Matthew Spiranovic leaves Western Sydney Wanderers FC to Hangzhou Greentown

China will be the next port of call for Matthew Spiranovic, with the Australia defender announcing his Western Sydney Wanderers exit.

Australia international Matthew Spiranovic has left Western Sydney Wanderers to sign for Chinese Super League (CSL) strugglers Hangzhou Greentown.

Spiranovic, who has played 27 games for his country, ended his two-year association with the Wanderers on Friday, with the A-League club confirming his departure.

The central defender won the AFC Champions League with Western Sydney in 2014, while he was also part of the team that lost the 2014 A-League grand final to Brisbane Roar, scoring the opening goal before the Wanderers succumbed 2-1.

“Matthew’s time at the Wanderers saw our club reach the heights in both the domestic competition and AFC Champions League and he will be fondly remembered by the Wanderers faithful,” Western Sydney CEO John Tsatsimas said in a statement.

“We thank Matthew for his service and wish him the best of luck as he continues his career in China.”

 

Spiranovic played 31 A-League matches for the Wanderers across two seasons, with the former Nuremburg, Urawa Red Diamonds and Al Arabi defender having signed with Western Sydney in October 2013.

“I had never played professionally in Australia prior to coming to the Wanderers, so to experience the best that football can offer in terms of success and coaching and helping me achieve my peak as a footballer while being here, after playing in countries like Germany and Japan, is something that I will never forget,” the 27-year-old said.

Hangzhou will hope Spiranovic can help them back onto the winners’ list in the CSL with Yang Ji’s side sitting two spots above the relegation zone on the back of four losses in five matches.

“The Chinese Super League boasts so many fantastic players that have been at the biggest clubs and leagues in the world,” Spiranovic said.

“Playing regularly against players such as Demba Ba, Robinho, Paulinho, Momo Sissoko, Elkeson and Ricardo Goulart will be a massive test and something that I look forward to.”

Spiranovic played for Australia at both the 2014 World Cup and 2015 Asian Cup, and played a key role in the Socceroos winning the latter.

Football Federation Australia

Manager Rafael Benitez will take charge of Real Madrid for the first time against AS Roma

Rafael Benitez says trying to choose between Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale is like making a child pick their favourite parent.

The relationship between Real Madrid’s two star forwards was subject of considerable scrutiny last season, with some supporters criticising Bale for seemingly failing to pass to his superstar team-mate when through on goal.

Speaking at a press conference before his team’s International Champions Cup match against Roma on Saturday, Benitez was asked by Goal if the 25-year-old Wales international, five years Ronaldo’s junior, could soon become the more prominent member of the Madrid attack.

“You can ask my daughter if she prefers my wife or me. The father or the mother. It’s not easy,” he said.

“Ronaldo, Bale, all of them – they are so good. For me it’s not a problem. James (Rodriguez), Isco, (Karim) Benzema, Ronaldo or Bale, we have an option with all of them.

“Ronaldo is a key player for us, Gareth will be a key player for us. But the same will be Benzema, James, Isco, (Toni) Kroos, (Luka) Modric. We have a fantastic team. We have to keep improving the squad, keep working hard with the players that we have.”

Benitez, a former Real Madrid ‘B’ player and coach, has won La Liga with Valencia and captured the UEFA Champions League at Liverpool, but now faces undeniably the biggest role of his career.

The 55-year-old knows he will face intense scrutiny in the hot seat at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, but believes focusing on the task at hand – and his inside knowledge of the club – will enable him to succeed where others have failed.

“If you analyse what I have to do every day, it’s more or less the same,” he said.

“It’s a football team and you have to train, to coach, prepare the training sessions and (for) the game. So it’s more or less the same.

“Obviously you have more media, more people around watching you. For me it doesn’t change too much. I have to concentrate on my job and try to do my best in the things that I know. Coaching the team and trying to have a winning mentality.

“(I do) have an advantage. I know the city, I know the fans, I know the club. So that is an advantage.”

Football Federation Australia

Manchester City vow stronger side against Hyundai A-League brothers

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini will keep the experimenting to a minimum when he meets the club’s ‘younger brothers’ Melbourne City on the Gold Coast tomorrow.

City defeated Adelaide United 2-0 with a raft of changes used in their training game this week.

And with a number of younger players in the travelling squad, some suggested it may be a weakened outfit that takes to the CBus Stadium park.

But on Saturday there will be a more cohesive Sky Blue side against the A-League outfit, promised the Chilean mentor.

“No, tomorrow we will play with just one team. We are going to make some changes in the second half,” he told reporters at the official pre-match press conference.

“But we will start with all the professional players and in the second half we’ll see to make some changes.”

And City captain Vincent Kompany has been impressed by what he’s seen so far from local A-League opposition.

“They were sharp,” he said of the Reds.

“They were good in ball possession and the level is actually of a pretty high standard.

“But for us it’s about the fitness and we got out of it what we did. But the standard of the team [Adelaide] technically was very good.”

 

And it wasn’t a surprise to the inspirational Belgian given he’s watched the A-League many times on TV in the UK.

In fact, Kompany watched the Melbourne Derby between City and Victory, he revealed with a wry smile.

“Most of the [A-League] games are quite open. And I like watching football from everywhere.

“It’s good, you don’t want to have a walkover when you start playing games.”

Kompany had some advice for City’s Australian brother club, who are into their second full season under the City Football Group ownership structure.

“I think they are at the same stage as we were four or five years ago. Constantly improving. If they can learn one thing from what we experienced is that if you work hard enough they will get to the top.”

Football Federation Australia

Brisbane Roar FC 1 x 2 Liverpool FC

Brisbane Roar more than matched Liverpool but the Reds came out on top to open their Aussie tour with a 2-1 win in an entertaining clash at Suncorp Stadium.

The Hyundai A-League outfit opened the scoring after 16 minutes thanks to striker Dimi Petratos. But the Reds responded 10 minutes later after Adam Lallana curled a superb shot from inside the box.

A second half strike to James Milner proved decisive for the Reds against a gallant Roar side under new coach John Aloisi.

With skipper Matt McKay missing Aloisi handed the captain’s armband to Jade North plus gave a start to new signing Jamie Maclaren up top.

The visitors in their change kit of all white put out a strong side featuring new signings Divock Origi and Danny Ings with Jordan Henderson skippering the Reds in the centre of the park as a new post Steven Gerrard era began.

After a rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone, belted out by a 50,000 plus crowd almost totally in red, proceedings got underway on a chilly night in the Queensland capital.

 

And it was Milner with the first clear effort, a stinging low drive that fizzed low past Jamie Young’s post.

The Reds were on top early but Roar looked well-organised and took the lead on 16 minutes. Petratos finishing off good lead up work down by Brandon Borrello to drift into the box and slot the opener past Simon Mignolet’s right glove.

The visitors responded immediately. Three raids on Roar’s goal came sharply, Danny Ings with the best chance but Jamie Young got down brilliantly to deny the new Reds signing.

Brisbane couldn’t hold though on as Adam Lallana brilliantly cut inside the box and with space and time curled an unstoppable right footer past the former Reading keeper.

Milner crunched Luke Brattan with a late challenge that showed the feeling in the clash as Japanese ref let it go with just a warning.

Ings was looking the most lively of the attacking options while 18-year-old former Charlton defender Joe Gomez showed what a canny signing he might be with his raids from deep.

Borrello had a chance to restore the lead but the youngster prodded his shot tamely at Mignolet with the goal in his sight.

But Liverpool should’ve been 2-1 up themselves on the verge of half-time as Mamadou Sakho powerfully met Milner’s corner, but Brattan headed away from underneath the crossbar.

The sides went in at 1-1 after a surprisingly up-tempo first 45 minutes.

Liverpool kept the same 11 on the park till the hour mark before a slew of substitutions came for both sides.

Kolo Toure receiving the biggest ovation when he came on. Jordan Ibe, Joe Maguire and Ryan Kent also coming on for Sakho, Gomez, Lallana and Origi.

Young was again the hero saving another certain goal this time from Henderson who was fed by the excellent Ings.

And up the other end, the flamboyant Devante Clut smashed a long-range rocket just inches over Mignolet’s goal.

The lively Ibe with a similarly stinging shot over the bar was starting to prove a handful.

The Reds were turning the screws and with 20 minutes to go were looking the most likely as Leiva made way for Jordan Rossiter.

And sure enough Milner found space outside the box driving into space before his slightly deflected shot deceived Young.

 

Ibe down the left of Liverpool’s front line was causing all sorts of problems for a tiring Brisbane side with his direct running inside the box. He once again brought out the best in Young with another stinging drive.

Roar still pushed on desperate for an equaliser and with Rickie Lambert on for the Reds it was end-to-end stuff.

But the Reds held on to record a first win of this two-match tour.

Liverpool now head to South Australia to face Adelaide United on Monday night.

Football Federation Austraçlia

Humorístico da TV Aparecida leva o título de “Supletivo para o Céu”

Equipe do programa “Supletivo Para o Céu”, da TV Aparecida

A TV Aparecida vai estrear um humorístico neste domingo (19), às 12h15, com o sugestivo ou pertinente título de “Supletivo para o Céu”.

O elenco tem gente conhecida, como Dênis Derkian, Vida Vlatt, Marlene Silva e Pedro Fabrini, entre outros.

Flávio Ricco com colaboração de José Carlos Nery