World Cup winner Fabregas was a youth player at Barca before moving to the English Premier League club in September 2003 and the player has made it clear he wants to return to the Catalan capital.
Local media reported on Monday that Barca’s new president, Sandro Rosell, would travel to London this week to try to strike a deal but Guardiola was downbeat about the chances of success.
“I think that getting Cesc will cost a lot,” Guardiola told a news conference at the club’s training ground on the outskirts of the city.
“He is an important player for Arsenal,” he added. “We want him to come but if Arsenal don’t want to negotiate he won’t.”
Barca, who have already added Spain striker David Villa and versatile Brazilian midfielder Adriano Correia to their squad, have about 40 million euros ($52 million) more to spend on players, club officials have indicated.
As well as Fabregas, who is more of a playmaker, they would probably need to buy a holding central midfielder to replace the Manchester City-bound Yaya Toure.
Asked about the possibility of Zlatan Ibrahimovic leaving, Guardiola said he wanted the Swedish striker to stay but it was up to the player to decide.
Mexico captain Rafael Marquez was in the same situation, the coach added.
Ten of Barca’s first-team squad began pre-season training on Monday, with internationals including Andres Iniesta, Villa, Xavi, Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique still on holiday.

Source: Reuters

The 28-year-old England midfielder left Stamford Bridge in June after failing to agree a new contract with the Premier League champions.

He was linked to Arsenal and Tottenham but has opted for Liverpool, who failed to qualify for the Champions League.

Cole’s arrival follows winger Yossi Benayoun’s move from Anfield to Chelsea for an undisclosed fee in July.

Liverpool Manager Roy Hodgson and Joe Cole

The West Ham academy graduate becomes Liverpool’s second summer signing after Serbia forward Milan Jovanovic arrived on a three-year contract from Standard Liege.

Cole joined Chelsea from West Ham for £6.6m in 2003 and scored 40 goals in 282 appearances, winning three Premier League titles and two FA Cups.

In June he claimed unspecified “political rather than footballing reasons” had led to his departure, but he insisted manager Carlo Ancelotti was not the cause of those problems.

606: DEBATE
Cole is an inspired signing – furthermore it is a signing that Rafa could never have pulled off

Redfootball

“It is not financial and it is nothing to do with Carlo,” Cole said at the time. “I love Carlo. I think he is a top guy and a top manager.

“I loved my time at Chelsea, I love the fans but it is a story for another day and I will tell it but now is not the time.”

After recovering from 10 months out with a ruptured cruciate ligament, Cole grew frustrated at having to settle for a bit-part role in his final season at the club.

He was used mainly as a substitute and, when he did play, Ancelotti often deployed him in a wide position.

Cole, capped 56 times by his country, featured in two of England’s matches at the 2010 World Cup, though on both occasions he was introduced as a second-half substitute.

“Next season I want to have a fantastic season for England and whatever club I am at. The next contract will be a footballing decision,” he added earlier in June.

“I want to play in a more central position and I want a manager who has faith in me.”

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp, who nurtured Cole’s early career at West Ham, had talked of his desire to take the midfielder to White Hart Lane.

I’ve been an admirer of Joe’s for the last few years. He is a player that excites fans and he is a player that we desperately needed

Former Reds defender Alan Kennedy

Spurs finished fourth in the Premier League last season to earn a Champions League qualifying spot while Arsenal, also admirers of Cole, would have offered guaranteed Champions League football.

But he opted for Liverpool and new Reds manager Roy Hodgson will hope to bolster his squad further with a new left-back following the departures of Fabio Aurelio and Emiliano Insua.

Hodgson is also hoping to retain the services of captain Steven Gerrard and star striker Fernando Torres, both of whom have been linked with moves away from Anfield.

And former Liverpool defender Alan Kennedy believes Cole’s arrival could go some way to persuading the duo to stay.

“I’m delighted for the club,” Kennedy told BBC Sport. “Roy Hodgson has persuaded one of the best English players in the game to come in and that will only be good news for the club and for the players the club are looking to hold on to.

“I’m sure Roy and Liverpool can get the best out of Joe again, and hopefully it will result in the club pushing back up the league and targeting silverware again.

“I’ve been an admirer of Joe’s for the last few years. He is a player that excites fans and he is a player that we desperately needed.

This shows we can still attract top name players

Former Liverpool striker Ian Rush

“We know Joe had a lot of options, especially from London, but he’s looked at Liverpool and maybe thought to himself that he is the guy who can resurrect the club after what was a terrible season last year.

“Credit for that has to go to Roy Hodgson, I believe – he is a very persuasive man and a man well respected in football, so that’s fantastic news.”

Another former Red, Ian Rush, believes the signing underlines Liverpool’s ability to still compete for the best players in the world despite not being able to offer Champions League football.

“Liverpool might not have been successful as we would have liked to have been recently but this shows we can still attract top name players, whether that’s an England international or a foreign international,” said the Welshman.

“This is the signing supporters wanted and it’s a big boost for them.

“You look at last season when we went into it not hoping but thinking we were going to win the league. This season people are thinking, ‘Are we going to finish in the top four?’

“I think this sends a sign out to Liverpool supporters that the club do mean business.”

Source: BBC Sport

It wasn’t a high skilled, free flowing match. The referee had to stop the game on more than a few occasions and had to dish out cards, including a red card to Johnny Heitinga after picking up a second yellow card.

Iniesta scores the winning goal

Spain started off well and dominated the possession, but the Dutch managed to hold on.

Robben missed a chance from a Wesley Sneijder pass, Casillas savied with his foot.

The substitutes Jesus Navas for Pedro and Fabregas on for Xabi Alonso seemed to have a positive impact on the game.

With a shootout looking ominous, Iniesta controlled a ball from Cesc Fabregas four minutes from extra time and found the back of the net. The Dutch were angry that an offside hadn’t been call and also questioned why a deflected free kick moments earlier had not resulted in a corner in their favour.

“Euphoria, joy, everything positive. The only thing that counts in finals is to win them.”

Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso told reporters.

Spain celebrate their first World Cup victory

This match brought an end to the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa.

The Closing Ceremony.

Blackpool won 3-2 against Cardiff City in the division two Championship playoff at Wembley stadium on Saturday.

Jason Euell and captain Charlie Adam of Blackpool celebrate after the Championship Playoff.

Striker Brett Ormerod hit the decisive goal for Blackpool in first half during injury time. The tangerine club have secured a return to the top league for the first time since 1971.

Blackpool’s manager told Sky Sports:

“This is absolutely magnificent, not just for the team but for the whole area we come from. You don’t understand what it means, we’re going to have so much money.”

Blackpool received Deloitte’s estimated 90 million pounds ($129.3 million) reward for winning the match dubbed the ‘richest game in football.’

Ormerod, holding back tears, commented:

“I honestly don’t know what to say.”

All thanks to Diego Milito who scored two superb goals, Inter won 2-0 over Bayern Munich in the final held on Saturday.

Man of the Moment- Diego Milito

Inter completed a treble of Serie A Cup, Italian league and now the Champions League. Most of the praise goes to coach Jose Mourinho who became only the third man to win the European Cup with two clubs.

Milito has had a tremendous season, achieving 22 goals, he also scored to win the Italians the Seria A Cup and most importantly got the winner in the Italian Cup final.

The estatic Milito commented:

“It’s a joy I’ve never experienced. Incredible. I am so happy for Inter because we wanted this so badly. We are so happy and it’s a unique sensation.”

Mourinho has had a long list of achievements and has followed Ernst Happel and Ottmar Hitzfeld as the only man to win the European Cup with two different sides following his success with Porto in 2004. The Portuguese has been sought out by Spanish giants- Real Madrid.

Ballack suffered an ankle injury in Chelsea’s FA Cup match against Portsmouth, after a late tackle by Kevin-Prince Boateng. The 33-year-old was set to play in his third World Cup. The ankle too swollen to undergo a scan.

Chelsea's Michael Ballack was fouled by Kevin Prince Boateng of Portsmouth during the FA Cup Final on May 15, 2010.

Ballack said:

“There’s naturally a lot of disappointment. It’s bitter to get a diagnosis like that two or three weeks before the World Cup. But that’s football. That happens. Life goes on.”

“He is naturally disappointed. I’ll fly down there now and we’ll let it all sink in.”

German Coach- Joachim Loew said he had been shocked by the news and added:

“Michael Ballack is a very important player for us, in the decisive matches he often played a very, very important role for us, a central role for us. I talked to Michael. He’s deeply disappointed. He put all his energy and power into playing in this World Cup. He’s near his 100th cap. That would have been a match in Frankfurt against Bosnia. That’s an immense disappointment for him to not be able to play in this World Cup.”

The DFB said Ballack has suffered a tear of one ankle ligament and a partial tear of another.

“According to the diagnosis today by national team physician, Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt, a complete recovery can be expected but a return to training will not be possible for at least eight weeks,”

said a statement.

Drogba’s 58th minute free-kick saw Chelsea through to win the FA Cup and complete a Double this season under new manager – Carlo Ancelotti.

Nonetheless, this win wouldn’t be possible without Cech’s penalty save. Kevin-Prince Boateng missed the 55th minute penalty. Lampard also missed a 87th minute penalty for Chelsea.

Ballack limped off and was replaced by Juliano Belletti in the 43rd minute.

Drogba has scored in every competitive game he has played in at Wembley – three finals and semi-finals. It was also his 37th goal of the season in all competitions.

Portsmouth almost equalised in the 82nd minute when a cross from substitute Nadir Belhadj was touched to safety by Terry as Piquionne waited to pounce.

The Uruguayan player struck home a late winner to throttle Atletico Madrid to a Europa Leauge Cup win. The Cup win was A Madrid’s major trophy since 1996!

Atletico Madrid players celebrate the UEFA Europa League Cup win on May 13, 2010 in Madrid, Spain.

On the other hand it was complete heartbreak for Fulham and manager Roy Hodgson, whose unbeaten dream run ended on the Europa League Cup final.

Hodgson said:

“I couldn’t be more proud of the players for this season and this performance tonight. This performance summed up what we are at Fulham. All season we have been performing against the odds.”

Diego Forlan stated:

“You always enjoy goals like that, especially given the timing.”

Forlan has been having a great run of late, scoring a winner in the semi-final win over Liverpool as well.

Fans began ecstatic celebrations, gathering at the Neptune fountain in central Madrid where the club’s titles are traditionally celebrated.

The win keeps Real in the race for the La Liga title, a point behind Barcelona. Only 3 more games remain for Real to clinch the title. Knowing that a loss could crush their title hopes, Real still didn’t perform too well, they trailed Osasuna on two occasions.

After the match, Pellegrini said:

“He’s a player who makes the difference and we are fortunate he’s with us.”

Pellegrini also added:

“I think the team is very strong, especially on a psychological level. This is vital in the final stage of the season.”

Ronaldo commented:

“In my opinion all the team were very bad. I’m speaking of those up front, those in the middle and those at the back. We cannot allow Osasuna to have caused us so much danger.”

“We need to remember we are playing for the league and we need to be more focused. It can’t happen again, because on another occasion we are not going to be able to bounce back. But we had the fortune of being able to do it today. If you lose points at this moment you lose the title. Thank God we managed to score the third goal and win the game. We need to continue winning. Barcelona have a great team but the great teams also lose. We need to think that it’s possible that they will drop points.”

Liverpool face Chelsea this Sunday and are

in a dilemma since a win over the 2006 Champions would favour their archrivals- United, to seal the Premier League title this season, the bright side being Liverpool can get closer to finishing fourth.

Liverpool faced a sad exit from the Europa League Semi-Final against Atletico Madrid, with a last gasp goal from Diego Forlan.

The club has also been put up for sale by the American owners, which could prove beneficial for the next season.