Another weekend passed some time ago now, and illness during the week combined with the recording of a couple of Hand Of Pod specials is the reason this post is going up late, but we've news of Lionel Messi's return ... Continue reading →

Through Ryu's Lens - Ligue 1 - PSG vs. Lille, Parc des Princes

Christmas time in Paris does not promise good football. Though PSG were in the spirit of the holidays, as was the weather, the match ended in a nil-nil stalemate despite the best efforts from Edin Hazard and Javier Pastore to break the deadlock.

Why Javier Pastore's form has flickered out after a bright start at PSG

MirrorFootball is teaming up with some of the blogosphere's best new writers to bring you even more great football reads every single day. Thursday is Ligue 1 day, and here's French Football Weekly's Andrew Gibney with his take on events across the Channel.

After leading the LA Galaxy to victory in the MLS Cup, former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder David Beckham could be starting the next face of his career in Paris if talks between city club PSG and La Galaxy are fruitful.

According to PSG sporting director Leonardo who also happened to coach Beckham during his short stint with Milan confirmed that talks between the two clubs were underway.

23.11.2011 - Javier Pastore publica en su twitter: "nota original", la nota que levanta el portal del París Saint Germain (vídeo), desprendida de la entrevista para la revista Le Parisien.
Allí, el cordobés habló sobre la baja de su rendimiento en el club que lo emplea y manifestó que le pesan las convocatorias a la Selección Argentina.

As ever, there were a number of Argentine goals during the weekend just gone in leagues across Europe. Oddly, there were none in Mexico this weekend (for the first time since I began accepting contributions for this post!), so Tom ... Continue reading →

21.10.2011 - El Athletic de Bilbao reaccionó tarde y, si bien logró mantener su invicto en la Europa League, sólo sumó un empate (2-2) ante Red Bull Salzburgo en San Mamés.
Desde febrero (2011) que Llorente no se asomaba al área a la hora de patear un penal. Entonces, en el Vicente Calderón, Muniain y David López peleaban por la ejecución hasta que apareció Llorente para terminar el pleito, errando.

11.10.2011 - Con gol de Fernando Amorebieta (´61), Venezuela venció (1-0) a Argentina (por 1º vez en la historia) en el estadio José Antonio Anzoátegui (Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela) por las Eliminatorias 2014.
Casi premonitorio, Alejandro Sabella (DT) lanzó un previo "con ganar 1/2 a cero me conformo" ante una selección que jamás le hubo robado un punto a Argentina (el historial de 18 partidos oficiales había dejado 18 victorias albicelestes).

We've got a neat finish from Javier Pastore, Gonzalo Higuaín's hat trick for Madrid, some lovely goals form Mexico and, um, a description of Jonás Gutiérrez's brilliant solo effort for Newcastle United (thanks to the Premier League not allowing videos ... Continue reading →

Parigi sogna! La ricchissima campagna acquisti estiva non era solo una presa di posizione o una moda del momento ma, ecco i frutti, un frutto saporito come il primato in classifica in Ligue 1 con tre lunghezze di vantaggio sulle dirette inseguitrici Lione e Tolosa. Davanti al proprio pubblico les parisiens battono un Lione irriconoscibile [.

30.09.2011 - La Europa League le sienta bien. Seis puntos sobre seis jugados y el liderazgo único de Grupo (F) atenúan, de alguna manera, la sequía en la Liga (2E 3P).
El propio Bielsa lo reconoció después del empate con Villarreal, una presentación que invita al optimismo (en la que, sin embargo, fortuna y arbitraje se confabularon para un empate).

Forget Pastore and Hazard: here's four stars you might not know of making a splash in Ligue 1

For the new season, MirrorFootball is teaming up with some of the blogosphere's best new writers to bring you even more great football reads every single day. Thursday is Ligue 1 day, and here's French Football Weekly's Andrew Gibney with his take on events across the Channel.

22.09.2011 - Alejandro Sabella dio a conocer (hoy) la nómina de convocados para los primeros encuentros de las eliminatorias sudamericanas, ante Chile y Venezuela, con miras al Mundial de 2014.
Arqueros
Sergio Romero (Sampdoria, Italia)
Mariano Andújar (Catania, Italia)
DefensoresPablo Zabaleta (Manchester City, Inglaterra)
Nicolás Burdisso (Roma, Italia)
Federico Fernández (Nápoli, Italia)
Martín Demichelis (Málaga, España)
Nicolás Otamendi (Porto, Portugal)
Nicolás Pareja (Spartak Moscú, Rusia)
Marcos Rojo (Spartak Moscú, Rusia)Emiliano Insúa (Sporting, Portugal)
Volantes
Javier Mascherano (Barcelona, España)
Ever Banega (Valencia, España)
Ricardo Alvarez (Inter, Italia)
Jonás Gutiérrez (Newcastle, Inglaterra)
Fabián Rinaudo (Sporting, Portugal)
José Sosa (Mettalist, Ucrania)
Javier Pastore (PSG, Francia)
Angel Di María (Real Madrid, España)
Nicolás Gaitán (Benfica, Portugal)
Delanteros Lionel Messi (Barcelona, España)
Gonzalo Higuaín (Real Madrid, España)
Sergio Agüero (Manchester City, Inglaterra)
Rodrigo Palacio (Genoa, Italia)
Eduardo Salvio (Atl.

How Javier Pastore stole Joe Cole's thunder in France this week

For the new season, MirrorFootball is teaming up with some of the blogosphere's best new writers to bring you even more great football reads every single day. Thursday is Ligue 1 day, and here's French Football Weekly's Andrew Gibney with his take on events across the Channel.

It was another packed weekend in which Argentines around the world had a big say in footballing matters, so here's another dose of Argentines Abroad. Sergio Agüero hit a hat-trick for Manchester City, Fernando Belluschi for Porto and Javier Pastore ... Continue reading →

Empezó ya la Serie A este viernes con el Milan vs Lazio, partido bueno por momentos pero que no convence por completo y continuará este fin de semana la fecha dos, ya que al igual que en España, la primera fue pospuesta por huelga.
La que fuera la primera en el mundo, ya no lo es en éstos días.

Empezó ya la Serie A este viernes con el Milan vs Lazio, partido bueno por momentos pero que no convence por completo y continuará este fin de semana la fecha dos, ya que al igual que en España, la primera fue pospuesta por huelga.
La que fuera la primera en el mundo, ya no lo es en éstos días.

Nicholas Otamendi might have gotten Argentina the win with the match's only goal. But it was Leo Messi all the way and by some distance. He whipped in the corner that led to the centre back's first goal for the Albiceleste. This was Alejandro Sabella's debut and he must have been glad the little maestro was at hand to pull the strings.

Defensive dilemma for Deschamps, while Pastore saves the day for Kombuare

For the new season, MirrorFootball is teaming up with some of the blogosphere's best new writers to bring you even more great football reads every single day. Thursday is Ligue 1 day, and here's French Football Weekly's Andrew Gibney with his take on events across the Channel.

This isn't going to be a very complete Argentines Abroad post, because I've been very busy so far this week, and of course Spain and Italy both have yet to get underway properly, but two of our regular contributors from last ... Continue reading →

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has ended the speculation surrounding striker Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford all summer, but Paris Saint Germain sporting director Leonardo has revealed that the striker is going nowhere.

French giants PSG have been chasing last year's Premier League leading goalscorer all summer in a bid to win domestic and continental honors, but Leonardo has revealed Ferguson directly told him that Berbatov will be staying at the club.

By Chris Wright

Spotted in the warm-up before PSG's Europa League tie against Differdange t'other evening, Javier Pastore pulls a 30-yard pass down out of the ether with a splash of panache...

Short and sweet. Like Danny DeVito dipped in Golden Syrup.

By Chris Wright

Spotted in the warm-up before PSG's Europa League tie against Differdange t'other evening, Javier Pastore pulls a 30-yard pass down out of the ether with a splash of panache...

Short and sweet. Like Danny DeVito dipped in Golden Syrup.

This column by Eric Giardini. Proof once again that he does, in fact, write for TSG.

Messi is to Michael Jordan as Pastore is to Magic Johnson

At the conclusion of their 1-0 home loss to Lorient, jeers from the supporters rained down upon the Paris Saint-Germain players as they left the pitch at the Parc de Princes.

By Amy Quinn, writing from Dublin.

The summer of 2011, now nearing its close, will be remembered for many things; Joey Barton losing (or perhaps finding) his marbles on Twitter, Everton failing to make a single signing, André Villas-Boas perplexing English journalists and commentators (it's Veelash-Bowash, apparently), and last but certainly not least, the sudden spurt in clubs that, though exactly traditional super-powers of the sport, are flexing some serious muscle in the transfer market.

Paris Saint-Germain have shattered the French transfer record by signing playmaker Javier Pastore from Palermo for €42m.

The fee for the Argentinian international, who has signed a five-year contract, eclipses the €33.5m PSG paid to Real Madrid CF for Nicolas Anelka in 2000

Qatar Sports Investments bought a 70% stake in PSG on 30 June and quickly installed former Inter Milan coach Leonardo as general manager.

szólj hozzá: Par 0-1 Lor

This was not a good weekend for oil and gas rich sheikhs shaking up football with their big spending ways. Paris St Germain now under control of the Qatari Investment Authority (QIA) lost their season opener at home against Lorient who scored through Julien Quercia.

Queens Park Rangers has already had dealings with Paris Saint-Germain in this transfer window and refusing to sell Adel Taraabt may come back to haunt them.
PSG has entered the race for Joe Cole and with the Liverpool's midfielder's £90,000-a-week wages proving a stumbling block in QPR's loan bid, the French outfit are in pole position to sign Cole.

'Javier Pastore is a marquee signing for PSG and French football' Liverpool's Damien Comolli

Director of football feels capital club could be in a league of their own in the coming years, but believes that the Premier League will still be a more attractive destination

View the full story here: Goal

A news article on 2011-08-04 17:15:00 from: Goal

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Javier Pastore has announced his intention to sign for Paris St Germain, ending Chelsea's hopes of luring the Palermo midfielder to Stamford Bridge.

By FRANCO PANIZO

MLS wasn't the only team to lose something during All-Star week.

Manchester United forward Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez will miss the next two weeks of preseason preparations after suffering a concussion during the club's practice session on Tuesday.

Unione Sportiva Citt di Palermo (simply known as Palermo) is an Italian football club from Palermo, Sicily which currently plays in Serie A, the top level of Italian soccer. With several internationals on its first team squad including Javier Pastore of Argentina, Abel Hernández of Uruguay and Armin Bačinović of Slovenia, Palermo finished the 2010/11 season [.

According to Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay, the Blues will sign two new players "in the next eight to 10 days." One of those two players will Barcelona teenager Oriol Romeu as both clubs have agreed to a transfer fee of around £5 million.

"Andre has come in just a few weeks ago and needed some time to look at the pool of players we have, and we strengthened in January with bringing Fernando Torres and David Luiz into the squad," Gourlay told Chelsea's official Thailand supporters club.

Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay says that the club will sign two new players "in the next eight to 10 days" as they continue to be linked with bids for Luka Modric and Javier Pastore.

It is difficult to draw conclusions from a preseason friendly, sure. That's not to suggest certain impressions cannot be made, however. So, with that being said, let's take a brief look inside today's exhibition in Bangkok.

Hardware

Following our first two preseason friendlies of 2011-12, in which we were overtly lackluster but still managed to win, Chelsea awaken somewhat in a 4-0 defeat of a pretty strong group of all-stars from the Thailand Premier League.

18.07.2011 - El ex dirigente menemista se despachó contra Sergio Batista (DT), Julio Grondona, Pastore, Mascherano, Tévez, Bielsa y más...
"...hoy alguno se debe estar lamentando haber echado a Maradona..."
"... no nos fuimos en la primera ronda porque nos tocó Costa Rica.

Once again an Argentine squad packed with some of the best attacking talent in the world underachieved falling to a Uruguayan side in the Copa America quarterfinals. After 120 minutes, the teams battled to a 1-1 draw with both teams missing a number of chances.

Carlos Tevez, who's been the news for a strongly rumoured return to Corinthians could not put away his PK as the baby faced Fernando Muslera saved his effort.

Do I smell a bit of wheeling and dealing here? It's well known that Fergies major target this summer is snaring Holland international Wesley Sneijder from the San Siro. Is he simply putting pressure...
Continue to the full story

There are a few common factors that can cause a footballer's potential transfer value to skyrocket. Those characteristics include youth, while at the same time possessing a decent level of experience, individual skill, soccer brains, attacking prowess and some those more nebulous intangibles that draw fans to stadiums and televisions to see them play.

Why Argentina Will Get Nowhere Trying To Copy Barcelona - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

So to get the most obvious fact out of the way first, Argentina should beat Bolivia. They should hammer them off the pitch. Messi should be dancing around the bloodstain pitch at full time with the still beating heart of Arias, the Bolivian goalkeeper, in his hand.