Snak

Chivas puts Fabian up for sale

The club has decided to part ways with the gold medal winner after he failed to meet its lofty expectations.

Chivas forward and Olympic gold medal winner Marco Fabian was named on the club’s transfer list Wednesday.

The 24-year-old Mexico international has endured a difficult time since starring at London 2012, failing to recapture the kind of form that reportedly had European clubs inquiring about him.

Fabian has made more headlines recently for his off-the-field activities, with the player publically apologizing to fans in a press conference on Sept. 5, after he turned down a move to a Qatari club, and stating he would redouble his efforts to bring Chivas success.

Widespread reports in the Mexican press suggest Club Tijuana, Club Leon, Monterrey and Tigres could be potential destinations for the playmaker, who first made a name for himself outside Mexico with two stunning goals for Chivas against Barcelona in a friendly in August 2011.

US-born left back Miguel Ponce, goalkeeper Luis Michel and promising youngster Giovani Casillas were also made available for transfer, but it was Fabian’s name that stood out.

The players could be used in exchanges with other teams to rejuvenate a squad that finished 16th in the Apertura 2013 regular season and is close to being dragged into the relegation race.

Tom Marshall: Time for change at Cruz Azul

While its issues aren´t as obvious as those faced by some of its rivals, Cruz Azul could do well to shake up its aging roster.
It would seem that the big Mexican clubs that need a rethink this offseason are Pumas and Chivas.

It is obvious that both do indeed need to work hard in buying players to improve on their dire campaigns last time out in the Apertura 2013. Pumas finished dead last in 18th, while Chivas were two places above them in 16th.

But there is also an argument that Cruz Azul – another one of Mexico’s “big four” - should make some major changes following last weekend’s 3-0 loss against Toluca and the strong likelihood that on Saturday evening after the return leg, La Maquina will have once again crashed out of title race.

On the face of it, Cruz Azul is a strong force.

The team finished the Apertura championship in fourth place in the regular season general table, is one of only three clubs – Morelia and Tigres are the others – to score 25 points or more in each of the last six seasons and was nine games undefeated coming into the disastrous match against Los Diablos Rojos.

But underneath the surface, there are problems within the squad, most noticeably the aging first team, lack of pace – Joao Rojas aside – and a culture of consistently failing in the playoffs.

The starting XI against Toluca included seven players over the age of 30 and only Rojas under the age of 26. Experience shouldn’t be undervalued, but it has to be balanced with fresher legs and Cruz Azul now has a core group of players that could do with being rejuvenated.

Jesus Corona, Gerardo Torrado, Julio Cesar Dominguez, Israel Castro, Alejandro Castro and Christian Gimenez have been the regular backbone of a desperately trying to win its first championship since 1997 for years, including as part of the heartbreaking loss in the Clausura 2013 final against America.

Interestingly, rumors of interest in Corona from Chivas have been widespread in Mexican publications, while Gimenez has also been linked with a move back to Pachuca. There would be plenty of teams interested in Dominguez, the Castros and Torrado, despite his advancing years.

Coach Guillermo “Memo” Vazquez’s time in charge could well be up if Cruz Azul can’t overturn the 3-0 gap on Saturday.

If that does prove to be the case, it would be a timely opportunity for Cruz Azul to dismantle a side that has been consistent, without being brilliant, instead of waiting for a group of players to slowly decline.

It’s time for new blood in the blue machine.

(Cruz Azul hosts Toluca in Estadio Azul at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday)

Other quarters:

Leon vs. Morelia (9 p.m. ET, Saturday)

Following Morelia’s comeback from 3-1 down to 3-3 in the first leg, the deciding game has been heating up, with Monarcas coach Carlos Bustos criticizing Leon for slamming the referee’s performance. Leon coach Gustavo Matosas responded by saying he didn’t want to get into the “mediocrity” of talking about other teams.

Crucially, Aldo Leao returns from injury for Leon.

America vs. Tigres (6 p.m. ET, Sunday)

Up to 10,000 Tigres fans are expected in Estadio Azteca on Sunday, looking to end America’s hopes of a historic 12th title. The first leg finished 2-2 in Monterrey. America coach Miguel Herrera said on Thursday he is very confident of victory, but Tigres midfielder Guido Pizarro has also stated that if his team plays as it did in the first half last Sunday, Tigres “will have a lot of chances to win.”

Santos vs. Queretaro (9 p.m. ET, Sunday)

Despite Los Guerreros letting a 3-0 lead turn into 3-2 in the first leg, Queretaro has a big task on its hands if it is to reverse the first leg deficit against a side that consistently makes the playoffs and is one of the favorites for the title.

TV Azteca buys Liga MX outfit Atlas

The Guadalajara-based side is now owned by the same company which owns Monarcas Morelia.

The Mexican first division’s multi-ownership rules were once again put under the spotlight on Monday after TV Azteca – which already owns Monarcas Morelia – bought Guadalajara-based Atlas.

The club, which was laden with debt, was bought for around 38 million U.S. dollars plus taxes, according to local media reports, although there has been no official word on the fee.

“It is a historic night, our commitment is to the fans,” club president Eugenio Ruiz Orozco told reporters at the club’s training ground. “Guadalajara is more important with Atlas.”

The sale came somewhat as a surprise despite Atlas being on the market, with the club’s previous 124 owners seemingly split on whether they should sell or not, despite years of failure at an institution whose only league title came back in 1951.

Atlas may be in better hands in terms of fighting the relegation battle that awaits next season with the financially strong media organization behind them, but the sale apparently breaks Mexico’s recently-introduced multi-ownership rules.

In May this year, Liga MX president Decio de Maria announced that multi-ownership would be ended in Mexico’s first division within five years.

One of the points of the meeting indicated: “During the next five years no owner can increase the amounts of teams they have today.”

Atlas has one of the most feted youth academies in the Liga MX, with players like Rafa Marquez, Andres Guardado, Oswaldo Sanchez and Pavel Pardo coming out of it.

Los Rojinegros play in the 1970 and 1986 World Cup venue Estadio Jalisco and have a strong local fan base known as La Fiel – The Faithful – because of continuing loyal support despite the lack of trophies.

Detenidos por violencia en el Clásico uruguayo

Diez hinchas de Peñarol están detenidos por los incidentes del pasado domingo, y dos de Nacional ya fueron procesados.

Tan clásicos como el partido mismo son, desde hace mucho tiempo, los desmanes provocados por un grupo de personas que se autodenominan hinchas y que, lejos de hacerle bien al fútbol uruguayo, se encargan de denigrarlo y dejarlo mal parado a los ojos del mundo. Mientras tanto, las autoridades promueven este tipo de actos en lugar de defender a las familias que, cada día, están más ausentes de las canchas.

Este domingo volvió a suceder. Peñarol le ganaba bien a Nacional por 3-1 (acabó 3-2), cuando el árbitro Daniel Fedorczuk fue advertido de los incidentes que se desarrollaban en la tribuna popular donde estaban los hinchas aurinegros. El partido fue detenido durante once minutos mientras los jugadores, que deberían haber sido los únicos protagonistas del clásico, miraban desde el césped cómo un grupo de energúmenos, algunos de ellos cubriendo sus cabezas con camisetas para no ser identificados por las cámaras, arrancaba butacas a mansalva, rompía caños, piletas y cuanta cosa se le ponía enfrente. Y, en algunos casos, usaron estos elementos como proyectiles para lanzar, desde lo más alto, a los efectivos policiales que estaban parados afuera del Estadio Centenario, sin ingresar, a causa de un “acuerdo previo” con los referentes de ambas barras bravas.

La hinchada tricolor ocupaba la mayor parte del estadio, por ser el local, y la raíz del problema fue que ingresó en su popular con lo que se conoce como un “trofeo”. Una bandera de su tradicional adversario, que hace referencia a un chico fallecido en otro incidente tras peleas entre ambas parcialidades hace algún tiempo.

Que hubo una provocación de un sector de la hinchada de Nacional, no cabe duda. Que otro sector de la de Peñarol reaccionó de la peor manera, tampoco. Lo insólito es que las autoridades sigan pensando que el problema pasa por ingresar con botellas, bolsos, o papeles; todos elementos incluidos en la lista de prohibidos para este partido, y no se den cuenta que mientras continúen sin tomar medidas drásticas contra el grupo de gente que sólo va al estadio para crear problemas, y se las ingenia para conseguir un proyectil aunque tenga que arrancarlo de una pared con sus propias manos, lo único que logran es alejar a los niños, a las familias, a los verdaderos hinchas del fútbol, de los escenarios deportivos.

Desde que en el año 2006, un hincha de Peñarol asesinó a uno de Cerro frente a su mujer y su hijo a pocas cuadras del Centenario, existen regulaciones contra los violentos, y promesas de implementar sanciones, que al poco tiempo quedan en el olvido. Nuevamente estas personas ingresan sin ningún tipo de problema con el apoyo de los dirigentes de los equipos, en muchos casos por amenazas y en otros por ignorancia. Es por esto, que en vez de buscar una solución, clubes y Ministerio, se acusan mutuamente.

Fuentes policiales aclararon en las últimas horas que no era necesario el ingreso de los efectivos porque “no había personas agredidas ni lesionadas dentro de la tribuna”. Y es cierto. Además de la pésima imagen que Uruguay le estaba dando al mundo, el único lesionado fue ese viejo estadio de cemento, que ni siquiera por ser un Monumento Histórico del Fútbol Mundial, y orgullo de todo el pueblo oriental por lo que significó organizar allí el Mundial de 1930, es protegido de este tipo de inadaptados. Bajo ningún concepto merecen ser llamados “hinchas”, pues como dijo el capitán de Nacional, Andrés Scotti, “los hinchas no vienen a romper el estadio”.

A estas alturas, diez hinchas de Peñarol permanecen detenidos luego de haber sido identificados a través de videos, mientras arrojaban vallas de seguridad a los policías que estaban fuera del escenario, y se espera por la decisión que la jueza a cargo tome sobre cada uno de ellos. Por el momento, ya procesó a otros dos individuos, identificados con Nacional, pero por otro problema suscitado durante el partido de la reserva, cuando intentaron cambiarse de tribuna y para lograrlo, agredieron a dos efectivos policiales.

Thank you, so much, for showing us that the “Mystique” is real

Amongst the world’s most iconic football nations, Uruguay has always had that “special” attraction for doing so much despite having such a miniscule population. Their football culture and mindset are very endearing to me (even as a person who was practically born in and grew up in Canada) and a lot of people from all corners of the globe. I first noticed it when I was 7 years old.

I had gone to watch a 1994 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers between Uruguay and Ecuador while living in Montreal. It was there that I first noticed people from different nationalities feverishly cheering for Uruguay; one from Scotland and two from Nigeria. For years, they never missed a game. When I went to the 2012 Olympic tournament in the UK, I met fans who came from very far away. Just in one game, I met feverish supporters from: China (1), Scotland (2), India (1), Japan (1), England (4). All of these people passionately spoke of the “mystique” they felt was associated with La Celeste.

The reason fans and pundits call it “mystique” is because it’s a very difficult and unique phenomenon to explain. But I think the recent “Pilsen” beer ad (celebrating the qualification to Brazil 2014) attempts to do it fairly well:
“We understand that the real flavour of victory is in trying to reproduce the impossible feats over and over again…over and over again. This is why our celebrations are so passionate, because we did it once and we know that we can do it again.”
Pilsen Ad

In a tremendous television segment, Argentinian journalist el “Tano” Fazzini tried to offer a more tangible/scientific explanation for this mystique after Uruguay eliminated Ghana in 2010.
“For Uruguay, their 12th player is the “mythological”. What is “mythology” in life? In Uruguay’s case, the “myth” is the memory of near impossible feats that are passed down every generation; from grandfathers to fathers, from fathers to sons, from sons to grandsons…And, what is “mythology”. It’s repeating what is nearly impossible so many times, that it ends up being real.”
“El Tano” Fazzini speaks after Uruguay v. Ghana

Is Uruguay’s incredible football history based on a delusion? Perhaps. But the important thing is that we, and the players have always believed in this delusion. At times, even my faith is tested. I saw Uruguay as being 95% eliminated from the FIFA World Cup last year. What Uruguay had to overcome to qualify to the 2014 FIFA World Cup is maybe the biggest obstacle I’ve ever seen Uruguay go up against; way beyond winning the last Copa America. In two words: almost impossible. What’s even more incredible is that they did it when they were at their absolute worst, vs. teams that were at their absolute best that anyone had seen in years.

I’ve been watching football for close to 22 out of my 27 years of life, and I have never seen a football team do what Uruguay did in the last half year, and to qualify to such a historically significant tournament for fans of the Sky Blue. At the moment, I’m having a hard time explaining it myself. All I know, is that this team made me believe without a doubt: the mystique is real.

And, for that, all I can say is thank you.

Chicago Fire decline option on Uruguayan international, Designated Player Arevalo Rios

Uruguayan international midfielder Arevalo Rios will likely be at the 2014 World Cup next summer. But he won´t be there as a Chicago Fire player.

The club on Monday announced that it will not be picking up the Designated Player´s contract option for the 2014 season, the first personnel moves made by new manager Frank Yallop since taking over for Frank Klopas on October 31.

Klopas brought in the 31-year-old Rios as a DP on August 14 from Italian side Palermo and the holding midfielder played a total of nine MLS matches.

The Fire also waived backup goalkeeper Paolo Tornaghi, who has been with the club since March 2012. The ex-Inter Milan netminder appeared in only nine matches for Chicago, notching a 3-4-2 record and one shutout.

Tornaghi is eligible to be selected in the MLS Waiver Draft which will take place later Monday.

Bianchi ensayó más cambios en el medio y el ataque de Boca

BUENOS AIRES -- El DT de Boca, Carlos Bianchi, realizó el viernes nuevas pruebas en el ensayo de fútbol, ya que modificó cuatro nombres, aunque igualmente el equipo titular para jugar ante Lanús, el domingo, será el que usó en la práctica del jueves con seis cambios respecto de la derrota con All Boys.

En un nuevo ensayo desarrollado en Casa Amarilla, Bianchi decidió rotar a los delanteros y los mediocampistas externos en relación a la práctica del jueves, pero lo hizo más que nada para darle minutos de fútbol a algunos jugadores que quería ver con miras a futuro.

Así, Claudio Riaño y Nicolás Blandi jugaron en el ataque por Juan Manuel Martínez y Emmanuel Gigliotti, mientras que en la línea de volantes Francesco Celeste se movió por derecha y Joel Acosta por la izquierda en reemplazo de Cristian Erbes y Juan Sánchez Miño.

De todas maneras, Gigliotti, Martínez, Sánchez Miño y Erbes, quienes igualmente serán titulares, no participaron para los suplentes sino que realizaron trabajos físicos y con pelota con Diego Rivero, Matías Caruzzo, Gonzalo Escalante y Nahuel Zárate.

En definitiva, el equipo principal que diagramó el viernes el DT formó con Agustín Orion; Leandro Marín, Ribair Rodríguez, Daniel Díaz y Emanuel Insúa; Francesco Celeste, Fernando Gago, Pablo Ledesma y Joel Acosta; Claudio Riaño y Nicolás Blandi.

Y el resultado fue muy positivo porque a diferencia del jueves que los titulares cayeron 3-1 a puertas cerradas, estos `11´ se impusieron por 4-0 ante los suplentes con goles de Acosta, Ribair, Ledesma y Blandi.

No obstante, en el equipo contrario se movieron Emanuel Trípodi; Alan Aguirre, Claudio Pérez, Guillermo Burdisso y Maximiliano Padilla; Jesús Méndez, Federico Bravo y Leandro Paredes; Iván Leszcuk, Yamil Romero y Franco Cángele.

Una vez culminado el ensayo y antes de la conferencia de prensa de Bianchi, un grupo practicó definición al arco, entre los que estaban Sánchez Miño, Erbes, Méndez, Pérez, Escalante y Rivero.

Si bien no está confirmada la alineación titular para visitar a Lanús, el domingo desde las 18.15, sería la que presentó ayer con Agustín Orion; Leandro Marín, Ribair Rodríguez, Daniel Díaz y Emanuel Insúa; Cristian Erbes, Fernando Gago, Pablo Ledesma y Juan Sánchez Miño; Juan Manuel Martínez y Emmanuel Gigliotti.

Esta formación cuenta con seis variantes en relación a la derrota por 2-0 ante All Boys, con los ingresos de Gago, Sánchez Miño, Martínez, Marín, Insúa y Díaz en reemplazo de Juan Román Riquelme, desgarrado, Nahuel Zárate, suspendido, Caruzzo, Claudio Pérez, Jesús Méndez y Claudio Riaño.

El equipo xeneize tiene 27 puntos, cuatro menos que el líder San Lorenzo, cuando apenas restan dos jornadas para el final de un campeonato en el que insinuó mucho más de lo que concretó, con derrotas inesperadas y alegrías efímeras como el triunfo en el superclásico ante River (1-0), en Núñez

Begravelse på den fede måde!

http://www.youtube.com/w…bSYr7Pil-Oo

Olimpo win relegation battle with Godoy Cruz & Racing snatch draw with Central

The pressure is piling up on Martin Palermo as his Godoy Cruz side lost in Mendoza to fellow relegation candidates, Olimpo. Defender, Dylan Gissi’s first half header was enough to earn a 1-0 win, the third on the bounce. In spite of the victory, both sides remain in the relegation zone and Palermo’s future looks a little uncertain.

Later, Racing left it late to snatch a 1-1 draw in Rosario against Central. Gonzalo Castillejos’ smart header gave the home side the lead after only 5 minutes and continued to dominate proceedings from there on. Racing have undoubtedly improved since Mostaza Merlo’s appointment but it was another limp performance undeserving of any reward. However, after both sides had seen players sent off, Gabriel Hauche popped up at the back post to convert the equaliser.


GODOY CRUZ 0 – 1 OLIMPO

http://www.youtube.com/w…S-oQiKT-DAg

ROSARIO CENTRAL 1 – 1 RACING CLUB

http://www.youtube.com/w…yLCQfuIqynY

Palermo le pegó a la dirigencia

MENDOZA -- El entrenador de Godoy Cruz, Martín Palermo, criticó esta viernes a la dirigencia del club por darle prioridad y más trascendencia a la renovación de su contrato que al delicado presente futbolístico de la institución.

"Quizás el inconsciente de estar pendiente de mi contrato y no de Godoy Cruz que se está jugando mucho influyó. Me preocupa que no nos demos cuenta de eso y que después sea demasiado tarde. No es excusa porque jugamos mal, pero hay que priorizar a Godoy Cruz", dijo un exaltado Palermo en conferencia de prensa, tras el revés por 1-0 ante Olimpo en el Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, en Mendoza.

Y comentó: "Llevamos un año en el club, queremos que se valore y respete nuestro trabajo, aunque no logramos nada porque el objetivo es dejar al club en Primera".

"No es cierto que yo me vine a hacer rico en Godoy Cruz, si no están conformes con mi trabajo que me lo digan porque yo ya estoy pensando en el próximo partido", reclamó el director técnico.

De esta manera, Palermo le contestó al presidente José Manzur, quien en la semana había asegurado que el entrenador quería "hipotecar" el futuro del club con sus pretensiones para el nuevo contrato.

"Creo que se manejó mal la situación, hace quince días había un acuerdo y ahora no sabemos porqué se volvió para atrás", argumentó el ex artillero de Boca Juniors.

Con estos cruces, todo indica que en los próximos días se confirmaría la salida de Palermo de Godoy Cruz y el nombre que cobró fuerza en Mendoza para reemplazarlo es el de Sergio Almirón, ex director técnico de Defensa y Justicia.