Rooney is PFA player of the year

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has been named the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year, though he missed out an awards double as James Milner beat him to the PFA Young Player of the Year prize.

Rooney, who has been in sensational form this season, saw off stiff competition in the form of Cesc Fabregas, Carlos Tevez and Didier Drogba to collect the honour, and United have now provided the winner in each of the past four years.

"It's a great feeling to win the player of the year award because it's voted for by the players,'' Rooney said. "It's something I'm really proud of and it's a great honour.

"I remember coming here in 2005 and 2006 to win the young player of the year. I saw the players winning the main one and it's something I've aimed for since.''

Rooney, who is the Premier League's top scorer with 26 goals to his name, missed United's 3-1 victory over Tottenham on Saturday with a groin injury sustained in training and there are doubts about whether he will play for his club again this season.

But the England striker insists he could be back for United's final game of the season and has promised that he will be fit to spearhead his country's World Cup campaign.

"The groin will be fine for the World Cup, there are no worries about that,'' he said. "I'm hoping to play for United in the last game of the season.''

Rooney is the first Englishman to win the award since Steven Gerrard in 2006 and he paid tribute to the influence United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has had on his career.


Rooney was also nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year, but that award went to James Milner of Aston Villa. Milner appears to have played himself into Fabio Capello's World Cup squad with a string of stellar performances, with the 24-year-old midfielder crediting a change in position for his success this season.
"I've been moved into the middle and that suits me as it helps me influence the game a bit more,'' Milner said. "Maybe sometimes wide right you want to influence the game but you just can't get yourself into it.''

Leeds legend and former South Africa captain Lucas Radebe, 41, won the PFA Merit award for his wide-ranging charity and community work.

"I'm very proud to get such a great award. Sport can change the world - football has played such a big part in lifting my community,'' Radebe said.

The PFA divisional team of the year contains four United players, spearheaded by Rooney. Arsenal, whose title challenge fell away in the final rounds, supply Fabregas and Thomas Vermaelen and there are also two from Chelsea in Drogba and Branislav Ivanovic.

source: ESPN

Bayern Munich surprised by Ribery red card

Bayern Munich officials and players have spoken of their surprise at referee Roberto Rosetti's decision to send off Franck Ribery during the Bavarians' 1-0 win over Lyon in the Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday.

Bayern Munich recovered from Franck Ribery's sending-off to take a slender lead in their Champions League semi-final thanks to Arjen Robben's goal.

France midfielder Ribery was dismissed after 37 minutes for an ugly studs-up challenge on Lisandro Lopez.

But an unadventurous Lyon side lost Jeremy Toulalon to a harsh second yellow card early in the second half.  And Robben gave Bayern a deserved win when his 30-yard effort took a slight deflection to beat Hugo Lloris.

It was Robben's glorious volley which had accounted for Manchester United in the previous round.  That win, coupled with their form in the Bundesliga which saw them thrash Hannover 7-0 on Saturday, had made Bayern favourites ahead of the semi-final.

Louis van Gaal's side dominated possession in the early stages against a defensive Lyon side set up to play on the counter, with just Lopez up front.

Bayern Munich manager Louis van Gaal:
"I am very satisfied. I think that we showed Europe how strong we are, we showed that by dominating with 10 men against 11.
"I did not think that we would win 1-0 with Ribery getting a red card, but we dominated. I think we created more chances when we were with 10 men against 11.
"When we were then 10 against 10 I sent in (another striker) Mario Gomez to score a goal faster. We created many chances but scored one goal. That is good."

Lyon coach Claude Puel:
"I am not looking for excuses. We still have some chances. We did not succeed in scoring that crucial away goal. I would have preferred to have lost with an away goal.
"We started well but we lost the ball too easily. In the second half we were too weak with the ball.
"Ribery's red card allowed us to take control of the match but then we then we had our player sent off. When it was 10 against 10 it became a very difficult match for us."

source:  ESPN, BBC

Nominations for the PFA Player of the Year Award

Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney is among the nominations for the Professional Footballers' Association player of the year award.

Rooney is joined on the four-man shortlist by Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas, Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and Manchester City ace Carlos Tevez.

Rooney and Fabregas are also nominees for the young player of the year award.
Aston Villa midfielder James Milner and Birmingham City's on-loan goalkeeper Joe Hart complete that particular list.

Rooney, who has already scored 34 goals for his club this term, is favourite to capture the PFA prize and make it the fourth successive year it has gone to a United player.
Cristiano Ronaldo recorded back-to-back wins in 2007 and 2008, while Ryan Giggs was handed the honours last season.

ooney, 24, and Fabregas, 22, will compete to join a select band of players to have won the young player award in the same season as the main honour.
Andy Gray, the former Aston Villa and Scotland striker, and Ronaldo achieved the feat in 1977 and 2007 respectively.

Both Rooney and Fabregas have already won the young player prize in the past. Rooney triumphed in 2005 and 2006, while Fabregas collected it in 2008.

Fabregas is currently injured and will miss the rest of the season after cracking his right fibula during the first leg of the Gunners' Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona.
But the Spaniard remains a key player for the Gunners, whose Premier League title aspirations were seemingly ended by their defeat by Tottenham on Wednesday.

BBC African Footballer of the Year Drogba, 32, has hit 32 goals to leave Chelsea on the brink of the first double in the club's history, while Tevez, 26, has also enjoyed a prolific campaign; netting 28 goals since joining City from neighbours United last summer.

The 24-year-old Milner, who looks like being a key player for England at this year's World Cup, is trying to emulate Aston Villa team-mate Ashley Young, who won the young player accolade last season.

source:bbc.co.uk