Juventus' lose is Celtic's gain- Chiellini out for 3 months

This is a tough loss for Juventus. Chiellini is big part of what Juve does and is a seasoned veteran and leader that will be missed.

On a side note (as a Celtic fan), I'll take any help I can get at this point. I hate to see anyone injured and would never wish for it but I'm certainly not upset in the least.


Via ESPN-Tests have confirmed that Juventus vice-captain Giorgio Chiellini will spend three months on the sidelines after tearing his calf.

Chiellini, 28, suffered the injury in training and comes as a huge blow to Juve who only this week cancelled the contract of Brazilian defender Lucio.

A statement on the club's official website said: "This morning Giorgio Chiellini underwent an ultrasound scan
at Turin's Istituto di Medicina dello Sport medical centre.

"The scan revealed a tear in the defender's right calf. He will begin his rehabilitation programme, defined by the club's medical staff, over the course of the next few days."

Conte's men, who lead Serie A by seven points, face Cagliari on Friday night before a two-week winter break begins.

He told the club's official website: "It's a shame Chiellini's injured, he's a player everyone would like to have, for what he offers both on and off the field of play.

"He's one of our leaders. But I'm convinced he'll come back stronger than before, looking to recover as soon as possible with the help of the club's medical staff."



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FIFA World Rankings out-now someone please explain them to me.

I have to say that the FIFA World rankings make no sense to me. The United States defeats Mexico, in Mexico, Italy, in Italy, and ties Russia, IN RUSSIA(!!!), and somehow drops in the rankings. But then again trying understand anything FIFA does is pretty pointless.


Via Associated Press-ZURICH -- World Cup and European champion Spain has completed a full year atop the FIFA rankings, 2014 World Cup host Brazil has plummeted to No. 18 and the U.S. dropped one spot to No. 28.

Brazil has dropped while playing only non-competitive matches, and failed to win last month.

Brazil lost against Argentina, which remains at No. 3, and drew with Colombia, which rises to No. 5.

The rankings weigh a four-year results cycle, and Brazil lost points from a 6-2 victory over Portugal in 2008.

Spain leads No. 2 Germany, with European Championship finalist Italy at No. 4. England is No. 6, and Europe fills all places through Switzerland at No. 12.

Ivory Coast is Africa's best at No. 14. Mexico is No. 15, and Japan leads Asia at No. 22.

Arsenal fans finally get some good news!

Finally Arsenal fans have something to be happy about. Five main (young) pieces of their future have committed long term to the team. Wilshere and Ox-Chamberlain are the two biggest victories for Arsenal although all five will be big time players for the Gunners down the road.

Arsenal are a young team and despite the down year they've been having they will only continue to improve.

What do you think Arsenal fans??


Via ESPN-Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs, Aaron Ramsey and Carl Jenkinson have signed new long-term contracts with Arsenal.

Wilshere, 20, has recently made his comeback from a lengthy period on the sidelines and has impressed during his ten appearances in all competitions this season.

Gibbs, 23, has also struggled for fitness but has enjoyed a run in the side of late at left back, while Oxlade-Chamberlain, 19, has steadily made an impression on the first team since signing from Southampton in 2011.

Ramsey, 21, has recovered from a nasty leg break he sustained in 2010 to be a regular squad player for the Gunners, while Jenkinson, who joined from Charlton in 2011, has provided competition to Bacary Sagna.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said on the club's official website: "We are delighted that these five young players have all signed new long-term contracts.

"The plan is to build a team around a strong basis of young players, in order to get them to develop their talent at the club. Jack is certainly the best known, the leader of this group - but the other four players are exceptional footballers, and we're very happy that we could conclude their new deals at the same time."

He continued: "Gibbs, Jenkinson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey and Wilshere represent a core of the squad and it's an extension for a long period for all of them.

"I'm a strong believer in stability and I believe when you have a core of British players, it's always easier to keep them together and that's what we'll try to achieve going forward."



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Argentina journalists don't vote Messi as best athlete

As I know next to nothing about any other athletes from Argentina I don't really know if this is news or not. After looking at the winners from previous years it doesn't seem to be that big of a deal. Messi won it last year and Maradona only won it twice in his career and those were 7 years apart..        



Via Associated Press-BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- Argentine journalists don't think Lionel Messi is the country's best athlete for 2012.

Argentine boxer Sergio Martinez was awarded the title of "Olimpia de Oro," given to the South American country's top athlete in voting by the Circulo de Periodistas -- or association of journalists.

Martinez defeated Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. earlier this year in their WBC title fight.

Barcelona star Messi, who has had a record-breaking year with 90 goals, didn't even finish second in the voting. That went to Sebastian Crismanich, the taekwondo fighter who won Argentina's only gold medal in the London Olympics. Messi finished third.

No posts today except to say that everyone impacted by the atrocities in Connecticut is in our hearts and thoughts. Pray to whomever it is you pray to today and most importantly hug your children.


-Jay N

Don't piss off Pepe! He'll kick you in the balls.

So this happened during Real's loss to Celta Vigo.

Abby Wambach is a boss- now has 150 international goals

I don't even know what I can say about Abby Wambach that anyone who has ever watched her play doesn't immediately know. She's the best of the best in the world of women;s soccer. It's going to amazing to watch her smash Mia Hamm's record of 158 international goal.

My hat's off to you Ms. Wambach.


Via Associated Press-HOUSTON -- Abby Wambach scored twice Wednesday night to become only the second soccer player to reach 150 international goals, and the United States beat China 4-0 in an exhibition game Wednesday night.

"I'm just really lucky," said Wambach, who helped lead the U.S. women to a fourth Olympic gold medal at the London Games. "I've got really good players around me. They make me look good so often, so we're having a blast."

Carli Lloyd and Amy Rodriguez also scored to help the Americans extend their unbeaten streak to 22.
The night, however, belonged to Wambach.

She opened the scoring in the 20th minute, splitting two defenders to head home Heather O'Reilly's cross from the right side.

"I was lucky to have Abby in the box for the first goal," O'Reilly said. "That got us going. ... One hundred and fifty international goals is quite the feat. I'm so fortunate to have her on my team. I sure wouldn't want to be playing against her."

Wambach also slotted home an 8-yard rocket after cutting across a defender in the 63rd minute for her 25th goal of the year.

"She makes my job easy," U.S. coach Jill Ellis said. "When all is said and done and you deal with tactics and deal with teams, it comes down to special players, and that exactly what Abby is. She's a tremendous finisher inside the 18(-yard box). She's clearly the best in the world."

The 32-year-old Wambach needs eight goals to tie Mia Hamm as the U.S women's career leader.

"She's one of the bravest players in the world, maybe the bravest player in the world," O'Reilly said. "And that's why she's able to finish so many goals. She takes us on her back so many games, so I'm so happy she was able to get some in the back of the net tonight."

Wambach's two-goal game came some eight years after she scored five times in a 5-0 victory over Ireland at Houston's Reliant Stadium.

"Somehow, I like Houston," Wambach said. "I like playing here."

Lloyd gave the four-time gold medalists a 2-0 lead in the 62nd minute earlier with a header of her own off Megan Rapinoe's corner kick.

Rodriguez capped the scoring with a 7-yard shot off a save by goalkeeper Wang Fei in the 85th minute.

The exhibition before 15,643 fans at BBVA Compass Stadium was the ninth match in the 10-game Fan Tribute Tour that wraps up Saturday in Boca Raton, Fla., with the third straight game against China.

The top-ranked Americans are 16-0-3 against China dating to 2003.




Photograph: Carlos Serrao for ESPN

So the Copa Sudamericana final was a display of how awesome of a World Cup host Brazil will be

I was having a conversation with a friend last night about why soccer fans are so violent in other countries and to be honest we, as American sports fans, just don't get it. There's nothing comparable here in the US. Yes I know there's always a small riot/car burning bonanza after some sports final every year in the US but I've never heard of American police pulling guns on the visiting team (or home team for that matter).

Great job by FIFA on choosing Brazil as their next World Cup host. This is going to go swimmingly.


Via ESPN FC-Tigre have accused police of pulling guns on their players at half-time in the second leg of their Copa Sudamericana final at Sao Paulo.

The Argentinian club's players refused to come back out onto the pitch for the second half of the match, with Sao Paulo declared the winners of the tournament.

Tigre claimed they had been attacked by around 20 men in the dressing room following a brawl involving players and officials as the teams left the pitch at half-time.

"They pulled two guns on us, the rest of the match is not going to be played," Nestor Gorosito, the Tigre coach, told Fox Sports at the stadium.

"They ambushed us and one of them pulled out a revolver and put it against [goalkeeper] Damian Albil's chest. Their security and police also hit us. There were around 20 of them."

Media reports in Argentina showed photographs of bloodstains in the dressing room, and players claimed they had been hit.

But the Sao Paulo goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni said: "They [Tigre] came here to fight, not to play. We are not worried. I don't know what happened inside the dressing room."

Referee Enrique Osses declared Sao Paulo champions, despite admitting that he had heard reports of a disturbance in the dressing rooms.

"We did not see anything, but we have heard some things about what happened," the official said. "We saw there were some injuries to the Tigre players, but I don't know what caused them."

Romer Osuna, a Bolivian official with CONMEBOL, said the Tigre players had been too scared to return to the pitch.

"The Tigre people declined to play because they considered security was not good enough," he told Fox Sports.

"The referee abandoned the game because it was not right to play on. This decision is final. It is a shame that a continental final finished in this fashion."

The Tigre players remained inside their dressing room for three hours as Sao Paolo celebrated after being handed the trophy.

"They were going to lose by a big score. Our biggest victory is the fact that the Argentines ran away," the Sao Paulo president, Juvenal Juvencio, told the club's official website.

Tigre have made an official complaint to police, and also said their team coach had been attacked, with stones thrown at it, as it made its way to the stadium before the match.



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Fulham and Liverpool end their pissing contest over Dempsey

"You guys were still arguing over me?"

Did anyone realize that this was even still an issue? It's amusing to think that 2 clubs who haven't had anything to do with Clint Dempsey for almost 4 months were still waiving their wieners at each other.

This kind of thing would NEVER happen in American sports. Can you imagine Jerry Jones writing an apology letter to (Cowboys fans) another owner for something like this? Of course we're not a civilized as the English. And of course by civilized I mean THROWING COINS(!!!) at opposing players. That's something else that wouldn't ever happen in American sports. Unless of course you're in Philadelphia.


Via ESPN-Fulham have dropped their complaint over Liverpool's pursuit of Clint Dempsey after the Reds apologised for their behaviour over the summer.

A statement on Fulham's official website read: "Fulham can confirm that it has today withdrawn the complaint made against Liverpool FC in regard to the Merseyside club's inappropriate actions surrounding interest in Clint Dempsey over the summer.

"Liverpool's Chairman Tom Werner apologised personally to Mohamed Al Fayed, stating that his club were wholly responsible for unprofessional behaviour toward Fulham and emphasised his regret for the entire episode.

"In a letter from Liverpool to Fulham's CEO Alistair Mackintosh, Tom Werner's praise of the magnanimous gesture from the Chairman was reiterated, as was the club's assurance that the conduct of Liverpool was simply not acceptable.

"The Chairman decided that this sincere action was enough, and as a gesture of goodwill, instructed that all complaints against them be dropped."

Fulham had believed Liverpool's actions had unsettled Dempsey. In May, Liverpool co-owner Tom Werner hinted at an interest in the player, and a website owned by Fenway Sports Group mistakenly published a story under a headline that had suggested a deal was completed. Manager Brendan Rodgers also publicly praised the USA international.

Dempsey did not play in Fulham's pre-season or early-season games after informing the club he wanted a transfer and eventually joined Tottenham Hotspur on the final day of the transfer window, with the Reds having failed to table an acceptable offer.

Fulham made an official complaint to the Premier League over the matter, but Liverpool co-owner Tom Werner is said to have paid a visit to Cottagers chairman Mohamed Al Fayed, while managing director Ian Ayre followed up with a letter accepting the club's conduct "was wrong".

He added, according to the Daily Mail: "Please also consider this letter from me to be an additional expression of sincere regret and apology from our club to your club for our actions last summer. Our club can do better and we pledge that it will."



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Comrade M's Shirtless XI

First of all, I’d like to offer a disclaimer that what you are about to read is absolutely 100% a fangirl “fluff piece.” Some people are really concerned that writing this will somehow convince other people that I don’t know what I’m talking about (you know, in the same way that guys who think Alex Morgan is hot totally don’t know what a hat trick is or that she scored one last week. *rolls eyes*), but I write about serious footy stuff all the time, and there’s something really important that those articles are lacking: Abs. (And Xabi Alonso.)

I wish I could say how this whole “M’s Shirtless Starting XI” even started (ed. note: me either). I think it is in some way related to the “Every time M tweets ‘Matt Pickens! Take your shirt off!’ drinking game,” but again, I really can’t be sure. At some point, someone asked me to name my Shirtless XI, and I obliged.  

I wanted to name a squad that could actually be fielded (aka, not just Matt Pickens x11), and I was told I wasn’t allowed to just say “the Spanish National Team” (Puyol would never make the cut, anyway). I also stuck to only current players.

After hours and hours of research (hey, someone’s gotta do it…), I am pleased to present you with my Shirtless XI:

Keeper:
Matt Pickens, Colorado Rapids.

It sort of had to be Pickens, didn’t it? And maybe it wouldn’t have to be Pickens if he weren’t so elusive and just took his shirt off every once and a while, but he doesn’t…like…ever. Therefore, I demand he play the full 90 shirtless, because it’s my Shirtless XI, and I make the rules.



Defenders:
Carlos Bocanegra, Rangers (on loan to Racing Santander); Gerard Pique, Barcelona; Jose Enrique, Liverpool.

Here’s where it got tricky. Pickens was an obvious choice, and mids/forwards were pretty easy to pick, too, but for some reason, defenders are apparently not that hot. Yeah, I said it.

Boca was an obvious pick (hello, ESPN 2012 Bodies Issue…), Pique is pretty widely regarded as being gorgeous, but from there I was stumped, and really just wanting to finish out my roster. Jose Enrique isn’t that hot, but he’s randomly much more ripped than you would expect, so he kind of rounds out the back line by default.

Bocanegra:

Pique:

Enrique:

Mids:
Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid; Clint Dempsey, Tottenham; Cesc Fabregas, Barcelona; Steven Gerrard, Liverpool; Benny Feilhaber, N.E. Revolution(contract option declined since making this roster).

The midfield is where beautiful people hang out. Two words for you: Xabi. Alonso. C’mon, who DOESN’T love Xabi Alonso? Xabi is the object of many a dude-crush, and is in my top 5 if not top 3 favorite footballers. Love that guy…but I digress. Fabregas and Captain Fantastic are sort of self explanatory.  I can’t even find a picture of Benny Feilhaber with his shirt off and he makes the XI because OMG, those eyes…I’m melting. (Plus you can totally tell what’s goin’ on under that shirt anyway.) Last but so far from least… Deuce! Those abs! That ink! That beautiful, beautiful trollface! *swoon*

Xabi Alonso:

Fabregas:

Steven "Captain Fantastic" Gerrard:

Benny Feilhaber:

Clint Dempsey:

Forwards:
Fernando Torres, Chelsea;  Caleb Folan, PBDKT T-Team FC (that doesn’t sound like a real club, does it? Apparently he’s playing in Malaysia now, but that’s really neither here nor there).

I once took Nyquill, slept for close to 18 hours and had a dream that Fernando Torres was completely smitten with me. I woke up completely disoriented, and I’ve kind of had a thing for him since then. Despite breaking my heart by leaving me (and so tactlessly!) to play for the enemy, I still like seeing ‘Nando with his shirt off, so he makes the list. I wanted to put Juan Mata on the roster, but a friend of mine constantly talks crap about how huge Mata’s head is, and upon further review, yeah, he does have a pretty big dome piece, so Caleb Folan gets the final spot. Folan is a terrible footballer, but dude has a throat tattoo. And that’s legit.

Torres:

Folan:

So there you have it. My Shirtless Starting XI. My list of subs changes almost daily, but I feel pretty good about my XI. Thoughts?

-Emily O'Brian Ainsworth

Follow Emily on Twitter: @ComradeM

Oh and P.S. If someone (other than me, of course) is going to coach this squad, it’s gotta be this guy: