كريستيانو رونالدو: وضعت نفسي في مأزق صعب!

أكد كابتن المنتخب البرتغالي لكرة القدم كريستيانو رونالدو أن فريقه بلاده لا يملك هامشاً للخطأ أو إضاعة مزيد من النقاط إذا أراد التأهل إلى كأس العالم في البرازيل 2014.

واعترف الدون البرتغالي الذي بات أيقونة الفريق الملكي ريال مدريد بطل الدوري الاسباني، بأنه وزملاؤه وضعوا أنفسهم في مأزق صعب.

وقال رونالدو في تسجيل مصور على موقع الاتحاد البرتغالي: "لا يمكننا إظهار مزيد من الشكوك، لا يمكننا الخسارة أو التعادل في مباريات أكثر، هامش الخطأ منعدم ولذلك علينا دخول الملعب بطموح أن علينا الفوز في كل المباريات".

وأضاف صاروخ ماديرا: "المنتخب هو بيتي الثاني، كان من الأسهل العودة إلى مدريد لكنني قلت إنني أرغب في البقاء لأنني أحب أن أكون هنا واعتقد بأهمية دوري حتى وأنا غير قادر على اللعب".

وتقبع البرتغال في المركز الثالث خلف روسيا المتصدرة بأربع نقاط ومباراة أقل بينما يحتل فريق الكيان الإسرائيلي المركز الثاني.

ولن يشارك رونالدو في مباراة أذربيجان المقبلة بسبب تراكم البطاقات الصفراء لكنه قرر السفر مع المنتخب إلى باكو عوضاً عن ترك المعسكر والعودة لناديه ريال مدريد الاسباني.

وشدد رونالدو على قناعته الكبيرة بقدرة البرتغال على الفوز على أذربيجان والتأهل لكأس العالم 2014 مؤكدا أن الكفاح سيتواصل لتحقيق هذا الهدف.

وقال: "حسابيا الفرصة لا تزال قائمة، ولدي إحساس بأن المنتخب سيتحسن ونكون في المونديال. إنها مهمة صعبة، لكن ليست مستحيلة".

وأكد الهداف الدولي، الذي يتعرض لانتقادات في بعض الأحيان لعدم تألقه مع "برازيل أوروبا" بنفس القدر الذي يظهر به مع النادي الملكي، أنه مع المنتخب "روحا وجسدا"، واعترف بأنه "حزين" لحصوله على بطاقة صفراء في مباراة الكيان الإسرائيلي تسببت في غيابه عن لقاء الثلاثاء.

وأوضح النجم البرتغالي أنه دائما ما يحاول الرد الانتقادات التي تنال منه خصوصا في الفترة الأخيرة بشأن عدم تألقه من خلال الأداء في الملعب وليس عبر التصريحات الصحافية، وأنه يتواجد مع المنتخب "روحا وجسدا".

Casillas left out of Real Madrid squad

Madrid: Real Madrid have left out goalkeeper and former captain Iker Casillas for Saturday`s Primera Liga clash against Zaragoza.

Casillas has been back in full training for a week after recovering from a broken bone in his left hand. 

Casillas had been expected to be included in the squad with the big question whether or not he would go into the first team ahead of Diego Lopez, who was bought from Sevilla in January. Lopez was brought in as a cover for injured Casillas.

"He (Casillas) was passed fit a week ago, but he has not been passed as fit to compete. That is why he has not been called up," said Real Madrid assistant coach Aitor Karanka.

When asked when Casillas would be fit to compete the Madrid assistant coach limited himself to replying he would return, "when he is 100 percent to play, the same as any other player."

Karanka also refused to make a comparison between the two goalkeepers saying those present in the press conference would be, "better speaking to Silvino Louro - that is why he is our goalkeeping coach."

The decision to leave Casillas out of the squad will do little to calm speculation over the supposedly poor relationship between Casillas and Jose Mourinho, who had dropped the Spain international on a couple of occasions before his injury.

The relationship was not helped by stories that Casillas and defender, Sergio Ramos had spoken to club President, Florentino Perez warning him that several players would request transfers if Mourinho remained at the club past the end of this season.

Casillas`s journalist girlfriend, Sara Carbonero added fuel to the flames with declarations on Mexican television that the atmosphere in the Madrid dressing room was "not all good."

Lionel Messi scores in record 19th consecutive match for Barcelona

Galicia: Barcelona suffered a slight hiccup in their pursuit of the Liga title after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Celta Vigo at the Balaidos on Saturday.

Lionel Messi`s second-half strike means that he has now scored against every team in the Spanish top flight this season, during an incredible goalscoring streak that has spanned 19 consecutive games.

Celta certainly proved themselves to be no pushovers, however, and took a lead in the 38th minute through a close range Natxo Insa strike that reflected their encouraging first half play.

But Barca responded just before the interval, as Messi set up Tello for a splendidly taken equaliser, before converting the 21-year old forward`s pass in the 73rd minute to seemingly put the visitors on their way to all three points. 

However, with one minute remaining, Borja Oubina rose highest to head home the tying goal to deny the Blaugrana victory, though they still hold a 14 point lead at the top of the table. 

With Paris Saint-Germain on the horizon, interim coach Jordi Roura rang the changes, as Marc Bartra, Martin Montoya, Alex Song and Tello were all handed starts for the Catalans.

Celta had the ball in the back of the net as early as the 12th minute when Augusto Fernandez volleyed home with precision from the top of the box, but an earlier offside correctly ruled out the effort.

Barca were perhaps lacking a cutting edge in the final third as they struggled to create much more than half chances against a stubborn Celta defence.

The home crowd, already rocking long before kick-off, were left howling in disbelief when Park Chu-Young was bundled over by Bartra inside the area, only for the referee to wave play on.

But their side would grow in confidence as the first half wore on, and Jose Pinto had to be at his absolute best to parry a dodgy deflection off Gerard Pique, before recovering in time to deny Fernandez from the rebound.

Barca had a penalty shout of their own denied when Messi went down under pressure from Vadim Demidov, but the best openings continued to fall the way of the hosts, with Borja Oubina coming close with a header from a corner.

And with seven minutes to go until half time, Celta would get the goal that their play just about warranted. Fabian Orellana’s jerky run fooled the entire Barca defence, and despite his shot lacking any kind of power, Insa was there to prod home from in close.

But the Catalans would hit back before the break. Messi forced Javi Varas into a sprawling save from a 25-yard free-kick, before clipping a great ball over the defence to find Tello, who opened up his body to bend a sumptuous finish into the far corner.

Neither team really shone above the other in the initial stages of the second half, though Park had a decent opportunity when he stabbed Fernandez’ cross the wrong side of the post.

But it was a familiar combination that would send the Catalans into the lead, when Messi spread to Tello out wide, continued his run into the box, and stroked the return pass home from close range with 17 minutes remaining.

It seemed like the Catalans did enough to secure the win, but with stoppage time looming, Oubina headed home a cross at the far post to send the crowd into delirium and give the hosts a crucial point in their battle for survival.

Casillas left out of Real Madrid squad

Madrid: Real Madrid have left out goalkeeper and former captain Iker Casillas for Saturday`s Primera Liga clash against Zaragoza.

Casillas has been back in full training for a week after recovering from a broken bone in his left hand. 

Casillas had been expected to be included in the squad with the big question whether or not he would go into the first team ahead of Diego Lopez, who was bought from Sevilla in January. Lopez was brought in as a cover for injured Casillas.

"He (Casillas) was passed fit a week ago, but he has not been passed as fit to compete. That is why he has not been called up," said Real Madrid assistant coach Aitor Karanka.

When asked when Casillas would be fit to compete the Madrid assistant coach limited himself to replying he would return, "when he is 100 percent to play, the same as any other player."

Karanka also refused to make a comparison between the two goalkeepers saying those present in the press conference would be, "better speaking to Silvino Louro - that is why he is our goalkeeping coach."

The decision to leave Casillas out of the squad will do little to calm speculation over the supposedly poor relationship between Casillas and Jose Mourinho, who had dropped the Spain international on a couple of occasions before his injury.

The relationship was not helped by stories that Casillas and defender, Sergio Ramos had spoken to club President, Florentino Perez warning him that several players would request transfers if Mourinho remained at the club past the end of this season.

Casillas`s journalist girlfriend, Sara Carbonero added fuel to the flames with declarations on Mexican television that the atmosphere in the Madrid dressing room was "not all good."

Ronaldinho could be born on Goa`s beaches: FIFA official

Panaji: The world`s next Pele or Ronaldinho could be a youngster playing Football on Goa`s golden beaches, according to world football body FIFA`s pointsman for beach Football Joan Cusco.

Goa`s phenomenal beaches and the natural affinity which the locals have for the game of football would make beach Football a great success if properly implemented, the FIFA board member said on Saturday.

"Pele, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho they all grew up playing on beaches. They learnt their football there. Now, the world`s next Pele or Ronaldinho could be found on the beaches here," the Spaniard said, underlining the importance of the beach game in the lives of the Brazilian Footballing greats.

Cusco, who is the managing director of FIFA Beach Football and a sports marketing guru was in Goa to attend Goa International Football Table (GIFT), a two-day conference which discussed ways and means to create football-related infrastructure in the state.

The FIFA official said that beach Football was emerging as one of the hottest games on the horizon. In a matter of five years had spread from 30 markets to 130 markets globally, he said, adding that more outreach needed to be carried out in order to further increase the popularity of the sport.

"It is tremendously television friendly. So it can make very good product which can be marketed," Cusco said. "There is also a large audience and therefore we get a lot of sponsorship," he said.

Beach Football is a fast paced version of Football played on a smaller pitch on a beach with five players to a team. The rules are almost similar to football, but the fun, beach atmosphere, the casual, the shorter game time (three intervals of 12 minutes each) have made it the football equivalent of T-20 cricket.

The quick and informal nature of the game has propelled the game to heights of popularity, even eclipsing its other sand-game counterpart, beach volleyball.

"The beach volleyball people are speaking to us to join forces. That shows that beach volleyball has already outdone them in terms of popularity," Cusco said. "FIFA is 100 per cent behind beach Football," he further said.

Beach volleyball is only in a fledgling state in Goa, with very few amateur tourneys organised every year on the state`s beaches, which otherwise attract over 2.6 million tourists annually.

According to Cusco, Goa`s phenomenal beaches are a great draw for beach Football tourneys and the time was ripe to introduce beach Football on them.

"We are talking to the authorities here. There is a beach Football tournament in Dubai. We might get over a few teams here for a few matches," Cusco said.

IANS