Arsenal ownership takes fresh twist as Kroenke takes control of NFL side April 13, 2010 MYSTERY surrounding the future of Arsenal has deepened after the club’s largest investor Stan Kroenke decided to snap up the remaining shares in his American football franchise St Louis Rams. The US billionaire’s move casts doubt on his ability to launch a takeover of the Gunners, just hours after it seemed the Premier League outfit’s [...]
Ancelotti in no mood for mind games April 12, 2010 CHELSEA manager Carlo Ancelotti has laughed off Sir Alex Ferguson’s suggestion that his team view tonight’s visit of Bolton as a routine win on an inevitable procession to the Premier League title. The leaders could put one hand on the trophy with a victory tonight that would propel them four points clear of flagging Manchester [...]
Portsmouth to appeal for Euro licence reprieve April 12, 2010 PORTSMOUTH are to make a desperate plea to the Football Association to allow them play in Europe next season. The relegated south-coast club secured a place in next season’s Europa League after winning through to the FA Cup final against Chelsea on 15 May with victory over Tottenham on Sunday. But with the club in [...]
Italian on brink of outdoing Mourinho April 12, 2010 JUST a few weeks ago the scandals surrounding the alleged extra-marital activities of John Terry and Ashley Cole looked like being the most memorable things to happen to Chelsea this season. Struggling for form in the Premier League and then dumped out of Europe by Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan, the Blues’ campaign was in danger [...]
Kevin-Prince and paupers shock Spurs April 11, 2010 TOTTENHAM (0) vs PORTSMOUTH (2) After extra-time, 0-0 after 90 minutes PORTSMOUTH manager Avram Grant toasted “a crazy day” after the crisis club defied administration and relegation to reach a fairytale FA Cup final. Pompey weathered a barrage of pressure to take much-fancied Tottenham to extra-time before Frederic Piquionne and Kevin-Prince Boateng earned an unlikely [...]
Chelsea can book repeat Wembley trip April 8, 2010 ASTON VILLA v/s CHELSEA TOMORROW – 5.00PM ITV1 CHELSEA have been on fire in recent weeks, since losing to Inter Milan, and their win at Old Trafford last weekend means they are now a best-priced 8/13 with William Hill to clinch a first Premier League title in four years. They have scored 14 goals in [...]
Robben plays superhero as United crash April 7, 2010 MANCHESTER UTD (3) v/s BAYERN MUNICH (2) MANCHESTER United manager Sir Alex Ferguson fumed at “typical Germans” after seeing Bayern Munich stage a stirring comeback to deny his 10-man side a place in the Champions League semi-finals. Former Chelsea winger Arjen Robben’s sweet 20-yard volley decided the quarter-final on away goals, as Bayern recovered from [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING April 6, 2010 FINANCIAL TIMES GAZPROM TO LAUNCH RUSSIA’S BIGGEST BOND ISSUE Gazprom will seek to raise Rbs300bn ($10.2bn) in Russia’s biggest bond issue programme to date, as the gas export monopoly tries to take advantage of a booming domestic bond market to restructure its debts and raise funds for upcoming investments. Gazprom said it had mandated Gazprombank, [...]
Magical Messi conjures four goals as weary Arsenal are slain in Spain April 6, 2010 BARCELONA (4) v/s ARSENAL (1) ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger hailed Lionel Messi as the world’s best after the Barcelona forward condemned the Gunners to a European exit with a jaw-dropping four-goal virtuoso performance. The diminutive Argentine with the huge talent justified his billing as the finest on the planet by commandeering the quarter-final second leg [...]
Sir Alex leaves door open for Rooney to make Euro cameo April 6, 2010 MANCHESTER UTD v/s BAYERN MUNICH MANCHESTER United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has justified his reputation as master of the mind games by sending Bayern Munich mixed messages about the fitness of Wayne Rooney. Ferguson, speaking at yesterday’s pre-match press conference, initially insisted there was “no chance” of the striker making a miraculous recovery from an [...]