Figo keeps on running

I love seeing Figo still playing. It’s great to see that not all of the generation of great players from the mid-90s are all gone. Something special about this golden generation – they’re a joy to watch and I feel privileged to have watched them at their best. It was wonderful to see many of them still playing in Germany with a lot of heart and skill. I’ll root for Inter. And Carlos, while I think you may be dismissing Buffon a little too quickly (he’s just gotten back from vacation, I think) – I do think Ricardo is at least his equal and may even be better. Ricardo’s an awesome warrior.

Posted from  United States

Did you see Italy – France last week? Buffon was too self-confident and so was the whole team. I’m Tifoso, I know they’ve won the World Cup and I cannot abide France (they beat Portugal just because of that silly penalty kick).

And that’s what I like about Ricardo Pereira. He’s the best penalty shoot-out goalkeeper in the world and never really takes centre stage in Portugal despite his great doings in 2004.
We should also be careful about the Spanish goalkeeper Casillas, who will definitely show a good game in 2008.

Luís Figo cannot be equally replaced in the Portuguese team, but Scolari tries everything and meanwhile, we keep watching him playing for Inter and enjoying the greatest sportsmen ever. Looking forward to today’s CL-game Inter-Benfica!

Posted from  Austria

Sorry, today Inter plays against Sporting Lisboa, of course.
Have a look: http://www.inter.it
Nice photos of the news conference and a short interview with Luís.

Posted from  Austria

SPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORTING!!!

Victory!

SCP beat Inter with a brilliant goal from Caneira. I won’t be far from the truth if I say SCP were the better team, especially on the second half.

One can almost say, in the fight between “rich & famous” vs “kids”, THE KIDS WON!!!

M Veloso was brilliant in the holding midfield position (note he is a naturall central defender and was playing second division, in the POR league last year), Nani was the team’s attacking engine while he was there, J Moutinho was the class in midfield – this means everywhere in the midfield – we got used to (and got a bit beaten up + the yellow was absolutelly not fare), Yannick Djalo (one of ours U21 striker and NOT brasillian as I’ve seen in some international press) was the “secret weapon” (although it’s clear the kid needs to buid up a bit more body to be a better striker), brazillian striker Liedson was always busy and failed an unbelievable header, that would give 2-0 and security, from a milimetrical cross from Moutinho. The second half was Sporting’s and Caneira (I didn’t know our NT’s left back substitute had it in him) scoring an impressive volley, really a great goal, from outside the box – Toldo couldn’t have done much better. Shortly after, Vieira managed to get himself kicked out, with a ridiculously stupid challenge, that gave him an early ticket to the showers. SCP replaced argentinian playmaker Romagnoli for a 3rd striker, being one man up.Delightfull killer pass, minutes before the goal was scored and overall very nice to see him and Nani and Moutinho combining together.

Brilliant and deserved victory, against a theorical much better side. Surelly much older, experienced and filled with stars. More important than the win (who am I kidding) was the performance. SCP dominated the flow of events against an Inter team that played clearly bellow what they can. Credits to SCP, who were very solid, and above all organized, in all areas.

Forca Sporting!
Forca PORTUGAL!!!

http://www.sporting.pt/Info/Futebol/Noticias/noticiasfutebol_futlcscpintercro_120906_28899.asp

Posted from  Netherlands

So funny to read ES’s comments: “Inter are self-destructing”…

The figs and some stats (link) are not totally right, but really, who cares after such a victory…

http://www.eurosport.com/football/uefa-champions-league/2006-2007/livefullpage_mtc155190.shtml

Posted from  Netherlands

Well, now they did win and there’s no problem about it. Once again, Ricardo showed that he’s the best keeper in the world and Marco Caneira was simply great.

Luís Figo’s comment is very pessimistic: “We played badly”. The truth is: He played rather badly and it was correct to exchange him soon.

Sporting kept the tempo and the Inter strikers were completely harmless. As I always say: Zlatan Ibrahimovic is not as good as he was, neither in the Swedish team nor at Inter.

It seems to be a good sign for Portuguese football, the victory was, of course, deserved and I hope to see such good games in the Super Liga and the Champions League more often.

Figo is one of the best players in the world, but only behind the strikers and not as a winger. You could see he’s not satisfied with this position and fortunately Signore Mancini has recognized it finally.

Força Sporting!
Forza Inter!!!
FORÇA PORTUGAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted from  Austria

Congrats Sporting fans. A well deserved victory. I couldn’t see the game but I saw the highlights last night. What a goal by Caneira!

Pedro – the press never seems to give PT football respect. It’s always the opponent that under performs.

Posted from  United States

@Luis: It’s their problem…

It is also truth that Inter WERE clear favourites and are at a diferent level than Sporting. This doesn’t mean Sporting only won cos Inter played bad. If Inter played bad, it’s also because of Sporting having outplayed them.

Anyway. Don’t be fooled cos there’s another match in Italy… Watch out for Inter in Italy.

I am already very pleased to have seen those kids playing at that level, in that stage (CL) and against such a strong team.

Luckily, Inter gets to play Bayern next (who thrashed Spartak) round, so the pressure is all on them…

If SCP is able to keep up the performance and go through, that we’ve achieved something. Right now, it’s only one victory… Nothing’s yet won!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2b3Ed6LcI0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxvBqQ-XE_A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCYvyurjT1Q

Posted from  Netherlands

http://www.ojogo.pt/22-205/artigo578491.htm

http://www.ojogo.pt/22-205/artigo578499.htm

http://www.ojogo.pt/22-205/artigo578493.htm

http://www.ojogo.pt/22-205/artigo578501.htm

http://www.ojogo.pt/22-205/artigo578506.htm

http://www.ojogo.pt/22-205/artigo578503.htm

Posted from  Netherlands

Here we can also see Liedson failing scoring the 2-0, by inches, from a perfect J Moutinho cross!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk2dgsX4yXI

Posted from  Netherlands

I’m not so sure about the different level any more…

What I know is that Inter is going to win against Bayern (*grrr* stupid Germans) because you could see that Figo was not really motivated to win against his old club. Moreover, the League in Italy has just started and they are missing practice. They’re going to win the Italian League with all their great Argentinians, Luís Figo and their world champions and that’s it.

After the great Sporting performance, Benfica’s and Porto’s 0-0 draws yesterday evening against FC Copenhagen and ZSKA Moscow seem a bit disappointing. Did anyone see the matches?

Posted from  Austria

By the way, Pedro, your links are very nice… if you are no FC Internazionale fan like me.
OK, OK, I know no-one wanted Inter to win, but I could give you some nice links with very subjective comments written by my friends and me…
No, Sporting did deserve it and in the following games I’m going to pray for Sporting, of course – but my home club also won the CL-qualification first leg 1-0 and finally lost 0-3 in Mestalla, Valencia. You see Inter’s gonna convince the Portuguese in the end?

Posted from  Austria

Actually, Inter is one of the italian teams I have sympathy for. Also Fiorentina. It’s Fiat’s Juventus and Berlusconi’s Milan I dislike… Anyway, right now it’s SCP all the way in the champs… 25% to be qualified is done…

Posted from  Netherlands

I’m really sad when Inter lost to Sporting, coz I’m a huge fan of figo and adriano.

Posted from  Indonesia

Great. Unfortunately, they didn’t convince Sampdoria. I watched the match in the stadium and Figo was brilliant, of course. The penalty was bad luck, but if they don’t win tomorrow evening, they’ll have a problem.

Poor Juventus players have to suffer from their evil managers, but AC Milan and Lazio should get new owners without those fascistic tendences.

Yes, back to Inter vs. Sampdoria:
We didn’t catch much of the match because the fans were incredibly loud and everything was pure chaos. Once again, the minute of silence for Giacinto Facchetti (Rest in peace, Cipe! May the Lord show His mercy to you! The Inter family and all football fans in the world will never forget you.) was very touching and we cried a bit and didn’t laugh much during the match because Inter’s offensive game was not really dangerous until Luís came. His assist was very good and he did everything to lead the Nerazzurri because Javier Zanetti obviously wasn’t able to do it that day.
Pity Adriano isn’t in good form at the moment, but his goal should have been given by those stupid referees, who managed to destroy a nice Italian football match.
All in all, it was not a very good game. We didn’t listen to the interviews because we were extremely tired, but they can be heard at Inter.it.

Posted from  Austria

Here’s an old interview with Deco. I guess some 2 years old… Several items are approached and I imagine that, beyond its interest, a lot of questions are answered. Or at least, the “citizenship and later play for the NT” issue is mentioned… His FC Porto days, the jump to Barcelona, Portugal, etc…

http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/especiais/deco/index.php

You can also find another interview, same site, this time with Miguel, when he started playing for the NT and how he +/- became a right-back after being a winger… ALL in portuguese…

Posted from  Netherlands

Whatever they say, Portuguese IS the most beautiful language in the world.

There’s nothing wrong about Brazilians in the Portuguese National Team, especially if they put all their effort in winning for Portugal, like Deco does. I think it’s kinda interesting how the fans love Deco now and how they always complain if any other Brazilian player wants to be nationalised.

BTW, in the last Inter Match (vs. Chievo Verona) yesterday evening Figo was good and could have scored 5 goals. His shots, however, were a bit ineffective and, for a change, he played quite egoistic. The Inter defence was horribly insecure in the final stage. Goalkeeper Julio Cruz made several mistakes again. I swear by Francesco Toldo although I understand his replacing in the last games. Well, trust Mancini, he always decides correctly.

Posted from  Austria

i hope Inter doesn’t make the same mistake again in UEFA Championship against Bayern Munich and Spartak!

Posted from  Indonesia

I hope Sporting beats the russians tomorrow, cos then 50% of the qualification would be done, PLUS, it’s one dificult trip to Russia…

Inter will host Bayern… A tough one, because Inter MUST win, after loosing to Sporting, and Bayern is looking quite strong… If Inter beats Bayern, all the better for Sporting…

Posted from  Netherlands

The Russians showed quite a strong qualification, but Sporting is technically and physically even stronger. They shouldn’t have any problems with taking one or even three points home to Lisbon.

Inter is under huge pressure after that “scandal” about De Santis, but I don’t think it will be much of a problem for the club. Giacinto (rest in peace, Cipe!) and Massimo Moratti would never have done those things.
At the moment, Mancini has a little problem in midfield, but he wants to keep the usual formation (which means that Luís Figo will probably play from the beginning) and the squad he has called is very strong.
Blessings to Javier Zanetti, who will play his 500th match for the Nerazzurri tomorrow evening.

Posted from  Austria

uh huh.. but i’d like to say, Inter would be the runner-up for the Group B in UEFA Champions League.. beside that Inter already had the Argentina Striker Hernan Crespo right? but not too sure coz Patrick Vieira already got the red card in battle against Sporting..

Posted from  Indonesia

Sporting isn’t usually that strong against russian teams…

Inter was stronger than SCP, on paper, technically and physically and still played worse and lost.

It’s true the russians lost heavily to Bayern, but it all happened in the second half, the game wasn’t very interesting and it was in Germany… You think in Russia they are all happy for Sporting, right now…? I don’t think so…

I believe it’ll be a very tough game. A draw wouldn’t be bad either, considering it’s in Russia. Next game is against Bayern in Lisbon, but immediatelly after is Bayern again, this time in Germany…

Whatever crisis Inter is going through, for everything that happened, if they don’t get out of group stages, heads will roll. And the last game of the group, is Sporting against Inter, IN ITALY… So, I mean, the victory was very good, but “not everything are roses”…

Posted from  Netherlands

anybody see the result in Champions League? Inter lost against Bayern 2-0. Ibrahimovic and Grosso is suspended because those stupid red cards. oh my god!!

Posted from  Indonesia

Incredibly. It’s terrible. The only good thing about it is that Sporting is doing well and seems to overcome the group. But Ibra’s and Grosso’s booking were absolutely correct and the whole match was dominated by Bayern.
It was Javier Zanetti’s 500th match for F.C. Internazionale, and he actually was one of the best players that day. The Germans, however, really deserved winning and I have no idea what will happen if Inter doesn’t make her way through the group.
Pity to see a sad Figo again. He played truly badly, all you could see was one dangerous corner and him rolling in the grass because he was fouled quite often. It’s depressing to see the pain in his beautiful masculine face and how he’s trying to run faster and his body doesn’t obey how it used to do and how he’s walking off the pitch, hanging his head and raising his hand for the fans. He was and still is one of the most important men for Portuguese and European football, an intelligent player, a great captain and a very, very nice guy, tirelessly working for his fatherland and his fans.

Well, cheer up, folks. After all, we should concentrate on the young players and they are making progress. The older guys need our backing now more than ever. A new WC will come, with new players, new adversaries and new luck.

Posted from  Austria

i hope so… luckily there’s Manchester United in the top of Group D Classification.. keep going Manchester United.. especially for you Cristiano Ronaldo ^^

Posted from  Indonesia