Lionel Messi Is The Best In The World – Real Madrid’s Fernando Gago

Fernando Gago has claimed today that his Argentine team-mate, Lionel Messi, is the best player in the world right now.

Messi, who finished second in the FIFA World Player Awards, has been in sparkling form for Barcelona lately and Gago told AS of his admiration for him.

"Messi is the best player in the world by some way,” he stated. “I always thank God that he is an Argentine, not just as a player, but as a person too. I have known him since I was 18, he is incredible, a very good person and we are very good friends.

"Right now, he is at another club, and we have a little bit of a rivalry, but the friendship is larger and stronger."

Another of Gago friends is Gonzalo Higuain, who, unlike Messi, plays at Real Madrid alongside him. However, the striker struggles to get into the Argentine team because of competition and Gago admits that it is hard but that his compatriot has to keep trying.

"He has to expect his opportunity,” he declared. “I have a friendship with him, not just from football. He has always helped me, in the move and in coaching, because in Argentina I lived with nothing. I will never forget what he has done."

Barcelona Chase

Currently, both Higuain and Gago are chasing down Messi and Barcelona in what seems to be a thankless task, as they attempt to cut down a 12 points lead at the top of the Primera Division.

Gago believes that it is possible for them to catch the Catalan side.

"The difference in points is very large and Barcelona are playing very well, but we are also in good form and we have to continue winning, expecting Barcelona to fall," he admitted.

"If we did not believe it was possible to win the league, we would not go out each Sunday."

Gago, along with new signing Lassana Diarra, has been one of the key figures for Madrid this year, and the Argentine seems pleased with the way the partnership is going.

"He is a very good player and since the first day we have got on well. We are clear with our goals together and we are good on the pitch," he concluded.

James Walker-Roberts, Goal.com



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Chelsea And Barcelona Have Most Valuable Squads - Report

How much would it cost to buy the entire squad of superstars from Chelsea or Barcelona? Well, Transfermarkt have done their homework and they have come up with the answers.

The German company, which specialise in studying the global transfer market in football, have analysed the big clubs across Europe to ascertain how much their entire squad will cost, based solely on player valuations in the current transfer climate and not on buy-out clauses or any other factors.

Topping the list is Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea, who are valued at €410.2 million thanks largely to the likes of Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Frank Lampard and John Terry.

Despite boasting superstars such as Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Dani Alves and Thierry Henry, Barcelona would only rake in €408.5 million to come in at second place.

English and Spanish clubs continue to dominate as Manchester United and Real Madrid follow closely behind while AC Milan are the first representative from Serie A, rounding up the top five with a value of €330 million courtesy of the hefty price tag slapped on Kaka, Ronaldinho and Andrea Pirlo. Their bitter city rivals, Inter, have a valuation of €316 million.

However, in terms of the estimated value to squad size ratio, Barcelona would head the list as they only have 24 players in their ranks. In comparison, Real Madrid have 28, Chelsea with 27 and Milan with 30.

As such, the Blaugrana would fetch an average price of €17 million for each player while Chelsea would only get €15 million per player. Real Madrid’s average is €14 million, while Inter and Milan bring up the rear with just €11 million and €10 million respectively.

KS Leong, Goal.com

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Diego Forlan: Aguirre Was Not The Problem At Atletico Madrid

Javier Aguirre was dismissed as the coach of Atletico Madrid following a horrendous start to 2009, where the team have yet to win a single game after six competitive matches.

The club’s former goalkeeper, Abel Resino, was officially unveiled as the new trainer yesterday in a bid to put an immediate end to their slide but striker, Diego Forlan, believes that Aguirre was not the main cause of their slump.

“Everyone in the squad is hurt following Aguirre’s exit. It is an ugly and uncomfortable situation but we are all guilty for our poor run of form,” he said during an interview with Radio Marca’s ‘La Futboleria’.

“Dismissing Javier was the easy way out, but he was not the cause of our problems. The players are to blame because we have not been playing well and we have been committing a lot of errors.

“Just like the rest of the squad, I feel guilty for Aguirre’s departure,” he lamented.

The 29-year-old striker also assured that he has no intentions of leaving the Vicente Calderon.

“I have always said that I want to stay here. I have never said otherwise. I am very happy here at Atletico and I want to bring the same kind of joy to all the fans,” he concluded.

Atleti will attempt to win their first game of the new year this weekend against a Recreativo Huelva side who have yet to lose in 2009.

KS Leong, Goal.com

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Luis Fabiano Leaves Sevilla For Brazil For Knee Rehabilitation

Sevilla have confirmed that Luis Fabiano will temporarily return to Brazil to undergo a rehabilitation program to treat a second degree knee sprain, an injury he picked up last Wednesday against Valencia in the Copa del Rey.

The forward will concluded the first stage of his recovery, which consist of complete rest, in Seville tomorrow, before flying off to his homeland to commence the second stage of his rehabilitation by checking in to the Sao Paulo Recovery Centre, the same centre where he received treatment for a muscular injury towards the end of 2008.

Meanwhile, fellow Brazilian Adriano Correia and Colombian defender Aquivaldo Mosquera have shaken off their respective injuries and they could be summoned by coach, Manolo Jimenez for this Wednesday’s Copa clash with Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of the semi-finals at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

Both players missed Sevilla’s shock 1-0 defeat at Sporting Gijon last Sunday but they are expected to train normally with the rest of the squad in today’s session.

KS Leong, Goal.com

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Predrag Mijatovic Seething At Real Madrid's Faubert Purchase

Juande Ramos' search for a right-midfielder who was eligible to play in the Champions League came to an unexpected end this week as the club secured the loan signing of Julian Faubert from English Premier League side West Ham United.

The deal raised more than a few eyebrows across Europe, as Los Blancos secured the services of a player who was only ever on the periphery of the action at Upton Park.

Now reports have emerged suggesting that Predrag Mijatovic refused to be involved in the deal because he believes the 25-year-old is nowhere near good enough to pull on the coveted white jersey, and his signing is in danger of making Madrid a laughing stock across Europe.

Altercation with Portugal

It is believed the main source of his agitation is Technical Secretary Miguel Angel Portugal, who masterminded bringing the Frenchman to the Bernabeu and was also heavily involved in the bid to bring Wigan midfielder Antonio Valencia on board.

Mijatovic rates neither player as capable of playing for the club, and a number of Spanish sources suggest that the former Valencia and Yugoslavia forward could be on the brink of severing all ties with the club he helped to win the Champions League in 1997.

The name of Zinedine Zidane is constantly being linked with an ambassadorial role, but the most expensive signing in history following his move from Juventus for £50 million in 2001 is also said to want to bring some fellow Frenchman with him.

The high-profile names of Karim Benzema and Franck Ribery are understood to be top of Zidane's shopping list, and with him circling it would appear that Mijatovic's days are numbered.

Paul Macdonald, Goal.com





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Real Madrid Register Lassana Diarra For Champions League

Real Madrid have made their choice for the Champions League this season and Lassana Diarra will be the one who plays, rather than Klass-Jan Huntelaar.

Following the deadline on Sunday, UEFA have announced that the midfielder has been chosen by Madrid, and Huntelaar is not in the squad.

The Spanish club were told by the European governing body that they were not allowed to include both in the squad, as this was against the rules.

Despite the fact that Madrid launched plenty of appeals to try and reverse the decision, they were not successful, and Huntelaar, who said recently he knew nothing about the laws, will not now play.

One man who will be playing though is Julien Faubert, who has joined Real Madrid this weekend on loan, and is in the Champions League squad.

Faubert has joined from West Ham until the end of the season, with an option to buy for Real Madrid after that.

A surprise inclusion in the squad is youngster Adam Szalai, Hungarian reserve team player, who apparently has a bright future at Real Madrid.

Mahamdou Diarrá, Rubén De La Red and Ruud Van Nistelrooy are all not in the squad due to injuries, whlst Dani Parejo has reportedly been called into the Real Madrid B team.

The youngster returned from a loan spell at Queens Park Rangers early last year, but is yet to play for the club.

James Walker-Roberts, Goal.com


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Aguirre: I Do Not Fear Losing The Atletico Madrid Job

Goals from Luis Prieto and Victor helped seal a 2-1 win for Vicente Calderon visitors Valladolid this afternoon, heaping further misery onto Atletico coach Javier Aguirre amid fears he may be sacked in the week ahead.

Atletico's form in the month of January has been shocking, particularly in the defeats to Valencia and Athletic Bilbao, and their winless run has seen them slip further away from the coveted Champions League positions.

The Atletico supporters are becoming increasingly vocal regarding the position of Aguirre and the standard of football that his side are producing, but the man himself is not concerned about losing his job.

He told journalists, "Am I afraid for my job? I have had nothing communicated to me about this so no, I am not.

"I have signed a contract here and I have not heard anything to suggest that the contract will end before its terms have been met."

Not An Issue

Aguirre was defiant in the face of a barrage of questions regarding whether he may walk away before he is sacked.

Noticeably frustrated, he said, "I do not understand how this is an issue right now. It is clear to me that this is a bad day in my job.

"If I did not see a reaction from the players in the dressing room, I would be worried, but I have faith in my work with them. I hope soon we are talking about something else."

Next weekends' clash away to Recreativo has now became pivotal to the future of Aguirre and Atletico - whether he believes it to be true or not.

Paul Macdonald, Goal.com



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