute maximum.
One admirable burst took him from one box to another without single team-mate able to support.
But like so much in this heavyweight contest, a brief moment of excitement gave way to a sigh of disappointment.
At least there was something to enthuse about after half-time for, after the big build-up, the opening 45 minutes proved to be the dampest of damp squibs.
Aside from Paul Scholes dropping deep and isolating Chelsea's full-backs with a series of eye-catching crossfield passes, the creative element to the game was non-existent.
It was more an exaggerated arm-wrestle in which neither side was prepared to give an inch.
Despite losing so many key men to injury, Chelsea did create the most obvious of what could be classed as opportunities.
Frank Lampard's long-range effort skimmed the top of Edwin van der Sar's net without ever looking like going in it.
The England international also stormed onto Paulo Ferreira's square ball only to find the United keeper's giant frame in the way as he tried to fire into the bottom corner.
With Ronaldo subdued, Ryan Giggs equally muted and Scholes' pinpoint passing not triggering the required response, United looked to Rooney for a spark.
It took the half-time introduction of Arjen Robben for Joe Cole to send a current of electricity through the contest to finally jerk it into life.
The Dutchman's direct running forced United into a defensive rethink but also encouraged Chelsea to shed some discipline too in the hope of gaining a reward.
As gaps started to open, Petr Cech was forced into his first save as Rooney wriggled his way into space and let fly with a powerful 25-yard effort.
That dreaded offside flag rendered Giggs' attempt to ram home the rebound worthless but Cech denied him anyway.
On the cusp of another piece of history, Giggs volleyed United's best chance just over after Scholes had dropped one of his devastating bombs over the Chelsea defence.
Inspired by Robben, Chelsea were getting into the attacking spirit as well and after Scholes had picked up the first yellow card of the contest for upending Lampard, Drogba struck the outside of a post with his low free-kick.
But United were on something of a roll. Cech dived bravely at the feet of Rooney after Terry seemed to lose his bearings on the edge of the six-yard area, then Michael Essien thundered into Giggs to prevent the Red Devils skipper causing havoc after he had beaten the Chelsea offside trap.
Essien produced a replica meaty challenge to snuff out the danger when Rooney skipped past Ferreira in stoppage time, by which point Lampard had almost, but not quite, carved out an excellent shooting chance for himself.
Extra-time brought more evidence of legs drained of energy, plus a moment of controversy as Giggs slid in to meet Rooney's far-post cross.
The United skipper rose to claim the ball had crossed the line as Cech clutched it to his body.
TV replays showed Giggs was correct, although if it had not been for him maintaining his slide to bundle into Cech, he would not have been.
Still, as referee Steve Bennett did not give what appeared to be an obvious foul, United could feel aggrieved, although not as aggrieved as Chelsea would have been if they had fallen behind.
Jose Mourinho could have had no complaint if Rooney had been able to control another inspired Scholes pass.
Instead, not for the first time, Cech came to the rescue with a brave save which, in the end, was to prove so crucial.

Takeover for Leeds United

Sheikh consortium target Leeds takeover

Multi-millionaire businessman Sheikh Samir Mirdad is heading up a Dubai-based consortium interested in taking over Leeds United.
Sheikh Mirdad, chairman of the Dubai-based Linx group of companies, intends to talk to Leeds chairman Ken Bates about his plans for the club, which was put into administration before the final game of the Championship season.
He told the Daily Star Sunday: 'Leeds United is a prestigious club that has, in the recent past, suffered setbacks. My vision is to bring the club back to its former glory.
'The club has a huge fanbase and because of the history and the desire of the people of Leeds to see Leeds United back in top-flight football we think this may be the ideal challenge for us.
'I am very passionate about football and I want to help a lot of other people who share this passion. My intentions should follow the vision that would be shared between me, Mr Bates and the people of Leeds. There is a lot of potential for the club.'
When Bates put Leeds into administration the appointed administrators, KPMG, immediately agreed to sell the club back to a new company headed up by Bates. Bates' deal, along with a bid from local businessman Simon Morris, will be discussed at a June 1 creditors meeting.