Heavyweight match Sunday

Heavyweight match Sunday:

Chelsea VS Manutd
Live from Stamford Bridge London
21/9/08
kickoff : 1400

Glory ! Glory! Manutd...

next united match : UCL

MANUTD VS VILLAREAL
17 SEPT 2008

'Healthy' Ronaldo set for comeback

MANCHESTER: Alex Ferguson is determined Manchester United will become the first club to defend its Champions League title, and what better time to reintroduce Cristiano Ronaldo after ankle surgery than for the start of the group stage.
It is likely the Portugal winger, who struck 42 goals last season, will make his highly anticipated return from July's ankle surgery against Villarreal tomorrow, Ferguson said .
It should help the Red Devils obliterate memories of Saturday's first Premiership loss at Liverpool in seven years.
"You have to recover, that's the name of the game," Ferguson said Sunday. "It's the Champions League and I think we are in a good group and I think we have a good chance of qualifying."
Striker Giuseppe Rossi has missed Villarreal's opening league games with a sprained left ankle and is doubtful for the return to Old Trafford.
Group E also includes the Celtic team from Ferguson's native Glasgow and Danish side Aalborg.
"The way I look at the Champions League is to get to 10 points," Ferguson said.
"If you get that you know you have qualified and you can look forward to February when it really starts to kick-in."
Twenty-four hours earlier, Chelsea, which was denied the European Cup on penalty kicks in May, hosts Bordeaux at the start of a long journey to the final at AS Roma's ground.
The Italians are also in Group A and meet Romanian Champions League newcomers CFR Clujnapoca. A Champions League triumph is top of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's priority list, and a second place wasn't enough to save former manager Avram Grant's job.
"For me, the Champions League is not more important than the Carling Cup," said new manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, referring to England's second-tier knockout competition.
"It is important but it is not more important than a league game. We need to think game by game."

source : http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=229097&Sn=SPOR&IssueID=31180

Man United's Nani: 'Don't Compare Me To Ronaldo'

Manchester United winger Nani has played down comparisons with Portuguese and Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.
21-year-old Nani arrived at Old Trafford from Sporting Lisbon last summer, who also sold Cristiano Ronaldo to the Red Devils in 2003. So given that Nani plays in a similar position, comparisons with Ronaldo were always going to be drawn.
Nani had a mixed first season in the Premier league with United, but did show some signs in his performances of why Sir Alex Ferguson paid Sporting £17million for him last summer.
However, the Portuguese International still aims to be one of the world elite, but insists he is a different type of player to Ronaldo, who is favourite to be crowned FIFA World Player of the Year this year.
“I do not want to be compared with Cristiano Ronaldo,’ said Nani.
“We have different functions and our style of play is different.
“My dream is not to be better than Cristiano Ronaldo, but to be considered as one of the major stars of world football.”
“To be the best I will have to work hard, I believe that I can be stronger and if I do that I will get where I want to be.”

source: http://www.premiershiplatest.com/news/man-uniteds-nani-dont-compare-me-ronaldo-5513871.html

Daftar percuma dapat RM21,tak nak ker?

Program survey, free money online, money onlineSalah satu peluang menjana wang secara online ialah menyertai program survey. Sebelum ni saja tak pernah bincang dalam blog saya kerana program survey yang saya join sebelum ni tak berapa best sebab lama-lama sekali baru dia hantar borang. Pastu selalu tak habis jawab ada ajer problem tak selesai. Ada juga yang saya jumpa yang bagus2 (orang kata) tapi kena bayar yuran dulu. Kalau anda orang baru tentu tak berani kan? Tapi... kali ni saya nak ajak rakan2 join kerana best: Pertama, Free. Kedua, daftar ajer dapat USD6. Ketiga soalan tak banyak sangat. Keempat jika dapat ajak kawan join dapat lagi USD1.25. Jadi macamna? Tak nak join? Saya tak paksa tapi rugi laa tak join sebab free...

Kalau nak join click pada iklan aw survey warna hijau tu..cepattt..

Zidane: Ronaldo is world's best

Holder of the world's largest transfer fee Zinedine Zidane picked up plentiful individual awards during his playing days and believes Cristiano Ronaldo is set to do the same.Zidane, who was awarded the Fifa World Player of the Year on three separate occasions, has backed Ronaldo to pick up the first of his this year for his 42-goal return last season. "Cristiano Ronaldo is in a good position to win it," Zidane is quoted by Setanta Sports as saying."Then, it’s a question of feeling. When I was playing, some preferred Zidane to Ronaldo and vice-versa... As far as I’m concerned, Cristiano Ronaldo has an edge regarding the whole season," he concluded.Ronaldo was recently rewarded with the Uefa Player of the Year award for his performances in last season's Champions League. He also scored the opening goal in the European final in Moscow.

United game 'too soon' for Gerrard's Liverpool return

Steven Gerrard has told Rafael Benítez that he is unlikely to be fit for Manchester United's visit to Anfield on Saturday and that Liverpool have to abandon their natural caution to close the gap on the Premier League's leading teams.
The Liverpool manager has set Gerrard the optimistic target of this weekend's clash with the champions to return from two minor groin operations that caused him to miss England's World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Croatia. Benítez is desperate to have his captain available to face United given that Fernando Torres is also scheduled to miss out with a hamstring injury. But Gerrard believes it would be too much of a risk to press him back into service just 15 days after going under the knife and that he should be spared until Liverpool's opening Champions League group game on September 16.
"That's a bit too soon," he said of a possible comeback against United. "I've a decent chance for the Champions League game in Marseille. I've spoken to the manager and told him I'd like to do a certain amount of training before I come back. I don't want to go into a big game only having had one session with the boys."
Regardless of whether he and Torres miss United's visit to Anfield, Gerrard believes Benítez's Liverpool have to show greater ambition against Sir Alex Ferguson's team and Chelsea than in recent seasons. "Against Chelsea in the cups, we've done them more than they've done us, but in the league we have to be a bit more attack-minded to win," added the Liverpool captain.
"Over the last couple of years we've gone into games against United and Chelsea very organised tactically - defensive if you like - and still lost 1-0. Have the same sound defence and show more bollocks going forward, and it could be 1-0 to us. In these matches the first goal is massive; if you concede it, nine times out of 10 you don't get back. It's important a few risks are taken to try to score that goal against these teams because it gives you such a psychological boost."

Lets celebrate Ramadan to all manutd supporters

Lets celebrate syahr Ramadan Al Mubarak with a lot of prayers,doa,tadabbur Al Quran...may god blessings us...Surah Nuh...really break my heart......syukran

Fantastic Ronaldo

See what Ronaldo can do...

Berbatov pics

Ronaldo targets early return from injury

Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo believes he could be playing again by the end of September.
The Portuguese underwent ankle surgery in July and initial forecasts were that he could be out of action until late October and possibly November.
But Ronaldo, who scored 42 goals last season to fire United to the Premier League title and Champions League, has been told to step up his rehabilitation after making better-than-expected progress.
'I am feeling fine. I am feeling really good and my recovery is going well,' the 23-year-old said.
'I am more than happy with my progress and I hope to be back playing for United by the end of September - that is my target and it is a realistic one.
'It has been frustrating to miss the start of the Premier League season but I am pleased with my rehabilitation and, hopefully, I'll be ready soon.'

Source : www.soccernet.com

O'Shea: I'll remain a Red

John O'Shea insists he is happy to stay at United for as long as Sir Alex Ferguson wants him in his squad.The versatile Irishman has frequently attracted interest from other clubs seeking to whisk him away from Old Trafford.Transfer deadline day will see plenty of activity on Monday, but rather than follow the lure of cementing the position of first-choice first-teamer elsewhere, O'Shea is intent on staying in Sir Alex's plans."I’ll be here hopefully as long as the manager wants me," he said. "That’ll be the case for me. It’s a squad game and who’s to say that if I went to a different team it wouldn’t be the same?"The Republic of Ireland international knows competition for places is fierce in a squad of United's strength but, for O'Shea, little competes with the challenge of trying to make it into the Reds' line-up."I’m at Manchester United and I’m happy doing what I do," he says."It’s a case of when I get the chance I’ve got to make sure I give the manager a difficult choice to leave me out of the team. That’s the challenge I face every time I play."

Source : www.manutd.com

Dimitar Berbatov is exactly what Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United need

From Mark McGhee and Eric Black at Aberdeen to Eric Cantona and Ruud van Nistelrooy at Manchester United, Ferguson's trophy-winning teams have been styled as well as built on the foundations of his attacking options. Yet with riches in every other department – and Tottenham threatening to leave Dimitar Berbatov in the reserves for the season – the permutations up front most exercise his mind.
United won the Premier League and Champions League last season with virtually the same set of players, yet there were exceptional circumstances, notably Cristiano Ronaldo's 42 goals. Ronaldo has been unavailable so far this season, and the warning signs are already there.
Newcastle and Kevin Keegan are hardly synonymous with competent defending, but they still managed to frustrate United enough to grind out a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on the opening day of the season. United's 1-0 win was a significant result at such a difficult away venue as Fratton Park but, including the Community Shield, United have also scored just once in 180 minutes this season against a Portsmouth team that Chelsea demolished 4-0.
The difficulty is clear. Magnificent player that he is, Wayne Rooney does not naturally lead the line. The same can be said of Carlos Tevez. Indeed, with Louis Saha and Ronaldo sidelined, United lack not only a player who can naturally hold the ball up, but also any significant attacking aerial threat.
The wonderful intricate passing of the likes of Rooney, Tevez and Paul Scholes can still overcome most teams, yet there is the danger that they will become too predictable. As he watched over his team last night, Ferguson could only have imagined what possibilities Berbatov could bring.
In each of his first two seasons for Tottenham, he scored 23 goals, but he also provided the sort of physical presence and silky touch to extract the best from his partner up front.
Berbatov also seemed most likely to deliver in the biggest matches. Ferguson has often talked of a player's ability to cope with the Old Trafford stage. However distasteful, his recent behaviour also points to a self-belief that he belongs at one of Europe's biggest clubs.
Rooney, with his wonderful ability to roam into dangerous positions and make devastating runs, would surely also thrive in the company of a central player with Berbatov's skill.
Ferguson has admitted that he had been guilty of sacrificing Rooney's goal-scoring edge by asking him to play in different roles for the greater good of the team.
"We've played him wide and in other positions," Ferguson said. "He'd play centre-half if you asked him to. I think his best position is through the middle, either a front role or tucking in just behind."
In Berbatov, it would seem, Ferguson sees a player of quality in his own right and an answer to the Rooney conundrum.
Ultimately, it will come down to money. Tottenham believe United should match Chelsea's British record transfer fee of £30 million for Andrei Shevchenko. United are understandably wary, yet allowing the moment to pass could prove even more costly.

Source : http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/2622414/Dimitar-Berbatov-is-exactly-what-Sir-Alex-Ferguson-and-Manchester-United-need---Football.html

Goal.com Profile: Dimitar Berbatov

Having become the subject of the eighth most expensive transfer in football history - on the same day that Robinho’s deal put him fifth on that particular list - Dimitar Berbatov fulfilled his ’dream.’
The Bulgarian striker, disaffected at White Hart Lane, moved to Old Trafford on transfer deadline day for £30.75million, bringing to an end a protracted and often bitter episode of brinkmanship between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, for whom he has signed a four-year contract, with Fraizer Campbell joining Spurs on a season-long loan as part of the deal.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has long coveted the Bulgarian with the silkily sublime skills, and hailed him as one of the best strikers in world football when he’d finally signed him. But Berbatov, who is revered in his native country, and who made an immediate impact on the Premier League when he joined Spurs, also displayed a sulky side, and had been axed from Juande Ramos’s squad and criticised by his team-maters in his final week as a Tottenham player.
So who exactly have United bought for so much money, and what makes him tick?
Early Days
Dimitar Berbatov was born in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, on 30th January 1981, to sporting parents. His mother Margarita was a professional handball player; father Ivan a professional footballer with local side Pirin Blagoevgrad.
It was at the same club, Pirin, that Dimi began his own career, having been in love with the game since boyhood. He is said to have supported AC Milan initially, modelling himself on their superstar Dutch forward of the time, Marco van Basten. However, when he was 15 he discovered a new hero at Euro 96 - England striker Alan Shearer. His dream then was to play for Newcastle United and wear for real the famous black-and-white striped shirt rather than the replica one he insisted on sleeping in.
Role models loomed large in Berbatov’s early life because he taught himself English with the aid of repeated viewings of the Godfather films; his distinctive appearance today owes much to his resemblance to the actor Andy Garcia, who figured prominently in the third film of the mafia trilogy.
CSKA Sofia & International Recognition
Having followed in his father’s footsteps to Pirin Blagoevgrad, he was soon spotted by top Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia, who signed him when he was just 17. In the 1998-99 season, aged 18, he made his debut for the capital club. He made 16 first team appearances and scored six goals that season.
The following campaign (1999-2000) saw him net 16 goals in 33 appearances in all competitions, and the next season he’d scored 15 in just 16 games before Bayer Leverkusen bought him in January 2001.
By then Berbatov had won the Bulgarian Cup with CSKA in 1999 and earned his first cap for Bulgaria, against Greece, in November of the same year. Within three months he’d scored his first international goal, against Chile.
The Move To Bayer Leverkusen
His German career began fairly quietly, Berbatov averaging a goal every four games (16 in his first 67 appearances) in a Bayern shirt. But he was making an impression in the Champions League, scoring a classic individual goal against Lyon in his first season with the club, then netting against Liverpool in the quarter-finals and replacing Thomas Brdaric after 38 minutes in the final against Real Madrid.
In 2001–02, as well as finishing runners-up to Real in that Champions League final, Leverkusen were runners-up in both the German Bundesliga and the DFB Pokal (national Cup), and by 2002-03 Berbatov had established himself as Bayer’s leading striker, although he managed only four Bundesliga goals that season. In contrast, his five in six games for his country helped Bulgaria qualify for Euro 2004.
In 2003-04 he hit 19 goals in 36 games for Bayer, and in 81 appearances over the subsequent two seasons he racked up a further 50 goals for the club, including five in the Champions League of 2004-05. That season saw him named Bulgarian player of the year for the third campaign in succession.
By now major clubs throughout Europe were monitoring his progress with keen interest and in summer 2006 they were vying for his services. He might have joined Manchester United then, but by their own admission they acted too slowly and Tottenham Hotspur won the race, snaring Berbatov for £10.9million in May of that year. The fee made him the costliest Bulgarian player in history. On 1st July 2006, after he’d been granted a work permit, his transfer was completed.
On To Tottenham Hotspur
Berbatov scored two goals in two minutes in his first Spurs match, a pre-season friendly against Birmingham City. That was followed by a goal just two minutes intoi his first competitive match for Tottenham, a Premier League clash against Sheffield United at White Hart Lane.
Despite the then Spurs manager Martin Jol’s rotation policy with his forwards, Berbatov established an excellent strike partnership with Robbie Keane. In the first of his two full seasons with Tottenham, the Bulgarian scored 23 goals in 49 games, including seven in the Lilywhites’ Uefa Cup campaign. 12 of his goals had come in the Premier League, but he’d also supplied 11 assists in his 33 appearances. In April 2007, joint-winners Berbatov and Keane became the first players to share the Barclays Premier League Player of the Month Award since Arsenal’s Dennis Bergkamp and Edu (February 2004). Berbatov was also selected in the Premier League's PFA Team of the Season, and was named the Tottenham Hotspur player of the season for 2006-07.
A further 23 goals followed last season, including his first Premier League hat-trick on 29th December 2007 when he hit four in Tottenham’s 6–4 win over Reading. He also scored at Wembley in the Carling League Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley - an equalising penalty as Spurs won 2-1 in extra-time to give him his first medal in English football.
Finally, Transferred To Manchester United
Throughout the summer of 2008 Berbatov was unsettled by rumours of a substantial bid from Manchester United - a club whose style of play, success and participation in the Champions League fuelled his ambition.
In July Ferguson was wrongly quoted as saying: "We have made Tottenham an offer on Berbatov," and Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy flew into a rage of righteous indignation, reporting United to the Premier League and threatening to submit a dossier of evidence dating back a year detailing what they claimed represented an illegal approach to Berbatov by United, who denied any wrong-doing
By mid-August, reports were claiming that United had lodged a bid for Berbatov with Spurs. Ramos felt the speculation meant Berbatov had lost focus and, although he trained with the first-team, he was dropped for Tottenham’s games against Sunderland and Chelsea.
On Monday 1st September, transfer deadline day, Manchester City - newly taken over by an organisation acting for the Abu Dhabi royal family, had a bid for Berbatov accepted by Spurs. But United managed to hijack the deal with what has been described as a smash-and-grab raid - one that reputedly left Spurs fuming, though they have decided not to pursue any legal action against the Red Devils. Spurs claimed United had illegally approached the player, who was flying into Manchester for talks with City, when Ferguson met him at Manchester Airport without Spurs’ permission. Ferguson apparently drove Berbatov in his Bentley with the player hiding under a cover on the back seat.
Did You Know?
Outside football, Berbatov’s hobbies include drawing and basketball.
Berbatov scored his first Premier League double for Spurs in a 5–1 victory over Charlton Athletic.
Berbatov came on as a second half substitute for Tottenham against Fulham in the FA Cup to score his first two goals in the competition.
When Arsenal beat Spurs in the North London derby on 22nd December 2007. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger compared Berbatov to Thierry Henry.
Others have predicted that his influence on Manchester United’s young side could be similar to that of Eric Cantona’s in the early-mid 1990s.
Berbatov has been given United’s number 9 shirt, vacated by Louis Saha.

Career Summary
Dates
Club
Appearances
Goals
1998-2001
CSKA Sofia
65
37
2001-2006
Bayer Leverkusen
195
90
2006-2008
Tottenham Hotspur
102
46
2008-
Manchester United
0
0
1999-
Bulgaria
65
43


Personal Details

Name
Dimitar Ivanov Berbatov
Date of birth
30 January 1981
Place of birth
Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
Height
1.89 m (6ft 2 1/2 in)
Position
Striker

Costliest Transfers In Football History
01 Zinedine Zidane, Juventus-Real Madrid £46m 02 Luis Figo, Barcelona-Real Madrid £38.7m 03 Hernan Crespo, Parma-Lazio £35.5m 04 Gianluigi Buffon, Parma-Juventus £32.6m 05 Robinho, Real Madrid-Manchester City £32.5m 06 Christian Vieiri, Lazio-Inter Milan £32m 07 Andrei Shevchenko, AC Milan-Chelsea £30.8m 08 Dimitar Berbatov, Tottenham-Manchester United £30.75m 09 Pavel Nedved, Lazio-Juventus £30.6m 10 Rio Ferdinand, Leeds United- Manchester United £29.1m 11 Gaizka Mendieta, Valencia-Lazio £29m 12 Ronaldo, Inter Milan-Real Madrid £29.49m 13 Juan Sebastian Veron, Lazio-Manchester United £28.1m 14 Wayne Rooney, Everton-Manchester United £27m

Source :http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=846822

Torres set to miss UNITED clash

FERNANDO TORRES looks certain to miss Liverpool’s big showdown with Manchester United on September 13.
The Spanish hitman limped out of Sunday’s 0-0 draw at Aston Villa and a scan confirmed he tore a hamstring.
Boss Rafa Benitez has been told he could be out for three weeks while skipper Steven Gerrard is also struggling to be fit to face United at Anfield after a groin op.
Torres has been withdrawn from Spain’s qualifiers with Bosnia and Armenia over the next few days.
He could also be struggling for the opening Champions League group game against Marseille in a fortnight.
At least Benitez got a lift after completing the signing of Espanyol winger Albert Eiera for a knockdown fee of around £5.5million.
It is a real coup for the Reds as rivals Everton bid £12m last month.
However with defender Steve Finnan going in the opposite direction in an independent transfer worth around £1.2m, the Reds drove a hard bargain for the former Manchester City ace.
Benitez said: “He also had offers from other English clubs but said no because he wanted to play for us. That means a lot to me because it shows the commitment he has to play for Liverpool.
“He can talk English and of course he knows the Premier League, which is a big bonus.
“He’s the kind of player we have been talking about. He can beat players and get good deliveries into the area for our strikers.
The 26-year-old has signed a four-year deal with an option of a further 12 months if he does well.
Riera became the target for Benitez after he failed to land Gareth Barry and Stewart Downing.
Finnan, 32, leaves Anfield after five seasons and has signed a two-year deal with Espanyol.
Striker Andrei Voronin has also left on loan to Hertha Berlin.
Benitez also signed Brazilian striker Vitor Flora, 18, on a free from Botafogo plus Hungarian keeper Peter Gulasci, 18, from MTK Hungaria.

Source : http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article1634687.ece

Berbatov joined UNITED

Dimitar Berbatov has signed a four-year deal with Manchester United.
One of the summer's longest-running transfers was finally concluded, with Fraizer Campbell going to Tottenham in a year-long loan.
United have not confirmed how much they have paid for the 27-year-old but Tottenham revealed they had agreed a fee of £30.75million.
As part of the deal, Tottenham have agreed not to pursue a complaint against United for making an illegal approach to the player.
After a breathless afternoon, in which Berbatov spent time at United's Carrington training complex and then Old Trafford, he was then taken to a south Manchester hospital for a medical.
With no problems reported, he returned to Old Trafford, where he was greeted warmly by Sir Alex Ferguson and chief executive David Gill to begin the long wait to see if a deal could be done that would eventually see Berbatov wear the number nine shirt vacated by Louis Saha, following the Frenchman's sale to Everton.

Source : http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/national/2008/09/02/berbatov-seals-united-move-97319-21652312/