Ancora Augmented Reality e Musica, dopo la news dell’altro giorno riguardante i N-Dubz.

Questa volta riguarda il rapper Sinik e la Universal francese. News da Billboard.

Universal Music France ha annunciato che il prossimo album (in uscita il 30 novembre) del rapper Sinik, “Ballon d’Or”, includerà immagini che daranno accesso a features di AR.

Magari ci tornerò sopra quando e se sarà disponibile un video dell’ AR in questione. Non solo il booklet, ma anche il cd conterrà un immagine AR che permetterà di lanciare strumenti di mixing.

BALLON D’OR (EUROPEAN FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR) AWARD

IN LEGAL DISPUTE WITH FAMILY RUN BUSINESS GOLDEN BALLS LTD  SINCE DECEMBER 2007

IN 2007 WE LICENSED OUR NAME TO ENDEMOL UK PLC FOR THE GAME SHOW HOSTED BY JASPER CARROTT OBE AND MERCHANDISE WORLDWIDE SHOWN ON ITV1, CHALLENGE TV AND VIRGIN MEDIA.

INTRA PRESSE / SNC L’EQUIPE OWN THE BALLON D’OR THEY ARE NOW TRYING TO CALL IT THE GOLDEN BALL AWARD, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE MANY OTHER GOLDEN BALL AWARDS AND THE MAIN ONE IS THE FIFA/ADIDAS GOLDEN BALL AWARD WHICH HAS BEEN GOING SINCE 1982. PLEASE SEE LIST OF SOME OF THE GOLDEN BALL AWARDS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BALLON D’OR:

FIFA/ADIDAS GOLDEN BALL AWARD

CZECH GOLDEN BALL AWARD

SWEDISH GOLDEN BALL AWARD

VIETNAMESE GOLDEN BALL AWARD

AFRICAN GOLDEN BALL AWARD

BOLA DE OURO AWARD (BRAZIL)

ONZE D’OR AWARD (FRANCE)

WE HAVE NEVER DONE A FOOTBALL AWARD AND HAVE NO INTENTION OF DOING ONE.

BALLON D’OR TRANSLATES TO BALL OF GOLD AND BALLOON OF GOLD

ALL OUR TRADE MARKS IN THE UK AND WORLDWIDE ARE ‘GOLDEN BALLS’ AND ARE IN ENGLISH WE NEVER USE ANY TRANSLATION OF OUR TRADE MARK.

INTRA PRESSE / SNC L’EQUIPE ARE OWNED BY AMAURY SPORT ORGANISATION (ASO) WHO RUN LE TOUR DE FRANCE AND ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST MEDIA CORPORATIONS IN FRANCE AND ARE WORTH MILLIONS.

YOU CAN SEE OUR SHORT FILM ON YOUTUBE AT GOLDENBALLSTV.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqWpEquGjho

Messi gana el “Onze Dor” entregado por la revista Onze Ideal, prestigioso premio tano, elegido por lectores de la revista. Se acerca el Balon de Oro y Messi ya casi tiene todas las fichas, entre ellas el comentario de Ricardo Kaka, que lo declara ganador.

Por cierto, que flaco mas raro el que lo entrega.

Below are the Shower count statistics for Madrid.

Dan – 3
James – 0
Pekka – 2
Topi – 3

Remember also that jolly Pekka and Topman arrived a day after me and Jimbo. Poor show Jimbo, poor show.

Pekka and James checked out this morning but as both of their flights weren’t until late afternoon we would have time to visit Real Madrid’s ground.

When checking my email this morning I discovered that my NZ visa has been approved, phew. Now I just need to sort a flight and do a bit of research on the IT job market over there. Work, can’t say I’m looking forward to that.

Despite 3 months stateside, today I had my first Dunkin’ Donuts experience. It will be my last, very average.

So anyway, the Santiago Bernabeu. It cost €15 which is more expensive than the San Siro one but the tour and museum is much more impressive and you spend 2 or 3 times as long there.

It was good to see things like Zidane’s Ballon d’Or and Ronaldo’s (the real one) FIFA World Player of the Year trophies as well as Kaka’s boots and di Stéfano’s shirt. The stadium itself is also very impressive. What I don’t like about the place is the atmosphere of supreme arrogance, at literally every single turn there is some sort of sign proclaiming that Real Madrid is the greatest team there is, ever was and ever will be. This may well be the case but even if it is, a little humility wouldn’t go amiss.

I think if I was a Madridite, Atletico would be my team.

After that 2 of our party got their flights and I met Topper (he didn’t go on the tour as he’d already been before) to go to a shopping district with mainly alternate sort of stuff, like the Northern Quarter (Ancoats!) in Manchester. The main street is called Fuencarral and there’s a really cool shopping centre called Mercado de Fuencarral which is very much along the lines as Affleck’s Palace.

Though I saw plenty of stuff I liked, I’m not really in a position at the moment to be buying clothes I don’t really need. I did make a modest purchase of a plain white t-shirt with a mod badge in the centre though, a bit like this. It was €20 for 1 or €30 for 2 so Topcat got one as well.

When we got back to the hostel later we were on our way out to get some grub when one of the staff mentioned that they were going to be having drinking games with free sangria shortly. For financial reasons (and the fact that we’re getting on a bit now!) we weren’t planning a big night and were just going to buy a couple of beers from the supermarket and have them in anyway, so it sounded good to us.

We had a pizza and then picked up a 6 pack from Lidl and made our way back. I knew they run a pub crawl (€10 for a few bars and then entrance to
a club) from the hostel so the freebies were likely a precursor to and enticer for this.

The drinking game was basically everyone taking turns to pick a random playing card and each value had a different rule with various consequences. It was a good laugh and as me and Topias weren’t much good at it we ended up drinking a lot more than our fair share of sangria but we provided a lot of comedy value for the other 6 or 7 random people playing while doing it.

As Topshot got the last King in the deck he’d of actually got the pub crawl for free but as we didn’t want to go anyway (nor did anyone else for that matter) it was a bit of a hollow prize. It was a decent and cheap night though.

So Bilbao tomorrow. It will be a case of a quiet (and inexpensive!) 4 days in the north of Spain before heading into France to meet Nimrod. Knowing Nimrod well, our night in Bordeaux on Saturday will be anything but quiet.

Name: Andrei Sergeyevich Arshavin 

D.O.B: 29 May 1981    

Nationality: Russian   

Club: Arsenal   

Position: Midfielder   

Honours:   

 2006 – Russian Footballer of the Year     

2007 – Top Assist in the Russian Premier League     

2007/2008 – UEFA Cup Top Assist    

2008 – Included in the EURO 2008 Team of the Tournament    

April 2009 – Premier league Player of the month 

March & April 2009 – Arsenal Player of the month   

 Arshavin began playing football at the tender age of 7, when he was enrolled in the academy of  FC Zenit St. Petersburg. He made his way through the youth ranks and debuted for the first team in 2000. In 2007 he helped Zenit St. Petersburg lift the Russian Premier League trophy. He also led the club to EUFA Cup and EUFA  Supercup glory. In early 2008 interest from several European giants started to grow. Zenit turned down offers from FC Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspurs and Newcatle United. In January 2009, Zenit, in the last-minute of the transfer deadline, finally accepted an offer from Arsenal.

 He made his debut for his new club against Sunderland on the 21/02/09 and hasn’t looked back since then. Who can forget the 4 goals he scored at Anfield last season in the 4-4 draw?    

For the Russian National Team, he debuted in May 2002 and was named captain in June 2009. He featured in the EURO 2008, which saw the Russian National Team steamroll into the Semis, only to be knocked out by Spain. He was named in the Team of the Tournament.

 Arshavin’s versatile nature comes in handy for both Russia and Arsenal, due to his ability to play in several positions. He can play down the centre, as an assistant striker or as a winger. This is Arshavin’s second nomination for the Ballon d’Or, having been nominated last year. 

At the Euro 2008 Semi Final, I love this picture! Thanks to whoever who took it.

Two of Arsenal’s holy trinity have been nominated for this prestigious award. The third component of this trinity, Robin van Persie  curiously has been ignored.  Since November 2008, Robin has been the most consistent Gooner full stop. You only have to see how disjointed we looked when he came off against Alkmaar.

28 other candidates have been nominated besides Fabregas and Arshavin. In case you don’t know, the Ballon D’or is awarded to the player who performed the best over the year. And by that token alone, I can’t find any undeserving players in that list. The newspapers, the bookmakers and so forth have already made Ronaldo and Messi the favourites to win it. But does that mean we shouldn’t talk up our Gooners stars? And given that no Arsenal player has ever won it before, it is imperative to do a PR job service.

So why does Arshavin deserve it?

This is the second year in a row he has been nominated. That speaks volumes of his consistency. To be nominated especially after playing all of 2008 in the Russian league, the sixth biggest European league you have to be pretty damn good. In the summer last year he single handedly took out the Netherlands, the Euro 2008 favourites. And that takes some beating.

Then of course he signed for us in 2009 with massive expectations on his shoulders. How he delivered! His roll-up-the-sleeves attitude gave everyone connected with the club a boost. And lest we forget, 4 goals against a Champions League calibre opposition in Liverpool, that too on their patch takes some beating. Has made a quite if not steady start so far this season.

That was about the Russian. What about Captain Fabregas?

Captain of a Champions League team at 22. It says it all doesn’t it? Like Arshavin, Cesc was nominated also in 2008. He didn’t get as many votes last year and you might not like this fact but he  received fewer votes than the guy who was at our club last year, the one who liked money and spoke too fast. At this point I question the credibility of this award but that is neither here or there. Unlike Arshavin, Cesc won the Euro 2008, even converting the decisive penalty against Italy in the quarter final. (Harder than you think, just ask the England national team).

His form dipped a little in the league season, maybe due to tiredness or extra responsibility or even both. But he stepped up his act when he was made captain in November. Injury ruled him out for a few months but since he returned in April, he has been involved in roughly half of our goals (don’t quote me on this), either in assists or goals.

Although I said the Ballon d’Or goes to the best player over the year, it is my sincere request to the panel of journalists to not award to players who have set a bad example off the field. Things like throwing tantrums, talking about joining another club etc etc. So by that process I’m already eliminating Ronaldo, Drogba and Rooney. And just like that family men like Arshavin and Fabregas become more deserving candidates.

But what do you think? Who deserves the Ballon D’or out of Arshavin and Fabregas? And putting aside the gooner shades, who really deserves it? And if you can avoid the nostalgic vote for Thierry Henry.

Nhại theo C’est la Vie chứ chẳng biết tiếng Pháp có đúng không.

Dưới đây là hai đêm vinh quang nhất trong sự nghiệp của chú sóc nhỏ – con linh dương Ukraina.

Click on the thumbnails to see full size (Bấm vào hình nhỏ để xem hình lớn):

Sang fenomena Cristiano Ronaldo langsung memasang target bagi klub baru nya Real Madrid, yakni menjuarai Liga Champion. Ronaldo sangat berambisi untuk bisa membantu Real Madrid dalam pemburuan gelar yang salah satunya adalah Trophy Liga Champion.

Sebelumnya Sang Fenomena, Ronaldo pernah menjuarai Trophy Liga Champion bersama dengan “The Red Devil’s” Manchester United pada tahun 2007/08. Tapi tahun ini dirinya gagal mempersembahkan gelar Trophy Liga Champion bagi MU.

Setelah mendapat gelar Ballon d’Or last, dirinya berharap dapat mengulang sukses tersebut bersama Real Madrid. Jadi, para penggemar sepak bola kita akan menunggu aksi-aksi sang fenomena dalam Liga Champion tahun ini. Mungkinkah terjadi??

Trofi Penghargaan Pemain Terbaik Eropa

* 1956 – Stanley Matthews, Inggris, Blackpool
* 1957 – Alfredo Di Stefano, Spanyol, Real Madrid
* 1958 – Raymond Kopa, Prancis,Real Madrid
* 1959 – Alfredo Di Stefano, Spanyol, Real Madrid
* 1960 – Luis Suarez, Spanyol, Barcelona
* 1961 – Omar Sivori, Italia, Juventus of Turin
* 1962 – Josef Masopust, Cekoslovakia, Dukla Prague
* 1963 – Lev Yashin, Uni Soviet, Dynamo Moscow
* 1964 – Denis Law, Skotlandia, Manchester United
* 1965 – Eusebio, Portugal, Benfica of Lisbon
* 1966 – Bobby Charlton, Inggris, Manchester United
* 1967 – Florian Albert, Hungaria, Ferencvaros
* 1968 – George Best, Inggris, Manchester United
* 1969 – Gianni Rivera, Italia, AC Milan
* 1970 – Gerd Muller, Jerman Barat, Bayern Munich
* 1971 – Johan Cruyff, Belanda, Ajax Amsterdam
* 1972 – Franz Beckenbauer, Jerman Barat, Bayern Munich
* 1973 – Johan Cruyff, Belanda, Barcelona
* 1974 – Johan Cruyff, Belanda, Barcelona
* 1975 – Oleg Blokhin, Uni Soviet, Dynamo Kiev
* 1976 – Franz Beckenbauer, Jerman, Bayern Munich
* 1977 – Allan Simonsen, Denmark, Borussia Moenchengladbach
* 1978 – Kevin Keegan, Inggris, Hamburg SV
* 1979 – Kevin Keegan, Inggris, Hamburg SV
* 1980 – Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Jerman Barat, Bayern Munich
* 1981 – Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Jerman Barat, Bayern Munich
* 1982 – Paolo Rossi, Italia, Juventus of Turin
* 1983 – Michel Platini, Prancis, Juventus of Turin
* 1984 – Michel Platini, Prancis, Juventus of Turin
* 1985 – Michel Platini, Prancis, Juventus of Turin
* 1986 – Igor Belanov, uni Soviet, Dynamo Kiev
* 1987 – Ruud Gullit, Belanda, AC Milan
* 1988 – Marco Van Basten, Belanda, AC Milan
* 1989 – Marco Van Basten, Belanda, AC Milan
* 1990 – Lothar Matthaus, Jerman, Internazionale of Milan
* 1991 – Jean-Pierre Papin, Prancis, Olympique Marseille
* 1992 – Marco Van Basten, Belanda, AC Milan
* 1993 – Roberto Baggio, Italia, Juventus of Turin
* 1994 – Hristo Stoichkov, Bulgaria, Barcelona
* 1995 – George Weah, Liberia, AC Milan
* 1996 – Matthias Sammer, Jerman, Borussia Dortmund
* 1997 – Ronaldo, Brasil, Internazionale of Milan
* 1998 – Zinedine Zidane, Prancis, Juventus of Turin
* 1999 – Rivaldo, Brasil, Barcelona
* 2000 – Luis Figo, Portugal, Real Madrid
* 2001 – Michael Owen, Inggris, Liverpool
* 2002 – Ronaldo, Brasil, Real Madrid
* 2003 – Pavel Nedved, Republik Cek, Juventus of Turin
* 2004 – Andriy Shevchenko, Ukraina, AC Milan
* 2005 – Ronaldinho, Brasil, Barcelona
* 2006 – Fabio Cannavaro, Italia, Real Madrid
* 2007 – Kaka, Brasil, AC Milan
* 2008 – Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal, Manchester United
…………… untuk 2009 ditunggu adja …
ok(*)

Messi, the biggest football player, in Energie
It’s not an ordinary champion wearing Energie this time. Lionel Andrés ‘Leo’ Messi (1987), the footballer who is considered to be one of the best football players of his generation, has been shot wearing an Energie sweater while arriving by plane in Argentina.
Messi is already a part of the story of football, having received several Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21. He was appointed as Young Player of the Year for three years from 2005–2008 by FIFPro and World Soccer Magazine. Maradona himself declared Messi his ’successor’.
A big goal for Energie!

Image courtesy of: http://www.afa.org.ar/

Look at the pictures

Le meneur brésilien, Kaka, a été présenté ce mardi, au Real Madrid. Plus de 40 000 supporters se sont massés religieusement à Santiago-Bernabeu. Saint Kaka a préché la bonne parole, celle d’un joueur ambitieux qui ne craint pas les responsabilités.

A Madrid où il a officiellement posé ses valises, le Brésilien Kaka n’est pas qu’une poignée de dollars qui pèse sur 65 millions d’euros, le prix consenti par le Real pour l’arracher au Milan. Le Ballon d’or 2007 est aussi un libérateur, celui qui, avec Cristiano Ronaldo à ses côtés, sera le nouveau capitaine de route des Galactic 2.0 nouvelle mouture de la célèbre équipe des Zidane, Figo et consort.

Ce mercredi donc, des milliers de supporters merengue ont fait le déplacement jusqu’à Bernabeu. Ils étaient si nombreux que beaucoup ont patienté dehors, suivant selon les moyens à portée de main, le sermon de leur nouvelle idole. A la tribune, Kaka a pris la température ambiante sans chercher à se défausser de ses nouvelles responsabilités : « Je comprends que je suis une recrue importante. Je sais aussi que durant ma vie de footballeur, j’ai joué pour des équipes importantes. Je voulais rejoindre une équipe où je pourrais continuer à le faire. »

Un discours simple mais ô combien juste qui a frappé au cœur les supporters madrilènes. Kaka a réussi son intronisation. Mais le plus dure ne fait que commencer pour le meneur brésilien car le Real, avant des noms aussi grands soient-ils,  ne forge sa légende qu’avec des titres. La Ligue des Champions que le club n’a plus remporté depuis 2002 en est un prioritaire. De surcroît car la dernière édition a échu au rival éternel, le voisin FC Barcelone. 

How the Premier League became unfashionable.

Six weeks ago the English press was running around like little school girls gushing over the brilliance of our national league. Three teams representing the Premiership had reached the last four of the European Cup two years on the bounce. The English champions were the world champions and they had nurtured and cultivated the world’s player of the year. All eyes across the planet were focused on these shores and the allure of the league had never been stronger.

Safe to say, CEO of the Prem, Richard Scudamore was sitting rather pretty as Blatter and Platini scowled in jealousy, resigned to the imminent departures of the best their compatriots could produce.

But then, along came Florentino Perez. Here was the man that brought us the incompetent ‘Galacticos’; the man who handpicked the greatest players on earth and wrenched them away from their boyhood clubs; the man who threw all the finest footballing eggs in one soulless basket and left them there to rot.

Like a cross between a WWII genocidal dictator, a Star Wars galactic emperor and a Dick Van Dyke movie child snatcher, he set about in his revamped plans for world domination. Within days he had singled out the good-for-nothings (curiously, all Dutch players) and sent in his spies to unsettle the stars with burgeoning ability and more crucially, mushrooming marketability.

Former world player of the year Kaka was his with nothing more than a brief “Ciao” to the club that had made him their talisman. Before you knew it current world player of the year Ronnie was off with not so much as a wink for old times’ sake. No doubt the contractual papers are being typed up as we speak for Ibrahimovic.

So surely now there will be players clambering over themselves to fill the void left such influential departures. Villa? “No thanks, I’ll wait for Floro to trump up another earth shattering bid from his bottomless pockets.” Benzema? “I’ll hang around in Lyon till Real come calling.” Liverpool’s midfield looks to be vulnerable with Alonso and Mascherano getting fidgety. Adebayour and Tevez have already packed their bags for greener pastures. And even Torres seems to have had his head turned with everything going on.

It looks like Perez has well and truly rocked the boat and swung favour back in the direction of La Liga. Those trusty politicians up in Whitehall don’t seem to have done us any favours either. With the pound crumbling against the euro and the tax bands getting tighter for the rich and famous, it’s no wonder these players are jumping ship.

Yet England hasn’t had a world player of the year grace its shores for as long as I can remember. The last Ballon d’Or winner from England was the Liverpool superstar formerly known as Michael Owen back in 2001. Cristiano was meant to be the start of things to come with the most glorified and majestic players queuing up to represent our top four. The only saving grace now will be if English teams continue to excel in Europe and generate world beaters of their own.

It seems like it has happened in the blink of the eye but now that the European crown is in Catalan hands and the tide is turning, this generation might start having to realise that the Premier League’s not quite what it used to be. As with boom, there comes bust. And as there was Ronaldo, now there is Nani.

It may sound premature to say this, but the golden era of English club football is on the precipice, a couple more big money moves away from entering its dark ages.

Two great teams...

This article recapitulates all its previous parts, which can be read at LM10 and WR. In other words, it demonstrates all what Manchester United and FC Barcelona have in common, thus, in the following sections of this article, we compare both teams’ resembling moments, as well as their strengths in attack.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi – two great stars

Recently, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been regarded as the two best players in the world. Surely, it is unquestionable that these men have got talents, and in fact, it is not very common to find young, gifted players like this. As a result, Manchester United and FC Barcelona can boast about the precious forces that they possess in their attack.

Ronaldo is currently the world’s most admired number 7 player, and most of the praises he gets come from fans who are impressed by his moves, in addition to his goal scoring ability. The United ace was able to score 42 goals in the 2007-2008 season, and having been able to get most of the public’s attention, Ronaldo went on to win the Golden Ball award and the Fifa Player of the years prize. (Read More)

Click here for the next chapter: “Lionel Messi and Wayne Roone – two influential number 10 playmakers”!

Click here to watch videos and pics on Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney!!

By Isaac Asante

Kanye West was “all about art” at MenStyle.Com’s 3rd annual Women of Fashion, event at the New York Palace Hotel. West is pictured with model Chanel Iman.

In Hollywood, here’s 10 Hot entertainment news and celebrity news posts on Horiwood.Com. Enjoy!

1. CRISTIANO RONALDO IS SOCCER’S £80 MILLION MAN

2. BASKETBALL DATE OF THE YEAR: LA LAKERS & THE ORLANDO MAGIC GAME 4 IS SET TO BRING CHRIS BROWN & RIHANNA TOGETHER

3. PSYCHO KILLER NAZI: JAMES W. VON BRUNN SAYS OBAMA WAS CREATED BY JEWS

4. LADY GAGA ON THE ROCKS IN HAWAII?

5. DAVID CARRADINE’S MORGUE PICTURES ARE NOT SAFE

6. MICHAEL JACKSON’S EAR IS FROM THE SET OF STAR TREK

7. CHELSEA HANDLER HAS HER CLAWS OUT FOR MORE THAN KIM KARDASHIAN’S BUTT, WHY?

8. BRAD COOPER HITS DETAILS COVER

9. CHER’S DAUGHTER CHASTITY BONO IS BECOMING CHAZ

10. CARRIE UNDERWOOD BATS BIG FOR CANCER RESEARCH

The Manchester United website claims today that: “Manchester United have received a world-record, unconditional offer of £80 million [around €94m] for Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid.

“At Cristiano’s request – who has again expressed his desire to leave – and after discussion with the player’s representatives, United have agreed to give Real Madrid permission to talk to the player… Matters are expected to be concluded by 30 June.”

Ronaldo has been a key part in United’s success over recent seasons, winning three Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a Champions League after joining the club in 2003. He also scooped up the FIFPro and FIFA World Player of the Year awards and the Ballon d’Or award too.

Move over  David Beckham, Ronaldo is soccer’s new king.

Chegaram as férias do Verão para o mundo do futebol. E com isso aproxima-se a loucura de transferências de jogadores, treinadores e associados.

Com a recente entrada de Florentino Perez para a liderança do Real Madrid é de esperar grandes agitações. E é logico que a agitação provocada por Perez irá criar semelhante agitação em clubes rivais, como por exemplo o Barcelona FC.

Kaká, novo jogador do Real Madrid

Confirmado até este momento é a mudança do jogador brasileiro Kaká do AC Milan para o Real Madrid a troco de 67 milhões de euros.

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, mais conhecido no mundo do futebol por Kaká, nasceu a 22/04/1982 no Brasil. Na carreira profissional passou por clubes como o S.Paulo (Brasil) e mais recentemente o AC Milan (Itália). O palmarés do atleta é já longo apesar da idade que tem, incluindo o campeonato de Itália em 2004, o campeonato do Mundo em 2002, a Champions League em 2007, a Taça das Confederações em 2005, entre muitos outros títulos colectivos. A nível pessoal já foi premiado com a Ballon d’Or em 2007, Fifa World Player em 2007, melhor goleador da Champions League em 2006/07, entre muitos outros.

Nas especulações de possíveis transferências temos que realçar as seguintes:

O jogador português do Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo, parece mesmo estar a caminho do Real Madrid, quando surgem cada vez mais rumores de que um acordo entre clubes já teria sido alcançado com verbas a rondar os $100 milhões de dolares. De certeza que nos próximos dias teremos mais novidades sobre esta possibilidade.

Outro jogador do Manchester United que tem sido muito falado para uma possível saída, é o avançado argentino Carlos Tevez. Tevez está a ser apontado para o eterno rival do United, Manchester City, cujo dono é o xeque Sulaiman Al-Fahim. Aliás, nos últimos dias é visivel que a maior parte dos clubes está a ser vendido, sendo maiores as notícias de futebol de Inglaterra baseado neste facto em vez da habitual dança de jogadores.

Outro jogador que parece estar prestes a mudar de ares é o avançado David Villa do Valencia. A crise atingiu o clube, que assim tem a necessidade de vender as maiores pérolas do plantel.

Tudo aponta que Villa assine pelo Real Madrid (mais um jogador) por verbas a rondarem os 37 milhões de euros.

O veterano médio Pratik Vieira, actualmente a actuar no Inter de Milão de José Mourinho, poderá voltar agora a França e actuar ai os últimos anos da longa carreira cheio de triunfos. É falado nos meios de comunicação social sobre o interesse de Lyon e Paris Saint German. A verdade é que Vieira, agora com 33 anos de idade, vê com bons olhos o regresso a casa.

Num dos últimos conhecidos rumores, fala-se de um interesse elevado do treinador do Barcelona, Pep Guardiola, no avançado Luca Toni do Bayern Munich. O possante avançado italiano que conta com 32 anos de idade, vê com grande interesse a mudança para o actual campeão de Espanha e da Champions League. Guardiola sabe perfeitamente que Toni é sinónimo de golos.

Igualmente do Barcelona, fala-se intensamente nas últimas horas na comunicação social italiana sobre um acordo alcançado com o FC Porto para a aquisição do defesa central português Bruno Alves por uma verba a rondar os 22 milhões de euros. Existem de facto imensos clubes interessados no jogador português, quer em Espanha, quer em Itália, por isso parece cada vez mais claro que o Futebol Clube do Porto irá perder o contributo do central para a próxima temporada.

Vamos ficar atentos ao que o mercado poderá trazer nas próximas horas e vamos actualizando aqui a informação.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008/09 campaign was hardly helped by a preceding summer of Real Madrid skirt-lifting and injury. That said, there were enough glimpses of that sass and unrivalled excellence to suggest he’s not ready to rejoin the mortals just yet…

Start to finish: Ronaldo was denied a pre-season campaign by the ankle trouble that kept him out of United’s stuttering start until six games in. He wasted little time reacquainting himself with that goal-scoring feeling, notching the opener in his first full outing – our first win – against Boro in the Carling Cup late in September. While the magic came in bursts – three braces in four autumn games against Hull, West Ham and Stoke were his most prolific domestic spell – the fact that he went into May as the Premier League’s joint-leading scorer spoke volumes. He also came to life in the latter stages of the Champions League, with vital goals against Inter, Porto and Arsenal, and he was one of the few Reds who even approached his best form in the final itself against Barcelona.

In position: We have an ever-rotating squad: but there’s only one Ronaldo. Mostly playing on the right, the frenetic flank-switching of last season less in evidence – perhaps down to confidence, though critics would never allow for that, of course. When deployed through the middle, though, he still had centre-halves on their toes.

Season highlight: Much of his season was prosaic compared to last year’s pyrotechnics. Nothing quite matched the majesty of the strike against Pompey. But what’s the point of miracles if they’re everyday affairs? His display against Stoke City in a 5-0 win was arguably his best game, but the huge relief with which he greeted the first of his two goals in the 2-0 victory over West Ham in October was a sight to behold.

Vital contribution: Having conceded three against Hull City in the previous home fixture, the vultures were out for United’s defence when Stoke came to town in November. In the face of dog’s abuse from Potters fans, Ronny had the last laugh, metaphorically and physically. A menace from first to final whistle, he bashed in two great free-kicks to open and end the scoring.

Any lows: The constant media sideshow from carping guttersnipes would try the patience of a saint. If his body language suggested turmoil at times, just put yourself in his shoes for five minutes. It seems it’s only us who wants him to do well. It doesn’t matter how good you are, that’s got to hurt.

Any other business: Fairly quiet, really: just the FIFPro, European and Word Footballer of the Year awards – becoming United’s first winner of the former, and the first win the latter since George Best in 1968. Oh, and passing a century of United goals in the mauling of Stoke.

Click on the thumbnails to see full size (Bấm vào hình nhỏ để xem hình lớn):

I’m back. Life took hold for a while and post Euro withdrawals made me take a break from blogging. But, like Rooney, I’m back. And let’s start with my last post where I stated very clearly that Ronaldo should stay at United. I want to revisit my logic and see what holds up.

1. He’s coming back to form now that his speed is returning following the ankle rehab. If he kicks it into high gear during the Champions League, he will once again be king – only and especially if he flatly denies wanting to go to Real since that nonsense has started again. Also, he needs to show more joy in the team’s performances.
2. Still stand by that. Now he has the Ballon D’Or. One more and he is at the top of the heap. And if they win a few more Champions League crowns – which they will if this team stays together – it’s guaranteed that he will be up there with Charlton and Giggs.
3. So Calderon is gone, Schuster is gone – and that was even before the season finished. Even faster than normal Real standards. And you still don’t know who the coach is going to be since Juande is only guaranteed through the end of the season. You will absolutely be the flavor till the next one comes around. And if Kaka is going to available, you might get played by Perez.
4. Still right. And United did win the World Club Cup so now they are also champions of the world. Whereas at Real you would be – well who can say given what impact you may or may not have had on the outcome. However, no quintuples on the horizon at Real for sure this year. Man U – get past Inter and draw Liverpool a few days later and I’d say you will win the league, win the Carling Cup, win the FA cup if you don’t play Arsenal before the final and will win the Champions League if you don’t have to play Barca before the final.
5. Still concur with my initial assessment. And with Berbatov at United, there’s even a better hold up man to distribute balls to you and to keep the central defenders honest instead of doubling up on you like Behrami did for West Ham.
6. Say you are staying and not going to Real right now and you will be a god.
7. Bet that. And then they will sign Aguero or the next best thing post WC 2010 and you will be like Figo once they signed Ronaldo.
8. All I can say is – Messi is a freak. He is currently like Jordan in his heyday. No one can stay with him. Ronaldo is lucky he is not playing in La Liga right now else he might not have won the Ballon D’Or.
9. Never mind that one. The way he is going with Portugal he might be back on the bench with Fergie in another six months though!
10. England is looking good though under Fabio.
11 and 12. Couldn’t agree with this more. Except you seem to keep on getting to win more trophies.
13. Kaka, Aguero and Benzema are going to move at the end of the season. Man City will throw around the cash and buy at least one or more stars – I bet Ronaldinho winds up there. Wait. This is not the time to leave.
14. La Liga is being propped up by Barca. Actually by Messi – note how they struggle when he doesn’t play a half. It’s now behind the Premier League and Serie A IMO.

All in all, Ronaldo, the answer is obviously that staying was the right decision. Look at the trophies you could win this year. And next and the next. The decision should be no different at the end of the season. But, and you heard it hear first, he will be gone after this season. And United, much as it pains me to say this, should sell him. Enough is enough. Take the 100MM – and make sure Real pays that since you have Man City as a counter to threaten both Ronaldo and Real – and buy Aguero and Valencia/Theo Walcott/Ashley Cole. I like Diego Capel as a left winger, but let’s see how Tosic and Nani pan out. Frankly, United could probably bank 50MM and let the chips fall where they may. If Ronaldo doesn’t shine at Real as brightly as he shines at United, where does he go from there? Inter?