· Hull boss Brown rues ref's penalty U-turn

Hull City boss Phil Brown claimed to be bemused after being awarded then denied a late penalty in Tuesday night's defeat by Aston Villa.

Hull were beaten 1-0 after a drab Premier League encounter at the KC Stadium burst into life in the final two minute

Villa snatched what turned out to be the winner in the 88th minute when Kamil Zayatte turned Ashley Young's cross into his own net.

But there was still time for more drama as referee Steve Bennett pointed to the spot after ruling that Young had handled on his own line in injury-time.

Villa protested and Bennett changed his mind after consulting with his assistant, who correctly had seen the ball hit the bar and not Young's hand.

Brown conceded the ''harsh reality'' was that the final decision was correct but he was unhappy at the about-turn.

''People will end up talking about the penalty decision which wasn't,'' said Brown, who got into an argument over the matter with a journalist in his post-match press conference.

''It's beyond me whether it was a penalty or it wasn't - he's given it. A referee gives a penalty and then a linesman tells you it's not.

''Some days you get bad days at the office because of referees, other days you get bad days at the office because of players. Today was a good day at the office from the players and not so good from the ref.''

Brown was at least pleased with the performance of his players after their 5-1 thrashing at Manchester City on Boxing Day.

Brown, who made five changes following their Eastlands humiliation, said: ''What is relevant is that is a great performance from Hull City and one I am quite proud of.

''I'm quite pleased with the mentality, quite pleased with the response.''

Victory lifted Villa back into fourth and left them well-placed to launch a serious push for a Champions League place in 2009.

It also proved Villa's continued determination to fight for the full 90 minutes after a late win over West Ham and last-gasp draw against Arsenal.

Manager Martin O'Neill said: ''It's not like us to have a bit of drama at the end. We didn't play well in the match. We left a wee bit behind at Villa Park against Arsenal, and that's maybe understandable.

''We didn't play well enough, but suddenly when it looked like the game was maybe heading for stalemate, Ashley Young produces a piece of magic, absolutely brilliant.

''We get the goal, then we had the drama at the end. I've no idea why Ashley put his hand in the air. He is a very intelligent player, especially when we came up the corridor and said he knew it was going over the bar.

''He wouldn't have been on the bus coming home tonight! But the referee has been exceptionally courageous to change his mind. It is a very brave decision. It turns out it was right but it was delight turned to despair and despair back to delight for us.''

Young praised the decision of Bennett to reverse the penalty verdict.

''I didn't touch it with my hand, you can clearly see it was going over,'' Young told Sky Sports.

''The referee deserves a lot of credit. I was just seeing it out and we got our reward at the end of the day. It's clear, I think, that it's hit the bar and gone over. The referee has given the penalty then changed his mind and he deserves credit for that.''

No Real offer for Valencia yet, says agent

Wigan Athletic winger Luis Antonio Valencia would jump at the chance to join Real Madrid, according to his agent.

However, Diego Herrera also revealed that there has been no official bid for his client, despite the €17 million figure that is rumoured to have been agreed.

"It would be a dream for Antonio to move to Real Madrid: a very beautiful opportunity," Herrera said. "But until there is something official I don't want to say anything."

"When there is an official announcement from someone with authority at Madrid, called (Pedro) Mijatovic or (Carlos) Bucero, telling us of an offer, then we will talk.

"I have understood that Madrid want to close the signing that they are chasing during the first week of January," Herrera told AS. "We will see what will happen in the next few days."

On Monday one of Valencia's other advisors, Pedro Romero, claimed that the Ecuador international was refusing to speak about the proposed transfer as a mark of respect to Wigan.

"Valencia would prefer to stay on the margins and let things happen naturally as he doesn't want his words to be misinterpreted," Romero said.

"In addition, he wants to focus solely on Wigan and put to one-side all rumours about his transfer."

Real Madrid have already made two signings ahead of the January transfer window, bringing in Lassana Diarra and Klaas Jan Huntelaar.

However, the club are currently at loggerheads with UEFA over the regulation that states that only one player who has already played in Europe this season can be registered for the Champions League.

Diarra and Huntelaar were both involved in the UEFA Cup with former clubs Portsmouth and Ajax.

The signing of Valencia would pose no such problems.

The winger moved to Wigan initially on a season-long loan deal in 2006, which was then extended into the following season before the Premier League club shelled out an undisclosed fee for the former Villarreal player.

Reds vow to back Gerrard

Liverpool will give captain Steven Gerrard "all the support he needs" after the England star was charged with assault and affray on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old international midfielder was charged in relation to an incident at a Southport bar in the early hours of Monday morning that left the venue's DJ requiring hospital treatment.

A club spokesman told the Liverpool Echo: "Steven has been an outstanding servant to Liverpool for the last 10 years and the club will give him all the support he needs at this time."

The Merseyside police confirmed the Reds captain was charged along with two other men who had also been arrested after a "disturbance" that resulted in 34-year-old Marcus McGee suffering facial injuries.

Gerrard, who was released from Southport police station on Tuesday morning, was at the restaurant and bar - which turns into a nightclub - with friends to celebrate Liverpool's 5-1 win over Newcastle United.

In a statement, a Merseyside Police spokesman said: "Merseyside Police has charged Steven Gerrard, 28 years, of Formby, Sefton, John Doran, 29, and Ian Smith, 19 years, both from Huyton, Liverpool, with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray following an incident at Bold Street in Southport in the early hours of Monday, December 29.

"The three men will be appearing at North Sefton Magistrates' Court on January 23."

The spokesman said Gerrard and the two other men had been bailed and three other men who were arrested in connection with the incident were released on police bail pending further inquiries.

After the game on Sunday Gerrard, who scored twice, hailed his table-topping side as the best he has played in.

But several hours later he was apparently caught up in an altercation outside the Lounge Inn in Bold Street.

Police were called and arrested six men on suspicion of assault in nearby Lord Street.

The town centre business remained shut on Monday but evidence of a fight inside could be seen through the windows.

Spots of blood were clearly visible on the floor, along with shards of broken glass.

Gerrard has been capped by England 70 times and has captained his country on four occasions.

He was made an MBE last year and received an honorary fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University.

Liverpool's next match is against Preston in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Kinnear says Shay will stay at Newcastle

Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear has insisted goalkeeper Shay Given will not be sold during the winter transfer windowThe 32-year-old Republic of Ireland international has been heavily linked linked with north London duo Arsenal and Tottenham in recent weeks with some reports suggesting he wanted to leave St James' Park after eleven years at the club.

Hard cash is at a premium despite owner Mike Ashley's decision to take the club off the market and speculation has placed an £8million price tag on Given's head.

Given turned in a remarkable individual display against Liverpool on Sunday and yet still ended up on the wrong end of a 5-1 scoreline, yet Kinnear says he has no intention of allowing him to leave St James' Park.

Kinnear told The Journal: "There is no problem there. He's very happy here, he's very comfortable at Newcastle United.

"He won't be leaving - he has no interest in that whatsoever. He loves the football club - he's part of the city and that suits us because he's a world-class goalkeeper.

"Shay's performance against Liverpool was brilliant and that got picked up on.

"But ask the Geordie fans and I think they already knew how good he is. They know their football, so to be one of their favourites says it all about how good he is.

"He's the best goalkeeper in the Premier League by a mile."

Scolari calls team meeting at Chelsea

Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari says his players have reacted with a 'positive' response to a team meeting called after Sunday's 2-2 draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage.
.Scolari gave his players a day off but they returned to Cobham on Tuesday for the team meeting and training session after Chelsea allowed a 2-1 lead to slip in the final moments of the game against Fulham.

Scolari and his players took an in-depth look at all aspects of the game as they prepared to face Southend in the FA Cup third round at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

"Before we went to training, we had a good team meeting," said Scolari.

"Since Sunday I have had the chance to watch again the Fulham game and yesterday, with my players, we talked about all of that game before going out for a good training session.

"Now we begin to look ahead to my first FA Cup game, against Southend, a game we must be ready for, as if we are playing a team in first, second or third position in the Premier League."

There were a number of absentees from the session with Brazilian defender Alex and winger Florent Malouda, both hamstring injury victims in Sunday's 2-2 draw, out of action.

However, Ricardo Carvalho, who replaced Alex on Sunday, was able to put more work in towards full fitness.

english premier league

Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Final	Hull City	0 - 1	Aston Villa	Kingston Communications Stadium (24,727)

english premier league

Monday, December 29, 2008

	Manchester United	1 - 0	Middlesbrough	Old Trafford (75,294)

english premier league (round 20)

Sunday, December 28, 2008
	Newcastle United	1 - 5	Liverpool	St James` Park (52,114)
	West Bromwich Albion	2 - 0	Tottenham Hotspur	The Hawthorns (26,344)
	West Ham United	2 - 1	Stoke City	Upton Park (34,477)
	Arsenal	1 - 0	Portsmouth	Emirates Stadium (60,092)
	Bolton Wanderers	0 - 1	Wigan Athletic	Reebok Stadium (23,726)
	Everton	3 - 0	Sunderland	Goodison Park (39,146)
	Fulham	2 - 2	Chelsea	Craven Cottage (25,462)

English premier league

Friday, December 26, 2008



Portsmouth 1 - 4 West Ham United Fratton Park (20,102)


Chelsea 2 - 0 West Bromwich Albion Stamford Bridge (43,417)



Tottenham Hotspur 0 - 0 Fulham White Hart Lane (35,866)



Wigan Athletic 2 - 1 Newcastle United The JJB Stadium (20,266)


Liverpool 3 - 0 Bolton Wanderers Anfield (43,548)


Manchester City 5 - 1 Hull City City of Manchester Stadium (45,196)


Middlesbrough 0 - 1 Everton The Riverside Stadium (30,253)


Sunderland 0 - 0 Blackburn Rovers Stadium of Light (44,680)


Aston Villa 2 - 2 Arsenal Villa Park (42,585)

Home	score	away	group
beardeux	1-1	chelsea	A
Cfr Cluj	1-3	roma	A

Home	score	away	group
villareal	0-0	manutd	E
aalborg	2-1	celtic	E

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Final

CSKA Moscow
2 - 1
Lech Poznan

Second Round Group H

Luzhniki Stadium (10,800)






Final

MSK Zilina
0 - 0
Slavia Prague

Second Round Group F

Pod Dubnon (8,789)







Final

Schalke 04
0 - 2
Man City

Second Round Group A

Veltins Arena (54,142)






Final

Galatasaray
0 - 1
FC Metalist Kharkiv

Second Round Group B

Ali Sami Yen Stadium (20,000)







Final

NEC Nijmegen
0 - 1
Tottenham

Second Round Group D

De Goffert (12,500)









Final

Dinamo Zagreb
0 - 1
Spartak Moscow


Second Round Group D

Maksimir Stadium (12,000)






Final

Sampdoria
1 - 1
VfB Stuttgart

Second Round Group C

Luigi Ferraris (15,000)

Final

Partizan Belgrade
0 - 1
Standard Liege

Second Round Group C

FK Partizan Stadium (14,210)

Final

Olympiacos
5 - 1
Benfica

Second Round Group B

Karaiskakis Stadium (33,000)

Final

Club Brugge
1 - 1
St Etienne

Second Round Group G

Jan Breydel Stadium (21,381)

Final

Rosenborg
0 - 4
Valencia

Second Round Group G

Lerkendal (14,549)

Final

PSG
2 - 2
Racing Santander

Second Round Group A

Parc des Princes (25,000)

Final

Hamburg SV
0 - 1
Ajax Amsterdam

Second Round Group F

HSH Nordbank Arena (51,200)

Final

Deportivo La Coruña
3 - 0
Feyenoord Rotterdam

Second Round Group H

Riazor (20,000)

Final

Portsmouth
2 - 2
AC Milan

Second Round Group E

Fratton Park (20,403)

Final

Braga
2 - 3
VfL Wolfsburg

Second Round Group E

Estadio Municipal de Braga (7,294)

Drogba sets 10-day deadline on Chelsea future

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba will decide on his future within the next 10 days, according to his agent Thierno Seydi.


Drogba has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge since launching a scathing attack on the club over the way they parted company with former coach Jose Mourinho early last season and vowing to leave.


The Ivory Coast international also did himself no favours as he was sent off in the Champions League final defeat to Manchester United at the end of the campaign.

Barcelona, AC Milan and Inter Milan are all reportedly interested in Drogba, but his agent now claims he could decide to remain at the Blues.

'Didier has given himself 10 days,' Seydi told France Football. 'If nothing happens he'll stay at Chelsea and extend his contract by two years.

'He doesn't see himself starting training in a few days with Chelsea and then leaving to a new club.

'The reality of November is not that of today. At the time Didier was affected by departure of Jose Mourinho who he was very close to.

'Today, there is nothing to say that he won't stay at Chelsea.'

Drogba has seemed destined for the Stamford Bridge exit door for months but recently looked to be reconsidering his options.

New Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari claimed at his official unveiling that Drogba was still '200% in his plans', and the Blues have reportedly offered the 30-year-old a big-money deal to remain at the club.

Meanwhile, Drogba is also aware of the Marseille fans' audacious bid to bring him back to the club he left four years ago. The supporters have launched an appeal to raise the £22million they feel is needed to buy the forward.

According to his agent, Drogba has praised the fans for their initiative but is upset they have had to resort to such a scheme.

'OM would have difficulty paying the player's transfer and salary,' added Seydi. 'The 'Drogbathon' really touched him.

'He found the initiative nice but pitiful, because that shows a bit that OM and French clubs have real difficulties in attracting great players.'

Robinho is worth more than £47.5m - Calderon

Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has claimed Brazil international Robinho is worth more than the £47.5million price tag placed on him by the media.
There have been reports Chelsea have offered that amount for the 24-year-old forward, although the Premier League club have denied the suggestion.
It has also been mooted Robinho could be included in a deal to try to bring Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo to the Bernabeu.
But when quizzed about the player's situation and the supposed big-money offer for his services, Calderon said: 'There is nothing new about Robinho.
'He is not upset with Real Madrid. He has told us that he is happy to continue with us.
'We are going to give him the affection that he deserves because it has been suggested that on occasion he felt he has not had it.
'I think that he is worth more than 60million [euros], there are few players like him.'
Calderon was also asked about how much the Spanish champions would be willing to pay for United ace Ronaldo.
It has been claimed that Madrid would be willing to splash out a world record £80million on the 23-year-old, but Calderon continued to insist the matter was out of their hands.
'We cannot pay anything because he is a player who is not for sale,' Calderon was quoted as saying by Spanish media.
'It is not a matter for Real Madrid but for Manchester (United) and the player. If he wants to go, then we will be alert as long as it's for a reasonable price.

Benfica poised to complete swoop for Aimar

ZARAGOZA, July 16 (Segunda Division) - Pablo Aimar is poised to complete his deal from Real Zaragoza to Benfica after the clubs agreed a deal on Wednesday.
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The 28-year-old announced his intention to leave the Spanish side soon after they were relegated, with Lisbon giants Benfica instantly showing their interest in the player.
The delay in the clubs reaching an agreement had reportedly attracted the attention of Newcastle and Everton, but now it seems the transfer to Portugal is all but completed.
Zaragoza communications director Luis Sol said: 'He is about to sign a contract with Benfica.
'Between Zaragoza and Benfica everything is sorted out. The doors are open for Aimar to become Benfica player.
'At around 6.30pm Aimar was in Soria with his team-mates, but he received a phone call and travelled to Zaragoza.
'The only information we have is that between both clubs, everything is resolved. This is the reason he went to meet the Benfica board.
'He might travel to Lisbon (on Wednesday night) with (Benfica sporting director) Rui Costa.
Reports in Portugal suggest that Aimar will be offered a three-year contract, and the Lisbon-based club will pay Zaragoza around 7.5million euros.

Mourinho ready to up ante in Lampard chase

Jose Mourinho is preparing to step up his bid to be reunited with Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard at Inter Milan next season.

Lampard, 30, has not signed a fresh contract at Stamford Bridge and Inter coach Mourinho is ready to bide his time to sign him before the end of the next campaign, when he would be available on a Bosman free transfer.
'The transfer market is open until August 31 and we need a midfielder,' said the former Chelsea boss on the opening day of Inter's pre-season training.
'Lampard is a Chelsea player but I have worked really well with him. I also like Ricardo Quaresma but he is at Porto.'
Chelsea have not indicated a willingness to sell, although new boss Luiz Felipe Scolari has added Deco to his midfield options for next season.
Another new signing is right-back Jose Bosingwa, who was previously linked with Manchester United.
The Portugal international said: 'I came to the club that showed more interest in me and I heard about United only in the press and I came to the right club who came to speak to me.
'I knew there was interest from other clubs but never spoke to United or any other club.'
It means he could be playing against Cristiano Ronaldo rather than with him, should the Portugal winger remain at Old Trafford rather than move to Real Madrid.
'It's good for the English league to have him here but it's not my decision,' Bosingwa said.
'Usually we train in the same team so I don't have to face him in training!'
Aside from Ronaldo, one player Bosingwa rates highly is Blackburn winger Morten Gamst Pedersen, who he believes will be a tricky customer.
'He's very fast and the way he plays, he's not typical left winger and likes to bring you into the game and cross the ball very quickly,' Bosingwa said.

Wenger 'comfortable' with Hleb exit

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has described himself as 'comfortable' with the decision to sell Alexander Hleb to Barcelona.
The Belarus midfielder joined Mathieu Flamini in leaving Emirates Stadium since the end of last season and although Wenger had initially been keen to retain his services, he was content with the terms of a deal worth an initial £11.8million, rising to a possible £13.5million.
Barca formally unveiled the 27-year-old yesterday and while his former club responded by thanking him for his efforts during his time in England, Wenger insisted he had no regrets over the transfer.
'We must firstly thank Alex for his contribution towards Arsenal during his time with us.
'He played a significant role in the three seasons he was with the club.
'We are comfortable with our decision to let him go and we are all looking forward to continuing our preparations for the new season ahead.
'Everyone at Arsenal wishes Alex the best of luck for the future.'
Hleb, meanwhile, has set his sights on helping Barcelona return to their trophy-winning ways after completing his 'dream' move to the Catalan giants.
'I want to give my best for this club. I have realised a dream. My aim is to win many trophies,' he said.
Hleb also hopes his versatility will be an asset to new Barca coach Pep Guardiola, insisting he is willing to play anywhere on the pitch.
'I am ready to play in any position, I am available to the the coach to play in any position, including goalkeeper,' he joked during his presentation.
Former Gunners skipper Gilberto Silva is another player on his way out and is likely to be unveiled as a Panathinaikos player later today.
The Brazilian anchor man flew into Greece yesterday and is close to finalising a deal that would make him the country's highest-paid player.
The 31-year-old is set to undergo a medical before signing a three-year contract with the Athens club.
PAO president Nikos Pateras met with Gilberto's representatives last week and thrashed out a deal after Arsenal accepted an offer of around £1million to bring to an end a six-year stay with the Gunners.
Gilberto was overwhelmed by the reception he received at Athens Eleftherios Venizelos airport and was whisked away by Pana officials without making any statements to the local media.
Barring any last-minute changes, the World Cup winner will ink a deal that will see him earn £6million over the course of his contract.
Despite being made vice captain of Arsenal in 2006, Gilberto found himself on the fringes of the first team last season due to the presence of Cesc Fabregas and the emergence of Flamini, who has since left the club and been replaced by France midfielder Samir Nasri.

Ronaldinho to be unveiled at AC Milan

MILAN, July 16 (Serie A) - Ronaldinho will be formally unveiled as an AC Milan player on Thursday evening, the club have confirmed.


The Barcelona star spent Wednesday in Milan undergoing a medical and will now be presented to the Rossoneri fans at 9.30pm on Thursday.


The club posted a statement on their website, saying: 'Ronaldinho will be unveiled tomorrow (Thursday) at the San Siro Stadium at 21.30 to his new fans.

'The entrance will be free for all Rossoneri fans.'

Ronaldinho has always professed his desire to join the Rossoneri and he backed up his words with actions when he renounced his right to 15% of the transfer fee in order to facilitate a move to the San Siro.

Manchester City offered considerably more than the 21 million euros which Milan are prepared to pay, but the Brazilian confirmed he was only interested in joining the San Siro club, with a three-year contract thought to be on the table.

'I can confirm that I strongly wanted to join AC Milan,' he said. 'It's true.

'Many things have happened but in the end I have become a Rossonero player.

'I am happy to find so many Brazilians but also all the champions that wear the Rossoneri colours.'

Now the 28-year-old is determined to rediscover his magic at Milan, after his last campaign in Spain was marred by injuries and poor form at the Nou Camp.

'I am really happy,' said Ronaldinho.'After many years I am here.

'I am delighted to have arrived to AC Milan and I hope to be able to give a lot of joy to everyone.'

Milan showed their commitment to the player by announcing they will allow him to play for Brazil at the Olympics, delaying his debut for the club.

Ronaldinho was included in his country's squad for the tournament as an overage player and had been in a dispute with Barcelona over his desire to play in China. But his new employers do not want to get off on the wrong foot with their new star signing.

'We respect the obligation that he took on before he came to Milan,' said club vice president Adriano Galliani. 'If he had already been a Rossonero, we would not have let him go, but as he is joining us later we will let him go to the Olympics.'

Coach Carlo Ancelotti put a positive spin on allowing the forward to play for his country.

'It is a chance for him to find his fitness,' Ancelotti said. 'When he comes back he will be ready. He will only need to learn his place in our system.'

Earlier, Ronaldinho issued an apology for making the Milan fans wait so long to greet him - a wait which will now go on one day longer.

'I am sorry if I made you wait,' he told Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport. 'But the facts have shown that I always wanted Milan.

'It's not the moment to talk about Barcelona because I want to enjoy this new page in my life.

'I will only say that to Milan I promise a lot of effort, not only my technical skills.'

Ronaldinho joins fellow Brazilians Kaka, Dida, Emerson and Alexandre Pato at the Serie A giants.

And Kaka was delighted at the arrival of his compatriot.

'I'm very happy with the arrival of Ronaldinho, who brings a lot of talent and quality to Milan and who will put us in a position to fight for titles,' he said in a press statement.

Arsenal's Gilberto to seal Panathinaikos deal

Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva is set to be unveiled by Panathinaikos tomorrow after flying into Athens tonight.
The 31-year-old Arsenal is set to undergo a medical before signing a three-year contract in a move which will cost the Athens club a reported total of around £7.9million.
PAO president Nikos Pateras met with Gilberto's representatives last week and thrashed out a deal after Arsenal accepted an offer of around £1million to bring to an end a six-year stay with the Gunners.
Gilberto was overwhelmed by the reception he received at Athens Eleftherios Venizelos airport and was whisked away by Pana officials without making any statements to the local media.
Barring any last-minute changes, the World Cup winner will ink a deal that will see him earn £6million over the next three years, making him by far the best paid player in the country.
Despite being made vice captain of Arsenal in 2006, Gilberto found himself on the fringes of the first team last season due to the presence of Cesc Fabregas and the emergence of Mathieu Flamini, who has since left the club and been replaced by France midfielder Samir Nasri.
After beginning his career in 1997 with America Mineiro, Gilberto moved to Atletico Mineiro three years later. He earned a starting berth in the Brazil team that won the 2002 World Cup.
His displays in Japan and Korea were rewarded by a move to Arsenal that summer and he went on to win one Premier League title and two FA Cups with Arsene Wenger's men.

Hleb signs for bercelona for 4 years

Alexander Hleb has set his sights on helping Barcelona return to their trophy-winning ways after completing his 'dream' move to the Catalan giants from Arsenal.
Hleb was unveiled as Barca's fifth signing of the summer on Wednesday evening after penning a four-year contract, and he will join Seydou Keita, Gerard Pique, Martin Caceres and Daniel Alves in a new-look squad next season.
The Belarus international's arrival is part of a major summer overhaul by Barca following two seasons without winning a trophy, and it is that situation that Hleb is hoping to change.
'I want to give my best for this club. I have realised a dream. My aim is to win many trophies,' said the 27-year-old, whose transfer will cost Barca an initial 15 million euros, rising to 17m depending on how successful the club is during his stint.
Hleb also hopes his versatility will be an asset to new Barca coach Pep Guardiola, insisting he is willing to play anywhere on the pitch.
'I am ready to play in any position, I am available to the the coach to play in any position, including goalkeeper,' he joked during his presentation.
Hleb joins Barca after three years with Arsenal, who he joined from German side Stuttgart before going on to make 129 appearances for the Gunners.
He also became the first Belarusian to appear in a Champions League final when he faced Barcelona in Paris in 2006, a match which Arsenal lost 2-1.
Also part of the Gunners side on that day was Thierry Henry, who will now be Hleb's team-mate again at Barca.
'I hope that he helps me to adapt to the city and the club,' Hleb said of the France international, who moved from Arsenal to Barca last summer.
Barcelona sporting director Txiki Begiristain was pleased with Hleb's acquisition, and believes he will have little trouble settling into the team's style of play.
'He is Barca-style player - he is very technical, intelligent and has good movement. This is a reinforcement of quality and will create a lot of competition,' said Begiristain.
Hleb's former coach at Arsenal Arsene Wenger also spoke highly of the midfielder, who was voted Belarusian footballer of the year in 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006
'We must firstly thank Alex for his contribution towards Arsenal Football Club during his time with us,' Wenger said.
'Alex played a significant role in the three seasons he was with the club. We are comfortable with our decision to let him go and we are all looking forward to continuing our preparations for the new season ahead.'

Klinsmann satisfied with debut Bayern win

Jurgen Klinsmann declared himself satisfied after his first game in charge of Bayern Munich ended in a 7-1 win over SV Lippstadt of the German sixth division on Sunday.

Bayern were without the likes of Luca Toni, Lukas Podolski, Philipp Lahm, Miroslav Klose, Bastian Schweinsteiger and the injured Franck Ribery.
But Thomas Muller bagged a hat-trick, Andreas Ottl scored twice and Toni Kroos and Deniz Yilmaz also netted as Klinsmann gave his youngsters a chance to impress at the Stadion Am Waldschlosschen.
'It was interesting for us to see today how, after two weeks of training, the team puts a few things into practice, how the boys are, how their play without the ball is, how they look for and support each other,' Klinsmann said after the game.
'From that point of view it was actually a really top game.'

Eintracht Frankfurt complete Liberopoulos deal

Eintracht Frankfurt have signed veteran Greece striker Nikos Liberopoulos following his release by AEK Athens.
The 32-year-old, who has racked up 60 caps for his country, has signed a two-year contract with the Bundesliga outfit.
Eintracht coach Friedhelm Funkel told the club's official website: 'Due to his age and his great experience we are convinced that he can help us further. He is a classic spearhead for the attack.'
Liberopoulos scored 148 goals in 350 games in the Greek top flight during spells with AEK, Panathinaikos and Kalamata.

Sampdoria planning audacious Shevchenko swoop

Sampdoria general manager Beppe Marotta has revealed his club are plotting an audacious swoop for Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko.

Shevchenko has spent two difficult seasons in the Premier League after making the move from AC Milan to London for £30 million in 2006, and has been linked with a return to his former employers at the San Siro.

ue appearances for the Blues, admits he misses life in Italy but Chelsea
The 31-year-old, who has scored just nine goals in 47 Premier Leaghave so far resisted pressure to offload the underperforming hitman.

Marotta feels his club can succeed where Milan have failed by luring Shevchenko back to Italy on a loan deal, although he concedes the Ukrainian's wage demands could prove to be a stumbling block

'We want to solve our problems in front of goal with a player capable of exciting the crowd but who can also score plenty of goals,' Marotta told Italian newspaper Secolo XIX.

'Sheva would be proud to join us, but the problem would be his wages.

'Lots of great players like Samp and the transfer is a complete possibility.'

Last season the Italian club managed to rescue another striker from a difficult situation overseas when they signed Antonio Cassano from Real Madrid.

Marotta believes the lessons learned from that deal will give his club confidence as they try to prise Shevchenko from Chelsea.

'We're in the same situation with Sheva [as we were with Cassano],' he continued.

'The transfer of Cassano was difficult to carry out but he came here, so never say never.'

Flamengo planning move for Milan's Ronaldo

Flamengo have declared their intention to sign Ronaldo when the striker returns to full fitness.
The Brazilian star's contract with AC Milan expired at the end of June, leaving the 31-year-old as a free agent for the first time in his career.
He is still recovering from a serious left knee injury, but once he is back in shape, Flamengo are ready to snap him up.
'We have talked to Ronaldo's agent,' Fla president Marcia Braga said to globoesporte.com. 'Once he has recovered and ready to play we are going to sit and discuss his contract.'
Ronaldo has not played since February, and is rehabilitating in Brazil under the watch of physio Bruno Mazziotti and Brazil and Flamengo doctor Jose Luiz Runco.

Robinho insists his future is at Real Madrid

Robinho insists he wants to stay at Real Madrid next season and not be used in any deal to bring Cristiano Ronaldo to the Bernabeu.

Robinho's future in Spain has been cast into doubt with media speculation suggesting he could be the fall guy in Madrid's pursuit of Manchester United ace Ronaldo.
One option appears that Robinho will be sold to another club in order to help fund a big-money bid for Ronaldo, while it has also been mooted that the 24-year-old Brazilian could be included in a part-exchange deal for the Portugal international.
However, Robinho, who has been linked to Premier League side Chelsea, is adamant that neither of those options are preferable to him, telling Spanish newspaper AS: 'I hope to remain at Real Madrid this year.
'Now I am only thinking about Madrid. I am not prepared to enter into the operation to sign Cristiano.'

Beckham backs Casillas for Ballon D'Or glory

David Beckham has backed the claims of Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas to win the Ballon D'Or as footballer of the year.

Although Manchester United ace Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably favourite to claim France Football magazine's coveted award, Casillas also looks to have a solid case for taking over the mantle currently held by Brazilian ace Kaka.
Not only did Casillas help Madrid defend their Primera Liga title last season, but he also won the 'Zamora' award as the goalkeeper with the best goals-against average in the Spanish top flight, conceding just 32 in 36 league goals.
In addition to that, the 27-year-old then captained Spain to glory at Euro 2008 the summer, helping the Iberian nation end a 44-year long wait to win a major trophy.
Many at Madrid believe Casillas deserves to be the first goalkeeper since Russian legend Lev Yashin in 1963 to be win the Ballon D'Or, and Beckham is also of that mind.
'I hope so. He is hugely talented, is a great goalkeeper and a great person. And it would be good if a goalkeeper won it,' said Beckham, who played alongside Casillas for four years at the Bernabeu, in Marca.
'We shall see what happens, but I hope that he wins the Ballon D'Or, he deserves it'
Beckham also admitted to the Spanish newspaper that he would relish the chance to return to Real Madrid sometime in the future to work with the club's youngsters.
Beckham proved a hugely popular figure during his four years at the Primera Liga giants before moving to the MLS with LA Galaxy last summer, and the England midfielder has always spoken highly of his time both at Madrid and in Spain.
'I would like to return to Spain some day and to Real Madrid. To work with the kids or something similar at Madrid would be an honour for me,' said Beckham, who helped Madrid win the Primera Liga title in his final year at the club - his only major trophy during his time at the Bernabeu.
'Everybody knows that I love to work with kids and that I adore Spain. I still have my house in Madrid and if I return some day I already have somewhere to live.
'When the moment comes we will have to see, but to be part of Madrid would be great. I have many friends there and many people who I respect a lot, such as (former president) Florentino Perez, who is one of the best friends I have in Madrid.'
Beckham also repeated his desire not to enter into football management when he retires from the game.
The former Manchester United and Madrid midfielder has played under some great managers during his career, including Sir Alex Ferguson and Fabio Capello, but he has again admitted he has no interest in following in their footsteps.
'I have my academy of football here in Los Angeles, but I will never be a coach. I don't have this passion, I prefer to be with my academy and work with the children, with UNICEF...and things like this where you can help people,' he said.
'I love football and I will always continue being involved in it, but I don't want to be working on the sidelines or anything like that.'
The 33-year-old former England captain also spoke in glowing terms of Fabio Capello's dedication to football.
Beckham has seen first hand the Italian's application, both with England and Real Madrid and has been impressed with the passion of Capello, who has also coached AC Milan, Roma and Juventus, and replaced Steve McClaren as England boss in December.
He told Marca: 'He is passionate about football. He has a total dedication to this sport.
'I think he is one of the coaches who spends most time watching football, talking about football, analysing football - and this shows the passion that he feels for his work.
'He always wants the best for his team and for his players. Now that he is England coach I am sure that things are going to go well.
'He is an ambitious coach who only wants to win - and he is someone with a lot of success behind him.'

Toni admits to questioning Italian retirement

Italy striker Luca Toni has admitted he considered retiring from international football in the wake of his side's exit from Euro 2008

The Bayern Munich hitman failed to score in the tournament as the Azzurri lost their quarter-final clash with eventual winners Spain on penalties.
The world champions' poor showing in Austria and Switzerland cost coach Roberto Donadoni his job, and Toni admitted he too was left questioning his future with the national team.
The striker missed a host of chances in Italy's four games, especially the 2-0 win over France which sent them into the knockout stages.
The 31-year-old told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper: 'After the exit I considered whether I ought to retire.
'But it is my country, it is my team. I cannot and do not want to give that up. If (new Italy coach Marcello) Lippi wants me, I am available for the defence of the title in 2010.'
Toni's goal return at Euro 2008 was in stark contrast to his performances for Bayern last season, for whom he scored 39 times in all competitions.
The former Fiorentina forward won the Bundesliga title and the DFB Pokal in his debut year in Germany, but believes new coach Jurgen Klinsmann has to strengthen the squad if Bayern are to challenge for the Champions League.
The German champions have been strongly linked with a move for Stuttgart frontman Mario Gomez, but so far midfielder Tim Borowski and back-up goalkeeper Hans-Jorg Butt are their only acquisitions this summer.
'We have a good team, but in my opinion it is very clear,' he said. 'Yes (Bayern have to strengthen).
'In order to win the Champions League you need as many champions as possible. Let's see what Bayern are still prepared to invest.'

Cardiff close in on Charlton striker Bent

Cardiff are poised to complete the signing of striker Marcus Bent from Championship rivals Charlton.

The Bluebirds claim they have agreed a fee for the 30-year-old, who is expected to undergo a medical at Ninian Park tomorrow before joining up with their pre-season trip to Portugal.
Bent spent last season on loan at Wigan, scoring seven goals in the Premier League, but a permanent move to the JJB Stadium fell through.
Addicks manager Alan Pardew admitted Bent and fellow forward Chris Iwelumo are set to leave The Valley following his side's 6-0 pre-season friendly win over Ebbsfleet on Saturday.
'Cardiff have expressed interest in Marcus, but at the moment he remains our player. There is interest in him from other clubs as well,'' he said.
'We have some players leaving this weekend. Chris (Iwelumo) is possibly leaving and so could Marcus Bent.''
Iwelumo has been linked with a move to south London rivals Crystal Palace.

Berbatov's agent 'confirms' Man Utd interest

SOFIA, July 13 (Reuters) - Manchester United are interested in signing Tottenham Hotspur striker Dimitar Berbatov, the Bulgaria captain's agent said on Saturday

British media earlier reported that the European and Premier League champions had made a 20 million pounds ($39.53 million) bid for the gifted marksman, saying United were prepared to offer Berbatov 80,000 pounds a week to move to Old Trafford.


'I know for certain Manchester United have shown interest in signing Dimitar Berbatov,' agent Emil Danchev told Bulgaria's Darik radio. 'But I'm not entitled to make any more comments.'

Last year, United also made enquiries about the possibility of signing Berbatov but he stayed with the north London club.

The striker turned down an offer from United when he joined Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen for 16 million euros in 2006.

The 27-year-old has been linked with some of Europe's other top clubs following excellent performances in his first two seasons in England. He was instrumental in helping Tottenham win the League Cup last season - their first trophy since 1999.

Vieria encourages Lampard to join Inter

Internazionale star Patrick Vieira believes Frank Lampard is more than capable of making his mark on Italian football if he completes his move to the San Siro.

Speculation has been rife that the Chelsea midfielder is on his way to the Serie A champions to link up with former Blues boss and new Inter coach Jose Mourinho, with the Nerazzurri already having had a bid turned down for the England international.
Vieira is well aware of Lampard's talent, having squared up to him in midfield several times while playing for Arsenal, and the World Cup winner is convinced that Lampard is up to the challenge of Italian football.
'It will be a big challenge for him but at the same time it will be a fantastic one,' Vieira told the Sunday Mirror.
'He has won everything there is to win at Chelsea, he is one of the key men in the team there.
'Would he be welcome at Inter? He is a fantastic player and you want to play with players of that class. It will be one more good player.'
Vieira's former team-mate at Arsenal, Dennis Bergkamp, found it hard to adapt to the defensive style of play and was one of the many high-profile flops in Serie A.
But the France midfielder is confident Lampard would not be among that number.
'I know that the change in lifestyle would not be a problem,' continued Vieira. 'Frank would adjust to that.
'On the field there is less space than there is in England. It is more congested and that is why you don't get many 3-3 or 4-4 draws.
'It is not as open as it is in England. But he can adapt, don't worry.
'A good player can play in any league in the world - and he is a good player. I do not believe that will be a problem.
'When you are an international like him you get used to it very quickly.
'You have to live with the problems outside the stadium, but I don't think that will be a problem for Frank.'
Vieira believes Lampard could help finally end Inter's Champions League hoodoo.
The Serie A giants have won the Scudetto for three years on the trot but last won Europe's premier club competition in 1965.
Lampard helped propel Chelsea to the final last season and Vieira thinks the England player's arrival could be the final piece of the puzzle.
'He can enjoy himself at Inter, I really believe that,' said Vieira. 'Inter is a club that is going up as a football club. Now we want the Champions League. The club have the motivation and the ambition to do that.
'If Frank comes here then we will be stronger. The better players you have then the better chance you have.'
Vieira also feels that Lampard will easily fit into the Inter dressing room.
'I spoke with the players I know at Chelsea about him and all those players love him,' he continued. 'There must be a reason for that.
'I talked to him and he was really relaxed. He was cool and he was joking. He was sounding like people were saying he was.
'Now the aim is to win the league title in Italy, which we have done for the last (three) years, and the Champions League is a big target for us.'

Scolari - Chelsea gambled by appointing me

Luiz Felipe Scolari admits Chelsea 'gambled' by making him their new manager, but insists he will strive to repay the club by bringing world-class football to Stamford Bridge.

The Brazilian coach was named as Avram Grant's successor midway through his Portugal side's Euro 2008 campaign and despite a glowing CV, which includes victory at the 2002 World Cup with his native country, there were some concerns about his lack of experience in top-level European club football.
Scolari agrees that there was an element of risk in his appointment but has backed himself to deliver the results - and the style - owner Roman Abramovich wants.
'Chelsea gambled on my ability but I believe in myself,' he said.
'I had two meetings with the owner Roman Abramovich (before getting the job). He said to me 'I want Chelsea to play well, beautiful and win'. I said 'yes, I agree with you'.
'I am not afraid of my job. All over the world coaches need to win competitions, not only in Chelsea.'
Jose Mourinho brought home back-to-back Premier League titles during his stint with the Blues but failed to capture the Champions League, while Grant got to the final of the competition before losing to Manchester United on penalties.
But Scolari denies his focus will be on European success, instead choosing to cast his net wider.
The 59-year-old continued: 'My pressure is the desire to become world-class, not just to win the Champions League.
'If I say to my players that the Champions League is more important than another competition, I think the players might only prepare for the Champions League. I don't think that's the correct way to look at it.
'I need to prepare my players for the Carling Cup, the FA Cup, for the Champions League, for the Premier League.
'If I say to my players all competitions are important for Chelsea, then I think that is the way.'
Scolari also sought to clarify his position with Abramovich, insisting he has full control of all on-field decisions.
'I also told him that when it comes to the pitch it is all mine, no-one interferes. He was happy with that.'

Benitez determined to clinch key signings

Rafael Benitez insists he will successfully complete some major Liverpool signings in the coming weeks.

The Anfield boss had seen the supporting cast of youth and fringe players from his squad complete the club's first pre-season friendly with a 1-0 win at Tranmere today, thanks to a fine first-half winner from Yossi Benayoun.
But it was the players Benitez is trying to bring to the club - Gareth Barry and Robbie Keane - who occupied minds of the manager and many of the big Liverpool following in the 15,000 sell-out Prenton Park crowd.
Benitez would not be drawn on specific names, but as he prepares to take his squad to Switzerland tomorrow for a fortnight-long training camp, he said: 'We are still working hard to bring in two more players.
'I would hope that there would be some progress next week or very soon.'
Benitez added: 'I was delighted with the fitness levels of the players, Benayoun scored a fantastic goal and there were plenty of things that were really positive.
'I was happy with Daniel Agger's comeback, he will be a welcome addition to our defence in the coming season.
'Philipp Degen also did well on his debut, he was very impressive attacking down the right side.'
Liverpool also brought new £3million goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri on for his debut in the second half.
He embarrassingly delayed the restart because he was not ready for action, with Agger having to tie the Brazilian's bootlaces for him on the pitch.
But Benitez said: 'He did not have too much to do, but he is a keeper who will fight for his place and put pressure on others around him.'