Alves: I’ve been victim of racism in Spain

RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil rightback Daniel Alves has been the victim of racism throughout his time in Spain with Barcelona, he said in an interview published on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old described how he had been called a ‘monkey’ by fans of Barca’s rivals at many grounds in Spain.

“Sadly, I’ve learnt to live with it,” he told the Brazilian daily Folha de Sao Paulo while preparing for Brazil’s friendly against France in Paris yesterday.

“I live with it in all the matches but I don’t feel offended. They insult me, they call me monkey,” said Alves, who has established himself as one of Barcelona’s key players since joining them from Sevilla in 2008.

“The fans do it, the players are against it ... My family are unhappy, they complain but I try to distance myself from it.

“I consider those people uneducated and don’t give them importance.”

Alves, from a poor background in the northeastern interior of Brazil, said that despite the efforts of La Liga to sanction fans for racist behaviour, racism “is uncontrollable. It will never stop”. 

  

Winning starts for new kid and old hand

JOHANNESBURG: A new kid and an old hand on the African coaching block were celebrating yesterday after debut victories in friendly matches.

Serb Goran Stevanovic got his Ghana career off to a perfect start as the four-time African champions turned up the heat during the second half to thrash Togo 4-1 in the Belgian city of Antwerp.

Frenchman Henri Michel, coaching in Africa for 17 years with mixed results, guided 2012 African Nations Cup co-hosts Equatorial Guinea to a 2-0 victory against fellow minnows Chad in capital Malabo.

Ivory Coast edged Mali 1-0 in southern French town Valence as African teams took advantage of FIFA friendly dates to fine-tune ahead of Nations Cup qualifiers later next month.

Former Partizan Belgrade coach Stevanovic has a hard act to follow as compatriot Milovan Rajevac took the ‘Black Stars’ to the 2010 Nations Cup final and the last eight of the World Cup six months later.

“There is a lot of pressure but that is normal for a national team coach. Ghana have been doing well and I realise what is expected of me. Matching what has been achieved will not suffice,” he admitted.

The Serb wants the ‘Black Stars’ to lift the Nations Cup trophy in Gabon next February and the first step was whipping the modest Togolese through goals from Dominic Adiyiah, John Mensah, Samuel Inkoom and a Serge Akakpo own goal.

Amewou Komlan levelled for the ‘Sparrowhawks’ by converting an early second half penalty, but it was one-way traffic towards the Togo penalty area after that.

Michel is used to handling ‘big guns’ – having coached Cameroon, Morocco, Tunisia and Ivory Coast plus leading clubs Raja Casablanca of Morocco, Zamalek of Egypt and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa.

Equatorial Guinea are ranked only 44 of 52 African football countries and represent the greatest challenge for a 63-year-old who steered France to third place at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

Nigeria-born Daniel Ekedo scored from the penalty spot seven minutes after half-time in Malabo and an Abbas Maigue own goal on 74 minutes sealed the fate of the Chadians, who lie six places higher on the rankings.

Former African Footballer of the Year Didier Drogba wore the orange of Ivory Coast for the first time since Francois Zahoui replaced Sven-Goran Eriksson as coach last August and set up the decisive third-minute goal.

The Chelsea striker controlled a lofted pass from midfield and held off two Malians to find Gervinho, who pushed the ball across the penalty area for Didier Ya Konan to net with a sweetly struck shot.

Played in a subdued, chilly atmosphere, the match rarely rose above the ordinary and Mali came closest to levelling in first-half stoppage time when Mamadou Semassa had a penalty blocked by Gerard Gnanhouan.

  

Presenters in sexism row hired by radio station

LONDON: The football broadcasters who left British TV station Sky Sports over a sexism row have been hired by a radio station.

London-based TalkSport announced on Tuesday that Richard Keys and Andy Gray will present a three-hour show every weekday from next Monday.

Keys says “this is the start of something new and exciting for Andy and myself”.

TalkSport was the outlet used by Keys last month to apologise for making derogatory comments about female assistant referee Sian Massey, West Ham executive Karren Brady and a former girlfriend of player-turned-commentator Jamie Redknapp.

Keys resigned, but Gray was fired after footage of him emerged making a suggestive comment towards a female colleague having already been caught mocking Massey. 

  

Ireland take the Speed out of Wales in Nations Cup opener

DUBLIN: The Republic of Ireland won the inaugural Nations Cup match as they beat Wales 3-0 at Lansdowne Road here on Tuesday.

What was meant to be a fresh era for Welsh football under Gary Speed saw his first game in charge end with another depressing defeat.

Neither side looked especially impressive in a dreary opening 45 minutes but after Darron Gibson broke the deadlock on the hour with his first international goal, the Republic pulled away with Damien Duff and substitute Keith Fahey also finding the back of the net.

Manchester United’s Gibson may never score a better international goal than the 20-yard strike that flew past Wales keeper Wayne Hennessey. Six minutes later, it was 2-0 to the hosts after Fulham favourite Duff turned in a cutback from eight yards.

Wales – who next month face old rivals England in a Euro 2012 qualifier in Cardiff – conceded a third goal eight minutes from time when Fahey powered in a 25-yard free-kick.

The Nations Cup is a four-team tournament also featuring Scotland and Northern Ireland, who played each other here yesterday.

The new tournament is on a league basis, with all six matches being staged at Lansdowne Road (the rest will take place in May) with the plan that all future editions will be held in one country on a rotational basis. 

  

Inter’s Milito out for six weeks after straining hamstring

ROME: Inter Milan’s Argentinian striker Diego Milito will be out of action for six weeks after straining a hamstring, his fifth injury-enforced absence of the season, the Italian club announced.

Milito sustained the injury in his side’s 5-3 Serie A win over AS Roma on the weekend, when he was replaced in the 70th minute.

Inter now face the prospect of a Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich on March 15 with only two available strikers, Samuel Eto’o and Goran Pandev, as newly-signed forward Giampaolo Pazzini is not eligible. Inter coach Leonardo nevertheless had some comforting words for Milito.

“Diego mustn’t worry about what has happened. He doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone; he knows how important he is for Inter. All he has to do is relax and concentrate on making a good recovery,” Leonardo said.

Last season Milito, 31, scored a goal that sealed the Italian league on the last day of the season and netted both goals as Inter beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League final. 

  

Diego gets one-match ban for fluffing disputed penalty

BERLIN: New Wolfsburg coach Pierre Littbarski has imposed a one-match ban on midfielder Diego after the Brazilian broke orders by taking a penalty, which he then missed, during the 1-0 defeat to Hanover at the weekend.

“I’ve suspended him for one match because of what happened. That will be the end of the matter and afterwards he can show us if he can help us,” said Littbarski, who has taken over from Steve McClaren, his former boss who was fired on Monday.

McClaren had designated Patrick Helmes as official penalty taker but Diego, signed in the close season for 15mil, insisted he took the spot-kick only to see it come back off the crossbar. 

  

Loew hints Ballack’s days with Germany may be over

BERLIN: Germany coach Joachim Loew on Tuesday hinted ex-captain Michael Ballack may no longer have a future in the national side after saying the veteran is not his first choice in midfield.

Ballack, 34, had been left out of the Germany squad who faced Italy in a friendly in Dortmund yesterday as he works his way back to fitness after four months out with injury.

Having missed last year’s World Cup after tearing ankle ligaments, Germany finished third in South Africa as Ballack’s defensive midfield role was filled by Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira alongside Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Loew gave the clearest indication so far that Ballack’s international career may be over by saying the ex-Chelsea star will need to win back his place for next month’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Kazakhstan and friendly with Australia.

“Sami Khedira and Bastian Schweinsteiger are my first choice in midfield,” said Loew, with Ballack having won 98 caps for his country. “We are not in a situation where we need to decide now if Michael Ballack will be back in the side in March.

“It all depends on him and whether he can produce the type of performances expected in the next few weeks.

“The quality of the player is what counts and whether he fits in with the style of football we are trying to play.”