Real Madrid's title hopes written off in Spain

MADRID (AP) - The pressure is on Jose Mourinho to prove to the Spanish football world that he is indeed the "Special One."

Spanish media have already written off Real Madrid's title chances after a 1-0 loss at Osasuna left the club trailing two-time defending champion Barcelona by seven points in the standings.

"Seven Points - Too Much" sports daily AS splashed across its front page, while Marca said it was time to focus on the two other trophies still available in the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.

Barcelona-based daily El Mundo Deportivo was succinct: "League KO."

Mourinho, the self-anointed "Special One," was hired by Madrid to snap two-plus seasons without silverware. The Portuguese coach led Inter Milan to a treble last season but has come up against a Barcelona team that just equaled a league record with its 15th straight win.

Madrid went into Sunday's match against Osasuna at the Reyna Navarra Stadium stating it needed to win all of its remaining games to keep up the pressure on Barcelona. But even new signing Emmanuel Adebayor couldn't make that happen.

"It's our second league loss, and it leaves us in a much more difficult position in respect to the standings," said Mourinho, a former Barcelona assistant coach who is in his debut season with Madrid.

Barcelona is on course to set records in most domestic categories if it continues on its current run, which included a club record 28-game unbeaten run in all competitions until a loss to Real Betis in an already lopsided domestic cup series win.

"This year we can win the treble," Barcelona defender Eric Abidal said Monday, "but the journey will be very long and we'll have to work hard to the very end."

A victory against Atletico Madrid on Saturday would see Barcelona set a record of 16 straight league wins to topple Real Madrid's mark from 1960-61, which it tied with Saturday's 3-0 win at Hercules. The club's 10th straight road victory leaves it closing in on another record for consecutive away wins to start a season.

Barcelona is also poised to break season points total - it set the current total of 99 last season - victories, goals scored and fewest conceded. It has outscored opponents 67-11 with 17 games to play as it sets its sights on Madrid's record of 107 scored in 1989-90.

Barcelona's 5-0 win over Madrid earlier this season was Mourinho's most lopsided loss in a career that includes two Champions League titles and league titles in Portugal, England and Italy.

At this same juncture of last season under former coach Manuel Pellegrini, Madrid trailed Barcelona by five points.

"A league cannot be over at the halfway point for a club like Madrid," director general Jorge Valdano said. "The result is really tough, but not definitive."

Even if Mourinho is able to avenge that loss and snap a record five-game losing run against its biggest rival, Madrid now needs Barcelona to slip up to give it a chance. Barcelona has dropped only five points all season.

"There's still 17 games left to play," Madrid captain Iker Casillas said.

Barcelona could even stand in the way of the other two cups. Madrid and Barcelona are both poised to reach the Copa del Rey final, which would be played three days after its second "clasico" match of the season at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on April 17.

In the Champions League, if Madrid gets past Lyon and Barcelona beats Arsenal, the pair could be drawn in the quarterfinals, possibly setting up an unprecedented four head-to-head matches in two weeks.

  

Racing draws 1-1 with Valencia in Spanish league

SANTANDER, Spain (AP) - Racing Santander drew 1-1 with Valencia in its first game under the ownership of Indian tycoon Ahsan Ali Syed on Monday in the Spanish league.

Racing forward Ariel Nahuelpan scored the 33rd-minute opener, heading home after a poor clearance by Valencia midfielder Tino Costa.

Costa made up for his mistake in the 78th, controlling a corner and firing in a left-footed blast from the edge of the area to equalize.

The result ended fourth-place Valencia's run of five straight wins, while Racing is now three points out of the drop zone.

Valencia defender David Navarro, teammate Ricardo Costa and Santander midfielder Mehdi Lacen were all sent off in the second half.

  

Liverpool agrees fee with Chelsea for Torres

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) - Chelsea agreed a fee with Liverpool to sign Fernando Torres on Monday in what could be British football's most expensive transfer.

British media say Chelsea will pay about 50 million pounds ($79.5 million) for the Spain striker, who would join a star-studded attacking lineup that includes Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba and former France international Nicolas Anelka.

The fee is similar to the figure paid to Inter Milan by Barcelona for Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2009, and would only be bettered in football history by Real Madrid's purchases of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka in the same year.

"The player has now been given permission to speak to the London club," a Liverpool statement said.

Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez is widely recognized as being the most expensive signing in British football after moving from Man United for about 47 million pounds in 2009.

Liverpool looked set to replace Torres, who has spent 3 1/2 years at Liverpool after his move from Atletico Madrid, with England striker Andy Carroll from Newcastle.

Carroll is on the brink of a 35-million-pound ($56 million) move to Anfield on the final day of Europe's January transfer window. Uruguay forward Luis Suarez joined Liverpool for 26.5 million ($36 million) from Ajax on a 5 1/2-year contract.

Torres, whose contract at Liverpool was due to expire in 2013, has regained some form over the last few weeks after struggling early in the season as he recovered from a groin injury.

Three of his nine goals this season have come in the past four games. Overall, he has struck 81 goals in 142 games for Liverpool.

Torres remained one of the most sought-after players in world football despite a disappointing contribution to Spain's World Cup win in South Africa last year. In 2008, he scored the winning goal in Spain's 1-0 victory over Germany in the European Championship final.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti will have an embarrassment of riches up front if Torres completes his move, but how the Italian coach aligns his team remains to be seen.

Torres appears to be a better long-term option than Drogba, who turns 33 in March and hasn't been as prolific this season as he was when he scored 37 goals for Chelsea last term.

Torres looks to have lost patience with Liverpool after its poor form over the past 18 months. The Reds finished seventh in the Premier League in 2010 and made their worst start to a campaign for 56 years this season.

With the prospects of silverware slim at Liverpool, Torres will be hoping to win trophies at Chelsea, the defending Premier League and FA Cup champions.

  

US soccer cancels exhibition game in Egypt

CHICAGO (AP) - The US national soccer team canceled its Feb. 9 exhibition against Egypt in Cairo because of the political turmoil there.

The game against the Egyptian national team had been announced Dec. 13. In the last week, street protests aiming for the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak have caused disruption in Cairo and Alexandria.

"We were excited about the opportunity to play against Egypt, but due to the current situation all parties agreed it was best to cancel the match," U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati said Monday. "We appreciate the efforts of the Egyptian Football Association and the U.S. State Department as we worked through this situation."

The U.S. State Department has recommended American citizens avoid travel to Egypt "due to ongoing political and social unrest." On Sunday, the State Department authorized the voluntary departure of dependents and nonemergency employees, saying "U.S. citizens currently in Egypt should consider leaving as soon as they can safely do so."

The U.S., ranked 18th in the world, had planned to fly a top roster to the game, including Americans based with European clubs, to face 10th-ranked Egypt. The two nations met in the first round of the 2009 Confederations Cup, with the U.S. winning 3-0.

  

Liverpool sign Newcastle striker Carroll for a club-record fee

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool has agreed to pay a club-record fee to Newcastle for striker Andy Carroll.

If the Reds complete the signing of the England international, it paves the way for Spain striker Fernando Torres, 26, to leave Anfield for Chelsea.

And that is not all, with Liverpool also plotting a £15mil swoop for Aston Villa winger Ashley Young plus an improved £8mil bid for Blackpool’s Charlie Adam.

A Liverpool statement says the club has had an offer accepted for Carroll and has “been given permission by Newcastle to discuss personal terms with the player, who will now travel to Liverpool for a medical.”

Reports in the British media say the fee for Carroll could be in the region of £35mil – which would be a record fee for a transfer between two British clubs.

The 22-year-old Carroll has made a massive impact in the Premier League with 11 goals so far this season, including one in the 3-1 victory over Liverpool at St James’ Park.

Liverpool could take their transfer window spending to £45.5mil in just four days with the signings of 25-year-old England star Young and Scotland midfielder Adam, also 25.

Their Anfield arrivals would follow that of Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez, 24, whose club Ajax agreed a £22.5mil fee with Liverpool last Friday.

Suarez has since passed a medical and agreed personal terms but it will be the big-money pursuit of 6ft 3in Carroll, currently out with a thigh injury, which will most excite the Reds faithful.

And, if Comolli can pull off a shock deal, boss Dalglish’s side will have had an astonishing £75.5mil makeover inside a week.

  

Spurs Keane joins West Ham on loan deal

LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur have loaned Ireland striker Robbie Keane to the Premier League’s bottom club West Ham United until the end of the season with an option for a permanent cross-London move, the clubs said on Sunday.

“I like him as a player but he’s also a good character which we need, he’s an intelligent player and one who can score goals,” West Ham manager Avram Grant told Sky Sports.

Keane said: “I’m just happy to get back playing football again, it’s frustrating sitting on the bench.

“It’s a fantastic club with great tradition. They’re not in the best position at the moment but I’m hopefully here to help the squad.

“If you look at how close it is you get a couple of results you move swiftly up the table.”

Spurs also released wide man Jamie O’Hara, who has not played all season because of a back injury, on loan to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Younes Kaboul is set to undergo knee surgery as the club’s defensive problems mount.

Kaboul is likely to be out of action for around six weeks, joining the injured Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate and the suspended Michael Dawson on the sidelines. 

  

Fergie to field strongest defence to shackle the hitman

LONDON: Alex Ferguson will turn to his strongest possible defence as Manchester United aim to shackle Aston Villa striker Darren Bent and maintain their lead at the top of the Premier League today.

United’s second-string defence was given a torrid time by League One side Southampton in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday, conceding a goal before Ferguson’s men fought back to win 2-1.

Having survived that scare, Ferguson is taking no chances when the league battle resumes against Villa at Old Trafford.

Edwin Van der Sar, Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra, Nemanja Vidic and Rafael Da Silva are all expected to return to the starting line-up after missing out on the trip to St Mary’s.

“We should have our back four back against Villa,” Ferguson said.

“Vidic should be alright. Rio started running on Thursday and hopefully will be okay by Tuesday.

“Rafael should also be okay, he got the all-clear on Friday (after concussion at Blackpool) and Patrice Evra had a family bereavement so we left him out at Southampton.”

While United remain unbeaten this season, Ferguson is mindful of the fact that Villa are the side which has come closest to inflicting defeat on his team when the sides met at Villa Park in November.

Villa led 2-0 with less than 10 minutes to go before goals from Federico Macheda and Vidic earned United a point.

Since then Villa have been sucked towards the relegation zone but have shown signs of an improvement in the New Year and upset Manchester City in their last outing thanks to a goal from Bent.

Ferguson said Bent – signed for £24mil from Sunderland earlier in the transfer window – could be a valuable signing for Villa.

“Whatever you say about Bent, he’s certainly got a reasonable goal ratio at all his clubs. He cost a lot of money but that will be justified if he gets them into a far-better position,” Ferguson said.

“When you are down there in the Premier League it’s not easy to get out of it. But two victories can make a difference and they are getting their squad back after injuries.”

While United face Villa, second placed Arsenal will attempt to maintain their title push against Everton at the Emirates.

Arsenal will be without Samir Nasri, who injured a hamstring in the 2-1 win over Huddersfield in the FA Cup on Sunday.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted losing Nasri at a stage of the season when the Gunners are fighting on four fronts was a blow.

“At this important stage of the season to lose bodies is disappointing for us,” he said.

“I have regrets at playing him as the plan was to first to play (Tomas) Rosicky, but he was still too weak and was sick. I took a gamble and it backfired.”

Chelsea meanwhile face a potentially awkward trip to sixth placed Sunderland where they may or not be unveiling Fernando Torres.

Other matches in a full midweek programme see Manchester City travel to Birmingham tomorrow while Tottenham will attempt to bounce back from their 4-0 FA Cup mauling at Fulham in their match against Blackburn.

Liverpool will attempt to build on their encouraging recent form under Kenny Dalglish – two Premier League wins in a row – with a home game against Stoke tomorrow.

  

Houllier closing on American Bradley

LONDON: Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier admitted yesterday that he is close to signing American midfielder Michael Bradley (pic) on loan with a view to a permanent transfer.

Houllier has been tracking the Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder for some time and Bradley was undergoing a medical at Villa yesterday before completing a loan switch until the end of the season.

Bradley is the son of USA head coach Bob Bradley and was part of their World Cup squad in South Africa last year.

“Bradley will be signing, hopefully,” Houllier said.

“We’ve got to prepare for the future and Michael is 23 and a very hard working midfielder who can score goals.”

Meanwhile, Houllier insisted that England winger Ashley Young, reported to be a target for Liverpool will not be leaving Villa Park.

Houllier said: “I can confirm that Ashley is a highly-rated player and highly liked by everyone at Aston Villa. No way is he going to leave.”

Meanwhile, Stephen Ireland is set to leave Villa on transfer deadline day, with his loan move to Newcastle almost completed.

“I think it’s (Ireland’s move) on the way,” Houllier said. 

  

Non-league Crawley in plum tie against Manchester Utd

LONDON: Non-league Crawley were handed a dream tie against Manchester United as the draw for the fifth round of the FA Cup was made here Sunday.

Crawley, who defeated League Two Torquay 1-0 on Saturday to become only the sixth non-league side ever to advance to the last 16, will travel to Old Trafford for the standout fixture of the fifth round.

The tiny Sussex club have already accounted for Championship strugglers Derby and League One side Swindon, and manager Steve Evans refused to rule out another upset.

“It (getting paired with United) was just a surreal moment,” Evans said on Sky Sports News. “We got the tie that everyone in the country wants. I suppose if you are Arsene Wenger or Alec McLeish you don’t want that draw – but we did.

“We will approach the tie in a really positive nature. The only non-league club capable of beating Manchester United is Crawley Town as we stand today ... miracles do happen.”

“This is going to be the biggest day in our lives but we will give them the respect that Real Madrid gave them ... the utmost respect.”

In other ties, League One’s Leyton Orient will entertain Arsenal at Brisbane Road in a London derby while League One side Brighton travel to Stoke.

Orient chairman Barry Hearn was delighted by a draw that will ensure a money-spinning meeting with the Gunners.

“We’re in danger of breaking even – I don’t what’s happening these days with football,” Hearn joked.

“But the money is secondary. I’ve been chairman for nearly 16 years and we’ve never had anything like this. It’s going to be a fabulous day out. I love the FA Cup.”

“A little club like Leyton Orient need a reward every now and again. It’s one of the reasons you support a small team.”

West Ham’s reward for beating Nottingham Forest 3-2 on Sunday will be a home tie against the Championship’s Burnley.

The winner of Notts County and Manchester City will face Aston Villa at home while Sheffield Wednesday travel to Birmingham.

Holders Chelsea will play Reading at Stamford Bridge provided they overcome Everton in their fourth round replay.

Fulham who beat Tottenham 4-0, will face either Bolton or Wi-gan, who drew 0-0 on Saturday. 

  

Real lose to Osasuna, slip seven points behind Barcelona

MADRID: Real Madrid’s La Liga title hopes suffered a huge blow with a surprise 1-0 defeat at Osasuna on Sunday which left Jose Mourinho’s side seven points adrift of leaders Barcelona.

Villarreal closed to within six points of Real in third place when Giuseppe Rossi’s spectacular goal gave them a 1-0 win in a pulsating encounter at Espanyol.

Osasuna’s Javier Camunas broke the deadlock against Real with a shot off the post in the 62nd minute of a typically bruising battle in the intimidating Reyno de Navarra stadium.

Mourinho responded by throwing new loan signing Emmanuel Adebayor into the fray, but they were unable to score against a side who had not won in their previous eight games. Real’s second defeat of the season left them on 51 points from 21 games, seven behind champions Barca who won 3-0 at Hercules on Saturday to notch up their 15th consecutive victory.

“There are still a lot of points available, we have to keep on fighting,” Real midfielder Xabi Alonso told Spanish television.

“It’s always a difficult place to play and we knew the first goal would be vital, it fell to them and that made it even harder.”

Real struggled to create chances and missed the guidance of Alonso, who started on the bench as he recovered from the flu.

Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo had good opportunities saved by Osasuna’s Ricardo Lopez, but the abrasive Navarrans were a constant threat.

A long punt downfield was poked forward for Camunas to score after an hour, and Real responded immediately by throwing on debutant Adebayor, Kaka and Alonso.

Despite Real’s late pressure it was Osasuna who came closest to scoring again, Krisztian Vadocz having a shot blocked on the line by Alvaro Arbeloa. Osasuna climbed to 16th, three points above the relegation places.

Villarreal’s Italian striker Rossi took his tally for the season to 12 with a contender for goal of the season, controlling a long ball into the area at pace and blazing a shot into the roof of the net from a tight angle in the 45th minute.

Earlier, Gaizka Toquero scored both goals in Athletic Bilbao’s 2-0 win at 10-man Atletico Madrid to increase the pressure on home coach Quique Sanchez Flores.

Bilbao’s balding frontman, who wears the number two shirt, bagged his first goals of the season, volleying in unmarked just before the break and sliding in to double the lead in the 64th minute.

Atletico had been playing with 10 men from the 39th minute, when Luis Perea was harshly sent off after a clumsy challenge on Fernando Llorente in the area.

The Spain striker fired the spot kick wide. 

  

Mourinho: Players not to blame, they did their job

MADRID: Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho was surprisingly calm after his side’s 1-0 loss at Osasuna on Sunday, refusing to make excuses or blame the players for a defeat that left Madrid seven points behind league leaders Barcelona.

A Javier Camunas goal on 62 minutes condemned Mourinho to his second league defeat in charge and leave Real with a mountain to climb to dethrone champions Barcelona.

“I can’t fault the players as they did their job,” said Mourinho. “We didn’t deserve to lose the three points but we lost against a team that gave everything and had the whole week to prepare for the match.

“In recent matches we haven’t conceded goals and one goal is not dramatic as we had chances to score.

“In the first half Karim (Benzema) had a good opportunity and Cristiano (Ronaldo) another with a one on one. We had chances in the second half but couldn’t score against a team that defended very well.”

Mourinho threw on new signing Emmanuel Adebayor, on loan from Manchester City until the end of the season, but the debutant could not conjure up an equaliser as Real fired blanks.

“I prefer to lose like that, when the opposition have done a lot, rather than losing because my team gave away the match,” Mourinho added. “We didn’t give anything away here. You give away points if you don’t fight and because you are relaxed but that wasn’t the case.” 

  

Flum’s early strike seal victory for Freiburg

BERLIN: Johannes Flum’s first-half goal earned Freiburg a 1-0 win at Stuttgart in the Bundesliga on Sunday, ending the home side’s unbeaten start to 2011.

Flum scored in the 24th minute, when he latched onto a through ball from Maximilian Nicu to shoot past Sven Ulreich.

Freiburg climb to sixth in the standings on 33 points, 17 behind leaders Borussia Dortmund.

Stuttgart remain second from bottom on goal difference after last-place Borussia Moenchengladbach won 1-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt to move level on 16 points. In Frankfurt, Igor de Camargo scored late on for Moenchengladbach.

Stuttgart substitute Martin Harnik wasted a great chance in the 89th minute, missing an open goal to hit the post after Freiburg goalkeeper Oliver Baumann had spilled the ball.

“Normally he scores those,” said Stuttgart coach Bruno Labbadia.

Papiss Demba Cisse made an earlier than expected return from injury for Freiburg, and the league’s joint top-scorer almost doubled the visitors’ advantage before the interval. Serdar Tasci made a crucial block to deny the striker from five metres.

Stuttgart was denied a penalty in the 81st, when Heiko Butscher appeared to handle the ball in the area, but referee Jochen Drees waved play on.

Moenchengladbach’s goal came in the 84th minute, when de Camargo got ahead of Frankfurt’s Marco Russ to deflect Karim Matmour’s cross between the legs of Oka Nikolov. 

  

Rangers set up final date with Celtic

GLASGOW: Rangers beat Mother-well 2-1 at Hampden Park on Sunday to set up a meeting with fierce Glasgow rivals Celtic in the Scottish League Cup final.

Steven Naismith scored the winner for the Scottish champions in the 75th minute, heading in from close range following a cross by Nikica Jelavic.

United States midfielder Maurice Edu opened the scoring in the 20th minute, before Keith Lasley equalised for Motherwell in the 66th minute.

Celtic eased past Aberdeen 4-1 on Saturday to make the final on March 20.

In the Premier League, Dundee United moved up to sixth place with a 3-0 home win over second-bottom Hibernian. 

  

Leonardo relying on attack to score more than to concede

ROME: Inter Milan coach Leonardo denied his side have a problem in defence after they launched a remarkable comeback to defeat Palermo 3-2 at the San Siro.

Fabrizio Miccoli and Antonio Nocerino gave Palermo a 2-0 half-time lead while Javier Pastore hit the post and had a penalty saved as the Sicilians threatened to overrun their illustrious hosts.

But debutant Giampaolo Pazzini scored a brace as a second half substitute and Samuel Eto’o scored the winner from the penalty spot as the champions kept their Serie A title hopes alive.

They sit nine points behind leaders and bitter city rivals AC Milan but with a game in hand.

And although they have scored 19 goals in the Brazilian coach’s eight games in charge, they have leaked 12.

Under predecessor Rafael Benitez, Inter conceded only 14 goals in 15 league games, with Leonardo that figure is 10 in just six.

However, the former Milan boss denies they have a problem at the back.

“We gave away chances at the back, it’s true, but that’s because it wasn’t easy to reorganise ourselves after conceding an early goal,” he said.

“The balance, however, can also come from a team that is heavily weighted in attack if you score more goals than you concede.

“However, in this game the key aspect in the lack of tactical balance was the goal conceded after five minutes.

“At Napoli in the Cup we were compact, organised and we didn’t concede.”

The flip side is that while under Benitez Inter struggled to score, with Leonardo they are firing them in at a rate of more than two goals a game.

They have scored 16 goals in Leonardo’s first six league games, whereas they took 14 games to pass that mark under Benitez.

On Sunday they were boosted by a dream debut for Pazzini.

“Coming back in a game like this and winning it sends out an amazing signal,” added Leonardo.

“And maybe not even Pazzini could have dreamed of a debut like this, with Pazzini (whose name means crazy little one) Inter are more crazy than ever.

“Now in attack we have many options, excellent players who are all different.”