Monthly Archives: December 2007

He’s only just turned 20, but striker Karim Benzema has already developed into the main attacking threat at French champion Lyon. The France striker has been a revelation this year, topping the Ligue 1 scoring charts with 12 goals in 18 matches. Recently, Benzema notched two goals and an assist in the 3-0 thrashing Lyon […]

Reuters has interesting story on the tribulations of Brazilian coaches, who can see their plans for the season evaporate in an instant once the international transfer window opens. According to the Brazilian Soccer Federation (CBF), the country exported a record 1,085 professionals in 2007. Brazilians are in-demand in leagues across the globe, from the big […]

As the “what’s wrong with English players debate” rages on, Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas makes an interesting observation: unlike players from other European countries, the English don’t tend to expand their horizons by playing abroad. “It looks like [English players] are comfortable where they are and that is it,” the 20-year-old says in an interview […]

Major League Soccer has changed its rules again, increasing the number of foreigners allowed per team from seven to eight and allowing them to trade for as many foreign player slots as they can accumulate. The move means that an MLS club could, in theory, field a team composed entirely of foreigners. To be sure, […]

Almost a forgotten man at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack was set to make his long-awaited return Wednesday against Liverpool in the English League Cup following an eight-month injury layoff. In an interview with German newspaper Die Zeit, the Germany captain reveals the ankle injury almost ended his playing career. “Sometimes I thought: ‘Man, […]

Barcelona fans are far from understanding when one of their former players returns to the Nou Camp wearing the white of Real Madrid. The culprit this year is Javier Saviola, a man who saw little action in his final years under Frank Rijkaard and has seen comparatively few minutes so far this season under Real’s […]

The New York Sun’s Paul Gardner says the appointment of Fabio Capello as England coach won’t be able to mend the team’s true problem: its lack of international-class players. The money — a reported $8 million per year (a record for an international coach) — is certainly nothing to scoff at, but he’s inheriting what […]

Liverpool will be doing a North American tour next summer and one of its major stops may be the 2008 MLS All-Star game, according to the Daily Mail. The club’s American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have been approached MLS to be part of the gala event, which will be held at Toronto FC’s […]

Who needs Juan Sebastian Veron? Certainly not D.C. United, says Yahoo Sports’ Martin Rogers. Veron was a bust in the Premiership and a bust in his return to Italy, so there are no guarantees he wouldn’t be a bust in MLS, too. In fact, so big a bust was Veron at Manchester United that his […]

They’re already calling it a two-horse race for the 2007-08 English Premiership, after Arsenal and Manchester United, first and second in the EPL standings, defeated Chelsea and Liverpool, third and fourth heading into the weekend matches, respectively, on Sunday. Classic encounters they were not, but both United and Arsenal emerged the slightly better side in […]