Jo joins Manchester City for record fee
July 3, 2008
MANCHESTER (AFP) - Brazilian striker Jo joined Manchester City from CSKA Moscow on Wednesday for what the English Premier League side said was a "club record" undisclosed fee.
The 21-year-old forward, capped once by Brazil, signed a four-year contract and in the process became Mark Hughes’s first major signing at Eastlands since he replaced Sven-Goran Eriksson as City manager.
Jo, full name Joao Alves de Assis Silva, is a left-footed forward who joined several fellow Brazilians at CSKA in 2006 when he moved from Corinthians.
It had been reported that City expected to pay around 19 million pounds (38 million dollars) for the striker, who scored 44 goals in 77 matches for the Russian club.
"I decided to come to Manchester City because it is one of the clubs who showed more interest in me, although I had other offers as well," Jo said at a press conference announcing his signing.
"After I spoke to the manager (Hughes) I was very pleased.
"I was told Manchester City is a club going forward at the moment. We can go places, that is our objective. We thought about it and I decided to come to Manchester City for that reason."
Jo added Valencia were City’s main rivals for his signature. "The club who showed interest officially was Valencia," he said. "I know from the press there were other clubs who showed interest."
Hughes added: "He’s a big talent and a young man with a big future.
"A lot has been said about him and there was a big expectation on him coming out of Brazil. So with the success he’s had I think it’s a real coup that we’ve been able to bring him to the club.
"He’s a big guy, in stature and in ability, so I think everybody will enjoy watching him play."
During his time with CSKA, Jo won the Russian league and cup double in 2006 and also made numerous Champions League appearances for the Moscow club.
He may not be the only Brazilian joining City, with Hughes confirming the side were in the hunt for Barcelona’s Ronaldinho.
The striker has been told he can leave the Nou Camp, with City, Chelsea and Italy’s AC Milan all suggested as potential destinations for Ronaldinho.
"Basically that’s a process that is ongoing," Hughes said. "I don’t think the process has slowed or accelerated."
Hughes added: "He’s a huge world star and these things, if they are going to happen, are likely to take a bit of time.
"In the discussions he’s had with the club I think he’s been very positive about the idea of coming to the club."
Last season City finished ninth in the Premier League but that wasn’t enough to prevent club chairman Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Thai premier, getting rid of ex-England manager Eriksson after what was widely agreed to have been a successful first year in charge at Eastlands for the Swedish boss.
Eriksson, now in charge of the Mexico national side, was replaced by former Wales and Blackburn Rovers manager Hughes last month.
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Minute by Minute: Russia - Spain
June 27, 2008
VIENNA, Jun 26 (SW) - Spain and Russia battle it out for a spot in the Euro 2008 final on Sunday against Germany. SoccerWay keeps you up to date with the latest.
Final score: 0-3
More match information: Here.
Feel free to register or log in and start using the ‘discuss’ option below to give your opinion on this match!
FULL TIME - Spain are through to the Euro 2008 final! It was deserved as they were really the only side to attack tonight. In three days from now, their next appointment is with Germany in this very stadium to decide who is to lift this year’s European trophy!
Minute 88: Russia get a free kick and it’s swung in towards the goal. Zyryanov’s header is denied by Casillas.
Minute 85: The three-goal lead is nothing short of deserved as Spain have been the side taking the initiative tonight while the Russians seemed much less inspired than they did in the quarter final.
Minute 82: GOAL SPAIN (0-3) - DAVID SILVA - Spain score another and now it just can’t go wrong anymore!! Fabregas comes down the left wing and crosses to Silva who was left all alone by the Russian defense. The winger makes no mistake and slams it past Akinfeev for Spain’s third!
Minute 81: Less than ten minutes are left in regular time and Russia really need to react now! But in the last few minutes, it has been Spain who just keep on attacking.
Minute 74: The Russians get dangerously close to the Spanish goal but a short pass from the left is controlled by Casillas.
Minute 73: GOAL SPAIN (0-2) - DANIEL GUÏZA - Cesc Fabregas sends a beautiful looping pass over the Russian defense and subsitute Guïza lobs it over Akinfeev to double Spain’s lead!!
Minute 71: The following corner kick eventually enables Xabi Alonso to try a shot but again, Akinfeev gets in the way.
Minute 70: Good distance shot from Fabregas but Akinfeev makes the save.
Minute 69: Goalscorer Xavi Hernández comes off for Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres makes way for Daniel Guïza. Aragonés now has no substitutions left.
Minute 68: Spain want a spotkick as Fernando Torres goes down in the penalty area but referee De Bleeckere disagrees with the claims.
Minute 64: Russia get a free kick in a good spot as Marchena fouls Bilyaletdinov, but it hits a Spaniard.
Minute 63: Another big chance for Spain! Ramos sends in a cross from the right wing but Torres can’t get it on goal.
Minute 62: A difficult shot from Fernando Torres and not too surprisingly, it goes wide. Good attempt though.
Minute 61: Iniesta passes to Fabregas near the end line and Cesc tries to lob it over the goalkeeper to reach Fernando Torres but it’s cleared.
Minute 60: Fabregas is brought down by substitute Bilyaletdinov who is booked as result.
Minute 57: And another quick change for Russia with Sychev coming on for Saenko.
Minute 56: Russia manager Guus Hiddink makes a change and brings on Bilyaletdinov for Semshov. An attacking move this is.
Minute 56: Spain keep attacking now as Luis Aragonés’s men clearly want a quick second goal.
Minute 52: Almost another as Fabregas serves Torres and ‘El Niño’ strikes just over the Russian crossbar.
Minute 50: GOAL SPAIN (0-1) - XAVI - Andrés Iniesta enters the penalty area on the left and his pass reaches Xavi who does well to put the ball between Akinfeev’s legs for 0-1!
Minute 49: Ramos crosses in from the right looking for Torres at the back post, but it’s headed clear.
Minute 46: Back underway in Vienna.
HALF-TIME: A tight encounter as many of these matches deep in tournaments can be. A handful of half-chances, mostly falling the way of Spain, but the Russians aren’t being ripped up at the back like they were the first time around. With Villa out injured, how well will Torres play as the lone striker? All questions to be answered in the second half. Stay tuned.
Minute 45: Free kick lofted in by Xavi is taken well by Akinfeev.
Minute 39: Torres brings the ball down in the area and strikes it with the left boot, but it’s weak and Akinfeev takes it.
Minute 37: Ramos went for the target with a shot from the right, but it misses the near post.
Minute 34: Interesting move as Villa comes off with Cesc Fabregas replacing him.
Minute 31: Great effort by Pavlyuchenko from 20 yards out that doesn’t miss by much. Casillas did get a piece, but a goal kick is awarded.
Minute 29: Free kick for Spain in the center some 30 yards away is struck by Villa, but it bounces into Akinfeev’s arms.
Minute 27: Xavi lofts it into the area for Andrés Iniesta, but he can never get the ball under control.
Minute 24: Ramos has a boot from the right flank, but it floats right into the arms of Akinfeev. Tough takes for the keepers at all times with rain teeming down in Vienna.
Minute 18: First break from Yuri Zhirkov on the left, but his cross is over the goal.
Minute 16: Russia get a free kick in the center about 30 yards away as Carles Puyol hauls down Andrei Arshavin. Roman Pavlyuchenko has a fine strike at it, but he can’t keep it down and it’s over the top.
Minute 13: Corner kick for the first time in the game for Russia is taken short and the lofted ball to the far post is chested by Ramos to Casillas.
Minute 11: Villa has a crack at goal from 25 yards out, forcing a near-post save from Akinfeev.
Minute 10: First bit of dangerous play from Russia as Ivan Saenko sends in a right-wing cross, but it’s low and into the arms of Iker Casillas.
Minute 6: Torres gets a shot on target after Villa lays it back for him, but his turning effort lacked power and was right into the body of Igor Akinfeev. Spain starting the better of the two sides.
Minute 5: Sergio Ramos tries to volley in the right-footed corner, but it’s cleared. Later on, the ball comes back from the right, and again Ramos can’t quite get to it. Another corner by Spain is cleared away.
Minute 4: Fernando Torres accelerates down the right, but his cross is blocked out for a corner by Berezutski.
Kickoff: De Bleeckere gets the semi-final clash underway!
Pre-Game: It’s time for the anthems now. Spain, wearing yellow, will have theirs played first. Then, red-clad Russia will have their turn.
Pre-Game: Belgium’s Frank de Bleeckere will be the referee today, assisted by Peter Hermans and Alex Verstraeten. Greek referee Kyros Vassaras is the fourth official.
Pre-Game: Russia have been electric as of late, with stunning wins over both Sweden and an extra-time thriller against the Netherlands. Manager Guus Hiddink is forced to make one change to the side that beat the Dutch, with Vassili Berezutski stepping into the center of defense in place of the suspended Denis Kolodin.
Pre-Game: As expected, Spain manager Luis Aragonés does not make any changes to the side that beat Italy on penalties after a 0-0 draw in the semi-finals. Spanish observers keep wondering about the status of Fernando Torres, but he’s once again in the starting XI next to David Villa.
Pre-Game: Oh yeah, we didn’t forget. Spain has only won one major international tournament, the 1964 European Nations’ Cup. It was the Soviet Union that they beat 2-1 in the final in Madrid, Marcelino scoring the winning goal six minutes from time.
Pre-Game: These two nations have met four times since Russia began competing as the nation they are now, Spain winning three of those. The only other result was a 0-0 draw in a 2006 friendly. Spain beat Russia 1-0 at Euro 2004, and of course 4-1 in the opening group match of this tournament. They also met once when the CIS competed, that a 1-1 draw in Las Palmas.
Pre-Game: During the USSR era, the nations met five times. The Soviets twice beat Spain in European Championship qualifying, one of those a walkover in 1960 when Spain refused to travel to Moscow. Spain won in a friendly in 1986 and drew 0-0 in 1971.
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2008-06-26 - Russia v Spain
June 24, 2008
Euro 2008
2008-06-26 - Russia v Spain
Sports Betting Preview by Gooner
Russia vs Spain
UEFA Euro 2008 - Semi-Final
Ernst Happel Stadion, Vienna
Thursday 26th June 2008 - KO 19:45
RUSSIA
Russia have come on in leaps and bounds during the course of this tournament as Guss Hiddinks young side have showed that they are learning their football lessons fast.
Russia have the youngest squad in Austria/Switzerland and Hiddink’s intensive fitness work in the build-up to tournaments is also paying dividends with his team noticeably fresher than their rivals in the last two games – perhaps helped by the fact the Russian season only starts in March.
Make no mistake - Russia deserved their victory over the Netherlands (who had themselves looked so good in previous matches) and a similar performance in the semi-final could be a winning one.
Russia are young, fresh, and have tremendous belief in their adopted coach, so I expect another attacking approach in Vienna.
SPAIN
Spain buried a jinx on Sunday night, after edging past Italy on penalties to remove an 88-year barrier that had been haunting them regularly.
But this was not a fluid performance from Spain, who seemed almost paralysed by their Azzurri opponents and the Spanish side will have to put on a much better show against Russia in order to make the final.
Spain may have finally defeated an old foe, but the Azzurri were tired old men, and now Spain have to refocus on an energetic Russian side and not expect things to be as easy as their 4-1 group win.
HEAD TO HEAD
Spain and Russia clashed in the opening game of Group D, and the Spanish attack had a field day scoring four times in a very comfortable 4-1 victory.
That was the biggest margin of victory and the highest scoring game in any of the nine clashes between the two nations.
Overall Spain hold a 5-3-1 record over Russia, with the only Russia victory a 2-1 success in Moscow way back in 1971.
TEAM NEWS
Russia will be without two players for the semi-final as defender Denis Kolodin and attacking midfielder Dmitri Torbinski were cautioned for a second time in Saturday’s 3-1 win over the Netherlands.
Spain had no players recieve another yellow card in the shoot-out win against Italy meaning coach Luis Aragonés will have a full complement of players to choose from.
THE VERDICT
This one is a very tricky game to call - and undoubtedly the stature and importance of the match will affect the way the game is played.
I previously recommended taking Russia on handicap against the Netherlands because we were getting such a great price, and because even though they were play an "in-form" opponent - if Russia attacked then they could cause problems.
It’s ALMOST exactly the same situation here, but the punters are a little wiser this time so the prices on the Russians are not quite so strong.
Also there is a question around whether Russian coach Guus Hiddink will continue to "throw caution to the winds" and play the attacking style - knowing that he is so close to the final?
For that matter, Spain might have beaten Italy, but they’re hardly over their tag as the "choakers" of European football. I was not impressed with Spain against Italy - but they should get more space in this match.
I’m going to rate this game much the same as the Russian quarter-final with Spain having a better group of individuals … but which team has the mental toughness to perform on this stage?
The Pick :
PERCENTAGE ESTIMATE :
FIXED ODDS BETTING :
No bet on the 90 minute result. Unfortunately this time I agree with the bookmakers - and there is little value to be found.
I’ll take a look at the special bets in the next 12 hours - and see if I can find a play.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Decision time for Ronaldo as Portugal exit Euro 2008
June 20, 2008
BASEL, Switzerland (AFP) - Real Madrid and Manchester United want his services for next season, but Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo says he will reveal his plans in the next few days after his Euro 2008 heart-break.
The Premier League champions want Ronaldo to stay at Old Trafford until 2012, while Real confirmed on Thursday they are waiting to hear whether the 23-year-old wants to stay in England or move to Spain.
The boy from Madeira says he will settle the issue soon having produced a below-par performance as Germany inflicted a 3-2 defeat on Portugal in Basel.
“It is not the best time to talk of this,” said the Portuguese winger.
“In the next days, I will talk about it.
“What are the possibilities to go? They are great.
“But the decision doesn’t depend just on me.
“The people around me know what I want.
“By two or three days we will have a decision.”
It is easy to see why European giants are fighting for Ronaldo’s services.
Last season, he equalled, then obliterated, George Best’s record goals tally of 32 in a single season for Manchester United when he scored 42 goals.
He tormented the Czech Republic with a goal and created two more in his side’s dazzling 3-1 win in Geneva on June 11, but Ronaldo had a quiet night just when it mattered most at Euro 2008.
He has already suffered from stage fright this season - he missed a penalty in the Champions League semi-final in Barcelona and was below-par in the Moscow final, when he missed a penalty in the shoot-out, though he did score in open play.
And he has a poor record against the top four sides in England’s Premier League.
Before the game, Germany’s ex-Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann had said before the game he knew the secret to containing Ronaldo which seemed to work as the defence kept him in check.
A good run on the left led to a poor cross after just three minutes and just before the 20 minute mark a pass from Simao into the box gave him a half-chance, but the German defence scrambled away the danger.
But having fallen two goals behind after Bastian Schweinsteiger and Miroslav Klose struck for Germany, Ronaldo helped provide a reply when he broke down the right flank and fired at Lehmann.
His shot was blocked, but Portugal captain Nuno Gomes was on hand to score from the rebound on 40 minutes.
And in stoppage time at the end of the first-half, Ronaldo drove his shot across Lehmann’s goal as an equaliser threatened.
After the break, Ronaldo was brought down by German defender Arne Friedrich, who stepped on his ankle as he ran past, just for good measure, though, Ronaldo yelled in pain several seconds afterwards.
It just about summed up his night.
After Gemany captain Michael Ballack scored Germany’s third goal, Ronaldo blasted a free-kick high and wide on 68 minutes before Helder Postiga grabbed a consolation goal with time running out.
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Russia Euro 2008 Squad
May 29, 2008
Russia coach Guus Hiddink named his final 23-man squad for Euro 2008 and dropped newcomers Alexander Pavlenko and Oleg Ivanov.
Pavlenko, who plays for Spartak Moscow, and fellow midfielder Ivanov, who plays for Krylya Sovietov Samara, were included in a provisional 25-man list but had a little chance of making the final selection.
The Russians are in Group D along with European champions Greece, Spain and Sweden.
Russia Euro 2008 Squad
Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeyev (CSKA Moscow), Vyacheslav Malafeyev (Zenit St Petersburg), Vladimir Gabulov (Amkar Perm)
Defenders: Sergei Ignashevich (CSKA Moscow), Alexei Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow), Vasily Berezutsky (CSKA Moscow), Alexander Anyukov (Zenit St Petersburg), Denis Kolodin (Dynamo Moscow), Renat Yanbayev (Lokomotiv Moscow)
Midfielders: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov (Lokomotiv Moscow), Yuri Zhirkov (CSKA Moscow), Igor Semshov (Dynamo Moscow), Dmitry Torbinsky (Lokomotiv Moscow), Vladimir Bystrov (Spartak Moscow), Konstantin Zyryanov (Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Shirokov (Zenit St Petersburg), Sergei Semak (Rubin Kazan)
Forwards: Andrei Arshavin (Zenit St Petersburg), Pavel Pogrebnyak (Zenit St Petersburg), Roman Pavlyuchenko (Spartak Moscow), Dmitry Sychev (Lokomotiv Moscow), Roman Adamov (FK Moscow), Ivan Saenko (Nuremberg).
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