Snak

Atlético Mineiro and reborn Ronaldinho attain Libertadores glory

BELO HORIZONTE -- There might not be second acts in American lives, as F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote, but it seems that there are in Brazilian football. At least in the case of Ronaldinho Gaúcho and Atlético Mineiro, the new champions of South America, after an exhilarating, at times improbable, Copa Libertadores penalty shootout victory over Paraguay´s Olimpia, at a tempestuous Mineirão stadium in Belo Horizonte last night.

Like Ronaldinho himself, Atlético had been written off more than a few times on its way to yesterday´s win. First in the quarterfinal against Mexico´s Tijuana, when with the game tied, goalkeeper Victor saved a last second penalty to send Galo into the next round on the away goal rule. After that was the semifinal victory over Newell´s Old Boys of Argentina, when Atlético seemed dead and buried after a 2-0 away leg defeat, only for a late, late equalizer in Belo Horizonte to send the game to a penalty shootout, where Victor again starred, saving Maxi Rodriguez´s kick to put the team in the final.

And then came last night. As 60,000 roared themselves hoarse in the stands, for long periods Atlético and Ronaldinho struggled to break down a tough, well-organized Olimpia side, defending a 2-0 lead from the first leg. But Seleção star Jô hammered in the first goal just after halftime, following a rare slip from Olimpia´s Pittoni, and then, with time ticking away, giant defender Leonardo Silva looped a header over everybody and into the goal. The noise was enough to make the very foundations of the Mineirão quake.
That brought up yet another penalty shootout, and once again unassuming goalkeeper ("São", or "Saint") Victor was decisive, saving from Miranda, then watching Gíminez´s kick crash against the crossbar. The Atlético players cavorted wildly on the pitch, and in the seats the fans sank to their knees, drained and disbelieving. It is Atlético´s first ever Libertadores title, and the club´s first major honor since 1971. Dawn may have broken over Belo Horizonte now, but the celebrations in the streets will go on for a few hours yet.

There have been many heroes during the campaign, from the attacking élan of wide players Diego Tardelli and Bernard in the group phase to the miracles performed by Victor in the later stages. However, no one better represents the transformation of this proud, but until recently benighted, club from perennial loser into champions of South America, than Ronaldinho.

There were many who scoffed when Atlético´s firebrand president Alexandre Kalil took a chance on the player back in June 2012. The former (twice) World Footballer of the Year had seemed to be coming to the close of his career as he struggled through injury and apathy at the end of his spell with A.C. Milan, before a triumphant homecoming to Brazil in 2011 with Flamengo quickly turned sour.

Over 25,000 Flamengo fans turned out to see his official unveiling, but after a bright enough start, things did not go as planned in Rio. Stories emerged that the club was struggling to pay Ronaldino´s wages, and, unsurprisingly, his on-field interest levels, and performances, tailed off. At the beginning of 2012 video footage appeared showing the player following a female "friend" into a room at a Flamengo pre-Libertadores training camp hotel, and not long after, the player announced that he was canceling his contract and suing the club for unpaid wages.

In retaliation, Flamengo, then in total meltdown under calamitous president Patricia Amorim, claimed it possessed a urine sample showing that Ronaldinho had turned up drunk for training (the club subsequently mysteriously "lost" said urine sample, then admitted it had never existed in the first place). Nonetheless, it was another unedifying episode in the Ronaldinho soap opera. Sullied but unbowed, he was a free agent, but who would want him?
Step forward Alexandre Kalil and Atlético. In some ways, it is the perfect match, though Galo´s CV is arguably less glittering than that of its most famous current player. Still, Atlético has provided the ideal stage for Ronaldinho. It is a big club in the Brazilian football sense of the word, where being big can often mean simply having an awful lot of supporters but not much in the way of infrastructure, sustained success, or financial well-being. For Atlético real success has proved elusive for many years, with the club´s only national championship win coming in 1971, and the pain of relegation to Serie B suffered in 2005. In short, it was the kind of club desperately in need of a hero to ease the pain of its millions of long-suffering supporters.

It has worked better than anyone could have hoped. Reinvented as a craftier, if slower midfield playmaker, Ronaldinho has added a few meters to his personal highlight reel over the last fourteen months, displaying a kaleidoscopic range of feints and shimmies, creating goal after goal for the likes of the lightning fast Bernard and the powerful Jô with a dizzying range of passing, and carrying Atlético to the brink of the Brasileirão title last year.

Off the field too the player seems happier. Away from the distractions of Rio, Ronaldinho has found a home in more stolid Belo Horizonte, being granted "honorary citizenship" of the city, and reveling in the adoration of Atlético´s hordes of passionate fans, even crying a little during one game when the club´s hardcore "Galoucura" torcida organizada unfurled a giant "get well soon Dona Miguelina" flag for his sick mother. "These fans make me feel complete," he said later, "I´ll never forget this."

Perhaps too, despite the missteps, there is something in Ronaldinho´s eternal roguishness to which football fans in general, and Brazilian soccer fans specifically, can relate. After all, the history of the game here is steeped in the cult of the brilliant individual, from Garrincha to Romário, rather than in rigid organization and hard labor. In recent years, as the Brazilian game has concentrated more on athleticism than the maverick´s sleight of foot, Ronaldinho can often feel like a (welcome) throwback. And even as gifted, but squeaky-clean stars such as Neymar and Oscar have emerged, his appeal remains undiminished.

But Kalil had more than just a mutual appreciation society in mind when he signed Ronaldinho. He knew that a star of his stature, however tarnished, would draw the TV cameras to Belo Horizonte and put Atlético back on the map, in a country dominated by the hegemony of the big Rio and São Paulo clubs. "We´ll show them that there´s a proper football club on this side of the mountains too," he said last year.

With last night´s victory, Atlético has done that and more besides. While Ronaldinho faded a little against the sturdy, abrasive opposition of the Libertadores later stages, suggesting that the twilight of this soccer god may not be too far off, at least for the moment, he and Atlético are kings once again. "Everybody said I was finished," he said after last night´s game. "Let´s see what they´ve got to say now."

Youngster dubbed the ´next Lionel Messi´ turns down Barcelona

Flamengo have beaten Barcelona to the signing of a teenager dubbed the "Next Lionel Messi" according to reports in Brazil.

Cassiano Bouzon, a 12-year-old Brazilian prodigy, has turned down the offer of joining Barcelona´s famed La Masia youth academy in favour of joining Rio de Janeiro giants Flamengo according to Globoesporte.

Bouzon had been invited on trial at the Nou Camp and impressed coaches so much that they immediately offered the youngster a place at La Masia.

But Barcelona did not offer to help move his family to Spain, leaving Flamengo to swoop for the 12-year-old who wished to remain with his parents.

Barcelona will have to be content with securing the services of the actual Lionel Messi as they continue to scour the globe for potential stars of the future.

Chelsea make offer for Botafogo defender Dória - report

Chelsea have made an offer for Botafogo´s highly-rated defender Dória, according to reports in Brazilian press.

Lancenet claims that the English Premier League club have offered 9.4 million Euros for the defender. Botafogo would receive only 4 million, while the rest would be given to the third parties that own 60% of his rights.

The offer was made through Carlos Meinberg Neto, one of Oscar´s agents, and Botafogo are supposed to respond untul Friday night.

Dória has impressed at Botafogo´s senior team and had previously been linked to a number of European clubs such as Porto, Benfica, Tottenham, Barcelona and Juventus.

Chelsea´s squad include several Brazilians such as national team players Oscar and David Luiz, as well as Ramires, Lucas Piazon and Wallace.

Neither Botafogo nor Chelsea have confirmed Lancenet´s report yet though.

Doria og Sideshow bob kan ikke spille sammen.. det tror jeg simpelthen ikke på.

men det virker til at alt er til salg hos Fogo :-(

Kayokay

præcis, forhåbentligt betyder det David Luiz endelige som landsholdspiller, med Marquinhos og Doría som back up til Thiago Silva og Dante næste sommer. fprhåbentlig for Fogo mere for ham end de små 10 millioner euro...

Martino planning for Messi and Neymar

Gerardo Martino has said he will have failed in his role as Barcelona coach if he is unable to get Lionel Messi and Neymar playing to the best of their ability in his starting line-up.

Martino, speaking at a press conference to announce his arrival at the Camp Nou on a two-year contract, has the task of accommodating two of world football’s biggest stars next season – one of them from his hometown of Rosario.

But he is certain that Neymar, who arrived this summer on a five-year deal, and four-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi will complement one another perfectly in a Barca team which he believes can go on winning for many years to come.

"I find it hard to believe two great players like Messi and Neymar won’t be able to play together. It is not going to be a problem," Martino said.

"If I can’t make them play together it is a deficit on my part as coach."

Martino said his first goal is to make sure the players are focused on winning.

"I think Barca getting this has many great years ahead. My goal is to get the players to know me and trust me and to help form a technical group," he said.

"I see it as a natural thing that people need to get to know me. If I had been working in Europe then I would have been more well-known but it was part of my life to coach in Argentina."

There has been speculation that Messi’s role in the Barca side could be changed to accommodate Neymar’s arrival. However, Martino insists that Messi’s importance to the cause is not in question.

"The ideal would be to have a team that helps me with all the options," he said. "Messi has played in different positions, but he is scoring more than ever. Lionel Messi will play at the same position. We want him to feel comfortable on the team as he has been."

Reports suggested that Messi, who is from the same region of Argentina as Martino and also has connections with Newell´s Old Boys, had helped his countryman secure the role.

Messi distanced himself from these claims saying "I don´t know him personally and I never met with him," something that Martino backed up.

"[Messi] said something that is really true," he said. "We are from Rosario and basically from Newell’s and we didn’t know each other. In Rosario we always said that he is the best player in the world and we always say that as we are coming from another place."

Martino said he would be happy to work with the team as it was, and about Manchester United’s bid for Cesc Fabregas, he had this to say: “Evidently I am not going to get into the economic interests of the club, If the club rejected the bid twice, they will reject a third time."

Martino confirmed that he has spoken to outgoing coach Tito Vilanova and took time to send his best wishes to him as he continues to receive treatment for throat cancer.

"Yes we spoke and I want to thank him for everything," Martino said. "We want to send him lots of strength. We don’t know him but we all know the situation and we have to understand. Fundamentally, we wish him the best."

Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarretta said hearing the news of Vilanova’s decision to step down was particularly difficult for the team.

"From the time we heard the news, the days felt so long, like 72 hours each because we were processing a lot of information, we were worried about Tito and we wanted also to respect his space,” he said. “I don’t’ think I slept. The phone conversation (with Tata) was only an hour-and-a-half, the process felt like an eternity."

Phoenix sign second Costa Rican

Costa Rican striker Kenny Cunningham has signed a two-year contract with Wellington Phoenix, coach Ernie Merrick has confirmed.Cunningham joins compatriot Carlos Hernandez as Merrick looks to build an attacking mindset at the Wellington-based A-League club."From the outset I said I wanted an attacking player who can come in from the wing and get into goal-scoring positions," Merrick said."It had to be someone with pace who has a credible footballing background."Kenny Cunningham ticks all those boxes."Cunningham was part of the starting line-up in a Costa Rican team that finished second behind the United States in the recent Concacaf World Cup qualifying series.The top three from that series qualify for the 2014 finals in Brazil, with the fourth-ranked country playing off against the All Whites in November for a place in the finals.Cunningham, 28, first came to Merrick´s attention through teammate Hernandez."Carlos knowing him personally was a bonus because it gives us information on his character which is very important," Merrick said."We want to sign players who are not only good on the field but are the right fit off it as well."Acquiring Cunningham was a major step forward, he said, but there was still need for more depth within the squad."We have some really experienced players in the club but need to bring in younger players to get the age balance right."The recent signing of New Zealand under-20 captain Luke Adams was a step in that direction and there are other young players trialling with the club at present.

The curious case of Mauricio Isla

Tactically intelligent and technically impressive, Mauricio Isla has never quite been able to demonstrate his ability in the Bianconeri shirt. Played in a 3-5-2 formation, he appeared undisciplined with regards to his positioning, failed to deliver the necessary assists and appeared lethargic when it came to his overall team play.

Yet there is something about the player that makes him a difficult one to surrender to another side -- especially not Inter, an arch-rival. Before jetting off for his holidays last summer, Antonio Conte specifically asked Management to get him Isla. In awe of his versatility, the former Udinese player performed magnificently for Francesco Guidolin. Played in a 3-5-2 formation, he was capable of carrying out his defensive duties well whilst still managing to contribute effectively to the attack. His perfect crosses and change of pace turned him into an asset whilst his devotion to the pressing game helped shape Udinese’s playing philosophy.

However, what really captured Conte’s attention was the manner in which he adapted so easily to different positions on the field. Whether played on the flank, inside to make up for the loss of Gokhan Inler or as a wingback, Isla simply got on with the task at hand, performing to the best of his abilities and running incessantly. With an insatiable appetite for success and excellent vision, it seemed he was the perfect man to insert into the squad to occupy the roles on the pitch that required a superior level of technical play.

His last season at Udinese resulted in a serious injury and Juventus were aware that they had to be patient and allow him time recover. Whilst he eventually recovered physically, Isla never quite recovered the essence of his brilliance.

Mentally it may well be deduced that Isla was simply not up to the challenge of playing for one of the world’s most famous sides. Yet that alone is a ridiculous deduction, for there are fewer players with a more professional attitude than the boy from Buin.

Having played for Marcelo Bielsa and a self confessed fan of the so-called tactical tyrant of modern day football, Isla relishes the idea of playing for fanatical Coaches. He wants to be pushed, he demands to end the day in exhaustion and he is intellectually capable of learning and developing his game. Without a drill sergeant getting the best out of him, Isla is one who may well wither away.

In an interview last year, Isla admitted that the very first words he heard Conte utter were the same ones he heard Bielsa once say. A coincidence perhaps but it ultimately comforted him to know that he was in the presence of a Coach who possessed that same hunger for glory.

With Inter so close to snapping up the winger, it is said Conte called off the transfer. He is simply unwilling to give up on the player just yet. Perhaps he feels he let him down in some way with regards to nurturing his talent. Asked about the Chilean, Conte asserted his happiness at having the player available, assuring journalists that whilst the winger may have had difficulties last year, he was sure next season will be great.

Conte may well be right, as Isla has already begun to demonstrate his abilities, albeit in pre-season training. The player’s sheer determination, professional attitude and perfected movements are said to have impressed the club. Despite talks of a possible transfer to Inter, Isla has continued to give his all in training.

Running after every ball, unleashing powerful shots and taking up clever positions to pressure opposing defences, Isla is looking more and more like the player Serie A once admired.

He wants to be a protagonist and he preferably wants it to be with the Old Lady. Football means more to him than anything else, a passion his mother ignited within him when she handed him a ball at the age of 5. If he cannot succeed with Juve, he has offered to lower his wages to move to Inter - a side he admitted to having rejected last season in favour of the Bianconeri. Why? Because he wants to play and he wants to succeed, money is not a priority.

If Juventus sell, they may well regret their decision. The player possesses the mentality needed within that dressing room and the capability of being one of the very best in his role. Conte cannot dedicate all his time to Isla’s progression but his faith in the player may well be rewarded if he manages to extract the very qualities that once mesmerised him.

Gago, "contento de volver a Boca"

BUENOS AIRES -- El mediocampista Fernando Gago destacó este viernes su satisfacción por haber concretado su retorno a Boca Juniors, tras el acuerdo entre el club argentino y el Valencia español, dueño de su pase.
"Nunca temí de no llegar. El diez de junio supe que no me tendrían en cuenta en Valencia. Estoy contento de volver a Boca", resaltó el volante en declaraciones radiales.

Y precisó: "No firmé el contrato, pero está todo acordado. Los contratos entre los clubes están ok. Solo falta el mío. Creo que llego en cuarenta y ocho horas, tengo que mudar muchas cosas".

"Sólo falta la firma y la revisión médica para ser nuevo jugador de Boca. Pero todavía no lo soy porque está todo hablado y sólo falta la firma", ratificó Gago.

El volante destacó: "Es fuerte porque es volver donde me inicié futbolísticamente. Siempre dije que iba a volver a Boca y si me dan a elegir número de camiseta, quiero la 5".

"Ya hablé con Román (Riquelme) y (Cristian) Pichi Erbes, me felicitaron y dijeron que me esperan en el club para hacer grandes cosas", estimó.

Y siguió: "Riquelme es uno de los ídolos máximos de Boca, cómo no me va a gustar jugar con él, pero nunca jugamos juntos en Boca. Será algo muy lindo jugar con Riquelme y el Cata (en referencia a Daniel Díaz)".

Luego Gago contó: "(Carlos) Bianchi fue el que me subió a Primera a los 16 años, en la época en que Boca perdió la final (de Copa Libertadores) con Once Caldas. Pero nunca estuve con él en partidos oficiales".

Sobre el ambiente que hay puertas adentro en el Ceneize, el mediocampista opinó: "Dentro de un vestuario nunca son todos amigos, sino eso sería una falsedad tremenda".

"Para estar en la Selección hay que estar en máximo nivel y cuando en Valencia me dijeron que no estaba en los planes pensé en la mejor opción, y también lo hice pensando en la Selección", confió Gago sobre su decisión de seguir en el fútbol argentino.

El volante reconoció que "hace cuatro años que en el mercado de pases se habla de una vuelta a Boca. En enero no se dio porque el club ya tenía cerrado los refuerzos, cuando Valencia me informó que no me iban a tener en cuenta".

Gago jugó los últimos seis meses en Vélez Sarsfield, pero sus constantes lesiones hicieron que sólo haya afrontado ocho encuentros con la camiseta del cuadro de Liniers.

De esta manera, el mediocampista regresa a Boca luego de siete años y de haber ganado siete títulos.

Encaminado el pase de Silva a Lanús

BUENOS AIRES -- El presidente de Lanús, Alejandro Marón, comentó el viernes "está todo encaminado" para lograr la incorporación del delantero uruguayo Santiago Silva, descartado por Carlos Bianchi en Boca.
El dirigente aseguró que el sábado recibirá la respuesta de su par xeneize, Daniel Angelici, en torno a la oferta realizada por Lanús, que compite con clubes del exterior para conseguir el pase del ex Newell´s, Gimnasia (LP), Banfield y Vélez.

"Si arregla Silva, vamos a tener que dejar ir algún delantero", explicó Marón, quien ofertó 1,2 millones de dólares por el goleador de 32 años.

Sobre las expectativas para la nueva temporada, el titular "granate" expresó: "Apuntamos a pelear arriba, ese es nuestro objetivo, que fue cambiando en los últimos tiempos".

Lanús jugará el sábado desde las 10 un partido amistoso con Olimpo de Bahía Blanca, con vistas al comienzo del próximo torneo Inicial, el fin de semana venidero.

Su rival del debut en el campeonato local será Belgrano de Córdoba, el sábado 4 de agosto en "La Fortaleza".