AS Roma midfielder David Pizarro has said players take too many pharmaceutical supplements in the modern game.
A debate has raged in Italy for several years about the legality of supplements after Juventus were discovered to have used several substances such as creatine to help players recover fitness during the 1990s.
Endless court proceedings failed to come to a proper conclusion and an Italian judge is now investigating the use of vitamins throughout soccer to see if any banned substances were used and if any deaths can be linked to the cases.
"Yes it is true (players take too many pharmaceuticals) and I talk in general. It happens because we play too many games and we always need to recover," Chilean Pizarro told Gazzetta dello Sport on Saturday.
"You could say no, but then you stay outside the squad," he said.
25 October 2007
Jose Moutinho has told setantasports.com that Sporting have struggled to come to terms with the loss of flying winger Nani.
Manchester United swept Nani away from Portugal this summer and he is already proving himself in The Premier League.
Moutinho, whose side were beaten by Roma on Tuesday, feels they are missing the attacking verve Nani handed them on the flank.
'We regret Nani's move to Manchester United,' he told setantasports.com.
'We are a young team and Nani is a good player but we can compensate his move by our players who are ready to reach their objectives and to try to win the title in Portugal.'
Moutinho himself has been linked with a move away from Sporting, but he is refusing to be drawn to comment on the speculation.
'I do not want to talk about my future,' he said. 'I am under contract with Sporting and everything depends on them. If I receive an offer from abroad, then we will talk about it, but I am not focused on it.'
25 October 2007
Former Brazil striker Romario made his coaching debut on Wednesday but was unable to stop Vasco da Gama being knocked out of the Copa Sudamericana.
Vasco, with Romario taking a player-coaching role on an interim basis, beat Mexico's America 1-0 in the quarter-final second leg but went out 2-1 on aggregate.
The former Barcelona and PSV Eindhoven player was appointed on Monday after Celso Roth became the second coach this year to be fired by the club.
Romario, 41, brought himself on as a second half substitute for his first game in four months and wasted a chance to level the aggregate scores when he mis-timed a free header.
Leandro Amaral gave Vasco a 10th-minute lead following a corner but despite creating a wealth of chances, the Brazilians were unable to find a second goal.
America goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa made a superb save to deny Alan Kardec before halftime, while Luizao headed against the crossbar and the Mexicans cleared two balls off the line.
Brazil's interest in the tournament ended in Bogota where Sao Paulo were knocked out by Colombia's Millonarios, who won 2-0 to complete a surprise 3-0 aggregate win.
Despite struggling in the Colombian league, Millonarios dominated the game against the Brazilian champions and championship leaders.
Two late goals from captain Ricardo Ciciliano gave Millonarios victory on the night.
In the 77th minute, the shaven-headed striker met a cross with a first-time shot which found the bottom left hand corner of Rogerio Ceni's goal.
Five minutes later, Millonarios broke out of defence and Ciciliano burst clear from the halfway line unchallenged before placing a low shot under Ceni.
25 October 2007
Didier Drogba's flying header gave Roman Abramovich something to celebrate on his 41st birthday - but boring Chelsea fell way short of seven-up Arsenal as London's entertainers.
Drogba's flying header sealed a comfortable Champions League win over Schalke last night - just a week after he claimed the club was "broken" and he was certain to leave.
But the Blues display was so humdrum the biggest cheer was reserved for when Liverpool's defeat in Istanbul was flashed up on the big screen.
Drogba's brilliant nearpost header and French winger Florent Malouda's early present from blundering German keeper Manuel Neuer, kept Chelsea on course to qualify for the last 16.
But they fell short of fulfilling new manager Avram Grant's pledge to produce "entertaining winning football" - in that order - and they were light years behind Arsenal's seven-goal demolition of Slavia Prague 24 hours earlier.
Grant has now overseen five wins in six matches, but he promised owner Abramovich there was more entertainment to come and said: "I don't want to look at the sky and say that's the limit, but tonight we played good, positive football and we can play even better. I respect Arsenal, and Arsene Wenger is a good friend of mine, but we are not going to use other teams as an example for the way we want to play. I'm not saying our style of play was no good in the past, but we are trying to change and we are on the way to achieving the way I want this team to play. It may not happen overnight, but tonight's result was a present for the owner because he has done so much for the club, so much for the fans and he is such a positive guy."
24 October 2007
Avram Grant has vowed to bring the style back to the Kings Road, saying he wants Chelsea to win with style.
Two Premier League titles came Chelsea's way under Jose Mourinho, but the brand of football produced by the Portuguese did not win him many fans – including club owner Roman Abramovich.
Abramovich is keen to see his side entertain and Grant, who has had a rocky start to his tenure, is keen on style as well as substance.
"I like to win, but the way we win is also important," Grant said ahead of Wednesday's meeting with Schalke.
"I know we cannot play all the games the best but this is our goal. To play also good football and to win games, that's what we want to see. I have a vision of how Chelsea need to play - entertaining football and results."
23 October 2007
Manchester United will be able to call on the services of Nemanja Vidic for Tuesday's Champions League clash with Dynamo Kyiv after the Serbian defender was passed fit to play in Ukraine.
The 26-year-old had been suffering the after-effects of the concussion he suffered against Wigan Athletic earlier this month but United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has been pleased with the defender's recovery.
"There won't be many changes from Saturday. Vidic will come in and we may make one other change, but that's all," confirmed the veteran boss.
Ferguson still has to decide whether to continue with the strike partnership of Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez after the duo impressed in Saturday's 4-1 victory at Aston Villa.
He added: "In Tevez and Rooney we have too exceptionally good footballers. They are both such strong players and a real threat to defenders. It makes them a real consideration for the game against Dynamo, their form's good enough, but there's the tactical part to consider. I'd have liked to have had Michael Carrick and Owen Hargreaves here. They're ideal European players. We don't have either of them, but we have good options. There's Paul Scholes, Anderson, Darren Fletcher and John O'Shea. We may go with three players in the middle, as we did in Lisbon (against Sporting). That's certainly a possibility. Whatever we do, the intention will be to try and win the match because the rewards are great for us. It's an important game for Kyiv. They'll be wanting to win the match and I expect them to have a go. We see it as an opportunity for us because Roma and Sporting Lisbon have a double header against each other."
22 October 2007
Italy are dominating the Golden Ball list of 50 candidates with eight players, while Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona each contributed seven names on the list.
- Golden Ball 2007 nominees:
Éric Abidal (Olympique Lyon, FC Barcelona)
Daniel Alves (FC Sevilla)
David Beckham (Real Madrid, Los Angeles Galaxy)
Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham)
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus Turin)
Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid)
Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
Petr Cech (Chelsea)
Rogerio Ceni (Sao Paulo)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Deco (FC Barcelona)
Mahamadou Diarra (Real Madrid)
Diego (Werder Bremen)
Didier Drogba (Chelsea)
Michael Essien (Chelsea)
Samuel Eto'o (FC Barcelona)
Francesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
Gennaro Gattuso (Milan)
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Ryan Giggs (Manchester United)
Thierry Henry (Arsenal, FC Barcelona)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter)
Filippo Inzaghi (Milan)
Kaka (Milan)
Frederic Kanoute (FC Sevilla)
Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen, Bayern Munchen)
Younis Mahmoud (Algharafa)
Paolo Maldini (Milan)
Florent Malouda (Olympique Lyon, Chelsea)
Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)
Shunsuke Nakamura (Celtic Glasgow)
Guillermo Ochoa (America Mexico)
Andrea Pirlo (Milan),
Ricardo Quaresma (FC Porto),
Raul (Real Madrid)
Franck Ribery (Olympique Marseille, Bayern Munchen),
Juan Roman Riquelme (Boca Juniors, Villarreal)
Robinho (Real Madrid)
Ronaldinho (FC Barcelona)
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
Paul Scholes (Manchester United)
Clarence Seedorf (Milan)
Carlos Tevez (West Ham, Manchester United)
Luca Toni (Fiorentina, Bayern Munchen)
Kolo Toure (Arsenal)
Jose Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid, Liverpool)
Francesco Totti (AS Roma)
Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid)
Robin van Persie (Arsenal)
David Villa (Valencia)
20 October 2007
Fiorentina striker Adrian Mutu has dismissed interest from Real Madrid.
"It's nice to feel appreciated and I'm honoured that Real Madrid are interested in me, but I'd have to say no," Mutu told Gazzetta dello Sport.
"I'd like to extend my contract at Fiorentina, but there's no hurry as I'm already here for four more years. Talk about the transfer market doesn't bother me, I just want to win with this side. At the moment we are behind Milan, Inter and Roma, but we will be at that level soon."
18 October 2007
Palermo's Amauri has been linked with Manchester City, although the Sicilian club are far from keen to see their star striker leave.
The 27-year-old Brazilian , who has played in Europe all of his career and in Italy since 2001, is currently one of the most highly-rated frontmen in Serie A.
Roma have been closely linked with the player and his agent Mariano Grimaldi insisted earlier this week that talks between the two clubs had taken place.
"I know directly the two sides are talking," Grimaldi said.
"I hope that a deal is done as it would be a proud day for me and my client if he joined Roma. Amauri can play first or second striker and he has a great relationship with Francesco Totti as they met during a spell at an injury clinic."
However, president Maurizio Zamparini gave the suggestion short shrift.
"There have been no discussions between Palermo and Roma," he said.
"The agent, as all agents, has only one problem; he talks too much. What he says is fantasy, Amauri is fundamental to Palermo's future."
City have been linked as they also continue to look at Australian midfielder Mark Bresciano - who they nearly signed in the summer.
Sven Goran Eriksson still wants Bresciano, but Amauri is also now believed to be high on his list of targets.
Indeed City could have a trump card with unsettled front-man Rolando Bianchi a possible option for Palermo - which could give Eriksson the leverage to land both players, with finances also not really an issue for the Premier League club following Thaksin Shinawatra's summer takeover.
One issue of Amauri is that he would not currently qualify for a work permit to play in England - but he has applied for Italian citizenship which would negate the need for any permit.
Indeed Amauri, who has never represented Brazil, is set to reject their overtures of his homeland and pledge his international future to Italy - once he gains his passport.
16 October 2007
Ajax defender Urby Emanuelson has admitted he would welcome a January switch to Italian side Roma.
The 21-year-old was linked with a summer move to Serie A, but the transfer was blocked by the Amsterdam giants.
He told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf: "It doesn't surprise me that they have come in for me again. They did approach my agent Brian Berkleef in the summer and told him that they would offer Ajax eight million euros. That did not happen because (Ajax technical director) Martin van Geel had said that no-one could leave Ajax following the departures of Ryan Babel and Wesley Sneijder. Roma is a nice club, where I certainly would like to play."
