UEFA 2008: Torres and Spain sink Germany

Fernando Torres sinks Germany as Spain take UEFA 2008

Fernando Torres struck his second goal of the tournament to down Germany and take Spain to the 2008 UEFA Championship.

Spain have at last fulfilled their potential at a major tournament, and with the squad they have at present, it's about time too! With players like Alonso, Reina and Fabgregas in reserve, and Silva, Torres, Xavi, and Villa as first choice they simply proved too much for their rivals.

There's times when countries come of age in a footballing sense, and you can see it's Spain's time now. They really have some of the worlds best players throughout their squad. From Villa, Torres, Inesta, Xavi, Castillas, and Fabgregas etc they possess players of superb ability. And we must be thankful that a team that plays such fluid, nimble football, and is not packed with brawn won the trophy. Spain have one of the smallest midfields in the tournament, but brain won out over brawn!

Torres and Spain came to the fore this tournament, with superb displays of passing, fluid, and great to watch football. Germany and the others never had a chance!

Football News: Ronaldo to Real Madrid

Ronaldo to Real Madrid: Unstoppable momentum grows

Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Real Madrid is gathering inevitable momentum with increasing reports in the media fuelling the circus around his move.

Latest reports have Scolari and Calderon urging him to 'be strong' and that Manchester United 'can't hurt him'! All silly season stuff really, and what's all been seen before as countless others have done what Ronaldo is now doing ie dig his heels in and force Manchester United to sell him to Real Madrid.

It's the sad but inevitable route many transfers take in modern football, and the Ronaldo to Real Madrid saga is no different. Just the money involved is bigger than ever before! Eighty million really is nuts!

Bernd Schuster has come out and said Real Madrid will do 'whatever it takes' to get Ronaldo from United. That appears to be an eight million transfer fee, and 182 grand a week! The interesting part will be if the Glasers become as relentless as Real Madrid and leave him in the stands. There was an interesting article in the Times the other day, where an employment lawyer basically said that a deal will get done as Real Madrid, Ronaldo and Manchester United will all realise that lawyers will be the only winners if it goes to court.

We at Footy Focus reckon it's a done deal. Ronaldo will move to Real Madrid, and Manchester United will get a stash of cash to replace the forty goals a season! It's a well worn path and Manchester United have time and again been in Real Madrids place. Thats life Fergie!

Football News: Ronaldo to force his way to Madrid?

Ronaldo to do 'all in his power' to move to Madrid

In a depressingly familiar tale of player power, reports are emerging that Cristiano Ronaldo is to do 'all in his power' to get his move from Manchester United to Real Madrid.

'Sources' also briefed in the media that Ronaldo considers Real Madrid a bigger club than Manchester United, and that he has never been enthused with life in Manchester.

Given Ronaldo signed a new, improved deal a little over 12 months ago, it all has the familiar depressing ring of contracts not being worth a carrot, as player power rules.

Manchester United will be further enraged that FIFA have cleared Real Madrid of any wrongdoing in their conduct and relentless pursuit of Ronaldo.

It seems the saga is beginning to play out to its inevitable end, and that Ronaldo will move to Madrid after the European Championships, much to the dismay of Manchester United and it's supporters. There is a slim chance the Glazers might do what they say, and stop Ronaldo's Madrid move, and let him 'rot in the stands'. Now that would be fascinating to see!!

Football News: Fernando Torres to Chelsea a dream

Fernando Torres to Chelsea officially a dream as he commits to Liverpool

Fernando Torres

Fernando Torres moved again to quash any speculation of a move to Chelsea. Speaking after Spain's game against Sweden he said;

“I want to say very clearly that I’m not on the market and that it’s my desire to continue at Liverpool, I’m very happy there and I want to carry on. I came to the club to win trophies. I have many years left on my contract and I expect to win some silverware there. I have gone through things I have never experienced before, like playing in a Champions League semi-final.And now that I have come within touching distance of glory I want it all.”

Well speaking as a Liverpool fan, you really can't get much clearer than that. I get the feeling with Fernando Torres that he is going to be at Liverpool for a while. Call it gut instinct, whatever, but you just can't see Torres moving on. It's destiny!

Speculation had increased after the appointment of Scolari, with fantastic rumours of a 65 million pound double bid for Fernando Torres and David Villa. Such talk has quickly proved to be newspaper drivel, with Torres quickly moving to ridicule the speculation and Villa stating he's rather move anywhere but Chelsea, with Liverpool, Barcelona and Real Madrid his preferred destinations.

I'm just glad these Fernando Torres to Chelsea rumours are now likely to go away and I can watch Liverpool's dealings to bring players in not out!

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Football News: Real want Ronaldo to strike

End-game becomes a farce as Real Madrid urge Ronaldo to go on strike

The Sun and Tribal Football are reporting that Real Madrid are urging Ronaldo to go on strike, to force Manchester United's hand over Ronaldo's proposed transfer.

Real Madrid president, Calderon is being quoted via second hand 'sources' that they want Ronaldo to go on strike at Manchester United until the transfer window closes on 31st August.

It's all becoming very nasty, sad and disappointing really. A lot is just newspapers filling the column inches, but there can be little doubt Real Madrid have turned Ronaldo's head, and both are now trying to engineer a move.

As we've said before, wouldn't it be great if just for once a club stood up to a player and let him either stick to his contract or as Ferguson put it, 'rot in the stands'. It would be fascinating if the Glazers and Manchester United really did refuse to buckle to Real Madrid and Ronaldo.

Whether Ronaldo moves to Real Madrid or not, its once again showing the money driven, dark side of football. We can only hope Manchester United back up their words with action. More power to their elbow we say!!

Football News: Liverpool turn to Bentley

Liverpool turning to Bentley as Dosenna signs in
Rafa Benitez is reportedly turning to David Bentley as the solution to Liverpool's right wing problems. His chances of securing Bentley have increased due to Mark Hughes leaving, and Blackburns inability to secure European football next season.

Bentley reportedly sees Champions League football or UEFA Cup football at least, as vital to his ambition to cement his place on the right wing for England, as David Beckhams long term replacement.

Liverpool are involved in a major reshuffle, with Riise, Alonso, Kewell, Crouch, Finnan, Pennant, Carson, and Itandje all going or gone. Benitez is reportedly keen to up his quota of English players given the possibility of the 6+5 foreigners rule.

Bentley to Liverpool would be a great signing for Benitez, and give Liverpool some real balance to the side. He'll be expensive but worth it. Kuyt or Bentley on the right - duh!

Ronaldo: Ferguson not welcome here

Ronaldo's position becoming untenable as he tells Ferguson to stay away

Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Real Madrid seemingly took a step closer yesterday, as he made it known he did not wish to see Alex Ferguson at the Portuguese training camp, to discuss the matter.

Given Ronaldo has now also come out and said he would like to move to Madrid, via a Brazilian website, it all stacks up to the player slowly building pressure on Manchester United, in a bid to engineer his move.

What would be really interesting is if the Glazers and Manchester United stick to their guns and let Ronaldo 'rot in the stands' as Ferguson said this week. Personally I would be ecstatic if they did. How good would it be if just for once, a player was made to stick to their contract. Given Ronaldo only signed his latest four year deal last year, United have every right to feel aggrieved.

However I think its a bit rich for them to complain about Real Madrids tactics. I suspect Sir Alex Ferguson is a past master at such tactics and has been using them for years, in order to get his transfer targets from other clubs!

Depressingly for Manchester United fans, it seems that Cristiano Ronaldo is determined to move to Real Madrid, and it is now turning into the story of the summer. The really fascinating part will be how far the Glazers and Manchester United are prepared to go in standing up to Real Madrid and the modern player power being displayed by Cristiano Ronaldo. Let battle commence!

Ronaldo to Madrid: Looking a shoe-in

The mother of all moves edging closer as Ronaldo admits to wanting move to Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo admitted yesterday (albeit on a Brazilian website), that he would like to move to Real Madrid. There was no word from Sir Alex Ferguson, though Manchester United's Chief Executive David Gill stated that "Our position on Ronaldo remains as set out last week," referring to Ferguson's insistence that the club would rather let the player rot in the reserves than do business with a club who, in their eyes, have brazenly flouted transfer rules and etiquette.

It all seems like its building up to be the mother of all transfer stoushes, probably ending in the mother of all transfers, with a world record fee of 78 million pounds securing Ronaldo's move to Madrid.

Manchester United and it's supporters will be hugely disappointed with Ronaldo, who it appears is determined to engineer the move to Madrid after only two outstanding seasons. However given his recent comments it can come as no surprise.

Overall the Premier League will be very interesting next season, and potentially there will not be a better time for a club to break into the top three or four. Arsenal have lost Flamini and Hleb, Chelsea look likely to lose Drogba and possibly Lampard, while Manchester United certainly look like losing 40 goals a season in Ronaldo.