Arsenal's fortunes have slumped in recent weeks following their earlier run of form. — Reuters pic

In mid-March Arsenal were three points behind United with a game in hand and had real belief that they could win the league for the first time since 2004.

With four games remaining for both, Arsenal trail the leaders by nine points and are also three behind second-placed Chelsea.

With Chelsea facing a tough home game against fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, United could potentially end the weekend with the title all-but wrapped up before they host Chelsea next Sunday for a timely changing of the guard.

Even if Chelsea beat Spurs, wins over their two main rivals for United would secure their record 19th English championship with two games to spare.

With United playing Schalke 04 in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final yesterday it is a huge week for Alex Ferguson's team — and all achieved by a side we are constantly told is "not vintage."

"People can have those opinions and keep talking like that. We just try to win games," said centre back Rio Ferdinand. "If we win games and end up winning titles we won't be thinking about what people have said about us.

"What sets us apart from other teams is that the hunger never dies. It stems from the manager and filters down.

"We have players who want to win things. There are still players in this squad who have not won the league. There are others who have won it a few times who want more. That is the basis on which we do our work every single day."

That killer instinct was on show last week when, against an in-form Everton, United kept fighting, pressing and throwing men forward until they finally got their decisive goal six minutes from time.

The next day Arsenal conceded a stoppage time goal to lose 2-1 at Bolton Wanderers to cap an horrific seven-week period which began when they were beaten in the League Cup final by Birmingham City.

Subsequently knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona and the FA Cup by United, their league form has been poor with five draws and a single win over Blackpool in six games before defeat at Bolton finally ensured that their wait for a trophy would extend to a seventh year.

United have won six of their past seven meetings with Arsenal in all competitions, including their last two at the Emirates.

Chelsea have not entirely given up hope of retaining their title but clearly need to beat Spurs and hope Arsenal do them a favour to keep their Old Trafford showdown meaningful.

Spurs look to have lost out to Manchester City in the battle for fourth place as they now trail them four points.

City host bottom club West Ham United on Sunday and, with a game in hand on Arsenal, who they trail by five points, are eying a third-place finish and its direct path into the Champions League group stage. — Reuters

The winger pulled his hamstring in the league game against Wolves. — Reuters pic

Etherington, 29, damaged a hamstring in the first half of Stoke's 3-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Tuesday and the full extent of the injury will not be known until he has a scan later.

Pulis told Stoke's website (stokecityfc.com): "It would be a massive disappointment if Matty misses the final but we will know more when he has the scan. We've got seven or eight days to get it right then 10 days to get it as strong as possible."

Etherington, who scored the opening goal in Stoke's 5-0 rout of Bolton in the semi-final, was the second Stoke player to suffer a major injury in three days after Ricardo Fuller damaged his Achilles tendon.

Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez is also battling to be fit for the final with a similar injury to Etherington's and missed their semi-final win over Manchester United. — Reuters

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID,ESTORIL - Alvaro Bautista, pebalap Rizla Suzuki, bertekad kembali ke lintasan MotoGP di Estoril setelah istirahat enam pekan. Bautista telah melewatkan dua seri pembuka akibat mengalami cedera.

"Saya sudah bekerja keras untuk bisa kembali tepat saat Estoril digelar," kata mantan juara dunia kelas 125 cc ini seperti dikutip Autosports.

Bautista mengalami patah tulang kaki kiri setelah terjatuh pada sesi latihan Qatar. Rizla Suzuki yang tidak punya pembalap kedua terpaksa absen di seri pembuka di Losail. Namun, tim pabrikan asal Jepang ini menurunkan John Hopkins.

Pembalap Suzuki ini menyadari balapan Estoril tidak akan mudah. Namun, Bautista meyakini bahwa semakin cepat kembali ke lintasan, maka semakin cepat pula proses pemulihannya. "Setelah itu, kita lihat apa yang terjadi dan menjalani semuanya setahap demi tahap," ujar dia.

Selain dua pembalap tersebut, kebugaran juga menjadi masalah Valentino Rossi, Cal Crutchlow, dan Randy de Puniet. Bahkan, Cructhlow dan de Puniet harus naik meja operasi setelah mengalami kecelakaan di Jerez.

Crutchlow mengatakan, kondisi lengannya sudah membaik. Karena itu, ia tidak sabar untuk berlaga di Portugal. "Ini sirkuit baru untuk saya dan ini akan menjadi tantangan karena pembalap lain sudah memahami lintasan ini," kata dia.

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID,ESTORIL - Dani Pedrosa belum dapat memastikan apakah bahunya sudah pulih sepenuhnya pascaoperasi beberapa pekan lalu. Pembalap Repsol Honda ini pun akan menguji ketahanan bahunya pada seri balapan Portugal di Sirkuit Estoril pada Ahad (1/5).

Pedrosa mengalami cedera bahu setelah terjatuh pada sesi latihan di Jepang pada tahun lalu. Cedera itu ternyata masih mengganggu penampilan pembalap asal Spanyol ini pada dua balapan sebelumnya. Pedrosa finis di posisi ketiga di seri pembuka di Losail, Qatar. Dia kemudia finis kedua di Jerez, Spanyol.

Pedrosa pun kembali harus melakoni operasi pada tiga pekan lalu. Pedrosa mengatakan bahwa dokter sudah melepas jahitan pada bahunya. Namun, pembalap berusia 25 tahun ini belum mengetahui kondisinya bila harus berlaga di lintasan selama satu jam.

"Sekarang semua terasa lebih segar dan saya tidak tahu apa yang akan saya rasakan di Estoril," kata Pedrosa seperti dilansir Autosport. "Saya tidak sabar untuk melihat apakah semua berjalan lancar."

Perdosa belum pernah menjuarai Estoril sejak turun di kelas premier pada 2006 silam. Posisi terbaik Pedrosa pada balapan Portugal, yaitu runner up 2007 dan 2008. Musim lalu, Pedrosa melakukan comeback di Estoril setelah absen di tiga balapan. Dengan kondisi bahu yang belum pulih, Pedrosa finis di posisi delapan.

Namun, Pedrosa berada dalam kondisi dan semangat yang lebih baik musim ini. Ia sudah memanfaatkan jeda tiga pekan sejak balapan Jerez untuk membiasakan bahunya ketika berada di atas sadel motor. "Saya melakukan hal yang harus saya lakukan untuk siap membalap," kata dia.

KUALA LUMPUR: National cyclists will not be able to use cold weather as an excuse for their poor performances when competing in East Asian countries anymore said Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) president Abu Samah Abd Wahab.

Abu Samah said Mohd Adiq Hussainie Othman's success in the Tour de Korea 2011 (TDK 2011) last week under the cold weather conditions, showed that the weather cannot be used as an excuse anymore. In the TDK 2011, Mohd Adiq finished on the podium in three stages.

"We feel Mohd Adiq Hussainie has been able to overcome the jinx and mental block of Malaysia cyclists who had all these while felt they were not able to produce good performances under cold weather.

"What more when the weather was under 1 degree Celsius during the Tour de Korea recently," said Abu Samah in a statement today.

Abu Samah added that during a port-mortem on the performance of the national squad in the TDK 2011 with coach John Beasley, the main topic was the ability of our cyclists under such extreme conditions.

MNCF has also asked Beasley to identify races held in countries where the weather is cold, he said. "We believe Mohd Adiq can also succeed in Europe where some races are held under similar conditions," he said.

Meanwhile, Beasley in the statement said Mohd Adiq and Muhammad Rauf Nur Misbah should be considered for the 2011 SEA Games in Indonesia, especially for the road race to be held in Palembang.

"Based on Mohd Adiq's performance at a major race like the TDK 2011, I believe Mohd Adiq and Muhammad Rauf will be vital in Indonesia. Furthermore, we have not won a gold medal in the last two SEA Games (2007, 2009)," he said.

MADRID: Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina is backing either Real Madrid or Barcelona to win the Champions League this season — insisting both are stronger than Manchester United.

Real host Barca in the first-leg semifinal at Santiago Bernabeu tomorrow (2.45am).

"It is very difficult to say who will be favourites," Reina told Spanish radio station Cadena Cope.

"Real go into the match with a massive boost as they have been playing better in the last matches. Real are the only team who have been able to play Barca in an effective manner.

"They beat Barca in one match, and in the other match they created a lot of problems to Barca by playing a different style of football. The Catalans are finding it hard to adapt to this system.

"But I don't think the winners will be decided in just one match.

"The second-leg will be at Nou Camp and this is why I think Barca have a little bit of advantage."

Reina, a former Barca youth player, also commented on the mindset of both groups of players, maintaining the side who reach the final would be favourites to win the European elite competition.

"I think all of them are very optimistic. They are playing the two-legged semifinal against their biggest rivals and they are anxious to win. This is because they know the victors will most likely win the competition.

"I think whoever win between Real and Barca will be the champions, as both are stronger than United."

Reina, who used to play for Villarreal, also dismissed suggestions Barca will lack confidence following their recent Copa del Rey final defeat.

"The victory in the Copa took a positive impact for Real but does not necessarily have a negative impact for Barca. They are close to winning Primera Liga and have their options to be in Champions League final. I don't think Barca are pessimistic," he said.

Although the Catalans have been strong in the league all season, Reina does believe the problems they have in defence currently could cause trouble.

Real have scored a lot goals in recent matches — including six away to Valencia last weekend at the Mestalla.

That was the most any away side have ever scored in that stadium.

LONDON (AP) - Caterham Cars moved into the glamorous world of Formula One on Wednesday when Team Lotus announced the acquisition of the great British sports car manufacturer.

Lotus purchased Caterham, which specializes in making small lightweight sports cars, for an undisclosed sum from venture capitalist group Corven, in a deal labeled "the perfect partnership" by the F1 team.

Caterham's most famous car is the Seven, which was designed by Colin Chapman - the founder of the original Team Lotus. He sold the rights of the Seven to Caterham in 1973.

Lotus said the deal will allow Caterham to "expand its brand profile and product family."

"Caterham has a unique place at the heart of the motoring world," Lotus owner Tony Fernandes said. "As well as being proudly and staunchly British, it has an enviable and uniquely unblemished reputation within the industry for performance, handling and engineering excellence.

"It is already a successful business with sales across Europe, Japan, Australia and the Middle East ... we now have all the ingredients and the launch pad to further evolve that spirit and take Caterham to new exciting horizons."

Caterham's existing management team, headed up by managing director and former Lotus Cars executive Ansar Ali, will remain in place.

In the last five years, Ansar has created Caterham's first brand new model in 15 years, the SP/300.R sports prototype racer.

"While the Seven will now have the global springboard it deserves and will continue to be evolved yet further," Ali said, "we also have the opportunity to expand the Caterham family beyond the Seven and SP/300.R and breathe new life into our uniquely respected brand and mature it into a truly global business."

GENEVA (AP) - The Court of Arbitration for Sport named a three-man panel on Wednesday to hear Alberto Contador's doping case and said it expects a verdict before the Tour de France in July.

Israeli lawyer Efraim Barak will chair the panel, which also includes Quentin Byrne-Sutton of Switzerland and Germany's Ulrich Haas.

CAS has not fixed a date to hear the case, but reiterated its intention to issue a ruling before the 2011 Tour begins on July 2. Contador is the reigning champion.

"The written proceedings in this matter are likely to be concluded at the end of May.

The CAS envisages to hold a hearing in June, which would allow the settlement of the dispute before the end of June," the court said in a statement.

The international cycling federation, UCI, and the World Anti-Doping Agency have appealed Contador's acquittal on doping charges by the Spanish cycling federation.

A Spanish tribunal accepted Contador's defense that he inadvertently consumed the banned substance clenbuterol in contaminated beef.

Under CAS rules, each party in a dispute can choose an arbitrator to work with the court-appointed chairman.

Contador's legal team selected Haas, while the UCI and WADA chose Byrne-Sutton.

Contador can continue riding until the verdict, and is scheduled to race in the Giro d'Italia next week.

Haas is among the most requested arbitrators on the CAS approved list and has a track record in cases involving Spanish cycling and clenbuterol.

He served on the panel which ruled last year that Alejandro Valverde could be banned from riding in Italy using evidence collected by Spanish police during the Operation Puerto investigation.

Valverde's legal team tried to get Haas kicked off the case, arguing that his advisory work with WADA compromised his objectivity, but its appeal was rejected by Switzerland's supreme court.

Haas, a teaching professor at the University of Zurich, has helped rule on two recent cases involving clenbuterol, which burns fat and builds muscle.

American swimmer Jessica Hardy was ordered to serve a one-year ban even though the CAS panel accepted last year that she was not at fault for a positive test because she thoroughly researched the contents of a dietary supplement which later proved to be contaminated.

In 2009, Haas and his panel dismissed Polish canoeist Adam Seroczynski's claims that his clenbuterol positive at the Beijing Olympics was the result of "food tampering" by organizers who fed him contaminated meat. The IOC's expert witness in the case dismissed the possibility of accidental contamination.

Haas also was involved in an Olympic case which found fault with the WADA-accredited laboratory in Beijing.

The CAS panel reinstated silver and bronze medals to Vadim Devyatovskiy and Ivan Tsikhan, hammer throwers from Belarus who tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone, because their samples were mishandled.

However, the panel did not clear the athletes of suspicion, insisting the verdict "should not be interpreted as an exoneration."

Barak chaired the first CAS panel to hear a case of Champions League matchfixing. His panel upheld UEFA's decisions to exclude Macedonian club Pobeda from European competitions for eight years and imposed a life ban on the club president.

MADRID – Tidak ada gol tercipta pada babak pertama laga leg pertama semifinal Liga Champions antara Real Madrid melawan Barcelona, di Santiago Bernabeu, Kamis (28/4/2011).

MADRID – Real Madrid mengaku tertarik mendatangkan bintang Benfica Fabio Coentrao. Namun kubu Madrid menilai harga 30 juta euro yang diminta Benfica terlalu mahal. Madrid ingin bernegosiasi ulang mengenai banderol tersebut.

Bintang bulu tangkis India berusia 21 tahun itu sebelum sudah mengalahkan pemain Jepang itu dalam tiga pertemuan sebelumnya dan menjadi favorit juara di depan para pendukungnya di tempat dia merebut medali emas Commonwealth Games tahun lalu.

Goto pada pertandingan berikutnya akan menghadapi rekan senegaranya dan unggulan kelima Eriko Hirose, yang mengalahkan Adrianti Firdasari dari Indonesia 18-21 21-8 21-16.

Pada nomor tunggal putra, pemain nomor satu dunia Lee Chong Wei dari Malaysia mengalahkan pemain India Ajay Jayaram 21-19 21-18 dalam waktu 37 menit untuk membukukan tempat di babak kedua melawan pemain Korea Selatan Lee Hyun-Il.

Pemain kualifikasi asal India Sourabh Verma menumbangkan mantan juara Asia Sony Dwi Kuncoro dari Indonesia 21-18 21-19.(*)

(Uu.I015/Z002)

Editor: Ruslan Burhani
COPYRIGHT © 2011

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Porto yang baru saja meraih gelar juara Liga Portugal, dengan mengungguli Benfica dengan selisih 19 poin, tercatat belum pernah kalah dalam pertandingan-pertandingan liga Europa musim ini.

Sembilan tahun lalu, Porto berhasil menyingkirkan klub Italia Lazio pada babak ini dan pada babak finalnya mereka mengalahkan Celtic dalam sebuah pertandingan seru dan mendebarkan untuk menjadi juara Piala UEFA, kompetisi sebelum Liga Europa, saat itulah nama Mourinho untuk pertama kalinya bersinar sebagai seorang pelatih.

Satu tahun kemudian, Mourinho membuat reputasinya semakin membumbung dengan membawa Porto menjadi juara Liga Champion setelah mengalahkan Monaco.

Sejak saat itu nama Mourinho terus melesat, bersama Chelsea, kemudian Inter Milan dan saat ini Real, Sementara Porto harus puas dengan mendominasi liga domestik.

Tetapi sekarang mereka sekali lagi mampu berada di puncak Liga Europa bersama pelatih Andre Villas Boas (33)yang juga adalah mantan asisten Mourinho.

Setelah menyingkirkan Spartak Moscow 10-3 secara agregat dalam dua pertandingan perempat final, Porto akan mencoba peruntungan mereka menghadapi Villarreal pada leg pertama Kamis nanti.

Tetapi prestasi lawan mereka dari Spanyol itu juga tak kalah meyakinkan karena mereka sebelumnya juga berhasil menyingkirkan Twente dari Belanda dengan skor telak 8-2 secara agregat.

Selagi Porto dan Villarreal saling menyingkirkan, sebuah sejarah kecil juga akan tercipta ketika Benfica berhadapan dengan Sporting Braga dalam sebuah pertandingan semi final turnamen UEFA yang untuk pertama kalinya mempertemukan dua tim yang sama-sama dari Portugal.

Benfica, yang sebagaimana halnya dengan Porto telah memenangi Liga Champion dua kali, menyingkirkan PSV Eindhoven di perempat final, sementara Braga, setelah sebelumnya menyingkirkan Liverpool, di babak perempat final menyisihkan Dynamo Kiev dalam sebuah gol tandang.

Seandainya Porto bisa mengalahkan Vilarreal untuk mencapai babak final, maka perang saudara antar dua tim Portugal di babak final dipastikan akan terjadi, dan kejadian seperti itu merupakan untuk yang ketujuh kalinya terjadi sepanjang sejarah Piala UEFA dimana pertandingan babak final Piala UEFA mempertemukan dua klub dari satu negara yang sama.

Hal itu dimulai oleh Tottenham pada 1972 yang menang atas Wolves, dan terakhir kali adalah pada 2007 ketika Sevilla berhasil mengalahkan Espanyol.(*)

(H-OKS/I015)

Editor: Ruslan Burhani
COPYRIGHT © 2011

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BAM menunggu

Oleh HELMI TALKAH
helmi.talkah@kosmo.com.my

DRAMA Datuk Misbun Sidek dengan Persatuan Badminton Malaysia (BAM) belum selesai. Walaupun jurulatih badminton perseorangan negara itu memerlukan tempoh tiga bulan untuk membuat keputusan kembali ke pangkuan BAM, kali ini skrip yang sama dilihat bakal berulang.

Setiausaha Kehormat BAM, Ng Chin Chai mengesahkan sehingga semalam Misbun belum memberikan sebarang jawapan berhubung kontrak baru yang ditawarkan badan induk sukan badminton itu kepada beliau.

Mengikut kenyataan yang dikeluarkan Chin Chai sebelum ini, bekas jaguh badminton negara itu diberikan tempoh sehingga 27 April (semalam) iaitu sebelum berlangsungnya mesyuarat Exco BAM hari ini bagi menyatakan persetujuannya sama ada menerima ataupun sebaliknya.

"Masih belum ada jawapan lagi daripada Misbun dan kami (BAM) memang tidak boleh berbuat apa-apa. Kita tunggu dan lihat sahaja.

"Mungkin sudah memang sikap beliau yang lebih gemar membuat keputusan pada saat-saat akhir seperti yang dilakukannya sebelum ini," kata Chin Chai kepada Kosmo! semalam.

Kontrak baru yang ditawarkan kepada Misbun itu bakal menyaksikan beliau menjadi jurulatih kepada skuad pelapis negara dalam usaha melahirkan lebih ramai pemain yang mampu diketengahkan di pentas antarabangsa.

Ia juga bertujuan untuk mencari pemain yang mampu menggantikan tempat jaguh negara, Datuk Lee Chong Wei.

Ditanya apakah keputusan yang akan dibuat sekiranya Misbun tidak memberikan sebarang respons kepada badan induk tersebut menjelang mesyuarat Exco BAM hari ini, Chin Chai menjawab: "Kami akan putuskan dalam mesyuarat itu nanti."

"Buat masa ini, saya tidak boleh membuat sebarang keputusan mengenai hal tersebut kerana apa jua keputusan hanya boleh dibuat dengan persetujuan kesemua barisan Exco," ujarnya.

T-Team panggil Che Ku Marzuki

Oleh MUSTAPA LAKAWA
mustapa@kosmo.com.my

KRISIS yang melanda T-Team bakal menemui jalan penyelesaian apabila pengurusan pasukan berstatus kelab itu melantik Che Ku Marzuki Che Ku Mohd. Nor dan Yusuf Ali sebagai jurulatih sementara.

Tindakan itu adalah susulan keputusan pihak tertinggi T-Team yang merehatkan ketua jurulatih, Yunus Alif daripada membimbing pasukan ekoran prestasi teruk yang dicatat sejak kebelakangan ini.

Pengurus T-Team, Rozi Mamat ketika mengesahkan keputusan itu berkata, pelantikan Che Ku Marzuki dan Yusuf dibuat berdasarkan perbincangan semua pihak demi memastikan pasukan itu dapat terus bersaing dalam kempen liga musim ini.

"Kita akui T-Team tidak begitu konsisten sehingga ramai peminat tak puas hati dan kita mengambil keputusan untuk merehatkan Yunus," katanya semalam.

Untuk rekod, Che Ku Marzuki merupakan bekas jurulatih T-Team yang berjaya membawa pasukan berstatus kelab itu layak beraksi dalam kempen Liga Super musim lalu selepas hanya semusim bersaing dalam Liga Perdana.

Tahun lalu, T-Team yang dibarisi ramai pemain berpengalaman seperti Syamsuri Mustaffa, Norfazly Alias, Hairuddin Omar dan Rosdi Talib berjaya menamatkan saingan Liga Super di tangga ketujuh.

Sementara itu, Yusuf pula yang diberi tanggungjawab untuk berkerjasama dengan Che Ku Marzuki merupakan jurulatih pasukan Piala Presiden T-Team.

"Tugasan kedua-dua jurulatih ini akan diteliti dan jika pengurusan berpuas hati, khidmat kedua-dua jurulatih itu berkemungkinan akan diteruskan," ujarnya.

Dalam pada itu, Che Ku Marzuki ketika dihubungi mengesahkan, dia telah 'bebas' daripada penggantungan selama enam bulan pada 20 April lalu dan sedia kembali membimbing bekas pasukannya itu andai diberi peluang.

"Masih terlalu awal untuk saya komen keputusan ini dan kita tunggu sahaja apa yang akan berlaku nanti," katanya.

Kemelut yang berlaku dalam kem T-Team bermula sejak dua minggu lalu apabila mereka tewas 0-1 kepada pasukan setempat, Terengganu sebelum dimalukan Johor FC dan Kuala Lumpur.

Namun, T-Team yang beraksi buat pertama kali tanpa kelibat Yunus kelmarin kembali garang apabila merekodkan kemenangan pertama dalam lima perlawanan terakhir menerusi kemenangan 3-1 ke atas Kedah.

Faktor cuaca sejuk bukan halangan

BARISAN pelumba negara tidak lagi boleh menjadikan alasan cuaca sejuk setiap kali tumbang apabila menyertai empat kejohanan besar di Asia Timur iaitu di China, Jepun, Korea Selatan dan Taiwan.

Ia rentetan kejayaan yang dilakar pelumba muda yang sedang meningkat naik, Mohd. Adiq Hussainie Othman pada perlumbaan Tour de Korea 2011 (TdK 2011) minggu lalu.

Adiq tampil memakai Jersi Putih berbelang hitam selaku juara kebangsaan Malaysia tiga kali menaiki podium pada kejohanan tersebut yang berstatus 2.2 pada kalendar Kesatuan Berbasikal Antarabangsa (UCI).

Pelumba yang mempunyai ikatan kontrak dengan kelab Australia, Drapac Professional Cycling Team itu turut muncul juara pada perlumbaan peringkat keenam dari Chungju ke Yeonju dalam keadaan cuaca dilaporkan kadangkala mencecah 1 darjah celsius.

Presiden Persekutuan Kebangsaan Berbasikal Malaysia (PKBM), Abu Samah Abd Wahab menjelaskan bahawa beliau telah mengadakan perbincangan dan post-mortem tentang persembahan skuad lebuh raya negara setakat ini bersama ketua jurulatih, John Beasley selama dua hari di Melaka minggu lalu.

"Rumusan yang dibuat ialah kejayaan Adiq Hussainie bukan nasib. Dia tiga kali naik podium termasuk keputusan pada peringkat terakhir yang dilaporkan mengalami masalah.

"Ini kerana 20 pelumba tersalah jalan pada beberapa kilometer terakhir menuju ke garisan penamat. Saya dimaklumkan presiden komisar beri tempat kedua kepada Adiq Hussainie.

"Kami sependapat menyatakan Adiq Hussainie telah berjaya memecahkan tembok pemikiran bahawa pelumba lebuh raya tidak mampu berjaya kalau berkayuh dalam cuaca sejuk.

"Apatah lagi kalau cuaca mencecah 1 darjah celsius seperti yang berlaku di Tour de Korea baru-baru ini.

"Justeru, saya mengarahkan Beasley untuk memikirkan mana-mana pertandingan besar di negara bercuaca sejuk yang boleh disertai oleh skuad lebuh raya Malaysia.

"Malah, kami percaya Adiq Hussainie juga boleh berjaya di Eropah yang rata-rata semua negara bercuaca sejuk," katanya.

MADRID, KOMPAS.com — Pertandingan leg pertama semifinal final Liga Champions antara Real Madrid versus Barcelona beberapa jam lagi akan berlangsung. Berikut susunan pemain yang akan diturunkan oleh kedua pelatih.

Real Madrid: Casillas; Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos, Albiol, Marcelo; Xabi Alonso, Pepe, Lass; Oezil, Cristiano Ronaldo, Di Maria Cadangan: Higuain, Adebayor, Granero, Dudek, Benzema, Kaka, Garay, Adan

Barcelona: Valdes; Alves, Mascherano, Pique, Puyol; Xavi, Busquets, Keita; Pedro, Messi, Villa Cadangan: Jeffren, Roberto, Afellay, Milito, Alcantara, Fontas, Montoya, Pinto

MILAN, KOMPAS.com - Wakil Presiden AC Milan, Adriano Galliani, memastikan pihaknya bakal segera mempermanenkan status Kevin-Prince Boateng pada akhir musim nanti.

Boateng memiliki kasus transfer yang cukup aneh di Serie-A. Awal musim ini, ia dibeli Genoa dari Portsmouth. Namun, belum juga bermain untuk Genoa, Boateng langsung dipinjamkan ke Milan. Milan pun kemudian membeli setengah hak jual pemain internasional Ghana tersebut.

Bersama Milan, Boateng tampil cukup elegan. Ia memang sempat beberapa kali mengalami cedera, namun kakak dari bek Manchester City, Jerome Boateng, itu selalu mampu kembali dan mematenkan posisinya di lini  tengah. Statistik mencatat, Boateng telah tampil 24 kali untuk Milan musim ini di semua kompetisi.   Berkaca pada hal ini, Milan pun berniat memiliki Boateng secara penuh dengan membeli hak yang dimiliki Genoa. "Dia adalah pemain kami. Saham Genoa pada dirinya sebesar 6 juta euro (sekitar Rp 76 miliar), dan ini akan meningkat menjadi 7 juta euro (sekitar Rp 88 miliar), jika Milan memenangkan scudetto," seru Galliani.

"Kesepakatan itu telah dirumuskan dalam sebuah restoran beberapa bulan yang lalu di Rio de Janeiro," ungkapnya. (FBI)

Kamis, 28/04/2011 00:38 WIB

Arsenal Siap Lego Fabregas
Okdwitya Karina Sari - detiksport

Fabregas nyaris meninggalkan Arsenal di akhir musim lalu sebelum akhirnya memutuskan untuk bertahan setelah dibujuk oleh Arsene Wenger.

Pesepakbola berusia 23 tahun ini tampaknya sudah gerah dengan timnya. Fabregas telah mengungkapkan kekecewaan dan rasa frustasinya terhadap sang klub dalam wawancara dengan media Spanyol beberapa waktu lalu.

Arsenal menolak tawaran senilai 30 juta poundsterling dari Barcelona untuk Fabregas musim panas lalu. Tapi Los Cules diprediksi akan kembali mencoba menggaet mantan anak didiknya itu di akhir musim ini.

Kepergian Fabregas tampaknya tak akan dapat dihindarkan lagi. Wenger akan sulit untuk membujuknya supaya bertahan terlebih Arsenal dipastikan akan mengakhiri musim ini tanpa gelar juara.

"Ada perasaan Cesc telah melakukan sejauh yang ia mampu dengan Arsenal. Dia sudah bersama kami selama delapan tahun dan dia sudah menunjukkan loyalitas yang besar kepada kami," ujar seorang sumber Arsenal kepada The Sun.

"Tim akan mengakhiri musim tanpa gelar juara lagi dan dia takut situasi ini tidak akan berubah."

Selain Barcelona, Real Madrid dan Inter Milan disebut-sebut tertarik untuk menggaet Fabregas. Namun Arsenal baru akan melepas pemain Spanyol ini dengan harga tak kurang dari 35 juta poundsterling. 

( rin / mfi )

MMS eksklusif dari Old Trafford, Mau?? ketik Reg REDVIEW kirim ke 333 (khusus pelanggan tri) www.tri.co.id/MU

Dapatkan info Bola harian dari HP-mu. ketik REG DB kirim ke 3845. cuma Rp.2000/minggu (khusus pelanggan Telkomsel)

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Kamis, 28/04/2011 00:05 WIB

Bayern Enggan 'Bobol Bank' demi Neuer
Kris Fathoni W - detiksport

Neuer sudah memastikan tidak mau memperpanjang kontraknya dengan Schalke, yang mana akan habis musim depan. Artinya, ia membidik pindah dari Royal Blues musim panas ini.

"Kami menginginkan Manuel," aku Presiden Bayern Uli Hoeness kepada harian tz.

"Saat ada sebuah keinginan, kami bisa mencari jalan tapi manajemen Schalke jangan memasang harga selangit. Negosiasi belum dimulai, tapi tidak terelakkan," imbuhnya.

Indikasi "jual mahal" dari Schalke muncul seiring dengan penampilan gemilang Neuer saat menghadapi Manchester United di semifinal Liga Champions, Rabu (27/4/2011) dinihari WIB. Tapi pada prosesnya Schalke tetap kalah 0-2.

"Nilainya di bursa transfer sudah tinggi, saya tidak tahu apa bisa bertambah tinggi lagi," tukas Direktur Olahraga Schalke Horst Heldt.

"Tapi menyaksikan pertandingan ini, saya bilang ke diri saya sendiri, 'Kenapa menjual pemain seperti itu?'," simpulnya.

( krs / rin )

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Kelantan's S. Chanturu tries to avoid a tackle by Selangor's Mohd Nasriq Baharom in their Super League match yesterday. Kelantan won 1-0. — Picture by Fathil Asri

Norshahrul Idlan Talaha's goal in the fifth minute was enough to give Kelantan a 1-0 victory over the Super League champions at the Sultan Mohd IV Stadium.

A long throw-in by defender Mohd Daudsu Jamaluddin into the penalty box was flicked over by Danial Fadzly Abdullah before Norshahrul headed past Selangor goalkeeper Saiful Amar Sudar for his 11th goal of the season.

Selangor recovered from a poor first half with a decent performance after the breather but failed to find the equaliser.

At the Sultan Nasiruddin Shah Stadium, T-Team earned their fourth home victory of the season by overcoming Kedah 3-1.

The homesters coped well without coach Yunus Alif, who was relieved of his duties hours before the match, when Indra Putra Mahayuddin pounced on a cross from Haris Safwan with his right foot to send the ball into the back of the net in the second minute.

The early goal jolted Kedah into action but T-Team defenders, led by centre-back Norfazly Alias, limited them to only a few shots on goal from a distance.

T-Team looked dangerous on the counter attacks and in the 18th minute, Norfazly almost extended their lead, but his deflection off a Zairo Anuar Zailani free kick, went inches wide of the left post with Kedah goalkeeper Helmi Eliza Elias well beaten.

Kedah caretaker coach Radhi Mat Din got impatient with the ineffective Ahmad Shakir Ali, who failed to make an impression up front and decided on substituting the national Under-23 striker with Faizal Abu Bakar in the 35th minute.

A minute before half time, Baddrol Bakhtiar equalised for Kedah when he managed to slip past Subri Sulong on the edge of the box before blasting a powerful grounder past Syamsuri Mustaffa.

T-Team, who were without the suspended centre-back Azizi Mat Rose, lost right-back Subri through injury and had to be replaced by Alif Alias at the start of the second half.

The homesters could have taken the lead in the 59th minute but Zairo's powerful low grounder was denied by Kedah keeper Helmi.

Eight minutes later, Kedah came close to scoring but Faizal's long range effort hit the crossbar.

In the 83rd minute, substitute Kamal Mohamad, who came in for Haris, scored for T-Team with a long range effort.

Zairo extended T-Team's lead with a screamer from the edge of the penalty box in injury time.

They could have extended their lead two minutes from time but Norfarhan Mohd's shot sailed just over the crossbar.

At the Shah Alam Stadium, Negri Sembilan secured a 1-1 away draw with Young Tigers A, courtesy of an own goal.

Tigers were awarded a penalty after five minutes but A. Thamil Arasu's weak effort from the spot was easily palmed away by Negri goalkeeper Farizal Marlias.

But four minutes later, V. Kavichelvan scored for Tigers after beating the off-side trap.

Negri were presented a gift in the 15th minute when defender Mohd Fadhli Shas deflected an harmless shot into his own net.