Will Chelsea ever get their hands on Brazilian star Neymar? Not if his club have anything to say about it…
Bringing you the top five football stories and videos from around the globe.
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1) Nesta quits Milan
AC Milan will be saying a sad farewell to one of their longest serving players. Alessandro Nesta was the first player to be coveted by Chelsea when Abramovich took over, but Milan spurned their advances. Now aged 36 he finally looks to be leaving the San Siro after 10 years at the club, preceded by nine at Lazio. He said that faced with sitting on the bench, he would rather move on to play, and he is planning a switch to America’s MLS.
2) Neymar not going anywhere
Brazilian sensation Neymar has long been linked with a move to Europe, with Barcelona his most likely destination. Chelsea have been long time admirers too, but don’t expect him to be making a switch this summer if reports coming out of Brazil are anything to go by. With Brazil hosting the World Cup in 2014 there is a real push to keep him in his homeland, and Santos club president Luis Alvaro de Oliveira said this week: “The odds on Neymar leaving before 2014 are the same as zero. I also hope that the player continues after 2014.” Watch his unbelievable ‘goal of the year’ as voted by FIFA below.
3) Juan Roman Riquelme has still got it
One of the most gifted Argentine playmakers of his generation, Juan Roman Riquelme is showing that he is still a force to be reckoned with. Still with Argentine giants Boca Juniors, he played a major part in their Copa Libertadores tie in midweek. He is 33 now and scored two crackers in midweek and set up another in Boca’ 3-2 win over Chilean’s Union Espinola. You can watch his second goal below.
4) Aloisi goes into management
Former Coventry City, Portsmouth, and Hearts striker John Aloisi has signed a deal to become the highest paid manager in Australian football. Aloisi is now 36 and retired from playing last year, and this week took up a position with his final club in the A-League, the Melbourne Heart. Aloisi has a special place in the ahem, ‘hearts’ of Australian football fans, which will never be forgotten, after scoring the winning penalty in the shoot-out against Uruguay which took them to World Cup 2006, their first since 1974.
5) Juventus fans invade pitch
Everybody loves a pitch invasion, especially when it is for happy reasons. Juventus won their first Scudetto since being kicked out of Serie A for match-fixing in 2006 this weekend, clinching it with a win away to Cagliari. After the final whistle their fans stormed the pitch to savour the moment and celebrate. Check out this footage taken from high up in the stands, of the jubilation.
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image: © jikatu
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