Lothar Matthaus - Forza Milan

Great update with Ringstad and great win against Mark's Fiorentina

2013-04-01 01:54#88873 The Madridista : Pretty good pre-season Ben and good result against Fiorentina! The Champions League group looks pretty easy, and I'm looking forward to a Champions League run this year.

I thought the results could have been miles better to be honest

Glenn T:

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Great update with Ringstad and great win against Mark's Fiorentina

I was in shock after the match!

We're here in Cardiff, for the curtain raiser to the European season, the UEFA Super Cup. This year, it is going to be played out between the Europa League winners AC Milan, and Champions League winners Arsenal. Both teams will be hoping for another victory to inspire them to push on this season.

Lothar Matthaus will be looking to win the Super Cup for a second year in a row, as he won it last year with his Sporting side, who dramatically won it in injury time against Barcelona. This year, critics argue that the game is a much easier one to win, and should be a close contest. Who will come out on top? We'll have to wait and see!

Here are the lineups for both teams:

Milan (4-2-3-1): Romero, Abate, Spolli, Mexes, Antonini, Casarini, Garcia, El Shaarawy, Boateng, Fabbrini, Guidetti

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Szczesny, Sagna, Skrtel, Vermaelen, Armero, A Ayew, Kuzmanovic, Wilshere, Cazorla, Draxler, Giroud

Strong lineups for both teams here today, although Milan are without the suspended Acerbi, which could prove costly.

Commentary by Martin Tyler

1 min: Arsenal kick off here at the Cardiff City stadium. What awaits us in this match? Will we see Matthaus continue his winning tradition? Will we see Arsenal continue their recent winning tradition?

HT: Nothing to note really in a first half constantly disrupted by fouls. Hopefully we will see a much improved second half here.

53 min: El Shaarawy has the corner out on the right side of the field. He whips it in... MEXES!!! Milan take the lead here in Cardiff, thanks to Philippe Mexes! Milan 1 Arsenal 0!

90+3 min: El Shaarawy takes it down just inside the center circle. He turns, but is taken out straight away by Vermaelen. That's a free kick for Milan, and the ref is walking over to Vermaelen, who's already been booked... HE'S OFF! Thomas Vermaelen has been sent off here in Cardiff, and Arsenal will finish the game with 10 men. Surely there's no way back for them now?

90+6 min: Cazorla has it 35 yards it. He plays it low towards Podolski on the edge of the box... oh, Mexes has gone through the back of him! Is this one last chance for Arsenal? The referee is walking over to Mexes, who has been booked... he's been sent off as well! Both sides will finish the game with ten men, after having someone sent off injury time each. Still Milan 1 Arsenal 0 though.

FT: It's finished here in Cardiff, and Milan have won. Matthaus wins yet another trophy, and further convinces people how much progress Milan have made since last season.

Manager's Press Interview

That was a bitter-sweet performance out there in my eyes. I'm very glad we've won that match out there, but it could have been a lot more comfortable. I'm disappointed in Mexes for getting sent off so late on, especially when he'd played so well. He should still be in the team, but if Spolli plays well in his absence, you never know.

Great update Blue

Arsenal won the CL

Hahaha, they won it 3-0 against Barca! I was well shocked!

whahaha so arsenal won the CL new wonders appear every day
but they lose against a well managed AC Milan
anyway good victory and may this be the start of a brilliant season

Milan Seal Xandao Deal

AC Milan have confirmed that they will sign Desportivo Brasil center-back Xandao on a free transfer once his contract with the Brazilian club expires at the end of the Brazilian season.

Xandao is a name well known to Milan manager Lothar Matthaus, because he managed Xandao two seasons ago, at Sporting CP. He is well-known as the player who scored the goal that won Sporting their title under Matthaus, back in 2013. He spent two seasons on loan in Portugal between 2011-2013, however Matthaus chose not to take the 26-year-old back to the Estádio José Alvalade last season. Since going back to Desportivo he has made 36 appearances in just over a year, and has been made captain of the side.

He has however decided that it is time for him to step up and make the move to a bigger club, so has rejected contract after contract from Desportivo. This is a similar fashion in the way which Will Hughes joined Milan, by leaving first club Derby Country on a free transfer, and immediately securing a move to the Italian capital.

Xandao will certainly not have expected to get a move to such a big club, however Matthaus was seemingly very keen to bring Xandao to the San Siro. Xandao has not played for his national team of Brazil, so will hope that his move to i Rossoneri will help him push into the thoughts of national boss Tite.

Xandao will officially sign for Milan on the 2nd January 2015, after his contract with Desportivo Brasil expires at the end of December this year.

Milan are so broke that they have to sign freebies from Brazil? Could I have a SS of him btw?

Nice signing, you know how he plays, which is brilliant, will work out well hopefully!

2013-04-01 13:40#88967 Arvind : Milan are so broke that they have to sign freebies from Brazil? Could I have a SS of him btw?

Yes, we are very poor


Don't be fooled by stats, he's awesome!

lolbaconboy:

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Nice signing, you know how he plays, which is brilliant, will work out well hopefully!

Yeah, I reckon he will

Hard to believe, he looks really poor

Chile boss Lothar Matthaus has announced his squad for the country's forthcoming friendlies against Spain and Australia, with both matches away from home. It is a similar squad to the one which beat England a couple of weeks ago, so a strong squad nonetheless.

Goalkeepers

Claudio Bravo - Real Sociedad
Johnny Herrera - Universidad de Chile
Christopher Toselli - Universidad Catolica

Defenders

Enzo Andia - Krasnodar
Jean Beausejour - Wolverhampton Wanderers
Manuel Bravo - Colo Colo
Maricio Isla - Real Madrid
Carlos Labrin - Palermo
Hans Martinez - Krasnodar
Bruno Romo - Colo Colo
Sebastian Toro - Molde
Hugo Villagra - Huachipato

Midfielders

Carlos Carmona - Sao Paulo
Marcelo Diaz - Basel
Fernando Meneses - Universidad Catolica
Fabian Orellana - Granada
Bryan Rabello - Sevilla
Alexis Sanchez - Barcelona
Arturo Vidal - Manchester City

Strikers

Junior Fernandes - Werder Bremen
Alvaro Ramos - Vitesse
Diego Rubio - Sporting CP
Eduardo Vargas - Borussia Dortmund

You have a very strong squad! They will be amazing!

2013-04-01 14:30#88994 Justice96 : You have a very strong squad! They will be amazing!

Got nothing on Spain's squad though