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(Soccer365.com) Brazil international midfielder Kaka has signed a two-year contract extension with European champions AC Milan, the club have announced.
The 25-year-old - reportedly a target for Real Madrid - has committed himself to the club until June 30, 2013.
Kaka was named the FIFA World Player of the Year last season and scored a competition-leading 10 goals during Milan's successful Champions League campaign.
(Soccer365.com) Arsenal striker Eduardo has been released from hospital to continue his recovery at home from the broken leg received against Birmingham.
The Coatian suffered the horrific injury when he was caught by Martin Taylor in the 2-2 draw at St Andrews on Saturday.
He has spent the last four nights in a London hospital but the club has now confirmed that he has been allowed to leave.
The Gunners this afternoon confirmed Eduardo has been released in a statement on their official website.
"The club can confirm that Eduardo has now been released from hospital, where he had been since sustaining his injury against Birmingham City.
"Eduardo would like to once again thank everyone for the overwhelming messages of support he has received."
The Croatia striker's national team boss Slaven Bilic told BBC Radio 5 Live he did not blame Taylor for the injury.
"The injury made the tackle look bad," Bilic said.
"You see many tackles like that, almost every week.
"That's perhaps wrong for football but I'm sure Martin Taylor is a sportsman and he wanted to play the ball.
"On another occasion Eduardo could have received a worse tackle and got away without injury - everything went wrong but Eduardo knows Taylor didn't do it deliberately."
Alan Shearer is confident Eduardo can return from his horrific injury a better player.
"It's a long, long road for him but there is no reason why he can't come back fitter and better than ever," said the former England striker, who suffered a serious ankle injury himself when at Newcastle.
Shearer, at the launch of Umbro's "Bring It On" fans' survey, said: "He's still young, he was finding his way in the Premier League so it's a great shame for him. Everyone wishes him well.
"There will be some long days ahead but he'll get there because he has a great team around him. He'll have all the right treatment at Arsenal.
"When you come back there is a little apprehension but it's about getting your confidence back to believe in your body again and that you belong on a football pitch.
"After that it's a matter of forgetting about it and getting on with it."
(Soccer365.com) Steven Gerrard has declared that even winning the Champions League this term will not make up for the dismal performance in the Premier League.
The Liverpool skipper accepts that only fourth place now is acceptable as they battle to secure entry into Europe's elite competition next term.
But he said: "You don't get any prizes in football for finishing in second place, never mind fourth.
"I don't think that the fans would accept fourth as an accomplishment and for me it's not nearly good enough.
"We need to improve dramatically and even if we do finish fourth, it doesn't mean we have had a good season."
Gerrard accepts Liverpool are now involved in a winner-takes-all battle for fourth spot with neighbors Everton and Aston Villa, Portsmouth and Manchester City.
Having regained fourth place on Saturday by beating Middlesbrough, they saw Everton grab it back on Monday with an impressive demolition of Sven-Goran Eriksson's City.
And the battle will rage on this weekend with Liverpool at Bolton on Sunday while Everton are at home to Pompey later in the day.
Gerrard, in an LFC magazine interview, showed his own frustrations and anger at the club's current fortunes.
He said: "In the position we find ourselves now, fourth is the least that is acceptable. But we have bigger ambitions than that.
"The only way we can fulfil those ambitions is in the Champions League. And I am not going to pretend that even winning that trophy - and we are a long way away from it at the moment - will make up for the disappointment of the league campaign.
"I'm pretty gutted every time I look at the table and see the gap between us and Arsenal at the top, and even the gap between us and second and third.
"We believed we had the players to challenge for the title, and we wanted that one more than any other trophy available to us. I still believe we have the squad to be a hell of a lot more competitive than we are right now."
And Gerrard, significantly, claims the time has come for the club to stop looking at their long-term potential. The Reds skipper, who has again been linked recently with a summer move to Real Madrid, said: "I'm getting tired of saying the same thing over and over again.
"We can't keep talking about next season all the time. There are only so many times you can say it and believe it. Sooner or later we have to make one season the season we make it happen and do the talking on the pitch.
"We need to make people believe it. I'm 27 now, I don't want to be talking about 'next season' for Liverpool when I'm 32.
"We've got the stadium, the fans, the manager and the players to compete for the Premier League. But we have no chance of doing that if we are always well out of it by the first week in January.
"And at the moment we have our work cut out fighting it out with Villa, Everton and Manchester City for fourth."
And he added: "Only we can make this season a success now. We'd like to finish fourth and win the European Cup again.
"But the demands of being a Liverpool player, the expectations that come with the privilege of pulling on that jersey mean we've got to improve.
"You make your own luck, shape your own destiny. And now we soon have massive games at Manchester United and Arsenal, knowing we can't win the league.
"We are not bothered about whether we have an impact on the title race we're not in. But winning at both those places would send out a message for next season. That would lay down a marker that no-one would ignore."
Gerrard also expresses a disappointment that a season of crisis off the pitch has given "those in the media who don't like Liverpool" the chance to criticise.
"We have made it easy for them," he said.
"It's not been a good situation (the takeover speculation) for anybody. It's sad so much of the club's business has been conducted in public. The club I have grown up supporting always did its business behind closed doors, and that is what we have to get back to.
"It's been a damaging situation for every single person involved with the club, fans, players, bosses, owners, from top to bottom."
But Gerrard's theme, which should not be ignored by those "bosses and owners", is the lack of a real title challenge.
He added: "If you asked most of our fans, they would rather see the title than the European Cup at Anfield. We've not won it in a long, long time.
"Looking at the league table hurts. This time last year we were third and Arsenal were fourth, and that is the way the season ended. It hurts to see where Arsenal are now."
(Soccer365.com) Jonathan Woodgate's headed goal in extra-time gave Tottenham a 2-1 victory over holders Chelsea in the Carling Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.
A first-half goal from Didier Drogba, his 10th of the season, put Chelsea on the brink of a second successive Carling Cup triumph - but a second-half penalty from Dimitar Berbatov sent the game into extra-time.
Then just four minutes into the extended period, a somewhat fortunate header from Woodgate earned Spurs their first trophy since they claimed the Worthington Cup in 1999.
The pre-match focus had revolved around Chelsea coach Avram Grant's team selection with Frank Lampard and captain John Terry, omitted from the Champions League side against Olympiacos the previous Tuesday, unsure of their places.
But the 52-year-old Israeli, who replaced Jose Mourinho as manager last September, cleverly avoided more controversy by selecting them both in his final line-up.
Instead, it was troubled England left-back Ashley Cole, France veteran Claude Makelele, Germany captain Michael Ballack and England midfielder Joe Cole who found themselves out of luck.
Grant also paired new £15 million signing Nicolas Anelka and Drogba together for the first time in attack but the former was largely anonymous throughout.
The opening half was dominated by Spurs even though they found themselves behind at the interval.
Tottenham's supremacy began from the kick-off when Chelsea full-back Juliano Belletti gave the ball straight to Robbie Keane.
The Irishman couldn't believe his luck but his shot was deflected to safety by Terry - an instant repayment of Grant's faith. In the ninth minute Spurs hit the crossbar when Aaron Lennon's corner was met by the head of Pascal Chimbonda at the far post. Fortunately for Chelsea, the ball dropped onto the top of the bar and out to safety.
Seconds later it was the turn of Berbatov to squander a gilt-edged opportunity when he headed Keane's cross wide of the target from six yards.
Tottenham continued to remain in the ascendancy and in the 27th minute Steed Malbranque brought a fine diving save from Petr Cech when he tried his luck from the edge of the penalty area.
Chelsea, in contrast, had failed to find their normal free-flowing football but Tottenham's inability to find some reward for their control eventually let Grant's side seize back the initiative.
The warning signs were there for Spurs when Didier Zokora brought down Shaun Wright-Phillips on the edge of the penalty area in the 33rd minute.
Drogba's free-kick was a foot wide of the target but when Zokora fouled his Ivory Coast team-mate four minutes later, the misdemeanour had major implications for Juande Ramos' side.
Firstly, Zokora was booked by referee Mark Halsey but the more lethal punishment was to follow.
It arrived a minute later when Drogba's free-kick found the back of the net with the Spurs wall and, more importantly, goalkeeper Paul Robinson completely flat-footed.
Robinson was playing only his second game since being recalled by Ramos following a long spell as number two to Radek Cerny.
Robinson's season has been littered with mistakes and poor judgement both at domestic and international level and his positional questioning was at fault again as Drogba curled his effort into the Spurs net with ease.
Tottenham's response was immediate when Berbatov flicked the ball on to Keane to shoot straight at Cech.
Chelsea continued to look comfortable after the re-start and although Tottenham raised their game it took a fine stop from captain Ledley King to prevent Anelka from increasing their lead in the 65th minute.
But Tottenham found a way back into the game in controversial circumstances in the 69th minute.
Wayne Bridge was adjudged to have handled the ball under pressure from Spurs substitute Tom Huddlestone and the referee's assistant immediately signalled a penalty.
Bulgarian striker Berbatov stepped up to send Cech the wrong way and keep Tottenham's dreams alive.
Spurs were now inspired and they should have gone in front in the 80th minute when Keane sent Zokora clean through with just Cech to beat.
The Chelsea keeper saved Zokora's first effort with his face and the Ivory Coast midfielder then blasted the follow-up over the bar.
Grant was clearly concerned by Tottenham's resurgence and he had every right to be especially when Berbatov brought another stunning save from Cech in the 84th minute.
Chelsea were now hanging on like a punch-drunk boxer in the final rounds but Spurs could not find the knockout salvo.
Keane then wasted a chance to win it at the death when a long through ball from Huddlestone was flicked on by Woodgate for the Irishman to hook his shot over the bar.
But Ramos clinched his first trophy as Spurs manager when Anelka fouled Lennon midway in the Chelsea half just four minutes into extra-time.
Woodgate, signed from Middlesbrough in the January transfer window for £8 million, glanced the free-kick from Jermaine Jenas onto Cech's gloves and the ball then rebounded off the Spurs defender's face and into the net.
Robinson justified his selection with seven minutes remaining when he saved superbly to deny Chelsea substitute Salomon Kalou.
Spurs had to withstand some more anxious moments as Chelsea threw everyone forward in an attempt to equalize but the final whistle signaled a fabulous triumph for Ramos who had won his first silverware just four months after taking over from Martin Jol.
(Soccer365.com) Eduardo da Silva has revealed he remembers little about the incident which saw him suffer a broken leg following a tackle by Martin Taylor.
The Croatia striker, 25 on Monday, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season and will miss Euro 2008 due to the horrific injury he suffered in Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Birmingham at St Andrews on Saturday.
But Eduardo insists he is "determined to overcome this injury".
Taylor was immediately sent off following the incident in the third minute of the game, provoking a ferocious response from Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger who said the Birmingham defender should never play again - although he later retracted his heat of the moment comments.
Eduardo told Arsenal's official website: "I don't remember the incident very well and it is not something that I want to see again on television or in the newspapers.
"All I remember is that when I fell, I looked down at my foot and it had turned the other way. The rest is just a blank. It was an unfortunate situation but these things can happen in football.
"I am unsure at the moment of the extent of the injury and how long I will be out of action for but I know that I won't be able to play for Arsenal for the rest of the season or be ready in time for the Euros this summer. But I'm not worried about that.
"My concentration and determination is on making as quick a recovery as possible. I am determined to overcome this injury."
The striker, who was beginning to establish himself in the first team in recent weeks following a summer move from Dinamo Zagreb, was on Sunday transferred from Birmingham's Selly Oak Hospital to an unnamed London hospital, where he will undergo further treatment.
He paid tribute to all those who had offered him their support, saying: "I would like to thank the medical team here at Arsenal for their efforts as well as the staff at Selly Oak Hospital who carried out the operation on Saturday night.
Everyone there made me feel as comfortable as possible.
"I would also like to say how touched I am by the many messages of support I have received and to be surrounded by my loved ones at this time."
(Soccer365.com) Fernando Torres would prefer Liverpool fans to remember him for titles, not just goals after he took his tally to 21 for the season with a hat trick against Middlesborough.
Torres was the local hero at Atletico Madrid, and now he has proved inside just seven months to be worth every penny of his record fee, with this already the best-ever goals tally for a season in his career.
Here is the genuine article. The classic, instinctive goalscorer with the film star looks to go with blistering talent in his feet.
It has taken him just those seven months to reach 21 goals in 31 games, the first Liverpool forward to achieve that total in a campaign since Michael Owen five years ago.
The hat-trick against Middlesbrough destroyed an effective, organised team who felt they deserved more for their efforts.
Torres had already managed a previous trio in a Liverpool shirt, the one bagged in September at Reading in the Carling Cup.
But this was different. It was his first at Anfield, finished off in front of an adoring Kop. Those fans have finally got a hero to potentially match the exploits of Ian Rush.
And the Spaniard, 23, insists he wants more, with a very clear idea of his objectives at Liverpool, saying: "I know the fans enjoyed the hat-trick and so did I.
"It was fantastic to score in front of the Kop. I am very comfortable playing here and I am very, very happy with my first hat-trick at this ground.
"It is important though, that we win titles. I would prefer to be remembered for the titles rather than my goals.
"I would prefer that more than anything else, and I am happy with the way I have learned to cope with the physical side of the English game.
"When I was in Madrid and watching English games on TV, I could see how difficult it would be to play here.
"There are so many strong defenders. But I have settled, I have scored goals and I have coped with the physical side.
"Even if it is true that I would not be getting hit in the back all the time in Spain!
"But I have scored 21 goals already, and we have a minimum of 14 games more in the Premier League and the Champions League, and I aim to score a lot more.
"It has been a very good season for me already, and yes, I would be happy now with 30, but I am more happy when the team wins.
"I have not won anything yet, just for the under-18s and under-19s in Madrid. It is a long time ago and I have come to Liverpool to win things.
"My target is titles, not just goals. I don't know when, this season or the next but I will want that.
"I hope I stay here for a long time. I have a six-year contract so I have every intention of being here a long time, and if everything continues okay maybe I will want to sign for more."
Even with his current deal, he could still be at Anfield when he is approaching 28, and at this rate of goal scoring he could be well into the hundreds by then.
He added: "It was only the second hat-trick of my career so it was a great moment for me.
"But we knew that we had to start winning home games if we want to finish in the top four."
That top four objective was achieved, a position they have not held for six weeks.
And boss Benitez knows he has struck gold with Torres. Benitez said: "He will score plenty more. We signed him because we believed he had the quality, pace and strength for the Premier League. Also, because he is young, he can grow and improve.
"He has adapted to the physical side of the English game very well. He is strong and can cope with big defenders.
"In Spain he would not continually be hit from the back, but we knew he would not be afraid of the centerbacks, he would be brave and cope with that style of defending."
(Soccer365.com) Boca Juniors midfield ace Juan Roman Riquelme says it is imperative that the team fly out of the gate if they hope to reclaim the league crown this season.
After two games, the Bombonera gang stand fourth on four points, and the play maker has warned his teammates about the bullseye they carry every match.
"It will be very difficult for us, all the teams want to beat us and we want to beat all of them," Riquelme told the club website.
"Each game will be very difficult, every team we face will make life hard for us and we have to accumulate as many points as possible in the first few rounds."
(Soccer365.com) Ajax have named Marco van Basten as their new coach with the former Godenzonen striker set to take over after Euro 2008.
Van Basten is currently in charge of Holland but announced in December he would not be renewing his contract with the Dutch FA (KNVB) following the summer showpiece in Austria and Switzerland.
He has agreed a four-year deal at the Amsterdam Arena which starts on July 1.
Van Basten's assistants John van't Schip and Rob Witschge will also move to Ajax in the summer.
The 43-year-old, who had a spell coaching Ajax's reserves in the 2003/04 season, will take over from Adrie Koster in the hot-seat.
Koster has been in caretaker charge since Henk ten Cate quit the post in October to become part of Avram Grant's backroom staff at Chelsea.
Ajax technical director Martin van Geel told the club's official website: "We are delighted with the news.
"They (Van Basten, Van't Schip and Witschge) are three ambitious coaches with an Ajax pedigree and all three have had an international career as a player and now they also have enough experience as coaches.
"It's also very good that we have clarity about the technical staff for the coming seasons."
Van Basten's agent Perry Overeem said his client was pleased to have returned to a club he served with such distinction as a player.
Overeem said: "We have worked in the last few weeks with the full management of Ajax to come to a successful conclusion.
"Both parties are pleased about how things went and the outcome of it all.
"The duration of the negotiations makes clear the precision and attention to the whole process."
Van Basten has had a mixed record in charge of the Dutch national side although it is likely he will be judged ultimately by what happens at Euro 2008.
High-profile fall-outs with Clarence Seedorf, Mark van Bommel and Ruud van Nistelrooy, the latter of which has now been resolved, has cast doubt on his ability to deal with big-name players but he can point to the fact the Oranje have qualified for the 2006 World Cup finals and this summer's European Championships as proof that his methods work.
Holland made an early exit from the World Cup in Germany, however, losing in the first knockout round to Portugal.
And their qualifying route for Euro 2008 was not without its hiccups with Group G defeats to Romania and Belarus and two narrow 1-0 wins over pool minnows Luxembourg.
Under Koster, Ajax are currently second in the Eredivisie, nine points behind defending champions PSV Eindhoven.
(Soccer365.com) Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes Steven Gerrard is "made for the Champions League" after the Reds captain scored a crucial second goal against Inter Milan on Tuesday.
Leading through Dirk Kuyt's 85th-minute effort, most of the team had settled for the slender victory but Gerrard had other ideas.
In the final minute of normal time the England midfielder picked up the ball wide on the right, cut inside and fired a low 20-yard shot which went in off the post to hand Liverpool a huge advantage to take into the second leg of the first knockout round in the San Siro in three weeks' time.
Gerrard has been criticised in the past for not transferring his club form to the international stage against some of the world's best teams but Carragher believes his team-mate always raises his game when faced with quality opposition.
"We would have been delighted at 1-0 but to get the second with a great goal by Stevie was the icing on the cake," said the centre-back.
"He's one of the best players in the world and I think he is made for the Champions League, when all the top teams come up against us.
"You see some of the names they (Inter) have got and he is the one that does the decisive thing at the end of the game.
"There were a lot of world class players out there on both teams and he stole the show again."
There was pressure on the team going into the match and Carragher said that increased the moment former Everton defender Marco Materazzi was sent off in the 30th minute for a second bookable offence.
Faced with 10 men the hosts were expected to go on and win but had to wait patiently until five minutes from time to end Inter's resistance.
"You do (worry the breakthrough will not come) but as a defender you have to make sure the back door is closed. We can't really get involved in what is going on up front," he added.
"It was important not to concede a goal in the home leg, especially as we were playing it first. It was a big thing on our minds at 1-0 not to let one in."
(Soccer365.com) Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster was left frustrated after his side slipped to a narrow 2-1 defeat against Roma in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at the Stadio Olimpico
Having failed to progress to the quarter-finals for the last three years, the Primera Liga leaders had hoped to take charge of the tie in Italy, but it was not to be.
Mancini's second-half strike gave Roma the edge in the tie after David Pizarro had cancelled out Raul's opener.
"We cannot be happy with the result," Schuster said. "We have done enough good things in the whole game to have deserved a better result.
"At least we scored an away goal.
"The outcome is the only negative aspect that we take home."
Real, who dominated possession, did have clear-cut chances, with Raul's first-half header going wide and Royston Drenthe being denied by the crossbar late in the game.
However, it was Roma that made the most of their opportunities.
"It's a pity because we had opportunities to at least level the score," Schuster continued.
"But we lacked effectiveness something which Roma had tonight.
"Roma has its own philosophy and we have to respect it, it's not similar to ours but it helps them to be successful."
Schuster is nevertheless confident his team can overturn the result in the return leg.
"We are getting better," he said. "We are improving and I am optimistic.
"I am not disappointed by my team and I'm not surprised by Roma."
Real will have to do without defender Sergio Ramos for the return leg at the Bernabeu, with the Spain international suspended after picking up a booking on Tuesday.
This was a situation Schuster had hoped to avoid, with Pepe, Marcelo and Christoph Metzelder all unavailable through injury.
"We are going to suffer without Sergio Ramos," he said.
"But then again I have only had my full defence for one game (through injuries) and that was against Barcelona.
"For these types of games and for our future encounters in the Champions League I would like to have more players available."
Roma coach Luciano Spalletti was full of praise for his side as they finally ended their negative run at home against the Spanish giants.
The Giallorossi had failed to beat Real in their previous three encounters at the Stadio Olimpico.
"I must congratulate my players," he said. "We have played a great game and we made use of our counter-attack opportunities.
"My players have shown maturity. It wasn't easy to come back against Real when you concede an early goal against them but we've been patient and we've been rewarded."
(Soccer365.com) Avram Grant admitted the Champions League bore draw at Olympiacos was Chelsea's worst European performance since he took over from Jose Mourinho.
The Blues stumbled to a goalless stalemate in Athens in the first leg of their last-16 tie.
Grant, who made 11 changes and left skipper John Terry and Frank Lampard on the substitute's bench, was disappointed with his side's display, while at the same time expressing satisfaction with the result.
When asked if it was their worst European performance since he took charge in September, the Israeli said: "Yes, it is a game in which we played less well.
"I am pleased with the result. A draw away from home is good. But the performance could have been better. We didn't create many chances.
"But Olympiacos are a very well organised team and it is not easy to play against them.
"We hope to improve in the return leg."
Grant refused to say whether Lampard or Terry would be included in the starting line-up for Sunday's Carling Cup final against Tottenham at Wembley but maintained that he is ready to continue making difficult decisions about his side.
Grant added: "I am always asked about the players I leave out of the team but I am the manager and it is my job to make these decisions.
"I will continue to make them for the benefit of the team and it will happen again and again."
Grant was clearly rocked by Chelsea's inability to break down a relatively unadventurous side that offered little in attack.
Didier Drogba looked distinctly out of sorts and Grant's attempt to win the game by adding Nicolas Anelka, Salomon Kalou and Lampard in the closing stages was very much too little too late.
Olympiacos coach Panagiotis Lemonis was happy enough with the result and insisted he would not be changing his style for the return leg at Stamford Bridge in a fortnight's time.
Lemonis said: "We always knew it would be difficult for us once we got through from the group stages but we found Chelsea very strong in defence.
"We will go to London and try to do the best we can but we know it will not be easy against a team with such quality."
(Soccer365.com) AC Milan youngster Alexandre Pato has shaken off an ankle injury and will be available to play at Arsenal in Wednesday's Champions League showdown.
The return of Pato, who has scored four league goals for Carlo Ancelotti's team since making his debut earlier this year, is good news for the Rossoneri who recently lost Ronaldo for the remainder of the season to a knee injury.
The 18-year-old missed his team's last three league games, including Saturday's goalless draw at Parma.
The Milan outfit, already without goalkeeper Dida, may also be missing back-up Zeljko Kalac.
Kalac sustained a hand injury in Sunday's training and will undergo further tests on Monday to confirm his availability.
AC Milan striker Alberto Gilardino knows his team have a tough tie ahead of them at the Emirates Stadium.
"We must play a great game," admitted Gilardino. "This is a very important encounter for us and we are training well to arrive to the game in the best possible mental and physical form in order to play the perfect game."
Milan welcomed back Kaka at the weekend. The Brazil star has recovered from a knee injury having missed two league encounters.
The European champions will be hoping veteran midfielder Clarence Seedorf is able to shake off an ankle injury in time for Wednesday's clash.
(Soccer365.com) Bayern Munich's Philipp Lahm has hit out at club president Franz Beckenbauer for being two-faced.
Lahm was one of the players criticised by Beckenbauer in his weekly column in a leading German newspaper for failing to emulate the form he showed at the 2006 World Cup.
His Bayern team-mates Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski also came in for heavy criticism in Beckenbauer's column.
And Lahm told Kicker magazine: "There has got to be two Beckenbauers - one who writes in the newspaper and the other who is president of FC Bayern.
"The president seems to be happy with me, but the columnist is apparently less so.
"I don't think I am a problem case, but then which Beckenbauer was it: the president or the columnist?"
Lahm shone at the World Cup and was linked with many of Europe's leading clubs, including Chelsea and Barcelona, after the tournament.
He has kept his place for club and country and feels he has improved over the last 18 months.
"I am satisfied with my development," added the 24-year-old. "I am ambitious and always want to improve and play in a team who can win the championship and Champions League."
(Soccer365.com) UEFA are confident that Wednesday night's Champions League last-16 clash between Fenerbahce and Sevilla will go ahead despite heavy snow in Istanbul.
The Sukru Saracoglu pitch is reportedly covered in 30 centimetres of snow and a pitch inspection is scheduled to take place on Tuesday afternoon,
But UEFA believe the first-leg tie is not in danger of being called off.
"It looks promising that the match will take place as scheduled," a UEFA spokesperson said on Monday. "We're confident it will go ahead.
"There's a delegation on site at the moment and they will make the final decision tomorrow, but we don't expect there to be a problem."
(Soccer365.com) Luca Toni hit a second-half hat-trick as Bayern Munich swept past Hannover 3-0 to re-establish their three-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga.
The Italy striker opened the scoring in the 58th minute after Hannover boss Dieter Hecking had been sent to the stands and struck twice more in the 64th and 82nd minutes to move Bayern clear of second-placed Werder Bremen.
The result means Ottmar Hitzfeld's men have not lost in seven games and lead the table with 43 points, while Hannover have yet to win after the winter break and lie ninth on 29 points - six away from a UEFA Cup spot.
But the home side could have gone ahead after 11 minutes when Bayern defender Philipp Lahm sent a back-header over his keeper Oliver Kahn towards the touchline.
Hanover striker Mike Hanke kept the ball in play and sent a cross into the middle, but no attacker was on hand to turn it home.
Bayern came into the game as the half progressed, however, and Toni and Hamit Altintop both went close.
Hanke in contrast, playing as a lone striker, struggled to hold the ball up against a tough Bayern backline.
Home keeper Robert Enke did a fine job of keeping his side on level terms in the 50th minute with a point-blank range save from Bastian Schweinsteiger after the ball had fallen to the midfielder from a corner.
And Hanke had a chance at the other end moments later, but Kahn was well placed to keep out his fierce effort.
Hannover boss Hecking was sent to the stands in the 55th minute after complaining about a succession of decisions which went against his team and his departure precipitated a collapse from his side.
First Toni lofted a bicycle kick over Enke's head from 11 yards after the ball fell to him from a corner.
And six minutes later it was two as the Italy international ran onto a fine throughball from Schweinsteiger and beat Enke to his right with a left-footed finish.
Toni sealed his treble with eight minutes remaining, the ball rebounding to him to head into an empty net after Enke had stopped his initial effort.
(Soccer365.com) Ronaldinho has told the Italian media that even if Italy's top clubs are interested in him, he has no interest in joining them.
For months there has been widespread speculation suggesting the Barcelona forward is set for a move away from the Camp Nou at the end of the season, following a year in which the former world player of the year has been dogged by poor form and below-par performances.
Italy - and Milan in particular - has long been touted as his most likely destination, but the Brazilian claims he only has an interest in playing for his current club.
"What would I say to any offer from Inter or AC Milan? No thanks," Ronaldinho told Italian television show 'Studio Sport'.
"Knowing that a great club appreciates your work is highly motivating, but I'm trying to reach my best form to be able to give my best to Barcelona.
"It's normal that there is some criticism, if we were top of the league things would be different.
"When I go out into town [in Barcelona] I can feel the support of the people, and I hear them singing my name in the stadium so I know there is a lot of affection there."
On Saturday, Ronaldinho scored the winning goal in Barcelona's victory over Real Zaragoza, his first goal since December 12 for his club.
(Soccer365.com) Although Benfica rookie Freddy Adu has turned heads with some late game heroics, the American attacker says his most important progress during his short time in Portugal has come off the field.
The teen phenom believes that maturity away from the park will lead to greater benefits when it comes time to take the field.
"I've grown up a lot," Adu told Fox. "I'm taking care of everything, living on my own, and I've asked my Mom when she visits not to stay for a long time."
"I want to be an adult and I want to be in an environment where I am able to handle a lot of my own things," he added. "My career is in my own hands, and I want to deal with adversity."
"I want to learn to be a pro."
(Soccer365.com) Highly-rated France midfielder Samir Nasri has not ruled out staying at Marseille beyond this summer.
Nasri, who has evoked comparisons with Les Bleus legend Zinedine Zidane, has been tipped to move to one of Europe's heavyweights at the end of this season.
But with OM growing as a force as the season progresses and looking likely to challenge for one of Ligue 1's Champions League spots, Nasri admits he could stay at the Stade Velodrome.
"My agent and myself are open to all propositions," he said.
"To stay at Marseille if we are in the Champions League, with a more competitive team, that would be a challenge I would be really happy with.
"You mustn't rule out anything, though. My priority is that OM finish the season well by qualifying for the Champions League and we will see what happens after that."
Nasri, who burst onto the scene last season, has had a low-key, injury-disrupted campaign but should still be named in France's squad for this summer's European Championships.
(Soccer365.com) Thierry Henry is confident FC Barcelona can still overhaul Real Madrid despite needing to make up eight points over the remainder of the season.
Barca had trimmed Real Madrid's advantage back to six points prior to last weekend's matches, but with Frank Rijkaard's men being held 1-1 at Sevilla and Real hammering Real Valladolid 7-0, everything now seems to favour the champions.
Not only do they boast that eight-point lead, but Bernd Schuster's troops have a superior goal difference of plus-eight and also beat Barca 1-0 at Camp Nou in December - a fact that could yet prove key with Real having won the title last season because of their better head-to-head record against their arch rivals.
Despite all that, Henry is remaining positive, pointing out that last year Barcelona themselves held a similar advantage over Real at this stage of the campaign.
"We have to have a winning mentality. We have to believe in this team, everything is possible. If Madrid achieved it, then so can we," the France international said.
"Since the defeat against Real Madrid we haven't dropped many points, in fact we've only drawn two matches. We can win everything but it'll be difficult. We have to continue working."
As for his own form, Henry admits he has sometimes had to play a slightly different role at Barca to the one that saw him become the record goalscorer with previous club Arsenal, who he left last summer.
"I'm never happy with my performance. You can always do much better," said Henry, who has struck six league goals for Barca.
"The truth is I'm not used to playing wide. I played at centre forward with Arsenal for eight or nine years but if the boss asks me to drop wide I do it without any problems."
Meanwhile, Barca vice-president Ferran Soriano has reiterated the club's stance over Ronaldinho by insisting the Brazilian playmaker is not on the market.
"Ronaldinho is not for sale. Neither do we want to sell him, nor does he want to leave. He is one if us," said Soriano.
(Soccer365.com) AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi has told Ronaldo he will return from his latest injury setback as "a champion".
The 31-year-old flew to Paris on Thursday after suffering ruptured knee ligaments in winning the penalty which earned his side a point in Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Livorno.
Ronaldo is to meet with the same doctor who treated him when he suffered a similar injury in 2000, Gerard Saillant, after the club confirmed he would need surgery.
The Brazil striker will likely be sidelined for up to a year and there has been speculation the injury could finish off his career, but Berlusconi believes otherwise.
He told www.raisport.rai.it on Wednesday: "I reached Ronaldo by phone yesterday and I told him to believe in himself.
"He has an extraordinary physique and I believe that in some months he can return to be the champion he is."
Ronaldo was taken to hospital after the match where the extent of the injury was confirmed.
Vice president Adriano Galliano admitted it had been upsetting for everyone associated with the club.
"As soon as it happened I came off the stands to go down to the dressing room and check on his condition," he told the club's official website.
"He felt a lot of pain, but now we only have to stay calm and wait without drawing any quick conclusions.
"When Ronie cried, I hugged him, the tears fell on me too, but I told him we would stay close to him.
"Milan have already shown in the past they don't abandon players who suffer injuries, and the same will go for Ronaldo."
(Soccer365.com) Robinho is set to miss Real Madrid's Champions League trip to AS Roma next week after being ruled out for 10-15 days with a torn abdominal muscle.
The in-form Brazilian was substituted in the 14th minute of his team's 7-0 Primera Liga thrashing of Real Valladolid at the Bernabeu on Sunday after sustaining the muscle injury.
Robinho will miss this weekend's clash with Real Betis and must now be considered a major doubt for the Champions League round of 16 first-leg encounter in the Eternal City next Tuesday.
(Soccer365.com) FC Barcelona midfielder Xavi believes his side's last-16 clash with Celtic in the Champions League should be a stepping stone in his side's march to the final.
Barcelona face a first-leg match against Gordon Strachan's side at Parkhead next Wednesday, before the return match takes place at the Nou Camp on March 4.
Confident Xavi has set his sights on FC Barcelona being crowned champions of Europe, which would compensate if they are pipped to the Primera Liga title by current leaders Real Madrid.
The playmaker insists the Camp Nou giants are determined to go all the way to the May 21 final in Moscow.
"We know that it is difficult for us in the league. There is a big gap of eight points, but we will not throw in the towel," Xavi told Barca TV.
"As for the Champions League and the Copa del Rey, we expect to reach the finals."
Xavi also warned that 17-year-old Bojan Krkic, who is likely be involved against Celtic, should not be labeled a world-beater yet.
The young forward has featured in five of Barcelona's six Champions League games so far, and will be seeking his first goal in the competition next week against the Hoops.
But Xavi stressed: "Everyone has said that he can make history. We should be very careful and remember that he is still young.
"He has a lot of talent, but we have to leave him to work calmly and then he will come good."
(Soccer365.com) English Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore insists all 20 top-flight clubs still support the proposal to play matches abroad.
Last week, Scudamore announced radical plans to play ten top-flight matches overseas from the 2010/2011 season, leading to 39 games a season.
The proposal has come in for criticism from a number of parties, but Scudamore insists all the clubs remain behind the idea.
He told Sky Sports: "My shoulders are fairly broad. You take this job knowing it's always going to be an easy ride.
"You work for the 20 clubs. Most importantly you have to work from your base that surrounds you and is closest to you.
"It's important we have the support of the 20 clubs and we still have the support of the 20 clubs to investigate and look at the proposal and bring it back.
"The media have tried to make up some idea that people are breaking ranks, but everyone is in the same position.
"They want to know answers to some questions. They want to think through some of the implications for the competition. They want to know whether the whole thing stacks up and that's exactly where we are, so the clubs are solid.
"We had a good meeting on Tuesday at the professional game board of the Football Association where we explained some more details to our Football League and FA colleagues.
"Because it's the start of the consultation process our professional game colleagues, both Football League and Premier League, were enthusiastic and could see the merits in the proposal, but like all of us need a lot more work to be done."
(Soccer365.com) AC Milan may not release their superstar midfielder Kaka to play for Brazil at this summer Olympics, according to Leonardo.
The former Rossoneri midfielder, who is now the general secretary of the Milan Foundation, confirmed the club will be reluctant to let the 25-year-old travel to Beijing if he is selected as one of his country's over-age players.
Leonardo told Brazilian TV station O Globo: "The competition comes at a time when teams face the preliminary round of the Champions League, which represents a major percentage of the club's finances.
"If Kaka is named to play the Olympics, he would not be able to play two very important games for Milan if we finish the current Serie A season in third or fourth place."
Despite this, Leonardo believes the relationships between FIFA - whose regulations would not not compel Milan to release the player for the tournament - UEFA and the relevant football associations can help resolve the situation.
"(Sepp) Blatter's management at FIFA and (Michel) Platini's at UEFA are very good and Ricardo Teixeira is a powerful man as the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation.
"Nowadays, there is a level of communication that did not exist in the past.
"It has nothing to do with saying, 'Milan do or do not release a player'.
"There are regulations we follow to release players or not. The Olympic Games are not organized by FIFA but by the Olympic Committees."
(Soccer365.com) Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure has claimed Ivory Coast team-mate Didier Drogba has told him he would like to move to the Nou Camp.
Drogba's future at Chelsea has been the subject of conjecture since Jose Mourinho's departure from Stamford Bridge.
The former Marseille star has previously indicated he could leave Chelsea at the end of the season, and Toure says he spoke to Drogba about a potential move to Barcelona while they were at the African Nations Cup.
"Of course, we talked about Barcelona," Toure told Ona FM. "Didier Drogba is a very important player in my country, but he costs a lot of money.
"He would really like to play for Barca because we have a great team and have great players.
"Drogba told me that he would like to come and play with me, but he knows that it is complicated as Eto'o, Henry and Messi are already there."
Italian giants AC Milan are also thought to be tracking Drogba and could move for him if he decides to leave Chelsea at the end of the season.
(Soccer365.com) Egypt hammered tournament favourites Ivory Coast 4-1 to book an African Nations Cup final clash with Cameroon.
Goals from Ahmed Fathi, Amr Zaki (2) and Mohamed Aboutriaka gave the holders a convincing victory and the chance for a second victory over Cameroon at this tournament having beaten them in their opening game.
Egypt got off to a flying start when Fathi's deflected shot somehow found its way into the net after 12 minutes and survived a first-half onslaught from the Ivorians, with Essam Al Hadari saving three times from Didier Drogba.
Egypt then doubled their lead against the run of play on 62 minutes when Zaki powered his header in off the underside of the crossbar but the Ivory Coast reduced the arrears a minute later with a long-range Abdulkader Keita strike.
However, Egypt restored their two-goal cushion on 67 minutes when Zaki netted his second goal of the contest and sealed the victory in the closing seconds when Aboutriaka smashed home the clincher from close range.
Cameroon had earlier beaten hosts Ghana 1-0, but the game will be remembered for a mad moment involving Andre Bikey that will rule him out of the final.
The Reading defender was given a straight red card for shoving a member of the medical staff who were attending to his team-mate Rigobert Song in stoppage time.
The Indomitable Lions led through Alain Nkong's second-half goal, scored after a brilliant piece of counter-attacking football which illuminated an otherwise drab semi-final.
The midfielder, who plays for Atlante in Mexico, latched on to a Samuel Eto'o through-ball after 71 minutes to score.
(Soccer365.com) New York striker ace Josmer Altidore has divulged that he was close to joining fellow US internationals Bobby Convey and Marcus Hahnemann at Reading last month.
With forwards Kevin Doyle and Leroy Lita mixed up in transfer talk, the Royals were planning to grab the teen phenom - but neither player struck a transfer deal out.
"It was an up and coming club that was interested in me," Altidore told Soccer by Ives. "It looked like it was something that was going to be a good idea for me, but the Red Bulls are where I'm going to be."
"I'm committed to the team and I'm not even worried about what happened."
(Soccer365.com) Rafael Benitez has all but ruled Fernando Torres out of Liverpool's trip to Chelsea, despite the striker's belief he would be fit to play.
The 23-year-old lasted just 23 minutes of Spain's 1-0 friendly victory over France on Wednesday night, asking to be substituted after suffering a hamstring problem.
Benitez said on the club's official website: "The news we have on Torres is that it is a hamstring injury. I need to talk to the doctor but I think he will miss this game. Normally it is a week when a player goes off like this.
"It is a big problem for us."
Torres revealed he had requested to be substituted and he had been confident of being fit for the trip to Stamford Bridge.
"I preferred not to risk it. I demanded the change," he said. "I will have medical tests but I intend to play on Sunday against Chelsea."
The loss of the club's top scorer would be a major blow for Benitez, who is already without Daniel Agger, Andriy Voronin, Alvaro Arbeloa, Fabio Aurelio and the suspended Xabi Alonso.
On top of this, Javier Mascherano will not arrive back at Melwood until Friday, with Argentina playing a friendly against Guatemala later on Thursday.
Benitez said: "We have lost Torres and Mascherano is not back until tomorrow.
"I don't think it (the international friendly situation) is fair. I think Mascherano will be okay for Sunday but we will have to see."
(Soccer365.com) Fabio Capello's winning start as England boss on Wednesday night came with a warning to players such as Michael Owen and David Beckham that caps will not be handed out cheaply.
Owen was an unused substitute against Switzerland at Wembley where Capello's reign kicked off with a 2-1 win, courtesy of goals from Jermaine Jenas and Shaun Wright-Phillips either side of an Eren Derdiyok strike.
Despite scoring 40 goals for England, Owen's return of four for Newcastle this season saw Capello start with Wayne Rooney supported by Joe Cole before bringing on Peter Crouch in the second half.
"I believe in order to play for England you need to be a great player but you also need to play well as well," said Capello.
"Not everyone can play for their own country. At first a player needs to have the right qualities to play, then they need to be fit and in good form at that specific time.
"I think about the substitutions according to what happens on the pitch and what I see. From that I decide who to put on or leave on the pitch.
"If people perform the way I want them too I'll keep them on the pitch. If someone is struggling I'll take them off. Players are all at the same level for me and all equal."
Capello's opening starting XI hinted at there being be no favourites, even if he has a player on 99 caps or England's second-highest scorer.
Beckham's lack of match-fitness allowed David Bentley to seize his opportunity to impress on the right of midfield, turning the jeers of his debut into cheers.
The criticism Bentley received for resting during the Under-21 tournament now appears a distant memory, although Stuart Pearce has recently suggested that Capello wants representing England at any level to be considered a huge honour.
Without Owen and Beckham, it was an unconvincing first 40 minutes at Wembley until Jenas tapped in a cross from Chelsea midfielder Cole.
"We were quite nervous at the start and worried obviously," Capello said. "We probably still at the back of our minds had the failure to qualify for Euro 2008.
"Wembley always generates pressure on the players and they couldn't play as they wished at first."
Derdiyok levelled in the 58th minute when Tranquillo Barnetta spilt the England defence with a reverse pass, but Wright-Phillips grabbed the winner four minutes later when he got on the end of Steven Gerrard's cross.
"Winning is always good and it's important for the morale of the team but we need to analyse everything in every game," Capello added.
"I need to analyse the video of their goal.
"I've got an idea of how it happened and why but from the bench you cannot see exactly. I have a couple of ideas about the type of mistakes we made. That was probably the only defensive mistake we made all game."
Some England fans chanted for Beckham but Capello insists they will not have a bearing on his selection.
"It doesn't influence me at all," said the Italian. "I'm happy for them to chant David Beckham's name because he is a very good player, I know him very well.
"I'm happy they chant his name. But the things I do has nothing to do with my personal feelings. I reason about things and my decisions are borne out of my reasoning."
(Soccer365.com) The U.S. and Mexico renewed their border rivalry and settled for a 2-2 draw in front of a sell out crowd of 70,103 at Reliant Stadium in Houston on Wednesday night.
Oguchi Onyewu and Jozy Altidore scored for the Red, White and Blue and extended the U.Sl' unbeaten run on home soil against Mexico to ten matches.
Despite going down twice in the match, Mexico had better possession and created more chances on goal than the home side. The composure and multiple goal game for El Tri Colores will certainly please head coach Hugo Sanchez and the Mexican fans. In the previous ten matches in the U.S., Mexico had only scored one goal.
The U.S. broke through in the 29th minute when Onyewu headed home and knocked the ball off the far post into the net. The Standard de Liege defender started the play with a long throw in from the left side. Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa started to attack the throw but realized he could not make the play only to see the ball headed wide to the right. Landon Donovan settled and crossed back to the far post where Onyewu out jumped and muscled the Mexican defender over Ochoa, who appeared to be out of position.
The goal was the third for Onyewu with the senior national team.
After going down a goal despite controlling most of the play, Mexico wasted no time leveling the score off a set play from just outside the box on the right flank in the 35th minute. Mexican defender Jonny Magallon beat Drew Moor to the far post and placed his volley in the top corner of the goal.
Jozy Altidore put the U.S. back in the lead in the 40th minute. After pushing into the attach from his defensive position, Moor sent a well struck, well placed cross to the center of the box where the 18-year-old headed home from the penalty spot leaving Ochoa with no chance.
Mexico had a good outing from their 18-year-old as well. Carlos Vela was a constant bother down the left wing and was responsible for a number of dangerous crosses.
Magallon scored the equalizer in the 47th minute on a play eerily similar to his first. Once again the play started from a set play from the right, this time a corner kick, and ended with Magallon beating Moor to the far post to bury his shot. The goals marked his first and second for the Mexican national team.
Tim Howard got the nod in goal and made several saves to help the U.S. to the result. The Everton netminder was frustrated most of the night with his defenders play on set pieces.
Bob Bradley's remains unbeaten with a mark of 1-0-1 in 2008 but the team did not look to be quote where they would like to be with World Cup qualifying starting in June.
(Soccer365.com) Fabio Capello insists the rules he has inst
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