Category Archives: SPORTS

Σε ανεπανάληπτο θρίαμβο της Ατλέτικο εξελίχθηκε το μεγάλο ντέρμπι της 22ης αγωνιστικής του ισπανικού πρωταθλήματος, καθώς οι «ροχιμπλάνκος» συνέτριψαν 4-0 τη Ρεάλ στο «Βιθέντε Καλντερόν» και έβαλαν… φωτιά στη μάχη του τίτλου.

Εντυπωσιακή η ομάδα του Ντιέγκο Σιμεόνε, εκμεταλλεύθηκε με τον καλύτερο τρόπο τις σοβαρές αμυντικές ελλείψεις των πρωταθλητών Ευρώπης (Σέρχιο Ράμος, Πέπε, Μαρσέλο) και το ντεοφρμάρισμα των μεγάλων της αστέρων (Ρονάλντο, Μπέιλ ήταν… απλή αναφορά στο φύλλο αγώνα) και μετέτρεψε το ντέρμπι σε… πάρτι.

Παρά την πρόωρη απώλεια του Κόκε, που αποχώρησε τραυματίας μόλις στο 10ο λεπτό, η Ατλέτικο προηγήθηκε στο 13΄ με σουτ του Τιάγκο που «έπνιξε» ο Κασίγιας και πέντε λεπτά αργότερα διπλασίασε τα τέρματά της με ανάποδο ψαλίδι του Σαούλ (αντικατέστησε τον Κόκε), μετά από εντυπωσιακή ενέργεια του Σικέιρα. Οι γηπεδούχοι είχαν κι άλλες ευκαιρίες, πριν ο Γκριζμάν στο 66΄ και ο Μάντζουκιτς στο 89΄ διαμορφώσουν το τελικό 4-0, με το οποίο οι πρωταθλητές Ισπανίας πλησίασαν την πρωτοπόρο Ρεάλ στους τέσσερις βαθμούς.

Παράλληλα η Μπαρτσελόνα μπορεί να φτάσει στον πόντο από την κορυφή, αν περάσιε αύριο νικηφόρα από το «Σαν Μαμές» κόντρα στην Αθλέτικ Μπιλμπάο. Να σημειωθεί ότι αυτή ήταν η έκτη φετινή αναμέτρηση των δύο ομάδων της Μαδρίτης, με την Ατλέτικο να μετράει τέσσερις νίκες και δύο ισοπαλίες.

Τα αποτελέσματα και οι σκόρερ:

Λα Κορούνια-Εϊμπάρ 2-0
(52΄ Λούκας, 79΄ Καβαλέιρο)

Ατλέτικο Μαδρίτης-Ρεάλ Μαδρίτης 4-0
(13΄ Τιάγκο, 18΄ Σαούλ, 66΄ Γκριζμάν, 89΄ Μάντζουκιτς)

Βιγιαρεάλ-Γρανάδα 19:00

Λεβάντε-Μάλαγα 21:00

Σοσιεδάδ-Θέλτα 23:00

Κόρντομπα-Αλμερία 8/2
Χετάφε-Σεβίλη 8/2
Εσπανιόλ-Βαλένθια 8/2
Αθλέτικ Μπιλμπάο-Μπαρτσελόνα 8/2

Ελτσε-Ράγιο Βαγεκάνο 9/2

ΒΑΘΜΟΛΟΓΙΑ (σε 21 αγώνες)
Ρεάλ Μαδρίτης 54 -22αγ.
Μπαρτσελόνα 50
Ατλέτικο Μαδρίτης 50 -22αγ.
Σεβίλη 42
Βαλένθια 41
Βιγιαρεάλ 38
Μάλαγα 35
Εϊμπάρ 27 -22αγ.
Εσπανιόλ 26
Θέλτα 24
Λα Κορούνια 24 -22αγ.
Αθλέτικ Μπιλμπάο 23
Ράγιο Βαγιεκάνο 23
Σοσιεδάδ 22
Χετάφε 20
Αλμερία 19
Κόρντομπα 18
Γρανάδα 18
Έλτσε 17
Λεβάντε 16

Πηγή: in.gr

Arsenal may have to make do without their top scorer Alexis Sanchez when they visit north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday.

The Chile forward missed his side’s 5-0 win over Aston Villa last weekend and on Thursday Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, suggested that he had failed to recover sufficiently from a hamstring problem. But Wenger, whose side are looking to record back-to-back victories at White Hart Lane for the first time since September 1988, hinted in his press conference on Friday that Sanchez may yet feature, with a test that day set to determine his availability.

“[Telling him he’s not playing] is not easy!” Wenger said. “He wants to play of course. He’s very keen and thinks he can even defy the medical people because he’s so keen.

“I don’t know yet [if he could feature], I need medical advice on that and need as well to see what he can do in training.”

Wenger is boosted by the return of Danny Welbeck to the first team, but remains without Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere (both ankle), Mathieu Debuchy (shoulder) and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (groin). Welbeck’s return means Arsenal have enough attacking options to compensate for Sanchez, who has 12 league goals, says Wenger.

“We have enough offensive power,” he said. “We don’t need to worry about being short on that front.”

The Frenchman also confirmed that striker Chuba Akpom and midfielder Francis Coquelin have both signed new deals with the Gunners.

Coquelin has impressed since getting a run in the team in a holding midfield role while Akpom, 19, has made two BPL appearances this season.

One man who relishes the north London derby is Tottenham Hotspur forward Emmanuel Adebayor, who has scored 10 Barclays Premier League goals in the fixture, for Arsenal and Spurs, more than any player. Spurs head coach Mauricio Pochettino says the Togo forward is a “very important player”, and can help his side’s top-four push after reports that Adebayor was close to a move away on transfer deadline day.

“If you review the last two or three months, maybe people understand that he needs time to get his confidence back and to return to his best level,” Pochettino said of a player whom he has not selected in his starting XI for a BPL match since November. “We need to analyse the past. It was difficult for him, and it’s always hard for a player to come back.

“We are happy that he has stayed as he is a very important player. We need to provide him with the tools to improve, as we do with all the players. We push them, make sure they train in a good way and, after, when they have the chance to play, they give their best.”

Depending on Southampton’s result away to Queens Park Rangers earlier in the day, Arsenal, who are on a five-match winning run in all competitions, could climb to third place in the Barclays Premier League, with Manchester United not playing until Sunday. Spurs, two points adrift of the visitors, could go fourth.

Tottenham Hotspur (from): Friedel, Lloris, Vorm, Chiriches, Davies, Dier, Fazio, Kaboul, Rose, Vertonghen, Walker, Yedlin, Bentaleb, Capoue, Ceballos Chadli, Dembele, Eriksen, Lamela, Mason, Paulinho, Stambouli, Townsend, Adebayor, Kane, Soldado.

Arsenal (from): Martinez, Ospina, Szczesny, Bellerin, Chambers, Gabriel, Gibbs, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Monreal, Cazorla, Coquelin, Flamini, Ozil, Ramsey, Rosicky, Akpom, Giroud, Walcott, Welbeck.

source:premierleague.com

Liverpool and Everton contest the 224th Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Saturday, with visiting manager Brendan Rodgers delighted to have seen his team turn a corner.

Rodgers’ men have taken 16 points from their last six Barclays Premier League outings and booked their place in the FA Cup fifth round with a late 2-1 victory over Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday.

Liverpool go into the match having not lost a derby since 2010 but were denied victory in this season’s reverse fixture by a late Phil Jagielka goal. With Rodgers eager for his side to maintain their upward momentum against their city rivals, the Liverpool manager talked up the squad’s renewed belief in Thursday’s press conference.

“They are incredible games to be involved in as a manager and for the players. We prepare really well for every game and this game is no different,” he said. “Our momentum at the moment is at a real good level. I’m happy with how it’s going for us, considering where we were at the first part of the season.

“In these types of games the form goes out of the window. The derby games bring a different sort of emotion. At this moment in time, we as a team are operating at a really good level. So, whether it’s home or away, we have real confidence that we can go and win the game.”

Everton have also managed to arrest recent poor form. They have bounced back from a four-match losing run in the Barclays Premier League over the Christmas and new year. While a run of one victory from five outings since then is far from ideal form, manager Roberto Martinez insists his side are much improved from where they were at the start of the year.

“Obviously, the last derby that we had at Goodison [3-3 in November 2013] was a phenomenal football game with plenty of goals and two teams with a real attacking mindset,” Martinez said. “I expect very much the same – two teams that are going into the fixture in very good moments of form.

“Liverpool have found their way of performing and are really enjoying a good run and we feel in a similar situation in terms of the confidence of the win that we had at the weekend.”

Liverpool’s Lazar Markovic is expected to be available despite suffering a knock against Bolton, while Martinez could welcome back James McCarthy (hamstring) and give a debut to loan signing Aaron Lennon. Tim Howard, Leon Osman and Steven Pienaar remain sidelined for Everton.

Everton (from): Howard, Joel, Stanek, Alcaraz, Baines, Browning, Coleman, Distin, Garbutt, Hibbert, Jagielka, Oviedo, Stones, Atsu, Barkley, Barry, Besic, Gibson, Lennon, McCarthy, McGeady, Kone, Long, Lukaku, Mirallas, Naismith.

Liverpool (from): Mignolet, Ward, Johnson, Jose Enrique, Lovren, Manquillo, Moreno, Sakho, Skrtel, Allen, Can, Coutinho, Gerrard, Henderson, Lallana, Lucas, Markovic, Balotelli, Borini, Ibe, Lambert, Sterling, Sturridge.

source: premierleague.com

ΕΚΔΗΛΩΣΗ ΓΙΑ ΤΟΥΣ ΑΘΛΗΤΕΣ ΤΩΝ ΠΑΓΚΟΣΜΙΩΝ ΠΑΙΔΙΚΩΝ ΑΓΩΝΩΝ

Σε εκδήλωση που πραγματοποιήθηκε σήμερα το μεσημέρι στο Δημαρχείο, ο Δήμαρχος Πατρέων Κώστας Πελετίδης δέχθηκε τους αθλητές και προπονητές που εκπροσώπησαν Πάτρα στους 48ους Παγκόσμιους Παιδικούς Αγώνες που διεξήχθησαν στην πόλη Λέϊκ Μακουάιρ (Laske Macquarie)της Αυστραλίας, τον περασμένο Δεκέμβριο.

Ο κ. Πελετίδης καλωσόρισε στο Δημαρχείο τους αθλητές και τους προπονητές, χαρακτηρίζοντάς τους «πρέσβεις της πόλης μας, της ειρήνης και της φιλίας των λαών».
Ο Δήμαρχος στάθηκε ιδιαίτερα στον εναλλακτικό χαρακτήρα των αγώνων, ο οποίος σηματοδοτείται από τον αρμονικό συνδυασμό των αγωνιστικών εμπειριών υψηλού επιπέδου, με τη μεγάλη αξία της συμμετοχής, προάγοντας τα πανανθρώπινα ιδανικά της ειρήνης της φιλίας και της συνεργασίας όλων των λαών.
Τόνισε δε, ότι «η πόλη μας, στο βαθμό που οι Παγκόσμιοι Παιδικοί Αγώνες θα παραμένουν προσηλωμένοι στο αρχικό τους πνεύμα και σκοπό, θα συμμετάσχει με την καλύτερη δυνατή εκπροσώπηση».

Παρόντες στην εκδήλωση ήταν ο Αντιδήμαρχος Παιδείας και Αθλητισμού Ανδρέας Αθανασόπουλος, καθώς και ο Σύμβουλος σε θέματα Αθλητισμού, Τάκης Πετρόπουλος, ο οποίος καλωσορίζοντας την αντιπροσωπεία, στάθηκε στην μεγάλη σημασία των αγώνων για την προσέγγιση νέων αθλητών από διαφορετικές φυλές, κράτη, πολιτισμούς και θρησκείες.

Οι επόμενοι Παγκόσμιοι Παιδικοί Αγώνες, θα πραγματοποιηθούν από τις 24 μέχρι 29 Ιουνίου 2015.

Πηγή:mynima-hellas.com

Mark Milligan and Jesse Makarounas of the Victory contest for the ball during Victory training. Source: Getty Images

KEVIN Muscat has accused Melbourne City of producing their best only when they play against the Victory, anticipating another heated contest in tonight’s Melbourne derby.

The derby ledger sits at one apiece this A-League season, with the wins earned by each side in contrasting style.

With a hat-trick to Besart Berisha, Victory demolished City 5-2 in an early season rout before City fired back in December with a 1-0 win.

A late header from Erik Paartalu brought Victory’s first loss of the season.

Looking forward to the Etihad Stadium meeting, Muscat was happy give City credit for their performance, but left rival coach John van ’t Schip with a little something to consider.

“They pressed us well in that game,” he said.

“They bring a certain energy to the derbies that they probably don’t in other games. We have to prepare for that and match them.”

Earlier yesterday, van ’t Schip said his team did lift to play their rivals — but they weren’t the only ones.

“That counts for both teams,” he said. “People that say it’s not that way, don’t believe it. I’ve played derbies myself, and derbies are different.

“It’s good, the best thing that happened to the A-League is having two teams in one city, it makes the league a lot more lively.”

Two Socceroos and their availability will play a major role in this meeting.

As he was in the last derby, Victory captain Mark Milligan is suspended; the result of his elbow to the face of Sydney FC’s Terry Antonis.

Milligan’s time with the Socceroos has drawn out his A-League ban, which Muscat described as “the world’s longest three-game suspension”.

“It is what it is, we were aware of the rules before he was suspended. We’ve got no problems with it,” he said.

The level of former Socceroos striker Josh Kennedy’s involvement in the match is unclear.

Van ’t Schip ruled out a place for Kennedy in the starting
XI and said his role would depend on how the match played out.

“We’ll have to see if he’s going to play or not … we’ll see what his role can be,” he said.

source:theaustralian.com.au

FINALLY, the Newcastle Jets found some fight — on the field.

But in a cruel twist at the death for the home side, they conceded an own goal in the final 30 seconds to substitute Allan Welsh that handed Brisbane a 2-1 win.

The internal divisions that have left the Jets in turmoil over the past fortnight weren’t evident as the home side came from behind to level the match through rookie Radovan Pavicevic with 19 minutes left after Brisbane led 1-0 at half-time.

But Thomas Broich fired a late free kick across the goal mouth which Welsh, who has only come into the game seconds earlier, managed to push into his own goal.

Given the turmoil in the Jets camp, Brisbane was a clear favourite going in but it was the Jets who almost found the perfect start less than two minutes into the game with the crossbar denying the home side a surprise opening goal.

It came after Andrew Hoole and Zenon Caravella worked a short corner with Hoole’s cross finding striker Edson Montano in the box.

The Jets celebrate the equaliser that looked to have given them a deserved point. Source: Getty Images

But despairingly for the Jets, his header rebounded off the bar and was dealt with by the Roar defence with a great chance going begging.

Brisbane were content to play possession football for most of the opening stanza but struggled to make meaningful inroads against a committed Jets defence who got plenty of numbers behind the ball.

A Jets supporter shows his feelings about owner Nathan Tinkler. Source: Getty Images

Their only real chance of the half came 35 minutes in when they won a corner, with striker Jean Carlos Solorzano catching the Jets napping to find space in the box and slot home from close range for their 1-0 half-time advantage.

The Jets’ Mitch Cooper had two gilt-edged chances for the home side before he was replaced but was denied both times by Roar keeper Michael Theo while Ben Kennedy was also solid in goals for the Jets.

source: foxsports.com.au

Angelos Anastasiadis leaves his post. Photo: UEFA.

PAOK’s fresh loss this week, to a depleted OFI, has not only brought Olympiakos eight points ahead at the Super League standings, but has also led to the resignation of its manager, Angelos Anastasiadis.

OFI managed to produce a squad of just 15 players, given it has been suffering from huge financial problems, but still outplayed an out-of-form and demoralised PAOK in Iraklio to win 3-1, courtesy of goals by Mayron George, Andreas Lambropoulos and Vassilis Koutsianikoulis. PAOK only scored through Dimitris Papadopoulos.

The result had coach Anastasiadis furious at the end of the game, and he duly tendered his resignation to the board of PAOK that has decided to avoid making any decisions in the heat of the night – while back in Thessaloniki PAOK fans staged a protest rally outside the Toumba Stadium.

Olympiakos, victor of visiting Atromitos 2-1 in Piraeus, will now go to Toumba on Sunday knowing that even if it loses to PAOK its lead will be a healthy five points. The Reds scored via Ibrahim Afellay and league top scorer Costas Mitroglou, while Atromitos pulled one back through Marcelinho Leite.

The results also mean that Panathinaikos is now second with PAOK, as the two teams are level on points but the Greens have a superior head-to-head record. Panathinaikos was not in action in midweek as it collected all three points from the fixture with withdrawn Niki Volou.

Asteras Tripolis, in fourth, defeated Platanias Hanion 1-0 through a goal by new signing Matias Igelsias, who appeared on television replays to have come from an offside position.

In other games, Panetolikos thrashed Ergotelis 4-0, PAS Giannina saw off Veria 4-1, Xanthi shared a 1-1 draw with Panionios and the Kerkyra vs Levadiakos match ended goalless.

source:neoskosmos.com

A great all-around performance allowed Olympiakos to thrash the unbeaten record of Russian giant CSKA Moscow on Thursday in Piraeus with an 84-76 score, for the Greeks’ fifth win in six games at the second group stage of the Euroleague.

After the first period of the game (score 11-17) at the Peace and Friendship Stadium at Neo Faliro, Olympiakos was firmly in the lead relying mostly on its impressive scoring rate, while CSKA seemed unable to contain its host on the night.

The Piraeus team scored 32 points in the second period to end the first half with a six-point advantage (43-37), that expanded to 11 points after the first 30 minutes (64-53).

Coached by Greek Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA fought back in the last quarter to cut its arrears to three points (69-66), but Olympiakos held on to win by eight, urged on by a near-capacity crowd.

Therefore this battle of Greek coaches has ended with victory for the team of Yiannis Sfairopoulos. Its top scorers on the night were Vassilis Spanoulis (19 points) and Matt Lojeski (13).

In the Eurocup PAOK lost 79-68 at home to France’s Limoges on Wednesday.

source:ekathimerini.com

Eye of the storm: Newcastle Jets owner Nathan Tinkler. Photo: Getty Images

The NSW Office of State Revenue has taken insolvency action to wind up the Newcastle Jets over unpaid debts.

The news comes just days after controversial owner Nathan Tinkler publicly declared that creditors were “getting paid as we speak” and outstanding debts would “all be resolved”.

Documents filed in the NSW Supreme Court reveal the action was taken last month against Newcastle Jets Football Operations.

The Sydney Supreme Court confirmed on Thursday afternoon that the matter was listed for a directions hearing on February 25.

A spokesman for Tinkler said on Thursday night “the matter to which you refer has been resolved today”.

It is understood the debt was a six-figure sum related to payroll tax.

The matter was still listed on the Australian Securities and Investments Commission website late on Thursday.

The Jets have been in turmoil since a 7-0 drubbing at the hands of Adelaide United in Adelaide 13 days ago, culminating in Tinkler’s decision last week to sack five senior players and three members of the coaching staff, but he spared embattled coach Phil Stubbins the axe.

With the future of the club under a darkening cloud, Football Federation Australia moved quickly to allay fans’ fears.

“FFA has been aware for some time that the Newcastle Jets have had payments outstanding with the NSW Office of State Revenue (OSR),” an FFA spokesman said on Thursday.

“We are also aware of the action undertaken by the OSR.

“This debt is among those contemplated in the formal notice provided to the club this week.

“It’s FFA expectation that this matter will be addressed urgently as part of the undertakings given by the Hunter Sports Group.”

This is not the first time the club has faced insolvency action under Tinkler’s ownership, with the Australian Taxation Office moving to liquidate eight Tinkler companies in December 2012, including the Jets and Newcastle Knights, which the coal baron formerly owned.

Tinkler’s finances have been under intense scrutiny for several years as the former billionaire’s business empire continues to crumble.

His thoroughbred racing and breeding empire, Patinack Farm, has been broken up and is being sold off to pay debts, he owes $22 million to retail giant Gerry Harvey and Patinack Farm Administration creditors are chasing $4.7 million through the courts.

It was reported in October last year that the ATO had taken the unusual step of registering two mortgages over Tinkler’s stud farms with reports the former billionaire faces tax debts of almost $40 million.

Last month the 38-year-old denied owing the ATO $40 million, saying he successfully argued against the debts during arbitration in 2014.

The Jets have lurched from one crisis to another this season, but the tipping point was the 7-0 rout in Adelaide on January 24.

Stubbins and a player had a heated exchange at half-time, then again later at the team’s hotel. Two other players had to be separated in the dressing room after full-time.

Facing a player revolt, Stubbins flew to Brisbane on Tuesday last week for crisis talks with Tinkler.

The following day Tinkler moved to terminate the contracts of captain Kew Jaliens and senior players Joel Griffiths, David Carney, Adrian Madaschi and Billy Celeski, and sacked assistant coaches Clayton Zane, Neil Young and Andrew Packer.

Tinkler believed the five players were behind the failed coup to oust Stubbins.

Assistant coach Michael Bridges resigned on Friday, expressing his disappointment at the way the Jets handled the mass sackings of the senior players.

Another experienced player, Argentinian striker Jeronimo, left the Jets on Wednesday in a decision the club announced as “a mutual termination” of his contract.

The roster had already been depleted by the mid-season departures of Mark Birighitti, who is on loan to Italian club AS Varese, Jonny Steele, Sam Gallaway and Marcos Flores.

Home-grown Olyroos winger Andrew Hoole will leave for Sydney FC at the end of the season.

The exodus includes former Jets chief executive Robbie Middleby and chairman Ray Baartz, who resigned those positions on January 8. Tinkler took the club off the market two days later and assumed a hands-on role as chairman, effectively running day-to-day operations.

The former billionaire missed an FFA-imposed deadline of last Saturday to settle his debts, which are understood to be significantly more than the $500,000 he has specified in several interviews with various media outlets.

After discussions with Tinkler on Monday, the FFA issued a show-cause notice giving him “a short period” of time to respond to their concerns about the club’s financial affairs.

Having won just one of 15 games to be sitting second last, ahead of only the winless Western Sydney Wanderers, a new-look Jets squad will try to salvage something from the wreckage when they host three-time A-League champions Brisbane at Hunter Stadium on Friday night.

The last time the teams met in Newcastle, the Roar routed the Jets 4-0 on November 14.

source: smh.com.au

Grilled over money: Tim Cahill. Photo: Getty Images

Sydney’s 2SM radio jockey John Laws has faced a backlash from his listeners after badgering Socceroos star Tim Cahill in a telephone interview on Thursday afternoon.

The bizarre conversation with the ex-New York Red Bull who has just signed a bumper contract with Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua opened with Laws calling Cahill “a very rich man”, to which the Socceroo replied awkwardly “umm, now, I don’t understand that question”.

Laws went on to grill Cahill over his reported $10 million contract with Shanghai Shenhua, to which Cahill responded: “I don’t speculate on figures, that’s what people have been speculating.”

“For me, I don’t talk about numbers. I’ve had big contracts my whole career, I just don’t like talking about numbers if they’re real or not real … whatever offers I’ve had, I always keep it private”.

Laws continued to probe and quip over the financial aspects of the deal, prompting Cahill to repeat his stance on the matter: “I’m someone who doesn’t like to talk about money, prefer to focus about what I do on the pitch.”

But after Laws prompted incredulously, “champions of Asia? It’s a big call, Asia’s got a lot of people”, the line went dead.

‘Bloody rude’: John Laws facing backlash over his interview with Socceroos star Tim Cahill. Photo: Janie Barrett

Later, when Laws was faced with negative feedback from his listeners, he defended his line of questioning, saying: “I didn’t hark back to it; I made a joke of it at the end when I said I don’t think either of us are short of a dollar.”

“Well, let’s forget it. I said I don’t think either of us are short of a dollar, and he hung up. Bloody rude.”

source:brisbane times.com