Benitez: Mascherano not for sale even for 50m June 10, 2009 LIVERPOOL manager Rafael Benitez yesterday warned Barcelona that no amount of money could prise midfielder Javier Mascherano from Anfield. The Argentine ball-winner’s agent has encouraged talk of a move to the European champions by declaring his client would welcome a switch. But Benitez has sought to end speculation about Mascherano’s future by insisting the 25-year-old [...]
Fabio’s thanks to fans who defied Tube chaos June 10, 2009 ENGLAND head coach Fabio Capello paid tribute to loyal supporters who defied the Tube strike in their thousands to attend last night’s clash at Wembley. The Football Association had offered fans refunds if they chose to stay away amid travel chaos caused by the industrial action. But with many Underground lines working despite gloomy forecasts, [...]
Capello will have marvelled at theruthless display June 10, 2009 AS expected it was a walk in the park for England, but the ever-wise Fabio Capello will still have learned a thing or two about his emerging squad at Wembley last night. True, there will be no side like Andorra when it comes to the World Cup finals in South Africa, but the ruthless manner [...]
Lions call for Jones after Ferris blow June 9, 2009 COACH Ian McGeechan last night stepped in to ease the pain of a double injury blow by drafting Wales captain Ryan Jones into his British and Irish Lions squad. McGeechan’s plans suffered a setback after Stephen Ferris and Leigh Halfpenny pulled up in training with fresh injury concerns yesterday, just hours before tonight’s tour match [...]
Dutch defeat was inspiration June 9, 2009 IT’S not often you can take positives from an embarrassing defeat against the Netherlands in a major international competition, but you could argue that England’s fate last Friday actually lit the touchpaper for the entire World Twenty20 tournament. As we have already seen with the Netherlands beating England and Ireland waltzing through to the Super [...]
Nadal: I’ll give 200 per cent to be fit for Wimbledon June 9, 2009 WORLD No1 Rafael Nadal admitted yesterday he faces a battle to recover from a knee injury in time to defend his Wimbledon title. Nadal pulled out of this week’s Aegon Championships at Queen’s Club because of the problem, which tests have revealed to be tendonitis in both kneecaps. The Spaniard has little more than two [...]
PAKISTAN EASE THROUGH June 9, 2009 PAKISTAN secured their place in the World Twenty20 Super Eights with a comfortable 82-run victory over England’s conquerors, the Netherlands, at Lord’s. Targeting 175-5, the Dutch collapsed to 93 all out with leg-spinner Shahid Afridi (pictured right) posting 4-11. In the later game, South Africa beat New Zealand by just one run in a low-scoring [...]
Queen’s doubles exit for Murray June 9, 2009 TENNIS: British No1 Andy Murray and Australian Lleyton Hewitt went down 6-4, 6-3 to Lucasz Kubot and Oliver Marach in the men’s doubles of the Aegon Championships at Queen’s last night. Murray opens his singles account against Andreas Seppi, of Italy, today as the No1 seed. World No2 Roger Federer has withdrawn from the Halle [...]
Exiles opener for Leinster June 9, 2009 RUGBY UNION: Heineken Cup champions Leinster will begin their title defence next season in a pool which includes London Irish, Scarlets and Brive. Runners-up and Premiership champions Leicester face Ospreys, Clermont Auvergne and Viadana in Pool 3, while Harlequins and Sale line up in Pool 5 alongside Toulouse and Cardiff Blues. Northampton are in Pool [...]
F1 civil war nears resolution June 9, 2009 FORMULA ONE: F1 teams are said to be on the verge of closing in on an agreement to end the power battle with the sport’s governing body, the FIA. The two parties have been in dispute over a proposed £40m budget cap which has forced FOTA, the teams’ umbrella group, to threaten a boycott for [...]