Cassio Lincoln Also To Zenit?

Turkish media has today reported that Galatasaray's Lincoln is on Zenit Petersburg's transfer list for summer 2009. Lincoln has been having difficulties with Gala's new manager Bulent Korkmaz who left him out of the team's squad recently.

CSKA Moscow allegedly offered Gala a 13M for Lincoln last, which was refused by the club. It is quite unlikely to get an offer that is remotely close to this amount now, and probably Lincoln's any transfer will be resolved by FIFA. Lincoln is under contract with Gala unit the end of 2010.

Spain Prepare for Turkey Clasy with Injury Problems

On Tuesday midday the Spanish national squad will come together in Madrid to prepare for the upcoming World Cup qualifying games against Turkey, with several injury problems.

Little Andres Iniesta, who was so important in Spain's Euro 2008 triumph, will miss both games against the Turks after pulling a muscle in his right thigh in Barcelona's 6-0 thrashing of Malaga on Sunday.



Iniesta will fly into Madrid with a note from Barca head doctor Ricard Pruna explaining his injury, and will then return to Barcelona to convalesce for two weeks.

National manager Vicente del Bosque now has to decide whether to replace Iniesta - the three candidates are Juan Mata of Valencia, Diego Capel of Sevilla and Angel Lafita of Deportivo Coruna - or whether to get by with a squad of 21.

Iniesta's Barca team-mate Xavi - voted most valuable player at Euro 2008 - suffered a badly bruised Achilles tendon in the Malaga game, but will probably stay with the Spain squad.

However, he might be doubtful for Saturday's home game against the Turks in Real Madrid's Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

Two other Euro 2008 heroes doubtful for Saturday are the Valencia pair of David Villa and David Silva.

Villa has been out for three weeks with a twisted knee, Silva has been struggling with ankle problems all season.

Del Bosque has made an excellent start in the Spain job since taking over from Luis Aragones last July, winning all six of his matches and keeping 'La Roja' at the top of the FIFA world rankings.

He has resisted the tempatation to bring back Real Madrid captain Raul, despite the campaign of the Madrid sports papers to do so. He explained his decision to overlook Raul - who has not been called up since 2006 - by saying that 'I do not want to break up the spirit of this squad.'

Del Bosque said on Monday night that Turkey - who flew in to Madrid on Monday - is 'a strong team, with players who are aggressive, military, patriotic...and very hard.'

He singled out Villarreal star Nihat Kahveci and Betis midfielder Mehmet Aurelio for special praise.

Del Bosque was coach at Turkish giants Besiktas for seven months in the 2004/5 season. He said that it is 'a very welcoming country, with excellent food,' but that Besiktas were 'not very patient with me.'

Spain are top of qualifying group 5 with 12 points from four games, four points above Fatih Terim's team.

Source:

Duncan Shaw Mar 24, 2009

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/features/article_1466487.php/Spain_prepare_for_Turkey_clash_with_injury_problems__Feature__

Spain vs. Turkey and Vice Versa

Turkey plays against Spain twice in 4 days to qualify for 2010 World Cup. 28 March in Barnebau, and 1 April in Ali Sami Yen stadium in Istanbul.

I can't make any predictions when the Turkish National team plays. So far, they had 1 home-game draw against Belgium (1-1) and an away-game one against Estonia (0-0). And beat Armenia!

To me, Spain will win the first game, but the second leg will be EXTREMELY difficult for them!

Now, the squads:

Turkey:

GK: Volkan Demirel (Fenerbahçe), Rüştü Reçber (Beşiktaş), Ufuk Ceylan (Manisaspor)

DEFENCE: Gökhan Gönül (Fenerbahçe), Sabri Sarıoğlu, Emre Aşık, Hakan Kadir Balta (Galatasaray), Sedat Bayrak (Sivasspor), İbrahim Kaş (Getafe), Eren Güngör (Kayserispor), İbrahim Üzülmez (Beşiktaş)

MIDFIELDERS: Hamit Altıntop (Bayern Münih), Kazım Kazım, Emre Belözoğlu (Fenerbahçe), Ayhan Akman, Arda Turan (Galatasaray), Mehmet Aurelio (Real Betis), Nuri Şahin (Borussia Dortmund), Tuncay Şanlı (Middlesbrough)

ATTACKERS/STRIKERS: Nihat Kahveci (Villarreal), Batuhan Karadeniz (Eskişehirspor), Semih Şentürk (Fenerbahçe) , Mevlüt Erdinç (Sochaux), Gökhan Ünal (Trabzonspor), Sercan Yıldırım (Bursaspor).


SPAIN:

Oh my, Oh my!

GK: Iker Casillas, Pepe Reina, Diego Lopez

DEF: Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos, Raúl Albiol, Carlos Marchena, Juanito, Capdevila y Piqué

MF: Iniesta, Xavi, Busquets, Silva, Xabi Alonso, Riera, Senna , Cazorla

FW/ST: David Villa, Fernando Torres, Fernando Llorente , Dani Güiza

Cassio Lincoln Flees (?) to Brazil!

Turkish media has reported today that Galatasaray's Lincoln went to Brazil, albeit without any authorization from the club, to spend the 15-day World Cup Qualifiers break. Lincoln has recently been in dispute with the club's new manager, legendary "captain" Bulent Korkmaz, who left him on the bench in the games against Trabzonspor (A) and Hamburg (H, Uefa Cup). I think Lincoln has realized that there is no more a future for him in the club, and wants to decrease his transfer fee by creating these complications. It is also highly probable that his annual salary, 3.2 M Euros, becomes a problem among the team members who are paid less.

Lincoln was once the darling of the Gala supporters, now he is no more than a black sheep!

Humiliation!

Only a Turkish team could have done this! Jealousies and rifts within the squad, easy loss of concentration, phantasmic view of reality! And the bill is a 2-3 Hamburg comeback!

UEFA.COM's Match Report:

Galatasaray undone by art of Guerrero

José Paolo Guerrero was the hero for Hamburger SV, scoring two stunning strikes as the German side came from 2-0 down to beat Galatasaray AŞ and claim their place in Friday's UEFA Cup quarter-final draw.

Quality goals
Already conceding a minor edge to their Turkish hosts after shipping an away goal in the 1-1 first-leg draw, Hamburg's hopes hung by a thread with 33 minutes remaining in Istanbul. Two goals in seven minutes either side of half-time from Harry Kewell, a penalty, and Milan Baroš had stacked the odds in Galatasaray's favour, but the hosts had not counted on Guerrero. The Peruvian international reduced the arrears with a blistering long-range drive just before the hour and, three minutes later, it was all-square as he rounded off a counterattack in some style. Already leading on the away-goals rule, Ivica Olić sealed a 4-3 aggregate win for Martin Jol's men in added time with a deft lob.

Baroš endeavor
It was Olić who had given early warning of what was to come for the hosts as Hamburg started brightly, the Croatian striker forcing Morgan De Sanctis to tip over his dipping header. At the other end Baroš struggled to make an impact against Joris Mathijsen, yet when he did escape his towering sentinel three minutes before half-time he made it pay, drawing a foul from Jerome Boateng and stand-in central defender Kewell converted from the spot.




Guerrero spirit
Hamburg's task got even harder four minutes after half-time when Arda Turan, a doubt before the game with a knee problem, cleverly worked space on the edge of the penalty area before delivering a perfectly-weighted ball for Baroš to adroitly lift over the onrushing Frank Rost. If that goal was all grace then, at the other end, Guerrero's goal to make it 2-1 was all pace as he rifled in from 25 metres. By the hour mark Hamburg had the initiative as Collin Benjamin's long ball forward eventually found Guerrero, who danced past three defenders before firing in and there was no way back for the shell-shocked hosts when Olić struck in added time.

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

Here are the Goals:

Galatasaray or Hamburg for Quarter-Finals?

Match Background from UEFA.COM:

Hamburger SV are preparing to feel the full force of Galatasaray AŞ's fearsome home support when the two teams meet in Istanbul, with their UEFA Cup Round of 16 tie delicately poised at 1-1.

• Ayhan Akman gave Galatasaray the lead in Hamburg, but Marcell Jansen replied after the break, with the visitors playing much of the second half with ten men following Emre Aşık's dismissal for a professional foul.

• The first leg was Hamburg and Galatasaray's first meeting in UEFA club competition.

• Hamburg have now played four games against Turkish sides in Europe, with the first three in the UEFA Intertoto Cup. Their record in those games reads P4 W2 D2 L0. Their only previous match in Turkey ended in a 2-2 draw at Trabzonspor in the 1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup.

• Having won 1-0 at Hertha BSC Berlin in the group stage – with the attendance swelled by members of the German capital's Turkish community – Galatasaray's record against Bundesliga opponents now reads P23 W6 D11 L6. Their record at home against German sides reads P10 W2 D7 L1, with that sole defeat a 1-0 loss against BV Borussia Dortmund in the 1997/98 UEFA Champions League group stage.

• Prior to the first leg, Hamburg coach Martin Jol had only been involved in one game against a Turkish club, when his Tottenham Hotspur FC side triumphed 2-0 at Beşiktaş JK in the 2006/07 UEFA Cup group stage.

• Bülent Korkmaz is picking the team at Galatasaray, though Cevat Güler is officially the club's coach as the former defender does not have the appropriate licence.

• Galatasaray have plenty of connections to Germany, with two Germans having been in charge of first-team affairs in the past 12 months: Karl-Heinz Feldkamp, who remains at the club in an advisory role, and Michael Skibbe, who was replaced by Korkmaz on 23 February 2009.

• No fewer than seven Galatasaray players were born in Germany:
– Serkan Çalik was born in Dinslaken and started his career with SC Rot-Weiss Essen.
– German Under-21 international Barış Özbek was born in Castrop-Rauxel and also started his career with Rot-Weiss Essen.
– Aykut Erçetin was born in Goppingen and began with VfB Stuttgart.
– Alparslan Erdem was born in Vechta and started his career with Werder Bremen.
– Volkan Yaman was born in Munich and started his career with TSV 1860 München.
– Hakan Balta was born in Berlin and started his career with Hertha.
– Ümit Karan was also born in Berlin and started his career with local Turkish side Türkiyemspor Berlin.

• The current Hamburg side also has Turkish connections, with their 18-year-old striker Tunay Torun having turned down an approach to play for Germany's Under-19 side in favour of Turkey's, despite having been born in Hamburg.

• Hamburg goalkeeper Frank Rost and Galatasaray playmaker Lincoln were team-mates at FC Schalke 04 from 2004 to 2007.

• Hamburg defender Michael Gravgaard and Galatasaray midfielder Tobias Linderoth were team-mates at FC København from 2005 to 2007. Linderoth played in the København side that lost 2-1 on aggregate to Hamburg in the first round of the 2005/06 UEFA Cup.

• Former Beşiktaş and Fenerbahçe SK goalkeeper Özcan Arkoç also provides a strong connection between Hamburg and Turkey. Now 69, he played for Hamburg from 1967 to 1975 and later became the club's assistant coach – helping Kuno Klötzer's side win the 1976/77 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup – before taking sole command from 1977 to 1978.

• Hamburg's Ivica Olić and Mladen Petrić played in the Croatia team that lost out to a Turkey side featuring Galatasaray's Emre Aşık, Mehmet Topal, Hakan Balta, Sabri Sarıoğlu and Arda Turan on penalties in the UEFA EURO 2008™ quarter-finals. The teams drew 1-1 in Vienna, with Turkey winning 3-1 on penalties. Petrić had his spot-kick saved by Rüstü Reçber.

• Galatasaray's Mehmet Topal, Hakan Balta, Ayhan Akman and Sabri were also members of the Turkey side that lost 3-2 to a Germany team featuring Hamburg's Jansen in the semi-finals of the same competition. Jansen also played in Germany's 2-1 friendly defeat by Turkey in October 2005.

• Jansen likewise featured in the Germany team that won 2-1 away to the Czech Republic in UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying, with Galatasaray's Milan Baroš on the scoresheet for the hosts. Baroš was also on target as the Czechs beat Germany 2-1 at UEFA EURO 2004™ to knock them out of the competition at the group stage.

• Hamburg's Petrić and Galatasaray's Shabani Nonda have met in two previous European ties. Nonda's Blackburn Rovers FC beat Petrić's FC Basel 1893 3-0 in a 2006/07 UEFA Cup group-stage game and both players scored once as Nonda's AS Roma overcame Petrić's Basel 3-1 at the same phase of the previous season's competition.

• Last season, Galatasaray were knocked out of the UEFA Cup Round of 32 by German opposition, losing 5-1 at Bayer 04 Leverkusen after drawing the home leg 0-0.

• Galatasaray are one of four sides left in the UEFA Cup who qualified for 2008/09 European competition as domestic league champions, the others being Aalborg BK (Denmark), FC Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine) and FC Zenit St. Petersburg (Russia).

• Galatasaray are also one of four clubs still in the competition to have won the UEFA Cup along with AFC Ajax (1991/92), PFC CSKA Moskva (2004/05) and Zenit (2007/08).

• Hamburg have lost only once in nine European games this season, 1-0 at home against Ajax in the UEFA Cup group stage.

• They have lost just once in their last eleven European away games, 1-0 at Bayer 04 Leverkusen in last season's Round of 16, and have won all of their away games in the UEFA Cup this season, scoring at least twice in each.

• Galatasaray are unbeaten in their last four UEFA club competition games since losing 1-0 at home against FC Metalist Kharkiv in the group stage.

• The Turkish champions have lost just once in their last seven European home games, 1-0 against Metalist in this season's UEFA Cup group stage.

• Six-goal Olić is Hamburg's most dangerous marksman in Europe this season, though team-mate Petrić is snapping at his heels on five goals.

• Baroš is Galatasaray's top European goalscorer this season with four efforts, while team-mate Harry Kewell has scored three.

• Korkmaz is the only coach left in the competition to have won the UEFA Cup as a player, triumphing with his current side in the 1999/00 edition.

• Hamburg, fourth in the Bundesliga in 2007/08, topped UEFA Cup Group F and beat NEC Nijmegen comfortably in the Round of 32, winning 3-0 in the Netherlands and 1-0 at home.

• Galatasaray, for their part, came second in UEFA Cup Group B and beat FC Girondins de Bordeaux in dramatic style in the Round of 32, drawing 0-0 in France before prevailing 4-3 in Istanbul thanks to Sabri's late winner in Korkmaz's first game in charge.

• Galatasaray's only UEFA club competition penalty shoot-out ended 4-1 in their favour against Arsenal FC in the final of the 1999/2000 UEFA Cup. The match had ended 0-0 after extra time.

• Hamburg's only UEFA club competition penalty shoot-out to date ended in defeat by Sparta Rotterdam, the German club losing 4-3 on spot-kicks after a 2-2 aggregate draw in the 1985/86 UEFA Cup first round.

• Galatasaray's Emre Aşık is suspended, while Lincoln and Barış Özbek are within a caution of a suspension. Milan Baroš is available again after serving a one-match ban.

• Hamburg's Jerome Boateng and José Paolo Guerrero are within a booking of a ban.

• The draw for the quarter-finals and semi-finals takes place in Nyon on 20 March, exactly two months before the final at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium – the home ground of Galatasaray's city rivals Fenerbahçe – in Istanbul on 20 May.

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.

Meira Falters in Debut Performance: Spartak 1- Zenit 1

Fernando Meira's debut performance in Russia was hampered by his costly mistake on the second minute of the game, which reminds us of his mistake in the UEFA match between Galatasaray and Bordeaux.

Turkcell Super League Live Match Coverage

Watch live video from Sportx on Justin.tv

Euro 2016: Will it be held in Turkey?

If UEFA's recent policy on supporting countries that invest in Football continues, there's no reason for Turkey not to be granted to host the Euro 2016 campaign. The other bids: Sweden-Norway, Italy, and France have good chances too. Especially the Scandinavian duo seems to be the luckiest bidder at this point.

Turkey has a couple of good stadiums in good shape:

In Istanbul,

Ataturk Olimpiyat Stadium (81000 seats)

Sukru Saracoglu Stadium (51000 seats)

Turk Telekom Arena (tbc 2010, expected 52000 seats)

Inonu Stadium (32000 seats)

in Kayseri:

Kadir Has Stadium (32000)



Also, it's been recently announced that Trabzon, Antalya, and Izmir will be getting new stadiums.

Here's the CNN International news link:


(CNN) -- European football powerhouses France and Italy will battle it out to host the European Championships in 2016 and also face competition from Turkey and a joint bid from Norway and Sweden.

The four bids were submitted to UEFA before the official deadline of midnight on Monday and a final decision will be made in May next year.

Italy also bid for Euro 2012, which is to be joint-hosted by Poland and Ukraine, while France will hope the presence of Michel Platini as UEFA president will work in their favor.

Turkey have never hosted a major football finals, while Norway and Sweden have joined together to attempt to bring the championship finals back to Scandinavia.

The Euro 2016 finals will see the number of qualifying teams increased from 16 to 24, a move which contributed to the decision of Scotland and Wales to end their interest in staging a joint bid because of the increased level of infrastructure required.

Italy last held the European championships in 1980 and France were hosts in 1984.

UEFA said in a statement issued on its Web site on Tuesday:

"France, Italy, and Turkey have informed UEFA they wish to submit a single bid, while a joint bid will be presented by Norway/Sweden.

"UEFA will now review the eligibility of the interested candidates, based on the various technical requirements relating to the potential infrastructure needed as well as any previous experience of the relevant member associations, cities and venues in organizing multi-venue sports events, before confirming the official list of bidders."

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/football/03/10/uefa.bids/

Galatasaray Steals a Draw in Hamburg While Ayhan Akman Scores the 1000th Goal

Result: 1-1

This one was one of the Galatasaray miracles. If you are interested in seeing Harry Kewell playing as a central defender, make sure that you take a look at the highlights. I couldn't quite figure out why Olic wasn't in the starting line-up for Hamburg.

Meira Completes Transfer Move to Zenit.

Galatasaray takes all the risks in their 08/09 UEFA Cup Campaign. With the serious absences of Servet Cetin and Emre Gungor, the team sold the only defender (along with the veteran Emre Asik) to Zenit. I hope it won't cost the team a UEFA Cup and the Turkish League.


Here is a news link about the transfer.

Meira “enthusiastic” about Zenit move
Defender completes Russia switch
Meira
Fernando Meira says he has mixed feelings about his transfer to Zenit St Petersburg, after completing a 6.5m euro move from Galatasaray.

The Portuguese defender only arrived in Turkey last summer from German side Stuttgart, but the champions have had a somewhat turbulent season, with a poor defensive record contributing to Gala currently sitting in 5th place in the Super Lig.

Meira has shouldered some of the blame for the team’s defensive shortcomings, but rumours that the club were happy to offload the former Benfica man have been downplayed by Meira, who insists the team are still in a good position.

“I am leaving a team which won the super cup, is still in the Uefa Cup today and who are gaining ground in the championship, and still have to play the first-placed teams. It is the best proof that it is false that the directors wanted to transfer me."

On the move to Russia, Meira added: “I feel sad because I am leaving a great club, with fantastic supporters and a city I love. But on the other hand, I am happy and full of enthusiasm because I am going to a winning club which presented an irrefutable offer.

“My price tag? It obliges me to concentrate and work harder in my day-to-day work. I will continue to give my best for my club,” concluded the Guimaraes man, who will wear the number three shirt at the Petrovsky Stadium.

By Sean Gillen

http://www.portugoal.net/index.php/more-zenit-news/741-meira-qenthusiasticq-about-zenit-move

Telegol!

Enjoy the famous TV program, Telegol. Date: March 1, 2009

The program is in Turkish.


Part 1



Part 2



Part 3

Meira heading for Zenit?

Turkish media has reported that Galatasaray's Portuguese defender Fernando Meira's transfer to Russian giants Zenit St. Petersburg is completed. Meira has been in poor form recently drawing criticism both from fans and the media on the grounds that the transfer speculations affected his performances.

http://www.fernando-meira.de/

Match of the Day: Atletico Madrid- Barcelona

This was an amazing game. A classico between Atletico-Barça rivalry....

Atletico Madrid 4 - 3 Barcelona Highlights
Uploaded by psg87280

March 1, 2009: Galatasaray beats Konya

New Galatasaray AŞ coach Bülent Korkmaz has warned that "this is just the beginning for me and my team" after overcoming FC Girondins de Bordeaux 4-3 in his first match in charge to reach the last 16 of the UEFA Cup.

Immediate impact
Korkmaz only took the reigns on Monday following the dismissal of Michael Skibbe and he quickly changed the mood at the club by leading them to a last-gasp win after Bordeaux had fought back from 3-1 down to level the tie late on. "We are delighted to see a happy ending to this tough match," he said, after Sabri Sarıoğlu had hit the decisive goal. "Even when the score was 3-3, I had faith we could win. My players fought to the final whistle and the support of the fans was fantastic. Everybody should be aware that this is just the beginning both for me and my team."

Final goal
The victory ended a run of five games without victory for the Turkish outfit, but Korkmaz insisted he alone was not to thank for the turnaround, before he set his sights on the UEFA Cup final in Istanbul in May. "My contribution to the success was small," he said. "I don't have a magic wand. Former coach Skibbe has a share in this success. What I did was psychologically prepare my players for the game and increase their confidence. Galatasaray have a very good squad. A good blend of Turkish and foreign players. We just need patience. If you set a target it should be the final."

Blanc praise
While Korkmaz focused on European success, matchwinner Sabri was happy to have finally ended Cimbom's poor run of form. "We knew that the Bordeaux match was a chance for us to stop our negative run in the league," he said. "The fans, players, technical staff and board were united and we got the win. It is a very positive thing for me to score the winning goal. In the 15 years I've been here, I have never hesitated to do my utmost for the club." Galatasaray's display even received a word of praise from Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc, who said: "If they repeat that display, they can knock Hamburger SV out and go all the way to the final."

©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.