Filed under: UEFA Champions League | Tags: Anderson, Daniel Alves, EC Bahia, European Super Cup, FC Barcelona, Manchester United, Rafael da Silva, Sevilla FC, Sylvinho, UEFA Cup
Four Brazilians have helped Barcelona and Manchester United on their way to the 2009 Champions League final this Wednesday in Rome. But the one who has played more matches among them is exactly the player out of action tonight. Barcelona right wing back Daniel Alves took part in nine matches in the Champions League but picked up a second booking in the second leg of the semifinal against Chelsea and will watch the final from the stands.
“I am happy I helped the team to get to the final, but sad that I will not be on the pitch. I do not think Barcelona will be less stronger without me. It will not change the way our team plays. I am very confident we can win,” says Daniel.
The former EC Bahia and Sevilla FC player has already won three European trophies in his career (two Uefa Cups and one Super Cup with Sevilla). The one missing is the biggest of them all.
“It is not every day a team plays a Champions League final. We are very happy for that and trying to enjoy the moment. Manchester United is a great opponent and has the best player in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo. But Barcelona will show the same football it has played this season. If we have a great game we will be champions.”
Barcelona will have one Brazilian in action this Wednesday, the left-back Sylvinho. Manchester United has right-back Rafael da Silva and midfielder Anderson in its squad for the final.
Filed under: UEFA Champions League | Tags: Alex Ferguson, Anderson, Arsenal, Manchester United, Paul Scholes, Premier League, Seleção
Two seasons at Manchester United, two Champions League finals – and very close to his second Premier League winning medal. Anderson Luís de Abreu Oliveira is just a 21-year-old and is already in the football history books as the most sucessful Brazilian player in English football. He wants more and hopes to achieve that with an extra help from the Red Devils fans.
“We have the possibility to put this squad among Manchester United’s best of all times. We have fantastic fans that will invade Rome to support us in the Champions League final. It is one more dream coming true,” says Anderson.
The week is even more special for the young Brazilian after Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said he can be the new Paul Scholes and chose Anderson ahead of the Man United idol for the Champions League semifinal match against Arsenal in London.
“It is great to know someone like Ferguson admires you. I don’t have enough words to thank him for all he has done for me at Manchester United. About replacing Scholes, it is a great honour to me. I hope I can continue doing what people expect from me. I want to make history in this club,” added the midfielder, also a regular in the Seleção under coach Dunga.
Anderson now says Manchester United will be focused on winning the Premier League trophy as soon as posible. Then, they will just have the Champions League final to worry about.
“We want to concentrate in the European final. We will have time for it and we will be in our best shape. To be able to beat us, our opponent will have to play too well.”
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Filed under: Brazilian State Championships | Tags: Carlos Eugenio Simon, Ceará, Ceará State League, Flamengo, Fortaleza, Germany, Referees, Sweden, Teddy Lucic, World Cup
Wrong decisions in a big league match put referees in the headlines week in week out. But bizarre decisions put referees in the headlines no matter where or when they happen. Campeonato Cearense (Ceará State League) in Northern Brazil seldom appears in the national news. But this week it happened. Not because of the clash between local rivals and perennial finalists Ceará SC and Fortaleza EC, but due to a gross misjudgement by Fifa referee Carlos Eugênio Simon. Simon, who refereed in two World Cups and is looking for his third, awarded Ceará SC a ghost penalty after striker Edu Sales fell in the box (see below) even though the closest Fortaleza defender was three meters away.
The images were not enough to make the referee change his view. In an interview the day after the match Simon mantained he made the right call. To his luck the bizarre decision did not affect the final score since Fortaleza EC ended up winning the derby 2-1. However, it may hit Carlos Simon’s plans to become the first Brazilian to referee in three World Cups. After a dodgy decision which denied Flamengo a penalty in the added time of a match against Cruzeiro in the Brazilian League , Flamengo officials started a crusade against the referee sending Fifa a video of Simon’s alleged mistake. Now the club announced it will dispatch images of Simon’s most recent mistake to Fifa. The 43-year-old is the only Brazilian in the list of prospective referees for the 2010 World Championship in South Africa.
Also a journalist and trade unionist, Simon has taken part in five World Cup matches. He is best remembered not for a disputable penalty or offside call, but for a controversial grin after sending off Sweden’s defender Teddy Lucic in the first half of the 2006 World Cup second-round match against Germany – followed by a pat on the back from Germany’s striker Lukas Podolski.
Filed under: São Paulo State Championship | Tags: AC Milan, Barcelona, Corinthians, Cruzeiro, Inter Milan, Neymar, Pelé, Real Madrid, Ronaldo, Santos, Soccer legends, Vila Belmiro, World Cup
From his box at Vila Belmiro, Santos FC’s home ground, Pelé was hoping to watch his beloved team and its new star Neymar beat Corinthians in the first leg of the Campeonato Paulista (São Paulo State League) final. But what the King of Football saw was another brilliant exhibition of Ronaldo, who scored two goals and led his side to a 3-1 victory. Ronaldo’s second goal was such a beauty that deserved a special comment from Pelé.
“That goal was World Cup class. Ronaldo made the difference. He has proven he is back and fit again,” said football’s all-time greatest, who arrived at Vila Belmiro bragging he had not seen Santos lose any home match in more than three years.
Ronaldo has scored eight goals in ten matches for Corinthians and he is very close to win his first trophy at his new club – and his first piece of silverware in Brazilian football since the Campeonato Mineiro (Minas Gerais State League) for Cruzeiro in 1994 when he was only 17. Corinthians now holds a two-goal advantage over Santos ahead of the second leg on Sunday.
The man of the match himself was cautious as he believes it is too early to celebrate. With a history of long recoveries during a career plagued by knee injuries, Ronaldo has got used to waiting. Once again written off as finished he is just a week away of one more amazing comeback.
“To be king for a day in the stadium where Pelé scored so many of his goals is great. I am proud and happy that I did my best to help the team. But we still have 90 minutes to play,” said the former Inter Miland, Barcelona, Real Madrid and AC Milan striker.
Santos manager Vagner Mancini refused to admit the home defeat put an end to their title hopes but he acknowledges his side has a mountain to climb after Ronaldo’s performance.
“Corinthians did not have many chances, but when they did the ball went to Ronaldo’s feet. He is a genius and his second goal showed that. If it were anyone else, that goal would not have happened,” said Mancini.
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Filed under: English Premier League | Tags: Anderson, Champions League, Grêmio, Liverpool, Lucas, Manchester United, Porto, Premier League
A fantastic pass for Manchester United’s first goal in the 2-0 win over Portsmouth, and the hard work that has earned him a lot of praise in England – and has made him explain back home why he is not the player he used to be. Anderson is back at his best after suffering with injuries this season. Wednesday’s night victory was so important to him and United that the Brazilian says he and the fans have started feeling the smell of more silverware.
“We are totally focused on winning the Premier League as soon as possible and then concentrate in the Champions League. We respected our opponents but the ‘smell of the Premier League trophy’ is already in the air. The fans are excited with the possibility of a quadruple, of winning four trophies this season. We see that on flags and banners and this gives us, players, even more confidence. We want to make history in Europe,” says Anderson, through his spokesman.
The midfielder is yet to score his first goal for Manchester United in more than 70 appearances, but he swears he is more than happy to help with assistances and passes, like the one to Ryan Giggs who then sent the ball for Wayne Roney to score 1-0 against Portsmouth.
“I joked with the guys that the strikers should give me some of their cash because of my assistances. It makes things much easier for them,” laughs Anderson.
Only 21, Anderson has already won a Copa América with the Seleção and his honours with Manchester United include one Champions League, one Premier League, one Club World Cup and the League Cup.
He started his career at Grêmio FBPA labeled as new Ronaldinho, coming from the same ranks and because of his talent and hairstyle. He won the Brazilian Second Divison with Grêmio, scoring in the historic Batalha dos Aflitos (“Battle of the Afflicted”) against Náutico, a match also mentioned by Liverpool midfielder and former Anderson teammate Lucas in one interview to FC Brazil.
Anderson then moved to FC Porto where he won two Portuguese leagues and one Portuguese Cup. He was elected the best player of the 2005 U-17 World Cup in Peru and has also won the bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
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Filed under: Women's football | Tags: City of Manchester, Cristiane, Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany, Maracanã, Marta, Nadine Angerer, Olympics, Pan American Games, Women's World Cup, WPS
When two giants like Brazil and Germany meet the expected scenario is a packed stadium. So the 43,000 tickets already sold for this Wednesday’s match in Frankfurt should come as no surprise. If it were not for one detail: we are talking about women’s football, and a new European record.
Until Marta, Cristiane and Co.’s visit to Germany the record attendance for a women’s football match in Europe was 29,092 in the 2005 Euro opening match England-Finland in the City of Manchester Stadium. Ticket boxes will be open in Frankfurt until kick-off time and the organization expects even more fans to come. The full capacity of the Waldstadion/Commerzbank-Arena, Bundesliga’s Eintracht Frankfurt home ground, is 52,300 seat.
“Sure I am still tired from the long trip but I am also very happy to be here and looking forward to this great match. For me it is always special to play for the national team, even more against Germany,” says the three-time World Player of the Year Marta, who arrived from Los Angeles just a few hours before the press conference held yesterday at the stadium.
This is the first time the two sides clash since the 2008 Beijing Olympics semifinal, when the Seleção thumped the Nationalmannschaften 4-1. It was also Brazil’s first ever win in eight matches against Germany. The most famous of them a 2-0 defeat in the 2007 World Cup final in China. So if Marta was looking for revenge last year after missing a penalty in the 2007 final, this is Germany goalkeeper Nadine Angerer‘s time.
“I want revenge for the Olympics. I want to win this match,” says Nadine, who also faced, and lost to, Marta when both played in the Damallsvenskan, the Swedish women’s football league.
The match in Frankfurt is also the first of the Seleção under new coach Kleiton Lima. He replaces Jorge Barcellos, who moved to the Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) in the U.S. to manage Saint Louis Athletica. Barcellos’ side holds Brazil’s and South American’s record women’s football attendance with 67,788 in the 5-0 win over United States in the 2007 Pan American Games final at Maracanã.
Filed under: English Premier League | Tags: Alexandre Pato, Amauri, Deco, Eduardo da Silva, Italy national team, Manchester United, Marcos Senna, Rodrigo Possebon, World Cup
Brazilian and Italian press have discussed for months the issue of which national team Juventus striker Amauri will choose to play for. Meanwhile, and without the same amount of attention, another Brazilian talent has made up his mind without much trouble. Manchester United midfielder Rodrigo Possebon was called to Italy U-20 national team and said yes.
“I am very happy to be called up and to have chosen to defend Italy, a country that has recognized my work. There is no come back. From the moment I got the Italian citizenship I knew this could happen. I see it as a way to return what Italy has given me: the possibility to play in Europe and to defend Manchester United. I will do my best to secure a place in the U-20 team and to have a chance in the senior national team later on,” says Rodrigo.
Possebon is born in Sapucaia do Sul, state of Rio Grande do Sul (same as Ronaldinho), and began his career at SC Internacional, where he played alongside AC Milan star Alexandre Pato. Rodrigo was spotted by the same scout who recommended the twins Rafael and Fábio da Silva to Manchester United. The midfielder moved to England without having played a single professional match in Brazil. He was granted the Italian citizenship through his father’s family and avoided the need for a working permit in UK.
Rodrigo Possebon has played only seven official matches for the Red Devils but his talent has been praised by Sir Alex Ferguson and Cristiano Ronaldo. Manchester United’s official website calls him “elegant and composed in possession but full of energy, an archetypal box-to-box midfielder.” The player has already got a song from Man United fans.
Brazilian players have a long history of contribution to the Italian national team. The forward Anfilóquio Marques, known as Filó in Brazil and as Guarisi in Italy, was the first Brazilian to win a World Cup in 1934 as part of the Italian squad. In the 50’s striker Dino da Costa was a member of the team who failed to qualify for the 1958 World Cup. A winner in Sweden 1958 with Brazil, striker Mazzola moved to Italy and defended the Azzurri in the World Championship four years later in Chile. In indoor football the Brazilian influence is even stronger. In the 2008 Futsal World Cup all 14 players of the Italian squad were born in Brazil.
In the 80’s and 90’s Brazilian-born footballers defending other national teams were considered players who had no chance of making it to the Seleção. This is still a common view. But names such as Deco in Portugal, Marcos Senna in Spain and Eduardo in Croatia have shown they could have been valuable assets to the Brazilian team. Brazilian fans now can only hope this will not be the case of Rodrigo Possebon. Neither of Amauri, if he chooses to follow the same way.
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Anderson smells more silverware: ‘We want to make history’
Filed under: English Premier League, UEFA Champions League | Tags: Anderson, Manchester United
Match fit again, Anderson is in Manchester United’s squad for Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against FC Porto. This will be a special occasion for the Brazilian midfielder, not only because he turned 21 on Monday, but because he will be back to Estádio do Dragão, where he spent two seasons and helped the Portuguese outfit to a League and Cup double in 2006 and the league title in 2007. Such is the importance of FC Porto to his career that Anderson says he would not feel comfortable celebrating a goal in front of the Portuguese fans.
“I have a great respect for the fans, the ones I worked with and all the people that helped me when I was at Porto. If I score, for sure I wouldn’t celebrate. But I feel at home at Estádio do Dragão since it was there I started my career in European football and advancing to the semfinals there will be a great birthday gift.”
After recovering from a thigh injury whilst serving the Brazilian national team, Anderson says he is ready to play 90 minutes, or more, if manager Alex Ferguson needs him to.
“I am hungry to play and I want to help Manchester United to win all trophies. I feel fully fit again and I am ready to help the manager either playing from start or staying on the bench. It was not in our plans to go to Portugal in such conditions but we have a great team and we can get the result we need.”
Another Brazilian included in Man United’s squad is right-back Rafael da Silva, who has also been carrying an injury. One of the most promising of Brazil’s talents, Rafael was nominated this Tuesday for the Professional Footballers’ Association young player of the year award. He is the only nominee not to come from the British Isles and Ireland.
FC Brazil 