Sergio Aguero claims interest from Chelsea

Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero believes he would easily slot into the Chelsea team should the Premier League club recruit him from Spain in January.

Aguero has been repeatedly linked with a possible move to Stamford Bridge with Chelsea believed to be keen to strengthen their squad after seeing their FIFA transfer ban temporarily suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The Argentina international had previously maintained he was happy to stay at the Vicente Calderon but now Aguero has welcomed the interest from the Blues.

"Chelsea are interested in me because they think I can play an important role for the team," Aguero told the Sun. "And I think I fit with their style of play.

"Of course I watch the Premier League on TV and I think it is the best league in the world, along with the Spanish league.

"There are a lot of very good players but, right now, the top striker in the Premier League is without doubt, [Didier] Drogba. After comes Fernando Torres, but Drogba is the best."

source: soccernet.com (ESPN)

Hodgson will risk points loss to play Pantsil

Fulham and Ghana are set for a collision course over the availability of defender John Pantsil, with the Premier League club risking a loss of points if they play him against Chelsea on December 28.

Manager Roy Hodgson is adamant that Pantsil will face Chelsea, despite FIFA requirements stating international players must be released two weeks before the African Nations Cup, which falls on December 27.

Should Pantsil play against Chelsea, the Football Association of Ghana can request that any points Fulham pick up against Carlo Ancelotti's side be forfeited. Hodgson insisted, however, that Pantsil will play in the west London derby.

"I expect Pantsil to be playing for us on the 28th and he will unless FIFA intervene and insist he goes,'' Hodgson said. "It's a bit disrespectful of the African nations to write to the English clubs asking their players to be released on the 27th of December. They know that we all have matches on the 28th.

Chelsea will be one of the worst affected clubs by the disruptively-timed African Nations Cup, with midfielders Michael Essien, John Obi Mikel and forward Salomon Kalou all set to leave the club for crucial Premier League fixtures, starting with Fulham. Hodgson said he would rather have Pantsil available and face the might of Essien than sacrifice his man to meet a weakened Chelsea.

"It's probably just a little bit of oversight on their part and I don't expect for one minute for Ghana to insist that John Pantsil meets up with them on 27th, the day before we play Chelsea, or Michael Essien leave for the same fixture.''

The Ghana FA were unavailable for comment on the matter.

Hodgson's short-term focus, meanwhile, is on Saturday's Premier League match with Burnley. With strikers Andrew Johnson (groin) and Diomansy Kamara (knee) sidelined, Bobby Zamora is expected to lead the line at Turf Moor.

Zamora has been criticised by sections of the Craven Cottage crowd this season and celebrated last week's winner against Sunderland by pressing his index finger against his lips in a silencing gesture.

The 28-year-old, who was linked with a move away from the club this summer, even pushed away two of his players to ensure that fans at the Hammersmith End of the ground saw his protest. Hodgson criticised the former Tottenham striker for the celebration but maintains he is still a key part of his squad.

source: soccernet.com

Amazing football skill

One of soccer charm is to watch the players playing/control the ball. Some world-class players like Zidane, C. Ronaldinho can play with the ball like it is part of their body.

No cup qualms for Capello

England could also be paired against the unseeded France and Portugal, the latter of the two having knocked England out of their last two major tournaments.

England manager Fabio Capello says he does not fear a 'group of death' ahead of the World Cup finals draw.

England are one of the top-eight seeds and will avoid the likes of pre-tournament favourites Brazil, current holders Italy and European champions Spain.

But the Italian is eager to warn of the danger of the African nations that will be represented in South Africa, including the likes of Ivory Coast and Nigeria.

remains unfazed by the prospect of a so called 'group of death' situation though, and he said: "No I don't (worry) about that.

"You have to play against all of the teams at some point, but of course if you play against the best teams it's not so easy to pass the first round.

"If we want to win you have to play against all of the teams. It is not important which team we have to play in the group."

Football Association chairman Lord Triesman said England "will sail through" the group stage if they emulate their qualifying form, where Capello's men lost just one of their 10 matches.

The England manager urged some caution though, and he tipped one of the African nations to reach the semi-finals.

England have a one-in-five chance of drawing an African side, alongside a guaranteed European team.

The other option will come from an unseeded South American side and one team from Asia, Oceania and north/central America zones.

"I think about Africans and I believe this will be one of the most important World Cups for the African teams," Capello said.

"I believe one of these countries will get to the last four. I saw the Ivory Coast play against Germany and they are a very strong team."

- in South Africa promoting England's 2018 World Cup bid - also said Capello's side should not worry about their group opponents.

He added: "If you want to go all the way in the competition you have to come up against them at some point.

source:www.skysports.com

DE ROSSI RETURNS FOR ROMA

Roma welcome back midfielder Daniele De Rossi as they look to prolong the race for top spot with a win in Thursday's Europa League Group E match against Basle.

De Rossi has recovered from a cheekbone operation and is set to be included in Claudio Ranieri's starting XI.

"I feel much better following my operation two weeks ago," said De Rossi. "I think I will return to play against Basle and I will see how I feel.

"This is an important week for us and I wanted to be ready. We host Basle knowing that a win could see us through to the next round and then we take on Lazio in the city derby on Sunday."

Roma are second in Group E, two points behind leaders Basle and two points clear of Fulham with two games remaining.

While a victory will guarantee Basle qualify, a win for the Italians coupled with a defeat for Fulham to CSKA Sofia would see both Roma and Basle progress to the knockout phase.

The Giallorossi go into the match in buoyant mood having won 2-1 at Atalanta at the weekend to climb to ninth in Serie A.

Ranieri will play with Francesco Totti alongside Mirko Vucinic up front, with the two players eager to warm up for Sunday's derby against Lazio.

Basle travel to the Italian capital in confident mood as the only side to have beaten Roma in Europe this season.

The Swiss giants will be eager to bounce back from their 2-0 loss at Young Boys on Sunday that left them second in the standings, seven points behind leaders Young Boys.

Basle coach Thorsten Fink will have to do without Brazilian midfielder Antonio da Silva, who sustained a serious knee injury at the weekend and will be sidelined until the new year.

Roma will have to keep a close eye on Alexander Frei, who has struck four goals for Basle in the competition so far.

World Cup 2010: Fabio's fear as England sweat on seeding ahead of Final Draw

England are sweating on a place among the top seeds for the World Cup draw here in Cape Town on Friday.

Fabio Capello will discover England’s fate on Wednesday when the World Cup organising committee meet to agree on the criteria.

The Football Association expected FIFA to consider the last two tournaments and recent world rankings in selecting the seven nations who will join hosts South Africa in the pot of top seeds.

Had that been the criteria, England, having been ranked sixth in 2002 and seventh in Germany four years ago, would virtually have been guaranteed joining Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Germany, Italy, France and the hosts in the seeded group.

The other eight European qualifiers would then make up the second group, with Africa’s five qualifiers plus Paraguay, Chile and Uruguay in the next pot, and the eight qualifiers from Asia, Oceania and North and Central America in the fourth tier.

But Capello’s men are under threat for their place from a growing lobby for the final seedings to be determined on world rankings alone, which would see Holland pip England for a place in the first bracket.

England were ranked seventh in October - which is the last ranking FIFA will take into account - but prior, to the 2002 World Cup, an average was taken over three years to determine the seedings. On that basis, England would be outside the top seven and behind France. Holland are currently third in the rankings, having been above England throughout the past three years.

Had England won in Ukraine in October - they lost 1-0 after Robert Green was sent off at the start of the game - they would have edged above Argentina in that month’s rankings, which FIFA have confirmed will be used in the process.

A FIFA insider said: ‘There is no front-runner in terms of how the seedings will be decided and there will be arguments.

‘It is the case that seedings in 2002 and 2006 were determined by a mixture of previous results and rankings. But there is a view that we need to make the rankings mean more, especially as every match played by every nation, including friendlies, contribute.

‘There are members of the organising committee who plan to argue that this is the chance to make the world rankings more important.

‘At this stage, nobody knows what will happen or what criteria will be used. It depends on which members of the organising committee make the strongest argument.’

Worryingly for Capello, England is not represented on the organising committee. But France - through Michel Platini - Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Germany and South Africa are.

As are Portugal, in the form of Portuguese FA president Gilberto Madail, and they are likely to propose an alternative plan, putting weight on performances during Euro 2008 - which might allow his nation to edge England out.

It means an anxious night for Capello, due to arrive in Cape Town on Thursday and keen to avoid having to take on a big gun in the group phase. A worst-case scenario might see England in a group including Brazil and Ivory Coast, as well as a team like Australia.

source: www.dailynews.co.uk