Snak

Atlético Mineiro quash Bernard to Arsenal rumours

Atlético Mineiro´s director of football has denied that they have accepted a bid from Arsenal for highly-rated attacker Bernard.

Eduardo Maluf denied reports that a fee had been agreed and that Bernard was due for a medical in London.

"We have not had a proposal for the player which meets the president´s value. But we have had proposals, Bernard is very popular, but this squad will continue for now.

"Every day we have to disprove rumours. Here comes a newspaper from France, which gives all the details of the negotiation, but Bernard was present today, and Bernard is here training,”

"The president has made it clear: if we have a great offer, he will be sold and you will know. But he plays for Atlético-MG and this speculation has been going for months."

The youngster helped his side clinch their first Copa Libertadores triumph on Thursday and it is expected that he has played his last game for the club.

According to L´Equipe earlier this week, Arsenal had agreed a deal to sign the midfielder but manager Arsene Wenger dismissed the reports as simply "not true" and a medical has failed to arise so far.

Bernard will be allowed to leave Atlético should they receive an offer closer to €25 million with FC Porto also interested in the player along with Shakhtar Donetsk.

FC Porto may have the advantage due to their links with Bernard´s third pary owner BMG who own 50 percent of the player´s rights.

Atlético Mineiro reject €16m bid from Arsenal for Bernard - report

Atlético Mineiro has rejected a €16 million bid from Premier League outfit Arsenal according to reports in Brazil.

O Jogo suggests that a bid has been lodged by the Gunners for the highly-rated attacker but was immediately turned down as it did not meet Atlético´s valuation of €25m.

Eduardo Maluf earlier denied reports that a fee had been agreed and that Bernard was due for a medical in London.

"We have not had a proposal for the player which meets the president´s value. But we have had proposals, Bernard is very popular, but this squad will continue for now," Maluf told reporters.

"Every day we have to disprove rumours. Here comes a newspaper from France, which gives all the details of the negotiation, but Bernard was present today, and Bernard is here training.

"The president has made it clear: if we have a great offer, he will be sold and you will know. But he plays for Atlético-MG and this speculation has been going for months."

The youngster helped his side clinch their first Copa Libertadores triumph on Thursday and it is expected that he has played his last game for the club.

According to L´Equipe earlier this week, Arsenal had agreed a deal to sign the midfielder but manager Arsene Wenger dismissed the reports as simply "not true" and a medical has failed to arise so far.

LIGA POSTOBON CLAUSURA: FRIDAY 26TH JULY 2013

WEEK 1 – Friday 26th July 2013

Just two weeks ago, the Apertura season ended with Nacional claiming their 12th Colombian league title. Last night, the Clausura part of the league campaign began with the championship all to play for once again. Even within the few weeks after the Apertura’s end, a lot of teams have began to lose players aboard and reshuffle their squads.

The Apertura champions, Atletico Nacional started their aim for the sweep with an away game to Huila. Their seasons chances were dealt a blow losing a major player in that title win. Colombian international midfielder Macnelly Torres, after lifting the Liga Postobon trophy two weeks ago, he notified the club he was off to sign a lucrative deal in Saudi Arabia. With young starlet Steffan Medina going from strength to strength at his new right-wing role (after starring in defence) and strikers John Pajoy, Fernando Uribe and Jefferson Duque firing on all cylinders, they may be able to mount a serious challenge. Filling the gap Torres left will be Sherman Cárdenas, the long-haired playmaker has been influential in the Apertura campaign and will look to make an even bigger bang in the second half of the season.

ATLÉTICO HUILA 2-3 ATLÉTICO NACIONAL

Nacional’s season started off on the wrong foot as the unlikely Huila lead by 2-0 at half-time, but a sending off and yet another tremendous late comeback, gave the visitors all three points.

Cristian Canga put a smile of new coach Javier Álvarez Arteaga’s face after 17 minutes putting the team ahead with some good skill that split the young El Verde defence. Starting at his undesirable central defensive role, 21-year-old Steffan Medina alongside Miller Mosquera (also 21) looked shaky throughout the first-half and Canga took full advantage. Tricky feet by the powerful striker caught the two defenders out and as the ball slipped into the box from a flick from Luis Alfonso Paéz fed Canga through and he powered Medina away from his path and blasted the ball home into Cristian Bonilla’s goal. Canga at just 21 himself, looked lively throughout and took the chance well, making a statement that he could have a big future in the league this season.

Just seven minutes later, Paéz doubled Huila’s lead sending the home crowd into raptures. Canga again involved holding up the ball well from a Jhonatan Murillo throw-in, he played the ball back into Murillo’s path who swung in a first time cross. Paéz jostled in the area and got in front of the struggling Mosquera and hit the volley past Bonilla.

The champions found themselves two goals down and Juan Carlos Osorio needed to rally his team this did not happen until 67 minutes when Huila defender Camilo Mancilla was dismissed for bringing down Farid Díaz in the penalty area. It was Mancilla’s second bookable offence and it would be the beginning of a new Colombian football campaign without the usual red card. Medina stepped up to convert the penalty, sending goalkeeper Williams Buenaños the wrong way, the comeback was on.

Nacional, notorious for comebacks, did not disappoint. Seven minutes from time, the impressive John Valoy skipped past three Huila defenders and fired the ball across the goal for Orlando Berrío to score. Berrío has just returned back to Nacional after loan spells at Millonarios and Patriotas the past two seasons, and was thrown in up front with veteran Juan Pablo Angel.

The comeback was completed four minutes later, half-time substitute Francisco Nájera rising above everyone and heading home from an Elkin Calle corner. It was a great win for El Verde, which once again showed tremendous spirit and energy that helped them win the Apertura championship.

http://www.youtube.com/w…OYvmFk9aEA4

CÚCUTA DEPORTIVO 1-2 ITAGÜÍ DITAIRES

First-half goals from Diego Cabrera and Víctor Cortés gave Itagüí the win in their first game away to Cucuta Deportivo despite a late rally from the hosts.

The opening goal came on 17 minutes, with Cortés crossing the ball to the unmarked Cabrera. The ball was behind Cabrera but he controlled, then spun superbly around to fire a venomous shot into José Hubert Escobar’s goal.

The pre-match favourites doubled their lead on the half-hour mark hitting Cucuta on the counter-attack. It was two against three and Luis Quiñones threading a wonderful ball through to Cortés, and the striker twisted past defender Mauricio Duarte and coolly finished in style.

The hosts improved in the second-half and grabbed a goal back with veteran Milton Rodriguez smashing home a spot kick on the hour but they failed to create an equaliser and Itagüí got off left Cucuta with maximum points.


http://www.youtube.com/w…RfXz54cSc7Q



REMAINDER OF WEEK 1 FIXTURES

SATURDAY 27TH JULY

BOYACÁ CHICÓ vs. PATRIOTAS BOYACÁ

DEPORTIVO PASTO vs. DEPORTES QUINDÍO


SUNDAY 28TH JULY

LA EQUIDAD vs. MILLONARIOS

INDEPENDIENTE MEDELLÍN vs. DEPORTES TOLIMA

ONCE CALDAS vs. DEPORTIVO CALI


MONDAY 29TH JULY

ENVIGADO vs. JUNIOR

WEDNESDAY 31ST JULY

SANTA FE vs. ALIANZA PETROLERA

fornuftig fader....

Bernard´s father admits preference for FC Porto move

Bernard´s father has denied reports of an agreement between Atlético Mineiro and Arsenal, and admitted he would rather see his son play for FC Porto.

In an interview with O Jogo, Bernard Sr. insisted that there is no concrete offer from the Gunners but says there is interest.

"Nothing is decided yet, but we know there is an interest from Arsenal," Duarte told O Jogo. "There has been nothing official from them."

However, dad Duarte would rather his son opts for a switch to Portuguese giants Porto, rather than Arsenal.

"Hulk has convinced Bernard that Porto move would be better for him at this stage of his career," he added.

"Porto would be a better move for his career, it would be a dream of mine to see him playing at the Dragão."

Bernard recently helped Atlético to lift the Copa Libertadores for the first time in their history after a penalty shootout victory.

ja, det ville være et klogt træk.

ja, det ville være et klogt træk.


Ja, Bernard har for meget talent til at Wenger skal smadrer hans karriere også, næh Porto er det logiske og fornuftige valg, besides vi har brug for Bernard i kampform næste sommer...

Independiente contrató a Pisano

BUENOS AIRES -- Independiente concretó la incorporación del mediocampista ofensivo Matías Pisano, procedente de Chacarita Juniors, de la Primera B Metropolitana, con vistas a su participación en el campeonato de la Primera B Nacional.
El futbolista, de 21 años, firmó su nuevo contrato por cuatro años en la sede de Avellaneda, luego del acuerdo alcanzado entre clubes por el 50 por ciento de su ficha.

Pisano, una apuesta de la dirigencia de Javier Cantero, se transformó entonces en el sexto refuerzo para el plantel de Miguel Angel Brindisi.

Anteriormente habían llegado los mediocampistas Martín Zapata, Franco Razzotti y Reinaldo Alderete y los delanteros Cristian Menéndez y Sebastián Penco.

Desde su debut en primera, Pisano jugó cinco temporadas en Chacarita, una de ellas en la máxima división (2009-2010).

En otro orden, quedó descartado el arribo del delantero colombiano Richard Mercado (26 años), de último paso por Montevideo Wanderers en Uruguay.

Independiente igualó 0-0 con Vélez

BUENOS AIRES -- Independiente igualó el sábado sin goles ante Vélez, en su último amistoso de preparación antes del inicio del torneo de la Primera B Nacional, en el que debutará el próximo sábado ante Brown de Adrogué.

En el encuentro entre los suplentes de ambos equipos, Vélez se impuso por 2 a 1 con dos goles del colombiano Jonathan Copete, mientras que Alexis Blanco anotó para el conjunto de Avellaneda.

En el estadio José Amalfitani, el equipo principal de Independiente formó con: Fabián Assmann; Jorge Figal, Julián Velázquez, Sergio Ojeda, Lucas Villalba; Martín Zapata, Andrés Alderete, Franco Razzotti, Juan Trejo; Daniel Montenegro; y Cristian Menéndez.

Para Vélez jugaron: Sebastián Sosa; Fabián Cubero, Sebastián Domínguez, Juan Sabia, Emiliano Papa; Francisco Cerro, Héctor Canteros, Ariel Cabral; Federico Insúa; Mauro Zárate y Lucas Pratto.

En el segundo tiempo, el técnico de Independiente, Miguel Brindisi, cambió el dibujo táctico 4-4-1-1 inicial por un 4-3-1-2 luego del ingreso de Francisco Pizzini por Alderete.

Luego, y al seguir sin encontrar profundidad, Brindisi volvió a modificar el sistema por un 3-4-1-2 con los ingresos de Leonel Miranda por Zapata y de Walter Busse por Villalba.

Antes del cierre, el técnico del equipo de Avellaneda puso a Fabián Monserrat, Marcelo Vidal (hizo algunas cosas interesantes) y Martín Benítez por Figal, Razzotti y Montenegro.

Un tiro de Lucas Pratto que tapó Assmann y uno de Pizzini que atajó Sosa le dieron algo de vivacidad a un encuentro más bien chato.

River y Racing juegan un amistoso

BUENOS AIRES -- River Plate y Racing Club cerrarán el domingo desde las 18.30 sus respectivas pretemporadas cuando se midan en un encuentro amistoso en el estadio Monumental, de cara al inicio del Torneo Inicial del fin de semana próximo.
Por el lado de River, será tiempo de observar la línea de tres defensores en el fondo que Ramón Díaz planea utilizar a lo largo del campeonato y del debut con la banda roja de Jonathan Fabbro.

En la vereda de enfrente, el equipo dirigido por Luis Zubeldía sigue sumando minutos en cancha y, tras caer hoy 2-0 ante Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, buscará pulir detalles para enfrentar a Colón en la primera fecha del Inicial.

River terminó con la parte más dura de la pretemporada en Salta y, de regreso en Buenos Aires, el equipo contará con un nuevo esquema táctico: el 3-4-2-1.

De esta manera, habrá línea de tres en el fondo, doble enganche compuesto por Fabbro y Manuel Lanzini, y Carlos Luna como único delantero a la espera de que el lunes se sume el colombiano Teófilo Gutiérrez, cuya presencia en el debut ante Gimnasia en La Plata es una incógnita.

Racing disputó dos encuentros ante Gimnasia. En cada conjunto se vio un mix entre titulares y suplentes.

La idea de Zubeldía es poner a lo mejor que tiene a disposición en defensa, haciendo descansar a los hombres de peso en ataque: Rodrigo De Paul, Luciano Vietto y Ricardo Centurión.

PROBABLES ALINEACIONES:

RIVER: Marcelo Barovero; Jonatan Maidana, Germán Pezzella, Eder Alvarez Balanta; Carlos Sánchez, Leonardo Ponzio, Cristian Ledesma, Leonel Vangioni; Jonathan Fabbro, Manuel Lanzini; y Carlos Luna. Entrenador: Ramón Díaz.

RACING: Nelson Ibáñez o Sebastián Saja; Ismael Quilez, Fernando Ortiz, Leonardo Migliónico, Claudio Corvalán; Diego Villar, Bruno Zuculini; Leonardo Rolheiser, Mario Regueiro; Gabriel Hauche y Javier Cámpora. Entrenador: Luis Zubeldía.

ÁRBITRO: Diego Abal.
CANCHA: River.
HORA: 18.30.
TV: Canal 7.

Belgrano derrotó 1-0 a Instituto

CORDOBA -- Belgrano le ganó el sábado 1-0 a Instituto, en un nuevo clásico cordobés de pretemporada que se jugó en el predio del conjunto celeste, en el barrio de Villa Esquiú.

El mediocampista Sebastián Carrera, una de las incorporaciones del equipo dirigido por Ricardo Zielinski, marcó el único gol del partido, a los 40 minutos del primer tiempo.

En el primero de los clásicos que jugó, Belgrano había perdido 1-0 frente a Talleres, recientemente ascendido a la B Nacional.

Los elegidos por Zielinski, que debutarán en el Torneo Inicial frente a Lanús, fueron: Juan Carlos Olave; Renzo Saravia, Lucas Aveldaño, Sergio Rodríguez, Federico Alvarez; Carrera, Guillermo Farré, Estebán González, Jorge Velázquez; Lucas Zelarrayán y César Pereyra.

Por su parte, Instituto, que jugará su primer partido en la B Nacional como visitante frente a Douglas Haig de Pergamino, alistó a: Julio Chiarini; Raúl Damiani, Abel Masuero, Pablo Frontini, Martín Guarino; Emiliano Tellechea, Fernando De la Fuente, Federico Vismara; Lucas Favalli, Juan Martín y Sebastián Ereros.