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Corinthians play down reports of Paulinho´s departure

Corinthians have played down reports of Paulinho´s immediate departure from the club after Paulinho´s apparent farewell against Santos.

Speculation has been rife ever since a warm embrace was shared between Paulinho and Corinthians coach Tite after the Campeonato Paulista final.

"I do not want to answer questions about it [the exchanged]," Tite told reporters after the match.

Midfielder Ralf was also asked about the hug but refused to speculate beyond the possibilities of it being down to a move or his performances for Corinthians.

"I do not know what they said," he said. "I did not ask Paulinho about it, but it was something that moved him, I do not know if it’s because of his departure, or a worthiness for everything he has done."

Paulinho nearly departed for Inter in January, but decided to remain with Corinthians for one last go at the Copa Libertadores, though the club exited the competition at the hands of Boca Juniors earlier in May.

The midfielder has been with Corinthians since 2010, scoring 28 goals in 134 appearances, and club owner Mario Gobbi is hoping to keep the 24-year-old for another season.

"It’s too early to say anything. We do not want him to leave. He will only leave if he wants," he revealed.

"So far there is no proposal for Paulinho. This is the third year we have been talking about this. In other years there had been."

Nu så jeg ikke Betis´ kamp i aftes, men var Campbell virkelig elendig i går siden han kom ud efter 38min?

Roberto Carlos set to takeover as coach of Sivasspor

Former Real Madrid left back Roberto Carlos is set to take over as head coach of Turkish club Sivasspor in what will be his first managerial role.

Carlos, 40, is currently the director of football at Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala but the former Brazilian international has also been learning from Dutch coach Guus Hiddink at Anzhi and, according to Goal.com, is ready to make the step into management.

The former Fenerbache player is yet to put pen to paper with the Turkish club but their president, Mecnun Odyakmaz, revealed they were close to an agreement.

"We are engaged in serious discussions with Roberto Carlos," he told Ankara Haber. "The interviews are positive and the transfer will become clear in the next two days."

While it is not yet confirmed, Ozkan Dogan, who is the agent of Roberto Carlos, was confident that the Brazilian will sign in the next few days.

"Roberto Carlos and Sivas have reached an agreement in principle. He will sign the contract on Tuesday or Wednesday," he told Milliyet.

Sivasspor, who were promoted to the top flight in 2005, finished 12th in the Turkish league this season.

Central American Weekend Review

HONDURAS

Olimpia was able to overturn a 1-0 first leg defeat with a 2-0 victory over Real Sociedad on Sunday in the second leg of the Honduran final to claim its fourth straight title. Roger Rojas evened the aggregate score with a goal in the sixth minute, before Brayan Beckles netted the decisive goal 15 minutes after the interval.

The Lions had already qualified for the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League by virtue of winning the 2012 Apertura championship. They will be joined in the confederation event by Victoria, the team with the next most number of points from the two seasons.


EL SALVADOR

Jonathan Águila was once again the main figure for FAS, which qualified for Salvadoran final after its 1-0 victory over Juventud Independiente in the second leg of their semifinal series. The 23-year-old forward, who scored an important goal in the 2-1 first-leg loss, netted the triumphant tally in the 67th minute.

Though the series ended 2-2 on aggregate, FAS advanced to the championship game by virtue of finishing higher in the league table at the end of the regular season.

FAS will next take on Luis Angel Firpo, a 1-0 winner over Alianza. An absolutely stunning long-range strike from Carlos Monteagudo in the 47th minute served as the winner for the home side. Similar to FAS, Luis Angel Firpo progress to the final on its superior place in the league table.


COSTA RICA

Cartaginés takes a big advantage into the second leg of the Costa Rican football final after its 3-1 first leg win against Herediano. Víctor Núñez put the guest ahead on Sunday with a 26th minute goal, but the home side responded with three second half strikes. Carlos Johnson equalized in the 53rd and Mauricio Castillo Contreras made it 2-1 three minutes later. Pablo Brenes extended the lead in the 64th minute. The return leg will be played Saturday at the Estadio Rosabal Cordero in Heredia. Cartaginés - the 1994 CONCACAF club champion -- is hoping to make its first Champions League appearance, while Herediano is aiming for its fourth.


PANAMA

There is a new champion in Panamá and it is Sporting San Miguelito, which earned its first-ever title by beating San Francisco 4-1 in the one-game final at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez. Goals from Ricardo Clarke and Darwin Pinzón in the first ten minutes gave Sporting the lead. San Francisco halved the deficit with a Amílcar James tally in the 11th minute, but San Migueito responded like a champion with strikes from Pinzón and Julio Andrade in the 45th and 90th minutes, respectively.

San Miguelito and Arabe Unido, the 2012 Apertura champion, will represent Panama in the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League.


GUATEMALA

The 20th week of Guatemalan league play is in the books and Comunicaciones has not tired of winning. It now sits on top of the table with 40 points after a Saturday´s 1-0 win over visiting Xelajú. Jose Contreras struck for the game-winner in the 28th minute.

Malacateco remains in second with 36 points following a 1-0 victory over Municipal.

NICARAGUA

Real Estelí is into the Nicaraguan Clausura final thanks to a 3-0 win over Managua FC in semifinal round-robin play. Even with two match-days remaining, Esteli´s record and goal difference has clinched their place in the final. Against Managua, Rudel Calero scored twice, while Norfran Lazon added a third to seal the win.

vi tager den lige igen....

Mexico reveals roster for busy schedule

MEXICO CITY - The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) unveiled on Sunday a list of 23 players called up to the men´s national team for matches through the conclusion of June´s FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.

The six-time CONCACAF Gold Cup champion has a mínimum of seven matches over that stretch, starting in Houston with a May 31 friendly against Nigeria.

Domestic-based members of the squad, except those participating in the Liga MX final, are scheduled to start reporting to the FMF´s High Performance Center on Thursday. The six European-based players will be integrated upon the team´s arrival in Houston.

The roster is highlighted by the inclusión of Javier Hernandez, who scored 10 goals this season in Manchester United´s run to the Premier League title.

Monterrey´s Aldo De Nigris, the 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League Golden Ball winner, was also selected by head coach Jose Manuel de la Torre.

At 34-years-old, Cruz Azul midfielder Gerardo Torrado is the most-veteran player with 136 caps.

MEXICO ROSTER

May 23 - June 30, 2013

GOALKEEPERS: Jesús Corona (Cruz Azul), Guillermo Ochoa (Ajaccio/France), Alfredo Talavera (Toluca)

DEFENDERS: Severo Meza (Monterrey), Hiram Mier (Monterry), Héctor Moreno (Espanyol/Spain), Diego Reyes (Club America), Francisco Javier Rodriguez (Club America), Carlos Salcido (Tigres), Jorge Torres Nilo (Tigres)

MIDFIELDERS: Javier Aquino (Villarreal/Spain), Pablo Barrera (Cruz Azul), Andrés Guardado (Valencia/Spain), Héctor Herrera (Pachuca), Jesús Molina (Club America), Angel Reyna (Pachuca), Gerardo Torrado (Cruz Azul), Jesús Zavala (Monterrey)

FORWARDS: Aldo De Nigris (Monterrey), Giovani Dos Santos (Mallorca/Spain), Javier Hernández (Manchester United/Manchester), Raúl Jiménez (Club America), Oribe Peralta (Santos)

U-20: the Colombian national team roster for Toulon is set

Andrés Rentería, of Santos Laguna, Juan Fernando Quintero, of Pescara, and Éder Álvarez Balanta, of River Plate are the notable absences of the national team. As this is not a FIFA tournament the players are in competition with their respective clubs making it difficult for them to leave their teams.

In respects to the team that was champion at the U-20 Sudamericano this year, notable absences for them include Brayan Perea, who plays for Deportivo Cali, Mauritius Cuero, of Equidad, and Juan Pablo Nieto, of Alianza Petrolera. The won the continental title but cannot play now due to injury.

The national team will meet in Bogota on Monday, May 20 where they will work out prior to their trip to Europe, scheduled for Wednesday, May 22 in the afternoon. The following Monday, coach Carlos Restrepo will give a press conference to give the reasons for the call-ups and the full itinerary of the team.

Colombia will be part of Group A together with France, Korea, the United States and Congo. Their tournament debut is scheduled for May 28 where they will take on Korea. Meanwhile, Group B is composed of the selections from Brazil, Mexico, Portugal, Belgium and Nigeria.

The top two teams from each group will play the final on Saturday, June 8 at the Stade Mayol de Toulon stadium while the second two will fight for third place.

Keep in mind that this list is not definitive for the World Cup in Turkey and could be subject to change according to the needs and objectives of the coaching staff of the U-20 Colombian team.

The squad:

Felipe Aguilar Mendoza, Alianza Petrolera
Deivy Alexander Balanta Abonia, Alianza Petrolera
Cristian Andrés Palomeque Valoyes, Alianza Petrolera
Guillermo León Celis Montiel, Atlético Junior F.C.
Ronald Rafael Herrera Polo, Atlético Junior F.C.
Cristian Harson Bonilla Garzón, Atlético Nacional
Sebastián Pérez Cardona, Atlético Nacional
Jair Mosquera Romaña, Barranquilla Fútbol
Luis Hernando Mena Sepúlveda, Boyacá Chicó
Cristian Andrés Higuita Beltrán, Deportivo Cali
Luis Alfonso Hurtado Osorio, Deportivo Cali
Harrinson Arley Mojica Betancourt, Deportivo Cali
Helibelton Palacios Zapata, Deportivo Cali
Brayan Edinson Angulo Mosquera, Deportivo Tuluá
Miguel Ángel Borja Hernández, Deportivo Tuluá
Julián Alonso Figueroa Rentería, Envigado F.C.
José David Leudo Romaña, Estudiantes de la Plata (Arg)
Andrés Correa Valencia, Independiente Medellín
Jhon AndréS Córdoba Copete, Jaguares (Mex)
Yair Andrés Ibargüen Murillo, Olimpia (Par)
Jherson Vergara Amú, Universitario Popayán

Qualifying: Peru calls 16 legionaries for duel with Ecuador and Colombia

"We have summoned 16 players who play abroad for the games against Ecuador and Colombia, and not necessarily will those same players be in the friendly against Panama on June 1", said Markarián to the sports press.

The ´Wizard´ Markarián indicated that next week he will call-up 10 players who ply their trade in Peru which will complete his list for these two games.

The latest news was Markarián calling-up young midfielder Cristian Benavente (Real Madrid youth, Spain) who played with the Under-20 team in the Sudamericano in Argentina in January.

Peru will start training May 29 for their friendly June 1 against Panama, prior to their match against Ecuador in Lima on June 7 for the qualifiers.

The selection will travel on June 9 to Barranquilla to get acclimated to the altitude for the June 11 duel against Colombia.

Peru is in seventh position with 11 points in the standings of the World Cup qualifiers after 12 rounds. Peru needs to win against Ecuador and Colombia if they want to have any chance of qualifying for the World Cup in Brazil.

The list of "foreigners" called by Markarián are:

Goalkeeper: Raúl Fernández (Dallas, United States).

Defense: Luis Advíncula (Hoffenheim, Germany), Alberto Rodríguez (Río Ave, Portugal), Yoshimar Yotún (Vasco Da Gama, Brazil) and Carlos Zambrano (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany).

Midfielders: Álvaro Ampuero (Parma, Italy), Rinaldo Cruzado (Newell´s Old Boys, Argentina), Paolo Hurtado (Pacos Ferreira, Portugal), Juan Carlos Mariño (Querétaro, Mexico), Luis Ramírez (Ponte Preta, Brazil) and Juan Vargas (Geneva, Italy).

Strikers: Cristian Benavente (Real Madrid, Spain), André Carrillo (Sporting de Lisboa, Portugal), Jefferson Farfán (Schale 04, Germany), Paolo Guerrero (Corinthians, Brazil) and Claudio Pizarro (Bayern Munich, Germany).

Ecuador calls 23 for the duels against Germany, Peru and Argentina

Rueda has largely kept the same players he has been using in the qualifiers. The ´tricolor´ is second in the standings with 20 points, four behind Argetnina, who Ecuador will face in the altitude of Quito after visiting the Peruvians in Lima.

Among the new call-ups are Marlon de Jesús -striker for Emelec who leads the Ecuadorian league- along with midfielder Alex Colón (Deportivo Quito), defender Elvis Bone and his brother, goalkeeper Adrián Bone (El Nacional).

The team will get together on Saturday at the House of the Selection and then Sunday morning will travel to Miami to face the German team in the stadium at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Boca Raton (Florida), said the Ecuadorian Football Federation.

Ecuador, who played in the 2002 Japan/South Korea World Cup as well as in Germany in 2006, is second in the qualifiers ahead of Colombia (19), Chile (15), Venezuela (15), Uruguay (13), Peru (11) Bolivia (9) and Paraguay (8).

The list of players that were called up to the team:

Goalkeepers: Máximo Banguera (Barcelona), Alexander Domínguez (Liga de Quito), Adrián Bone (El Nacional).

Defense: Gabriel Achilier, Óscar Bagüí (Emelec), Walter Ayoví (Monterrey, Mexico), Elvis Bone (El Nacional), Frickson Erazo, Juan Carlos Paredes (Barcelona), Jorge Guagua (Deportivo Quito).

Midfielders: Segundo Castillo (Puebla, Mexico), Álex Colón (Deportivo Quito), Renato Ibarra (Vitesse, Holland), Pedro Quiñónez (Emelec), Luis Saritama (Liga de Quito), Antonio Valencia (Manchester United, England), Christian Noboa (Dinamo, Russia).

Strikers: Jefferson Montero, Joao Rojas (Morelia, Mexico). Juan Luis Anangonó (Argentinos Juniors, Argentina), Christian Benítez (América, Mexico), Felipe Caicedo (Lokomotiv, Russia) Marlon De Jesús (Emelec).

Qualifier of the day: Sampaoli turns in part of Chile´s team for matches against Bolivia and Paraguay

Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli, delivered on Monday his list of players that play abroad highlighted by the return of David Pizarro and Mark González for the matches against Bolivia and Paraguay in the South America qualifiers.

He also confirmed the absence of Humberto Suazo, who previously had voluntarily removed his name from consideration and also confirmed the return of Arturo Vidal, who was suspended for three games due to an offense in the match against Ecuador.

To the 20-man list, released Monday by the National Association of Professional Football, must be added the players who play in Chile. These players will be announced once the Chilean league finishes up this weekend.

The Chilean team, who as it stands now has qualified, will play against Paraguay in Asuncion on June 7 and against Bolivia on June 11 in Santiago in the South American qualifiers.

Chile is in fourth place tied with Venezuela on 15 points.

The players call-up who play their football abroad are:

- Goalkeepers: Claudio Bravo (Real Sociedad, Spain), Miguel Pinto (Atlas, Mexico).

- Defense: Mauricio Isla (Juventus, Italy), Gary Medel (Sevilla, Spain), Marcos González (Flamengo, Brazil), Gonzalo Jara (Nottingham Forest, England).

- Midfielders: Marcelo Díaz (FC Basilea, Switzerland), Francisco Silva (Osasuna, Spain), Carlos Carmona (Atalanta, Italy), Arturo Vidal (Juventus, Italy), Matías Fernández (Fiorentina, Italy).

- Strikers: Eduardo Vargas (Gremio, Brazil), David Pizarro (Fiorentina, Italy), Alexis Sánchez (Barcelona, Spain), Felipe Gutiérrez (Twente, Holland), Mark González (CSKA Moscow, Russia), Sebastián Pinto (Bursaspor, Turkey), Jean Beausejour (Wigan, England) y Junior Fernández (Bayern Leverkusen, Germany), Esteban Paredes (Atlante, Mexico)

Colombian Jackson Martínez is top scorer in Portugal

Colombian Jackson Martinez of FC Porto, again Portuguese football champion, ended at the front of the top scorer´s table with 26 goals after playing the 30th and last match of the season.
He is accompanied by Brazilian Rodrigo Lima, with 20, and Paraguayan Óscar Cardozo, 16, both players from archrival Benfica.


Top scorers after the 30th and final match of the Portugal football league:

26 goals: Martínez (Porto)

20 goals: Lima (Benfica)

16 goals: Cardozo (Benfica)

14 goals: van Wolfswinkel (Sporting de Lisboa)