TheDailySoccerNews.com

Jose Mourinho is reportedly seeking a staggering £10million a year after tax before he even thinks about sitting in the Real Madrid hot seat.

His take-home pay at Inter Milan is currently about £8m, making him the best-paid coach in the world, but he is apparently looking for another hefty pay rise to tempt him away from the San Siro.

Mourinho, a former Barcelona coach, would fancy the challenge of winning the league title in yet another league, but he is likely to seek a return to England once his Italian adventure comes to an end.

If the 47-year-old can lead Inter to Champions League glory and his second straight Scudetto, he may feel the time is right to seek a new challenge.

Reports in Spain suggest Mourinho is the No 1 target to replace beleaguered Manuel Pellegrini, who was not president Florentino Perez’s first choice and has disappointed with an early exit in the Champions League and Spanish Cup.

Pellegrini is considered under serious pressure, despite Madrid sitting top of La Liga, showing just how difficult the job is in Madrid. Read more…

MILAN - Ivan Ramiro Cordoba commented on Inter’s victory over Livorno in a post-match interview with Sky Sport Italia. He said: “This result gives us confidence. Before the game we knew it wouldn’t be easy - not just because of the opponent but also for the pressure of those behind us in the table, but we started the match well and the three points came.

“I don’t think anyone is happier than Eto’o today. It has been a bit of a hard period for him but now he’s the Eto’o we know. A period of adaptation was normal, but he has always worked hard for the team.”

Cordoba spoke with emotion about the return of Cristian Chivu: “It was special to see Cristian on the pitch today. We are very happy for him. He can help us win now, and win a lot, and it will be even better with him.” Read more…

David Beckham’s dream of playing in a fourth World Cup looks over after he tore an Achilles tendon in AC Milan’s 1-0 win over Chievo on Sunday.

Beckham was unchallenged when he suffered the injury and hobbled off in pain before being stretchered away.

The 34-year-old was hoping to be part of England’s World Cup squad in June, but instead will fly to Finland on Monday for specialist surgery.

“A rupture of the Achilles tendon is suspected,” said an AC Milan statement.

Beckham, who is in his second loan stint with Milan from the Los Angeles Galaxy, will now almost certainly not be fit for the World Cup in South Africa which starts on 11 June.
Consultant sports physician Dr Tom Crisp told BBC Radio 5 live: “It’s remotely possible he may be running in three months. The chances of him being fit to play for England are non-existent.”

AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani said that the Englishman will be out for “probably five or six months”. Read more…

Inter were looking to stretch their lead over rivals Milan to seven points as they travelled to Catania for Serie A’s Friday night anticipo.

During an entertaining opening period, it was the home side who came out fighting determined to get a measure of the Nerazzurri. The league leaders took a while to move into second gear and had to suffer for 30 minutes before taking a firmer hold on the game.

After the break the Italian champions took an early lead when Diego Milito tapped home from close range following Samuel Eto’o square ball. The Etnei were in no mood to back off however, and brought the match back onto level terms as Maxi Lopez tapped home for his first Serie A goal at the Massimino.

Late on the game took an incredible twist when Sulley Muntari’s handled effort offered the Elefanti a chance to push on. Giuseppe Mascara then stepped up from the spot and chipped home an outrageous finish to gift his side a priceless win. The Sicilians rounded off the victory in style when Jorge Martinez rounded Julio Cesar to add another dent to Inter’s Scudetto ambitions. Read more…

There might never have been a coach more intent on turning his teams into a sideshow to his own performance than José Mourinho. Yet he is not the pretty sight he imagines.
On Saturday night in the San Siro, his Inter Milan was reduced by foul play and gamesmanship to nine men before halftime for the second match running. No matter, Mourinho applauded them, mocked the referee, and boasted that a team of his would have to be reduced to six players to lose a home game.

He is a bitter and twisted man — and a successful one.

Saturday was the 130th consecutive time a team coached by Mourinho — from Porto to Chelsea to Inter — has remained unbeaten at home in league play. It is a run built on stubbornness and good organization, yet scarred by an attitude that is inimical to the game.

What Mourinho was applauding from the touchline Saturday was a match without goals or grace. It was anti-soccer at its worst, aided by Sampdoria’s failure to make numerical advantage count, or even threaten to score.

Mourinho’s mind games included prolonging the halftime interval by almost five minutes, leaving the opponents cold on the pitch and the match officials jogging nervously in the tunnel. Mourinho challenged officialdom by demonstrating, not for the first time, that his men will come out to play when it suits him.

We have seen all this before. It is unlikely to be coincidence that this display came as Inter was preparing to face its next visitor to the San Siro, Chelsea — the team that he built and the club that fired him — in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Before that, Europe’s true champion, Barcelona, will play at Stuttgart on Tuesday. If the weekend is any guide, there should be goals and an emphasis on the more pleasant arts of the game.

Barcelona, although depleted by injuries to Xavi Hernández, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Seydou Keita, Eric Abidal and others, overran Santander with a 4-0 victory in the Camp Nou. It answered questions after Barça’s first defeat of the Spanish season, against Atlético Madrid the previous week — and Thierry Henry, Andrés Iniesta and Rafael Márquez all scored goals for the first time in months. Read more…

Bari were no match for an efficient AC Milan side who bagged three important Serie A points to erase the recent memory of Champions League defeat.

Milan were hoping to use the game as a chance to recover from the recent loss to Manchester United in the Champions League. For Bari the task was simple, make the misery worse and bag a vital three points.

The first half was a frustrating one to watch. Milan had plenty of the ball but were not doing enough to convert this into a good lead. However, they stuck to their task and stretched the advantage in the second 45, never looking back.

Bari made the slightly better start as Barreto went racing down the wing in the fourth minute. Gattuso was having none of it and raced over to clear the danger and any early chance of a threat against Milan.

Milan struggled in the early moments to find their feet. Passes were going out of play and either too long or short. If Bari could get an early goal then it could help them when Milan improved later in the game.

Ambrosini missed a great chance just before the quarter of an hour mark when he fired over. Pato did well to beat the full back, progress along the by line and cut the ball back before it was sent into row z.

Bari were not to be outdone and a good little move nearly put them ahead. Meggiorini found a little space on the edge of the area but couldn’t get enough power behind his shot as a Milan defender came across to clear. Read more…

DAVID BECKHAM still wishes he was a Manchester United player.

That is why he will not be celebrating if he scores against his old club in the second round of the Champions League.

The former England skipper faces United next Tuesday for the first time since his acrimonious departure to Real Madrid seven years ago.

Becks, on loan at AC Milan, is looking forward to his reunion but clearly he would still like Old Trafford to be his permanent home.

He said: “I always wish I was part of Manchester United, it is just in me.

“Even though I am not there any more, I am still a huge fan.

“Coming to terms with not being a United player was certainly the toughest thing I’ve ever had to deal with.

“When you are a Manchester United player and a Manchester United fan you never want to play for any other club.

“I always want them to do well and ]be successful because the club still means so much to me. Read more…

The Italian media had claimed there was already a verbal agreement between the Spaniard and his would-be new employers and a meeting had taken place today with Benitez’s lawyers to finalise details of the contract.

There were even reports Benitez would make Liverpool trio Dirk Kuyt, Martin Skrtel and, somewhat oddly considering their fractious relationship, Ryan Babel his first signings.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez last night released a statement claiming he has no agreement with Juventus and will not be meeting the Italian club or their representatives, or any other club.

However, similar sources had suggested on Thursday a Juve delegation was in Liverpool only for that to prove to be false.

When asked about the manager’s future Kuyt said he did not believe there would be any change at the top.

‘As far as I know there is no doubt,’ said the Holland international.

‘I’ve not heard there is any trouble or indication the manager could leave so if that is not happening we just want to play football.’

Benitez did not help all the conjecture about his future on Friday when he said he was proud to be linked with one of Europe’s top clubs.

But he did also say he had a job to do an Anfield and was committed to that. Co-owner Tom Hicks’ surprise visit to watch yesterday’s 2-0 victory over Bolton also posed a few questions as to why he had attended a relatively low-key fixture when there was a Merseyside derby next weekend.

He was not, however, bringing a last-minute transfer window war chest for the Spaniard to spend to help Liverpool secure the Champions League football which is so vital to their future. Read more…

Benitez said he was “proud” to be linked as they are a “top side in Europe” but added: “I’m happy here and want to do a job as best I can.”

The Spaniard has come under-fire for a spluttering season and doubts over his future intensified on Friday with Ciro Ferrara’s sacking at the Serie A club.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has rejected talk of an imminent move to become the new Juventus coach.

Alberto Zaccheroni has been handed the role until the end of the season.

The Reds manager signed a new deal in March 2009 to keep him at the Merseyside club until 2014, but an early exit in the Champions League and FA Cup, along with poor Premier League form, has not helped to quash reports of a premature departure.

Benitez’s agent Manuel Garcia Quilon revealed on 26 January there was “no truth” in the media speculation linking his client to a move to the Turin club.

And although some reports in Italy suggested a Juventus delegation had flown to Merseyside this week attempting to secure a new long-term manager, Benitez was not prepared to discuss his future.

“I am not here to talk about speculation because people talk too much,” said the 50-year-old.

“I am focused on preparing my team for the game against Bolton (on Saturday). I know they (Juventus) were interested, that is part of the game now in football, but I am not ready to talk too much because I don’t want to lose my focus.” Read more…