Un-Real Madrid
Lyon Hand Real 100th Euro Defeat; Man U, Arsenal Lucky With Penalties
London: Olympique Lyon beat Real Madrid 2-0 in their opening Champions League group match on Wednesday — a year to the day after inflicting a 3-0 defeat on the ninetime European champions in last season’s opener.
Brazilian Fred put Lyon ahead after 11 minutes and Portuguese Tiago made it 2-0 in the 31st to seal the opening Group E victory for the French champions.
The game produced two milestones as far as Real were concerned. New coach Fabio Capello became only the second man after Mircea Lucescu to coach four clubs in the competition — AC Milan, AS Roma, Juventus and now Real.
More interestingly, Real, recorded their 100th defeat in European competition — the first club to reach that unwanted milestone. Spain’s media was unforgiving, slamming Real. “Zero points for the Capello plan,” said sports daily AS in a biting commentary which slammed the “sad image” Real had offered up despite a wholesale revamping of the squad in the close season. Lyon gave Real “a great footballing lesson - the time has come to tell Capello he is in Madrid and no longer in Italy,” an AS commentator opined.
Italian World Cup star and new signing Fabio Cannavaro had a nightmare at the back. He was “a portrait of chaos,” said AS. Marca sports daily said Cannavaro was simply “the worst” on the pitch.
While Real were losing, there were victories for other former European champions. Steaua Bucharest, triumphant 20 years ago, marked their return to the competition after a decade’s absence in style, beating Dynamo Kiev 4-1 in the other Group E match in Ukraine.
Manchester United won a pulsating all-British tie against Celtic with substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjaer securing a 3-2 win at Old Trafford in Group F with a goal early in the second half. United, European champions in 1968 and 1999, and Celtic, Britain’s first champions in 1967, both led in the game. Dutchman Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink fired Celtic ahead in the 21st minute before two goals from Louis Saha — one from the penalty spot — put United in front.
Celtic equalised through Japan midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura just before the break while substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored what proved to be the winner for United just after it. Arsenal, last season’s runners-up, won 2-1 at Hamburg, who had goalkeeper Sascha Kirschstein sent off as he conceded a 10th minute penalty. Brazilian midfielder Gilberto Silva scored to set the north London side on their way to a victory that appeared safe when Czech Tomas Rosicky scored his first goal for the club with an outstanding 53rd minute drive. But Hamburg almost saved the game in the closing stages with Piotr Trochowski hitting the bar and Boubacar Sanogo scoring in stoppage time.
In the other Group G match, Porto, European champions in 2004, drew 0-0 at home to CSKA Moscow.
AC Milan, European champions six times, beat AEK Athens 3-0 in Group H with their opening two goals coming from headers by Filippo Inzaghi and Yoann Gourcuff before Kaka added the third 13 minutes from time with a penalty. Anderlecht were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Lille in the same group.
Giggs ‘dived’, allege Celtic
Manchester: Celtic’s Polish keeper Artur Boruc claims Ryan Giggs dived to earn Manchester United a pivotal penalty in Group F. Boruc appeared to collide accidentally with the United and Wales winger in the box and when Giggs hit the ground after the lightest of touches referee Lubos Michel pointed to the spot. “For me it was never a penalty, so I was angry,” Boruc said.
“I tried not to touch him, and he just dived. It looked like he dived,” the 26-year-old added. “I am upset, and so are my team-mates. We played well, but it was not enough.” AGENCIES
Until the keeper was sent off, it looked like you would see a good Arsenal team and a good Hamburg team. I have not seen a replay, but from the outside it looked a penalty. However, the red card was harsh. You have to show a bit of comprehension for the keeper, he has to go for the ball.’
Arsene Wenger, ARSENAL MANAGER
From what I have heard it was very debatable (goalie Boruc’s foul on Giggs resulting in a penalty). Mr Michel (referee) is a good old friend of ours, so we didn’t expect favours off him. We met him in the UEFA Cup final against FC Porto in 2003, so we weren’t holding out for anything’
Neil Lennon, CELTIC CAPTAIN
In the sum total of the game we could have scored ten. Louis Saha could have broken the European scoring record’
Riquelme resigns from Argentina team
Buenos Aires: Argentina captain Juan Roman Riquelme announced his international retirement on Wednesday, citing his mother’s health and criticism of his World Cup performance. Argentina’s key playmaker, the 28-year-old Riquelme was one of the most criticised players on the soccer squad which lost in the quarterfinals to host Germany in June.
The carping about his performances for Argentina had weighed heavily on his mother, who had had to be hospitalised twice since the World Cup, he told Argentine independent network Canal 13. He did not specify her ailments.
“I’ve taken a decision and will not take part in the national team from this moment on. It wasn’t a hard decision to make,’’ said Riquelme, a midfielder for Spain’s Villarreal. “I can take criticism but family comes first before soccer. I have no right to make her suffer because of my part in the national team.’’ AGENCIES
Bugging device adds spice to Mourinho-Cole talks
London: A tiny bugging device has been found at a Portuguese restaurant in London frequented by Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, British newspapers reported on Thursday.
Staff at the Portal, which is popular with financial workers and lawyers, discovered the bug in a wall plug after a radio used by kitchen staff was continually interrupted by deafening feedback.
The restaurant, in the City financial district of London, is said to have been the location for talks between Mourinho and Ashley Cole before the England defender’s controversial recent move.
Owner Antonio Correira told the Independent that, on one frequency, staff could hear what was being said at nearby tables, prompting him to draft in security experts to make a regular sweep of the restaurant to detect further devices.
Other players from Chelsea also dined at a table next to the bug before it was discovered, Correira said.
“Who knows if the device was connected to them (the Chelsea players)? To me, it doesn’t matter. A lot of my clients work at the Stock Exchange or for finance companies and lawyers.
“They are people who take privacy seriously, so it is important for me as a businessman to protect them,’’ he was quoted as saying.
The bug would have required the eavesdropper to be sitting nearby, possibly with a receiver and recording device, he added.
“Who knows why it was there? It could have been as simple as a wife checking on a husband, but there could obviously also be a more sinister explanation for its appearance,’’ he said. AGENCIES
Lyon Hand Real 100th Euro Defeat; Man U, Arsenal Lucky With Penalties
London: Olympique Lyon beat Real Madrid 2-0 in their opening Champions League group match on Wednesday — a year to the day after inflicting a 3-0 defeat on the ninetime European champions in last season’s opener.
Brazilian Fred put Lyon ahead after 11 minutes and Portuguese Tiago made it 2-0 in the 31st to seal the opening Group E victory for the French champions.
The game produced two milestones as far as Real were concerned. New coach Fabio Capello became only the second man after Mircea Lucescu to coach four clubs in the competition — AC Milan, AS Roma, Juventus and now Real.
More interestingly, Real, recorded their 100th defeat in European competition — the first club to reach that unwanted milestone. Spain’s media was unforgiving, slamming Real. “Zero points for the Capello plan,” said sports daily AS in a biting commentary which slammed the “sad image” Real had offered up despite a wholesale revamping of the squad in the close season. Lyon gave Real “a great footballing lesson - the time has come to tell Capello he is in Madrid and no longer in Italy,” an AS commentator opined.
Italian World Cup star and new signing Fabio Cannavaro had a nightmare at the back. He was “a portrait of chaos,” said AS. Marca sports daily said Cannavaro was simply “the worst” on the pitch.
While Real were losing, there were victories for other former European champions. Steaua Bucharest, triumphant 20 years ago, marked their return to the competition after a decade’s absence in style, beating Dynamo Kiev 4-1 in the other Group E match in Ukraine.
Manchester United won a pulsating all-British tie against Celtic with substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjaer securing a 3-2 win at Old Trafford in Group F with a goal early in the second half. United, European champions in 1968 and 1999, and Celtic, Britain’s first champions in 1967, both led in the game. Dutchman Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink fired Celtic ahead in the 21st minute before two goals from Louis Saha — one from the penalty spot — put United in front.
Celtic equalised through Japan midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura just before the break while substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored what proved to be the winner for United just after it. Arsenal, last season’s runners-up, won 2-1 at Hamburg, who had goalkeeper Sascha Kirschstein sent off as he conceded a 10th minute penalty. Brazilian midfielder Gilberto Silva scored to set the north London side on their way to a victory that appeared safe when Czech Tomas Rosicky scored his first goal for the club with an outstanding 53rd minute drive. But Hamburg almost saved the game in the closing stages with Piotr Trochowski hitting the bar and Boubacar Sanogo scoring in stoppage time.
In the other Group G match, Porto, European champions in 2004, drew 0-0 at home to CSKA Moscow.
AC Milan, European champions six times, beat AEK Athens 3-0 in Group H with their opening two goals coming from headers by Filippo Inzaghi and Yoann Gourcuff before Kaka added the third 13 minutes from time with a penalty. Anderlecht were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Lille in the same group.
Giggs ‘dived’, allege Celtic
Manchester: Celtic’s Polish keeper Artur Boruc claims Ryan Giggs dived to earn Manchester United a pivotal penalty in Group F. Boruc appeared to collide accidentally with the United and Wales winger in the box and when Giggs hit the ground after the lightest of touches referee Lubos Michel pointed to the spot. “For me it was never a penalty, so I was angry,” Boruc said.
“I tried not to touch him, and he just dived. It looked like he dived,” the 26-year-old added. “I am upset, and so are my team-mates. We played well, but it was not enough.” AGENCIES
Until the keeper was sent off, it looked like you would see a good Arsenal team and a good Hamburg team. I have not seen a replay, but from the outside it looked a penalty. However, the red card was harsh. You have to show a bit of comprehension for the keeper, he has to go for the ball.’
Arsene Wenger, ARSENAL MANAGER
From what I have heard it was very debatable (goalie Boruc’s foul on Giggs resulting in a penalty). Mr Michel (referee) is a good old friend of ours, so we didn’t expect favours off him. We met him in the UEFA Cup final against FC Porto in 2003, so we weren’t holding out for anything’
Neil Lennon, CELTIC CAPTAIN
In the sum total of the game we could have scored ten. Louis Saha could have broken the European scoring record’
Riquelme resigns from Argentina team
Buenos Aires: Argentina captain Juan Roman Riquelme announced his international retirement on Wednesday, citing his mother’s health and criticism of his World Cup performance. Argentina’s key playmaker, the 28-year-old Riquelme was one of the most criticised players on the soccer squad which lost in the quarterfinals to host Germany in June.
The carping about his performances for Argentina had weighed heavily on his mother, who had had to be hospitalised twice since the World Cup, he told Argentine independent network Canal 13. He did not specify her ailments.
“I’ve taken a decision and will not take part in the national team from this moment on. It wasn’t a hard decision to make,’’ said Riquelme, a midfielder for Spain’s Villarreal. “I can take criticism but family comes first before soccer. I have no right to make her suffer because of my part in the national team.’’ AGENCIES
Bugging device adds spice to Mourinho-Cole talks
London: A tiny bugging device has been found at a Portuguese restaurant in London frequented by Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, British newspapers reported on Thursday.
Staff at the Portal, which is popular with financial workers and lawyers, discovered the bug in a wall plug after a radio used by kitchen staff was continually interrupted by deafening feedback.
The restaurant, in the City financial district of London, is said to have been the location for talks between Mourinho and Ashley Cole before the England defender’s controversial recent move.
Owner Antonio Correira told the Independent that, on one frequency, staff could hear what was being said at nearby tables, prompting him to draft in security experts to make a regular sweep of the restaurant to detect further devices.
Other players from Chelsea also dined at a table next to the bug before it was discovered, Correira said.
“Who knows if the device was connected to them (the Chelsea players)? To me, it doesn’t matter. A lot of my clients work at the Stock Exchange or for finance companies and lawyers.
“They are people who take privacy seriously, so it is important for me as a businessman to protect them,’’ he was quoted as saying.
The bug would have required the eavesdropper to be sitting nearby, possibly with a receiver and recording device, he added.
“Who knows why it was there? It could have been as simple as a wife checking on a husband, but there could obviously also be a more sinister explanation for its appearance,’’ he said. AGENCIES