Snak

Barca eying up move for Roma´s Marquinhos - Report

The future of Roma defender Marquinhos is once again in question after speculation has increased over a move to Barcelona, according to Sky Sports.

Barcelona have been chasing a central defender this summer as a priority, with Paris Saint-Germain and Seleção captain Thiago Silva at the top of their wish list.

However, difficulties bringing Silva to the Camp Nou has meant manager Tito Vilanova is eying up more feasible options.

19-year-old Marquinhos has been heavily linked with a move away from Roma this summer with Real Madrid and Barcelona reportedly having offers rejected for the defender.

Making 26 appearances in his first season in Serie A last season, his valuation is understood to be between €20m and €25m.

Roma are not eager to lose one of the mainstays of their defence, but Marquinhos’ alleged acts of rebellion may tip the balance in Barca’s favour, after the Brazilian missed a pre-season event which fueled speculation further.

Maicon set to join Roma - report

Manchester City defender Maicon is set to return to Italy by joining Serie A giants Roma according to reports.

Football Italia claims that the former Seleção full-back is set to arrive in Rome on Monday ahead of signing a new contract with the Giallorossi.

The transfer is thought to cost €5 million and Maicon will gain more playing minutes than at Manchester City.

Maicon had been frozen out of the Citizens side under Roberto Mancini as Argentinean Pablo Zabaleta was preferred in the right-back slot.

The Brazilian should be confirmed as a Roma player by the end of the week as Roma look to overhaul their squad.

Boca iría por Matías Silvestre

BUENOS AIRES -- Con la llegada de Daniel Cata Díaz casi abrochada y la imposibilidad de contar con el defensor de Vélez Sarsfield Sebastián Domínguez, Boca apuntó los cañones hacia Matías Silvestre, un viejo conocido, para reforzar su última línea.

El ex futbolista xeneize, quien actualmente juega en el Inter italiano, podría regresar a Argentina para ser dirigido por Carlos Bianchi, quien habría aceptado que se inicien las respectivas gestiones por el zaguero.

Boca Juniors inició gestiones para repatriar a un jugador nacido en el club, el marcador central Matías Silvestre, quien no será tenido en cuenta por el Inter de Italia, según se supo este sábado.

Silvestre, nacido en la ciudad bonaerense de Mercedes hace 28 años, debutó con la camiseta de Boca en 2003 bajo la dirección técnica de Carlos Bianchi, quien ahora dio el visto bueno para que se intente sumarlo nuevamente, según informó a Télam una fuente del club Xeneize.

El defensor conquistó con la camiseta de Boca ocho títulos, tres a nivel local (Apertura 2003 y 2005, y Clausura2006) y cinco internacionales: Copa Sudamericana 2004, 2005 y 2006, Recopa Sudamericana 2006 y Copa Libertadores 2007, y emigró a Italia para lucir la camiseta del Catania, entre 2008 y 2011.

Silvestre pasó del Catania al Palermo (2011/2012) y luego recaló en el Inter de Milán, equipo en el que no tuvo demasiada continuidad y del que le gustaría salir para regresar a Boca, algo que se definirá en la semana próxima.

Boca contrató a otro ex defensor del club, Daniel Cata Díaz, procedente del Atlético de Madrid, quien arribará al país el martes próximo, y ahora irá en busca de Silvestre para tratar de solucionar los serios problemas defensivos que mostró durante los útlimos seis meses.

Menéndez se sumó a Independiente

SALTA -- El delantero Cristian Menéndez, cuarto refuerzo Rojo, cumplió esta tarde su primer turno de trabajo en la ciudad de Salta y quedó formalmente incorporado al plantel de Independiente, que sigue entrenándose en el norte argentino.

El atacante marplatense, de 25 años, firmó anoche su contrato con la entidad de Avellaneda y se unió a las filas del equipo del DT Miguel Angel Brindisi.

De cara a su próxima participación en el torneo de la B Nacional, el conjunto Rojo ya tiene otras tres caras nuevas: los volantes Franco Razzotti (Velez Sarsfield), Martín Zapata (Belgrano de Córdoba) y Andrés Alderete (San Martín de San Juan).

Menéndez, cuyo pase pertenece a Lanús, estuvo en Quilmes durante el último semestre. El Polaco desplegó sus primeras labores físicas en el Polo Club.

En cambio, el defensor Cristian Tula trabajó en forma liviana por una molestia en el tobillo izquierdo y el arquero Fabián Assmann asomó con una contractura en el gemelo derecho.

Por su lado, el lateral paraguayo Jorge Moreira resaltó que "la semana próxima se puede estar cerrando las negociaciones" y el jugador quedaría incorporado al equipo de Avellaneda.

"Me llamó el presidente (Javier) Cantero y estuvimos hablando sobre la posibilidad de que vaya a la Argentina", contó el jugador.

"Me gusta jugar de carrilero, pisando el área rival. También jugué como 3. No tengo problemas. Acá lo importante es prepararse para regresar a Primera División lo antes posible", expresó Moreira, que todavía no definió su situación pero ya habla como si estuviese en el seno del plantel de Brindisi.

Inside Cuban soccer: Molina has some retiring thoughts: he wants to be national coach someday

Part two of a four-part series

HAVANA — He realizes he has only a few more years left as an international goalkeeper, but Odelin Molina has plans to remain at the highest levels of international football — not as a goalkeeper coach, but as a national coach of Cuba.

Molina, who turns 38 on Aug. 3, said he wants to play until he is 40.

“To play football or to work in football is the only thing I know in life,” he said. “I have a lot of proposals to keep working in the national squad. After my retirement, my dream is to become coach of the national selection, not goalkeeping coach, but the main coach of the national selection. It’s my dream.”

Molina says that he has learned a tremendous amount about the game with virtually all of the action happening in front of him.

“Being in front of the pitch, in front of the players in the goal has prepared me to be a coach,” he said. “In my position I can see the pitch and order the players. Playing many years as a goalkeeper has prepared me to be a good coach.”

He certainly has had the opportunity, making 107 appearances for the national side, including in four FIFA World Cup qualifying tournaments — 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2006 while allowing 36 goals in 23 appearances en route to a 9-5-9 record — and in five CONCACAF Gold Cups.

There is nothing better for Molina to wear Cuba’s colours — he has done it 107 times — second most behind veteran defender Yenier Marquez (109), who is his teammate on powerhouse Villa Clara in the Cuban National Championship.

“It is the greatest honour for every Cuban athlete,” he said. “It is the greatest thing to represent the Cuban flag.”

Molina first represented Cuba internationally when he was 17-years-old. His first taste of international competition came at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Italy in 1991. He did not play a minute, but he said getting an opportunity represent his country “a huge moment in my life.”

There was more to come.

At the 2002 Gold Cup, Molina said he was named the competition’s best goalkeeper. Cuba was eliminated in the group stages with a 0-1-1 mark. Molina surrendered only one goal in two matches to teams that played at the FIFA World Cup later that year — the United States, a 1-0 loss — and South Korea, a scoreless draw. At the 2003 Gold Cup, Cuba stunned Canada, 2-0.

“It was very special because all the players in Cuba, they don’t play overseas,” Molina said of the 2002 honor. “So it, was very nice to know my goalkeeping level was at the same level that other goalkeepers that played [professionally].”

Asked if he would like to play overseas in Central or South America, Molina replied, “I am turning 38. I think at my age it would be very hard to find a club to hire me.”

The 6-2, 182-lb. Molina hasn’t been the only Cuban keeper who has stood out as 42-year-old Wilfredo Carbo was trying to help the Caribbean side to qualify for its fifth consecutive FIFA Futsal Championship (this year’s competition will be held in Thailand in November).

Not many goalkeepers have performed into their 40s at the domestic or international level.

Carbo’s reputation certainly precedes itself, particularly when it comes to defend against penalty kicks. During a warm-up friendly for the CONCACAF Futsal Championship in Guatemala in July, the man known as the “Black Rock” saved three penalties at the Kid Chocolate Gymnasium in downtown Havana.

Carbo, a former teammate of Molina, decided to pursue futsal after an outdoor career.

“He is an excellent person and of course, an excellent goalkeeper,” said Molina, who doesn’t plan on tackling the futsal game. “Carbo is more suitable [for futsal].”

Liverpool prepare bid for Bernard - report

Liverpool are said to be considering a bid for Atlético Mineiro attacker Bernard according to reports in Brazil.

Placar Esportes claims that the Reds are interested in the Seleção star say that they will submit an official bid.

However, the Galo insist that Bernard will only leave the club if suitors meet the €25 million asking price.

Bernard has been linked with a move away from Atlético all summer with the likes of FC Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk and Tottenham all linked.

However, Porto are thought to be leading the race for the 20-year-old as their links to BMG, who part-owns Bernard, give them an advantage in any deal.

Munich director denies completing Thiago Alcântara deal

Bayern Munich director of football Matthias Sammer has denied reports that the club has already signed Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcântara.

As reported on Football Espana, newspaper Bild am Sonntag questioned Sammer on the reports that the midfielder of Brazilian heritage had already penned a deal with the German champions.

However, the former German international Sammer was clear with his response.

He said: "Why should we speak about something if he has already signed? Naturally, this is not the case."

The 22-year-old midfielder has been subject to increasing speculation this summer after he was widely expected to join English champions Manchester United.

Although in recent weeks, new Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola has made no secret of his determination to bring his former player to his new club.

Thiago has enjoyed a great summer so far after leading Spain to the European Under-21 Championships title last month and now a decision on his future seems to be closing in.

Roma´s Marquinhos wants Barcelona move - report

Roma defender Marquinhos is holding out for a move to Barcelona, according to reports in Brazil, amid strong interest from Paris Saint-Germain.

It seemed as if Marquinhos was on the verge of a move to the French champions recently but now it is claimed the 19-year-old wants a move to Spain, reports Football Espana.

The Roma youngster was said to be ‘not very far away’ from a switch to the French champions on Saturday.

But media reports in his home country claim that the centre back is not keen on Laurent Blanc’s side and would rather wait for a transfer to Camp Nou.

PSG were reported to have had a €30m bid accepted from the Giallorossi, whilst the Blaugrana have had their €25m bid rejected.

The hierarchy at Stadio Olimpico are resigned to the fact they will lose the 19-year-old and are expecting an improved offer from Tito Vilanova’s men soon.

A little bit off topic, but..........

Nesta: Serie A is ´going down´

Former AC Milan defender Alessandro Nesta has bemoaned the declining standard of the Serie A against Europe´s other premier domestic competitions.

The World Cup winner played over 200 games for the red half of Milan, winning two domestic championships, a Coppa Italia, two EUFA Super Cups and two Champions League crowns.

Those success laden years followed on from his earlier career with Lazio where he first won the Serie A title, Coppa Italia, Super Cup and EUFA´s Cup Winners´ Cup.

But the 37-year-old, now playing in the MLS with the Montreal impact, believes the years of Italian teams dominating Europe are long over, the Serie A falling into disrepair as the world´s best talent choose the Premier League, Spain´s La Liga and the Bundesliga, home of treble winners Bayern Munich, to ply their trades.

"There´s no money in Italy at the moment and the best players go to play in other leagues - Spain, England, Germany. Italy´s going down," he told the BBC´s World Football programme.

But despite the player drain on the league, including the rumoured departure of Napoli´s Edinson Cavani, there is reason to hope, with club´s able to attract big names to Italy, including Fiorentina´s capture of Mario Gomez and Juventus signing Carlos Tevez.

And despite surprising him, Nesta applauded his old foe Juventus for luring a player of Tevez´s pedigree to Turin.

"It´s a very good signing. A player like Tevez, I didn´t think would play in Serie A now. Juventus did a good job," he said.

But it is not only the lack of star players affecting the league, with former Serie A coaches such as Carlo Ancelotti, now of Real Madrid, no longer taking charge of domestic clubs.

But Nesta believes it is Ancelotti´s background at AC Milan that has allowed his former manager to thrive at clubs such as Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and, in his opinion, will do at Madrid.

"He is the best coach for Madrid," Nesta said. "Madrid is a difficult place to coach. There´s a lot of pressure and Ancelotti is very good when he´s under pressure.

"(At AC Milan, Silvio) Berlusconi and (Adriano) Galliani, all the time, wanted the best for the team. The pressure was very, very hard but Carlo Ancelotti, everyday, had a smile. He was perfect."

Coritiba´s Keirrison to make long awaited return from injury

When Coritiba and Atlético-PR meet on Sunday at the Couto Pereira in the Brazilian Serie A, striker Keirrison will make a long awaited return to action.

The game already brings together various ingredients to spice up the biggest rivalry in Paraná, but the return of the on-loan Barcelona striker is welcomed news.

Keirrison returns after 636 days out with injury and makes a match day squad for the first time in almost two years.

The 24-year-old has not played since October 2011 due to two cruciate ligament injuries in his right knee and he now expected to make the bench for the first time since his return to Coritiba.

The striker said: "If you have a chance to play, even for just a few moments, I look forward to it. I don’t sleep."

Lancenet quote him adding: "I will have difficulties, I lack rhythm. But finally I came back."

The game already has a lot riding on it with Coritiba needing a win to return to the top of the league, whereas Atlético find themselves struggling in the relegation zone with only six points so far.

However, all eyes will be on the return of the once highly rated striker who will hope he can now rebuild a career blighted by injury.