Snak

Today: Boca vs. Newell´s, a pulse-quickening clash between Argentinian teams in the quarterfinals of Copa Libertadores

To reach the part where only the eight best teams of the tournament remain standing, Boca eliminated ex-champeon Corinthians, from Brazil, with a 1-0 victory at home and a 1-1 tie in Pacaembú stadium. Newell´s managed to reach this far using the fact that the tournament weights goals scored as visitor as double those scored at home. After losing to countryment Vélez in Rosario 1-0, they beat them 2-1 in the Liniers, neighborhood in Buenos Aires.

"A case can be made for either team to win and advance today. We could win because of how we have been playing, and they could win because of their history in the last few years. They eliminated Corinthians and this will raise the self-esteem of any team.", Gerardo Martino said. Martino is both a Newell´s fixture - and their coach. He hope to win it all as a coach after being a member of the team that played in the finals in 1988 and 1992.

The style of play of the two teams is also very different. Boca´s teams are based on ball possession and patience to manage and explore space, whereas Newell´s has shown itself to be, in a certain way of thinking, a more dynamic team, playing intensely and attacking explosively. Their leader, Ignaacio Scocco is an internationally respected forward.

With respect to Newell´s teams, it is expected that they play three changes after tying 1-1 with Quilmes in the local tournament. Diego Mateo and Pablo Pérez will be added in the midfield, and Víctor Figueroa as an attacker.

Today: Tijuana hosts Atlético Mineiro, Ronaldinho´s team in Libertadores quarterfinals competition

In its first game played on the state of an international tourney, the ´Xoloitzcuintles´ of Tijuana will look to stay undefeated on their home turf. Of the four games played in Mexican territory in the group phase of the current edition of Libertadores, Tijuana won three. They also tied one game in the round of sixteen.

The valiant Mexican team will be put to the test against its third team hailing from Brazil in the tournament. They beat Corinthians 1-0 on their field in the group phase and in the last round of competition, the round of sixteen, they traveled to Sao Paulo to eliminate Palmeiras, beating them 2-1.

With this precedent set, Tijuana, directed by Argentinian coach António Mohamed, has gained the respect of Alexi Stival ´Cuca´, coach of Atlético Mineiro.

The game will be played Thursday at 5:30 p.m. local time ((00H30 GMT Friday) in Caliente stadium in Tijuana, with a capacity of 23,000 spectators.

The three team officiating crew is from Colombia. The main official will be José Buitrago, who will be helped on the wings by Wilmar Navarro and WIlson Berrio.

The second game of their series will be played on May 30th in Independencia Raimundo Sampaio stadium in Belo Horizonte.

- Probable Line-ups:

Tijuana: Cirilo Saucedo, Juan Carlos Núñez, Javier Gandolfi, Joshua Ábrego, Edgar Castillo, Cristian Pellerano, Fernando Arce, Joe Corona, Fidel Martínez, Duvier Riascos, Alfredo Moreno. Coach: Antonio Mohamed.

Atlético Mineiro: Víctor Bagy, Marcos Rocha, Rever, Gilberto Silva, Richarlyson, Pierre Santos, Leandro Donizete, Ronaldinho, Bernard Caldeira, Diego Tardelli, Jo. Coach: Alexi Stival ´Cuca´.

Goool de Tardelli!

Men en 2-1-føring til de mexicanske køtere, mål af Riascos og Martínez, hjemme på Caliente. Den rivende udvikling i Gran Colombia illustreret på flotteste vis nok en gang.
- Mit gætværk, og odds, fra i vinter omkring Xolos´ Libertadores-chancer lever endnu...

Målløst mellem Boca og NOB med tilsvarende et kvarter tilbage af kampen.

Gol de Luan!

Atlético MG udligner til 2-2 i overtiden og må siges at stå rimeligt ift. returen.

Det intense argentinermøde endte målløst, men med en sen udvisning til værternes Burdisso - han slægter altså brormand meget godt på efterhånden.

Der er lagt op til et par rigtigt åbne returmøder.

Godty se dig holde dig vågen ud på de tidlige morgen timer unge mand ;-)


Supplere liger mer med Paraguays trup til VM KVallen...

Santa Cruz, citado en Paraguay

ASUNCION -- El atacante del Málaga, Roque Santa Cruz, fue convocado por Paraguay para el partido del 7 de junio ante Chile por las Eliminatorias Sudamericanas para el Mundial de Brasil.

La convocatoria fue confirmada el jueves por el entrenador uruguayo Gerardo Pelusso pese a que el futbolista había manifestado a fines de 2012 que era "el momento de dar un paso al costado para permitir la aparición de figuras jóvenes".

Santa Cruz, de 31 años, no estuvo en las nóminas anteriores, pero Pelusso aclaró en conferencia de prensa que Paraguay "necesita de sus mejores jugadores".

Otro futbolista que retorna al plantel es el portero Justo Villar, de 35 años y que actualmente juega con el club local Nacional.

El llamado a Villar se hizo para cubrir la ausencia del titular Diego Barreto, de Cerro Porteño, con seis meses de reposo debido a la rotura de ligamentos de la rodilla izquierda.

El partido ante Chile se disputará en el estadio Defensores del Chaco desde las 20.30 (0030 GMT).

Paraguay ocupa la última casilla de la tabla con ocho puntos, a 14 del líder Argentina.

Chile comparte la cuarta posición con Venezuela, cada uno con 15 unidades.

= CONVOCADOS:

- ARQUEROS: Justo Villar (Nacional), Antony Silva (Tolima, Colombia) y Tobías Vargas (Capiatá).

- DEFENSORES: Paulo Da Silva (Pachuca, México), Antolín Alcaraz (Wigan, Inglaterra), Iván Piris (Roma, Italia), Marcos Cáceres (Newell´s, Argentina), Lorenzo Melgarejo, (Benfica, Portugal), Ismael Benegas (Libertad), Pedro Benítez (Libertad), José Leonardo Cáceres (Nacional), Jorge Moreira (Libertad) y Miguel Samudio (Libertad).

- MEDIOCAMPISTAS: Cristian Riveros (Kayserispor, Turquía), Víctor Ayala (Lanús, Argentina), Marcelo Estigarribia (Sampdoria, Italia), Fidencio Oviedo (Cerro Porteño), Marcos Riveros (Nacional), Julio Dos Santos (Cerro Porteño), Silvio Torales (Nacional) y Jonathan Fabbro (Cerro Porteño).

- DELANTEROS: Roque Santa Cruz (Málaga, España), Nelson Haedo Valdez (Valencia, España), Oscar Cardozo (Benfica, Portugal), Lucas Barrios (Guanzhou Evergrande, China), Edgar Benítez (Toluca, México), Luis Caballero (Krylia Sovetov Samara, Rusia), José Núñez (Libertad), Nelson Romero (Libertad), Dante López (Guaraní), Julián Benítez (Nacional) y Pablo Velázquez (Libertad).

og argentinas...

Sabella convocó a Lamela

BUENOS AIRES -- El entrenador del seleccionado argentino de fútbol, Alejandro Sabella, convocó a Lionel Messi de cara a los partidos del 7 de junio ante Colombia, y del 11 con Ecuador, por las Eliminatorias Sudamericanas, y sorprendió incluyendo en la lista a Erik Lamela.

La convocatoria de Messi para los duelos ante Colombia, en Buenos Aires, y frente a Ecuador, en Quito, por la 13ra. y 14ta. fecha de la clasificación al Mundial de Brasil 2014, era una incógnita porque está en recuperación de la lesión que padece en el bíceps femoral de la pierna derecha pero este jueves Sabella despejó la duda.

En tanto, Erik Lamela, ex River Plate y gran figura de Roma en la última temporada del fútbol italiano, es la sorpresa de la lista de convocados ya que será su primera cita en la selección nacional en competencia oficial.

El delantero fue citado por primera vez en el ciclo de Sergio Batista a cargo del equipo para jugar un amistoso ante Paraguay y Sabella lo llamó para medirse en otro encuentro preparatorio ante Suiza (3-1 en marzo de 2012).

Además, Sabella citó nuevamente a Walter Montillo, jugador de Cruzeiro de Brasil, ya que lo dejó muy conforme su rendimiento en el 3-0 sobre Venezuela, en Buenos Aires, por la 11ma. fecha. También son novedad Lucas Biglia y Fabricio Coloccini.

Otra de las novedades es el regreso de Sergio Agüero, ausente frente a los venezolanos y Bolivia (1-1), en La Paz, por la 12ma. jornada, por una distensión ligamentaria en la rodilla derecha.

En tanto, el mediocampista de Valencia de España Ever Banega ingresó en la nómina a pesar de que en el primer partido ante Colombia no podrá ser de la partida, porque debe purgar una fecha de suspensión por acumulación de tarjetas amarillas.

Argentina lidera las Eliminatorias con 24 puntos, cuatro más que Ecuador (20) y cinco por encima de Colombia (19), ambos con un partido menos, y con una ventaja de nueve sobre Chile y Venezuela (15), cuarto y quinto, respectivamente.

Sabella no confirmó aún los jugadores del medio local que estarán citados para los partidos de Eliminatoria y lo hará recién cuando culmine la 16ta. fecha del torneo Final.

El seleccionado jugará estos encuentros rumbo al Mundial de Brasil 2014 el 7 y 11 de junio, respectivamente, en tanto que el 14 de ese mes se medirá con Guatemala, en un amistoso valiéndose de la misma nómina de futbolistas.

= CONVOCADOS:

- ARQUEROS: Sergio Romero y Mariano Andújar.

- DEFENSORES: Federico Fernández, Hugo Campagnaro, Pablo Zabaleta, Fabricio Coloccini, Marcos Rojo, Ezequiel Garay y José Basanta.

- MEDIOCAMPISTAS: Javier Mascherano, Ángel Di María, Ever Banega, Augusto Fernández, Erik Lamela, José Sosa, Lucas Biglia, Pablo Guiñazú, Walter Montillo.

- DELANTEROS: Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuaín, Rodrigo Palacio, Sergio Agüero, Ezequiel Lavezzi.

It all comes down to one game as Boca and Newell´s draw 0-0

Boca Juniors and Newell´s Old Boys drew 0-0 on Thursday night in their first-leg duel of the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores. The match between the two Argentine teams was played at the Bombonera stadium.

The rematch will be played on May 29 in Rosario with the winner going on the semifinals. If this second-leg game ends 0-0 again it will go to a penalty shootout. If it ends in a draw with goals scored then Boca will qualify as away goals count as double.

In an intense game, it was Boca who dictated the proceedings and had the best opportunities to score. However the goals didn´t come and now it comes down to one game to see who will move

Athlético Mineiro ties Tijuana and gains one point - one point that could make a big difference

http://www.youtube.com/w…8lW0EWR-S3Q

Tijuana and Atlético tied 2-2 in the first game of their two game series in the quarterfinals of Libertadores competition. The game was played in Caliente stadium in the city of Tijuana.

Colombian Duvier Riascos scored at 32 minutes and Ecuadorian FIdel Martínez scored at 53 for Tijuana. For Atlético, the goals were scored by Diego Tardelli at 66 minutes and by Luan Madson at 90+2.

Atlético Mineiro got off to a poor start. They looked uncomfortable on the field of Caliente stadium.

What is more, for several stretches Tijuana confined them to their side of the field and attacked across the width of the field. The team directed by Argentinian Antonio Mohamed drilled in from the center and the flanks.

The Brazilians looked like they got a feel for the game and started to break the momentum of the Mexican squad. But it was Argentinian Alfredo Moreno who shone brightly with a heel pass that left Riascos with the advantage to score the first goal of the game.

Tijuana scored its second goal thanks to Martínez, but let their guard down and allowed the visiting team to strike back.

Ronaldinho, who caused such excitement in his visit to Mexico, had a very discreet game. However he did take the corner that led to Tardelli´s goal to get Atlético back in the game.

Luan Madson finished as the hero for Atlético Mineiro as he came on as a substitute and played with emotion and enthusiasm. He was rewarded with the game tying goal in extra time.

The second-leg game will be on Thursday, May 30 in Belo Horizonte in the southeast of Brazil.

United, City and Bayern target Barcelona´s Thiago - reports

Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara is reportedly attracting interest from Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

The Brazil-born Spain international is subject of increasing interest across Europe ahead of the summer transfer window, amid rumours that both he and Barca are open to a move.

It is understood that the player’s buyout clause is now at €18 million, after a clause in his 2011-signed contract dropped it down from an original €90m figure.

As such, Old Trafford officials are confident a bid of around £15m could be enough to tempt the Camp Nou outfit into selling their man.

Sir Alex Ferguson made informal enquiries regarding Thiago’s availability two years ago and new United boss David Moyes is set to maintain the club’s interest.

The Premier League champions could face competition from neighbours Manchester City in the race to sign the midfielder though, while incoming Bayern boss Pep Guardiola is believed to be keen to rekindle his relationship with the former Flamengo youth star.

Quoted in March, Thiago’s father, said: "My son would play a lot more in any other team in the world.

"He´s learning a lot playing with great players but Thiago is very ambitious and needs to play.

"No-one knows what might happen in the future. Football changes a lot and anything can happen. If Thiago wants to go to the 2014 World Cup, he needs to play much more.

"Thiago has the quality to succeed at Barca. But he´d play a lot more at another club. He´d get into any other team in the world."

Barcelona monitor Marquinhos situation at Roma - reports

Barcelona are reportedly monitoring the contract situation surrounding Roma’s young centre-back Marquinhos.

The 18-year-old Brazilian has been linked with a switch to Camp Nou throughout the season, having impressed in his debut Serie A campaign.

While reports indicated that the Giallorossi had moved to reach a preliminary agreement to improve his current contract and keep him at the club, both Roma and his agent came out to deny this.

Nevertheless, it is believed that the two parties are keen to agree on new terms but Barca are prepared to swoop for the €25 million-rated defender should negotiations break down.

Marquinhos moved to the Italian outfit for €3 million last summer and made 26 league appearances, helping Roma reach the Coppa Italia final and finish sixth in Serie A.