A round-up of other soccer news in brief...
O'Neill says England friendly is pointless
ASTON VILLA manager Martin O’Neill has branded England’s friendly with the Netherlands only three days before the start of the new Premier League season as “pointless”.
O’Neill admits the series of under 21 and full internationals which will be staged next week will disrupt preparations for the opening game with Wigan at Villa Park on August 15th.
The Villa boss has already been without James Milner, Craig Gardner and Gabriel Agbonlahor for most of his pre-season programme after their involvement with England in the European Under-21 championships.
O’Neill said: “It is not just the England international. You’ve also got World Cup games being played three days before the season starts.
“It seems really strange and pointless to be playing those sort of games so near to the start of a season. In a week where we will be trying to prepare for the start of the season, we will not see a lot of our players until Friday morning.”
Porto will play in Champions League
PORTO have been cleared to play in this season’s Champions League after Uefa closed its investigation into match-fixing accusations dating back five years.
The Portuguese side have been the subject of scrutiny from European football’s governing body after the club was convicted of attempting to bribe referees in the domestic Super Liga during the 2003/04 season.
However, Uefa yesterday revealed they had closed the investigation because a rule in the organisation’s statutes preventing teams from contesting the Champions League on the grounds of suspected match-fixing was not implemented until 2007.
Uefa initially banned Porto from last season’s Champions League as a result of their conviction, but that decision was overturned on appeal by the organisation’s Control and Disciplinary Body.
Benitez's high praise for Aquilani
LIVERPOOL closed in on the signing of Roma’s Alberto Aquilani yesterday with boss Rafael Benitez insisting the midfielder will “excite” the fans.
The 25-year-old Italy international also received the backing of former Liverpool defender John Arne Riise, a team-mate with the Rome club.
Aquilani is due on Merseyside for a medical and to complete a €23 million deal that will give him a four-year contract.
Benitez, who has completed the sale of midfielder Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid, said: “Roma have allowed us to talk with him, so that’s good and positive. He is a player with the quality we are looking for. “He can play a little bit higher (further forward) than Javier Mascherano – maybe between him and Steven Gerrard.”
Demichelis out of World Cup games
BAYERN MUNICH central defender Martin Demichelis will be out for at least six weeks after tearing a ligament in his right leg, the club said yesterday.
The injury puts Demichelis out of Argentina’s critical World Cup qualifiers against Brazil and Paraguay early next month.
Demichelis was injured during training on Wednesday but his injury turned out to be more serious than initially expected. The club said he would be out between six and eight weeks.
The duration of his injury break is bitter, said Bayern sports director Christian Nerlinger on the club website www.fcbayern.de.
We hope that his recovery period will be as quick as possible and he can be with us very soon.
Argentina, fourth in the South American qualifying group for the 2010 World Cup, meet leaders Brazil at home on September 5th and visit third-placed Paraguay four days later.
Huntelaar goes to AC Milan
AC MILAN have confirmed they have reached an agreement with Real Madrid for the transfer of Klass Jan Huntelaar to the Italian club.
A statement on the club’s website revealed the 25-year-old striker will arrive in Milan today to undergo a medical. Huntelaar is then set to sign a deal until June 2013 with the Rossoneri.
Madrid also confirmed the move in a short statement on their official website. Dutch international Huntelaar only moved to the Bernabeu from Ajax in January, but has found life difficult in Spain and has been unable to hold down a regular starting spot in the side.
The arrival of several big-name players over the summer – including Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema – saw Huntelaar pushed even further down the attacking order and Madrid made it clear they would listen to offers for the Dutchman.
Southgate may call on Tuncay
MIDDLESBROUGH manager Gareth Southgate has not ruled out the possibility of Tuncay Sanli featuring in his side’s Championship opener tomorrow.
Middlesbrough welcome Sheffield United to the Riverside as they begin their bid to make it back to the Premier League at the first attempt following their relegation last term.
Turkish forward Tuncay was one of a number of players who many, including Southgate, assumed would be leaving Middlesbrough this summer.
Accordingly, he has not been part of the team’s pre-season programme, but Southgate said Tuncay may still face the Blades.
He said: “He’s not been involved with any of the pre-season games, but I will certainly keep him in mind for team selection.”
He added: “I’m amazed he’s still with us, I’m delighted he is.”
New signing Leroy Lita, who came close to joining the Blades, is lacking fitness, while Jeremie Aliadiere has been ill, which could increase Tuncay’s chances of a surprise start.
