Soccer Stadium Highlights Tensions in S. Africa

The people who live nearby, proud as they are to host soccer’s greatest event, also wonder: How could there be money for a 46,000-seat stadium while many of them still fetch water from dirty puddles and live without electricity or toilets? In January 2009, the speaker of the municipal assembly, Jimmy Mohlala, was gunned down in front of his house. He had gathered evidence about stadium deals and declared that he was ready to name names and shame the shameless.



Mohlala...

England: Premier League Previews & Predictions

Tottenham Hotspur continue their pursuit of fourth place as they kick-off this weekend's action against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday lunchtime. Elsewhere, Chelsea will be aiming to climb back to the top of the table when they host West Ham, Burnley and Wolves lock horns while Bolton take on Wigan in two relegation six-pointers, and Arsenal make the trip to Phil Brown's Hull City. Everton go to Birmingham, Stoke host Villa, Fulham are at Manchester United and Manchester City go to Sunderland.

Preview I
Preview II



Spurs vs. Blackburn Preview (ESPN2 @ 7:45am EST)

Lawro's Predictions

Italy: Serie A Weekend Preview

AC Milan coach Leonardo has already forgotten his team's 4-0 humiliation at Manchester United in the Champions League and is focused on challenging for the Serie A title. Ahead of Sunday's home game against Chievo, Leonardo said: "I had imagined a different game at Old Trafford. Once again, Inter coach Jose Mourinho will have to watch his side's match at Catania on Friday from the stands while he completes a touchline ban. Roma are in third place, two points behind AC Milan ahead of Sunday's match at Livorno.

Preview

Spain: La Liga Weekend Preview

All eyes will be on Real Madrid's visit to Real Valladolid to see how they react to yet another Champions League disappointment. On paper, Madrid could barely have picked better opponents to face after last night's blow. Valladolid have taken just four points - all from draws - from their 10 games in 2010 and last Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao left them in 18th place and five points adrift of 17th-placed Real Zaragoza and safety. Barca had held top spot since beating Madrid in November but they dropped to second place after being held 2-2 at Almeria last Saturday. Pep Guardiola's reigning champions now face a potentially tough match on Sunday as they play host third-placed Valencia.

Preview

Germany: Bundesliga Weekend Preview

Schalke host Stuttgart, Hamburg visit Leverkusen, and Bayern face Freiburg in this round…

Friday
Schalke – Stuttgart

Saturday
Borussia M’gladbach – Wolfsburg
Hannover – Eintracht Frankfurt
Hertha Berlin – Nuernberg
Mainz – Koeln
Bochum – Borussia Dortmund
Bayern Munich – Freiburg

Sunday
Hoffenheim – Werder Bremen
Bayer Leverkusen – Hamburg

USA International Charlie Davies Aims To Be Playing For Sochaux By End Of April

The young forward is confounding doctors with the speed his recovery is going at. He is targeting a return to les Lionceaux’s first team by the conclusion of the campaign...

World Cup Legends: Franz Beckenbauer: Der Kaiser

A privileged few have experienced the honour of captaining their country to World Cup glory. Just two have won the competition as player and manager. But only one man has completed the hat-trick by 'winning' the World Cup as an administrator as well. It is hardly surprising, then, that the great Franz Beckenbauer will always be inextricably and inescapably associated with football's greatest competition.

Kevin McCarra: Milan no longer able to mask the decline of Italian clubs' fortunes

Milan's heavy defeat at United suggested Serie A's weakness, though Internazionale will dispute that against Chelsea.

The Joy of Six: Shock Falls From Grace

From Des Walker's career to the rapid decline of the first ever English champions, here are half a dozen inexplicable slides.

Europa League Wrap: Liverpool Hazard, Fulham lose in Turin

Liverpool's stuttering season took another turn for the worse as they lost 1-0 away to Lille in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 clash. Juventus outclassed Fulham to win 3-1 in the first leg of their tie in Turin. The Cottagers struggled for possession in the first half and went 2-0 down within 30 minutes thanks to goals from Nicola Legrottaglie and Jonathan Zebina.

Wrap

Dempsey returned for Fulham...

The Week That Was: Adios Champions, Adios Pellegrini

This was the week in which ducks ate Urawa Reds' training pitch, Sergio Ramos indulged in a spot of nipple rubbing, Real Madrid boss Manuel Pellegrini was called a ''coward'', Samir Nasri scored a goal of the season contender and dummy-spitting Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner is dubbed the 'greatest of all time'.

The South Africa World Cup: Invictus in Reverse

Welcome to South Africa, a remarkable place of jagged contrasts: rich and poor; black and white, immigrant and everyone else. On a normal week, it's the dispossessed and the self-possessed fighting for elbow room. But the 2010 World Cup, which starts in 90 days, has taken these contrasts and propelled them into conflict.

Robbie Savage shines in goal for Derby County against Reading

When Robbie Savage said that he was not just “the hair, teeth, tan and the big house” it was rather assumed he was practicing another soundbite for his budding career as a radio commentator.

David Beckham provides timely boost to the green and gold cause

The midfielder is unlikely to have been ignorant of the symbolism of draping a green and gold scarf around his neck at Old Trafford last night.

UEFA Europa League: Select Previews

Lille vs. Liverpool
French title-chasers looking to pile pressure on Rafa's Reds.

Juventus vs. Fulham
Hodgson's side face tough test against Italian giants.

Valencia vs. Werder Bremen
Slumping Spaniards host Germans

Atletico Madrid vs. Sporting Lisbon
Iberian Derby

Report: Dempsey Set To Return To Fulham Against Juventus

The midfielder will be on the bench for Fulham when they travel to Italy in the Europa league.

Quotes & Chants of the Week

"He got a bit homesick for Glasgow - which is a bit strange considering he's a Bulgarian."
Martin O'Neill discusses Stiliyan Petrov's bedding-in period at Aston Villa when he arrived from Celtic in 2006.

"International football is no longer the pinnacle for players. The pinnacle of a career, for many of the top footballers now, is getting the big contract, the Bentley and the blonde."
Roy Keane on Wayne Bridge's decision not to play for England.

"I never thought it would take so long for me to have a chance to put it on. It does smell. I have only cleaned it once or twice."
Newcastle's Jonas Gutierrez after celebrating his first goal for the club by putting on his trademark Spiderman mask. The mask that he keeps in his pants.

"Scoring goals is what you need to do to win games."
Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes finally gets the hang of football after 15 years in the game.

"Mohamed Zidan's dad says Manchester United and Barcelona have been looking at him. My dad says Manchester United and Barcelona have been looking at me too."
Clive Tyldesley commentating on England's game against Egypt at Wembley.

"You'll get the sack in the morning!"
West Brom fans as QPR's fifth manager of the season, Neil Warnock, was introduced to the Loftus Road faithful shortly before kick-off in his first match.

"John Terry - are you my dad?"
Stoke fans during the FA Cup tie with Chelsea.

The Rest

UEFA Champions League: Wednesday's Reports

Manchester United 4 - 0 AC Milan
Kevin McCarra: Match Report
Richard Jolly: Rooney upstages returning hero
David Pleat: How Milan were brushed aside
Harry Harris: Rooney on the brink of greatness
Player Ratings

Real Madrid 1 - 1 Lyon
Sid Lowe: Match Report
Phil Minshull: Defeat leaves Pellegrini doomed
Paul Macdonald: €250m Down The Drain as Madrid crash out
Player Ratings

Ivan De la Pena: Born Under a Bad Sign

No player has generated more excitement and anticipation in his formative years at Barcelona. Though players of the calibre of Xavi, Cesc Fabregas and Andres Iniesta have graduated from la Masia with remarkable results, it was Ivan de la Pena that developed a very particular romance with Barcelona supporters following his emergence in the mid-90s.

By Popular Demand: Robben's Goal vs. Fiorentina