Mancini - Ajax defeat was my fault

Roberto Mancini shouldered the blame after watching his Manchester City side slump to a 3-1 defeat to Ajax, insisting it was his fault that they lost. City's Champions League campaign is in major trouble after defeat in Amsterdam left them with one point from three matches. Goals from Siem de Jong, Nicklas Moisander and Christian Eriksen overturned Samir Nasri's opener. Mancini, either through honesty or an attempt to protect his players, turned all the blame on himself, claiming he did not prepare properly for the match. When pressed on the issue, the Italian explained that he sent his men out with the wrong tactics to beat Ajax. "They played better than us," Mancini told us. "It's my fault, I didn't prepare the players properly for this game. It's my fault. I prepared them one way but it was different. When you prepare them one way and think it will be like this, instead it is a different game." Mancini attempted to change his side's fortunes in the second half by switching from a back four to a back three, but he insists that alteration did not cost City the match. "We changed for five minutes but there were always 11 players [on the pitch]," he said. "Before [the change], we conceded two goals, so if someone wants to take this as an excuse, okay, but this is not the problem. "We have to be strong. It is very difficult [to qualify now]. One team (Dortmund) has seven points, one (Real Madrid) has six. We need a miracle like last year."

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Euro 2012: Portugal, Germany Hit Q’finals, Holland, Denmark Out

Cristiano Ronaldo finally found the form he was lacking at the European Championship, scoring twice Sunday to give Portugal a 2-1 win over the Netherlands and a spot in the quarterfinals, while Germany ended Denmark’s hopes with a 2-1 win. The Real Madrid forward failed to sparkle in Portugal's two previous matches but he was devastating against the Dutch. He produced an equalizer with his first goal of the tournament in the 28th minute and scored the winner in the 74th. 

 Needing a win to have a chance at staying in the tournament, the disappointing Dutch fielded an impressive attacking lineup featuring Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie up front. Rafael van der Vaart gave the Dutch the lead in the 11th minute, but Portugal then took control of the match. In Lviv, Ukraine Germany advanced to a quarterfinal against Greece after beating Denmark 2-1 on Sunday in their last Group B match at the European Championship. The Danes were eliminated. Lukas Podolski opened the scoring for Germany in the 19th minute and Lars Bender slotted home the winner in the 80th after Michael Krohn-Dehli had equalized for Denmark in the first half. 

 Germanycontrolled possession, had the best chances and were never really challenged by the Danes, who go home after stunning the Netherlands in the first match but losing to Portugal in the second. Germanyseized the initiative from the kickoff and came close twice before Podolski, playing his 100th international match, scored his first goal of the tournament. Mario Gomez set him up with a deft backheel touch following Thomas Mueller's low cross from the right flank. Denmarkreplied just five minutes later with Krohn-Dehli heading in the equalizer from a set piece that stunned the German defense. A corner found Nicklas Bendtner, who headed the ball into the area where Krohn-Dehli nodded home his second goal at Euro 2012.

 Jakob Poulsen missed a chance to put Denmark in the driver's seat at the start of the second half when his shot grazed the outside of German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer's right post. After that scare, the Germans were firmly in charge and denied Denmark any real chance of getting back into the game. Coach Morten Olsen's men were already looking tired when Bender, replacing suspended right back Jerome Boateng, picked up a pass from Mesut Oezil and made it 2-1. Germanyfinished on top of the group with a perfect record of three wins and will face Euro 2004 champion Greece on Friday in Gdansk.

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Robin van Persie wouldn't leave Arsenal for Barcelona, Man City or Real Madrid, says father

The Dutch striker is in the last year of his contract at Arsenal, but despite speculation linking him with an Emirates exit, his dad has ruled out a switch to the Etihad Stadium.

 The Dutch striker is currently on international duty with Netherlands, but is in the last year of his contract at the Emirates Stadium. As such the 2011-12 PFA Player of the Year has been linked with an exit from the north London club, with the likes of City and Juventus thought to be ready to make a move for him.

 Despite Roberto Mancini’s men lifting the Premier League title last term and a number of players making the move from Arsene Wenger’s side to the Etihad Stadium in the past, Bob van Persie has ruled the possibility out for his son. “Manchester City is not an option. It's impossible to play for another club than Arsenal in England,” he told Spanish daily Mundo Deportivo. Barcelona and Real Madrid have also been rumoured to be monitoring the situation, but a move to either Camp Nou or the Santiago Bernabeu is not in the 28-year-old’s thoughts either. "It's not logical to go to Barcelona.

They already have Lionel Messi over there. Real Madrid also doesn't fit into the picture." Van Persie maintains his club future will be resolved after the end of Euro 2012.

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Defoe returns to England following father's d*ath

The forward has left the Three Lions' base camp in Poland but will return "in due course", with no replacement call-up planned, according to the Football Association.

 Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe left England’s Euro 2012 training camp in Poland on Thursday morning following the death of his father on Wednesday night. The 49-year-old Jimmy Defoe is thought to have been ill for some time.

 The Spurs frontman is now likely to miss Monday’s opener against France, with the FA announcing that Defoe will re-join the squad "in due course", with no plans to call-up a replacement player. The statement on the governing body’s official website read: "England striker Jermain Defoe has returned home to England this morning following the passing of his father overnight. "Jermain will re-join the England Euro squad in due course.

 There will be no replacement player called in." Defoe arrived in Poland with the rest of Roy Hodgson's squad on Wednesday to start their competition preparations. Tottenham have released their own statement on their official website, also passing on their condolences: "Everyone at the Club sends their sincere condolences to Jermain and his family." The 29-year-old has won 47 senior caps, scoring 15 goals, but is yet to appear in a European Championship.

 He did feature as part of the Three Lions' 2010 World Cup squad in South Africa, scoring the only goal of the game against Slovenia to secure England’s progression to the knockout round. Defoe played 23 minutes as a substitute in England's final pre-Euro 2012 friendly against Belgium at Wembley on Saturday.

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Drogba to quit international football

Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba has revealed that he intends to retire from international football after World Cup 2014.

 The 34-year-old believes that since winning the Champions League with Chelsea, he now had little to achieve in the footballing world, with a lasting impact for the Elephants the only task left.

At a press conference in Abidjan on Thursday ahead of the qualifier against Tanzania, Drogba said he would do his best to help the team reach the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and leave a memorable legacy because it will be the last time local fans will see him in the Ivorian jersey.

 "I'm certainly living my last days with the national team, and the match against Tanzania on Saturday will be one of my last games here at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium," Drogba said. "However, I'll do my best to leave something memorable for fans, and after the 2014 FIFA World Cup, I think I'll be quitting international football for good.

" The striker also revisited their failure to win the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, which Zambia scraped on penalties. "It's true winning the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea brought much joy to Ivorian fans, but it cannot blot out the nightmare of February 12 in Libreville (Gabon), the day we bitterly lost the 2012 Afcon to Zambia. It is still very fresh and hurting. We hope to make up for it in the upcoming edition," he said.

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Manchester United close in on midfield duo Kagawa and Hazard

Manchester United are set to make an improved offer of £13m for Shinji Kagawa.

The Borussia Dortmund midfielder has one year left on his contract but Sir Alex Ferguson wants to land him. United are also confident Eden Hazard will choose to move Old Trafford this summer. Manchester City and Chelsea are also fighting for Hazard's signature but the Belgian winger has confirmed that his choice will ultimately be governed by regularly he will be a starter.

 He told Belgian news website HLN: 'I do not know when I'll make a decision about my future club. 'It will anyway be Manchester City, Manchester United or Chelsea. 'The decision will depend on the amount of play I would see and the position where I would play. 'Not everyone can say that he can make a choice between the three top clubs.' Hazard's compatriot Jan Vertonghen remains focused on a move to Tottenham from Ajax.

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Player Profile: Edinson Cavani

Full Name: Edinson Cavani Squad No: 7 Position
 : Forward. Age: 25 Birth Date: Feb 14, 1987 Birth Place: Salto, Uruguay Height: 6' 2'' (1.88m) Weight: 71 kg.

 Napoli secured the services of Edinson Roberto Cavani Gomez on a one-season loan deal from Palermo on the eve of the 2010 World Cup, but importantly also secured a right-to-buy option set at around €12 million.

 The Salto-born striker began his a career with Montevideo side Danubio FC in 2006 and made an instant impact, scoring nine goals in his debut season as the Uruguayan club won the Primera Division Apertura. His exploits in the domestic game earned him a call-up to the Uruguay Under-20 side for the 2007 South American Youth Championship in Paraguay, where he was scouted by a number of European clubs, including Juventus and AC Milan.

 However, it was Palermo who moved quickest to snap up the youngster. The deal was officially completed in January 2007, but El Matador had to wait until March to make a memorable debut against Fiorentina as he hit a volleyed equaliser that was reminiscent of Marco van Basten's legendary strike against Soviet Union in the final of Euro '88. Following the departure of Amauri to Juventus in June 2008, Cavani quickly established himself as a regular at Palermo, scoring 35 goals in 114 appearances, but was forced to play in a wide role rather than in his preferred position as a central striker.

 In April 2010, he penned a new contract with Palermo that ran until June 2014, but the prospect of playing a more central role in Walter Mazzarri's Napoli proved too difficult to resist and Cavani swapped Scilly for the Italian mainland in a move that established his credentials as a top quality goalscorer. He started life at the Stadio San Paolo in emphatic fashion and ended the season with 26 goals in a league campaign that culminated with qualification for the Champions League. Cavani was just two goals behind Udinese's Antonio Di Natale and would have been the first Napoli player to top the scoring charts since Diego Maradona in 1988, although the Argentine did it with just 15 goals.

 Cavani's star continued to rise as he won the 2011 Copa America with Uruguay and he has since been linked with big money moves to the likes of Chelsea and Real Madrid, with some reports putting the transfer fee as high as £50 million. Strengths: Powerful and strong, he is a commanding presence up front who can hold onto the ball and is not afraid to get his head on a cross, but most importantly he is a natural finsher when in front of goal. Weaknesses:

 His eagerness to work defensively for the team can draw him too deep and his passing is not on a par with his finishing. Career high: Winning the 2011 Copa America to make Uruguay the most successful team in the competition's history, with 15 triumphs, one ahead of Argentina. Career low: It's a tough to call for a player who is on a meteroic rise. Perhaps the fact he only scored two goals in his first six months at Palermo. Style: Agile, powerful, a real handful in the box who loves to play on the counter-attack.

Quotes: "He's an important player for us. He fights hard, he tries to play and when he doesn't manage to do so, he still fights and that's important." Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez, November 2011 Trivia: Cavani comes from a footballing family and his older brother Walter Guglielmone plays as a forward for Brazilian Serie D side Pelotas.

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Keshi: Super Eagles cannot be perfect overnight

As the Super Eagles observed a day of rest on Wednesday and looking forward to starting their final preparations against Namibia at the U.J Esuene Stadium on Thursday, coach Stephen Keshi has pleaded with Nigerians to give him time in building a formidable national team that the country will be proud of.

 “Nigerians must understand that we are rebuilding and it’s not going to be perfect in a day or just one or two matches,” Keshi said. “What we need from them is patience and of course prayers.

On our part we are ready to give more than 100 per cent to ensure that the country returns to the top of football in Africa and one of the best in the world”, he said. Meanwhile, Patrick Ugbe, host of the team in Calabar and Cross River Commissioner For Youth, Sports and Orientation, believes that the team he has seen in training will overcome the obstacle of Namibia on Sunday.

 “The team we have here is relatively young and I must say some players have been exceptional in training, though it looks like the entire team means business and the state government, particularly Governor Liyel Imoke likes to invest in such teams,” Ugbe said. The Super Eagles have received the royal blessings of the ruler of Qua people in Calabar Municipality, Ndidem (Dr) Ika Ika Qua 11.

The monarch assured the national team that traditional institutions are in support of the team against the southern africans on Sunday. “It’s wise that you people have come to seek my royal blessings, because no matter how bad a landlord is, when you are in his house you must pay him homage.

We wish the team and its officials well and we are certain that after we have appeased the land, victory will surely be ours,” he said. The team will commence training at the U.J Esuene Stadium on Thursday after observing wednesday as a day of rest after two days of hectic training.

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Usain Bolt plays down Justin Gatlin's London 2012 chances

Usain Bolt has dismissed suggestions former Olympic champion Justin Gatlin will provide the biggest challenge for his 100m crown at London 2012.

 Gatlin, who won 2004 gold in Athens before a four-year drugs ban, clocked 9.87 seconds in Doha two weeks ago. "I don't want to sound rude, but Gatlin's had his chance," said Bolt. "He's been on top, but to say 'get ready for the Gatlin show' is funny . "He has a few guys to get past before he should be worried about me."

World indoor champion Gatlin staked his claim as a contender for the Olympic 100m with victory in Doha's Diamond League meeting on 11 May.

 The 30-year-old aims to book his place at London when he runs in the United States team trials in Portland next month. But Bolt, who won 100m gold in Beijing four years ago, believes American Tyson Gay and current World Championship title holder Yohan Blake will provide sterner challenges than Gatlin.

 Meanwhile, the Jamaican sprinter has pledged to bounce back at Thursday's Diamond League meeting in Rome after his disappointing time in Ostrava last week. He clocked 10.04s in last Friday's 100m and afterwards blamed a lack of sleep and food. He said: "I explained to my coach that my legs were not feeling that energetic, probably through a lack of sleep and not enough food. "I've been trying to get a lot more sleep and eating better."

 Bolt's time in Ostrava was the first time since 2009 in Toronto that the Jamaican has failed to break 10 seconds in a final. However, the triple Olympic champion was in relaxed mood ahead of this week's meeting in Rome and admitted he does not feel under pressure to perform in every race.

He said: "You never have a good race every time you run. You have to just put that behind you and move on. It's not a worry.

I have a lot more races and the main one is at the Olympics. "I have set a high standard for myself so I know people like to see me run fast. "I can't look at it as pressure. People expect you to do certain things - I know I will have my bad races but I have to stay strong and focused." Bolt will face fellow countryman and former world-record holder Asafa Powell, France's European champion Christophe Lemaitre and veteran Kim Collins in the 100m on Thursday. Britain's world 400m hurdles champion Dai Greene faces a tough test in Rome, with American Bershawn Jackson among those keen for revenge after the Welshman's victory in Daegu last year. There is British interest in the men's long jump with both Greg Rutherford - who set a world Long Jump lead of 8.35m in California at the beginning of May - and Chris Tomlinson in action, while Andrew Osagie and Michael Rimmer go in the 800m.

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Spurs notch 20th straight win

The San Antonio Spurs have taken a 2-0 lead in their NBA Western Conference finals series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

 A spectacular shooting performance propelled the Spurs to a 120-111 victory at the AT&T Center on Tuesday. With victory, San Antonio become just the fourth team in NBA history to notch 20 consecutive wins with their last loss coming back in April against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Even more impressive is that 10 of those have come in the play-offs with the Spurs sweeping the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers in the first two rounds.

 Tony Parker was in irresistible form, shooting just under 74 percent from the field on his way to a game-high 34 points and eight assists. Manu Ginobili again provided valuable support off the bench with 20 points, while Kawhi Leonard drained three three-pointers in his 18 points, as well as pulling down 10 rebounds.

San Antonio set up their victory with a dominant first half that saw them open up an 11-point lead at the long break. They carried their momentum into the third quarter where they added another 37 points to at one stage lead by 22 points.

 Oklahoma did mount a charge to close within six points midway through the final term, but the Spurs were never seriously threatened. Kevin Durant led the way for the Thunder with 31 points, while James Harden (30 points) and Russell Westbrook (27) were also strong contributors. Game three of the series will be at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma on Thursday.

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Casillas breaks international wins record with Spain's victory over South Korea

In what was his 130th appearance for Spain, Casillas won his 95th match for the national team, breaking the record for the highest number of international victories that had been set by France's Lilian Thuram and matched by Egypt's Ahmed Hassan.

 The 31-year-old custodian was introduced in the second half and did not concede a goal, while watching Alvaro Negredo score La Roja's fourth goal of the night.

Casillas, who also recorded his 74th clean sheet with the national side, has also become the fourth-highest-capped goalkeeper in football, behind Saudi Arabia's Mohamed Al-Deayea (178), Sweden's Thomas Ravelli (143) and South Korea's Lee Won-Jae (132).

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Hulk deal to Chelsea 90 per cent complete - report

The highly-rated Brazilian has been sought after by the Stamford Bridge outfit for a while, with many expecting the 25-year-old to follow former Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas to Stamford Bridge a year ago.

 The move did not materialise, however, with Hulk remaining at Porto for a further year. Yet it now seems the Blues have got their man, with a £40 million fee reportedly agreed.

 Hulk enjoyed another successful campaign at Porto last season, scoring 21 goals in 38 games as he helped guide the Portuguese giants to their second successive league title. Porto were thought to be holding out for the £80m release clause in the Brazilian’s contract. However, they appear to have now accepted that is an unrealistic goal and are willing to negotiate.

Should the move be completed, Chelsea’s summer spending will already have neared the £80m mark having already secured £6.5m Marko Marin and with £32m Eden Hazard set to sign.

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Davids backing Dutch firepower

Edgar Davids played in three European Championships for Netherlands, twice losing out at the semi-final stage. A combative midfielder with the ability to create, Davids was one of the most recognisable faces on the international scene over an 11-year period with the Dutch side. Davids retired from football in 2010 after a short-lived spell with Crystal Palace, but before that enjoyed a distinguished career which took him from Ajax to AC Milan, Juventus, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Tottenham Hotspur.

 A winner of one Champions League, UEFA Cup and European Super Cup, three Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia, three Eredivisie championships, two Dutch Cups and the Intercontinental Cup, Davids landed just about every trophy there was to win at club level.

As the Dutch prepare for Euro 2012, still looking to add to their only major title of the 1988 Euros in Germany, Davids is advocating an attacking approach for Bert van Marwijk's side in a tough group of Germany, Portugal and Denmark. Netherlands have two of the most prolific strikers in Europe, with Robin van Persie netting 30 goals for Arsenal and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar plundering 29 for Schalke while also finishing as the leading scorer in qualifying for the finals. Van Marwijk faces a dilemma over how to fit both into the Dutch system, with some suggesting Wesley Sneijder could be forced to make way after a disappointing season with Inter. Sneijder started four of Inter's last five matches, missing the final day defeat at Lazio, after a frustrating battle for fitness and form all season.

 But Davids insists the midfielder will be crucial to Dutch hopes of success. "Sneijder has to play," Davids told ESPN. "He showed in his last games [for Inter Milan] he was hungry, he was aggressive again, he was determined and he doesn't have the physical damage that a season brings to you. "I would play Klass-Jan Huntelaar, Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie and Sneijder.

You have Huntelaar as a striker, Van Persie coming in from the left and also Robben on the other side. Why should you choose? They [Van Persie and Huntelaar] have scored so many goals, I think that's common sense. "Huntelaar grew at Schalke. People think it's easy to play in a foreign country but it's not only about the game as you have to adapt, adapting is key. The quicker you adapt, then the stronger you are and the more successful you can be. But I don't think he's capable of winning the Golden Boot, that normally goes to someone who has been playing in the Champions League."

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Balotelli rails against racists

Manchester City's Mario Balotelli insists he will storm off the pitch if racially abused while playing for Italy at next month's European Championship.


Balotelli has been the target of racist attacks both on and off the pitch in Europe, and is adamant he will not stand for such behaviour in Poland and the Ukraine.

UEFA officials have the authority to abandon any match if violence or abuse is taking place, but Balotelli says he will be the first to act.


"Let's see what happens at the Euro," Balotelli told France Football. "I hope that there will not be a problem because I really can't handle that. I cannot bear racism, it's unacceptable for me. If it happened again I would straight away leave the pitch and go home. We are in 2012. It can't happen."


On the pitch, Balotelli has been subject to abuse while playing for Inter Milan against Juventus, with the Turin-based club forced to play behind closed doors after the incident. Porto were then fined £16,000 as a result of monkey chants directed at Balotelli during a Europa League match against City earlier this year.


"I remember very well the Juventus game, but I also scored a goal," Balotelli said. "I had to pretend I hadn't seen or heard anything. I wanted to play. I was young. It was up to me to tell the referee, but if I had told the referee to stop the match I wouldn't have scored. Occasionally, you're so good that people can't think of any other way to make you angry."


The controversial striker, who once had bananas thrown at him while at a bar in Rome, also said if he encountered off-field abuse he "will go to prison because I will kill him".
Speaking about the incident in Rome, Balotelli said: "These two or three lads were lucky the police came straight away because, I swear, I would have given them a proper kicking. I would truly have destroyed them. I hope that doesn't happen again.


"I'm black and proud to have African roots. I think I'm lucky to be black. People say about me that I'm a black boy who has fun, earns money and has girls. It's not like that. It's too easy to judge people through what you see.

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Earthquake hits Italy friendly

The Italy-Luxembourg friendly has been cancelled after an earthquake hit the Emilia-Romagna region on Tuesday. 

The Euro 2012 warm-up game was scheduled to take place at the Ennio Tardini in Parma, but the Italian football federation (FIGC) and the local authorities chiose to cancel the international following Tuesday's events. 

The 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit just after 9am local time, and within 90 minutes four aftershocks measuring above 4.0 were also felt. Ten people have reportedly died in the quake, all in the Modena area, while several more are buried under collapsed buildings. 

Tuesday's earthquake comes only nine days after the area was hit by a 6.0 tremor. Italy's next Euro 2012 warm-up match will take place on June 1 against Russia in Zurich

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Ranieri to coach Monaco

The 50-year-old Roman, who was shown the door at San Siro by Massimo Moratti in March, is set to be unveiled as Marco Simone's successor in the coming days. Ranieri had been heavily linked with former club Fiorentina in recent weeks, but the Viola now look set to appoint Vincenzo Montella as their new coach. The vacancy at Monaco sprang up recently following the dismissal of former Italy international Marco Simone, who had led the Rouge and Blanc to a disappointing eighth-placed finish in the French second division. The side from the Principality are funded by Russian tycoon Dmitry Rybolovlev and recently announced the signing of Andrea Raggi for next season.

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