Category: Section 2 Around the Net

Does anybody know what Stan Kroenke is up to? The American billionaire recently bought a 9.9 percent stake in English Premier League giant Arsenal less than two months after his company Kroenke Sports Enterprises swore it had no intention of acquiring a stake in the club. Does this preclude a possible takeover attempt?   The […]

It looks increasingly likely that Fabio Capello’s as Real Madrid coach are numbered-regardless of whether he manages to steer Los Merengues to the 2008 La Liga title this season. According to various reports, Real is keen to sign either Getafe’s Bernd Schuster or Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho to replace the Italian, who’s had an inconsistent […]

Real Madrid may believe that momentum in La Liga is swinging in its favor, but if you have a look at the remaining fixtures for both Barcelona and Sevilla, first and second in the standings, respectively, Real has by far the hardest schedule. Team captain Guti, acknowledging this, said Barcelona is the definite favorite to […]

It hasn’t been the best of times for former New England Revolution midfielder Clint Dempsey since he traded MLS for Fulham FC of the English Premier League three months ago. Soccer New England’s Andrew Hush analyzes the player’s dip in form, which unfortunately for his employer, has coincided with Fulham’s drop toward the relegation zone. […]

Chelsea last night once again did what it’s refused to do all season long: that is, die-something domestic rival Manchester United, England’s other victorious Champions League quarterfinalist yesterday, knows all about after seeing its commanding nine-point lead at the top of the English Premiership cut to just three points. Last night Jose Mourinho’s unbelievably resilient […]

It was certainly a night for the record books. What else can you say about Manchester United’s 7-1 destruction of AS Roma at Old Trafford last night? Well, the Italian press had plenty to say, according to the Guardian. Columnist Candido Cannavo, a self-described Roma fan, was forced to invoke the great Italian poet Dante […]

Corinthians fans had had enough: armed with household items like brooms and boxes of soap powder, fans stormed the Sao Paulo club’s training base on Good Friday demanding a change – that the club cleans up its act. Corinthians is one of the country’s most loved and most confused clubs, and its owner, Media Sports […]

As nice as it is to see a tight title race in La Liga, there’s no question it’s been a strange season. Defending champ and current leader Barcelona has consistently failed to kill off teams despite dominating most of its games, while second-place Sevilla – now just a single point behind – has managed to […]

There haven’t been many MLS expansion clubs, but no club has entered into MLS with as much fanfare or expectation as Toronto FC, Canada’s first representative in the 13-team league, which lost its first-ever game 2-0 away to Chivas USA. The Toronto Star called the loss “a cold blast of reality.” because despite all the […]

When you hear the words “fan violence,” most people think of soccer. The murder of Colombia’s Andres Escobar following the 1994 World Cup comes to mind, so too, perhaps, does the rioting during the Sicilian derby between Palermo and Catania Calcio that resulted in the death of a police officer. Those are high profile examples, […]

In America, billionaire investors like Philip Anschutz and Stan Kroenke have bet on soccer’s success. But the imminent arrival of David Beckham in Los Angeles, the celebrity city he was always destined to one day call home, has also made the world press sit up and take notice. The British press is certainly keeping a […]

Ives Galarcep found a silver lining in the New York Red Bulls’ 0-0 season opener against Columbus in the performance of the team’s newcomers. Goalkeeper Ronald Watterreus, and midfielders Claudio Reyna and Dave Van Den Bergh impressed at Crew stadium, but the team’s inability to put the ball away only underscores its need for a […]

The La Liga title race was blown wide-open this weekend as league leader Barcelona fell 1-0 to Real Zaragoza at La Romareda, failing to overcome a Diego Milito goal early in the second half. It was a relatively staid display from the defending champ, which only had a couple of clear-cut opportunities to equalize. The […]

It didn’t exactly go off without a hitch — cold weather, clogged traffic, long lines at will-call, and a lack of hot water in the locker rooms — but the 2007 MLS season opener between D.C. United and the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park will still go down in history as a success. […]

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho couldn’t wait to open his mouth after league leader Manchester United dropped its first points in the Premiership since losing 2-1 to Arsenal at Emirates Stadium Jan. 21st. The shock 2-1 loss against Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Saturday closed the gap between Chelsea and United to just three points. It […]

MLS commissioner Don Garber understands that this year is the most important in MLS history, though he’s quick to add that the signing of David Beckham is far from the only reason. Of the league’s many significant offseason achievements, Garber highlights securing a national television rights deal, the 14,000 season-ticket sellout at Toronto FC’s new […]

MLS veteran Alecko Eskandarian spoke with the Canadian paper the Globe and Mail about Toronto FC’s prospects for 2007. Eskandarian, formerly of D.C. United, insists that the expansion team is in a far stronger position in its first season than the MLS first-timers of the past. “Obviously, we’re going to have to prove it with […]

For the first time in years, the race for the La Liga title isn’t a foregone conclusion going into April. Merely five points separate the top three, with Real Madrid third on 51 points, Sevilla second with 54 points and Barcelona on top with 56. Both Real and Sevilla will be looking to gain valuable […]

It was a classic cup-tie for any competition: a host team needing all the home support it could get to overcome a two-goal first-leg deficit versus an away team that knew it could escape with either a draw or a narrow 1-0 loss. Well, Thursday night in Pachuca de Soto, Mexico, Houston’s dreams of the […]

The rumors may be true after all. U.S. billionaire Stan Kroenke, who has been rumored to be interested in taking over English giant Arsenal FC, just purchased a 9.9 percent stake in the club. According to ESPN Soccernet, Kroenke’s company, Kroenke Sports Enterprises, bought the shareholding interest from English broadcaster ITV, and could also purchase […]

Fearing perhaps the same weight of expectation heaped on the shoulders of Freddy Adu, New York Red Bulls Bruce Arena has consistently downplayed the prospect of young Jozy Altidore becoming a force in Major League Soccer this season. “I’m always careful about making rash predictions about young kids,” Arena said. “It hurts players psychologically in […]

Whatever problems Manchester United had on the pitch Wednesday night, the club’s visit to the Olympic Stadium in Rome will be remembered for the violence inflicted on their fans outside the ground and for the heavy-handed policing that led to more casualties inside it.   Once again, Manchester United fans found themselves on the wrong […]

Between now and June 2, when the U.S. plays China in its next international friendly, U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati will be considering replacements for national team coach Bob Bradley, according to an ESPN Soccernet column from Ives Galarcep.    As dire as that sounds for the Bradley camp, Gulati and co. may also decide […]

During the most recent round of U.S. friendlies, coach Bob Bradley gave his son Michael another run out with the senior national team. Not only did the younger Bradley’s assured performances brush aside suggestions of nepotism, they raised the question of whether Michael, 19, should remain with the U.S. seniors or return to the U-20s […]

Valencia believes it’s put Chelsea in the same situation as Inter Milan after Wednesday’s 2-2 draw in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal series at Stamford Bridge. Valencia defeated Inter in the second round thanks to the away goals rule, after drawing 2-2 in the first leg in Milan and then holding them […]