Men's Soccer Capsules: Qatar denies World Cup plan for 30-minute match periods
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Qatari organizers of the 2022 World Cup dismissed claims by one of its stadium engineers that FIFA could change the timing of matches to help players cope with intense heat.
Dividing matches into three 30-minute periods was never an option, Qatar officials said in a statement Thursday.
"Splitting the games held during the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar has not been discussed at any time," the Qatar team said. "All 64 games in 2022 will be played in carbon neutral, cooled stadiums in two halves of forty-five minutes as per regulations."
Qatar and FIFA have been sensitive to criticism of 2022 World Cup plans since the tiny emirate won hosting rights last December. The 32 teams are expected to play and train for up to six weeks in June and July when average daytime temperatures hit 108 degrees.
Qatar has promised to equip 12 state-of-the-art venues with air conditioning units to blow cooled air over players and spectators. Plans to air condition team training camps and public viewing areas for thousands of visiting fans have not been outlined in detail.
Engineer Michael Beavon said at a conference in London on Wednesday that FIFA had a "forward-thinking" backup plan to divide matches into thirds, giving players more time to rehydrate if stadium temperatures rose above 84 degrees.
Qatari officials responded that the claims by Beavon, a director of Arup Associates, were "without any foundation."
"Representatives from Arup are not spokespeople for Qatar 2022," the statement said.
FIFA also denied it had contingency plans, insisting "this possibility has not been discussed.
"In any case, this would require a change in the Laws of the Game, and therefore would have to be analyzed and approved by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) in the first place," the governing body said.
Bin Hammmam criticizes FIFA bribery probe
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — FIFA executive Mohamed bin Hammam is disappointed with the way the FIFA bribery investigation against him has been handled, but insisted Thursday that he still hopes to get a fair hearing.
Bin Hammam, the suspended Asian Football Confederation president, will face FIFA's ethics committee on July 22 to answer allegations of bribery during his campaign to unseat President Sepp Blatter earlier this year. Bin Hammam and two Caribbean football officials are accused of involvement in a plot to bribe executives in the Caribbean ahead of the June 1 election.
In his first comments in more than a month, bin Hammam complained Thursday on his blog about "continuous leaks of confidential information" related to the investigation.
"Despite all these, I am still looking for and hoping to receive a fair hearing one which will not be influenced by any political agenda or motivation," bin Hammam said on his blog. "I hope that the decision will be made solely by the members of this committee and based solely on the facts presented and not based on assumptions or the wishes of people outside the committee."
Bin Hammam's comments came a day after a person familiar with the case told The Associated Press that FIFA's investigators have gathered further evidence of bribery against the 62-year-old Qatari national. The corruption report — compiled by former FBI agents — was sent to bin Hammam last week.
Nine of the 24 Caribbean Football Union members who attended a meeting in Trinidad in May have now admitted to ex-FBI director Louis Freeh that they were offered or accepted $40,000 payments from bin Hammam, the person said. He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a confidential report.
An initial report last month by FIFA's ethics committee has already concluded that there was "compelling" evidence that bin Hammam and then-CONCACAF President Jack Warner conspired to bribe voters.
The scandal emerged one week before the June 1 FIFA election, and bin Hammam, Warner and the CFU staffers were then provisionally suspended by the ethics panel pending a full inquiry. All have denied wrongdoing.
Bin Hammam withdrew his candidacy three days before the poll, leaving Blatter clear to be elected unopposed at the FIFA congress for a fourth four-year term as the most powerful man in world football.
Bin Hammam has repeatedly said the investigation against him was "biased" and his suspension was unfair. He repeated the charges of bias Thursday but that he hoped "by now, the investigation has identified whether or not there had been attempts by me — directly or indirectly — to buy votes, particularly from those who claimed to have received these monies."
-- Michael Casey
Johnson & Johnson signs as 2014 World Cup sponsor
ZURICH (AP) — FIFA says health care firm Johnson & Johnson has bought the final global sponsorship slot for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Johnson & Johnson has signed up as the eighth second-tier worldwide sponsor after several of FIFA's commercial partners criticized the governing body for recent corruption scandals.
FIFA did not disclose the value of the deal.
FIFA has six top-tier partners for the 2014 World Cup. It has budgeted for $1.6 billion from commercial contracts tied to the tournament. Broadcast rights deals will earn at least an additional $2.2 billion.
Johnson & Johnson was previously one of the International Olympic Committee's top-tier sponsors, but did not renew the deal in 2008.
FIFA lifts Belize ban before World Cup qualifier
ZURICH (AP) — FIFA has cleared Belize to complete a 2014 World Cup qualifying match by provisionally lifting its suspension in a dispute over government interference.
FIFA says Belize must play its second-leg match against Montserrat before July 17 on neutral territory. Belize won the away leg 5-2 but was suspended by FIFA in June because the government refused to give security guarantees for the return in Belmopan.
State authorities are in dispute with Belize Football Federation leader Bertie Chimilio, who they accuse of mismanagement. Chimilio is a member of FIFA's appeals committee and a supporter of FIFA President Sepp Blatter.
FIFA says Belize must resolve its political issues by Aug. 15 or face another suspension.
Copa America
Costa Rica beats 10-man Bolivia 2-0
JUJUY, Argentina (AP) — A second-string Costa Rica boosted its chances of reaching the knock-out stage of the Copa America by defeating 10-man Bolivia 2-0 on Thursday.
Costa Rica went ahead through Josue Martinez's goal in the 60th minute and put the game away with Joel's Campbell's strike in the 79th, capping a dominant second half.
Bolivia's Ronald Rivero was sent off in the 71st for using his arm to stop a goal-bound shot.
Colombia leads Group A with 4 points, followed by Costa Rica with 3, Argentina 2, and Bolivia 1. Each team has one match to play in the group stage, with the top two to progress to the quarterfinals, along with the best two third-placed teams in the three groups.
Costa Rica will take on under-pressure hosts Argentina on Monday, knowing a draw should be enough to reach the quarters, while Colombia will face Bolivia.
Costa Rica took control in the second half and should have scored several more.
"We put on the same display that we did against Colombia," Campbell said, talking about the team's narrow 1-0 loss to Colombia in the opener. "We put on a show tonight and we could have won by three, four or five goals."
Martinez gave Costa Rica the lead by putting in a rebound from a shot Bolivia keeper Carlos Arias failed to control. Campbell hit the crossbar minutes later on a free kick. Allen Guevara then missed a penalty in the 72nd before Campbell broke through for the second.
Costa Rica's David Guzman also hit the post seven minutes from the end.
Following Martinez's goal, Costa Rica players held up the jersey of Dennis Marshall, who was killed in a car crash last month shortly after Costa Rica's last match in the Gold Cup, the championship of North, Central America and the Caribbean.
Costa Rica and Mexico are using mostly under-23 Olympic-style squads in this tournament because they are not part of the South American confederation and are playing as guests. Their full-strength teams played in the Gold Cup.
Costa Rica coach Ricardo La Volpe, who was born in Argentina, will be ready for Monday's showdown against the Gauchos. Argentina struggled to a 0-0 draw on Wednesday against Colombia and will need to beat the Ticos to be sure of reaching the last eight.
"We know that with their result yesterday, Argentina will play a very strong game," he said. "Our victory tonight will not make them relax."
-- Jorge Rueda
Argentina flops but still has hope at Copa America
SANTA FE, Argentina (AP) — Argentina can still reach the quarterfinals of the Copa America despite two abysmal group matches — a scoreless draw against Colombia and a 1-1 result in the tournament opener against Bolivia.
The Argentines have to beat Costa Rica on Monday, which is playing as a guest and is fielding what amounts to its second-string team. But even that may tax Argentina, which is led by Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez but has scored only one goal in 180 minutes and was booed off the field Wednesday.
Argentina was the pre-tournament favorite, playing at home and hoping to win its first major title in 18 years. Now, its sights are set lower, a humbled football power trying to survive.
"We understand the fans have a right to express themselves. This is football and they paid for the tickets," Argentina defender Javier Zanetti said. "The works continues, and now it's Costa Rica. We know we are below the level we expected, but this is the reality. We have to take charge and correct it."
Former coach Diego Maradona failed to meld his superstars into a team in the World Cup, losing to Germany 4-0 in the quarterfinals.
His replacement, Sergio Batista, is failing, too, and Messi has shown little of his Barcelona form and does not mesh with Tevez. Batista finished Wednesday's match against Colombia with four forwards, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Tevez and Messi.
"We're good players but we aren't a team," Tevez said. "This is what we are looking for. People think we can score four goals in five minutes. They want this, but it's difficult."
Tevez, who said this week he intends to leave Manchester City, was up front about the team problems. Messi had a doping test after the match and did not speak with reporters.
"I had only one shot on goal," Tevez said. "We have to solve this. There has to be self-criticism and a determination not to leave things as they are. It's in our hands."
Argentina's two star forwards were outplayed by Colombia strikers Radamel Falcao and Dayro Moreno, who had more chances and perhaps should have given their team victory. Only Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero saved Argentina.
"We deserved three points," Colombia captain Mario Alberto Yepes said. "We had the chances to win. We had a lot of attacks we didn't finish."
Batista acknowledged that Colombia defended well against Messi, always surrounding him with markers.
"They shut down the open spots. They knew how to play. They knew our game," Batista said. "Things are not going well for us. We did not expect two games like this."
Messi's low moment came in the 81st minute with a free kick from the top right corner of the penalty area. His attempt sailed 10 meters (yards) high and wide. He also fell to the ground in first-half stoppage time, going down untouched when his boot got caught on a clump of grass.
Argentina has two points from two games in Group A, while Colombia leads with four. Bolivia, with one point, and Costa Rica, with zero, play Thursday. The top two teams in the group advance to the quarterfinals while the best two third-place teams from the three groups also advance.
"If we win we will have five points and we reach the quarterfinals," Batista said. "We have to stay calm and move forward. We advance with the victory and we have to have faith we can do it."
Costa Rica, coached by Argentina-born Ricardo La Volpe, and Mexico are using inexperienced Olympic-style squads in this tournament because they are not part of the South American confederation and are playing as guests. Their full-strength teams recently played in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
-- Carlos Rodriguez
Menezes silent on Brazil lineup to play Paraguay
CAMPANA, Argentina (AP) — There are likely to be changes when Brazil takes the field against Paraguay in the Copa America on Saturday, although coach Mano Menezes is not ready to confirm them.
Brazil was held to 0-0 by Venezuela in its opening Group B match, prompting rumors that Robinho might be benched. Menezes said on Thursday he will wait until just before kickoff to announced the starting 11.
Venezuela faces Ecuador in the other Group B match on Saturday.
"We are working on getting ready for the match, and we'll reveal the lineup just before the match," Menezes said.
Reports suggests Menezes will replace Robinho with Lucas up front, and Ramires with Elano at midfield.
Robinho and Ramires were removed from the first-team formation in the second half of practice on Wednesday.
Robinho and 19-year-old Neymar are usually among the most animated in training, but Robinho was frowning in the practice.
"We can only think about winning the match," Menezes said. "Paraguay is a tough team that plays well from top to bottom. We need to be careful with them."
Group B is dead even after the first round with all four teams on one point.
"We'll see what happens in the match, but we have to be ready for any kind of attack that Paraguay comes up with."
-- Vicente L. Panetta
MLS
Club America beats Timbers 1-0 in int'l exhibition
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Angel Reyna scored the game's only goal in the 16th minute and Club America beat the Portland Timbers 1-0 in an international exhibition match Thursday night.
Jeld-Wen Stadium was hardly partial to the hometown Timbers. The club reserved about half of the stadium's 18,000 tickets for fans of Club America, who matched the throaty Timbers Army for noise. Club America, based in Mexico City, is one of Mexico's most popular soccer teams.
"It was overwhelming at times, with all the Mexicans and Latinos here," Portland midfielder Rodrigo Lopez said.
With a Major League Soccer rivalry game coming up Sunday at home against Seattle, the Timbers rested most of their starters against Club America.
For the first time this season, Portland started three forwards, but it didn't provide an immediate boost to the team's struggling offense. Club America didn't have such problems, though, as its offense kept Timbers goalie Adin Brown active early in the game.
During the ninth minute, Vicente Sanchez ripped a shot that Brown tipped away with a finger. Four minutes later, Daniel Montenegro blasted a 20-yard shot that got past Brown but hit the left post.
Club America's early assault eventually paid off. During the 16th minute, Sanchez crossed a ball to Reyna, who nailed a 10-yard shot past Brown for a 1-0 lead.
Once Portland weathered Club America's initial barrage, the Timbers settled down and played evenly with a team Portland coach John Spencer called "the Manchester United of their country."
The Timbers ended up with nine corner kicks, and outshot Club America 7-6 during the second half.
"Once we survived the first 15 minutes, I thought we played very well tonight. Lots of positives from this game," Spencer said. "We just let ourselves down with the final pass."
Portland's best scoring chance came in the 31st minute, when forward Kenny Cooper hit a close-range shot that forced Club America goalie Armando Navarrete to dive for the save.
The Timbers had several good opportunities to pull even during the second half, the last one coming in the 89th minute, when Kevin Goldthwaite kicked a close-in shot over the crossbar.
"We had plenty of opportunities," Lopez said.
Club America coach Carlos Reinoso, who called his team's fans at Jeld-Wen Field "extraordinary," was happy with the performance.
"I thought in the first half they moved the ball very well, and in general, I liked how they played very much," Reinoso said through an interpreter.
Portland forward Bright Dike, one of the first players the expansion franchise signed last October, made his first appearance of the season in a reserve role. Dike ruptured his Achilles' tendon during a February practice.
Portland is 5-8-3 in MLS competition and currently in eighth place in the Western Conference. The Timbers are winless in their past six MLS matches.
Thursday's exhibition game was Portland's second of four this season. Later in July, the Timbers play host to West Bromwich Albion of the English Premier League and Independiente of Argentina.
Portland enemy Levesque ready for Sounders-Timbers
TUKWILA, Wash. (AP) — He's enemy No. 1 for the Timbers' Army, which, considering there's a guy holding a working chain saw just a few yards from the playing field, might make some slightly uncomfortable.
Seattle's Roger Levesque is used to it by this point. He's played the villain long enough to realize he'll always be in the middle of the Portland-Seattle rivalry as long as he's playing for the Sounders.
"I think it's good for the game. The rivalry is great for the game of soccer, it's great for the Pacific Northwest. I don't know about being in the middle of it as being a great thing for me, but at the same time it's kind of a fun thing," Levesque said on Thursday. "It's good to ignite maybe some anger in maybe the Portland fans, see what I can do to upset them as much as possible."
It's a pretty safe assumption what the general reaction will be Sunday when the Sounders travel south to face the expansion Timbers in the third game of the Cascadia rivalry between Seattle, Portland and the Vancouver Whitecaps.
After all, this is the guy who got booed by Portland fans while playing for the USL Timbers as a temporary replacement during a 2008 exhibition match, with a sign in the stands reading "True Fans Hate Levesque."
Add the anticipation of the first Sounders-Timbers MLS match in the Rose City and it could equal an atmosphere unlike anything Levesque or the Sounders have previously faced.
That's what MLS wanted when it added Portland and Vancouver as expansion franchises and why both games between the Timbers and Sounders this season were given prime national TV broadcasts.
"We're definitely going to feed off their fans. It's going to be a great motivation for us," Seattle coach Sigi Schmid said. "Obviously we're going to have some fans there and they had to work hard to get those tickets and to get into that stadium and we want to reward them. But definitely going into that environment and knowing the kind of atmosphere it is, is something that will help spur us on into our effort as well."
Levesque's relationship with the Portland fans dates back to his time playing for the Sounders when they were a USL franchise before making the jump to MLS in 2009. Portland fans accused Levesque of taking a cheap shot during a 2004 match, begetting the disdain the Timbers have for the floppy-haired native of Portland, Maine.
But his crowning moment came in 2009 during the third-round of the U.S. Open Cup when Levesque scored on a diving header just 48 seconds into the match in Portland and helped give the Sounders a 2-1 victory.
Not that a reminder was needed, but the Sounders' main supporters group — the Emerald City Supporters — made sure that moment wasn't forgotten the first time Seattle and Portland faced in MLS play in May.
The tifo display on that rainy May night highlighted those who spent part of their careers tormenting the Timbers with giant images that took up nearly an entire section in the stadium.
It started with current designated player Fredy Montero, followed by U.S. national team goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann and goalkeeper Preston Burpo, who spent nine years playing for the USL Sounders. They were followed by former NASL Sounders stars Jimmy Gabriel and Brian Schmetzer, now a Sounders assistant coach.
And the capper to the entire show was Levesque's face with a smug smile and the words "48 Seconds" at the very front of the display.
Levesque's return to Portland comes at a time when he's playing some of the best soccer of his career. He scored twice in a 4-2 win over the Red Bulls in late June and has started the last two league matches for the Sounders. Seattle is unbeaten in its last seven league matches — four wins and three draws.
"I'm just excited to be a part of it and out there playing. I've enjoyed being a part of it and combining with the guys and just getting results," Levesque said. "We've been on a good run here the last few weeks and hopefully we can keep it going."
-- Tim Booth
Elsewhere
46 more footballers indicted over fixing in South Korea
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean prosecutors have indicted 46 more footballers for alleged involvement in a widening match-fixing scandal.
The players from six different teams allegedly took bribes in return for trying to fix the results of games or bet on games after learning their outcome would be rigged, prosecutors said Thursday in a statement.
Prosecutors found the outcomes of 15 K-League games last year were rigged and they will continue to investigate to find out if more games were fixed, the prosecution office in the southeastern city of Changwon said.
"It has spread," said Lee Kap-jin, the former vice president of the Korean Football Association and the head of the newly formed misconduct committee that is charged with eradicating match-fixing from the Korean game. "We didn't expect that it would spread like this but we have to wait and see. If you are a doctor and find cancer, you have to wait and see how far the cancer has spread before you operate.
"I have no idea how many players will be investigated, that is a matter for the courts, but we know that we can't take it easy because if you do, you lose."
Eleven non-players — including illegal gambling brokers and members of organized crime groups — were also indicted over the scandal, officials said.
The latest indictments are in addition to a group of 15 — including 11 K-League players — who were already indicted last month over similar allegations, prosecution spokesman Kwak Kyu-hong said.
K-League officials, who subsequently imposed lifetime bans on 10 of the 11 players, plan to meet in coming days to decide whether to punish the newly indicted players, a K-League official said on condition of anonymity.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said some of the new indictments were directed at players who had since quit the game.
The K-League refused to comment on the new developments but told The Associated Press that it would be releasing a statement soon.
"The prosecutors will continue to investigate and the K-League will act according to those findings," Lee said. "If the KFA has any additional punishment, it can do so but we are focusing on the big picture and thinking about the future. In conjunction with the legal proceedings that are going on, we have to think about educating young players.
"The players involved so far have been adults and we want to prepare young players to protect themselves and the game. We are not concerned with the criminals behind this scandal — that is for the law — we have to think about the players. We know that this won't be a quick solution."
The match-fixing scandal has rocked the 28-year-old K-League — Asia's oldest professional football league — with government officials threatening to shut it down if any more schemes are committed from now on. Former K-League midfielder Jeong Jong-kwan, who allegedly worked as a broker, was found dead in an apparent suicide in late May.
The highest-profile player involved in the scandal is Suwon Bluewings striker Choi Sung-kuk, who has appeared in 26 international matches for South Korea.
Choi, who joined Suwon this year from Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, had acknowledged attending a meeting between players and gambling brokers but insisted he rejected bribe offers. Still, prosecutors indicted Choi because he later told investigators he accepted the bribes before returning them, Kwak said.
Yonhap news agency said Choi took 4 million won ($3,760) in return for helping fix the result of a game last year. It said other indicted players received kickbacks ranging from 3 million won ($2,820) to 31 million won ($29,140).
Another top indicted player is Kim Dong-hyun of military club Sangju Sangmu, who made six appearances for the national team. Yonhap reported Kim was allegedly involved in plots to fix the results of eight K-League games and allegedly earned 400 million won ($376,050) illicitly by betting on games.
Eight of Kim's colleagues at Sangju Sangmu were also indicted over the scandal, the prosecution statement said.
Officials said no current national team members were indicted.
Earlier this week, there were reports that Olympic team captain Hong Jeong-ho was involved. The 21-year-old defender has appeared eight times for the national team and has denied any wrongdoing. Hong hasn't been indicted but he has not yet been cleared.
"Hong has not been included on this list as investigations are still ongoing," Kwak said. "We will have to investigate more and wait and see what the results are."
-- Hyung Jin-Kim
18 more charged in Turkish match-fixing probe
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A Turkish court charged 18 more suspects Thursday in an alleged match-fixing scam that threatens to strip league champion Fenerbahce of its title. An arrest warrant was issued for the club president.
Turkish police have rounded up 60 suspects in raids to homes and club premises on suspicion of manipulating games in the Turkish league last season, making Turkey the latest country to be affected by a slew of match-fixing and betting scandals. Investigators obtained evidence of cheating and bribery involving 19 first- and second-division games, police said.
At the center of the scandal is Fenerbahce, which won 16 of 17 league matches in the latter part of the season to come from a distant third place and beat Trabzonspor to the title on goal difference.
The club risks losing its league title in the same manner as Italian club Juventus, which was stripped of its 2005 and 2006 Italian league titles over a similar scandal. The Turkish Football Federation said it aims to decide on what measures, if any, it will take against the Istanbul club by next Friday — the cut-off date for notifying European soccer's ruling body on which teams will play in European competitions.
The investigation has also caused financial damage to Fenerbahce as its shares plunged in the Istanbul stock market.
On Thursday, the court in Istanbul arraigned 18 more suspects, including senior Fenerbahce officials Sekip Mosturoglu and Ilhan Eksioglu, increasing the number of suspects in jail pending trial to 25, the state-run Anatolia news agency and NTV television reported.
Also charged were Bulent Uygun, technical director of Eskisehirspor and Mecnun Odyakmaz, president of Sivasspor, along with several players, including former Fenerbahce player Umit Karan. Five suspects, including Nigerian player Emmanuel Emenike, were released from custody.
Police escorted 11 other suspects, mostly from Giresunspor, to the courthouse for questioning on Thursday, NTV television said.
The court also issued a warrant for Fenerbahce President Aziz Yildirim, whom newspaper reports say is suspected of bribing rival teams' players to play badly. Yildirim still remains at a hospital after a cardiology checkup, the reports said. Yildirim was expected to be questioned by prosecutors following his release from hospital.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a former soccer player and an avid Fenerbahce supporter, said the scandal was tarnishing Turkey's image.
-- Selcan Hacaoglu
Usmanov spends $1.5M on Arsenal shares
LONDON (AP) — Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov has signaled his ongoing commitment to Arsenal despite Stan Kroenke's takeover by spending $1.5 million on new shares.
Usmanov owns more than 29 percent of the English Premier League club and is nudging closer to the 30 percent mark that will give him access to management accounts despite not being a director.
Usmanov has spent 952,000 pounds ($1.5 million) on buying 64 shares from a single person this week through investment vehicle Red & White Holdings, which is jointly controlled with business associate Farhad Moshiri.
American sports tycoon Kroenke took control of Arsenal in May after raising his stake to 66.64 percent by mostly buying shares from fellow directors this year.
Kroenke also owns the NFL's St. Louis Rams, the NBA's Denver Nuggets, the NHL's Colorado Avalanche and Major League Soccer's Colorado Rapids.
Usmanov has never been invited onto the Arsenal board despite being the club's second-biggest shareholder since first investing in 2007. He has been critical of the lack of investment in the team, which ended a sixth successive season in May without a trophy.
Zidane set to be Real Madrid's sporting director
MADRID (AP) — Former France great Zinedine Zidane says he will be Real Madrid's new sporting director as of Monday.
The former Real Madrid player, a three-time world footballer of the year, was quoted as saying "yes, I think so, I will be sporting director and I'm happy about it."
Zidane, who was an adviser to president Florentino Perez, isn't sure of the full scope of his responsibilities but says "the important thing is that I'm already with Real Madrid."
Perez fired former sporting director Jorge Valdano in May following a season-long feud between him and coach Jose Mourinho.
Zidane says "Mourinho has been fundamental" in getting him the job, which sees the former World Cup winner take on a major role in the club's reshuffled structure.
Barcelona signs Kiko from Hercules for €2 million
ALICANTE, Spain (AP) — Hercules says Kiko Femenia will join European champion Barcelona in a €2 million ($2.9 million) transfer.
The recently relegated club says it could earn another €1.5 million ($2.15 million) through the deal, with the 20-year-old Kiko joining the three-time defending Spanish champion on a three-year contract.
Kiko came through Hercules' youth ranks and plays for Spain's under-20 team. He scored once in 34 league appearances last season.
Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta says Kiko will divide his time between the first team and the reserves.
Barcelona is reportedly negotiating with Arsenal for its captain Cesc Fabregas, and Zubizarreta said "before we had €45 million for transfers, now we have 43."
O'Shea agrees four-year Sunderland deal
SUNDERLAND, England (AP) — John O'Shea has followed his teammate Wes Brown in leaving Manchester United to join Sunderland. The 30-year-old Republic of Ireland defender, who can also play in midfield, signed a four-year contract Thursday.
O'Shea made 256 appearances for United after joining as a trainee. He collected five Premier League titles in his time with the club, as well as Champions League and FA Cup winners medals.
With the signing of Phil Jones from Blackburn and the emergence of the Da Silva twins, Rafael and Fabio, Sir Alex Ferguson has decided to let the versatile O'Shea leave.
He could well line up alongside Brown again next season, after the 31-year-old center back also completed his transfer to Sunderland on Thursday.
Sunderland signs defender Brown from Man United
SUNDERLAND, England (AP) — Sunderland has signed Manchester United stalwart Wes Brown on a four-year contract to add to its defensive options for the next Premier League season.
The 31-year-old Brown played 361 times in 14 seasons for United but was rarely first choice, with the likes of Jaap Stam, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic having blocked the England international's route to a regular place in central defense. Gary Neville and, more recently, Rafael Da Silva have been preferred in his other position of right back.
Sunderland did not say how much it paid for Brown, who won five Premier League titles and started United's 2008 Champions League final win over Chelsea, and has never played for another club.
Leonardo begins negotiations with PSG
MILAN (AP) — Former Inter Milan manager Leonardo says he's just beginning negotiations for an executive position with Paris Saint-Germain. Speaking at a news conference at the San Siro stadium Thursday, Leonardo says he didn't begin talking to PSG until his contract with Inter was terminated when Gian Piero Gasperini was hired as his replacement two weeks ago.
The Brazilian says, "I won't deny that the possibility of going to PSG is real, but for now it's still just a possibility. I spoke with the owners two days ago and I don't know how it will end up."
Leonardo surprised Inter when he told the club at the end of the season that he no longer wanted to manage, but he says he's leaving on good terms.
Malaga signs Pellegrini to two-year extension
MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Malaga signed coach Manuel Pellegrini to a two-year contract extension on Thursday, tying the Chilean to the club until 2015.
The former Real Madrid coach replaced Jesus Ferreira last season while Malaga was stumbling, and he guided it to an 11th-place finish. Terms of the deal were not announced.
Pellegrini led Madrid to its best-ever points total during the 2009-10 season but was fired after finishing behind Barcelona. He also coached at Villarreal, where his attractive style of play won him admirers and, eventually, the Madrid job.
Malaga, owned by Qatari sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani, has been the busiest Spanish club in the summer transfer period, signing players such as Ruud van Nistelrooy and Joaquin Sanchez.
Sao Paulo fires coach Carpegiani
SAO PAULO (AP) — Sao Paulo says it has fired coach Paulo Cesar Carpegiani. Sao Paulo says in a statement on its website that the decision to dismiss Carpegiani was made to "give new motivation to the team."
Milton Cruz has been named interim coach. Carpegiani's firing on Thursday comes a day after a 1-0 loss to Flamengo, the team's third straight defeat in the Brazilian League. In the two previous games, it lost 2-0 to Botafogo and 5-0 to Corinthians.
Sao Paulo hired Carpegiani in October for his second stint after a spell in 1999.
Fowler signs with Thai team
BANGKOK (AP) — Former Liverpool fan favorite Robbie Fowler has reportedly signed to play with Thai Premier League side Muangthong United.
Kittanawapaan Vachirabaanklang, the PR director for Muangthong United, says on Thursday that details of the deal with the 36-year-old Fowler will be revealed at a press conference on Sunday. Kittanawapaan says, "His contract with Perth Glory in Australia expired and wasn't renewed, so we got him."
He says Fowler will arrive in Bangkok on Friday and undergo a physical on Saturday.
