Soccer Capsules: Bundesliga head says WCup security a concern
Comments 0NEW YORK — The head of the Bundesliga says Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness was only admitting what many think privately when he cited security in South Africa as an issue ahead of this year’s World Cup.
Hoeness was quoted last month in the Muenchner Merkur as saying it was a mistake by FIFA to put the World Cup in South Africa and that he won’t travel there for the tournament, which opens June 11.
"Maybe Uli Hoeness’ words were a little bit tough. But on the other hand, I guess he just spoke out what a lot people feel when they’re thinking about going over to South Africa or not," Bundesliga chief executive officer Christian Seifert said Friday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.
In Miami to attend the Super Bowl, Seifert said he hopes the World Cup will be a success but he understands how expensive it has become to travel to the tournament.
"It’s not to discuss just from the FIFA executives’ perspective of the Bundesliga executives’ perspective," he said. "You also have to see it with the eyes of the fans who come over, who have to pay a lot of money. Prices are rising high from airlines and from hotels."
He said South African companies should revisit their pricing.
"They should maybe think about less in profit but more in terms of chance. This FIFA World Cup is for the people," Seifert said. "If this is such a political issue and such a big chance for a whole continent, then all involved parties have to work together there. That (includes) airlines and hotels and security and whatever."
In a newly released report, the Bundesliga said it averaged a Europe-high 41,904 fans last season, topping England’s Premier League (35,592), Spain’s Premier Division (28,478), Italy’s Serie A (25,304) and France’s Ligue 1 (21,034). The 26 teams in the German first and second divisions combined for 2 billion euros in revenue for the first time last season at 2.036 billion euros ($2.79 billion at the current exchange rate), up 5.3 percent from the previous season. Media revenue rose to 594 million euros ($813 million).
The Bundesliga also said its average ticket price of 20.79 euros ($28.48) was the lowest among the major European leagues, with the Premier League the highest at 43 euros ($58.91), followed by the Primera Division at 40 euros ($54.80), Serie A at 27 ($37) and Ligue 1 at 26 ($35.62).
While Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore in 2008 proposed playing regular-season matches abroad — a plan since put on hold — Seifert has no plans to move Bundesliga games. He is willing to expand foreign exhibitions.
"But for a real game, which is important maybe if you reach the Champions League or not, I can hardly imagine that for the Bundesliga," he said.
Seifert realizes the Bundesliga is at a disadvantage when it comes to U.S. television. The Premier League is carried on Fox Soccer Channel, which is available in 36.1 million homes, according to Nielsen Media Research, and has some games on ESPN2, which is distributed to 98.8 million households.
The Bundesliga is on GolTV, which is in 12 million households. It likes its deal with the network, which runs through the 2011-12, because GolTV carries programming in addition to games, such as highlights shows.
"When we started to work with GolTV, the Bundesliga had decayed, where they just hadn’t focused so much on international TV partners," said Seifert, who became CEO in 2005. "The Bundesliga missed a chance in the past to strengthen the brand in the United States. When we started again to focus more on the countries outside of Germany, we saw that yes there was interest but we don’t see a passion for a league like the Bundesliga. Therefore, we found the concept of GolTV very, very interesting."
Gullit heads Netherlands-Belgium World Cup bid
BRUSSELS — Former European player of the year Ruud Gullit has been appointed president of the bid committee seeking to stage the 2018 or 2022 World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Gullit, who will be a broadcaster for ESPN at this year's tournament, will head bid delegations throughout the world as the prospective joint-hosts seek to build support ahead of the Dec. 2 vote by FIFA's executive committee.
HollandBelgium Bid CEO Harry Been said Tuesday that Gullit's "knowledge and background in football" would be a major boost for the bid.
Gullit led the Netherlands to the 1988 European Championship title. He was European player of the year in 1987 and part of the AC Milan side that won back-to-back European Cups in 1989 and 1990.
Uruguay announces friendly against Swiss
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay — Uruguay has scheduled a friendly against Switzerland on March 3 in preparation for this year's World Cup in South Africa.
Sebastian Bauza, president of the Uruguay Football Association, made the announcement on Tuesday.
A match in Montevideo on May 27 is also planned, although an opponent has not been lined up. It is likely to be against Belgium, Bulgaria or Romania. Uruguay will play in Group A in the World Cup against South Africa, Mexico and France.
U.S./Mexico Soccer
U.S. women's soccer team to play Mexico twice
SANDY, Utah — The U.S. national team will open its domestic schedule next month with a pair of matches against Mexico.
The first is scheduled for March 28 at Torero Stadium at the University of San Diego. The two teams meet again March 31 at Rio Tinto Stadium, home of Major League Soccer's Real Salt Lake.
It will be the national team's first game in Utah since the Americans played Ireland in a friendly at the University of Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium in 2003.
League News
Tevez, Adebayor give Man City 2-0 win over Bolton
LONDON — Manchester City beat Bolton 2-0 and moved up to fifth place in the English Premier League on Tuesday.
Carlos Tevez put City ahead in the 31st minute with a penalty won by winger Adam Johnson and Emmanuel Adebayor smashed in a powerful 71st-minute shot from a pass by Patrick Vieira.
Victory took City to 44 points, the same as fourth-place Liverpool. The Reds, who moved into the Champions League qualifying places only at the weekend, are at third-place Arsenal in one of Wednesday's six matches.
Leader Chelsea is at Everton on Wednesday, while defending champion Manchester United is at Aston Villa.
Johnson, making his home debut after joining from Middlesbrough last week, earned his new team the chance to take the lead by twisting into the right-hand side of the area and drawing a careless challenge from defender Paul Robinson.
Goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen stood to one side of the goal to tempt Tevez into shooting down the middle. Tevez did so and Jaaskelainen managed to get to the shot but it deflected off his knee and into the goal for the striker's 20th of the season.
Adebayor got his ninth after beating offside, controlling Vieira's long pass and hitting the ball past Jaaskelainen almost in one movement.
Johnson was substituted late on to a standing ovation and City continued to look the strongest challenger to the established top-four sides.
In Tuesday's other games, Fulham beat Bolton 3-0 to continue its recovery from a poor run of form, Sunderland drew 1-1 at troubled Portsmouth, and Stoke drew 1-1 at Wigan.
After more than a month without a win, Fulham has two wins and a draw from three games and was in ninth place. Danny Murphy, David Elm and Bobby Zamora scored at Craven Cottage against relegation-threatened Bolton.
Darren Bent got his 16th goal of the season for Sunderland but last-place Portsmouth salvaged just its 16th point of the season when Aruna Dindane headed in at the back post with almost the last touch of the match.
Tuncay Sanli scored 16 minutes from the end to rescue a point for Stoke, which had trailed to Paul Scharner's early opener.
Newcastle lost 3-0 at Derby to lose the lead of the second-tier League Championship to West Bromwich Albion on goal difference.
West Brom joined the longtime leaders on 59 points after a 2-0 win over Scunthorpe, while Forest remained four points back in third after losing 1-0 at Coventry.
-- Stuart Condie
Quevilly stuns Rennes to reach French Cup quarters
PARIS — Amateur team Quevilly has reached the quarterfinals of the French Cup after beating first division Rennes 1-0.
Club captain Gregory Beaugrard scored the only goal on Tuesday in the 44th minute for part-timer Quevilly, which plays in CFA — the equivalent of division four. Rennes, which had beaten defending champion Bordeaux 4-2 on Saturday, is in eighth place in the topflight and picked a near full-strength team.
Quevilly, situated in the suburbs of Rouen, and which reached the French Cup semifinals in 1968, is ninth in its league.
Boulogne beat French Cup-holder Guingamp 1-0; Sochaux won 4-1 at Beauvais, and Paris Saint-Germain beat Vesoul 1-0 to all reach the last eight.
Elsewhere
German football federation, Loew call truce
FRANKFURT — The German football federation and Joachim Loew have called a truce and agreed to decide the national team coach's future after the World Cup.
At a news conference Tuesday at the headquarters of the federation (DFB), both sides conceded mistakes in handling the talks that collapsed last week and created a major distraction as the three-time champions begin to prepare for the June 11-July 11 World Cup in South Africa.
"We've found a common line until the World Cup," Loew said. "We have an incredible responsibility, we represent not only the DFB, we represent Germany with millions of fans. I am sure we will have a good tournament."
Loew was joined at the conference by DFB president Theo Zwanziger, general secretary Wolfgang Niersbach and national team manager Oliver Bierhoff, a member of Loew's staff who was involved in the failed talks and has been partly blamed for their collapse.
"We want success and success is only possible with this coach. The team needs this coach," Zwanziger said.
While seeking to present a united front, major differences appear to remain but Loew and officials said there would be no new talks on a possible contract extension until after the World Cup and they can now devote their energy on preparations for the event.
Zwanziger acknowledged that the differences were "serious" but Loew said he is happy to wait until after the World Cup for talks to resume.
"I can live with this situation very well," Loew said. "We'll see after the World Cup."
The 50-year-old Loew was Juergen Klinsmann's assistant and took over when he quit after Germany finished third at the 2006 World Cup at home. In its first big tournament under Loew, Germany was runner-up at the 2008 European Championship.
Loew and Bierhoff met with the DFB officials Monday and Tuesday in an attempt to calm the situation, which has been dominating Germany's sports pages.
The DFB has not given precise reasons why the talks collapsed but German media reports say Loew and Bierhoff had demanded "signing fees" equivalent to an annual salary for Loew and his entire staff. Bierhoff also reportedly wanted to have the decisive vote in picking the next coach, but the DFB balked at the demand.
Neither side has denied that such demands were made, and over the weekend Loew defended his and Bierhoff's position.
"It's our right to make one or two demands. People who know us know that it's not about power or greed, but that it's about the development of the team," Loew said in Warsaw before the qualifying draw for Euro 2012.
Qualifying starts in September and the DFB will have to find a new coach quickly after the World Cup if Loew decided to leave when his contract expires after the World Cup.
On Tuesday, Bierhoff conceded making mistakes in the way he conducted negotiations and apologized for "hurting people's feelings."
Both sides also regretted that details of the talks had been leaked to the media. Loew had earlier said he had been deeply irritated by the leaks.
-- Nesha Starcevic
Wenger hits back at Ballack criticism
LONDON — Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hit back at Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack on Tuesday for criticizing his team's performance in Sunday's 2-0 Premier League defeat at Stamford Bridge.
Ballack said that the Arsenal manager always seemed to find excuses whenever his team lost and accused the Gunners of just playing "nice passes" and a predictable style rather than going directly for goal.
"He always says this when he loses," the German star said. "He always finds an excuse. But football is not possession or nice passes. Good football is winning games and that's what we do when we play them."
Wenger, whose team has not won a major title since the 2005 FA Cup, responded at his news conference ahead of Wednesday's game against Liverpool.
"I have to live with all the conclusions that Chelsea are a much better side, but I believe what I believe," Wenger said.
He pointed out that his team was one of the highest scorers in the Premier League this season with 60 goals in 25 games. Only Man United with 61 has more.
"There is only one way to play football — that is to win games and be efficient. The best way to win the games is the way which is most adapted to the qualities of your players and the philosophy of your club. That is what we try to be faithful to," he said.
"You have to accept that when you lose games, the way you play is always questioned. What becomes a fantastic quality when you win, becomes a fantastic mistake when you lose. It is like that. We still have to believe in the way we do things, in the way we play and to show that strength."
Wenger said he praised Chelsea for its victory in a game where his team had far more possession but rarely troubled the home side's goalkeeper.
"As for (Ballack's comments), I am long enough in England to know that the team who wins can say what they want. They are right," he said.
"It is my job to take a distance from that and analyze the game in a calm way with a cool head and to analyze what is right."
Arsenal went top of the Premier League three weeks ago but has since collected only one point from its three games against Aston Villa (0-0), Man United (3-1 defeat) and Chelsea.
With Chelsea playing at Everton and Man United at Aston Villa on Wednesday, Arsenal could fall 12 points behind with 12 games remaining with a loss at home to Liverpool. That result would also leave Liverpool two points behind Wenger's third-place team.
Portsmouth still threatened by winding up order
PORTSMOUTH, England — Portsmouth appears to be heading for a winding up order in the High Court on Wednesday, struggling to reach a deal with the government's customs authority over overdue tax payments.
The winding up order goes to court in London and, if granted, Portsmouth could become the first Premier League team to go out of business.
Last in the Premier League standings and with its fourth different owner in six months, Portsmouth has run into one financial problems after another this season.
The southcoast club, which won the FA Cup two seasons ago, has missed paying its players and staff on time on four different occasions this season. It was banned from buying players in the January transfer window and, when it sold players, the Premier League passed the money on to clubs which were owed cash.
Now it is the subject of a winding up order by the Revenue and Customs authority and such a ruling could put it out of business.
Its latest owner, Hong Kong businessman Balram Chainrai, said within days of taking over that it was only a short-term arrangement and he was looking for someone else to buy the ailing club. Chainrai only took over Portsmouth because he had loaned the club money and he had reportedly become frustrated after it had missed several repayment deadlines.
When the season started, Israel-based businessman Sacha Gaydamak was in charge of Portsmouth and sold it to United Arab Emirates investor Sulaiman Al-Fahim. His ownership lasted less than six weeks as he failed to refinance the club and told it on to Saudi businessman Ali Al-Faraj.
Al-Faraj's takeover was portrayed as rescuing the club. But he struggled since October to find investors to pay taxes and the debts owed to other clubs.
Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie said ahead of Tuesday's Premier League game against Sunderland that there appeared to be progress towards finding new owners.
"I already have more than one interested party and am hopeful that we can finally find owners who have the best interests of everyone at the club at heart in order to move us forward," he wrote in the club's match magazine.
John Terry will play against Everton on Wednesday
LONDON — Chelsea captain John Terry will play against Everton on Wednesday after recovering from the minor leg injury he suffered in Sunday's win over Arsenal.
Chelsea said on its Web site on Tuesday that Terry had recovered from the 'dead leg' he picked up in the match.
"He had a little problem on his leg but he recovered very well and so will play tomorrow," manager Carlo Ancelotti said.
Terry, who was sacked as captain of the England national team on Friday after a string of allegations about his private life, received a standing ovation from the home crowd after the match against Arsenal.
Terry thanked all the fans when he told Chelsea TV, "It's a really emotional day for myself and the way the fans have been with me for the last two weeks, honestly it's incredible, I didn't expect that today. I go away full of delight today and I'd like to thank every single fan for the way they treated me."
Terry has faced much scrutiny over the past couple of weeks amid allegations he had an affair with former teammate Wayne Bridge's ex-girlfriend Vanessa Perroncel.
League leader Chelsea, currently two points clear of Manchester United, travels to Everton on Wednesday.
Spanish bank offers free match insurance
MADRID — The insurance branch of BBVA, Spain's second largest bank, and the country's professional football league have agreed a scheme to give free accident cover to up to 500,000 fans attending matches each weekend, the bank said Tuesday.
In order to be eligible for the insurance cover — which offers to pay €25,000 ($34,400) for an adult in case of death or permanent disablement through injury at a match — fans only need to be in possession of a valid ticket.
Anyone attending Primera Liga or second division matches from Saturday onwards who fulfilled these prerequisites would automatically receive free insurance cover, the bank said.
Official club fans would also be offered cover for the duration of travel to and from matches, so long as travel was organized by fan clubs and this was done in vehicles of over 12 seat capacity, BBVA said in a statement.
Spectators that are officially invited by clubs to attend matches would also receive cover, the bank said.
Persons under the age of 14 would only be covered to a sum of €5,000 ($6,880) in case of death or permanent disablement, the bank said.
"The object is for fans to feel that we are 'football's bank'," said Javier Bernal, business development director of BBVA said. He said the bank was not limiting the deal to just big clubs but to everyone with a love of football.
-- Harold Heckle
Ronaldinho omitted for Brazil’s exhibition
SAO PAULO — Ronaldinho was omitted Tuesday from Brazil’s 22-man roster for a March 2 exhibition against Ireland in London.
The 29-year-old midfielder hasn’t played for the national team since a World Cup qualifier against Peru in April 2009, but his improved recent performances with AC Milan have prompted fans and media to call for his return.
The game against Ireland currently is Brazil’s last scheduled match before its World Cup opener against North Korea on June 15.
Brazil coach Dunga said Ronaldinho was in contention for his World Cup roster.
"All players still have chances," he said. "We made an analysis of what are the best solutions needed for the national team and at this moment (Ronaldinho) is not part of them."
Dunga included Kleberson, a starter for Brazil when it won the 2002 World Cup. He also selected Barcelona right back Daniel Alves despite a muscle injury.
Some less experienced players who were summoned included AC Milan defender Thiago Silva, Cruzeiro midfielder Gilberto and Lyon left back Michel Bastos.
Brazil’s first-round group at the World Cup includes Ivory Coast and Portugal.
-- Tales Azzoni
Sao Paulo signs defender Cicinho on loan from Roma
SAO PAULO — Sao Paulo says it has agreed to sign right back Cicinho on a six-month loan deal from AS Roma.
Sao Paulo said Tuesday that Cicinho will stay until June 30 but the contract may be extended if it advances in the Copa Libertadores, Latin America's most important club competition.
Financial details were not immediately disclosed.
Cicinho was a key member of Sao Paulo's team when it won the 2005 Copa Libertadores. That same year, he also helped the team win the Sao Paulo state championship and FIFA's Club World Cup.
Cicinho missed several months last year with Roma because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
He scored 21 goals in 126 matches with Sao Paulo in 2004 and '05.
Barcelona defender Abidal out 8 weeks with injury
BARCELONA, Spain — Barcelona defender Eric Abidal has a leg injury and is likely to be sidelined for up to eight weeks.
The defending Spanish champions said Tuesday the Frenchman hurt a thigh at a training session.
Barcelona also said that captain Carles Puyol missed practice due to a slight muscle strain and was training away from the squad.
League leader Barcelona is five points ahead of second-place Real Madrid and is due to travel to Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
Ferdinand abandons appeal against ban
MANCHESTER, England — Rio Ferdinand has withdrawn his appeal against a four-game ban which the Manchester United defender received after elbowing Hull's Craig Fagan.
The Football Association had effectively added an extra game to the usual three-match ban because Ferdinand contested the charge of violent conduct — a defense which the FA later dismissed as "frivolous".
However, his denial delayed the suspension and meant he was able to play in United's League Cup semifinal victory over Manchester City.
After the ban was imposed, Ferdinand announced he would also contest the adding of the fourth game. But United said on Tuesday that England's newly-appointed captain had abandoned Friday's appeal.
Man United fan denies throwing coin at Bellamy
MANCHESTER, England — A Manchester United fan has appeared in court and denied throwing a coin at Man City striker Craig Bellamy at last month's League Cup semifinal.
Bellamy fell to the ground after he was struck while about to take a corner during United's 3-1 victory at Old Trafford. The result sent United through to the final.
Adam Teese, a 26-year-old United season-ticket holder, appeared at Trafford Magistrates Court on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to a charge of "throwing a missile."
The case was adjourned until May 13 when there is expected to be a two-day trial.
Bordeaux-Auxerre to change due to Champions League
PARIS — The French football league has agreed to push back Bordeaux's home match against Auxerre because it is too close to its Champions League game against Olympiakos.
Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc had complained that playing Auxerre on Feb. 20 was unfair because it was only three days before the trip to Olympiakos in the knockout round of the Champions League.
"It's a sensible decision which meets purely sporting priorities: namely to give (French) clubs the best conditions to get results in Europe," French league president Frederic Thiriez said in a statement. "This decision couldn't have been taken without Auxerre's sense of fair play."
No new date has been set for the Auxerre match.
Bordeaux, which leads Montpellier at the top of the French standings by three points, plays Monaco in the French Cup on Wednesday, followed by Saint-Etienne in the league at home Sunday and a League Cup semifinal against Lorient three days later.
Albania club accuses players of match fixing
TIRANA, Albania — Officials at Albanian club Apolonia Fieri say they have suspended four players and called on prosecutors to investigate allegations of match fixing.
Apolonia on Tuesday accused the four players of being involved in fixing two matches played last year in the country’s top league.
The club is currently eighth in Albania’s 12-team standings.
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