Angel di María is having a great 2008 Beijing Olympics. Excellent pass to Sergio El Kun Aguero for the 1st goal in the semi-final.
Di Maria's future is uncertain. he plays for Benfica int he Portugeuse League, Liga Sagres. Quique is not too sure he wants to keep Di Maria in his team. Here are the transfer rumors:
On August 21, 2008, About Real Madrid's interest in him
“It's an extraordinary club, a magnificent one. Therefore, it's great that they say they are interested in me. They have to talk with Benfica. To play in Spain would be a dream! There, in that league, are the best in the world and I would be delighted to be part of them."
Source: record.pt
Your thoughts? Will Di Maria leave Benfica this season?
See the presentation of Pablo Aimar as a Benfica player in July 2008.
Has become a fan favorite. Played in the Eusebio Cup on August 15, 2008. Considered one of the big-name signings this season. Rui Costa personally travelled to Spain 3 times to persuade Aimar to sign for Benfica. AImar mentions this in this video.
Your thoughts on Pablo Aimar at Benfica for 2008-2009?
Luis Acosta plays for Sevilla in La Liga. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, scored the 2nd goal in Argentina 2-1 Ivory Coast. He was a substitute in the famous semi-final Argentina 3-0 Brazil.
Acosta wears the #21 jersey.
* Name:Lautaro Germán Acosta "Acosta"
* Birth. :14-03-1988
* age :20 años
* Birthplace . :Glew, Buenos Aires (Arg)
* Weight/Height :68/1.68
* Position :Medio
* Previous club:CA Lanús (08)
Are you a fan of Acosta? Your thoughts on Acosta in Sevilla for 2008-2009?
Di Maria has had a very consistent perforamnce in all 4 Argentina games in the Beijing Olympics. He plays for Benfica, in the Portuguese League, Liga Sagres.
Now Benfica is not too sure they want to keep him. They signed Jose Antonio Reyes, plays on the left side, similar to Di Maria.
According to O Jogo, Portuguese paper,
August 20, 2008
Benfica is listening to the offer of Real Madrid, that in the past has offered 15 million euros.
DI MARIA CAN LEAVE FOR 20 MILLION EUROS
Your thoughts? Do you think Di Maria needs to leave Benfica this season?
I respect the Brazil fans. We saw how El Kun Aguero was on the cover of the Argentina papers.
See the cover of a Brazilian paper. The pressure is on and they want Dunga out. I don't blame them. Pretty drastic things!
'National team of Dunga
2006-2008'
Brasilian soccer, 5-time world champion, communicates the death of the national team of coach Dunga, occured yesterday, in Beijing, China. The mass of the 7th day will be on Monday, 8am, at Estadio do Shanghai.
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Here are some more covers of the sports section of some Brazilian papers the day after the Argentina 3-0 Brazil. Blaming Dunga.
In the friendly Argentina - Bielorussia, (August 20, 2008) the forward next to Tevez was Denis. Who is he? Referred to as "El Tanque" in Argentina, he plays for Napoli in the Serie A.
To know more about him, see this video:
El tanque Denis scored 18 goals, was the top goalscorer in the Argentina league and only 2 goals short to break the record of Martin Palermo of 1998.
Leo Messi was extraordinary in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Scored the first goal against Ivory Coast. Messi plays for Barcelona, wears #10 Barcelona jersey.
Name: Lionel 'Leo' Andrés Messi
Position: forward
Place of birth: Santa Fe (Argentina)
Date: 24-06-1987
Height: 1'69
Weight: 67
His breakthrough as a player came in the 2005-06 season, starting with an amazing performance in the Joan Gamper Trophy match against Juventus. He was also outstanding at the Santiago Bernabéu, in Barcelona's unforgettable 3-0 win, and also at Stamford Bridge, in the Champions League match against Chelsea. (Remember how Jose Mourinho accused Messi of doing "theater" when he suffered a foul by ?)Injury kept him sidelined for much of the latter stage of the season. Messi played a total of 17 league games, 6 in the Champions League and 2 in the Copa del Rey. Messi scored eight goals.
2007-2008-- Messi moved up a gear and astounded the world with goals such as the one he scored against Getafe in the King’s Cup. In the 2006/07 season, and even though the team didn’t win any titles, the Argentine was second in the FIFA World Player awards and third in the Golden Ball. He continued to develop in the 2007/08 campaign, when he scored 16 goals and gave 10 assists in the 40 games he played in.
CHARACTERISTICS
Messi is an unusual player. He is highly creative, and has the skills to take on defenders with ease. He is a versatile left-footed player who can play either in the middle or on either wing, or even as a centre forward.
Although he is quite short, he is so fast and physically strong that he can cope with larger opponents. He is incredibly powerful, and a specialist in such dead ball situations as corners, free kicks and penalties.
Titles with Barcelona: 2006/07 Spanish Supercup
2005/06 Champions League
2005/06 League
2005/06 Spanish Supercup
2004/05 League
Argentina National Team 2004/05 World Cup Under-20
2008 Beijing Olympics- Played first 2 matches, was rested int he 3rd match, played in the semi-final Argentina 3-0 Brazil overshadowing Ronaldinho.
Argentina 0-0 Bielorussia friendly August 20, 2008 Minsk
Video of highlights in Spanish from Argentinean TVC Sports English translation:
00:38 Denis sees the ball. He looks surprised. Denis is one of the 'player #9' that one wants. He had a good chance. Carrizo appears there. Well, a goalkeeper of a big team has to appear.
00:43 63rd minute- Another goal opportunity for Belarussia. This was the worst moment for Argentina. When Basile's team was most disorganized. Belarussia was dangerous on both sides, the left and right.
00:50 65th minute- Cavenaghi, the first time he touched the ball in the game.
01:00- 83rd minute- after the moment of disarray. Organized better and started creating clear goal opportunities. Like this one for instance, Cavenaghi and Licha Lopez.
91st minute- One more, A free kick for Mariano Gonzalez, the last chance for Argentina. Headed by Collocini but saved by the goalkeeper.
A friendly before the 2010 "Eliminatorias", world cup qualifyers. Argentina coach Alfio 'El Coco' Basile doesn't have those key players like Mascherano, Riquelme, Messi because they're in the Olympics. He's testing 'new' players like Denis from Napoli.
Where can I watch the game Argentina v. Bielorussia? Online. It's not broadcast on TV. I'm following it on El Clarin and Diario Ole, both Argentinean sites. According Diario Ole, "Argentina and Bielorussia are boring in Minsk. A slow game without goal chances. Jonas on the left side is creating spaces but lacks precision."
2nd half: According to Diario Ole "El Tanque (Denis) was alone in front of goal and his shot hit the bar. Tevez also wasted a goal opportunity in the end of the first half.
Surprises in the lineup: Forwards: Denis and Tevez up front. Denis, the player from Napoli, also known as "El Tanque." No Crespo because he wasn't in the call-up list.
Basile announed the starting Lineup:
Carrizo
Zanetti -- Burdisso -- Coloccini -- Heinze
Pablo Ledesma (place of injured Maxi Rodríguez) -- Lucho González -- Jonás Gutiérrez -- Cambiasso
Germán Denis -- Carlitos Tevez.
Monica_Kun's predictions: Carrizo in goal
final score: Argentina win again by 3-0. It looks difficult because in the 33rd minute it is still a goalless draw 0-0. GoalscorersDenis, Tevez, Lucho Gonzalez Favorite player in this lineupCambiasso and Tevez
Wasn't Gago great in stealing the ball in the midfield in Argentina 3-0 Brazil? He plays for Real Madrid, and wears the #8 jersey.
Fernando Rubén GAGO, nickname "Pintita"
Birthplace: Buenos Aires (Argentina)
Birth: 14/04/1986
Position: Centrocampista
Weight: 69 kg
Height: 178 cms
Nationality: Argentina
Previous clubs: Boca Juniors (04-06)
Debut in 1st División: January 7 -2007
Debut game: Deportivo 2 - 0 Real Madrid
Argentina national team: 2008 Beijing Olympics- In the starting lineup of coach Sergio "Checho" Batista. Excellent game in the Semi-final Argentina 3-0 Brazil.
Your thoughts on Gago at Real Madrid for the 2008-2009 season?
Cover Ole, Argentina sports paper, the day after Argentina 3-0 Brazil in the 2008 Beijing Olyumpics semi-final. The photo is of El Kun dedicating the goals to his girlfriend who's pregnant.
