United's English goalkeeper thinks Sunday's game might be his best chance for a medal this season.
Being a goalkeeper at Manchester United at the moment must be tricky, at least if you're not Edwin van der Sar. Whilst the Dutchman keeps clean sheet after clean sheet, men like reserve goalkeeper Ben Foster are forced to watch from the sidelines, grabbing eagerly at the sparse opportunities to impress in Cup games.
But the young Englishman, a rare nationality amongst keepers at Old Trafford for whom Alex Stepney was the last Englishman to hold down a regular starting spot for the Red Devils back in the early 1970's, is looking to Sunday's League Cup final as a rare chance for him to help claim some silverware.
"It is a good opportunity to win a medal," Foster told The Daily Mail. "If I do play, it will be absolutely fantastic.
"All the lads are buzzing. Those who are in contention cannot wait for it to come. It would be a special day for me if I could play in it and win it. Sunday could be a bit of a stage for me to remind people of what I am about.
"When I finished at Watford I had a little bit of a reputation as a decent up-and-coming goalkeeper and in the last couple of years because of circumstances I have faded away almost.
"It is a good chance to get my name back out there and people can see that I am still around and still a good goalkeeper."
The keeper feels that he is at last finding some consistency as far as his fitness goes, with his progress having been hampered over the last few seasons by a series of injuries.
"It’s been an absolute nightmare from when I came back here from being on loan at Watford," he explained.
"It just seemed to be injury after injury. Now I seem to be putting a run of fitness together. I’m training every day, my body feels good, and I’m playing the odd first-team game here and there which is good for me."
And Foster's eagerness to feature on Sunday at Wembley was palpable as he concluded, "To play on Sunday would be an unbelievable bonus and a massive up for me. It has been heartbreaking to watch United win things when I cannot be involved."
Blog Traffics
Friday, February 27, 2009
Ben Foster Targets League Cup Win For Manchester United
Manchester United Star Anderson Back In League Cup Final Contention
Sir Alex Ferguson hopes to have the Brazilian back in his squad very soon, and he could even feature against Spurs at the weekend...
Manchester United midfield starlet Anderson is back in the running for a League Cup final place, it has been revealed.
An ankle injury looked to have ruled him out but boss Sir Alex Ferguson is determined to field a youthful side and take some gambles in the Wembley show-piece against Tottenham Hotspur.
"The young ones who have played in the League Cup will play in it," Ferguson is quoted as saying by Setanta. "I'm not changing my mind on that one.
"The middle of midfield, though, is my biggest problem. I've got more options there than anywhere else.
"I've got Anderson, Darren Fletcher, Michael Carrick and young Darron Gibson, who is coming on in leaps and bounds. It gives me headaches, but more options."
It was widely believed that Anderson was crocked and unlikely to be risked due to uncertain form this term, however, 'Fergie' seems to have the young Brazilian firmly in his thoughts as United continue to chase a six-trophy haul.
I Want More Playing Time, Demands Manchester United Star Carlos Tevez
Tevez is excited as the business end of the season begins, but he wants to be more involved in first team affairs...
Manchester United forward Carlos Tevez has noted that the season is really getting exciting at the moment, with the finish line starting to appear on the horizon in a multitude of competitions.
However, the Argentine remains rooted to the bench much of the time and hopes to force his way into the Red Devils' setup on a more regular basis.
Doubts remain over his future, so few would blame him for wanting to experience all he can at Old Trafford in case circumstances force him to move on in the summer.
"The best part of the season is coming up," he is quoted as saying in several English media outlets. "We’re in the last 16 of the Champions League, we are top of the league and we’re in the Carling Cup final.
"We want to win everything - that’s what the fans are demanding - and we will try to win on all fronts. Let’s hope we can do that.
"Personally, my goal is to play as many minutes on the pitch as I can, and score as often as I can for the team."
United face Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend and the League Cup trophy is on the line.
Manchester United's Jonny Evans Desperate To Play In League Cup Final
The Northern Ireland international defender is prepared to take pain-killing injections to make sure he is involved...
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur go head-to-head at Wembley on Sunday in the 2009 League Cup Final.
Red Devils defender Jonny Evans is determined to take part in that fixture, even if it means having to play through the pain barrier.
The Northern Ireland international is yet to fully recover from an ankle injury and had to take pain-killing injections to play against Italian giants Inter in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Although the 21-year-old looked to be feeling some discomfort after the match at the San Siro, he is adamant he will go through the same to ensure he plays against Spurs.
"It's not nice to even think about it," ITV quote Evans as replying when asked how he might respond should he miss out on the game.
"The manager has tried to tell me if I miss it, it's no big thing, but I would be quite gutted.
"In a way, that game [against Inter] was more important because there weren't many other options.
"That won't be the case on Sunday. But hopefully the manager will allow me to have a few more injections."
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Alex Ferguson Expects A 'Corker' When Inter Visit Manchester United
Following last night's draw in Milan, the supreme Red Devil is expecting an epic struggle when Mourinho's men visit the north of England next month.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is anticipating a titanic encounter when Jose Mourinho's Inter side come to Manchester for next month's second leg at Old Trafford.
The Premier League leaders drew 0-0 with their Italian counterparts, in a game that was packed with incident and near-misses, and Ferguson is clearly relishing what should be a massive occasion in the North West next month.
"I hope it doesn’t come back to bite us but the atmosphere will be fantastic and we’ve got a real chance," Ferguson told The Manchester Evening News today.
"We are disappointed not to have scored and obviously disappointed not to have won the game but we have a great record at Old Trafford and a great chance to win the match and the tie."
The Scotsman felt his men had given a good account of themselves at the San Siro, showing maturity and composure. The draw on hostile Italian soil also confirmed, in his eyes, the progress that his side were making.
"The tie is not finished but we have given ourselves a great chance," he added.
"We came here two years ago and you can see the development of the team since then. They have matured. That night we got swamped by AC Milan. You can see the maturity in our team now.
"That 0-0 scoreline is always a threat. It is always a problem when you don’t score. But we played a fantastic team in Barcelona in the semi-final last season and we got through.
"Our focus and concentration that night was outstanding and that is what we are going to need again, and hopefully we will be OK with that."
Ferguson's opposite number, Jose Mourinho, expressed a certain amount of dissatisfaction with the performance of Spanish referee Luis Medina Cantalejo after the game, but the Scotsman was perfectly satisfied with what he had seen, concluding, "I saw a first-class refereeing performance. I think Jose is only complaining about the referee because the ref was not intimidated. That was what Jose wanted but I thought the referee was first class."
Patrice Evra Draws On Postives Following Manchester United's Draw With Inter
The French defender believes the team showed great spirit in the first leg of the Champions League last 16 tie...
Manchester United left-back Patrice Evra believes that despite the club's inability to find an away goal against Inter at the San Siro last night, they can still draw on some positives.
The reigning Premier League champions dominated their Serie A counterparts in one of three Anglo-Italian encounters, yet they failed to make their chances count.
Evra told the club's official website that the team showed that they can translate their good Premier League form onto the European stage, while also paying tribute to the "spirit" within the Red camp.
He said, "We played very well and showed the right spirit. We came here to win, not just to defend. So we're happy with that part of our game. But it's a little bit frustrating because we had a lot of opportunities to score, particularly in the first half.
"Now we have a game at home that we have to win, and I think we have the power to do that. I know the fans will get behind us and hopefully we can get the result we need to go through."
There was initial trepidation that Manchester United's rearguard, missing Gary Neville, Rafael da Silva, Wes Brown and the suspended Nemanja Vidic, could de-rail the club's bid to gain a positive result in Milan.
United though defended well, and Evra hailed the manner in which the makeshift back line thwarted Inter's advances.
"We have had a lot of injury problems in defence recently but we have still looked strong in every game. The Inter match is another example of that - we were without Vidic who is a very important defender for us, but Jonny [Evans] came in and played very well.
"It's not just the defenders who defend, at United everyone works together to do that - the midfielders, the forwards, the defenders and the goalkeeper. We all try to give our best because we all respect the shirt."
United compete in the Carling Cup final against Tottenham Hotspur this Sunday, prior to a midweek Premier League clash with Newcastle United and an FA Cup date with Fulham.
The club then host Inter in the second leg at Old Trafford on March 11.
Ryan Giggs: Manchester United 'Completely Outplayed' Inter
Although Giggs wanted an away goal in Milan, he's proud of United's positive performance...
Veteran Manchester United midfielder Ryan Giggs has stated that he is delighted with the way his side performed in the San Siro against Inter on Tuesday evening.
The Red Devils were held to a 0-0 draw by Jose Mourinho's side, but they had numerous chances - a couple of golden ones falling to the Welshman himself - to score a crucial away goal in the first half.
Still, ‘Giggsy’ feels confident ahead of the Old Trafford return leg.
"It’s still a tricky tie and we would have liked to have scored that away goal," he told the Daily Mail. "However, if we perform like we did last night, then we’ll win at Old Trafford with our experience.
"Inter are a top side and they have goals in them. We'll have to defend well and make sure we put our chances away."
Lauding United's blistering start, he gushed, "We completely outplayed them in the first half. We knew they would come out strong in the second half, but we were still able to create chances.
"We played well throughout; we looked good on the ball and there was great movement within the team."
The big games keep coming for the Mancunians, with the League Cup final against Tottenham Hotspur looming.
Giggs added of the Wembley show-piece, "Everyone’s really looking forward to the final on Sunday and we all hope we can win the trophy."
Sir Alex Ferguson Laughs Off Inter's Referee Complaints
Fergie dismissed on sight his Nerazzurri counterpart's claims that the ref favoured the visiting side at the San Siro...
Inter and Manchester United played out a stalemate in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday night, and Jose Mourinho was left fuming at referee Luis Medina Cantalejo's decision-making.
But Sir Alex Ferguson, speaking to the press after the game, refuted the Portuguese gaffer's protests and insisted that the match official had performed brilliantly.
When told of Mourinho's comments, the United manager said, "Is he serious? I saw a marvellous refereeing performance.
"The referee was not intimidated and Jose would have been hoping he was. But he was not intimidated. He was first class."
The Red Devils were the dominant side at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, yet for all their opportunities - most of which came through Cristiano Ronaldo - they left Italy goalless.
And Ferguson added, "There's a disappointment that we have not won the game but with our record at Old Trafford, we should have a great chance. I just hope it doesn't come back to bite us."
Jose Mourinho: Ref Protected Manchester United, Everything Went Against Inter
The Biscione boss was less than pleased with the quality of officiating in their clash with the Red Devils...
Inter were held to a goalless stalemate at home in the first leg of their Champions League tie with Manchester United on Tuesday night.
Sir Alex Ferguson's side had by far the better of the chances and would have returned to England with a healthy advantage but for an outstanding display from Julio Cesar in the Nerazzurri goal.
But Jose Mourinho reckons his side would have had much more joy were it not for Luis Medina Cantalejo, the Spanish match official, being too lenient on United.
"Maybe in the second game we will have a referee who is on our side," the Portuguese coach told reporters after the match.
"If we go to Old Trafford and we don't have the same referee - but we have one who will give the away team so much protection - then my team will get to the quarter-final."
Mourinho made reference to Inter's ignored penalty appeal after Adriano appeared to be hauled down by Rio Ferdinand at a corner, but he refused to dwell on single instances.
"I don't want to go into details of things like how we didn't have a penalty. Everything was against us, every little detail," the former Chelsea boss said.
"You watch how many free kicks they had and we had. The way we got yellow cards and they did not. I think the tendency was clear."
Tottenham Hotspur Won't Sit Back Against Manchester United - Harry Redknapp
'Arry has declared that his Spurs stars won't be afraid to attack the Mancs when they go chasing silverware this weekend...
Tottenham Hotspur will head into Sunday's League Cup final hoping the claim their second consecutive title, having downed Chelsea 2-1 in extra time last year.
Manchester United are Spurs' opponents this time around, but Harry Redknapp has insisted his men won't park the bus against the Premier League leaders.
"You respect but don't fear them because we also have good players for them to worry about," the Lilywhites boss said in The Guardian.
"You have to make sure you stay in the game and therefore there is no point going out there and starting gung-ho. You need to adopt a good shape, be solid, have a plan and know what you are doing against them.
"But we won't sit back – we will have a go. We have good attacking players and we hope to cause them problems as well."
Tottenham have been boosted by the news that Jonathan Woodgate, who scored the Wembley winner 12 months ago, is fit to play despite suffering a gash to the head in the recent win over Hull City.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Player Ratings: Inter 0-0 Manchester United
The first leg of the night's biggest tie ended all square. Goal.com's Sulmaan Ahmad rates the players...
Inter
Julio Cesar (9): Such a commanding presence and the most decisive player on the pitch. Made good saves from a Cristiano Ronaldo header and a handful of his free kicks. Also did well to stop Ryan Giggs one-on-one and even better to come out of his area and stretch to deny Wayne Rooney late on.
Maicon (7): Shackled and unable to dictate proceedings but was very strong in and out of possession.
Rivas (4): Reckless and slow pushing up. Turned twice by United forwards and did not look up to the technical standard required by the world champions. Righfully pulled at half-time.
Chivu (7): Let Ronaldo out-leap him for what could have cost his side a goal, but was otherwise made good challenges and distributed well.
Santon (7): After a nervy start, the youngster grew in strength and confidence, but lacked end product when it was required going forward.
Cambiasso (8): Did his job excellently. Linked play simply, never stopped running and even, on occasion, became a creative influence. Had a good chance late on, but could not quite react quick enough to take advantage.
Zanetti (8): Yet another brilliant display. Full of energy, made great defensive tackles and intelligent runs going forward.
Muntari (5): Was a little clumsy in midfield, both on and off the ball, and was given a bit of a hard time from the home fans for his lack of impact.
Stankovic (6): Was ineffective, lacking creativity and almost superfluous in the first half, but improved in the second. Got more involved in the play and had a couple of good passes and shots.
Ibrahimovic (5): Started nervously and soon got impatient. Found himself peeling left more and more but was unable to get as much joy out of John O'Shea as he would have liked. At the beginning of the second half, his creative spark was in effect, but it was all too fleeting.
Adriano (7): Showed a good touch and was an immense presence in the box, particularly just after half-time. Was perhaps a little unfortunate to be substituted as Jose Mourinho looked to freshen up towards the end of the game.
Substitutes
Cordoba (7): Solid, great block on Giggs.
Cruz (n/a).
Balotelli (6): Energetic, but unable to have any influence on proceedings.
Manchester United
Van der Sar (7): Rarely tested but always alert. Another clean sheet to add to his collection.
O'Shea (6): Showed nerves to begin with, but when put one-on-one with Ibrahimovic in the second half, more or less held his own.
Ferdinand (5): Arguably his worst performance of the season and not what was expected. Looked a little rusty and careless, gifted Inter a few chances and almost gave away what would have been a soft penalty.
Evans (7): Evans, remarkably, more than made up for his more accomplished defensive partner's insufficient performance. The youngster was strong and fearless, never afraid to make a challenge on Adriano and committed very few fouls in doing so.
Evra (8): Fantastic positioning throughout. A great outlet on the left hand side and rarely put a foot wrong.
Ronaldo (8): Was the main offensive threat of United. Had a couple of good headers and numerous free-kicks, a fair majority of which were well-hit and on target. Also put in one or two good crosses and tracked back with Santon more regularly than may have been expected as well.
Fletcher (7): Kept things solid and simple sitting deep in midfield. In making up the numbers in the middle of the park, Fletcher played no small part in facilitating United's first half dominance.
Carrick (7): Another disciplined performance. Made good interceptions throughout and picked a handful of promising passes.
Giggs (6): A bit of a mixed bag. Showed his class with some teasing corners and smart passes. However, he missed the best chance of the game when put through one-on-one with Julio Cesar, where he could have hit his shot higher, come in tighter or squared the ball. He did none of the above.
Park (6): Started nervously and did miss one big chance after being set up by Ronaldo. However, he tracked Maicon very well - particularly in the first half - and was as willing a runner as ever.
Berbatov (6): Showed touches of his abundant class, but had a handful of half chances of which he made very little.
Substitutes
Rooney (5): Came on eager to impress and was booked for a slightly overzealous (but ball-winning) challenge.
All Square Between Inter And Manchester United
United dominated the first half-hour of Tuesday evening's Champions League first leg, but Inter improved thereafter and the visitors couldn't force an away goal...
With the blockbuster Champions League tie of the round finally upon us, one coach named his expected line-up and one something a little more obscure. Inter tactician Jose Mourinho paired the resurgent Adriano with Zlatan Ibrahimovic in attack, while both of Manchester United's defensive injury doubts, Jonny Evans and John O'Shea, were fit enough to make the starting line-up. Sir Alex Ferguson pulled a couple of surprises out of his bag, including Park Ji-Sung and Darren Fletcher in midfield, with Wayne Rooney starting on the bench.
First Half
There was some mist in the air as the sides kicked off at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, but nothing murky about Manchester United's sharp performance, which they sustained for the opening half-hour. During that period, they should have been at least one to the good.
Cristiano Ronaldo, booed by the home faithful, looked threatening in the early stages, attacking a Ryan Giggs corner only to see his bullet header beaten away by Julio Cesar.
The Red Devils dominated the early possession and were able to win numerous free-kicks in Ronaldo territory. The Portuguese winger's first effort was pushed away by the 'keeper.
As Inter player after Inter player was whistled by the ref, Ronaldo was able to come ever closer with his attempts. After a Sulley Muntari foul, he swerved one wide of the right-hand post, much to the relief of the tense Nerazzurri support.
United created chances from open play, too. A Giggs through-ball found Dimitar Berbatov, whose driven cross was deflected away before it could reach Park.
Then, Ronaldo's ball from the right hit a confused Giggs on the back. The Welshman, in a great position, couldn't locate it and the chance was gone.
Berbatov the was next to go close, leaping to nod Patrice Evra's cross back across goal and wide of the post.
Inter, for their part, couldn't really get the cogs turning in the final third and were limited to hopeful efforts from distance.
At the busy end, a wide-open Giggs drove a shot at the 'keeper with Berbatov better placed in the middle and Julio Cesar had to push another Ronaldo free-kick away with strong hands, before he looped a header off-target from a Giggs cross.
Having weathered the storm, Inter started to look a bit more comfortable. Ibrahimovic and Adriano dropped deeper to seek the ball and the and the pair almost combined to deadly effect. Ibra teased Carrick before clipping a cross just too far in front of the Brazilian.
Inter were becoming increasingly frustrated with the referee and the half ended on a sour note, with the bench up in arms after the umpteenth foul was called against them.
Second Half
Inter had to improve and obliged immediately after the interval, with Ivan Cordoba now on for Nelson Rivas. They were soon appealing for a penalty when, with Dejan Stankovic's cross hanging in the air, Adriano went to ground as he tussled with Rio Ferdinand.
Stankovic was again the architect as Inter attempted to pose more of a threat. He picked out runner Ibrahimovic from the half-way line and the Swede thought he was in, only to be incorrectly flagged offside.
A decision went against Inter again soon after: Esteban Cambiasso's follow-up shot was blocked virtually on the line after Maicon had challenged Edwin Van der Sar in the air. The play was whistled dead for a foul on the goalie.
United weren't creating as many chances as they had before the break, but did have a couple of decent openings. First, Ronaldo played a one-two with John O'Shea down the right, drove to the byline and watched as his ball across goal evaded his colleagues. Cordoba then made a superb block on Giggs as the veteran tried to find a shooting angle.
The best chance of the half fell – or nearly fell – to Cambiasso, who arrived at the back post just in time to meet a dangerous corner, but couldn't make killer contact with the ball at an awkward height.
Both managers used their wild cards as time wore on. The hosts introduced Mario Balotelli and Julio Cruz, with United bringing Rooney into the mix. Rooney chased a promising through-ball inside the last 10 minutes, but his 82nd minute introduction perhaps came too late.
The last kick of the game nearly became a sensational Ronaldo exclamation mark, but his dipping free-kick was scooped away by Julio Cesar and thus it finished: goalless.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Inter Milan v Man Utd
Uefa Champions League, First knock-out round, first leg
Venue: San Siro Date: Tuesday, 24 February Kick-off: 1945 GMT
Manchester United are likely to field an unfamiliar central defensive partnership for Tuesday's Champions League tie against Inter Milan.
Nemanja Vidic is suspended, while Jonny Evans limped out of Saturday's 2-1 win over Blackburn with an ankle injury.
Inter coach Jose Mourinho has similar, if less extreme, problems to negotiate.
Argentine defender Walter Samuel is unlikely to make his starting line-up after missing the weekend's 2-1 victory over Bologna with a calf injury.
Six defenders travelled with the United squad to Italy for the opening leg of the first knockout round at the San Siro, with two of them carrying injuries.
The holders are without Gary Neville and Wes Brown through injury, while John O'Shea has a sore heel.
Fabio Da Silva is set to get the nod at the back, according to manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
"Obviously we have some injuries and we won't know until Tuesday (whether the players will be fit). O'Shea did a light session on his own and Johnny Evans didn't train. Everyone else who travelled trained," he said.
"With Gary Neville and Wes Brown injured and Nemanja Vidic suspended for the game it is a worrying moment for us.
"I hope one will be OK, probably O'Shea. But that leaves us with a problem at right-back, probably young Da Silva (will play).
"I wish we were in a better position tomorrow defensively in terms of availability but that happens."
With Italy international Marco Matterazzi also struggling to recover in time for the Italian champions, the heart of their backline will be selected from Ivan Cordoba, Cristian Chivu and Nicolas Burdisso.
Mourinho's in-form side sit nine points clear at the top of Serie A after securing their latest victory through goals from Esteban Cambiasso and Mario Balotelli.
Former United midfielder David Beckham played against Mourinho's side for city rivals AC Milan two weeks ago and the 33-year-old has pinpointed Inter's strikeforce as their main threat.
"They have got good players all the way through their squad but I think the forwards are strong, they are quick and they can hold the ball well and they are not frightened so if you control them United have got a chance," Beckham said.
"United have also got some players that can win games and also the defence is exceptional at the minute so that's why it is going to be so tough."
The England international backed United to beat the Italian side and revealed he may even speak to Sir Alex Ferguson prior to the match.
"As a United fan I'm on their side and also as a Milan player I'm on their side," added Beckham.
"I'll be coming to the game, I'm sure I'll speak to some of the players and the manager so I'm looking forward to it.
"United are favourites in my eyes but I am biased. The strength of their squad and the way they have been playing recently, they are on a run where they look unbeatable and I hope that continues."
Mourinho boasts a formidable record when coming up against Ferguson having only lost once in 10 meetings with United when he was in charge of Chelsea.
"It's not going to be easy. Mourinho is a great manager, he knows how to play against great teams and great players and he's done that over the years - but Sir Alex Ferguson is the best manager in football and he's got some of the best players and the best squad in Europe," Beckham said.
"It will be very tactical at the start because that is how Inter play and how Italian teams play but United could open them up and then we will have to wait and see."
Man Utd squad: Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak, Ferdinand, Evra, O'Shea, Evans, Fabio, Eckersley, Giggs, Park, Carrick, Nani, Scholes, Possebon, Gibson, Fletcher, Ronaldo, Rooney, Berbatov, Tevez, Welbeck
Park Ji-Sung Can't Wait For Manchester United - Inter Milan Clash
Everyone is looking forward to the mouth-watering clash between the English and Italian champions, including a certain winger from South Korea…
Manchester United star Park Ji-sung can’t wait to face Inter Milan in the second round of the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday evening.
The two powerhouses meet in the first leg at the San Siro and Park, like his team-mates, is looking forward to it.
“It is going to be a difficult game but it is one that all the players have been waiting for,” Park told the club’s Korean version of its official website.
Park was rested for last weekend’s win over Blackburn Rovers and hopes to line-up in Milan against Italy’s best team.
“If we want to win the title again, we are going to have to face big clubs but that is what it is all about.”
“Inter have not just won the league for the last two seasons, they have been getting great results this season too,” he added.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Nemanja Vidic Nearly Joined Liverpool Instead Of Manchester United
The Serbian central defender claims he was close to signing for his club's bitter rivals...
Manchester United's influential Serbian defender Nemanja Vidic has revealed that he nearly joined Liverpool and Fiorentina before turning both down and signing for the Red Devils.
The 27-year-old joined the Premier League champions from Spartak Moscow in 2006, and has since helped the club win two Premier League trophies and one Champions League title.
He has gone on to become one of the most formidable defenders in the England, and his reputation carries on growing as his time at Old Trafford continues.
The Serbia international has stated that he nearly never made the move to Manchester, but opted out of two deals before agreeing a deal with United in a deal worth around £7 million.
Speaking to The Independent, Vidic said, "I was talking with Liverpool. I was very close to Fiorentina, then Liverpool and after that Manchester United. Definitely I made the right choice.
"At that time it was a hard choice but when you look at it now with the three years we have won many trophies and I play regularly.
"Liverpool started the meetings, then they stopped. If I had stayed at Spartak Moscow I would have had more money than at United because they offered me more money to stay. Professionally, to go to Europe, United was the best choice."
Manchester United's Edwin van der Sar Wants Trophies Not Records
The recently rested United keeper has addressed the question of his main priorities for the season...
Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has stated that he is not concentrating on achieving records for himself, but more on winning trophies for the club.
The former Ajax keeper has now gone 14 games without conceding a goal for the current Premier League leaders, which was a new British record.
The Red Devils conceded a goal to Blackburn Rovers yesterday in a nervy 2-1 win for the current Premier League holders, but the Dutch keeper was rested for this game as Tomasz Kuszczak took his place in the starting line-up.
The 38-year-old keeper admits he was aware of the record as it approached, but is adamant that he was focused only on winning trophies for the club.
Speaking to The Independent on Sunday, Van der Sar said, "I'm proud, of course, but what you start the season for is winning prizes and that's probably not going to be decided until the last two games or so.
"It's getting a lot of attention but I've never been someone who wanted to be the centre of attention.
"Sometimes you read a story or the programme notes saying it's going to be 63 minutes (for a record), then in the second half you have a quick look up (at the scoreboard) to see how many minutes are gone.
"But I don't really like it. The main thing is winning the games."
United face a stiff test in Inter Milan on Tuesday night in the first knockout round of the Champions League and the former Holland international is up for the challenge.
"I think Inter is one of the hardest teams to play against at this stage," he added.
"If we want to repeat what we did last year we have to beat strong teams. It will be interesting also with (Jose) Mourinho's history in England, he probably knows a lot of things about our team and we have to make sure we're up to the challenge.
"Hopefully Inter doesn't give us so many surprises, although you know Mourinho, he can always pull one out of the hat in the way he wants to play.
"They've got experienced players who know how the game works. It's only the last 16 and there's a long way to go but obviously we want to repeat or even better what we did last year."
Jonny Evans 'Very Doubtful' For Manchester United's Inter Clash
The young Northern Ireland defender has added to Fergie's defensive woes ahead of the return of the Champions League...
Manchester United defender Jonny Evans is a major doubt for the Champions League clash against Inter Milan on Wednesday.
The Northern Ireland defender limped out of the Premier League game against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday after suffering a recurrence of an ankle injury.
The injury may mean that the 21-year-old could also miss out on the League Cup final next week against Tottenham Hotspur.
The former United youth player is to face a late fitness test on Wednesday before the Inter clash at the San Siro and until then it is not known whether he will take part in the game.
Speaking to The Manchester Evening News, Evans said, "It is a recurrence of the ankle injury I had before and is a bit tender. I caught it when I kicked the ground during the game.
"At this point, I don't know whether I will be fit for the San Siro. The doctor said he will have a look at it - and we will have a better picture then."
The 21-year-old's injury adds to manager Sir Alex Ferguson's list of unavailable defenders, with Gary Neville, Wes Brown, John O'Shea and Nemanja Vidic all set to miss out.
Ferguson was obviously annoyed with his growing injury list and admits he will find it hard as he keeps having to replace his defence.
"We are having a nightmare with defenders this season," commented Ferguson. "The defenders are being changed all the time. You reach a point when you start to find it hard."
Cristiano Ronaldo Questions Ref In Manchester United's Blackburn Win
The Portuguese winker believes Howard Webb wasn't quite as consistent as he should have been...
Manchester United midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo has raised yet more issues with the standard of refereeing in the Premier League by questioning Howard Webb's decision to book him for diving in yesterdays match against Blackburn Rovers but failing to book Morten Gamst Pedersen for the same offence.
The Portuguese winger was booked for a blatant dive just outside the penalty area in yesterdays Premier League fixture, but Webb did not hand out the same treatment for Pedersen when he looked to have been brought down by United full-back Rafael Da Silva.
The referee did not give a penalty, but did not book Pedersen for simulation either.
Ronaldo is quoted by football365.com as saying, "I didn't think their's was a penalty.
"The referee did not give it anyway. He didn't give the player anything either - but he gave me a yellow."
Rovers boss Sam Allardyce felt that Pedersen had not dived and that Rafael had tugged the Norwegian winger.
"It is not a blatant one, but Da Silva has had a little tug," argued Allardyce.
"You have to make the referee's mind up - Kevin Davies will tell you that.
"He gets fouled more than anyone else in the Premier League. He stays on his feet and never gets fouls. What do you do?"
Ronaldo may have been sent off earlier in the game for kicking out at Rovers midfielder David Dunn, an offence that went completely unpunished by the referee.
Sir Alex Ferguson feels the referee made the right decision not to send off Ronaldo.
"I know people will make a meal of it. But it was no more than a flick, and the referee gave him a warning. You see it time and time again," said Ferguson.
"He has to live with the examination of him. It would have been a ridiculous sending-off."
Manchester United Facing Defensive Injury ‘Nightmare’ Ahead Of Inter Clash
The European champions have a selection headache of the wrong kind for the trip to Italy.
Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted he is facing an injury crisis ahead of his Champions League tie with Inter on Tuesday night.
The reigning champions are already without Nemanja Vidic, who is suspended, and were handed further bad news as his potential replacement Jonny Evans limped out of yesterday’s 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers.
Evans joins fellow defenders Gary Neville and Wes Brown on the sidelines, whilst John O’Shea remains a doubt with a heel injury.
That leaves the Red Devils with a problem as to who will partner Rio Ferdinand in the heart of their defence and the United boss admitted it was giving him a headache.
“We are having a nightmare with defenders,” the Scot told the Sunday Mirror.
“I am just hoping to find two who can play on Tuesday.
“Wes Brown and Gary Neville are out and now Jonny looks as if he will miss out.”
Evans will undergo tests today to determine the extent of the injury but is rated as “very doubtful” for the trip to Italy.
Should he miss out the versatile John O’Shea may take his place but he too is struggling and was forced to miss yesterday’s game against Rovers.
That leaves Ferguson with few options for the trip to the Serie A Leaders, aside from 20-year-old reserve team defender James Chester, who is yet to even feature in the Premier League this season.
Manchester United Facing Defensive Injury ‘Nightmare’ Ahead Of Inter Clash
The European champions have a selection headache of the wrong kind for the trip to Italy.
Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted he is facing an injury crisis ahead of his Champions League tie with Inter on Tuesday night.
The reigning champions are already without Nemanja Vidic, who is suspended, and were handed further bad news as his potential replacement Jonny Evans limped out of yesterday’s 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers.
Evans joins fellow defenders Gary Neville and Wes Brown on the sidelines, whilst John O’Shea remains a doubt with a heel injury.
That leaves the Red Devils with a problem as to who will partner Rio Ferdinand in the heart of their defence and the United boss admitted it was giving him a headache.
“We are having a nightmare with defenders,” the Scot told the Sunday Mirror.
“I am just hoping to find two who can play on Tuesday.
“Wes Brown and Gary Neville are out and now Jonny looks as if he will miss out.”
Evans will undergo tests today to determine the extent of the injury but is rated as “very doubtful” for the trip to Italy.
Should he miss out the versatile John O’Shea may take his place but he too is struggling and was forced to miss yesterday’s game against Rovers.
That leaves Ferguson with few options for the trip to the Serie A Leaders, aside from 20-year-old reserve team defender James Chester, who is yet to even feature in the Premier League this season.
Sir Alex Ferguson Hopes Jose Mourinho Returns To The Premier League
Sir Alex has admitted he is missing his old rival Jose Mourinho and would welcome him back to England.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted he would be happy to see Jose Mourinho return to English football.
The two rivals go head-to-head in midweek in the Champions League when Manchester United travel to Italy to take on Inter and, speaking ahead the game, Ferguson has spoken highly of his counterpart.
“I got on well with Jose and when he left Chelsea it was a big loss to the English game,” Sir Alex told the Sunday Mirror. “Would I like to see him back? Yes, but he had better hurry up because I don’t have much time left!”
Mourinho managed Chelsea for three years before leaving in the summer and moving to Italy but has recently stated he could see himself returning to England at some point in the future.
Responding to his comments, Ferguson confessed that he would be pleased to see the former Blues boss back in England.
“Jose has suggested himself that he wants to come back to England – and I for one would definitely welcome him back,” said Ferguson.
“Maybe he will end up back at Chelsea, you never know. I enjoyed watching his interviews on television. He was so good, even his press conference ended up becoming all-ticket.
“He was cocky and he was confident – and he was very good for our game because he is a real character.
“Jose has been over to see us play a few times recently and he came to see me for a drink after we played Chelsea. You can’t deny the man’s success.”
Despite his praise Ferguson will be hoping to get the better of his rival on Tuesday night.
Mourinho possesses an excellent record against the Scot, having been beaten only once in 12 meetings with Porto and Chelsea, a record he will be keen to extend.
Esteban Cambiasso: Inter - Manchester United Is Not Decisive
‘El Cuchu’ is raring to face the English powerhouse on Tuesday night, but insists “it is not the Champions League final.”
Inter notched up their third straight win in Serie A yesterday by overcoming a plucky Bologna side 2-1 at the Stadio Dall'Ara.
And it was Argentine playmaker Esteban Cambiasso who opened the scoring in the second half, as he pounced on an Adriano’s knock down to fire home following a corner.
Everything went good, but after taking the lead we suffered a bit on set-pieces,” the 28-year-old is quoted as saying on the Beneamata’s official website. “But then Mario [Balotelli]’s free kick settled the encounter.”
Inter will now face a stern test in the Champions League on Tuesday night, as holders Manchester United will travel to San Siro.
“We will try and give our all,” mused the Argentine international. “We know that we are at the last 16 stage and are eager to give a good account of ourselves.
“But this clash will not be as decisive as people are making it out to be. It’s not the final of the competition and we just have to play it out with great tranquility. Then we’ll see what happens.”
Italy v England: 10 Classic Sir Alex Ferguson Quotes
As Manchester United and Inter prepare to go head-to-head in the Champions League we turn our attention to the United manager, and in particular what he has to say about the game.
Sir Alex Ferguson has never shied away from giving his opinion since taking the Old Trafford hot seat over 20 years ago and here, Goal.com takes a look at some of his finest moments.
10. “I remember the first time I saw him. He was 13 and just floated over the ground like a cocker spaniel chasing a piece of silver paper in the wind.”
Sir Alex, speaking to the media in 1997, gets all misty-eyed over a teenage Ryan Giggs.
9. “It's getting tickly now - squeaky-bum time, I call it.”
Speaking about the title race at the end of the 2002/2003 season, Fergie coins a phrase the British media still uses. The Red Devils ended the season as champions despite behind eight points behind Arsenal in March.
8. “If he was an inch taller he'd be the best centre half in Britain. His father is 6ft 2in - I'd check the milkman.”
The United boss gives his thoughts on right back Gary Neville in 1996
7. “On you go. I’m no f****** talking to you. He’s a f****** great player. Yous are f******* idiots.”
Ferguson blasts the media in 2002 for criticising his signing of Juan Sebastien Veron, despite the Argentinean making little impression after joining the Red Devils for a then British record fee of £28.1 million.
6. “They say he’s an intelligent man, right? Speaks five languages! I’ve got a 15-year-old boy from the Ivory Coast who speaks five languages!”
The Scot dismisses Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger’s linguistic talents in 2003.
5. “I can't believe it. I can't believe it. Football. Bloody hell.”
The Red Devil attempts to describe his feelings to the world after United score two late goals to claim the European Cup on May 26, 1999.
4. “That lad [Filippo Inzaghi] must have been born offside.”
Sir Alex Ferguson response to the news that Filippo Inzaghi is the most offside player in the history of the game.
3. “It was a freakish incident. If I tried it 100 or a million times it couldn’t happen again. If I could I would have carried on playing!”
The Scot explains to the BBC in 2003 how a flying football boot in the United dressing room managed to hit David Beckham in the face, leaving him in need of stitches.
2. "My greatest challenge is not what's happening at the moment, my greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their f*****g perch. And you can print that."
Sir Alex, speaking to The Guardian in 2002, endears himself to Liverpool fans the world over as he responds to Alan Hansen’s suggestion that winning the title in 2002/03 would be his greatest feat.
1. “When an Italian tells me it's pasta on the plate I check under the sauce to make sure. They are the inventors of the smokescreen.”
Alex Ferguson, speaking before the last time Manchester United played Inter in the Champions League Quarter Final 1999.
Sources: The Guardian, The Independent, BBC News, redrants.com, redcafe.net. 10. “I remember the first time I saw him. He was 13 and just floated over the ground like a cocker spaniel chasing a piece of silver paper in the wind.”
Sir Alex, speaking to the media in 1997, gets all misty-eyed over a teenage Ryan Giggs.
9. “It's getting tickly now - squeaky-bum time, I call it.”
Speaking about the title race at the end of the 2002/2003 season, Fergie coins a phrase the British media still uses. The Red Devils ended the season as champions despite behind eight points behind Arsenal in March.
8. “If he was an inch taller he'd be the best centre half in Britain. His father is 6ft 2in - I'd check the milkman.”
The United boss gives his thoughts on right back Gary Neville in 1996
7. “On you go. I’m no f****** talking to you. He’s a f****** great player. Yous are f******* idiots.”
Ferguson blasts the media in 2002 for criticising his signing of Juan Sebastien Veron, despite the Argentinean making little impression after joining the Red Devils for a then British record fee of £28.1 million.
6. “They say he’s an intelligent man, right? Speaks five languages! I’ve got a 15-year-old boy from the Ivory Coast who speaks five languages!”
The Scot dismisses Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger’s linguistic talents in 2003.
5. “I can't believe it. I can't believe it. Football. Bloody hell.”
The Red Devil attempts to describe his feelings to the world after United score two late goals to claim the European Cup on May 26, 1999.
4. “That lad [Filippo Inzaghi] must have been born offside.”
Sir Alex Ferguson response to the news that Filippo Inzaghi is the most offside player in the history of the game.
3. “It was a freakish incident. If I tried it 100 or a million times it couldn’t happen again. If I could I would have carried on playing!”
The Scot explains to the BBC in 2003 how a flying football boot in the United dressing room managed to hit David Beckham in the face, leaving him in need of stitches.
2. "My greatest challenge is not what's happening at the moment, my greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their f*****g perch. And you can print that."
Sir Alex, speaking to The Guardian in 2002, endears himself to Liverpool fans the world over as he responds to Alan Hansen’s suggestion that winning the title in 2002/03 would be his greatest feat.
1. “When an Italian tells me it's pasta on the plate I check under the sauce to make sure. They are the inventors of the smokescreen.”
Alex Ferguson, speaking before the last time Manchester United played Inter in the Champions League Quarter Final 1999.
Sources: The Guardian, The Independent, BBC News, redrants.com, redcafe.net.
Javier Zanetti: Inter Are Ready For Manchester United
The Nerazzurri skipper thinks they deserved to defeat Bologna and cannot wait to face the Red Devils at a packed out San Siro on Tuesday night.
Inter maintained their nine-point lead at the top of the Serie A standings yesterday afternoon as they emerged victorious from Bologna’s Stadio Dall'Ara after a 2-1 win.
“I believe that we showed our willingness to win the game from the off,” Javier Zanetti told the Inter Channel.
“It was fundamental to win this game in order to better prepare for Tuesday’s showdown with Manchester United. And we got a deserved victory against a great Bologna side.”
Jose Mourinho’s men will entertain the Champions League holders at the Stadio San Siro in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie.
“We are very calm and serene ahead of this match,” assured ‘El Tractor’. “We know that we are going to face a great team, certainly one of the best in the world.
“But Inter have the qualities to do well. There will be no need to give a pep talk to my team-mates, because they all understand the importance of such a game.
“San Siro has been sold out for this game for weeks now and it will be very exciting.”
Friday, February 20, 2009
Dimitar Berbatov Warns Manchester United Against Complacency
The languid centre-forward believes there is no time for the club to rest on their laurels, as they continue their assault on an unprecedented four fronts...
The recent centre-stage at Old Trafford has been reserved for the record breaking rearguard (Edwin van der Sar et al), the cultured veterans (Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes), and the burgeoning playmaking talents of Michael Carrick.
However, the contributions of supporting cast-member Dimitar Berbatov is still something to be admired as he has netted on 12 occasions in all competitions as well as creating a notable amount of assists.
The last of the silky Bulgarian's goals arrived during the impressive 3-0 win over visiting Fulham on Wednesday evening, but during the aftermath of the match, the nonchalent forward warned his Manchester United team-mates of complacency, and believes they will have to stay sharp to maintain their lofty league position.
"This win was very important to us, that’s what the boss told us before the game," he told MUTV. "We maybe should have scored two or three more but in the end everybody was happy.
"We are pleased that we won and are now five points clear, but we have many games to play and it’s not the end of the title race."
Paul Scholes scored a well-struck volley against the Cottagers, and Berbatov had high praise for the retired England international.
"I don’t think there is anybody else in the world like Paul Scholes. He is the only person who can shoot with that accuracy.
"His passing and the way he changes games is brilliant. Every manager would be happy to have him but it’s our luck that he plays for us," he concluded.
The win over Fulham ensured that United moved five points clear over second-placed Liverpool.
Alex Ferguson Proud Of Manchester United Legend Paul Scholes
After his team-mates Rooney and Berbatov praised him earlier today, his manager has added his voice to the chorus of regard directed at one of Manchester United's more modest midfielders.
Paul Scholes is not known for talking. Instead, the Manchester United midfielder has, throughout a long and distinguished career, preferred to express himself through his actions on the park.
However, there is currently plenty of talking going on about the Salford-born former England international, with Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov hailing the unassuming Scholes' contributions to what could be an almost incredible season for the Red Devils.
Now his manager Sir Alex Ferguson has chosen to add his voice to the praise flowing in Scholes' direction by expressing his pride in the midfielder's continuing excellence.
Scholes scored United's openeer in their 3-0 victory over Fulham at Old Trafford last night, netting with a trademark volley after Cottagers' goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer fumbled his effort.
"Paul tries that in training every day. He usually tries to hit me," Ferguson joked to The Manchester Evening News.
"He was fantastic. Some of his switches of play were magnificent.
"These lads are great examples to young players in how they live their life. They have kept their ambition, which is important. We are delighted with their performance and are so proud to have them here."
Ferguson also felt that Chelsea's title challenge was finished now, although he stopped short of completely writing them off, but pointed to the size of United's squad as his biggest reason for domestic optimisim this campaign.
"You can never be dead sure, but it is fair to say Chelsea have an uphill fight now," he said.
"Things can happen. We were 12 points clear of Arsenal in 1998 but we got a lot of injuries and lost the league. Now we can cope with it, like we have done in the last few weeks.
"That is the change at this club. We have such a big squad we can make changes."
Italy v England: Inter v Manchester United – The History
Part of the highly-anticipated Anglo-Italian trilogy next week in the Champions League will see Inter host Manchester United in a classic culture clash. Goal.com recalls previous occasions when these two giants have met...
The status of Manchester United and Inter as two of football’s most prestigious clubs is irrefutable. The Italian and English juggernauts share a rich history of success in Europe’s premier competition, sharing five wins between them (two for Inter, three for the Red Devils).
Whether it’s Sir Alex Ferguson v Jose Mourinho, Zlatan Ibrahimovic v Cristiano Ronaldo or simply the Premier League champions v the Scudetto holders, the glamour tie of the second round of the UEFA Champions League offers a plethora of compelling match-ups.
Strangely, the teams have only been pitted against each other on three occasions. Goal.com takes a look at these encounters.
UEFA Champions League, Quarter-Final, First Leg: Manchester United 2-0 Inter, Wednesday, 3 March 1999
In a record-breaking, treble-winning season for the men from Manchester, this fixture was a defining moment.
Previously, United had never beaten Italian opposition over two legs, or prospered by more than one goal.
A Dwight Yorke brace was to change all that. The £12.5million summer signing from Aston Villa lit up Old Trafford, bagging a tremendous 30-goal haul in his first season.
Inter’s team was hardly devoid of star quality, with Javier Zanetti, Roberto Baggio, Ivan Zamorano and a youthful Andrea Pirlo appearing.
All eyes were on David Beckham and Diego Simeone though.
The pair had famously clashed at World Cup ’98, when a petulant kick from Beckham against Argentina led to his marching orders and sent England crashing out of the tournament.
Simeone’s presence hyped up the tension, and created a boiling atmosphere on a damp Manchester night in which the Italians were blown away by a blistering first half from the hosts.
David Beckham and Dwight Yorke combined twice to put the Reds into a 2-0 lead. The first came after just six minutes, when neat interplay by the pair led to the Trinidadian heading home a Beckham chip.
Yorke’s brace was completed just before the half-time whistle, when another Beckham cross caused chaos in the Inter box. As goalkeeper Gianluca Pagliuca and his bewildered defenders failed to clear their lines, Yorke stepped up again to nod the ball in unopposed.
The most memorable moment was yet to come. Straight after the second period commenced, a Fabio Galante cross to Ivan Zamorano seemed destined to end up in the Red Devils’ net only for an unbelievable save from Peter Schmeichel to deny the Chilean powerhouse.
An injury-time goal-line clearance from Henning Berg also boosted United, and saw them board the plane to Milan with the tie in their hands.
Manchester United: Schmeichel, G Neville, Stam, Johnsen (Berg, h-t), Irwin, Beckham, Keane, Scholes (Butt 69), Giggs, Yorke, Cole. Substitutes not used: Solskjaer, Blomqvist, P Neville, Brown, Van der Gouw.
Inter: Pagliuca, Galante, Bergomi, Colonnese, Zanetti, Cauet, Simeone, Winter; Djorkaeff, Baggio (Pirlo 79), Zamorano (Ventola 68). Substitutes not used: Ze Elias, West, Milanese, Gilberto, Frey.
UEFA Champions League, Quarter-Final, Second Leg: Inter 1-1 Manchester United (Manchester United 3-1 Inter on aggregate), Tuesday, 16 March 1999
With a 2-0 lead in the bag from the first leg, Manchester United took to the field in a hostile San Siro in the knowledge that a solid display would see them through to a Champions League semi-final.
Inter knew they had a mammoth task in front of them; to prevail they had to win by a three-goal margin. A tough ask against a Red Devils backline containing Henning Berg in inspirational form and the immovable Jaap Stam.
The Italians were able to call on the returning Ronaldo. O Fenômeno was coming back into the fold after a troublesome knee injury had kept him out of action in the weeks before the game.
Little did we know at the time how catastrophic the situation would become for the Brazilian legend.
The first half began with a bang, as the Nerazzurri began to pile on the pressure. In the 16th minute, Ivan Zamorano charged into the Mancunians' penalty box, only to be brought down by a clumsy challenge from the Great Dane, Peter Schmeichel.
To the chagrin of the home crowd, referee Gilles Veissiere waved away the frantic appeals from the Inter players.
Undeterred, the Italians continued their bombardment. Schmeichel again denied Zamorano, whilst Berg desperately hooked away a Javier Zanetti cross intended for the Chilean.
Lady luck was in Sir Alex Ferguson’s favour. A stunning Zanetti shot rebounded off the post, before Berg denied Ronaldo with a last-ditch tackle.
It took until the 63rd minute before the Reds' resistance was finally broken. Coming on for the tired Ronaldo, Nicola Ventola calmly finished after a slip from Roy Keane in his own penalty area.
Inter continued to search in vain for the extra goals needed to see them through, before Paul Scholes finished the tie with only two minutes to go after he slotted home an Andy Cole header.
Inter: Pagliuca, Colonnese, Silvestre, Bergomi, West, Zanetti, Simeone, Cauet, Baggio, Zamorano, Ronaldo. Subs: Frey, Galante, Djorkaeff, Winter, Ventola, Ze Elias, Moriero.
Manchester United: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Irwin, Stam, Berg, Keane, Johnsen, Giggs, Beckham, Cole, Yorke. Subs: Van Der Gouw, Sheringham, P. Neville, Blomqvist, Scholes, Brown, Solskjaer.
Pre-season Friendly: Manchester United 2-3 Inter, Wednesday, 1 August 2007
Manchester United have a near-perfect record against Inter in competitive matches, but the Italians beat their hosts for the first time in this pre-season friendly.
On a warm August evening at Old Trafford, the reigning Serie A and Premier League champions served up 90 minutes full of goal-line action and exciting attacking football. If next week’s Champions League meeting is anywhere near as entertaining, it will go down as a classic.
In front of a record-breaking 73,738 crowd for a friendly at the Theatre of Dreams, United began the game with a swagger which would send them all the way to English and European glory in nine months' time.
Cristiano Ronaldo was at the centre, tormenting Maxwell in the Nerazzurri defence with his trademark mesmerising step-overs before forcing a save from Julio Cesar.
Fifteen minutes later, and the Mancunians took the lead. Patrice Evra charged into the Black and Blues' box and fired across a ball which was cleverly dummied by Ryan Giggs, before Wayne Rooney applied the finish.
Evra was a pivotal player in the match, but not always for the right reasons. After he and Rio Ferdinand failed to deal with a routine Luis Figo cross, David Suazo swivelled and fired past a despairing Edwin Van der Sar to put the teams on level pegging.
The Frenchman was again at fault for Inter’s second goal as a cavalier charge up the pitch saw him dispossessed by Dejan Stankovic, who played a one-two with Luis Figo, before picking out Zlatan Ibrahimovic who headed home the ball.
Evra’s pain continued as his chief tormentor Luis Figo supplied David Suazo with his second goal in the 34th minute to put Roberto Mancini’s side into a commanding 3-1 lead.
The second half improved for the hosts as they came back into this glamour meeting. However, it took a comedic own goal from apathetic substitute Adriano in the 57th minute to get United back on the score-sheet. The Brazilian headed a Cristiano Ronaldo free-kick into his own net.
Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo continued to press for an equaliser, but it simply wasn’t to be as Inter walked away with the bragging rights in this enjoyable summer fare.
Manchester United: Van der Sar; Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Eagles, Carrick, O'Shea; Ronaldo, Rooney, Giggs.
Subs: Martin, Fletcher, Bardsley, Silvestre, Kuszczak.
Inter: J Cesar (Toldo, 76), Maxwell (Bolzoni, 90), Materazzi (Cesar, 46), Samuel, Chivu, Dacourt (Filkor, 76), Solari (Bejewclouf, 65), Figo (Jiminez, 60), Stankovic, Ibrahimovic (Adriano, 46), Suazo (Cruz, 60). Substitutes not used: Fatic, Balotelli.
Champions League Countdown: Five Days To Go
Ewan Macdonald begins to look ahead to the Champions League knockout stages, which start in less than a week's time...
Less than five days stand between us and the resumption of the Champions League. It's been a long, long wait since December, but it's almost over now, and we here at Goal.com are already suitably excited.
We've already kept you updated with our in-depth examinations of England's and Italy's respective CL contenders, but between now and kick-off on the 24th of February we will inform you each days of the inside scoop at each club to see who's preparing well, and who isn't.
Tuesday February 24 2009
Atletico Madrid - Porto
Atletico Madrid welcome a new member to the family today. Kun Aguero and Gianina Maradona are proud parents after the birth of their first child. Meanwhile Raul Garcia is looking ahead to face Porto, telling his official club site, "It's not as easy a tie as many people are saying, because you know that the opponent has great potential. But we're not inferior."
Porto, staying true to the words of coach Jesualdo Ferreira, are preoccupied with the weekend cup clash against Pacos de Ferreira. Still, they've been boosted by the news that Milan Stepanov, Nelson Benitez, and Freddy Guarin are all fit and ready to play.
Lyon - Barcelona
Lyon, too, are mostly looking at their domestic fixture against Nancy, but Fabio Grosso found time to remark on Barcelona. He said, "We know they're currently the best team in Europe, but we can put them in danger, too, as we want to show them. In any case, we're ready. Lionel Messi? He's one of the world's best players and has been superb this season. With the ball, he can change the game. But it's not just him in that team."
Fabio Grosso is toeing the party line at Lyon, stating that looking at the weekend fixture against Nancy ahead of the Barcelona clash. Nonetheless, he found the time to point out, "Barcelona are tough as they play as a team. We know they're currently Europe's best team but we have our own merits with which we can endanger them... Lionel Messi is one of the best players in the world; he's a powerful presence and has been all season. When he gets the ball, he can change the game. But it's not only him in this team."
Arsenal - Roma
Awful news for Arsenal fans. Eduardo, who had only just returned from his horror injury, is now out once again. This time it's just a hamstring problem that will sideline him for two weeks, but it is nonetheless terribly demoralising for the Gunners.
Roma are in confident mood ahead of the game with Arsenal. Julio Baptista believes the Giallorossi can progress past his old side. There is still confusion over Alberto Aquilani's contract situation, while the midfielder and striker Mirko Vucinic are set to miss the weekend Serie A match against Siena due to injury. Both are expected to be fit to play against Arsenal though.
Inter - Manchester United
Lots of transfer news regarding Inter as the Beneamata have been heavily linked with a summer move for Atletico Madrid's Sergio Aguero, as well as Lyon's Karim Benzema. A new contract for reborn hitman Adriano is said to be on the horizon. Coach Jose Mourinho is being tipped to rest a number of first teamers this weekend against Bologna ahead of the big Champions League match with Manchester United. Marco Materazzi should start.
Manchester United are gearing up for the trip to the San Siro as they look to defend their recent great run of form. For Dimitar Berbatov, a key influence here is Paul Scholes. "I don’t think there is anybody else in the world like Paul Scholes. He is the only person who can shoot with that accuracy. His passing and the way he changes games is brilliant. Every manager would be happy to have him but it’s our luck that he plays for us," he said.
Wednesday February 25 2009
Real Madrid - Liverpool
Real Madrid are banking on experience as 35-year-old Fabio Cannavaro stands on the verge of a new contract - at least if coach Juande Ramos has his way. He said, "If it were up to me, I would renew his contract as soon as possible. He is healthy and provides the team with solidity and experience."
Liverpool, aren't immune from Juande's influence, as the former Tottenham Hotspur coach criticises the Reds for getting rid of Robbie Keane. "[Keane] is a top player and I don’t think he did badly at Liverpool. He scored goals and showed he’s a team player," he said. "It was a lot of money to lose on Robbie over such a short space of time, especially in this market. Let’s put it this way: I wouldn’t want to lose that amount of money on one player."
Chelsea - Juventus
Chelsea are said to be on the lookout for Yuri Zhirkov of CSKA Moscow, who is admired by interim coach Guus Hiddink. The 25-year-old could prove to be a long-term solution in an attacking, wide sense. Michael Essien, meanwhile, remains out of action but could return just in time for the second leg of this meeting.
Juventus.midfield man Momo Sissoko has warned Chelsea's Frank Lampard that he is out to get him when the teams meet next week. Former Juve striker Fabrizio Ravanelli spoke exclusively to Goal.com and he believes that his old club can topple the Blues. Bench-warmer Vincenzo Iaquinta reportedly wants to leave the club, while Atalanta's Sergio Floccari and Werder Bremen's Diego continue to be linked to the Bianconeri.
Villarreal - Panathinaikos
Diego Godin of Villarreal has his eye on next season's competition, too. He told his teammates today that the Yellow Submarine need to aim for 70 points if they're to return to the Champions League for the 2010-2011 campaign, starting with a win over Sporting at the weekend. After that comes Pana...
45 years ago to the day, Panathinaikos were rocked by the death of George Kalafatis, the founder of the historic club. The current squad, while no doubt touched by this anniversary, trained normally today, with the exception of Orestis Karnezis.
Sporting Lisbon - Bayern Munich
Sporting Lisbon must rely on reserve Tiago to keep goal in the derby against Benfica after Rui Patricio's recovery failed to go as planned: it remains to be seen whether or not Patricio will be back in time for the visit from the Germans, but it's expected that he will just make it. Meanwhile, Adrien Silva remains pretty much out of commission.
Bayern Munich coach Jurgen Klinsmann isn't too worried about the monster run of matches that will see the Bavarians contest seven games in 22 days. "We’re superbly well prepared physically," he told his official club website. Ahead of the Sporting encounter is a match with Cologne at the weekend. "We know the coming weeks will be critical."
Manchester United Duo Rooney & Berbatov Praise Paul Scholes
‘Roo’ and ‘Berba’ can't praise Paul Scholes highly enough for his part in the midweek win over Fulham...
Paul Scholes opened the scoring for Manchester United on Wednesday evening, volleying home a corner to spark a 3-0 rout of Fulham.
Although he's played down the strike, team-mates Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney have heaped praise on the wily midfielder.
The 34-year-old told the club's official website of his goal, which squirmed under the body of Cottagers 'keeper Mark Schwarzer, "I don't think it was one of my better ones.
"It was a great ball from Michael [Carrick] to find me and I caught it quite well. The keeper will probably be a little disappointed he didn't save it but I was happy it spun into the net.
"Over the years I have always contributed goals but in the last couple of seasons that hasn't been the case as I have been playing slightly deeper. Hopefully there'll be more."
Berbatov, who added the second goal, said of Scholes, "Nobody else in the world can play the way Scholes does.
"The passes he produces all over the field and the way he changes the game is brilliant."
The returning Rooney came on to put the gloss on the win with his first touch but reserved his praise for Scholes, too. ‘Roo’ added, "I thought [Scholes' goal] was brilliant and I thought Scholesy was outstanding.
"Some of his passing you don't see that often from players around the world and it was joy to watch."
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Alex Ferguson: Manchester United Won't Capitulate
The Red Devils’ boss believes that even an injury-crisis at Old Trafford won’t be enough to allow Chelsea or Arsenal a shot at the Premier League title...
Following another routine win - Fulham were dispatched 3-0 on Wednesday evening - Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United are five points clear atop the Premier League pile and haven't conceded for an age.
Even though the resumption of the Champions League and domestic cup commitments will test Fergie's squad to breaking point, the wily Scot has ruled out the idea of a business end collapse from his side.
Arsenal fought back to take the title in 1998 despite a 12-point disadvantage, however, Ferguson has ruled out a repeat from the Gunners or Chelsea, reiterating by proxy that Liverpool are the only outfit capable of maintaining a challenge.
Ferguson told Sky Sports, "You can never be dead sure but it is fair to say Chelsea have an uphill fight now [in terms of the title].
"Things can happen, sure. We were 12 points clear of Arsenal in 1998 but we got a lot of injuries and lost the league.
"Now, though, we can cope with it, like we have done in the last few weeks.
"That is the change at this club. We have such a big squad we can make changes."
United host Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.
Edwin van der Sar Moves Closer To Breaking European Clean Sheet Record
The big Dutchman and his back-four have managed to move a stage closer to surpassing Danny Verlinden's 19 year old European clean sheet record against Fulham tonight.
Edwin van der Sar this evening managed to add another layer of achievement to what could turn out to be an epoch defining season for Manchester United when he moved closer to the 19-year-old record for time played without conceding a goal, with the help of his defenders of course.
The record had previously been established at an almost incredible 1,390 minutes back in 1990 by Dany Verlinden, who was playing for Belgian outfit Club Brugge at the time.
It had been thought that Abel Resino's stint of 1,275 goalless minutes for Atletico Madrid was the European best, but further research found that Verlinden's mark was the one to be reached for. Surpassing Resino's mark is still significant, as it is the longest shut-out in a major European league.
The world record stands at 1,816 minutes, and is held by Brazilian Mazaropi, who went unbeaten between May 1977 and Sept 1978 for Vasco da Gama, though the heavily regionalised nature of Brazilian domestic football means that he was up against sides who varied widely in quality.
The Dutchman's achievement should not be sniffed at though, especially with the quality of attacking talent on show every week in the Premier League. Tellingly, United have only conceded goals recently, to Derby County in the League and FA Cups, when van der Sar hasn't been playing.
With the Red Devils challenging on every front for trophies as they seek a domestic treble and the European Champions League to add to their crown as World Club Champions, there really is an awesome aura of invincibility surrounding the Red Devils as they sweep all before them.
Champions League Countdown: Six Days To Go
Ewan Macdonald begins to look ahead to the Champions League knockout stages, which start in less than a week's time...
Just six days stand between us and the resumption of the Champions League. It's been a long, long wait since December, but it's almost over now, and we here at Goal.com are already suitably excited.
We've already kept you updated with our in-depth examinations of England's and Italy's respective CL contenders, but between now and kick-off on the 24th of February we will inform you each days of the inside scoop at each club to see who's preparing well, and who isn't.
Tuesday February 24 2009
Atletico Madrid - Porto
Atletico Madrid were today buoyed by news that defenders Pablo Ibanez and Luis Perea are fit for the weekend meeting with Sevilla, but as usual the transfer rumour mill is also in full swing. Juanito of Real Betis is rumoured to have signed on a pre-contract, while Wigan's Amr Zaki is said to be on the shopping list as the Rojiblancos look to assure their place in the Champions League next year, too.
Over the border at Porto, coach Jesualdo Ferreira is putting aside any concerns ahead of the trip to the Vicente Calderon, stating that all he's worried about is the semi-final of the Portuguese Cup, which is against Pacos de Ferreira at the weekend. Another matter that Ferreira was the Clasico encounter between Porto and Benfica, which ended a goal apiece: that match has been dredged up because the referee and assistants, led by Pedro Proenca, were rated today as one of the worst-officiated games of the season...
Lyon - Barcelona
Lyon's skipper, Juninho, is bullish ahead of the weekend trip to Nancy. Les Gones beat Le Havre by the narrowest of margins at the weekend, but the Brazilian wants more, saying today, "Our lead at the top of the table is not enough. We know that our schedule is tough and we must stay ahead, so we will go to Nancy knowing that we need to take all the points." Meanwhile John Mensah is still reeling after the disgusting racial abuse leveled at him at the weekend. "After hearing the voices I only wanted to do one thing: to go home to my own country, Ghana, and to forget all this," he said.
Big disaster for Barcelona: midfielder Andres Iniesta is going to miss the first leg against Lyon after picking up a hamstring strain in training. The Blaugrana have already had to soldier on without the Albacete-born ace this season, but to go into such a vital tie bereft of his influence is a major blow to coach Pep Guardiola. Meanwhile the Samuel Eto'o transfer bandwagon rolls on as AC Milan apparently make their mark on proceedings...
Arsenal - Roma
Eduardo tops the headlines at Arsenal as he gets ready to make his European comeback next week. The Croatian forward, though, has disputed earlier reports that Matt Taylor - the man who injured him - apologised. "Some friends told me he was saying he’d spoken to me, but he never did. I’ve never met him," he said, adding that a simple email was all he'd received by way of amends. Speaking of, well, speaking, Nicklas Bendtner has slammed the English press for misquoting him. "I've never said anything like what they put in the newspapers," he fumed, referring to allegations that he'd demanded to play every minute of every game.
Roma are building up the tension ahead of their visit to London, with full-back John Arne Riise, formerly of Liverpool, declaring that Serie A is the best league in the world. Roma fan, and West Ham striker, Davide Di Michele believes that Giallorossi coach Luciano Spalletti is a better tactician than Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho, but Brazilian hitman Julio Baptista is a little more cautious, and says the tie with ex-club Arsenal will be "difficult". In transfer news, Cicinho and Alberto Aquilani's contract situations have both come under the spotlight, while summer target Sergio Floccari of Atalanta seems more likely to join Juventus, according to the forward's agent.
Inter - Manchester United
Inter are looking odds on to win the Scudetto, and even David Beckham of rivals Milan has admitted so. The Nerazzurri seem set to lose out to the Rossoneri though in the summer race to sign Liverpool defender Daniel Agger, according to the latest reports. It has been Milan-Inter news all day long, as a number of Diavoli fans were arrested for beating up rival tifosi during the derby on Sunday night. Reborn striker Adriano scored a controversial handball goal during that game, but Inter director Ernesto Paolillo claims referee Roberto Rosetti made the correct decision allowing it to stand.
It's all smiles at Old Trafford after the midweek win over Fulham, but as usual there are squad concerns. Carlos Tevez's recent declaration that he wishes to stay at Manchester United ended with the usual coda of "but," although things are looking brighter than they were. Also worthy of note is that Edwin van der Sar now holds the European record for clean sheets after overcoming Dany Verlinden's record from 1990, topping 1,390 minutes.
Wednesday February 25 2009
Real Madrid - Liverpool
Real Madrid were rocked - well, at least tilted slightly - by the fact that Juande Ramos already has his eye on his next job. The ex-Tottenham man is in the frame to land the Santiago Bernabeu position full-time after taking the Blancos to eight consecutive wins, but he's revealed that he is considering a return to England in the future. Meanwhile Pepe has raised the stakes by predicting not only victory over Liverpool, but also a win against Barcelona in the CL final!
No such (over)confidence at Liverpool, though, despite the revelation that captain Steven Gerrard could be set for an early comeback from his recent injury. He may appear on the bench against Manchester City at the weekend before playing against Madrid at the Bernabeu...
Chelsea - Juventus
Chelsea will still have to do without Michael Essien before their England v Italy clash, while the forward line could be set for something of an old-school change. Just as was slated to be the case at the time of Nico's arrival, the new forward pairing could consist of Nicolas Anelka and Dider Drogba, putting paid to rumours that the Ivorian is essentially used goods at the Bridge.
Lots of transfer news regarding Juventus. The agent of Atalanta star Sergio Floccari claims that his client will move to Turin in the summer, while the representative of Bayern Munich sensation Franck Ribery believes that the Frenchman will also join the Bianconeri in the near future. Another star, Antonio Cassano of Sampdoria, also continues to be heavily linked with a summer move to Juve. Werder Bremen man Diego claims that the Old Lady want him too while, in non-transfer news, ex-Juventino Aldo Serena has criticised the "limitations" of young forward Sebastian Giovinco.
Villarreal - Panathinaikos
Villarreal could land Bojan Krkic this summer, if the latest reports in the Catalan sporting press are to be believed. But back to the present day, the old European campaigner that is Robert Pires is looking ahead to next week. "We're all hyped up right now because the Champions League is on its way and all the players want to prove that they are ready to face Panathinaikos," he said. "This mindset is good for the team but also for the coach, because he'll now have trouble picking a starting eleven."
Panathinaikos have been dented by the news that Marcelo Mattos is out of commission for next week's clash with Villarreal. Meanwhile Simao Junior, the Mozambican prodigy, is still locked in contractual negotiations with the Pana top brass. The sticking point appears to be his release clause, as he holds out hopes of moving to a higher league one day.
Sporting Lisbon - Bayern Munich
Sporting Lisbon's Simon Vukcevic is looking ahead to an especially tough week for Sporting as they face Benfica at the weekend, then Bayern in the CL, and finally FC Porto, with serenity. "For a long time people have talked about this sequence, but I take it one game at a time," he said. "We just think about winning each day. Above all we need to do our best to win the very next clash."
Bayern Munich Bayern's training session this morning was overseen by Simone Schubert, a sports scientist who normally works with the women's team. In light of recent disappointments, though, it seems as though coach Jurgen Klinsmann felt that she could be of use to the men, too. Meanwhile Lukas Podolski is back in the reckoning of Klinsmann, who says that he could come back to the first team this weekend...