SPAIN WINS U-19

SPAIN keeps up with its winning ways in European Football claiming the U-19 EUROPEAN TITLE after defeating GREECE 1 - 0 in the Final. Extraordinary year for Spanish Football at all levels, with the Female Spanish U-19 team nearly winning their U-19 Final yesterday against Sweden ( lost 0 - 1 extra-time) which would have put the cherry on the cake.

Jese for Spain

Take note of these names as they are the Spanish U-19 starting 11 in the Final:
Kepa, Castro, Grimaldo, Ramalho, Derik, Campaña, Oliver, Suso, Deulofeu,Jesé & Paco Alcácer.

Most already are playing in the top class or are about to get in & many are still around the 16 - 17 year old mark. The MVP of the tournament & the European U-19 Leading goal-scorer with 5 goals is JESE RODRIGUEZ, forward with REAL MADRID ( Castilla, their B - team ).


The match victory was well deserved for Spain as they created chances all match & dominated. Greece was solid in defence all game & very rocky which made Spain work very hard to find the winning goal which came finally in the 80th min when Deulofeu found Jese who scored.

Congratulations to the Spanish U-19 boys, well done!

Wolves sign Cologne's Poland winger Slawomir Peszko on loan

Wolves have signed Cologne winger Slawomir Peszko on a year-long loan deal with a view to a permanent move.

The 27-year-old Poland international joins the day after Michael Kightly moved to Stoke for an undisclosed fee.

Continue reading the main story

“Like a lot of us, I think he will be looking for revenge for last season”

Stale Solbakken Wolves manager

Peszko worked with new Wolves manager Stale Solbakken last season and scored twice in 43 appearances.

"Slawo is a player who can operate on both wings and had a very good first half to the season last year," Solbakken told the club website. 
"To be honest, and I think he would admit this himself, the second half to the season wasn't as good and was maybe complicated by him trying to get into the Polish squad for the Euros.
"But I know the quality he can offer us, including great acceleration.
"He is also not afraid, so, while he may not be the biggest player in stature, he is fearless, which is one of his real strengths.
"Like a lot of us, I also think he will be looking for revenge for last season, and he is ready for a new challenge."

Robin van Persie: Manchester Utd's bid for Arsenal striker stalls

Sir Alex Ferguson says Manchester United's attempts to sign Robin van Persie from Arsenal have stalled.

The Netherlands striker, 29, has 11 months left on his Arsenal contract and has declined an offer to extend his deal at Emirates Stadium.
"We've made a bid, they [Arsenal] have been trying to negotiate with other clubs," said United manager Ferguson.
"I don't have a gut feeling about it. We can't get a breakthrough with Arsenal."
Ferguson

UEFA BEST PLAYER 2011- 2012 CANDIDATES | NINE SPANISH PLAYERS

UEFA has revealed its list of 32 players elegible to be prized the "Best European - based - Player" for season 2011-2012. Seven players on the candidate list are from REAL MADRID & four are from FC BARCELONA. Apart from Clubs their are nine Spanish born Football Players, including the now veteran Raul Gonzalez.

On the 14th of August UEFA will announce the three finalists after 53 associations of Football Sports journalists have handed in their votes. On the 30th of August the winner will be named. 

casillas - xavi 

Here is the full list of candidates:


Sergio Aguero (ARG) - Manchester City FC
Xabi Alonso (SP) - Real Madrid CF
Mario Balotelli (ITA) - Manchester City FC
Jakub Blaszczykowski (POL) - Borussia Dortmund
Gianluigi Buffon (ITA) - Juventus
Iker Casillas (SP) - Real Madrid CF
Petr Cech (CZE) - Chelsea FC
Fábio Coentrão (POR) - Real Madrid CF
Leslie Davies (WAL) - Bangor City FC
Didier Drogba (IVC) - Chelsea FC (now at Shanghai Shenhua FC)
Cesc Fabregas (SP) - FC Barcelona
Falcao (COL) - Club Atlético de Madrid
Joe Hart (ENG) - Manchester City FC
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (SWE) - AC Milan
Andres Iniesta (SP) - FC Barcelona
Shinji Kagawa (JPN) - Borussia Dortmund (now at Manchester United FC)
Vincent Kompany (BEL) - Manchester City FC
Frank Lampard (ENG) - Chelsea FC
Lionel Messi (ARG) - FC Barcelona
Luka Modric (CRO) - Tottenham Hotspur FC
Mesut Özil (GER) - Real Madrid CF
Pepe (POR) - Real Madrid CF
Andrea Pirlo (ITA) - Juventus
Sergio Ramos (SP) - Real Madrid CF
Raúl González (SP) - FC Schalke 04 (now at Al-Sadd Sports Club)
Cristiano Ronaldo (POR) - Real Madrid CF
Wayne Rooney (ENG) - Manchester United FC
David Silva (SP) - Manchester City FC
Fernando Torres (SP) - Chelsea FC
Yaya Touré (IVC) - Manchester City FC
Robin van Persie (NED) - Arsenal FC
Xavi Hernandez (SP) - FC Barcelona

SPANISH FOOTBALL PROMISE | JESE

Continuing with posts that highlight some upcoming & bright young SPANISH FOOTBALL talent, today we give the stage to JESE RODRIGUEZ RUIZ. Born in the Canary Islands back in 16.02.1993 the player was brought over to REAL MADRID CF when he was scoring more than 100 goals a season at the junior levels at Club Hurracan. 

Jese

Big talent that is accompanied by a "hot" character the youngster is slowly maturing both as a person & player to the stage that he got some minutes (scored on the last pre-season China tour ) with the senior Real Madrid team under Coach Mourinho. Explosive forward that helped lift the Real Madrid B team - Castilla - into the 2º Division with 10 goals, Jese has "exploded" during the U-19 European Championships.

Maximum Spanish & U-19 European tournament goalscorer (Golden Boot) with five goals, the Spanish International was also voted MVP of the Final which Spain won 1- 0 against Greece with his goal.

This does not guarantee anything at Real Madrid, many young forward stars have had to leave to find a place in Spanish Football. Roberto Soldado ( Valencia CF ), Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla FC) & Juan Mata ( Chelesea FC) are just three - now - big names. Up to Jese to find & fight for his place.

REAL MADRID TRANSFERS GAGO - CANALES TO VALENCIA CF

REAL MADRID Argentine International midfielder FERNANDO GAGO, on loan to AC Roma last season, was sold & transferred to VALENCIA CF today. Along with Gago who signs for 4 years, young REAL MADRID player SERGIO CANALES, also on loan to Valencia, was "thrown" into the package but in this particular case with a buy-back preference clause. The deal puts into the Real Madrid bank account around 9M€

Gago

It is reported that Gago accepted a salary cut in order to stay in Spanish Football & to be able to enter into the Valencia plans. Sergio Canales continues with his long recovery of a serious knee injury ( his second).

Ancelotti: "Prendre confiance"

Carlo Ancelotti s'avance confiant vers la saison 2012-2013, que le PSG devra absolument ponctuer d'un titre de champion de France. Coiffés la saison dernière par Montpellier, les Parisiens n'ont plus le choix au vu de leur recrutement de classe internationale. Le coach italien le sait, même s'il n'ignore pas non plus qu'il lui faudra un peu de temps pour façonner son collectif.

ARSENAL THINKS IN FERNANDO LLORENTE

This piece of news out of Great Britain & ARSENAL FC is not new & again hits the local Spanish Football papers & media.

Fernando Llorente

The "Gunners" seek to have an alternative if Van Persie finally leaves the Club this summer. A name sounding loud to replace the Dutch striker is Spanish International & ATHLETIC CLUB BILBAO forward FERNANDO LLORENTE.

According to the the English paper, "DailyMail", Arsenal Coach Wenger wants to finalize with the Clubs transfer dramas & prepare quietly for next season. The 27 year old Athletic Bilbao strike has a contract release clause of 35 million € which Arsenal could pay with the departure & the cash received from Dutchman Van Persie.

Stay tuned!

FC BARCELONA - NEYMAR | DONE BUT WHEN?

Wondering what's up with Brazilian & SANTOS Football player NEYMAR & his connection with Spanish Football? Remember last year the REAL MADRID almost done deal? 

Neymar

The lastest from local Spanish press & Sports media is that FC BARCELONA is the next destination for Neymar. The deal is said to cost Barça 60M€, that is,  the amount that Santos will receive from the Spanish Club. 

The unknown is when will the deal be made official ( public ) & when will the Brazilian join FC BARCELONA. Some speculate after the Olympic Games which is very optimistic & at the sametime unlikely. What looks as a real option is next season 2013 - 2014, however I personally do not discount a possible "Winter Market 2013" incorporation. If Barça are not firing on all pistons this Xmas the Club could accelarate the processes.

What is a sure thing is the Barça has a Marketing "goldmine" & a potential "time-bomb" in the dressing room. We hope the clash of egos ( Messi ) will stay in a theory, we assume beforehand the upmost professionalism of the Footballers.

Stay tuned for more developing news in this front.

Milan set to be priced out of Kaka move

• Kaka
  
  
  Galliani spoke to Real president Florentino Perez about a return to the San Siro for the player in the US, but both parties seek different outcomes. Milan want a loan deal with Real pushing for a sale.

  The Brazilian attacker's reported wages of €10m-a-year are also proving to be problematic.
  Speaking after Real's 5-1 win over Milan in a pre-season game,
  Galliani said: "The operation for Kaka is objectively very, very difficult.
  “It is almost impossible. Costs are high, salaries are very high.”
  Real coach Jose Mourinho admits it up to Kaka where he wants to go.
  “I’m happy if Kaka stays and am happy if he wants to go. In football it is important that players play where they want to.
  “He is better prepared to compete at the highest levels. If he wants to stay then perfect. If he leaves then perfect, but we do not want to give him away for free.
  “If [Milan] want him, they will have to pay for him.”
  

Matchpack: Liverpool v FK Gomel

• Liverpool's new manager Brendan Rodgers poses for photographers during a news conference at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, northern England June 1, 2012
  
  
  TEAM NEWS:

  Joe Cole misses out for Liverpool after suffering a minor hamstring injury during the 1-0 first-leg win, but boss Brendan Rodgers - in his first match at Anfield - could restore Luis Suarez to the team only a few days after he returned from Uruguay Olympic duty. Midfielder Lucas Leiva could also return after missing most of last season through injury, while keeper Pepe Reina is available after missing the first leg due to an extended post-Euro 2012 vacation.
  Gomel will be without midfielder Alexey Timoshenko after he joined FC Belshina Bobruisk on loan for the rest of the domestic season. Artur Levitzki and Vadzim Demidovich also miss out, with Denis Yakhno and Ihar Kuzmenok coming in.
  MANAGER QUOTES:
  Brendan Rodgers (Liverpool): "It will be an honour for me to walk out at Anfield tomorrow night for my first game there. It is going to be an incredible privilege for me but my focus will be to win the game. That will be the most important objective for me on the evening. I'll look to try and make Anfield a real cauldron of a place to come and play."
  Oleg Kubarev (FK Gomel): "We were disappointed to lose the first game so narrowly but we gave our city and fans a great day. We are going to Anfield to put up a fight."
  MATCH ODDS:
  Liverpool 1/5, FK Gomel 16/1, Draw 5/1
  

KAKA TALK ABOUT THEIR FUTURE

REAL MADRID Brazilian midfielder KAKA was joined by his father - also his rep - for a meeting with Manager-Coach Jose Mourinho at the "Santiago Bernabeu Stadium" offices around 1.00 pm  this afternnoon. This has sent off a string of rumours  which are exaggerated, pure speculation or coincidental.

Mourinho-Kaka

What is true is that Kaka & Real Madrid need to co-ordinate their future & make some real strategic decisions. The Brazilian has not settled at the Spanish Football Club & his salary is  9M€ per year, thats a lot for cash for someone who only plays around 20 matches a season. This & the fact that Real Madrid has Luca Modric of Tottenham Hotspurs in mind as the natural substitute. Before one can join someone must exit & Kaka is the firm candidate.

Thus the meeting today by both parties may have been about:
1. Mourinho communicating officially that the role of Kaka in the squad will be minimal.
2. Real Madrid wishes him out to make room for Modric, thus with the Kaka transfer pay Tottemham.
3. Kaka may have asked the Club to lower their transfer price pretensions in order to
open up the offers options: AC Milian, Courithians...
4. That Kaka has an offer already & wishes the Club to know about it.
5. That Kaka aint moving as he has 3 years more of contract.
6. None of the above.


Stay tuned, as what is a certainty is that Kaka is figuring out his future at this moment.