Maldini: We Can't Always Play Well

The Rossoneri had won five consecutive matches, before drawing 0-0 at the Stadio Sant' Elia against lowly Cagliari on Sunday evening. Milan struggled to breakdown the relegation contenders, but Paolo Maldini does not believe the result is any reason for the fans to worry.

"You cannot always play well," said Maldini, who is expecting to retire at the end of this season. "We are a team that's very organized and are providing some continuity. I think that after the nice round of victories that we achieved, we are allowed to come home from Cagliari with just a point."

Milan did start off the season by losing their first two Serie A matches, but have now turned it around with 10 points in their last four games. The Rossoneri however, struggled to create scoring opportunities on Sunday, just as they did against Bologna and Genoa earlier in the season.

"Certainly not having a centre forward is a problem," claimed Maldini, referring to the injury enforced absence of Marco Borriello. "Playing without such a position is now a prerogative of our team and so we play with a rectangle (in attack)."

Now, Milan may recover some of their injured personnel as there is an international break due to the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. The Rossoneri return to action on October 19th to face Sampdoria at the San Siro.

Robinho 'Wanted To Reject City'

Ribeiro has revealed that Robinho was just about to sign for Chelsea when Premier League rivals City came in with a bigger offer which was eventually accepted by the Real Madrid hierarchy.

Wagner Ribeiro has even claimed that he had bought tickets to fly to London ready to confirm and seal the deal with Chelsea.

It has also been revealed that Chelsea made a later offer of £33million for Robinho, but Madrid would not accept it.

The little Brazilian playmaker has been a big hit in his opening few games for Man City, but even he believed he would sign for Chelsea just hours before the transfer window closed.

Ribeiro told Setanta Sports: “If you are going to sell cakes in the market, we have a better offer from Manchester City," he said.

Real were informed by Ribeiro that Robinho would reject a move to The City of Manchester Stadium.

“I told him that Robinho will reject it but they accepted it. I then demanded a salary higher than Chelsea’s offer and got 15 percent more.

“At the last moment, Chelsea offered €42 million but Real did not want to hear of it. Their pride would not allow it.”

Juventus Ready To Pounce For Joaquin

The Bianconeri have been following the Spanish international for quite a while and he was even a target for Fabio Capello when he was in charge at the club.

However, those plans were put on hold when the Calciopoli scandal erupted in 2006.

Joaquin has now returned onto the club's radar and, although plenty has changed in two years, the Old Lady is following him with great interest.

Juventus are currently short of wingers and the player's ability to play on either side of midfield appeals to coach Claudio Ranieri.

Tuttosport claims directors at Vinovo are keen to get the ball moving and they may try and make a bid as early as January during the winter transfer window.

Joaquin's contract with Los Che expires in 2012. The player hinted that he wouldn't mind making a move to Juve.

"Luis Del Sol won plenty with that shirt and even he, like me grew up at Real Betis," Joaquin said.

The Spanish midfielder is being lined up as a replacement for Pavel Nedved. The Czech star just doesn't seem to have the legs in him anymore and he has been poor this season, with reports suggesting he will be hanging up his boots in May.

Juventus are likely to make a move before the other giants show interest in an attempt to stop Valencia raising the player's price as a result of the competition from the clubs with mega buying powers.

Man City 2-3 Liverpool

Dirk Kuyt scored his first Premier League goal since November to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory for Liverpool at Manchester City.

The Holland striker rattled the ball home in stoppage time to stun 10-man City.

• Benitez hails determination

The home side had raced into a two-goal lead in the first half through Stephen Ireland and Javier Garrido.

Fernando Torres pulled a goal back before City's Pablo Zabaleta was sent off.

The momentum was then with Liverpool with Torres adding a second before Kuyt, who was guilty of a shocking earlier miss, having the final word.

Liverpool almost went ahead as early as the fourth minute when Albert Riera got a good touch and goalkeeper Joe Hart had to look alert to turn his effort around the post.

The visitors kept up the pressure and launched a swift counter-attack in the 15th minute. Javier Mascherano, who was preferred to Robbie Keane tried to send Steven Gerrard clear.

However Shaun Wright-Phillips showed his defensive qualities to get in a crucial challenge.

Three minutes later Kuyt should have put Liverpool ahead only to sky his shot over the top in front of the post after Riera had set up the opening.

City made the breakthrough a minute later thanks to Ireland's third goal of the season.

Wright-Phillips did well to cut the ball back from the by-line but it seemed to get stuck under Robinho's feet.

However it eventually fell to Ireland and the ever-improving midfielder rifled an unstoppable shot into the corner.

Whenever Liverpool did break forward City were defending in numbers from front to back.

Xabi Alonso tried his luck from distance in the 38th minute but Hart was equal to his effort.

City extended their lead three minutes later after Wright-Phillips was bundled over Riera, who had a spell on loan at Eastlands.

Garrido stepped up and sent a superb free-kick over a stunned Reina for his first goal for the club.

However it was game on the 56th minute with Liverpool pulling a goal back through Torres.

England midfielder Steven Gerrard, a subdued figure in the first half, began the move by releasing Alvaro Arbeloa.

He skipped to the byline before delivering a cross into the path of Torres, who scored from close range.

It was the Spain striker's fourth goal of the league campaign and came on the back of his brace in the victory over Everton.

This was now a test of character for City, whose own form in the domestic campaign has been a little bit inconsistent.

However they hit back and Wright-Phillips skipped down the wing in the 65th minute, leaving Liverpool players trailing in his wake.

He picked out Robinho but he was unable to test Reina, his effort going over the bar.

The game took a dramatic twist in the 68th minute when City were reduced to 10 men.

Zabaleta was sent off by referee Peter Walton for what the official deemed as a two-footed lunge on Alonso, who needed brief treatment.

Keane was introduced at the expense of Mascherano in the 72nd minute and a minute later Liverpool were level.

Torres peeled away from his marker as Gerrard swung in the corner and thumped home a header.

He had a chance of completing his hat-trick in the 82nd minute only to send his effort at the back post wide of the target.

Kuyt then secured the points in stoppage time, smashing the ball high into the net after Torres' shot had bobbled off Dunne and into his path.

Benitez hails determinationLiverpool manager Rafael Benitez praised his side for the "fantastic'' character that enabled them to stretch their unbeaten run to 12 matches.

Benitez said: "Our character and determination shone through in the second half. It was fantastic. We were made to pay for two mistakes but we went on to show a good mentality to win the game,'' said Benitez.

"The belief of the players was the key to our success. I just told the team at half-time that we just needed one goal to get back in the game. Physically were are in good condition as well and the players are ready for every game.''

Benitez acknowledged the key contribution from Torres who is hitting top form.

"We all know how important Torres is for us,'' said the Liverpool boss. "He is always a threat for defenders. He can score goals and he also gives space to his team-mates. He is a great boy with an excellent mentality.''

Torres sparked the Reds fightback by pulling a goal back before Pablo Zabaleta was sent off for the home side by referee Peter Walton following a challenge on Xabi Alonso. City manager Mark Hughes had no complaints about the sending off after watching TV replays.

He said: "I have seen it in slow motion and he makes contact with the player's standing leg. Pablo has cleared the ball and the man as well. I can see why the referee has given it.

"That made it difficult for us as it is hard enough with 11 men against the top four teams, never mind being a man down.''

Hughes added: "I thought we were excellent in the first half and took the game to Liverpool. We caused them a lot of problems. The disappointing thing from our point of view is we let them back into the game so early in the second half.

"Then, after the sending off, we just tried to get through the game only for Liverpool to get the win when maybe we should have had something to show for our efforts.''

Benitez admits he fears the worst regarding Skrtel's knee injury.

"We have to wait for the scan but we think it could be serious. When a player like Martin is on the ground you know it's serious so we will keep our fingers crossed that it won't be too bad.''

review Real Madrid vs Espanyol

Real Madrid's nine-match winning streak at the Bernabeu was brought to an end on Sunday night as they were held 2-2 by Espanyol.

Madrid had won every competitive match in front of their own fans since losing to Valencia in March, but that run came to an end in an encounter where all four goals came in the first half - and from discarded Spain strikers.

Raul Tamudo and Luis Garcia twice put Espanyol ahead only for Raul to level up both times for Madrid, who had also won six successive matches this season prior to this.

A few wayward shots from the hosts summed up a largely uninspiring opening 20 minutes, and the first thing of note that either goalkeeper had to do was for Iker Casillas to pick the ball out of his net after Espanyol had taken a shock lead.

A hopeful long ball forward from the visiting defence was latched onto by the ever-alert Tamudo and, after progressing into the area, he was sent flying by Gabriel Heinze's sliding challenge.

The referee had no doubts about the penalty and Tamudo dusted himself off before sending Casillas the wrong way from the spot - the 30-year-old's first-ever league goal at the Bernabeu.

Espanyol's lead lasted barely two minutes though before Raul, Madrid's long-serving captain, drew the champions level.

Sergio Ramos floated a tempting cross into the Espanyol box and Raul finished it off with a downward header past Carlos Kameni from near the penalty spot.

Raul's strike, his third in the league this season, should have been the signal for in-form Madrid to take control of the game, but they soon found themselves trailing again as Espanyol made it three goals in 10 minutes.

A low cross-shot from Roman Martinez fizzed across the no-man's land between Casillas and his defenders, and Luis Garcia slid in at the far post to net against the club where he started his career.

The slow start to the game was now firmly forgotten, and Espanyol really should have gone 3-1 up in the 40th minute.

Luis Garcia was unlucky to see his clever free-kick hit the near post, and then after picking up the rebound he floated over a cross that the unmarked Moises Hurtado somehow managed to nod wide.

The reaction of the Espanyol players revealed just how good a chance that was, and the visitors were made to pay right on the stroke of half-time as Raul equalised.

The two minutes of injury-time were almost up when a deep free-kick into the Espanyol box was collected by Raul, who showed quick feet to slot a low effort past Kameni, sending Madrid into the changing rooms on level terms.

The second half continued in a similar vein to the first, with Madrid largely dominating territory and possession but with Espanyol looking the more effective going forward.

Madrid started to move up through the gears though, and Kameni was called on to make two superb saves to keep out a deflected effort from team-mate Daniel Jarque and then an instinctive volley from Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Wesley Sneijder had been sent into the action by this stage, making his first appearance since suffering a knee injury during pre-season, but even his return could not inspire Madrid as Espanyol deservedly avoided defeat for the first time in eight league visits here.

Introduce this site

Dear all friends...

Today is good for me coz...this day i begin to start my blog, this blog contain everthing about top three league in the world....
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