Category: Section 2 Around the Net

L.A. Soccer News columnist Andrea Canales speaks with L.A. Galaxy’s injury-plagued midfielder Kyle Martino, who has been out for the better part of two seasons with hip injuries. Last May, the 2002 MLS Rookie of the Year was traded from the Columbus Crew, where he played for five seasons, to the Galaxy, where injuries limited […]

Red Bull’s ownership of MLS’s New York franchise passed the one-year anniversary mark last Friday with barely a whisper in the press. In fact, there’s been barely a whisper in the press about New York’s swanky energy drink owner since the acquisition purchase. Ives Galarcep of the North Jersey Herald says Red Bull was supposed […]

As the BBC’s Mandeep Sanghera says, “The only way players usually leave Manchester United is if they have upset manager Sir Alex Ferguson or you are deemed surplus to requirements,” but Celtic, Barcelona and Sweden legend Henrik Larsson decided to leave Old Trafford after a short loan spell that lasted a little under three months. […]

While controversy rages in Utah over its potential new home in the Salt Lake City suburb of Sandy, Real Salt Lake is simply trying to get ready for the 2007 Major League Soccer season. And preparations aren’t going that well, either. On its recent two-week tour of Spain, RSL lost friendlies against Castilla (La Liga […]

For the owners of Real Salt Lake, the ghost of the Sandy stadium just won’t go away. Most Salt Lake County residents, according to a poll conducted by the Deseret Morning News and local broadcaster KSL-TV, are livid that hotel tax dollars are going toward building a soccer stadium. In fact, 65 percent of respondents […]

Indeed, it was a fantastic weekend of soccer: Real-Barcelona in Spain was followed one day later by a classic FA Cup encounter between Chelsea and Tottenham at Stamford Bridge. This was another one that finished, 3-3, a result that certainly does Chelsea no favors, as a replay will only add to the Sky Blues’ already […]

It wasn’t supposed to be that great, really: with both suffering a loss of form and the depression of being dumped out of the Champions League thanks to the away goals rule, and with no real villain on either side to punctuate the pre-match hype, this Barcelona-Real Madrid superclasico was set up to be the […]

As it turns out, Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea may the first team David Beckham faces following his departure from Real Madrid to the L.A. Galaxy. ESPN Soccernet reports that the Sky Blues have agreed to play the Galaxy on July 21 as part of a four-team tournament in the United States, which also is reported to […]

Arsenal striker Thierry Henry is out for the season due to groin and muscle injuries, the club confirmed on Friday. The 29-year-old Frenchman tore muscles during Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with PSV Eindhoven as the Gunners bowed out of the Champions League, the only remaining competition which it had a chance of winning. The Arsenal captain […]

Watford’s American defender, Jay DeMerit, speaks with Yanks Abroad about his chances of a call-up to the U.S. national team this month. Frankly, he isn’t holding his breath. “I have always said it is out of my control,” DeMerit said. “Because I have never known otherwise, it does not really bother me, but I hope […]

The San Francisco Chronicle has an update on the pro soccer stadium situation in San Jose. Real estate tycoon Lew Wolff, who also owns the Oakland Athletics, this week said he hopes to secure an agreement with San Jose State President Don Kassing to build a new stadium next to the Spartans’ existing football venue […]

Of three remaining English teams in the Champions League, Paul Doyle of the Guardian says Manchester United has received the toughest quarterfinal draw in AS Roma. Others could make a case for Chelsea-Valencia, but Roma, he says, could prove to be a tricky opponent for the Red Devils. Liverpool-PSV is the fourth quartefinal pairing. For […]

According to the Washington Post, citing unnamed sources, the young American prospect Robbie Rogers has signed a contract with MLS and will be assigned a team via a weighted lottery later Tuesday. Both Toronto FC and D.C. United were reportedly keen to sign the player directly, though the league intervened and said he would have […]

Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal played yet more bewitching soccer en route to another failure in a major competition at the Emirates Stadium last night. Unbelievably, the Gunners produced chance after chance with central midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Gilberto Silva pulling the strings, but as usual, no one could score. In fact, it took an own goal […]

“Spellbound” is perhaps the best word we Americans have of describing the look upon the faces of George Gillett and Tom Hicks, Liverpool’s new American owners, as they soaked up the final moments of their first Champions League triumph at Anfield, bathed in the overwhelming drone of the club’s signature anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” […]

As is the norm following every Real Madrid disappointment, the coach’s job has been called into question. Club officials confirmed that Wednesday night’s Champions League second-round defeat to Bayern Munich left it an open question whether Coach Fabio Capello will lead the Merengues out for the “Superclasico” against Barcelona at the Nou Camp on Saturday. […]

The ligament injury that will now keep David Beckham out of Real Madrid’s lineup for more than a month brings to mind an interesting point: is MLS insured? Of course is the answer, though the league wouldn’t reveal the extent of its insurance policy. Incidentally, Becks is also insured, to the tune of $193 million, […]

Tuesday will be remembered as the night when Europe’s giants fell, as the Spanish, Italian, and French champions all failed to do enough to progress to the Champions League quarterfinals. Chelsea was the only reigning domestic champion to buck the trend, though Jose Mourinho’s men made hard work of battling underdog FC Porto, the champion […]

It’s a question that’s been asked before, but Frank Dell’Apa of the Boston Globe gives it a closer look: how will David Beckham be traveling with his new L.A. Galaxy teammates?  That may sound like an odd question, but when you consider that Beckham is a world-class athlete and A-list celebrity, it would be awkward […]

David Winner of the Guardian pronounces Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal the sole heir of Dutch great Johann Cruyff’s vision of “total football.” Winner says no other team in world soccer so accurately reflects what he calls “Holland’s finest contribution to human happiness”: a soccer team that prizes “beauty and creativity above all and [is] compulsively devoted […]

Perennially in John Terry’s shadow, Liverpool center back Jaime Carragher at this point has turned so many imperious performances that it’s time the assumed the mantle as England’s leading defender, says the Guardian’s Rob Smyth. Carragher’s resoluteness this season was punctuated by his performances against Manchester United and Barcelona Tuesday night in the Champions League. […]

Soccer United Marketing, the marketing arm of Major League Soccer, is putting $2 million behind its fan development department in an attempt to attract more Hispanic and youth soccer fans to MLS. According to research from Jay Gladden, an associate professor of sport management at UMass, Hispanic and youth soccer players only “lightly consume” MLS. […]

Even if David Beckham isn’t really going to be making $250 million from his move the L.A. Galaxy this summer, his guaranteed $27.5 million base salary over five years is light years away from what most players in the league make. Foreigners may view the U.S. as the land of overpaid sports star, but that […]

Amidst a smorgasbord of other mouth-watering options in the Champions League second round, Lyon-Roma could be considered something of a forgotten series. However, American viewers, at least those who subscribe to Setanta Sports USA (5 pm ET) or ESPN Deportes (midnight ET), will get the opportunity to watch on delay later on Tuesday what could […]

If, like some neutrals, you’ve stopped watching Serie A because Inter Milan is walking away with it, you’d be remiss in failing to notice the current form of one of the world’s best strikers, writes the Guardian’s James Richardson. No, he’s not talking about Roma’s Francesco Totti (although penalty kicks aside, he’s having a fantastic […]