Chelsea started their five game pre-season tour of Asia and Russia with a 4-0 win over Chinese club Guangzhou Pharmaceutica. The club’s new coach Luiz Felipe Scolari sent a strong team on the field and they dominated the game giving the Chinese no chance. Salomon Kalou, Frank Lampard, Franco Di Santo and Shaun Wright-Phillips scored to secure the team’s victory.
Blackburns Rovers’ goalie Brad Friedel could be moving to Aston Villa if a replacement is found for him. The 37-year-old has expressed his wishes to move to another club and Villa and Manchester City have shown the biggest interest. He joined the Blackburns in 2000 and played 287 matches for the club.
War of words broke out between FIFA and the European Club Association (ECA) about releasing players under 23 for the Beijing Olympic Games. FIFA’s president, Sepp Blatter, said that clubs must release the players, while the ECA issued a statement saying that there was no legal obligation for the clubs to release them. While we wait for the outcome of this, one thing is clear, once again money seems to be ruling over the sport.
The Swiss star Valon Behrami is moving from Serie A club Lazio to English Premier League’s team West Ham United. The English club paid 10 million dollars for 23 year old Switzerland international who was born in then Yugoslavia. Behrami started in 64 matches for Lazio scoring four goals.
Arsenal defender Kolo Toure was taken to the hospital on suspicion of catching malaria during his trip to his native Ivory Coast. He fell ill during Arsenal’s tour of Austria. More tests need to be done, but if it is malaria he could very well miss the beginning of Premier League season.
As was reported yesterday Spanish club Mallorca was for sale and today they reached a preliminary agreement to sell the club to a British investor. Owner of pipe fitting company Fluid Leader Group Plc., Paul Davidson known as “The Plumber” will pay 57 million dollars in exchange for 93.6 percent of the club. Mallorca chairman Vicente Grande and the management will remain in charge of the club.
arsenal aston villa Austria blackburns rovers brad friedel Chelsea chinese czechos soccer corner eca european club association Franco Di Santo Frank Lampard guangzhou pharmaceutica ivory coast kolo toure malaria Manchester City salomon kalou sepp blatter Shaun Wright Phillips swiss switzerland valon behrami west ham united yugoslavia