4 - 0 Barcelona FC is among the few teams in the world who are capable of breaking any record, and this is exactly what happened on Tuesday night, when Camp Nou club over turned the 2-0 deficit of the last 16 first leg away matches and won by 4-2 in aggregate; perhaps it is the first time where any team has chased, perhaps overcome, a 2-0 lead of the first leg without using benefit of an away goal. Before match, it was on everyone’s lips whether Barca can make the history and do the magic which is not done by any other team before. Barcelona thrashed AC Milan by 4-0 and entered into Champions league quarterfinal in style. Messi gave them a lead in initial moments which helped them boost their confidence level. Messi scored two goals while David Villa and Jordi Alba also found the net. Sportsbooks have also gave favorable odds in Milan’s favor before start of the game, but when Messi fired a goal within five minutes of the game, everything started changing gradually in Barca’s … [Read more...]
Gattuso becomes player-coach of Swiss club FC Sion
There have been many cases in the past where a player is appointed to serve in a dual role, i.e., serving as coach alongside a player. This time, this is something that happened to former AC Milan player Gennaro Gattuso who joined Swiss club FC Sion last year. His amazed promotion is the surprised demotion of club’s manager Victor Munoz who will now serve on other duties for the club. Interestingly, Munoz has not been fired by the president while initially it was assumed he will have to go after team’s terrible performance in the Swiss Super League; perhaps their last 4-0 loss on Sunday required urgent action from the management; hence he is demoted to serve in other capacity. Sion issued a formal statement mentioning its bold step where it said, “Until further notice, the players will manage their activities themselves. The management entrusts responsibility for the group to its captain Gennaro Gattuso.” Sion has to play in the quarterfinal of the league on coming Wednesday which … [Read more...]
Balotelli slams English soccer culture
Mario Balotelli is the only player who needs no PR agency to remain in the news. He is always found on the front page of any sport’s new magazine naturally. This time, he is in the news for his loud words about English playing culture after leaving English soil last week. Mario Balotelli left Manchester City last week to his native AC Milan, and as soon he joins Milan he starts cursing everything about English soccer; its whether, press, food - actually everything. However, he did not say even a single word about his EPL club Manchester City; perhaps he praised his ex-manager Roberto Mancini along with former teammates. He quoted about his ex-club as, “Good things - only when I get to Carrington to train. So my team-mates and manager and the bad things? Everything else. I have to say thanks to all the City fans because they’ve been very nice to me and they always supported me in the good and in the bad moments. And I have to thank my team-mates, and the manager. Everything else, I'm … [Read more...]
Manchester City enter a deal with Milan for Balotelli
After months of speculations, Italian striker Mario Balotelli is set to leave Manchester City to get a place in AC Milan. Reportedly, City has finalized a deal with AC Milan for the striker at an annual salary of 4.5 million euros for a four-and-a-half year term until 2017. It is an interesting comeback for the Italian striker coz he was shifted to the Manchester City from Milan back in 2010 at £22 million, but his spell at City never brings any glory for the English club, perhaps he always remained in the news for wrong reasons, and now he is back to his old club at an almost equal amount that Milan earlier paid for him. According to the agreed deal, Milan will pay City 4 million euros every year for next five years along with a 3 million euro in bonus. Consequently, Balotelli will be back to his home once all formalities are completed, including his medical. City manager Roberto Mancini issued a statement over his transfer that reads as, “For two years it's always the question. It's … [Read more...]
Racial chants and AC Milan walk out of a friendlier with Pro Patria
Racial chants are back in soccer field, but not on English soil this time. Last week, racial chants caused the abandonment of a friendlier between AC Milan and a lower division club Pro Patria in Italy. Racism has long been a topic of discussion among various soccer community forums and this is probably the first time when a team decided to walk out of a match after racial chants from the crowd. The match between AC Milan and Pro Patria had begun when crowd started chanting against black Milan players; public announcer also requested them to stop doing that but when it continues, Ghana and Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince kicked the ball on the crowd where the chanting was coming from, took off his shirt, and walked away. Soon, other players also joined him and left the pitch. Post incident, as always, everybody seems to be engaged in taking a corrective action and first of them is Italian soccer federation, who promptly announced an immediate inquiry of the matter. On the other hand, … [Read more...]