There was no change at the top of the FIFA world rankings in March, with Spain, the Netherlands and Germany still occupying the top three spots.A total of 55 friendly matches were taken into consideration for the latest edition of the rankings, with Argentina moving into fourth place courtesy of their 2-1 win over Portugal to be the top-ranked South American side.Brazil slid one spot to fifth after a 1-0 loss to France in Paris, while England remain sixth and Uruguay seventh.Croatia improved to eighth place at the expense of Portugal, while Serbia’s 2-0 win over Israel secured them 20th place.Italy climbed to 11th place, level with Norway, and Japan climbed two places to 15th on the back of their triumph in the Asian Cup.Ghana are the highest-ranked African nation, down one spot to 16th place, and Jamaica were the biggest climbers – jumping 11 spots to sit in 48th position.
Coach Vicente del Bosque admitted Spain were far from at their best as they booked a first-ever place in the World Cup semi-finals.
The European champions reached the last four after a 1-0 victory over Paraguay in Johannesburg on Saturday evening.
A game of two missed penalties and a solitary effort from the sharp-shooting David Villa brought life to an otherwise drab contest.
Oscar Cardozo missed a second-half penalty for the South Americans and Xabi Alonso followed suit for Spain before Villa's decisive strike in the 83rd minute at Ellis Park.
Spain will now face an impressive Germany side in Wednesday's second semi-final.
"In my time a Spanish side never felt so uncomfortable or passed the ball so inaccurately," explained del Bosque.
"But now it's an absolutely marvellous moment for Spanish football and our game is at the very top.
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"We didn't play a terribly good match today but we are happy and we know we have the necessary resources to face any rival including Germany.
"It's a great moment for Spanish football. We beat Germany in the final of the Euros but they are among the elite teams and I think that speaks volumes for European football."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Rumours are spreading once again this week that Manchester United are reviving their interest in Juventus’ winger Miloš Krasić. Given that the Salford-based club have a habit of signing a replacement player a year or two before the incumbent in that position departs – think Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham, Wayne Rooney replacing Ruud van Nistelrooy, and now Phil Jones taking over from Rio Ferdinand – should we be reading into these rumours that Krasić is the answer for the Ryan Giggs conundrum?
Allow us for a second to assume that the rumours are genuine. Allow us also to point out that Krasić would not be a direct replacement for the veteran Welshman – he is, after all, right-footed. But there are several comparisons between the two. Both are inventive playmakers who are equally comfortable operating in the middle of the park or hugging the touchline; while Giggs has moved inside primarily to make room for the likes of Nani and Ashley Young on the left, Krasić has grown up occupying both roles.
Both men are prodigiously talented in the fine art of delivering the killer pass. In his first season at the resurrected Juventus last year, Krasić was a near-constant in the first team and delivered numerous assists from the very start of his time with the club. At 38, Giggs is still one of the most revered passers in the Premier League and Manchester United will once again turn to him this season when they are in need of a moment of magic.
What might appeal to Sir Alex Ferguson the most, though, is Krasić’s record as a winner. The Serbian has proven throughout the course of his career that he can contribute to a successful side. In a six-year spell at Russian powerhouse CSKA Moscow, Krasić was part of a team that won nine domestic titles (including back-to-back league crowns) and the 2005 UEFA Cup. In 2009, he succeeded one Nemanja Vidic as Serbian Footballer of the Year.
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Ferguson will doubtless understand that, with Giggs surely reaching the latter part of the autumn of his career, and Paul Scholes having retired in the summer, the time is right to find a new midfield talisman. At 26, Krasic is somewhat older than most of the players Manchester United have signed in recent transfer dealings, but he comes with a proven track record, six years’ experience playing in one of the most physical leagues outside the UK, and as an established international.
Krasić’s ability to provide a replacement for Giggs would somewhat depend on where he slots into the side. Ferguson’s gradual but seemingly inevitable switch to a 4-5-1 presents three positions Krasić could fill, in central midfield, on the right wing or behind the striker (although United tend to favour fielding a second centre-forward in that position).
With the already enviable array of attacking talent on show at Old Trafford, a role in central midfield would allow Krasić to spray passes in all directions for the likes of Nani, Young and Antonio Valencia to chase after; playing him on the right would mean more headed opportunities for Javier Hernandez and Wayne Rooney. Either way, we all know Ferguson would relish the challenge of finding room for another creative mastermind in a midfield already bulging with ideas.
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Sao Paulo crushed Bragantino 4-0 in the Campeonato Paulista on Saturday, while Sao Caetano, Oeste, Paulista and Americana all won.Paulo Cesar Carpegiani’s men moved into second with their comprehensive victory as Brazil international Joao Miranda, Fernandinho, Lucas and Willian Jose all netted at Sao Paulo’s Estadio Cicero Pompeu de Toledo home.Bragantino remain in tenth place on the Paulista table following the loss.Second-half goals to veteran midfielder Jose Fumagalli and Marcinho helped Americana beat Ituano 2-0 at the Estadio Decio Vitta.Striker Vandinho scored the only goal in Sao Caetano’s 1-0 victory over Portuguesa at the Estadio Municipal Anacleto Campanella.Oeste’s trip to Gremio Prudente proved a fruitful one, as Fabio Goncalves and Roger struck at the Estadio Municipal Eduardo Jose Farah to post a 2-0 win for the visitors.Paulista crushed Santo Andre 4-0, with Barboza and Hernane striking in the first half before Joao Paulo and Guigov goals helped bolster the side’s goal difference.
With Jose Mourinho looking to stamp his mark upon Real Madrid, he is almost certain to bring in a draft of big-name players in order to dethrone Spanish champions Barcelona. The Spanish and English press are already working in overdrive, suggesting that the ‘Special One’ is looking to sign the likes of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Ashley Cole. The anticipated summer influx at the Bernabeu will undoubtedly cast doubt over the futures of several current Real Madrid players. With Premier League clubs looking to bolster their squads this summer, they could do far worse than look to Madrid for reinforcements. The following five players are all expected to leave Spain this summer.
Lassana Diarra
A familiar name to fans of English football, the little man known as ‘Lass’ could be set for a return to English shores. Despite an impressive first campaign at the Bernabeu, the former Chelsea man frequently found himself out of favour at Real Madrid last season and may be surplus to requirements this summer.
The tough-tackling midfielder would find himself welcome at a number of Premier League sides this summer. Manchester United, bereft of the steel provided by the injured Owen Hargreaves, would greatly benefit from Diarra’s drive and tenacity. Arsenal, a side considered to be to ‘too soft’, could do far worse than re-signing the Frenchman to strengthen their midfield. Either way, Diarra is likely to be a sought-after commodity this summer.
Royston Drenthe
Having seen his career stall at the Bernabeu, former Dutch U21 international Royston Drenthe is likely to leave Real Madrid before the start of next season. The 24-year-old, who can competently perform at both left-back and left-midfield, has been used sparingly at the club, featuring just 28 times in La Liga over the course of the last two seasons.
Despite an impressive start to his Real Madrid career, Drenthe’s form and development has dipped, with the player failing to build upon the promise that he showed at former club Feyenoord. Indeed the Dutch ace struggled with anxiety issues having been booed by his own fans during the club’s 1-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna two seasons ago. Royston Drenthe has been rumoured to have been offered as a makeweight in Real Madrid’s bid to sign hotly coveted winger Angel di Maria, thus suggesting that his Bernabeu future is non-existent. Juventus are also thought to be keeping tabs on the 24-year-old.
Guti
The frequently-controversial Guti looks set to seek pastures new this summer. A product of Real Madrid’s youth academy, the attacking midfielder is thought to have played his last game for the club, with Jose Mourinho informing Spanish newspaper AS that “Guti, for me, is out. I read his statements and for me that is what counts. He said goodbye to the fans and left the field”.
Rumours have suggested that Guti may be heading for the rainy climes of northwest England, with Blackburn Rovers thought to have made a tentative offer for the midfielder. Guti may relish the opportunity to link up with former team-mate and close friend Michel Salgado at Ewood Park, as well as the chance to work under Sam Allardyce, a man who facilitated the Indian summers of Youri Djorkaeff, Fernando Hierro and Jay-Jay Okocha. Should he decline a move to Ewood Park, Guti will have no shortage of suitors, as Galatasaray and Zenit St. Petersburg are both thought to be interested in the 33-year-old.
Raul
Raul’s status as Real Madrid’s all-time leading goalscorer does not look like it will be enough to save him from the Bernabeu axe this summer. Having scored an astonishing 324 goals for the capital club, the curtain may be about to fall on the Spaniard’s glorious 16-year career at Real Madrid. Stories emerging from Spanish newspaper AS suggest that the club are considering a termination of his contract one year early, thus allowing him to move on this summer for free.
Though no Real Madrid officials have commented on such conjecture, Jose Mourinho said of Raul that, “He is a player I have always admired, but the decision whether or not he plays rests with (Real sports director Jorge) Valdano.” Although the 32-year-old is set to enter the twilight of his career, his pedigree is unquestionable and he has a lot to offer for prospective clubs. Likely to be available on a free, many managers could do a lot worse than taking a punt on such a distinguished individual.
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Rafael van der Vaart
Set to feature heavily for the Dutch national side this summer, versatile midfielder Rafael van der Vaart would be a quality acquisition for any side looking to boost their creative options. The versatile schemer, who can operate in a variety of roles in the attacking third, has not enjoyed a happy time at the Bernabeu since his move from German side Hamburg in 2008. Following the arrival of Manuel Pellegrini last summer, the Dutch international was informed that he would not be a part of the now-departed manager’s plans for that season, with his diminished squad status highlighted by his failure to receive a squad number. However, Van der Vaart admirably managed to force his way back into manager’s plans, impressively ending the season with seven goals in 30 outings for Los Blancos.
Despite his Real Madrid re-emergence, the former Ajax man’s Spanish future looks to be in doubt. Compatriot and close friend Arjen Robben recently said of van der Vaart that “He has told me that, if Bayern were to ask him to come, he would cycle to Munich just to get a contract here”, adding “Rafael told me that Bayern is a great club when we were playing together at Real Madrid.” In spite of van der Vaart’s admiration for the German side, the player has been heavily linked with potential moves to both Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford this summer.
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Liverpool attacker Dirk Kuyt has stated that he is not happy on the bench, as manager Kenny Dalglish has preferred other players in his starting XI in recent fixtures.
The Netherlands international has been an important man for the Anfield club since signing from Feyenoord in 2006, but has only started four out of the eight Liverpool games this season.
With the forward used to playing, he has aired his frustration at having to spend half his time on the sidelines.
“I’m disappointed to be out of the team,” he told The Daily Mail.
“From childhood, I’ve always been disappointed when I’m not in the team because I’m desperate to be involved and make a good contribution.
“But it also makes me very determined too. I need to continue to prove myself, train as hard as possible and, when I do play, make sure my performance is of a high standard,” he stated.
Despite wanting to play, Kuyt admits that a more competitive squad can only be good for the Merseyside team.
“Competition is tough now but it’s brilliant for the club that there are so many players to choose from now, top-class international players.
“The players realise at the end of the day you need more than 11 good players to be successful,” he concluded.
Liverpool travel to Goodison Park for the Merseyside derby on Saturday, with Kuyt hoping to play his part in an away win.
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Bolton manager Owen Coyle could hand on-loan striker Daniel Sturridge his debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday.
With chances at Chelsea limited, Sturridge completed a deadline-day move to fellow English Premier League outfit Bolton until the end of the season.
The former Manchester City player has struggled to make an impact behind Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou at Stamford Bridge.
And with the arrival of Fernando Torres from Liverpool for 50 million pounds – a British record transfer fee – Sturridge was likely to find himself pushed even further down the pecking order.
But Coyle is adamant a successful spell in the Bolton team will help the 21-year-old force his way back into the plans of Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti.
“We’re absolutely delighted to bring him to the football club,” Coyle said.
“He has attributes in abundance and I’m very excited to see him in a Bolton shirt.”
“Daniel is capable of playing in the Chelsea team and this move can give him the platform to go and show everybody what he has in his locker.”
“He has pace, he’s a goalscorer and he has terrific technique. Would I like to sign him permanently? Yes. But I don’t think I’ll be able to sign him permanently because of how well he will do while he’s here.”
For Sturridge, the promise of regular action was all he needed to hear before agreeing to Bolton move.
“It’s difficult for all young players not to play regularly,” Sturridge said.
“Owen Coyle wanted me to come here to play first-team football. As soon as he said those words I was straight down the motorway to sort everything out.”
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Sturridge could make his debut when Bolton host Wolves in the English Premier League on Wednesday.
Defender Gary Cahill and midfielder Stuart Holden will be recalled to the starting line-up after being rested for the 0-0 FA Cup draw against Wigan on Saturday.
Midfielder Chung-Yong Lee has returned from Asia Cup duty but faces a fitness test.
Kevin Friend has been appointed to officiate Manchester United and Arsenal’s Premier League clash this weekend, which could well end up being the last time Arsene Wenger faces the Red Devils and one of his most bitter rivals in Jose Mourinho.
And Friend has proved himself a referee of curious contradictions this season, at least compared to the rest of the 20 referees to work in the Premier League throughout 2017/18. Ranking in the bottom two for fouls per game, fouls per tackle and yellow cards per game, at first glance Friend is the kind of referee who allows physical challenges, wants the game to flow and shies away from making controversial decisions.
But that only represents a false sense of security for Arsenal and United, because Friend has awarded a staggering eight penalties during his 18 top flight outings this season. In fact, if the two referees to officiate one game apiece are taken out of the equation, he averages the most penalties per match of any Premier League official. Indeed, it seems that while Friend is usually prepared to let plenty go, different rules apply inside the penalty box.
Arsenal and United must be aware of that this weekend, but Friend has another statistical quirk that should breed confidence into the Old Trafford camp. It’s no secret that United often get the rub of the green from referees when playing on their own patch – well, that effect could be doubled or tripled this weekend, because no Premier League referee this season has a higher home win bias than Friend’s 61%.
Worrying news for the north Londoners, who also have a mixed record when Friend is in charge. While he oversaw their 2-0 win over Brighton back in October without awarding the Gunners a single yellow card, he was also in charge for the 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth. For United, meanwhile, this will be their first Premier League clash this season with Friend donning the whistle.
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Tottenham will not break into the top four this season, but should be competing once again in the continent’s second best tournament next term.
It doesn’t sound like a great campaign until you factor in the obstacles Spurs have had to face. New manager Mauricio Pochettino has had to familiarise himself with the squad and work out a viable formation.
This has not been easy considering that a number of key roles lack players who have the necessary ability to do the job right. It has been expected for a long time now that Pochettino will be dumping as many underachieving players as he can this summer in order to free up money for important signings.
Fortunately there have been a few very capable players this season that the club must hold onto and here are five of them…
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Harry Kane
No list of Tottenham’s most important players would be complete without a mention for Spurs wonder kid Harry Kane.
The 21-year-old has lit up the league this season by scoring 20 goals, becoming Spurs’ main striker and game changer. Kane has a bright future ahead of him, just as long as this spectacular year doesn’t turn out to be fluke.
If he really is that good then offers from the richest clubs in Europe will come flooding in and may already be on their way but Tottenham must do everything they can to convince him to stay put.
Hugo Lloris
A goalkeeper of Lloris’ quality was always going to be the club’s first choice between the sticks, so when he signed back in 2012 it was no surprise that long term keeper Brad Friedel was forced out.
Now in his third season, having been one of the Premier League’s best, there are rumours circulating that the Frenchman could be poached by a number of different clubs in the summer.
Lloris has made numerous important and impressive saves to keep Spurs in European contention and they’ll certainly need him once again next season if they want to break into the top four.
Christian Eriksen
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Christian Eriksen has had his ups and downs this season but when he has been on form then he is a vital cog in Spurs’ midfield.
The 23-year-old joined Spurs in 2013, and this season he has found the net 10 times – making him the squad’s joint second most prolific player.
The Dane still isn’t the finished article but given more time he can mature into a great attacking midfielder, and Spurs will want him in their ranks when that occurs.
Nacer Chadli
Like Eriksen, Nacer Chadli has scored 10 league goals for Spurs but he has gone one better and provided five assists, which is three more than the Dane.
Chadli only scored one league goal last season, so his improvement this campaign has been significant and is perhaps in part down to the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino.
The winger has made over 30 appearances in what has been a period of transition for the club, who are hoping that next year’s squad will return much stronger.
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Pochettino will have decided which of his players deserve to stay this summer and Chadli has proven he is definitely one of them.
Danny Rose
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Since joining Tottenham back in 2007 Danny Rose has been loaned out four times.
But in the last two seasons under both Tim Sherwood and Mauricio Pochettino, Rose has found himself featuring heavily at White Hart Lane.
Though at only 24-years-old, the left-back has drawn attention from big spenders Manchester City, who would like to add him to their ageing squad, but Spurs will reportedly ignore all offers.
Rose signed a new 5-year-deal last year that should keep him at White Hart Lane until 2019, which by then may finally see Spurs regularly competing in the Champions League as planned.
Manchester United’s Premier League title win proved that there was a lot of discussion and hysteria over nothing. Those who knew how talented David de Gea was from his days at Atletico Madrid always saw a title-winning goalkeeper in the making. In England, they were quick to shoot him down when the opportunity arose. But the turn of this calendar year proved once again that Alex Ferguson got it right with his investment in one of Europe’s most talented goalkeepers.
It doesn’t change too much, however. De Gea is sure to be one of two or three goalkeepers battling for the Spanish No 1 shirt when the time is right, but the day isn’t won yet. The youngster is still susceptible to mistakes at his age, and the wise move would be for United to bring in a veteran this summer to act as a reliever across four fronts.
And much of the same can be said about Arsenal. It many ways, both clubs are in the same boat in wanting to develop young goalkeeping talents for the long term.
Wojciech Szczesny was taken out of the firing line in March following a string of poor performances and the belief that his concentration was shaken. Lukas Fabianski came in and offered the Arsenal No 1 a taste of what it’s like to be rightly benched when standards are not met. After so many years of Arsene Wenger just making do with what he has in goal, the manager has finally found a solution to help bring the best out of Szczesny.
One of the highlights of Szczesny’s recent performances in goal was the save at Loftus Road against Loic Remy, diving to his left to tip the curling shot round the post. It was a save the keeper might not have made earlier in the season, and one that has gone a long way to keeping Arsenal well in the face for a top four spot.
It also said a lot about Szczesny that a save like that came up after so long without much in the way of shots on goal from QPR. It’s incredibly easy for players, especially younger, inexperienced players to lose focus and allow saveable shots to bundle past them. On that occasion, the Polish international looked like a player suited for a top Premier League club.
David de Gea’s emergence from the criticism has been far more emphatic, though. Here was a player who often conveys a shy, introverted personality coming to the fore when United desperately needed some stability in goal. Forget the issues about coming from crosses and taking charge of the penalty area, de Gea needed to be the focused and reliable last line of defence in a noticeably unspectacular United team. It’s a team who had to deal with the veteran centre-back pairing being broken up due to injuries or age while still fighting for dominance in English football. The transfer fee involved and the expectation to properly succeed Edwin van der Sar shows just how far de Gea has come.
You’d like to see more of the same of what has been some of the highlights of both de Gea and Szczesny’s season. Both are supremely talented individuals and have all the makings of becoming top tier European goalkeepers alongside prominent names such as Manuel Neuer. But where inconsistencies or fragile minds may dent rapid progress, the presence of a veteran goalkeeper who has been there and done it can be invaluable. It’s not just about both United and Arsenal (although Arsenal are in a far more needing situation) securing the short term, but also ensuring that the goalkeeping position is safe and well-guarded for many years to come.
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For Arsenal especially, there is a tendency to become lazy and content with what they have. Wenger has always been about offering younger players opportunities if he believed them to be just about good enough. But for too long we’ve seen how detrimental that mentality can be. This hasn’t been a full awakening for Szczesny, and much more work will need to go into proving he is the best player for the club.