Uruguay boss Oscar Tabarez has dismissed fears that the uncertainty surrounding Edinson Cavani's future at club level could have an adverse effect on the striker's performance against Brazil on Wednesday.
The
Napoli forward is understood to be nearing a move away from Stadio San
Paolo this summer, with Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester
City and Chelsea all showing interest. However, Tabarez says the
talisman will put the speculation regarding his club future to one side
in a bid to aid his country's passage to the Confederations Cup final at
the expense of the Selecao. "This is about the private
life of a professional footballer. There is no lack of concentration
from Cavani," the coach told a press conference.
The
66-year-old went on to reveal how he predicted the star would soon
attract some of Europe's elite clubs, much to the annoyance of Napoli
president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
He added: "De Laurentiis got mad
at me two years ago when I said it was a matter of time before Cavani
would prove to be one of the world's best players - now he is top
goalscorer in Italy."
Meanwhile, the veteran trainer turned his
attentions toward Brazil and believes the two sides could serve up a
classic, while warning the Selecao of Uruguay's attacking options.
"Everybody's
worried about Brazil and their attack, but they have not yet faced a
team with an attack as powerful as ours," he added.
"But we
believe in what we've been working at for the past seven years and we
hope this match will be remembered as one of the greats." La Celeste's clash with Luis Felipe Scolari's men is due to kick off at 21:00 CET.
Around 100,000 people are set to take to the streets of Belo Horizonte to protest on Wednesday ahead of Brazil's Confederations Cup semi-final with Uruguay.
It
is just the latest in a number of demonstrations which have filled the
country's cities in recent days and, with it being a holiday in the
capital of Minas Gerais, authorities are expecting the largest turnout
so far.
The Public Ministry of the city had suggested the
semi-final be postponed out of fears for people's safety, but the police
have since guaranteed the public's welfare following the decision to
draft in reinforcements from Brazil's national guard. The march,
which is being organised by the city's residents and co-ordinated via
social networking platforms, is fuelled by the population's anger that
the government is ignoring its country's public service issues while
focusing its attentions on hosting of sporting events such as the World
Cup next summer - the cost of which is believed to be a source of much
of the hostility.
Wednesday's demonstration is designed to be a
peaceful protest, but its organisers have spread the word through social
networking sites as to what they expect people to wear, including: a
long-sleeved shirt, pants, gloves, goggles and with a handkerchief
covering their face.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter is expected to
be in attendance for the match, though it is not known whether or not
the increased security has been implemented due to his presence.
Brazil
striker Fred, who is expected to start against Uruguay, revealed how he
supports the protest and hopes the demonstration can pass without
incident.
"I'm in favour of the protests because the people
deserve better," he said. "It has to be done without violence and
vandalism though.
"I'm hoping it will be peaceful tomorrow, without confrontations with the police."
Uruguay captain Diego Lugano has stoked the flames ahead of his side’s
Confederations Cup semi-final against Brazil by labelling Neymar a
player who likes to con referees.
The 32-year-old also hit out at
the playing style of Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side in what was a
controversial press conference ahead of the clash in Belo Horizonte.
"Neymar is lightweight – he falls to the ground and fools the referee,” Lugano told reporters. “He can feign a foul and we must be watchful that nobody is fooled by his ability.
“The Chilean ref assignment is a coincidence. He will be under bigger pressure - I just hope he makes no mistakes.
"Brazil have abandoned their beautiful football style. They now hit people. They are a tough team and they are tactical.”
Uruguay
go into the all-South American clash as underdogs but Lugano remains
hopeful his side can cause an upset and go on to face either Spain or
Italy in the final.
He continued: "Our history shows we can fight well in tough matches. We have brought Uruguay's team back to where it should be.
“We have the right to dream of beating Brazil. They are evolving well, but we have the football that allows us to dream.
“We know each other well. We are proud to play this game against Brazil, plus potentially Spain or Italy."
Uruguay's
team bus was delayed getting to the press conference and the defender
was asked to comment on how well he felt Brazil's infrastructure had
coped with hosting the event one year from the World Cup.
Lugano said: "Brazil is a large country with lots of traffic in big cities, that's just the way it is. I respect that.
"We
have been well received here, although there were logistical issues in
Recife, with the training facilities far from the hotel."
Newly-appointed Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has contacted Fabio Cannavaro about returning to the Bernabeu in a coaching capacity, according to the former defender's agent.
The
World Cup winner enjoyed a three-year spell in Madrid as a player and
Cannavaro's agent Enrico Fedele, claims the 54-year-old has already
enquired about his client's availability to accept a position on his
backroom staff. "There have been some telephone conversations," Fedele told Radio Kiss Kiss. "But I am not aware of any future decisions.
"Fabio wants to coach and get some experience behind a charismatic coach who knows how to handle a large squad.
The
39-year-old, who spent two years playing under Ancelotti during their
time at Parma, called time on his illustrious playing-career in July
2011 following a series of recurring knee injuries.
Aston Villa
In: Aleksandr Tonev (Lech Poznan, undisc), Jores Okobe (FC Nordsjaelland, £4m), Leandro Bacuna (Groningen, undisc),
Niklas Helenius (Aalborg, undisc), Antonio Luna (Sevilla, undisc)
Out: Calum Barrett, Joshua Barton, Courtney Cameron, Daniel Devine, Richard Dunne, Eric Lichaj, Andy Marshall (All released)
Cardiff
In: None
Out: None
Chelsea
In: Andre Schurrle (Bayer Leverkusen, undisc)
Out: Amin Affane, Yossi Benayoun, Abdul Deen-Conteh, Paulo Ferreira,
Hilario, Florent Malouda, Archange Nkumu, Ross Turnbull (All released),
Thibault Courtois (Atletico Madrid, loan), George Saville (Brentford,
loan)
Crystal Palace
In: None
Out: None
Everton
In: None
Out: Johan Hammar, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Sam Kelly, Jan Mucha (All released), Phil Neville (retired)
Fulham
In: Maarten Stekelenburg (Roma, £4m), Fernando Amorebieta (Athletic Bilbao, free), Derek Boateng (Dnipro, free)
Out: Chris Baird, Simon Davies, Mahamadou Diarra, Thomas Donegan,
Corey Gameiro, Georgios Karagkounis, James Musa, Richard Peniket, Mladen
Petric, Mark Schwarzer, Alex Smith, Csaba Somogyi (All released) Hull
In: George Boyd (Peterborough, free), Maynor Figueroa (Wigan, free), Curtis Davies (Birmingham, undisc)
Out: Andy Dawson (Scunthorpe, free), Danny East (Portsmouth, free), Sonny Bradley (Portsmouth, free)
Liverpool:
In: Kolo Toure (Manchester City, free) Luis Alberto (Sevilla, £6.8m), Iago Aspas (Celta Vigo, £7.7m)
Out: Danny Wilson, Tyrell Belford, Jamie Stephens (All released), Jamie Carragher (retired), Andy Carroll (West Ham, £15m)
Manchester City
In: Jesus Navas (Sevilla, £14.19m), Fernandinho (Shakthar Donetsk, £22m)
Out: Wayne Bridge (Reading, free), Filippo Mancini (Released), Ryan
McGivern (Hibernian, free), Roque Santa Cruz (Released), Kolo Toure
(Liverpool, free)
Manchester United
In: Guillermo Varela (Penarol, undisc)
Out: Reece Brown, John Cofie, Michele Fornasier, Luke Giverin, Luke
Hendrie, Luke McCullough, Gyliano Van Velzen, Freddie Veseli (All
released), Paul Scholes (Retired)
Newcastle
In: None
Out: Steve Harper, Yven Moyo, Danny Simpson (All released)
Norwich City
In: Javi Garrido (Lazio, undisc.), Ricky van Wolfswinkel (Sporting Lisbon, undisc)
Out: Marc Tierney (Bolton, free), Chris Martin (Derby, free), Tom
Adeyemi, Lee Camp, Olumide Durojaiye, George Francomb, Simeon Jackson,
Ramil Sheriff, Korey Smith, Elliott Ward (All released) Southampton
In: Dejan Lovren (Lyon, undisc.)
Out: Frazer Richardson, Danny Butterfield, Dan Seabourne, Ryan
Dickson, Ben Reeves, Sam Hoskins, Tommy Forecast, Alberto Seidi (All
released)
Stoke
In: None
Out: Michael Clarkson, Rory Delap, Matthew Gledhill, Jadan Hall,
Matthew Lund, Andrew Musungu, Carlo Nash, Jermaine Pennant, George Rigg,
Mamady Sidibe, Matthew Upson, Dean Whitehead (All released), Michael
Owen (Retired)
Sunderland
In: Valentin Roberge (Maritimo, free), Cabral (Basel, free), Modibo
Diakite (Lazio, free), Duncan Whatmore (Altrincham, undisc.), David
Moberg Karlsson (Gothenburg, £1.7m)
Out: Titus Bramble, Anthony Callaghan, Wade Joyce, Matt Kilgallon, Ryan Noble, Adam Reed, Ben Wilson (All released)
Swansea
In: Jose Canas
Out: Mark Gower (Charlton, freeP
Tottenham
In: None
Out: Jack Barthram, David Bentley, John Bostock, William Gallas, Jack Munns, Jake Nicholson (All released)
West Brom
In: None
Out: Marc-Antoine Fortune, Zoltan Gera, Gonzalo Jara, Romaine Sawyers, Jerome Thomas (All released)
West Ham
In: Adrian (Real Betis, free), Razvan Rat (Shakthar Donetsk, free), Andy Carroll (Liverpool, £15m)
Out: Carlton Cole, Jake Larkins, Gary O'Neil, Jack Powell, Jami Rafati, Eoin Wearen (All released)
Juventus have agreed a fee for Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez, according to Sky sources.
Officials
from the two clubs met in London on Tuesday to hammer out the deal and
Tevez will now travel to Italy on Wednesday for a medical and to discuss
personal terms with the Serie A champions.
Juventus are set to pay a flat fee of around £10m for the 29-year-old
Argentina international with some additional bonus payments also
agreed.
City will now search for a replacement striker for Tevez - as they
have only Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko on their books - although
Napoli's Edinson Cavani is reportedly not one of their targets.
Tevez joined City from their local rivals Manchester United for £47m
on a five-year contract on July 14, 2009, and has since made 148
appearances for the club, scoring 74 goals.
Leyton Orient could be subject to a takeover by Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis, according to reports in Italy.
De Laurentiis apparently wants to follow in the footsteps of the
Pozzo family, who own Udinese and Spanish club Granada and last year
took over at Championship side Watford.
The Hornets were then controversially loaned a host of players from
the two clubs with the likes of Matej Vydra and Almen Abdi firing them
into the play-offs, where they were narrowly beaten by Crystal Palace in
the final.
According to the reports, De Laurentiis wants a similar tie-in with
Orient, where he could send Napoli's younger players to gain first-team
experience.
Orient confirmed there has been no contact from Italy, however, a
spokesman for the League One club added: "They are welcome to give us a
call if they want to."
Athletic Bilbao are closing in on the signing of Real Betis midfielder
Benat Exteberria on a five-year deal, according to reports in Spain.
Beñat played with the Spanish youth teams at under-17 level. He made his debut for the full side on 26 May 2012, playing 45 minutes in a 2–0 friendly win with Serbia in St. Gallen and thus becoming the first Betis player since Juanito to don the national team shirt, nearly four years later.
Former Croatia coach Slaven Bilic is in talks to become the new manager of Besiktas.
The Turkish club confirmed the news on their website, with Bilic set to be offered a two-year deal.
Besiktas director of football Zeki Onder Ozen and board member Ahmet
Nur Cebi have reportedly travelled to Zagreb to finalise a contract with
Bilic, whose contract at Lokomotiv Moscow was cancelled by mutual
consent last week.
"Slaven Bilic has started talks over the role of manager of the
professional football team," read a statement sent to the Istanbul Stock
Exchange and posted on the club's website.
Former Croatia, Everton and West Ham defender Bilic, 44, took charge of
Lokomotiv last summer but could only guide the club to ninth place in
the 16-team Premier League - their worst finish since 1991.
Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote is expecting no repeat of the
horrors of last season as he and his team-mates prepare to return to
work.
The Magpies will start to report back for pre-season training in
three groups from July 3 with Ivory Coast international Tiote among five
man given extended breaks after representing their respective countries
at the end of the domestic campaign.
But the 27-year-old is already raring to go as Alan Pardew's men
attempt to repair the damage inflicted by an intensely difficult
2012-13.
Tiote told the club's official website, www.nufc.co.uk: "Last season
was not the best for Newcastle. It was a hard season in the Europa
League and the Premier League - but we have had some time off to rest
now.
"It was really difficult for all the team, but when you see the season, the most important thing was just to stay in the Premier League.
"That's what we did and now we need to prepare and be ready for the
next season. When we look at last season, we cannot imagine to have the
same season as this next year, so I think it will be better."
Newcastle eventually dragged themselves safely over the finishing
line after a desperate fight against relegation, but 16th place was way
short of their expectations 12 months after they had forced their way
into the top five.
Injuries and the demands of a first European campaign in six years
took a heavy toll on Pardew's squad and prompted owner Mike Ashley to
invest a further £30million in January to secure Frenchmen Mathieu
Debuchy, Massadio Haidara, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Moussa Sissoko and Yoan
Gouffran.
Nevertheless, the second half of the campaign proved testing, and the repercussions are still being felt on Tyneside.
The most significant consequence has been Ashley's controversial
decision to appoint former Magpies manager Joe Kinnear as director of
football and hand him a remit to oversee all football-related matters at
St James' Park, a move which in the eyes of many has seriously
undermined Pardew and chief scout Graham Carr.
Kinnear and Carr met yesterday to continue
their deliberations over the club's summer transfer dealings, and their
discussions were expected to continue today with Pardew hoping his
wish-list, which includes more proven Barclays Premier League experience
and less continental potential, will be catered for.
However, he will be equally keen to retain the services of his key
men with Yohan Cabaye and Hatem Ben Arfa among those players to have
been linked with moves away from the club this summer.
Ashley has proved in the past, with striker Andy Carroll the case in
point, that he is prepared to sell, but only at the right price.
France international Cabaye has been touted as a target for
big-spending Monaco, but any potential buyer would have to come up with
what Pardew has in the past described as "silly" money - that amounted
to £35million for Carroll - if they were to persuade the sportswear
tycoon to consider accepting a bid.
Premier League newcomers Hull City have completed the signing of Birmingham CIty defender Curtis Davies.
The 28-year-old defender, who has previous top-flight experience with
West Brom and Aston Villa, has joined the Tigers on a three-year deal,
with the fee believed to be between £2million and £3million.
Davies becomes Steve Bruce's third signing ahead of the club's return
to the Premier League, with deals for George Boyd and Maynor Figueroa
already confirmed.
I’m delighted to be here. I feel that I’m joining Hull City at an exciting time and the chance
to play in the Barclays Premier League was also a huge attraction. It’s
something that I’ve been lucky enough to do before and I wanted to get
back to that level. Hopefully I can help this team to have a good season and push as high
up the table as possible. I can’t wait for Chelsea on the first day of
the season now.
– Hull CIty defender Curtis Davies speaking to the club's official website
Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez believes there is
currently no other goalkeeper in the world on a par with his team-mate
David De Gea.
De Gea has had his ability questioned at various times over the last
couple of years following his switch to United from Atletico Madrid, but
in February Hernandez declared his confidence in the 22-year-old,
claiming that "in a couple of years he will be the number one in the
world".
Since then, De Gea has helped the Red Devils to clinch the Barclays
Premier League title, been named in the Professional Footballers'
Association's team of the year and, with Spain, won the European
Under-21s Championship in Israel, where he kept four clean sheets in
five games.
And, giving an update on his assessment of De Gea, Mexico
international Hernandez told Inside United: "For me he's the best
goalkeeper in the world.
"We all talk about development and having to go down a certain career
path and, of course, at his age many people would have been scared to
give him the place he's earned for himself.
"But I think that this season (2012-13) he's really benefited from being given the opportunity to play on a regular basis.
"He was first choice between the sticks and I think that any player
in the world shows his true ability when he gets the chance to have a
decent run of games in the side, and David has really shown his quality.
"He was voted the best keeper in the Premier League, so I'd say he's doing very nicely thank you."
Chelsea have completed the signing of Andre
Schurrle from Bayer Leverkusen after the Germany forward penned a
five-year contract.
The 22-year-old moves to Stamford Bridge from the Bundesliga club, whom he joined back in 2011, following the completion of legal documentation and related matters, including personal terms and a medical.
It was announced on 13 June that Chelsea and Leverkusen had reached
an agreement for the transfer but formalities have finally been
completed with Schurrle given the club's No 14 shirt.
After representing Germany at both U19 and U21 level, the young
attacker earned his first call-up to the senior squad in November 2010
before being handed his debut as a late substitute in a friendly against
Sweden.
He has scored seven goals in 24 appearances for his country and said:
"I am so happy now I have signed and it is an honour for me to play for
this club, with this team and for these great fans.
"I am really looking forward to it."
Schurrle becomes effectively Chelsea's first signing since Jose
Mourinho returned as manager at Stamford Bridge to replace interim boss
Rafa Benitez.
Speaking earlier this month after the deal had been agreed, Schurrle
expressed his determination to shine and his intention to become a
regular in the team, unlike German compatriot Marko Marin, who endured a
frustrating first season at the club.
"I first met Jose Mourinho at Michael Ballack's farewell game in
Leipzig last week," Schurrle said in The Sun. "He was in charge of my
team, the World Select side.
"We met before the game, he shook my hand and told me 'Everything has
gone through, and you are my player'. That was a wonderful feeling.
"My first impression of him was that he truly has a special personality. He is a cool guy as well.
"I spoke about him with my national team-mates Sami Khedira and Mesut
Ozil, who have played under him for Real Madrid. They both told me he
is the best coach they have ever worked with.
"I don't fear suffering the same fate as Marko and just being a replacement. I will try to make my way at Chelsea."
Leverkusen had agreed to let Schurrle go following the signing of
Heung-min Son from Hamburg after the inclusion of Kevin de Bruyne in
part exchange had reportedly been blocked.
AC Milan have handed the captaincy to Riccardo Montolivo as they look to stave off any potential transfer this summer.
Montolivo, signed only last summer from Fiorentina, was chosen ahead
of long-serving goalkeeper Christian Abbiati for the role left vacant by
the departure of Massimo Ambrosini.
Real Madrid have appointed former Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti as their new manager, replacing Jose Mourinho.
The 54-year-old Italian was widely reported as the front-runner to
replace Mourinho, who has returned to manage Ancelotti's former club
Chelsea, at the Bernabeu despite being under contract with French
champions Paris St Germain.
Real have not confirmed the length of contract handed to Ancelotti,
or if any compensation has been paid to PSG, but a statement published
on www.realmadrid.com today read: "Carlo Michelangelo Ancelotti will
coach Real Madrid next season.
"The Italian has experienced success in every country where he has
managed and arrives in the Spanish capital after being named coach of
the season in France."
It was later confirmed that Ancelotti has been handed a three-year
contract at the Bernabeu, with the signing to be formalised in the
stadium's royal box at 1200 BST on Wednesday before he holds his first press conference.
Former France manager Laurent Blanc, meanwhile, replaces the Italian at the Parc des Princes on a two-year deal.
A two-time Champions League winner with AC Milan, Ancelotti has won
domestic league titles in three different countries during spells with
the Rossoneri, Chelsea and PSG.
His eight-year stint at San Siro, where he had previously enjoyed
five successful season as a player, also saw him claim the Serie A
title, two UEFA Super Cups, the Club World Cup, two Coppa Italia
trophies and the Italian Supercoppa alongside Champions League triumphs
in 2003 and 2007.
A move to Chelsea to succeed Guus Hiddink materialised in 2009 and, after lifting the Community Shield in his first competitive game
as Blues boss, he guided the Londoners to a league and FA Cup double in
2010. He was, however, sacked in May 2011 after Manchester United
reclaimed the Premier League title.
After six months out of the game, ambitious PSG lured Ancelotti to
Paris in December 2011 and he clinched the Ligue 1 title at the end of
his first full season in charge.
Real's priority remains securing the Champions League trophy for the
first time since 2002 and Ancelotti's record in the competition is
likely to have helped him edge out his rivals for the position.
The club are also determined to reclaim the Primera Division title
from Barcelona after Mourinho's last season in charge saw Real finish a
disappointing 15 points shy of the Catalans.
Napoli have completed the signing of Belgium winger Dries Mertens on a five-year contract for an undisclosed fee.
The 26-year-old becomes new Azzurri head coach Rafael Benitez's first signing at the Stadio San Paolo following two successful seasons with Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven.
Shakhtar Donetsk admit they are unsure of Henrikh Mkhitaryan's whereabouts, but insist they have had no contact with Liverpool.
The
Armenia international is reported to figure prominently on Brendan
Rodgers' wish list, as he attempts to bring goals and creativity into
Anfield.
It was suggested that an agreement was close and that Mkhitaryan was on his way to England to discuss a deal.
The 24-year-old playmaker was quick to play down those rumours,
insisting he was enjoying a well-earned summer break, and Shakhtar
maintain that they have received no approach.
The Ukrainian outfit have, however, revealed that Mkhitaryan is yet
to report back for pre-season training - fanning the transfer flames.
Shakhtar's general manager Sergey Palkin said: "Mkhitaryan has not
appeared for training. We do not know if he will arrive in the near
future. He will be fined."
On the ongoing move talk, Palkin added: "He has not had any contact with Liverpool. I am confident that reports of negotiations are just rumours. Liverpool have not made an enquiry about the player.
"We have not heard that Mkhitaryan wants to leave. All questions about his behaviour need to be addressed to him."
Edinson Cavani feels Napoli's €63 million asking price is too high amid strong interest from the likes of Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City and is eager to open talks with the club to resolve his future.
Napoli
president Aurelio De Laurentiis stressed last week that the Serie A
outfit will only allow the 26-year-old to leave if an interested club
meets his €63m buyout clause, but Cavani feels his pricetag does not
represent his actual value and he hopes to convince the club to lower
their demands. "I don't think I'm worth €63m. I will have to talk
to De Laurentiis about it. I owe a lot to Napoli and I want to leave
through the front door if I move on," Cavani told Marca.
"I
am feeling very good at Napoli, but it all depends on the club. We will
have to wait and see what options I have. What I want to do is sit down
face-to-face with the club president and decide my future together.
"Real
are one of the best clubs in the world, but there is no deal yet. When
you're a kid, you dream about playing at a team like Madrid or
Barcelona, but right now I'm at Napoli and I'm very proud to be there.
"If I leave one day, I'll be ready to move to a bigger club. We'll see."
The
Uruguay international already demanded showdown talks with De
Laurentiis on Monday following the Napoli president's comments that he
expects the striker to make up his mind before July 20.
Cavani's current contract with Napoli runs until the summer of 2017.
AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani has insisted that the San Siro side are not interested in signing Manchester City attacker Carlos Tevez ahead of the 2013-14 campaign.
The Milan director recently hinted at a summer move for the Argentina international, but he has now made it clear that the Rossoneri have no intention to bring in an extra attacker until one of their current forwards leaves the club.
"Tevez
is not a transfer target for us. Before we will try to bring in new
players, we will have to sell some of our own players first," Galliani
told reporters.
"It's not a financial problem, but has to do with
the amount of attackers we already have. At the moment, we already have
seven players for just three positions.
"Our big transfer coup came in January when we signed Mario Balotelli from City. We will see if anything else happens."
The 29-year-old Tevez has a contract with Manchester City until June 2014, but he is keen to leave the club this summer.
He has also been linked with clubs such as Juventus and Liverpool.
Gerard Pique has dismissed reports that Spain players were partying before they were robbed in Recife last week.
Six players had money and possessions taken from their room in the aftermath of la Roja's
2-1 Confederations Cup win over Uruguay on June 16 and officials of the
Golden Tulip Hotel consequently opened an investigation into the
matter. Globoesporte claimed on Monday that the quest
had revealed that the reigning European and world champions were
partying and playing strip poker with a group of women before the
robbery, but Pique has stressed there's no truth in this suggestion.
"These
are all lies. They are trying to complicate other people's lives. The
football federation will take up this matter," Pique told Cadena Cope.
"This
is all a very unpleasant and unwelcome experience. This situation will
be resolved, though. Lies are always exposed at some point."
Spain
are currently preparing for the semi-final match against Italy on
Thursday, with the winner to face either Brazil or Uruguay in the
tournament's finale.
Liverpool are hopeful of moving ahead with plans to redevelop Anfield as part of a €305 million regeneration of the city.
A
consortium backed by the club and fronted by the city council has asked
local residents and businesses for their views on the plans, which
outline the Merseyside outfit's preference to expand on their existing
stadium.
Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre is pleased progress
is being made, but insisted the club would only push for expansion with
the backing of the local area and after a series of feasibility
studies.
"We are looking forward to working with the partnership
and playing a part in the development of the regeneration vision and we
strongly encourage local residents, businesses and community groups to
get involved in the process and have their say," Ayre told the club's
official website.
"This is also an important milestone as we seek
to investigate the feasibility of expanding our stadium. We will
continue this work, which is just one part of the wider Anfield vision,
and there is a great deal of work still to be done to bring those plans
to fruition.
"We have always said that any stadium expansion will
be subject to detailed economic and social feasibility studies and the
community and home owners' support, which includes our ability to
purchase the land for the proposed expansion.
"Any expansion is
also subject to the club being able to navigate the planning landscape
and we are pleased to say that very positive progress is being made."
Julio Cesar has insisted that Brazil will not take the Confederations Cup semi-final against Uruguay lightly as he feels Oscar Tabarez's men are a force to be reckoned with.
The
hosts beat Japan, Mexico and Italy in the group stage of the
competition and will be looking to extend their hot streak against their
continental rivals in order to book their ticket to the final.
"Uruguay
are very strong in attack and each of their attacker can decide a game
on his own," Julio Cesar was quoted as saying on the official Fifa
website.
"I know them all well and we shall have to beware. The tiniest thing can decide a match.
"They will be confident as they won the Copa America in 2011, but there's no favourite in this game."
Wednesday's last-four encounter will be held in Belo Horizonte.
Manchester United will have to rebuild their "aura of invincibility" under David Moyes, according to Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas.
Former
Everton boss Moyes replaced the 71-year-old at Old Trafford after the
legendary Scot retired last season, following his 13th Premier League
title at the club.
And Villas-Boas, who saw his Spurs side go
unbeaten against the champions last term, believes the fear of facing
United has lessened significantly ahead of the 2013-14 campaign.
"The aura that Sir Alex had, David Moyes does not yet have," Villas-Boas said, according to The Times.
"This
could have a direct influence on the players of Manchester and their
opponents. United had, because of Sir Alex’s history of winning, an aura
of invincibility.
"The fear made everything harder and may
continue if [Moyes’s] adaptation is fast. The structure and squad are
top, but there was one voice. I am curious to see [what will happen]."
Andre Villas-Boas insists all eyes will be on new Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho next season.
The Special One returned to Stamford Bridge this summer after a
disappointing season with Real Madrid in which he fell out with senior
players and failed to win a trophy.
But Villas-Boas - who worked under Mourinho at Porto, Chelsea and
Inter - believes his former mentor's talent and charisma means he will
remain compulsive viewing.
"It won't be possible to take your eyes away from Mourinho," he told Portuguese newspaper O Jogo.
"One of his characteristics, and I don't say it in a negative way,
is to deviate attentions, positive and negative, in such a way that the
team is only worried about winning."
According to ESPN, Simon Mignolet will travel to Merseyside on Tuesday for a medical
ahead of a £9 million move to Liverpool.
The Belgium international is set to leave Sunderland after a fee was agreed for the transfer on Friday.
Mignolet was named the Black Cats’ player of the season for 2012-13
after keeping 11 clean sheets in 40 appearances in all competitions.
The 25-year-old’s arrival raises significant questions about the
long-term future of Pepe Reina, who has been the first choice at Anfield
since arriving from Villarreal in 2005.
But manager Brendan Rodgers has declared that he wants Reina to stay and ensure that the club’s goalkeeping department has strength in depth.
Reina, who has been linked with moves to Barcelona and Arsenal,
declared on Sunday that he will be happy to stay and fight for his place
next season.
The Spain international, currently on duty with his country at the
Confederations Cup in Brazil, is under contract with Liverpool until
2016.
Mignolet, who came to England when he joined Sunderland from Belgian
club Sint-Truden for £2 million in June 2010, is set to become
Liverpool’s fourth summer signing.
Central defender Kolo Toure has been secured on a free transfer from Manchester City, forward Luis Alberto was signed from Sevilla for £6 million on Saturday, and the drawn-out £7.7 million capture of Celta Vigo striker Iago Aspas was confirmed on Sunday evening.
New Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini believes adding more pace to his squad puts them in better shape to regain their Premier League title.
The Chilean has spoken of speed being a key component in the armoury
of the club's two summer signings Jesus Navas and Fernandinho.
Pellegrini is looking to add more before the start of the season, but
appears to be losing the battle to be reunited with Isco, whom he
coached at former club Malaga.
The 21-year-old attacking midfielder is also being tracked by Real Madrid and it appears they are winning the race.
"Real Madrid are a team that excites me. They are one of the best teams in the world," Isco told Spanish newspaper AS.
While Pellegrini may ultimately have to look elsewhere, he is delighted by the two acquisitions already made.
"Jesus is a player I know well from La Liga and he is someone I have admired for a long time," he said.
"He is quick, has excellent technique and I think the City fans will enjoy watching him play.
"He will provide a variety of attacking options for us and he can also score goals as well as create them for others.
"He is an excellent signing for the club.
"Jesus is a world and European champion and a regular squad member in a very special Spain team."
Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho has been brought in from Shakhtar
Donetsk and Pellegrini said the 28-year-old was one of his major summer
targets.
"I made Fernandinho one of the top priorities. He has impressed me on
a number of occasions over the past few years and is another player
I've taken a keen interest in," the Blues boss told mcfc.co.uk.
"He is an experienced international who will further strengthen our
midfield and I think he will be well suited to the Premier League.
"He is a superb athlete with a wide range of passing, can score goals
and most importantly, can quickly turn defence into attack.
"Both Jesus and Fernandinho add pace and skill to what is already a very talented and successful squad.
"I am looking forward to working with both our new signings and to
working with the players who have already won a Premier League title
together.
"We have a very strong pool and together we aim to achieve great things."
AC Milan
president Silvio Berlusconi has been sentenced to seven years in prison
after being found guilty of charges of corruption and soliciting an
underage prostitute.
The 76-year-old was accused of paying for
sex with Moroccan girl Karima El Mahroug in 2010, when she was 17, as
well as abusing his position in public office for attempting to force
her release from police custody over a charge of petty theft. Although
prosecutors sought a six-year custodial sentence for the former Italian
Premier, a court in Milan issued a seven-year punishment following the
guilty verdict in addition to a lifetime ban from politics, pending any
appeal from Berlusconi's solicitors.
However, it could be months
or even years before he serves any punishment, with Berlusconi entitled
to appeal the verdict twice before it becomes final.
Berlusconi
is already embroiled in several legal battles in the Italian courts. In
October 2012, he was issued a four-year prison sentence for tax fraud,
which has been upheld following a first appeal.
He released a
statement on Monday saying: "I was truly convinced I would be absolved
because there was absolutely no possibility of being found guilty based
on the evidence."
Berlusconi's lawyer Niccolo Ghedini revealed
they would launch an appeal, describing the sentence as "beyond reality"
and "completely illogical".
He added: "The judges even went beyond the prosecutors' request [for a six-year sentence]."
Tottenham goalkeeper Brad Friedel has dismissed the notion of retiring, insisting he will continue playing as long as his body allows him to do so.
At
42 years old, the American is the oldest player still plying his trade
in the Premier League and recently extended his stay at White Hart Lane
until the summer of 2014.
Friedel's record-breaking run of 301
consecutive Premier League games ended last October following Hugo
Lloris' arrival, with his outings restricted to cup competitions, but he
has no intention of throwing in the towel yet. "I'll see if I can walk down the stairs in January," Friedel joked to Goal. "I'm going to play until my body says I can't do it anymore or the club doesn't want me.
"At
42 years of age, the team comes first. Me and Hugo have a very good
relationship... He's a really nice guy and a really good goalkeeper."
Friedel,
though, did reveal that Tottenham received a number of enquiries for
the veteran during January, with first-choice, first-team football on
offer, but he was happy to remain at White Hart Lane.
"I did have a few calls last January but none of them were printed," stated Friedel.
"Would
I consider a job in MLS? Absolutely. I think if it's with the right
people and the right owners and the right club, absolutely."
Spurs
narrowly missed out on the final Champions League spot last season
despite having the highest Premier League points tally in their history.
Friedel
does not feel there is a major area where Tottenham needs improvement,
believing the club to be "little tweaks away from greatness", and is a
firm believer that manager Andre Villas-Boas is the right man to take
the club to the next level.
"When Andre came in, he set the tone
right away," Friedel said. "He said he was a winner and he wanted us to
be winners and he wanted the club to be successful.
"He's very
much an attention-to-detail manager. Our training sessions are very
structured, very organized. He came in and had an open door policy right
away which is all you can ask for a player."
