Palermo beats Parma 5-4 in penalty shootout

PALERMO, Sicily (AP) - Palermo beat Parma 5-4 in a penalty shootout Tuesday to advance to the Italian Cup semifinals.

Daniel Martinez, a 17-year-old from Paraguay, converted the decisive penalty for Palermo after Francesco Valiani fired over for Parma.

The score was 0-0 after extra time and the shootout opened with shots from Parma's Hernan Crespo and Palermo's Mattia Cassani both being blocked.

In the two-leg semifinals, Palermo will face either Sampdoria or AC Milan, which meet Wednesday.

In the other half of the draw, it's Napoli vs. defending champion Inter Milan and AS Roma vs. Juventus.

Before the shootout, Palermo's talented Argentina striker Javier Pastore had numerous chances, most notably on consecutive occasions in the 83rd and 84th minutes, first with a shot that was deflected just wide by Parma goalkeeper Nicola Pavarini, then dribbling past three defenders before shooting into the side of the net.

Pastore also shot wide in the 118th, then held his nerve to keep Palermo alive by converting the fifth spot-kick in the shootout after Pavarini was shown a yellow card for attempting to intimidate him.

  

Man U rallies at Blackpool; Arsenal into cup final

LONDON (AP) - Manchester United fought back at Blackpool to win 3-2 Tuesday and stay unbeaten in the Premier League, while Arsenal eliminated Ipswich to reach the League Cup final.

United trailed 2-0 at halftime in its first top flight meeting with Blackpool for 40 years after Craig Cathcart and DJ Campbell scored from corners.

The leaders' fightback began after Wayne Rooney was substituted. Dimitar Berbatov pulled one back in the 72nd minute and he netted again after Javier Hernandez's equalizer.

"They just never give in," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "In the first half we were battered. We couldn't handle Charlie Adam. We were terrible ... we changed at halftime, Ryan Giggs made a tremendous difference. We started to penetrate and I think we were deserved winners in the end." United has a five-point lead over Arsenal, but the second-place team was focused Tuesday on reaching its first domestic final since 2005.

The Gunners took until the 61st minute to wipe out Ipswich's 1-0 first-leg advantage in their League Cup semifinal. But after Nicklas Bendtner scored, Laurent Koscielny quickly netted again and Cesc Fabregas secured a 3-1 aggregate win.

Arsenal's Bacary Sagna was taken to hospital with concussion sustained in a clash of heads with Wojciech Szczesny, his goalkeeper.

Arsenal will face West Ham or Birmingham in the Feb. 27 final. West Ham leads 2-1 going into Wednesday's second leg.

"It is going to be a very difficult final but we will do our best because I think the fans deserve a trophy again," Fabregas said. "The goal was to get to the final but it was difficult ... the key was patience and we did it really well."

Man United looked set for its first league loss since April when Cathcart, a former Old Trafford defender, headed in Charlie Adam's corner after 15 minutes.

The home threat was unrelenting with United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar having to pull off a save to block a header from his own defender, Nemanja Vidic.

Blackpool went further in front in the 43rd when another corner from Adam was met by Campbell at the far post.

Blackpool felt aggrieved not to be awarded a penalty at the start of the second half when Luke Varney was sent tumbling by Rafael da Silva.

Berbatov began United's comeback when he tapped home from Darren Fletcher's cross. Within two minutes, a chip from substitute Ryan Giggs sent Hernandez streaking through and the Mexico striker made it 2-2.

Even after United was rocked by a serious injury that saw Rafael stretchered off with apparent concussion, Paul Scholes sprayed the ball through to Berbatov and the Bulgaria striker scored his fifth goal in four days.

"He's having a great season - he has great talent," Ferguson said. "The third goal, the composure, I was screaming for him to square it to Chicharito (Hernandez) but, no, he has the confidence and ability to do what he did."

Arsenal, which hasn't won a trophy since the 2005 FA Cup, fielded a strong side at the Emirates Stadium, with just two changes from the team that beat Wigan in the Premier League at the weekend.

Ipswich signaled its intent from the kickoff, with Grant Leadbitter lofting the ball from the half way line and it just went over Wojciech Szczesny's cross bar. But the pressure all came from Arsenal. A shot from Fabregas from tight angle was saved at the near post by Marton Fulop and Robin van Persie headed against the crossbar.

The equalizer came when Bendtner latched onto Jack Wilshere's ball, cut inside past Carlos Edwards and curled into the net. Arsenal went in front when Koscielny rose to meet Andrey Arshavin's corner and headed past Fulop, who had come out to punch the ball.

The victory was sealed by captain Fabregas playing a one-two with Arshavin during a 40-meter (yard) sprint and shooting through Fulop's legs.

Also Tuesday, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young maintained Aston Villa resurgence with second-half goals that clinched a 2-1 victory over Wigan.

Villa, which beat Manchester City on Saturday, is six points clear of the relegation zone. James McCarthy pulled one back for Wigan, which is in the bottom three after winning just once in nine games.

  

Villa eases relegation fears by winning at Wigan

WIGAN, England (AP) - Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young gave Aston Villa a 2-1 victory at Wigan on Tuesday to lift the team six points clear of the Premier League relegation zone.

But it was a nervy conclusion for the visitors after James McCarthy pulled one back in 80th minute for Wigan, which is in the drop zone.

Villa, which beat Manchester City on Saturday, has now won successive league matches for the first time this season. Wigan had the first opportunity when Franco Di Santo headed wide from a Charles N'Zogbia cross.

Villa then began to assert themselves and new signing Darren Bent brilliantly controlled a long ball and pulled back inside the makeshift defender Steven Caldwell only to scuff his shot.

Wigan keeper Ali Al Habsi then produced two fine point-blank saves in quick succession to deny Stewart Downing and Bent after a pass from Agbonlahor had opened up the defense.

In a lively opening Wigan responded with N'Zogbia setting up Hugo Rodallega but the Colombian's shot was deflected and American goalkeeper Brad Friedel parried. N'Zogbia also went close after a fine run but his shot dipped over.

After the initial burst the game settled as both defenses tightened up and it needed Villa to up the tempo for the start of the second half when Young raced into the area from the halfway line and forced Al Habsi to palm over a fierce drive. The visitors grabbed the lead from the resulting corner in the 49th minute.

Again Al Habsi did well to keep out Carlos Cuellar's firm header but the ball ballooned into the air and Agbonlahor reacted quickest to nod it over the line as it came down.

The game opened up again and Young doubled Villa's lead from the penalty spot after being brought down clumsily by Hendry Thomas just after the hour.

Bent almost grabbed a third for Villa as he raced onto an Agbonlahor through-ball but Al Habsi rushed out to deny him again.

Wigan did not give up the fight and pulled a goal back 10 minutes from time, although it did require a huge slice of luck.

There seemed little danger as James McCarthy lined up a shot from 25 meters but the ball took a huge deflection off Villa defender James Collins and wrong-footed Friedel to end up in the bottom corner.

The Wigan fans thought they had an equalizer to celebrate moments later when Rodallega flashed a shot just wide from the edge of the area.

Argentine striker Di Santo also headed at Friedel as Wigan put Villa under late pressure but could not force the equalizer.

  

United stages comeback to beat Blackpool

BLACKPOOL, England (AP) - Dimitar Berbatov scored a dramatic late winner as Manchester United came from two goals down to beat Blackpool 3-2 in a thrilling Premier League contest on Tuesday.

United, unbeaten all season in the league, looked to be heading for a stunning defeat at the hands of the promoted club after Craig Cathcart and DJ Campbell gave the home side a 2-0 lead at halftime.

But Berbatov pulled a goal back for the Premier League leader in the 72nd minute, Mexican striker Javier Hernandez came off the bench to equalize two minutes later and Berbatov struck the winner in the 88th to complete the comeback and secure a remarkable victory for Alex Ferguson's men.

Victory left United five points clear of second-place Arsenal and six clear of neighbor Manchester City, which has played a game more. Chelsea, in fourth place, is 10 points adrift.

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway had done his best to play down expectations of the club's first league meeting with United for 40 years, claiming he would be happy if his side were not two goals down after 10 minutes and presenting Ferguson with his customary bottle of wine before the game.

Once the whistle went though, United was shaken out of its stride by the hosts, whose enthusiasm knows no bounds and for whom Charlie Adam, putting his transfer request and interest from Liverpool to the back of his mind, was outstanding.

It was Adam's accidental clash with Patrice Evra that forced the Frenchman off the field and meant he was out of position when he returned as the Blackpool skipper swung in his first fateful corner.

Still, there was no excuse for United's total failure to track Cathcart's run. Tipped for big things by the Old Trafford hierarchy until injury intervened, Cathcart rose unchallenged and powered a header past a motionless Edwin van der Sar.

The veteran Dutchman was also stood still when Nemanja Vidic turned a diving header straight into his chest when he had been aiming to clear.

It was an example of the confusion within the visiting ranks.

Elliot Grandin scooped a 12-metre effort over the bar and David Vaughan brought an excellent save out of Van der Sar, which as it turned out, only staved off Blackpool's second by half a minute.

Again Adam took the corner. Dropping it into roughly the same place. This time Darron Gibson got his head to it but only succeeded in turning it to Campbell, who bundled home at the far post to send the home supporters into delirium.

It was no surprise that Ferguson replaced Gibson with Giggs at half-time and Blackpool's hopes of astonishing victory would have been raised further if Luke Varney had been granted the penalty he was convinced should have been awarded when Rafael sent him tumbling.

As it was, United took inspiration from Hernandez's introduction for an out-of-sorts Wayne Rooney.

The Mexican has come up with a few vital goals already in his debut season and he nearly had another when he streaked clear of the Blackpool defence.

But keeper Richard Kingson took the pace off his shot, allowing Cathcart's incredible evening to continue with a goal-line clearance.

United was on a roll though, and when Darren Fletcher crossed a couple of minutes later, Berbatov was on hand to tap United back into the contest.

Within two minutes, it was all-square as Giggs' magnificent chip sent Hernandez sprinting through.

Having let Blackpool off the hook once, the striker was not keen on doing it again and this time finished with calm assurance.

United were not finished. Even the departure of Rafael on a stretcher that required 10 minutes injury time failed to halt their momentum.

And when Scholes sprayed a magical pass to Berbatov, the Bulgarian blasted home his fifth goal in four days to seal an unlikely win.

  

Messi fined for dedicating birthday goal to mother

MADRID (AP) - Barcelona forward Lionel Messi was punished with a fine and a booking Tuesday for dedicating a goal to his mother on her birthday.

After scoring a penalty in Saturday's 3-0 win over Racing Santander, the Argentina forward lifted his jersey in front a television camera to reveal an undershirt with the words "Happy birthday, mami!" written across it.

The recent "Ballon d'Or" winner was not booked by the referee during the game, but the action was included in his match report.

Messi was punished under the Spanish federation's disciplinary committee article 91.1 for goal celebrations. Messi can expect a fine between 2,000 ($2,736) and 3,000 ($4,105) and will also receive a yellow card.

  

Schalke beats Nuremberg to reach cup semifinals

BERLIN (AP) - Substitute Julian Draxler scored a stunning winner in the last minute of extra time to send Schalke into the semifinals of the German Cup with a 3-2 home win over Nuremberg on Tuesday.

The 17-year-old Draxler - Schalke's youngest ever Bundesliga player - had been on the pitch for only three minutes when he collected the ball from Jefferson Farfan, eluded Andreas Wolf on the edge of the penalty area, and let fly from 22 meters (yards) to send the home fans wild.

Julian Schieber scored twice for Nuremberg - the first after three minutes when he reacted quickly to blast past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer from short range.

Schalke equalized 10 minutes later through Mario Gavranovic after he rounded off a fast breakaway instigated by Raul Gonzalez. The Spaniard played a through ball into the path of Christian Pander, who cut it back for Gavranovic to shoot first time past Raphael Schaefer.

Raul had the ball in the net 10 minutes later but the effort was ruled out for a push on Philipp Wollscheid, and the 33-year-old hit the outside of the post a minute after that.

Schieber's second came in the 33rd, when he met a Christian Eigler cross from the left to leave Neuer shaking his head.

Schaefer reacted superbly to prevent Schalke equalizing early in the second half when the ball took a major deflection off Wollscheid. The goalkeeper was grateful to gather the ball at the second attempt after diving to his right.

There was little he could do when Ivan Rakitic scored in the 58th, however. The Croat let fly from the edge of the area after he was set up by a classy back-heel from Raul.

Schalke continued to apply the pressure, but the home side was unable to score a winner in regular time.

Extra time also proved frustrating for the hosts - until coach Felix Magath introduced Draxler to the game in the 116th minute.

"I wanted to bring him on and I'm happy I did that just before the end," Magath said. The goal was Draxler's first for the senior side.

"You dream about such an experience your whole life," he said. "The coach told me we had to do something."

  

Japan, Australia into Asian Cup final

DOHA, Qatar (AP) - Japan beat South Korea in a penalty shootout on Tuesday to line up an Asian Cup final against Australia, which routed 10-man Uzbekistan 6-0.

The two games couldn't have been more different. In a back-and-forth encounter, Japan came from a goal down to take the lead before South Korea equalized in the final seconds of extra time. With the score locked at 2-2, Japan won 3-0 on penalties.

Australia forward Harry Kewell scored inside five minutes, helping his team to a 3-0 lead by the time Uzbekistan went down to 10 men in the 65th minute. Australia went on to record the tournament's record semifinal win.

Seeking its third title, South Korea opened the scoring against Japan with a penalty in the 23rd minute before Japan leveled in the 36th. Keisuke Honda sent a perfect through ball to Yuto Nagatomo on the left flank and he crossed low for striker Ryoichi Maeda.

Japan took the lead in the 98th, when Hwang Jae Won brought down Shinji Okazaki at the edge of the penalty box, and a controversial penalty was awarded. Keisuke Honda missed the spot-kick but substitute midfielder Hajime Hosogai followed through to drive the ball into the roof of the net.

Just as Japan looked to have won it, South Korea defender Hwang Jae-won equalized to send the match to penalties, but his team couldn't find the net after that.

"It was a very tough, very tight game," Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni said. "We were better in the first half, especially on the flanks, and had three big chances - but we conceded early. South Korea outran us in the second half. They are a very good team and winning against a very good team makes it even sweeter."

South Korea coach Cho Kwang-rae praised his players for managing to tie the match in the end but blamed their poor penalty shooting on fatigue after playing their second, extra time match in a row.

"I do appreciate all the hard work of my players today," Cho said. "They never gave up and controlled the game, pressurized and in last minute scored a second goal to level the match. We showed how strong we are, our fighting spirit and a passion to play good football."

But Cho also criticized the refereeing and said he hoped it would it would be better in the future to avoid it hurting the image of the Asian Cup.

"It was quite strange when the referee pointed outside the penalty area and the linesman pointed inside," Cho said of the late Japanese penalty. "It's part of the game and I respect the decision of the referee."

Uzbekistan came into its first semifinal talking confidently about facing a team it insisted was not Brazil. But once it took the pitch, its defense fell apart and Australia - which had scored seven goals all tournament - scored at will.

"We had brilliant game today. The players put on great show, a great performance," Australian Coach Holger Osieck said. "What they did today is fantastic. ... It is the right present for the Australian public."

After Kewell's goal, the Uzbeks went 2-0 down in the 34th minute when Tim Cahill headed down a free kick. Sasa Ognenovski had time to take a touch before ramming the ball home for his first international goal.

David Carney made it 3-0 in the 65th after being played in by Matt McKay, and Uzbekistan's chances of victory ended when Ulugbek Bakaev was sent off two minutes later for his second booking.

Substitute Brett Emerton scored the fourth in the 74th before Carl Valeri and Robbie Kruse - courtesy of a goalkeeper error - wrapped up the scoring with two goals in two minutes.

The Uzbek Coach Vadim Abramov apologized to Uzbek fans and was at a loss to explain his team's poor play.

"I don't know what happened. There were too many mistakes after the first two goals," he said, criticizing defender Anzur Ismailov for his ineffectiveness and the team for attacking with abandoned toward the end of the match.

"When you are down 3-0 and down to nine men and you go on attack, you have many problems," he said.

  

Madrid signs Adebayor on loan until end of season

MADRID (AP) - Real Madrid has signed striker Emmanuel Adebayor from Manchester City on loan until the end of the season with an option to buy.

The Spanish club announced the deal Tuesday on its website, saying it has "a unilateral option" to purchase the 26-year-old in the offseason.

No financial details were released, but Spanish COPE Radio earlier said Madrid will pay 4 million ($5.5 million) for the Togolese forward, who had been little used at the Premier League club after falling down the pecking order. That amount is what Adebayor was reportedly set to earn for the remainder of the current season.

Madrid can buy Adebayor at the end of the season with COPE putting the price tag at 17.4 million ($23.7 million).

Manchester City said Adebayor would undergo his medical in the Spanish capital on Wednesday.

Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is desperate to bolster his attack, with Gonzalo Higuain injured and Karim Benzema on unconvincing form.

Argentina striker Higuain is out until at least April after undergoing back surgery while Benzema hasn't failed to secure a regular starting spot. The France striker scored only his second league goal of the campaign in Sunday's 1-0 win over Mallorca.

Madrid can ill-afford to drop points as it chases Spanish leader Barcelona, which has won 14 straight league games to hold a four-point advantage over its biggest rival.

Mourinho had warned at the start of the season he couldn't afford to lose either of his two strikers due to limited backup options at the position.

Adebayor offers a physical presence inside the box similar to Didier Drogba, who was one of the catalysts for Mourinho's successful spell at Chelsea.

The 2008 African Footballer of the Year helped Monaco to the 2004 Champions League final - where the French club lost to Mourinho's FC Porto.

He joined Arsenal in January 2006 where he scored 62 domestic goals in three years before heading to City, where his playing time has dropped off dramatically under Roberto Mancini.

City's plethora of international attackers - Carlos Tevez, Mario Balotelli and recent signing Edin Dzeko - were favored over Adebayor in Mancini's attack.

Adebayor, a former Togo international, scored 19 goals in 36 appearances for City.

  

Three-time champions Japan set up clash with Australia

DOHA: Three-time champions Japan reached the Asian Cup final after defeating arch-rivals South Korea 3-0 in a nail-biting penalty shootout in the semi-finals yesterday.

In another semi-final match, Australia thrashed Uzbekistan 6-0.

Centre-back Yasuyuki Konno netted the decisive penalty, placing the ball into the right-hand side of the goal, after Koo Ja-cheol, Lee Yong-rae and Hong Jeong-ho had all failed from 12 yards for South Korea.

Japan led going into the final minute of extra-time but Hwang Jae-won slammed in a sensational equaliser following a scramble inside the Japanese box to make the score 2-2 and send the game to penalties.

It was a redemptive moment for jae-won, who had conceded the controversial penalty from which substitute Hajime Hosogai had given Japan the lead in the seventh minute of extra-time, but his joy proved short-lived.

Ki Sung-yueng had given South Korea the lead via another disputed penalty mid-way through the first half, with Ryoichi Maeda drawing Japan level nine minutes before half-time.

Park Ji-Sung, making his 100th international appearance, made an inauspicious start to the match when he was booked for elbowing Makoto Hasebe, but he redeemed himself by winning the penalty from which South Korea took the lead.

The Manchester United midfielder was barged to the floor by Konno as he chased a ball into the box and, following a patient run-up, Seung-yueng swept the resulting spot-kick into the bottom-left corner.

The referee rejected the Koreans appeal for a second penalty, after Ji-sung tumbled in the box again under a challenge by Maeda, and in the 36th minute Japan drew level.

Enterprising left-back Yuto Nagatomo got in behind Cha Du-ri on the Japan left and toed the ball square for Maeda to tuck away the equaliser from six yards.

A lack of clear-cut goalscoring opportunities saw the game drift into extra-time and the refereee stunned Cho Kwang-rae’s side when he awarded a penalty for Jae-won’s block on Okazaki on the periphery of the penalty area.

Jung dropped to his right to repel Keisuke Honda’s soft spot-kick, but the in-rushing Hosogai crashed the rebound into the roof of the net from close range to put Japan on the brink of the final.

Jae-won’s dramatic equaliser prolonged the drama even further, but Korea’s nerve faltered in the shoot-out, with Kawashima saving from Ja-cheol and Yong-Rae, while Jeong-ho missed the target completely.

  

Striker Milito and coach Mourinho win Italian Oscars

 MILAN: Inter Milan striker Diego Milito was voted Italian players’ association player of the year for 2009/10 on Monday with his former boss Jose Mourinho winning the best coach award.

Milito, 31, scored the winning goals in the three key matches as Inter claimed last term’s unprecedented Italian treble of Serie A, Champions League and Italian Cup in his first season at the club. He netted 22 league goals last season.

“It’s an immense honour. For me 2010 will always be a truly unforgettable year,” late bloomer Milito said at the ceremony dubbed the “Italian soccer Oscars”.

The Argentine beat off competition from Dutch team-mate Wesley Sneijder, who has missed out for a second time after being left off the three-man shortlist for the FIFA Ballon d’Or won by Lionel Messi this month.

Mourinho was odds-on to win the best coach award for a second straight year despite quitting Inter for Real Madrid immediately after sealing May’s treble.

The Portuguese, who cheekily revealed he had won during a Real news conference on Sunday, could not attend the glitzy show at a Milan theatre but sent a video message.

“I’m sorry for not being there but (Wednesday’s) Cup semi-final with Sevilla stopped me from coming,” Mourinho said.

“To receive the Oscar is great because for me to have respect is important ... also from my opponents.

“Serie A is tough and I see that now I am away.”

The annual January gala, which recognises achievements from the previous season voted on by Serie A players, also saw Julio Cesar again named goalkeeper of the year while Inter team-mate Maicon won the award for best goal.

Inter’s Walter Samuel, out for the season with injury, shared the best defender gong for 2009/10 with Juventus centre back Giorgio Chiellini and Udinese’s Antonio Di Natale beingvoted best Italian player for topping last term’s scoring charts.

Palermo’s Argentina playmaker Javier Pastore won best young player.

  

Argentina rest regulars for friendly against Portugal

BUENOS AIRES: Striker Carlos Tevez was among several leading Argentine internationals left out of the squad named on Monday for their friendly against Portugal in Geneva next month.

Also missing from coach Sergio Batista’s squad to make room for less experienced players were defenders Gabriel Heinze and Martin Demichelis and striker Sergio Aguero. Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Higuain is recovering from back surgery.

“Neither Tevez nor any of the lads who were left off this list are out of the national team,” Batista told La Red radio.

Batista named winger Enzo Perez of Argentine champions Estudiantes and Velez Sarsfield’s uncapped forward Juan Manuel Martinez from the local league plus defender Marcos Rojo, who has just joined Spartak Moscow from Estudiantes.

“I have to see players, lots, and I do that in matches. I have to see if they can wear the national team shirt but I haven’t punished anyone,” Batista said when asked if there were disciplianry reasons for the ommisions.

“This doesn’t mean that the players left out now are out of the Copa America.

“This is a good moment to try out some youngsters.”

Argentina, who meet Portugal in Geneva on Feb 9, are preparing to host the Copa America in July. Batista’s record since taking over from Diego Maradona is wins over Ireland, Spain and Brazil and a defeat by Japan.

Batista also has his eye on the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, which could be a bridge too far for players in their 30s like Heinze and Demichelis.

Continuing to call up 37-year-old Javier Zanetti might appear to contradict Batista’s plans, but he said: “If he carries on (playing) the way he is, at the same level, he’ll surely be at the Copa America.”

Argentina have another friendly away to the United States at New Meadowlands in New Jersey on March 26.

  

Bilbao sixth after win over Hercules

MADRID: Athletic Bilbao climbed to sixth place and a European qualification spot when goals from Javi Martinez, Fernando Llorente and Iker Muniain gave them a 3-0 win at home to promoted Hercules in La Liga on Monday.

Martinez rose unmarked to nod powerfully into the top corner in the fifth minute at the San Mames, Llorente finished off a flowing move with another header in the 61st and Muniain pounced on a defensive mistake to make it three in the 64th.

Alicante-based Hercules rarely threatened the home goal and their best effort came midway through the first half when a header from Paraguay striker Nelson Valdez was saved low down by Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz.

The Basque club have 32 points from 20 matches, five behind Espanyol in fifth and two ahead of seventh-placed Atletico Madrid, whose erratic form continued when they lost 1-0 at struggling Sporting Gijon on Sunday.

Hercules, the only team to have beaten champions Barcelona this season, are 12th on 22 points. 

  

Van Bommel quits Bayern for Milan

BERLIN: Bayern Munich captain Mark van Bommel has joined Serie A leaders AC Milan after losing his starting place with the German champions this season, the Bavarian club said yesterday.

“Captain Mark van Bommel is joining AC Milan effective immediately,” Bayern said in a statement. “The Dutch international asked for his contract to become void to transfer for sporting reasons.”

The 33-year-old midfielder, who joined Bayern from Barcelona in 2006 after winning the Champions League, had dropped down the pecking order under coach Louis van Gaal and the arrival of Brazilian Luiz Gustavo in January further hampered his chances.

Milan are hoping he will provide some solutions to their injury crisis in midfield although Van Bommel is ineligible to play for the Italians in this season’s Champions League, having already featured for Bayern in the group stage.

The Italian side have Alessandro Nesta, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Gennaro Gattuso among others injured.