Asked about the situation of Olympique Lyon midfielder and Barcelona loan out Marc Crosas (20), Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas said to journalists that no decision will be taken until Lyon has appointed a new manager:
1-2. The winning goal in extra time was deserved for Spain, who started the game in a convincing way with good football and an early goal. In the second part of the first half, Sweden took over and Ibrahimovic scored the equalizer. Without Ibrahimovic, the Swedish team played to prevent a second Spanish goal after the break. Spain didn't seem to find the gap until Villa showed up.
Asked about the rumours linking him with a summer move to Barcelona (read more here), Sporting midfielder and Portuguese international João Moutinho (21) has suggested to journalists that he hopes the transfer could go through: "Barcelona is one of those trains that only pass once in a lifetime."
During a commemoration event, Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain has admitted that Barcelona is interested in Valencia forward and Spanish international David Villa (26) but said that a transfer will be difficult because of the high transfer fee (read more here).
Two weeks after he had been dismissed as Chelsea assistant coach (read more here), former Barcelona assistant coach Henk ten Cate (53) was yesterday appointed as the new Panathinaikos manager.
Catalan sports paper Sport claims that new Inter Milan manager José Mourinho would like to bring Barcelona midfielder and Spanish international Xavi Hernández (28) to Inter.
Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio claims that Barcelona sports vice president Marc Ingla travelled to London yesterday to negotiate with Arsenal on the transfer of Arsenal midfielder and Belarussian international Alexander Hleb (27).
Despite the fact that Arsenal seems to firmly hold on to Hleb (read more here), whose contract expires next year, the meeting could mean that a final deal is near. Barcelona would be ready to pay maximum 15 million euro° for the player and is pressuring Arsenal with the wish of the player to join Barcelona (read more here).
Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo confirms that Hleb still is the next main transfer objective of the Barcelona technical department. Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain would have been holding constant telephone talks with Arsenal officials over the last week trying to reach an agreement.
Read more:
Difficult negotiations with Arsenal on Hleb
Deal with Hleb
Wenger wants Toure to replace Vieira
4-1. Second great win by the Dutchmen although when they score the 2-0, France had the pressure on for half an hour and deserved the 1-1. And a clear handball from Ooijer should have been a penalty. Together with that first goal against Italy, Holland seems to have the champion's luck. Three excellent goals in the second half. Best team of the tournament so far. Again very inadequate substitutions by the French coach. And how can you leave Trezeguet out for Gomis or Anelka? Apparently because he doesn't have the right zodiac sign. No joke.
Thuram, captain, and Henry, returning from injury, played the whole match. Abidal was replaced by Evra at the left back position, which could be questioned with Kuijt being the opponent on that wing.
Thuram didn't really make big mistakes but because of his lack of speed he always pulls back too easily and when you're 1-0 behind that's not what you need. Henry had a difficult first half. It seemed to change with a good move and shot just before the break, was more involved in the second half, but then an awful miss in a one-on-one with Van der Sar. Good goal afterwards (but was he on side?), nice touch. Seeing him with a big smile one minute after the end of the match, you can ask if this guy still has the hunger and motivation to go for it every game during a whole season.
Read everything about Barcelona in the Euro 2008 here
With Zambrotta officially on his way out, I won't comment the Italy games anymore (well for this once: Zambrotta again had an Old Trafford moment this evening, although he did well in general, excellent going forward)
IN
Seydou Keita
former club: sevilla
age: 28
country: mali
official announcement: monday 26 may
contract duration: 4 years
transfer fee: 14 million euro
note: barcelona pays the buyout fee
Gerard Piqué
former club: manchester united
age: 21
country: catalunya, spain
official announcement: tuesday 27 may
contract duration: 4 years
transfer fee: 5 million euro (+ 2 million euro variables)
José Manuel Pinto
former club: celta vigo
age: 32
country: spain
official announcement: friday 30 may
contract duration: 2 years
transfer fee: 0 euro
note: the contract can be cancelled by both parties after one year, pinto played for barcelona on loan since january, when barcelona paid celta 500 000 euro
Martín Cáceres
former club: villareal (on loan to recreativo huelva)
age: 21
country: uruguay
official announcement: wednesday 4 june
contract duration: 4 years
transfer fee: 16,5 million euro
OUT
José Edmílson
new club: villareal
age: 31
country: brazil
barcelona player since: 2004
barcelona contract until: 2008
official announcement: friday 23 may
contract duration: 2 years
transfer fee: 0 euro
note: the contract of the player expired
Giovani dos Santos
new club: tottenham
age: 19
country: mexico
barcelona player since: 2002
barcelona contract until: 2009 (?)
official announcement: friday 6th june
contract duration: 5 years
transfer fee: 6 million euro (+ 5 million euro depending on the player’s appearances during his five years of contract)
note: when the player is transferred barcelona receives 20% of the fee during the first two years or 10% after that
Gianluca Zambrotta
new club: ac milan
age: 31
country: italy
barcelona player since: 2006
barcelona contract until: 2010
official announcement: friday 13th june
contract duration: 4 years
transfer fee: 9 million euro (+ 2 million euro depending on the qualification of AC Milan for the Champions League during the next four years)
Deco
new club: chelsea
age: 30
country: portugal (brazil)
barcelona player since: 2004
barcelona contract until: 2010
official announcement: monday 30th june
contract duration: 3 years
transfer fee: 10 million euro
Barcelona has announced the transfer of Barcelona right back defender Gianluca Zambrotta (31) to AC Milan.
Zambrotta, whose contract with Barcelona expired in 2010, will sign a four-year contract with Milan.
Barcelona receives 9 million euro° plus 2 million euro° depending on Milan qualifying for the Champions League in the next four years.
AC Milan already announced the deal on the 31st of May.
Zambrotta arrived in Barcelona from Juventus two years ago in a package deal with Lilian Thuram (14 million euro for Zambrotta, 5 million euro for Thuram). With Barcelona, Zambrotta won one Spanish Super cup in 2006.
pep's opinion:
good transfer price. for me the most disappointing transfer since i can remember. he arrived here probably being at the same time the best right back ànd best left back defender in the world, we had a problem for years at the right back position (and maybe at the left back postion too), so the transfer looked a sure winner but in two years he added almost nothing to the team. i'm nevertheless quite sure he'll be back to a decent level in the serie a. thanks and good luck to him.
Read the whole Gianluca Zambrotta transfer story from the first rumours until the official confirmation
El FC Barcelona y el AC Milan han cerrado, este viernes, un acuerdo definitivo para el traspaso del jugador Gianluca Zambrotta al club italiano.
Gianluca Zambrotta, de 31 años, firmará un contrato con el club italiano hasta el 30 de junio del 2012. El precio de la operación es de 9 millones de euros fijos más 2 variables en función de la clasificación para la Liga de Campeones del AC Milan durante las 4 temporadas siguientes.
French sports paper L'Equipe claims that French club Paris Saint-Germain will offer Barcelona central defender and French international Lilian Thuram (36) a contract for two years with a net year salary of 1,5 million euro° (read more here).
Brazilian sports site Lancenet claims that Barcelona has reached a deal with São Paulo attacking midfielder and Brazilian international Hernanes (23). The duration of the contract and the salary would have been agreed upon.
Barcelona would already have made a first bid of 11 million euro° for the player (read more here) but the offer was rejected by São Paulo, who is asking 20 million euro°. It is expected that the Brazilian club will drop that asking price. The player's rights are owned by São Paulo, sports marketing agency Traffic and Hernanes' agent Joseph Lee.
Brazilian football site Blog do Boleiro claims that São Paulo sports director Marco Aurélio Cunha met last week with Traffic representative Frederico Penna, who informed the club that he had the authorization to start the negotiations which could lead to Hernanes joining Barcelona.
Asked about the rumours linking him with a return to Barcelona (read more here), Zaragoza forward and Spanish international Sergio García (24) said at a press conference that he's calm about the whole matter:
Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona left winger Santiago Ezquerro (31) is close to signing a deal with Greek champions Olympiacos, the new club of former Espanyol manager Ernesto Valverde (read more here).
Several sources in England and Spain report that the negotiations, started on Tuesday, between Arsenal and Barcelona on the transfer of Arsenal midfielder and Belarussian international Alexander Hleb (27) are not advancing as well as expected before by Barcelona.
British tabloid The Daily Mirror claims that Barcelona launched a first bid of 10 million euro° which is far below what Arsenal would want to receive for Hleb.
British tabloid The Daily Star claims that Arsenal is asking at this moment 25 million euro° and more concretely translated this in demanding 5 million euro° plus Barcelona defensive midfielder and Ivory Coast international Yaya Touré (25) in exchange.
Barcelona would have rejected the option to include Touré in the deal (read more here). Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain is quoted by the tabloid as saying: "We want Yaya to stay with us and he is not on the market. Guardiola considers him to be an important player in his new project." Catalan sports paper Sport confirms that this plan has clearly been rejected by Barcelona.
Although Bayern Munich would be preparing a 20 million euro° bid, Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo says that Barcelona is calm and patient because they already have a personal deal with Hleb (read more here). And the experience shows that a player normally ends up playing with the team of his choice.
Hleb said earlier this week in an interview with German sports magazine Kicker that the rumours about his future are making him nervous: "All that paper talk is annoying. I have not signed anything with Bayern or Barcelona or any other club for that matter. There's so much speculation and so much talking. While I just want some peace and time to sit down with my closest friend and agent Niki Spilevski to make up my mind about my future."
Read more:
Hleb looks to be next
Swap deal including Toure and Hleb looked at
Deal with Arsenal on Hleb close
British local newspaper The News claims that English Premier League club Portsmouth is considering to launch a bid for Barcelona attacker and Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen (29) if the negotiations with Liverpool on England international Peter Crouch would fail (read more here). Gudjohnsen is thought to be available for a transfer fee of around 5 million euro°.
Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona will enter the race for Valencia forward and Spanish international David Villa (26) and will have to compete with clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham and Real Madrid (read more here).
With the transfers of Lyon forward Karim Benzema and Inter Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic looking very difficult and with the club expecting to receive high transfer fees for Ronaldinho and Eto'o, Barcelona could have turned its attention to the expensive Spanish striker.
Villa, who took breakfast yesterday with his father and his agent, is aware of the interest and will take his time to make a decision about his future. The player said at a press conference that he's now fully concentrating on the European championship.
Portuguese sports paper Record claims that Portuguese national team coach and newly appointed Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari will take Barcelona midfielder and Portugal international Deco (30) with him to Chelsea (read more here).
Argentinian sports paper Olé claims that Boca Juniors and the player have rejected a formal 14 million euro° offer from Lazio Roma for Boca Juniors forward and Argentinian international Rodrigo Palacio (26).
French newspaper Le Parisien claims that Barcelona central defender and French international Lilian Thuram (36) is a priority of French club Paris Saint-Germain, who wants the French national team captain to become the key figure of their new project (read more here).
Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona is eyeing AC Milan midfielder and Italian international Andrea Pirlo (29) in case the transfer of Alexander Hleb would fail (read more here).
1-3. The Czechs were better than you could have expected after their poor first performance against Switzerland but the individual class of the Portuguese decided the game. Moutinho was less present than during the first game.
Asked about his transfer to Barcelona, Sevilla right back defender and Brazilian international Daniel 'Dani' Alves (25) reconfirmed the transfer to journalists in Brazil(read more here): "I hope to have the same success with Barcelona like I had with Sevilla the past five and a half years. I think I couldn't leave Sevilla in a better way after having won everthing with the club.'
Catalan sports paper Sport claims that, with several other targets like Benzema, Ibrahimovic or Adebayor not being available, Valencia forward and Spanish international David Villa (26) is at this moment one of the main options of Barcelona to replace striker Samuel Eto'o (read more here).
Asked about his future, Barcelona midfielder and Portugal international Deco (30) said in an interview with Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo that he has offers from two clubs:
"Everybody knows that at this moment I have only two options: Chelsea and Inter. No deal has been signed yet. I have excellents relations with José Mourinho and of course that has an influence. But with Ricardo Carvalho and Paulo Ferreira two of my friends play at Chelsea, where you also have Hilario and now Bosingwa. But there are a lot of other things you have to take into account."
Deco excluded there is still a chance he could stay at Barcelona (read more here): "There is no way back. The club and I have taken the decision together, although it certainly wasn't me who asked for it. I was very comfortable in Barcelona. I always gave everything. But things are how they are and we'll leave it that way. My time with Barcelona has been incredible and I'll never forget it, but it's already history."
At a press conference Deco said that he still has two years left on his contract and that he will make a decision after the European championship.
Read more:
Deco chooses Chelsea over Inter
Deco announces his exit
Ex-Barça: Henk ten Cate
Asked about the rumours linking him with a summer move to Barcelona (read more here), Inter Milan central defender and Romanian international Cristian Chivu (27) has said at a press conference that he doesn't think about leaving Inter this summer:
Catalan sports paper Sport claims that the Barcelona technical department is divided on the possible transfer of Zaragoza forward and Spanish international Sergio García (24) (read more here).
Asked about the rumours linking him with a move to AS Roma (read more here), Barcelona left back defender and French international Eric Abidal (28) said at a press conference yesterday that he doesn't plan to leave Barcelona in the summer:
German weekly sports paper Sport Bild claims that Barcelona is interested in Stuttgart forward and German international Mario Gómez (22).
4-1. Great start by the Spaniards. Aragonés decided at the last moment to change his 4-1-4-1 by leaving out Cesc and putting Villa next to Torres and it worked. Although the Spanish defence looked sometimes unsecure and you should see what this could mean against a stronger opponent.
Puyol, Xavi and Iniesta started the game. The first two played the 90 minutes, Iniesta was replaced after one hour.
Xavi was impressive, he just ruled the whole midfield, certainly in the first half. Iniesta had to play from the right in a 4-4-2, he seemed somewhat unsettled in the beginning but when he and Xavi started to switch positions he came into the game and gave a wonderful assist for the second goal. Puyol was the best defender for me, was quite agressive and concentrated.
Asked about the rumours linking him with a summer move to Tottenham or Inter Milan, Barcelona forward and Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o (27) has said in an interview with Cameroonian television station CRTV that his first option still is to stay with Barcelona:
"Tottenham, and I hope the English fans will forgive me, are a club in mid-table and I need more. I cannot exclude the option of Inter, but I want to repeat that I still feel I am a Barcelona player and don't feel pressured to leave. I will think about my situation during the coming weeks. I'm aware of all the rumours surrounding my future but I insist that I have a contract with Barcelona until 2010 and that I feel great at the club."
Portuguese sports paper A Bola claims that Barcelona could already have reached a secret deal with Sporting midfielder and Portuguese international João Moutinho (21).
Roma football site La Roma Siamo Noi claims that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain will meet later this week with his AS Roma colleague Daniele Pradè later to discuss the transfer of Roma winger Amantino Mancini (27).
Asked about the rumours linking the Brazilian player with a move to Barcelona (read more here), Mancini's agent Gilmar Veloz didn't want to enter the issue during an interview with the site: "You need to ask Roma. I don't know what's going on with Barcelona, you should ask the clubs. I can only talk about Mancini and say that he has a contract until 2009."
Read more:
Deal with Mancini
Roma wants to swap Mancini for Abidal
Mancini alternative for Alves
3-0. Great display by the Dutch team (together with Portugal the most convincing performance so far), although that first goal was just off-side (I know there's an interpretation that says it was not, but it's ridiculous if it's not, Panucci did not deliberately stay behind the line) and was probably decisive.
Zambrotta started as left back defender and ended the game as right back defender. Got booked. Had a tough first half against Kuyt but did well and added a lot of depth to the team going forward. This was the Italy Zambrotta, not the Barça Zambrotta. Former Barcelona left back defender Giovanni Van Bronckhorst probably played the match of his life.
Read everything about Barcelona in the Euro 2008 here
0-0. Poor start by the Frenchmen. The team lacked creativity and it's really incredible that the coach held on to two defensive midfielders during 90 minutes. Benzema didn't convince.
Lilian Thuram (captain) and Eric Abidal started the game and played the whole match. Henry has been injured and didn't play.
Solid defensive performances by both Barcelona players. Thuram again showed that his problem at Barcelona wasn't his age but the system. Abidal added very little in attack.
Read everything about Barcelona in the Euro 2008 here
British tabloid The People claims that Barcelona attacker and Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen (29) has decided that he wants to move to West Ham and would have revealed that last weekend to Icelandic journalists (read more here).
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