チャンピオンズリーグセミファイナルドロー！！

Champions League quarter-final draw(uefa.com)

Holders FC Internazionale Milano will meet FC Schalke 04 in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals after Friday's draw, though the tie of the round is perhaps the all-English meeting between Chelsea FC and Manchester United FC. UEFA has announced the full fixture list.

Sir Alex Ferguson's team denied Chelsea a first European Champion Clubs' Cup in a dramatic penalty shoot-out in Moscow three years ago, and the London club will have a shot at revenge next month. While Chelsea are reigning English champions, United currently lead them by nine points in the Premier League and have history on their side in the competition having been crowned Europe's finest three times.

The Inter-Schalke encounter has fewer precedents, but having required a late goal to edge out FC Bayern München in the round of 16 the Nerazzurri will not take German opposition lightly. Older fans will need no reminder that the teams have met at the business end of a major European competition before, Schalke beating Inter in Italy in the 1997 UEFA Cup final on penalties.

Nine-time trophy winners Real Madrid CF will come up against Tottenham Hotspur FC in their first quarter-final since 2003/04, after Cristiano Ronaldo's wish that "maybe it would be better to come up against Barcelona further down the line" was granted.

The Spanish rivals could yet face off in the last four, however, as the winners of their tie will take on whichever side prevails between FC Barcelona and quarter-final debutants FC Shakhtar Donetsk.

Quarter-final draw (5/6 and 12/13 April)
Real Madrid CF (ESP) v Tottenham Hotspur FC (ENG)
Chelsea FC (ENG) v Manchester United FC (ENG)
FC Barcelona (ESP) v FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
FC Internazionale Milano (ITA) v FC Schalke 04 (GER)

Semi-final draw (26/27 April and 3/4 May)
1: Inter/Schalke v Chelsea /Manchester United
2: Madrid/Tottenham v Barcelona/Shakhtar

Final (28 May, Wembley)
Winner semi-final 2 v Winner semi-final 1

チャンピオンズリーグのファイナルまでのドローが決定した。

７年振りにノックアウトラウンド緒戦の壁を破ったレアル・マドリーはトッテナムが相手。ベイルの復帰は確実でサイドアタックに手を焼きそう。

チェルシーはマンチェスター・ユナイテッドとプレミア同士の激突。

バルセロナは勢いのあるシャフタールとの対戦で、苦手の東欧スタイルとのゲームになる。

インテルはシャルケとの対決で大地震に見舞われた日本人が所属するクラブ同士の戦いで、日本人のセミファイナル進出が確実となった。

山型はセミファイナルでスペイン勢の激突があり、マドリーはモウリーニョが嫌がった古巣とは決勝まであたらない。バルセロナは勝ち上がれば、手の内がわかっている相手でやりやすいか。

マロッタはアルシャビン、ラキティッチを冬のメルカートで狙う！！

Juventus GM Marotta targets Arsenal ace Arshavin, Rakitic for January(Tribalfootball)

Arsenal midfielder Andrey Arshavin is a January target for Juventus.

Juve GM Beppe Marotta is seeking an attacking midfielder this month and has the Russia international high on his shortlist.

Schalke's Ivan Rakitic is also under consideration.

Corriere dello Sport says while other targets are being considered, Marotta favours moving for Rakitic, who is available for a knockdown fee as he comes off contract in June.

ユベントスのＧＭジュゼッペ・マロッタはアーセナルのＭＦアンドレイ・アルシャビンとシャルケのＭＦイバン・ラキティッチの獲得を目指しているという。

アルシャビンは両サイドができるサイドアタッカーで得点能力も高い。サイドから突破するスタイルを取っているデル・ネーリの戦術にはあっている。

ラキティッチは中盤センターでゲームをコントロールするレジスタ的なプレーヤー。アクイラーニのバックアップなのか、あるいはターンオーバー要員なのか。それともレギュラー候補なのか。

どちらも１月の獲得を目指すということなのだが、アルシャビンはロシア代表、ラキティッチはクロアチア代表でふたりともEU圏外選手。セリエAの規定で年にひとりしか獲得できないという枠があるだけに、どうクリアするというのか。

抜け道は同一リーグからの獲得だけのはずなのだけどね。どうするのだろう。

ユベントスはシャルケのラフィーニャ獲得で合意か

ユベントスはシャルケからライトバックのラフィーニャとサインしたとMediasetが報じている。



Nuovo colpo Juve: preso Rafinha(Mediaset)

Nuovo colpo di mercato per la Juventus che, adesso, sarà ancora più brasiliana. Il club bianconero, infatti, ha prelevato dallo Schalke04 il laterale destro Rafinha. Per assicurarsi il 23enne terzino brasiliano, la Juve ha investito 8 milioni di euro. Non è tramontata, comunque, la pista che porta a Fabio Grosso, deciso a lasciare il Lione e a raggiungere a Torino i suoi compagni di nazionale. La trattativa potrebbe chiudersi nelle prossime ore.

Rafinha, dunque, per la felicità di Ferrara che cercava un terzino in grado di supportare la manovra offensiva. E il punto è proprio questo, perché l'esterno dello Schalke, che in molti hanno paragonato a Cafu, è il classico terzino brasiliano, cui piace proporsi con continuità in attacco trascurando magari un poco la fase difensiva.

Una pecca, questa, che non cambia di una virgola una verità universalmente riconosciuta. Che, cioè, Rafinha sia in questo momento uno dei migliori difensori in circolazione. Intanto perché garantisce corsa e qualità. Quindi perché, a 24 anni ancora da compiere (è nato il 7 settembre 1985), il margine di crescita è ancora ampio. Fisicamente non è particolarmente prestante (1.72 per 68 chili), ma questo fa di lui un giocatore rapido, con un bel dribbling, e una discreta capacità di rendersi pericoloso anche nell'area avversaria. Il che, tradotto, significa che come Cafu non segnerà gol a valanga, ma qualche firma sul campionato bianconero la metterà di certo. Lui a destra e Grosso a sinistra. Per mettere le ali alla Juventus.

Juventus Sign Rafinha From Schalke 04 - Report(Goal.com)

Juventus have signed Brazilian right back Rafinha from Schalke 04 for €8 million, according to Sportmediaset.

There is no official confirmation from either of the two clubs, but it is expected to arrive shortly.

Juventus have had a high profile summer in the transfer market, already signing Felipe Melo, Diego, Fabio Cannavaro, and Martin Caceres on loan, and had stated a couple of weeks ago that they would be bringing in no further players.

However, the full back positions looked far from secure in the latter part of pre-season, and now Juventus have moved to strengthen their right back area by purchasing Rafinha, a fast and attacking wingback who has been likened to Selecao legend Cafu.

Rafinha fell out with Schalke last summer after he insisted on competing in the Olympics. Without permission the Brazilian international travelled to China and incurred a €700,000 fine.

The full back has been linked with a host of top clubs this summer, including Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea, but it is Juventus it seems who have secured his signature.

Sportmediaset also claims that Rafinha will not be the last arrival in Turin before the end of the transfer window. Lyon’s Fabio Grosso will also be joining to fill the left back position, and this deal could be closed within a number of hours.

ユベントスは今季の補強は終わったと宣言していたが、シャルケのライトバックのラフィーニャの獲得は狙っていた。まだオフィシャルで発表されたわけではないが、両者の間では800万ユーロ(約10億7300万円)で合意に達したという。

ライトバックはメルベリを放出したためにゼビナとグリゲラ、どこでもできるカセレスの３人。ゼビナは怪我で離脱、グリゲラは攻撃力に物足りなく、カセレスは将来への投資となれば、即戦力のライトバックはユベントスのニーズに合っていたということなのだろう。

さらにリヨンのファビオ・グロッソを狙っているというが、そこまで金額が回るかどうかはわからない。グロッソは守備力に難があるために獲得しない可能性はある。

モリナーロ、デ・チェリエにはまだクロスの精度に難があるとはいえ、サリハミジッチもカセレスもできるわけだからね。

最終ラインにはまだ不安が残ると言われているユベントスだが、マーケットが閉まる直前まで動くのかもしれない。

しかし、これだけブラジル人が増えても大丈夫なのだろうか。ライトバックはもともとイタリア人のセクションではなかったのだけれども。