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Around The Mate Gourd – 12/12

   

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As expected, Boca Juniors defeated Tunisian Club Etoile Sahel 1-0 in last night’s semifinal of the FIFA Club World Cup taking place in Japan. A goal by midfielder Neri Cardozo in the 37 minute was all the xeneixes needed to advance to the final, this despite Boca down 10 men after Fabián Vargas was sent off in the 66th minute after earning his second yellow card. Boca will face the winner of the other semifinal match between AC Milan and the Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan for the title. Should the rossoneri, it would be a rematch of the 2003 Copa Intercontinental in which Boca triumphed 8-7 on penalties.

* In the Champions League this week, Julio Cruz scored Inter Milan’s lone goal in the 64th minute, ending PSV’s hope of advancing to the knockout stage. Cruz started along with Santiago Solari and Hernán Crespo, with Esteban Cambiasso and Javier Zanetti making second half appearances off the bench. … Gabriel Milito started in Barcelona’s 3-1 victory over VfB Stuttgart. … Lucho González scored Porto’s first goal of the night on their way to defeat Besiktas 2-0. … Javier Mascherano played a full 90 minutes during Liverpool’s 4-0 romp over Marseille. … Gonzalo Higuaín came in for Ruud van Nistelrooy in the 73rd minute in Real Madrid’s 3-1 win over Lazio.

* RUMORS: Juventus could be looking to sign Sergio Agüero. Diario Olé reported today that El Kun discovered that the club were interested in signing him during his visit last week to Italy when he received the Golden Boy 2007 award for best European Under-21 player. Atlético Madrid quickly announced that they have no intention of selling him. … Will he stay or will he go? Current River Plate and Argentine goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo was set to return to Lazio after the completion of the 2007 Apertura, but delays with getting a EU passport has delayed his move back to Europe. If the situation is not resolved by the 31st of December, Carrizo may be at River at until the end of next season, unless a loan to a different club in Spain can be arranged. Carrizo made the move to Italy over the summer, but issues with his passport forced Lazio to loan him back to River until the end of this year.


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  • Albo

    Juan Román Riquelme is now in Japan with his team, Boca Juniors.
    He is happy to be there, even if it’s only to keep company to the guys.
    He’s not allowed to play because he was not a part of the original list of 30 players.
    Boca (sans Román) are now in the finals, to be played this Sunday, against the winner of AC Milan and Urawa (Japan).
    Not only italians and argies are expecting a final match AC Milan-Boca Juniors.
    Football fans of all over the world want to see that game.
    It would have been fantastic for fans, for sponsors, for FIFA, for everybody to have Riquelme against Kaká on the pitch.
    So where is the power of the “mafia”? I wonder…
    Those who said that Grondona was a mafioso and that he would get FIFA to let the argie star be a part of the party, what do they say now?
    I’m just curious, that’s all.

  • toddutah

    Atletico star Aguero: I’d never join Real Madrid
    tribalfooball.com – December 12, 2007

    Atletico Madrid star Sergio Aguero has ruled out ever signing for city rivals Real Madrid.
    The Argentina international is regarded as one of the world’s great new talents and said last night: “I will never wear the Real shirt.”

    Asked about comparisons with former Barcelona star Romario, Aguero added: “There are some things where we are similar, but not a lot. Romario is Romario and I am me. I play a different way and at a different time

  • toddutah

    Aguero is just smart and does not want to be another argy riding the pine at Real. Maybe Gago, Saviola, Higuain, and Heinze should pay attention :)

  • -a

    Saviola to Juventus seems more likely than Agüero.

  • -a

    I read a rumour recently linking Diego Milito to Man City.

  • aimar10

    glad to see higuian play as a center forward and not wide right. he came on for ruud in the second half against lazio. i hope schuster will give him more oppurtunities at this position inthe future. if he improves basile must give this guy a call.

  • Ken

    Aimar10,
    How are you doing? Aimar has no chance under Basile. This
    is really sad. In part this explains why we have
    not lifted the cup since 1986. The trend continues…

  • http://mundoalbiceleste.blogspot.com john
  • AURELIUS

    Just a thought. If you could select one player from another national team to join Argentina who would you choose seeing as we have exported talent aplenty to other countries & could lay genuine claim to two and a half world cups ie 1934.

    I at the moment would go for Fernando Torres. He would work superbly in tandem with Aguero & Messi & would fit easily into the Argentinian style.

    Good luck to Boca I am sure they can overturn Milan.

    Chau folks.

  • Alexa

    hey guys – Lionel Messi named Latino Sports Illustrated sportsman of the year– (should be the regular sportsman of the year()

    http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/magazine/specials/sportsman/2007/12/05/latino.sportsman/index.html

  • J-Argie

    Arsenal, Man Utd step closer to landing Benfica’s Di Maria
    tribalfootball.com – December 13, 2007

    Arsenal and Manchester United are monitoring Angel Di Maria’s situation at Benfica.

    The Argentina U20 star almost joined the Gunners in August and has admitted ambitions of playing with Carlos Tevez at United.

    Benfica are now in talks with Rosario Central about signing the remaining 20 per cent of Di Maria’s registration, which would smooth the way for the striker to make a move to the Premiership at the end of this season.

  • http://www.worldcupblog.org/daily-dose/daily-dose-121307.html Daily Dose 12.13.07 – World Cup Blog

    [...] Get your albiceleste rumours here (Argentina Blog) [...]

  • J-Argie
  • MaxiLopez

    Hey Albo. Grondona is a mafioso. No doubt about that. He eats for free like a pig thanks to AFA. All I know is the facts that prove that FIFA and all their bastards (Warner, Teixeira, Blazer, Blatter and his right hand: Grondona) are corrupted and using futbol to earn illegaly millions and make their families live for eternity.

    Grondona was negociating in FIFA meetings for Riquelme’s presence against Milan. Maybe he had another mafioso against him on the phone: Berlusconi.

    I watched the BOCA game. Banega and Palacio were very good, as usual. Paletta wasn’t at all.

    Palacio has class. He’s delicious to watch. I prefer to watch Palacio than Tevez for example. I hope he’ll chose the correct club next year (please no Barca!). Napoli or Atletico would be perfect.

    Banega, Gago, Cambiasso, Lucho, Mascherano and Maxi should be the 6 midfielders for Basile’s 4-3-1-2. It’s amazing the talent we have in midfield.

    Without Roman, BOCA plays a bit like Europeans. Maybe I am wrong, it’s the first BOCA game that I see this year. I was not very impressed.

    Even as a River fan, I hope they’ll win against Kaka.

    AURELIUS, do you have news about Gonzalo Rodriguez? He doesn’t even play as Cygan’s sub. I wonder if Pellegrini is still counting on him.

  • Ken

    Maxilopez,
    I totally concur with you. Thanks
    for responding to our buddy. On
    other matter I am still hoping
    Villareal slids up from the top
    four by the end.

  • Albo

    A quien le vaya el sayo,
    que se lo ponga.

  • ChloeZen

    Alexa..thanks for your link… ;)
    messi is so humble.. ;[ ]
    i believe he will be the best … :) !!

  • MaxiLopez

    KEN, I hope Villareal are gonna be 3rd this year. I know you guys are gonna eat your keyboards, but Villareal has a good coach. Riquelme has probably done some mistakes some day and has never been forgiven by Pellegrini.

    Few players were interviewed on French television. Robert Pires and Pascal Cygan were saying that the team spirit was amazing and that they had never felt this before, even at Arsenal. Every single player seems to be happy there…except one.

    Anyway, all this belongs to the past.

    CHLOEZEN, Messi will be the best when he’ll be collective.

    ALBO, or in Italian you could say: “Ma che catso dici?”. Not very polite and very strong, i am just joking.

  • aimar10

    ken
    i am doing well, thanks for asking. the non argentine player i would like to see play for arg is zlatan ibrahimavic. this guy is awsome he doesn’t score a tremendous amount of goals be he is so class and a complete striker. he is great in possesion, has power and can play both as a striker and a forward. he can play behind a striker if needed and take on defenders with his pace. with argentina style of play, more of a possesion game he would fit just perfect. i also think he would link with riquelme well.

  • MaxiLopez

    I would choose Trezeguet. I think he is really the player we really miss now…and he’s argentine.

  • Riqelme

    I wonder when will Messi master this side of Maradona!!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–ACUzCCza8&feature=related

  • Albo

    Riqelme, thanks for sharing that superb compilation of the great one.
    I think Messi will learn in time.
    But the bar is high up there, where so far, only Maradona has been.

  • Ken

    Maxi.
    I respectfully disagree with you. A GOOD coach
    NEVER bench a player who can win
    you a game with just ONE simple freekick.
    I am hoping Pellegrini will pay for his deed.
    We will both know what happens in the end.
    What goes around ALWAYS comes around
    though at times too slowly…
    Cheers to you , my friend from Corsica.
    P.S Riquelme, the NEPAL fellow, good
    to see you alive aND KICKING… Hope someday we will
    meet in San Diego.

  • MaxiLopez

    Hey Ken,

    Villareal boss told that Riquelme wanted more holidays after the 06 season. Roman was dead physically and mentally after that terrible season (CL+WC). So Roman forced the decision and had President and Coach against him forever. It is bad management. Pellegrini could have avoid all this. Some players need to be showed more respect than others, even lots of affection and confidence from others, in order to be brilliant (ex: Shevchenko). They are like kids, not very mature. Pekerman was absolutely protecting Riquelme as the NT coach, always defending him in the press. Riquelme wanted to be THE star of the Villareal team. Pellegrini could have considered him as prententious: “Riquelme wanted to be above his teamates”. Roman was maybe just asking some recognization like he must have always been asking to his mother. He didn’t have it so he was upset like a kid who didn’t have a gift aside his Chrismas tree.

    Although Pellegrini might not be very psycolog, he is a good coach. But he lost Riquelme for stupid reasons and this is really bad for Villareal, Argentina and his fans.

  • http://www.casino-online-best.com online casino

    I hope el Kun stays in Atletico, and that Boca beats Milan and creates an upset lol @!!

  • -a

    The thing is, Riquelme’s heart wasn’t in Villarreal. He wanted a move back to Boca. The loan move, in a way, reignited that desire to return home. It’s not necessarily a bad move. After all, he will receive regular playing time & is a Boca idol.

  • Golazo

    Here is the argentines made the “50 most exciting teenagers in the world game’ list

    Franco DI SANTO (Arg) – Audax Italiano
    Angel DI MARIA (Arg) – Benfica
    Gerardo BRUNA (Arg) – Liverpool
    Sergio AGUERO (Arg) – Atletico Madrid

  • Alexa

    Good post, maxilopez. I don’t see why it’s such a bad thing to try to make your players happy.

    On another note – look at ENgland. THere team is so pathetic (sorry Aurelius!) but they have so much money that they can hire someone like Capello. Meanwhile, Arg has so many brilliant players, but don’t seem to be able to afford anyone out of Argetnina. I wonder how this new hire will affect the world cup.

  • MaxiLopez

    Thank you Alexa,

    Argentina has a very poor economy and can’t play friendlies in Argentina because they wouldn’t be profitable. Our players are also in Europe so it’s impossible.

    That’s why Argentina always play in London or in Switzerland (gifts for Blatter?).

    It’s not necessary to be a genius to understand why Grondona looks like a pig. This guy must be eating AFA’s money.

    An association is not a company, it’s not lucrative. It’s easy to trick the accounting of AFA.

    I believe England are gonna be terrible to play, maybe worst than Italy. I think Capello is even better than Mourinho in tactical knowledge. He is insane! Very severe guy. With Capello as England’s coach, forget about space. England’s opponents will not breath against them. In 2004, they were terrible in defence, but with Capello, wow…

    It’s a bit ridiculous when people mention Wenger or Mourinho to coach Argentina. If it was the case they would kick out Grondona from AFA and be free. Grondona wants a muppet coach for Argentina, that’s why Pekerman resigned and didn’t even come back when all the country was praising him.

    Remember when Pekerman chosed Ustari instead of Lux, Grondona was pissed of. Just immagine if Basile says “no I don’t wanna play against Australia, the players are gonna be exhausted”, bye bye Coco.

  • Alexa

    True- Maxilopez – but I can’t see England being the new Italy becuase Italians have the kind of technique that the English don’t have (although they are really good players, no question). Italy is the only team in the world that can pull off boring and disciplined and WC cup winning. I personally hate that sort of football – it’s the opposite of glorious football.

    Basically — these disciplined teams can only lose to fantastically talented teams, so i REALLY HOPE that they don’t blow it.

    Are you suggesting that Grondona couyld afford a foriegh coach but he’s pocketing the money? I woulnd’t be surprised. I would imagine that every real coach would salivate at the chance of coaching this team.

  • Alexa

    I mean — i really hope that Argentina doesn’t blow it

  • Golazo

    Basile is the best thin Argentina can get. They basically solded themselfs to some russian company.

  • Albo

    MaxiLopez, very respectfully, I believe that if you make an accusation of any kind, you have to prove it with facts. Same, when you quote someone, you have to mention your source.
    Otherwise your words about that someone have no credibility at all.

  • James

    Imagine Lippi coaching this Argentina team…

  • Sergica
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