Snak

Ronaldo: World Cup Won´t Solve Brazil´s Problems

Brazilian football legend Ronaldo warned his compatriots on Friday that the upcoming World Cup could not solve the country´s deep-rooted social problems.

Ronaldo, a member of Brazil´s 2002 World Cup-winning side and a member of the organizing committee said only politicians could properly address issues such as poor public services and crumbling infrastructure.

"Brazilians hope the World Cup will prove the salvation of our country, with improvements in education, health and security. It will bring benefits but will not resolve our problems," Ronaldo told a forum in Sao Paulo.

The World Cup´s $11 billion price tag has fueled public anger in Brazil, the scene of massive protests during last year´s Confederations Cup, a World Cup dress rehearsal.

More recent protests have been smaller, but some have ended in violence and anti-Cup campaigners have promised more unrest when the World Cup kicks off on June 12 with Brazil taking on Croatia in Sao Paulo.

Brazilian leaders indicated when the country was awarded the tournament seven years ago that the event would be a catalyst for upgrading poor transport and urban mobility.

But many planned projects have fallen by the wayside whereas 12 high-tech stadiums have been built, some in cities with no footballing tradition.

Furthermore, several stadiums, including Sao Paulo and Curitiba, will only be ready at the last minute and protesters have slated the high cost amid evidence some were over-priced.

"I am against over-charging of works and stadiums, I am against corruption," Ronaldo insisted. "I have not done the auditing, nor signed the contracts.

"I hope the population ask ever more of our politicians. People are fed up with what is happening in the country," insisted the former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid striker, all-time top scorer at World Cup finals with 15 goals.

Can Cruz Azul break the Club World Cup curse?

LOS ANGELES -- What will Cruz Azul do at the Club World Cup? The same question has been asked year after year. The only thing that has changed is the main character: Monterrey, Pachuca, America, Atlante. But the bitterness of the outcome remains.

All have pledged to learn from their own mistakes and those of others. All, however, have stumbled in the first stage, and a few in the second stage. All have fallen into oblivion, adding to an ongoing collection of failures. It is true: Anyone who raises their hand thinking that the UEFA Champions League winner can be defeated is insane.

There is no way to compete, no matter who the European ambassador is: Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Chelsea or Atletico Madrid. Yet Cruz Azul have all the elements in their favor to play an important role in Morocco 2014.

1. Capital

Beyond the legal and labor conflict -- which has subsided but hasn´t been solved -- La Maquina has the economic power to bring new players to face the undertaking.

Note: Cruz Azul have a well-balanced roster. If there are no injuries, they will have a competitive squad, with the added advantage of one year playing together. They can add a reliable player to the roster who remains active in its reserve team and add him to the final tournament trip.

2. Time

It is not about abandoning the Apertura 2014, nor focusing in a pernicious, messy and exclusive manner on the Club World Cup.

Game dates do not interfere with each other, and, on the other hand, the Mexican tournament calendar, if properly managed, can be handled in tandem with the other competition in the second semester: the Copa MX or CONCACAF Champions League.

But there is a risk: the sometimes-disloyal greed of leaders and coaches. If they make the season-ending eight-team playoffs in the Apertura 2014, would the primary objective of the Club World Cup be thrown away for the temptation of a league title?

3. Logistics

This is often the big problem. Previous Mexican teams that have classified for the Club World Cup have saved pennies and lost dollars.

Cruz Azul should set a camp, at any competitive and financial cost, more than a week earlier in Morocco, arranging warm-up matches with local clubs, avoiding surprises concerning environment, fields, climate and even minor details like food and traditions, something that some managers have highlighted.

What is avoiding failure? It is clear: to aim for the final if the opponent in the semifinals is the Copa Libertadores champion, especially because South American clubs, upon competition completion, end up selling their best players.

Or at least avoid humiliation by the Asian, African and Oceanic opponents -- as with the aforementioned cases -- and make clear that those 30 minutes during which Atlante had Barcelona under control in the 2009 edition is nothing more than an anecdote, far away from any possible reality.

The truth is that Cruz Azul will have almost eight months to begin outlining how it wants to confront the Club World Cup, assuming that the Apertura 2014 playoffs would be played from the second week of November, if La Maquina qualifies, that is.

Liga MX Preview: Expect goals galore

Pachuca´s leading scorer, Enner Valencia, will be counted on to find a few more goals this weekend to lead Los Tuzos into the Liguilla.

Only Cruz Azul, Toluca and Pumas are guaranteed entry into the Liguilla, and only Tigres, Atlante, Puebla and Veracruz are guaranteed an omission from the list. This leaves 11 procrastinating squads to finally recognize the need for not only points, but goals as well. Five spots are left, and I hope that there will be plenty of high-scoring and exciting matches this weekend. If not, there´s always England´s Premier League.

Here are five things to consider (and watch) this weekend for the Liga MX.

1. The Friday games -- Club Queretaro vs. Pachuca, Club Tijuana vs. Leon

All right, so these are not technically on the weekend but they´re close enough. Both matches will help set the tone for the rest of the weekend, and all four squads are still in contention for making it into the Liguilla. Due to the fact that Queretaro and Pachuca both have 21 points, most squads will have their fingers crossed that their match ends in a tie. As for Tijuana and Leon, Los Xolos are flirting with a playoff spot but could still miss out through goal differential if they lose their game. Speaking of goals ...

2. Enner Valencia

It´s no secret that Enner Valencia has been on a great scoring run for Pachuca this season. He currently leads the league in goals and has been a vital member of the Pachuca squad. He may also prove to be the difference against Queretaro. Queretaro have the advantage of playing at home and also haven´t lost a game in five straight. Pachuca, on the other hand, haven´t won a match since matchday 12 and only have a tenuous grasp on eighth place because of goal difference. Valencia has scored five of Pachuca´s last five goals and will have the huge responsibility of salvaging his team.

3. Veracruz vs. Santos

I was somewhat on the fence (perhaps touchline is more appropriate) when it came to adding this match on the preview. One would assume that the game would be pretty much straightforward: Santos just need a tie, and Veracruz are essentially out ... of everything. Yet Veracruz have nothing to lose at home and this will be Santos´ fifth game in 14 days. Santos will also be attempting to bounce back from an embarrassing early exit from the Copa Libertadores earlier this week. I can see Santos almost losing the match, and I wouldn´t be too surprised if they completely fell apart.

4. Chivas vs. Monterrey

There are so many variables going into this game, which is why it makes it so exciting. It´s going to be the last game of the matchday and that means both squads will know exactly what they need to do before the match. All permutations will be considered and finalized before the kickoff. Then again, there is also a small chance that both teams will not be able to make the Liguilla before they even step onto the field. Humberto Suazo has been the newfound leader for Monterrey after his injury, and Ricardo La Volpe might shock everybody with his own leadership at Chivas.

5. Goal differential

Easy enough. With a one-point difference between seventh place and 14th place, scoring goals will be important. I know that truly feels like a simple thing to say, but it´s true. The first tiebreaker for the Liguilla is goal difference, then goals in favor, and then the scores against the squads that are tied in points. If you want to go into more detail (and if it´s still tied), it goes to the amount of goals that you scored in away games. I´m not sure what´s after that; perhaps a rock-paper-scissors game.

En sand perle af Éverito i 2-1-sejren over Tigre:

https://www.youtube.com/…kuukwPqJCyM

DEt lå vel lidt i kortene med Atl Mineiro - generelt skal alle 3 brasilianske hold stramme balderne sammen hvis de vil videre i Copa Libertadores.

Corinthians, tja de bliver vel holdet sammen med Cruzeiro og Sao Paulo alle vil slå ?

Muligvis.. Jeg synes dog, det er fo meget at forvente at man tager Mineirão med lethed overfor Cruzeiro som er utrolig konkurrencedygtige.. Samtidig så tror jeg skam godt, at de brasilianske hold nok skal klare skarene. 1-0 ude er et selvfølge samtidig så må jeg sige, at man kan sgu ikke bare fedte sig igennem Copa Libertadores - der skal sgu scores nogle mål.

Corinthians er stærke i år, uheldigvis... Lad os se om de dog kan få spillet holdet sammen. Mano Menezes har ikke fået en drømmestart.

Iøvrigt, et lille interview af en Flamengo fan inden kampen mod Corinthians!

http://kanalsport.dk/ind…-haard-duel

Supermål af Banega....

NPATO: Mjaeh Corinthians, Atl Mineiro og Cruzeiro er vel favoritterne på den lange bane , håber dog at Gremio overhaler dem inden om.

Ved sgu ikke rigtit med Copa Libertadores, tror Atl Ncional bliver en svær nød at knække for Mineiro - ny træner osv. La Olla I Asuncion er også et svært sted at spille - Cruzeiro kan næppe holde paraguyanerne fra at score ihvertfald en gang.

Tror Gremio har de bedste chancer, men lad os nu se...

Gennem sympatisk fyr i interviewet - lidt femset at håbe på en top 4 placering og sige at Top 10 er godkendt - næh vi går efter titlen hvorefter alt over nedrykningsstregen efterfølgende er godkendt.

Atlético-MG skal have noget ny energi, så et farvel til Autuori var forventeligt. Det fremadrettede fodbold, som klubben viste sidste sæson, er helt væk, og det er underligt med profiler som Ronaldinho, Diego Tardelli, Fernandinho og Jô. Nu har klubben hentet en gammel kending i Levir Culpi, som førte ´Galo´ tilbage til den brasilianske elite i 2006 via en førsteplads i Serie B . Det er fjerde gang at Culpi og Atlético skal arbejde sammen.

Jeps, Andreas er en super flink fyr. Han står bag siden

http://crflamengo.dk/.

Eneste minus om denne flamenguista er at jeg skylder han en iskold chopp pga. det offsidemål, som Flamengo hældte ind i overtiden mod Vasco. Det betød, at mit hold blev snydt for titlen.

Grêmios U17 kvalificerede sig til pokalfinalen ved at besejre FLU 5-3 over de to kampe. NPatos grimme ællinger skal nok op mod Atlético-MG, som lammetævede Flamengo med 6-1 i det første opgør i Rio. Der er returkamp i dag i Divinópolis.

Her er det bedste mål fra det første møde:
https://www.youtube.com/…rbrmE8byxgQ

@ DeportivoFAS

Mht. Argentina.
Ja, man mangler lidt klasse i forhold til hvad vi plejer at kunne forvente af Argentina. Jeg synes egentlig at man har en del gode midterforsvarere rundt omkring i gode klubber i Europa. Måske ikke de helt store "navne", men gode solide spillere der begår sig godt på gode hold i de store ligaer. Musacchio i Villareal, Rodriguez i Fiorentina, Fazio i Sevilla, Garay i Benfica med flere. Alligevel spiller Fernandez, som ikke har været fast mand i Napoli og Basanta...
Til gengæld ser det lidt tyndere ud på backerne, selvom Zabaleta har vist klassen for Manchester City, men ham bruger han jo også på midtbanen engang imellem.

På midtbanen er det lidt "de brudte løfters klub". Banega og Gago har aldrig indfriet de store forventninger man havde til dem og Biglia er bare ikke helt på det niveau man, eller måske bare det som jeg forventer af en central midtbanespiller for Albicelestes.
Jeg synes måske også at Sabella engang imellem foretager sig nogle besynderlige valg - Hvad i alverden skulle Rodrigo Brana og Leandro Somoza eksempelvis lige pludselig udtages for i efteråret?

Samba

Det må man da give Mineiro-spilleren han er hurtig på fødderne. Angående Andreas den kære Flamenguista, mon ikke han forbarmer sig over dig - han ved jo godt FLA vandt mesterskabet på et mål selv Stevie Wonder kunne se var off-side.


Viola

problemet er vel at hovedparten af de spillere du nævner ikke har fået chancen under Sabella, Musacchio, Fazio i særdeleshed - har Musacchio overhovedet fået en kamp under Sabella - jeg ved Fazio har været ude at klage sin nød - ellers er der vel også en Lisandro López.

Der er vel også den mulighed at Sabella og Messi har indgået den her unholy Alliance som Bilardo og Diego også havde sin tid - det kostede jo Passarella en plads i startopstilling i 86. Der vist ingen tvivl om at Messi har en del at skulle have sagt når det kommer til landsholdsudtagelserne. Gago og Banega, Biglia bør under normale omstændigheder ikke være landsholdsmateriale for et hold som Argentina. Braña er en Sabella opfindelse fra hans tid i Estudiantes (men var inde omkring landsholdholdet under Maradona) og Somoza har været inde omkring landsholdet tidligere kan ikke huske om det var i Batista´s eller Basile´s tid men det ligger år tilbage, men de har vel været set som back ups /ertatninger for Mascherano. Ligesom Diego var opmærksom på problemet 2010 så har Sabella problemer med den defensive midt i 2014 ...de er simpelthen for svage rent defensivt til jeg tror de kan vinde - heldigvis for det.