Soccer FanHouse

David Beckham to Rejoin Milan After Galaxy's Run Is Done

Michael Cardillo — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:46:00 EST

The Hollywood paparazzi are going to have a little less fodder on the sidelines at Los Angeles Lakers games come January. Italian giants AC Milan have officially confirmed the long-rumored second loan of English midfielder David Beckham from the Los Angeles Galaxy.

While the official details of the loan haven't been released, this much seems to be known. Beckham will join Milan in January and finish out the 2009-10 Serie A season, before he hopes to join England's team at next June's World Cup. This means, as he did this season, Beckham would parachute back to the Galaxy in either late June, or more likely, early July.

Unlike last winter's Beckham loan, there is considerably less acrimony on both sides, which is somewhat of a surprise. When he returned from Italy during the current MLS season, he was booed, jeered and even had a confrontation with a venom-spewing fan during his first game at the Home Depot Center in a friendly, ironically, against AC Milan.

The ensuing release of "The Beckham Experiment" probably didn't help matters since it made even the most ardent Beckham fans call into question his level of commitment to the Galaxy, MLS and soccer in America.

However, instead of being rained down upon with garbage like a 1980s wrestling villain whenever he lined up for a corner kick, Beckham once again bounced back when his back was against the proverbial wall.

Though it's not on par with his freekick against Greece that punched England's ticket to the 2002 World Cup, three years after his bitter ejection after a red card against Argentina at the 1998 quarterfinals in France, Beckham once again proved -- at least some -- of the doubters wrong.

When he could have mailed it in and cruised through the MLS season before going back to Milan -- and potentially buying out the remaining years of his much ballyhooed five-year contract -- a strange thing happened on the way back to the San Siro: the Galaxy got good. Or, at least under coach Bruce Arena they got competitive, compared to the nine-car pile-up they resembled in his first two seasons, by winning the Western Conference, albeit with just a 12-6-12 record. (In another irony, Milan is nine points adrift of rival Inter in the Serie A table.)

As of this posting, the Galaxy are locked up 2-2 with city rival Chivas USA in the first round of the MLS playoffs. It probably helped, too, that after all the anti-Beckham fervor calmed down the media spotlight decreased significantly and he was just able to go about business as a soccer player and not worry about being soccer's savior in America. More importantly, he quietly put to bed any possible discord between he and Galaxy captain Landon Donovan, whose quotes in "The Beckham Experiment" painted the Englishman as a terrible, aloof and (gasp) cheap teammate.

Wouldn't it be typical Beckham fashion for him to ride off into the sunset as a conquering hero as the Galaxy capture their third MLS Cup? (Then again, considering MLS' snakebitten luck, Chivas will find a way to win this weekend's second-leg, thereby killing any potential media buzz the league might have attracted had Beckham & Co. found a way to advance.)

David Beckham to Rejoin Milan After Galaxy's Run Is Done originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AC Milan VP Calls Beckham Loan A "Done Deal"

Michael Cardillo — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:47:00 EST

Filed under: International, MLS, Serie A (Italy)

In a very unsurprising development, AC Milan vice president Adriano Galliani declared that the club is "95 percent" finished on bringing back David Beckham to the club in January on loan. Galliani went as far as to call it a "done deal."

Unlike last year when there was a lot of alarm and acrimony when Beckham announced his intentions to play somewhere else during the break in the MLS season, this time there doesn't seem to be too much problem that he'll be away from the Los Angeles Galaxy for a period of time after the 2009 season wraps in November.

The circumstances are much different the second time of Beckham's loan.

For one, the Galaxy are actually a good team, having already clinched a playoff spot in the upcoming MLS playoffs and sitting in a three-way tie atop of the Western Conference. On top of that, Beckham, after a rocky start including being jeered at the Home Depot Center and called a "fraud" during a friendly with Milan early in the summer, the English midfielder has assumed a leadership role, ingraining himself into the fabric of the Galaxy, with two goals and three assists in his nine starts.

At this point, it seems few Galaxy fans would begrudge him for going to Italy, since he wants to retain the possibility of playing for England at next June's World Cup. England manager Fabio Capello has said that the 34-year-old midfielder has minimal shot at playing at his fourth World Cup if he's not playing at a high level. It doesn't help matters that the MLS season doesn't begin until April.

The winds have also changed toward Beckham in this regard. There seems like a realistic chance that he will fulfill his five-year contract with MLS and not stay with Milan beyond whatever the details of his latest loan end up specifying. (It would seem likely he'd return to the Galaxy in July, after the World Cup.)

In fact, the irony of this loan is that Milan is now the club that is struggling, sitting 12th in the Serie A table with only nine points from seven matches.

Oddly enough, the biggest news to come out of Galliani's mouth on Thursday is that Milan might explore its options toward getting some compensation from the U.S. Soccer Federation after defender Oguchi Onyewu tore his patellar tendon on national team duty Wednesday night vs. Costa Rica.

AC Milan VP Calls Beckham Loan A "Done Deal" originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Onyewu Discusses Maryland and Milan

Brian Straus — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: US Soccer, Serie A (Italy), U.S. Men's National Team

It would have been an almost unbelievable ending--the humble yet powerful hometown hero rising into the air to tie a game scheduled so fans could worship at the altar of Chelsea and AC Milan's big foreign stars.

But it was not to be. Oguchi Onyewu's 92nd-minute header went just wide of the right post, and the English club escaped with a 2-1 win in Friday night's World Football Challenge exhibition at Baltimore's sold out M&T Bank Stadium. About an hour afterward, the U.S. national team's starting center back and new Milan signee spoke with a small group of journalists in the humid tunnels outside the locker rooms, discussing his move to Serie A, his return to play in the state where he grew up and the dramatic goal that almost was.

Onyewu made his Milan debut on Wednesday, entering the match against Club America after halftime but losing his mark on the 56th-minute goal that gave the Mexicans the lead. On Friday night, Milan coach Leonardo let the tension build a bit longer before inserting his new defender. As Onyewu made his way from behind the goal toward the bench in the 65th minute, those fans who knew who he was rose along with him in an almost mini-wave. He came on a couple of minutes later for veteran Alessandro Nesta, and although Chelsea scored the winning goal in the 69th, Onyewu was rather effective in his second appearance for the Rossoneri.

Onyewu was composed in distribution and sound in his marking of Chelsea's Andriy Shevchenko. His moment came two minutes into added time, when he'd already been playing as a quasi-forward as Milan searched for the equalizer. He made good contact on the corner kick, but his seven-yard header missed the mark.

"I thought I had a goal before it came off my head! It's okay. I think you guys know I don't miss those chances often. I've got to just take in stride and hopefully put the next one in," Onyewu said. "These are preseason games. They're used in preparation for the season. That doesn't mean these games aren't important, but perhaps the next time I'll be able to put it in the back of the net."

There were rumors in Baltimore that Onyewu had been offered the opportunity by Milan to address the media in a more formal setting before the game, but that he decided not to. He did, however, stop for a few minutes on the way to the team bus. Here is what the second American to play in Serie A had to say:

On his first few days with the club:

The coaching staff and the team are making me feel very comfortable and making this transition very easy for me. I feel good in the group and all we need to do now is get better results on the field.

On the difference between staying at a smaller club and playing regularly and moving to a club like Milan, knowing he'd have to fight for playing time:

I think fighting for playing time is only going to make a player better. I think throughout the years I've proven myself as a quality defender. I've never questioned my move here. I know they have quality defenders: Nesta, Thiago, everybody else. But I'm willing to put the work in to prove myself and get the playing time I think I deserve.

It's never good to watch from the bench. I'm not used to it. But I understand that I'm a new player and I've got to put my time in to get my opportunity. Players like Ronaldinho, Seedorf, everybody else on the field, they've been proven throughout the years and it's a pleasure to be on the team with them and watch them play.

On playing in Baltimore, just a few miles from where he grew up in Montgomery County, Md:

I always get a warm welcome whenever I play in D.C. or Maryland. Of course today it was sold out, so you couldn't have much better than that aside from missing that opportunity to score. But aside from that, Maryland has been great to me. It's my home town and I love playing here every chance I get.

I could have had well over 300 [friends and family] but I tried to keep it reasonable. I just kept close family and friends on the list today.

On transitioning to Italy:

I've only been to Milan for a day since signing with the team. Obviously this tour of America is going to take precedence over finding a place to live and all of that stuff. But the club is great. I'm sure they're going to give me all the help I need.

On communicating with his new teammates:

On the field football is football. You don't really need to be fluent in any language. But for the most part a lot players speak English, some of them speak French, and I'm picking up Italian as we go. So I'm guessing within four months I'll be able to speak Italian.

On his teammates:

The joke on the team is that I'm a monster in terms of my size. I bully the little guys like this around [he nudged Clarence Seedorf as the Dutchman walked behind him]. Everybody's been very good. They're a great group of guys. I really couldn't ask to be in a better situation than this in terms of the character of the players.

On the significance of his move to Milan:

I don't really think of the significance, but you guys aren't really letting me forget about that. Every time I go on a website or open a newspaper, everybody is saying how this is the most important American transfer. But, I'm not really looking at it like that. I'm looking at this individually as a big step in my career, in bettering myself to become the best player I can, and helping the U.S. national team after that.

But I am aware that this is a big club with a lot of pressure in terms of results and everything, but I'm up to the challenge and I've never backed down.

Onyewu Discusses Maryland and Milan originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Sat, 25 Jul 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Serie A Club Livorno Interested in Landon Donovan

Michael Cardillo — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:25:00 EST

Filed under: International, MLS, Soccer Posts, Serie A (Italy), U.S. Men's National Team

Consider this a rumor that's slowly gaining steam over the last few days. Goal.com confirmed Wednesday that Landon Donovan's agent has been contacted by promoted Serie A club Livorno for a possible transfer to the Italian club. The report also confirms that the club is also interested in U.S. midfielder Ricardo Clark.

It's surprising that after his standout performance during June's Confederations Cup that a small-ish club like Livorno is the first to make official contact with Donovan and attempt to pry him away from the Los Angeles Galaxy this summer.

Obviously a move to a stronger league like Serie A would benefit Donovan as he tries to hone his game ahead of the 2010 World Cup. However moving to a club like Livorno seems like an odd match for both parties involved. Even though he wasn't extended a contract, Donovan did spend time with Bayern Munich earlier this year so a move to a club like Livorno might seem like a bit of a step down.

As a promoted club Livorno is looking for proven attacking players and as we've seen with Donovan, he's no sure thing once he crosses the Atlantic. Perhaps Donovan would relish the challenge of becoming the go-to attacking player for a club, yet it would seem like a burden for a player of any stature, especially one with well-documented flame outs in Europe. At least he'd be in line for serious playing time.

In short, its a move fraught with risks for both parties involved.

Something else to consider about a possible move away from the Galaxy are the comments made by Donovan in Grant Wahl's The Beckham Experiment. The U.S's all-time leading goal-scorer called out David Beckham for his perceived lack of commitment to the Galaxy during his flirtations with AC Milan last winter. It wouldn't exactly look great for Donovan, the club's leading scorer, to bolt in the midst of the MLS season to a European club especially with the Galaxy on track to at least qualify for the league playoffs.

A more likely scenario would be for Donovan, like Beckham, to finish out the MLS season and then head to Europe during the January transfer window. Donovan has hinted he's finally ready for a move to Europe and with People magazine reporting he's separated earlier this week with his wife, actress Bianca Kajlich, the timing would appear right for Donovan to finally show he can compete in the crucible that is European soccer.

And if Donovan continues to carry the form he's had all summer come January the line of clubs looking for his signature might be a little longer than promoted Serie A teams.

Serie A Club Livorno Interested in Landon Donovan originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ibrahimovic Close to Barcelona Transfer

Michael Cardillo — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:23:00 EST

Filed under: European Soccer , Soccer , La Liga (Spain), Serie A (Italy)

Not to be outdone by their eternal rivals Real Madrid, European champion Barcelona appears on the verge of making a major splash by adding Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a transfer from Inter Milan. What makes the move all the more spectacular is that 2008-09 La Liga second-leading goal scorer Samuel Eto'o is rumored to be going back to Milan in the exchange as well as somewhere in the range of $65 million.

As of Friday afternoon reports were varied on the progress of the deal. The Associated Press said the two sides have a deal in principle, while other outlets are reporting the two sides are still talking. The deal, it would seem, hinges on the individuals themselves, which also include former Arsenal winger Aleksandr Hleb going to Italy.

It's hard to imagine any precedent in a move like this, where the champions of Italy and Spain would work out a deal that swaps their top two scorers from the previous season.

This particular transfer seems somewhat out of character for Barcelona, though it could be a reaction to Valencia spurning an offer for Spanish international David Villa earlier this week. Is it possible Barcelona is getting itself into an arms race with free-spending Real Madrid? It's not as if Barcelona, after winning the Champions League and La Liga, needed to make major changes.

How exactly Ibrahimovic fits into the Barcelona system is debatable. It's pretty much agreed that the Swede is a rare combination of speed, size and touch, yet he hasn't exactly taken Europe or the Champions League by storm. He's also a strong personality, so would be fit Barcelona's team-first ethos?

What could hold the deal up is Eto'o, who earlier this summer rejected a mega-move to Manchester City to remain with what's currently the world's best domestic club. Something to consider is that the Cameroonian has been outspoken against racism in European soccer and was a target of it in a match a few years ago. This sort of fan behavior remains an issue in Italy, with his possible Inter teammate Mario Balotelli heckled with racist cat-calls in a match at Juventus last season. Inter coach Jose Mourinho is going to need to do a pretty hard sell to convince Eto'o that moving to Italy is a good move.

However all this shakes out, it's a simply fascinating move that could potentially impact the top teams in Spain and Italy as well as the Champions League. If it's completed, expect the repercussions to be felt across the continent for seasons to come.

Ibrahimovic Close to Barcelona Transfer originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Becks Responds to Donovan's Criticism

FanHouse Newswire — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:39:00 EST

Filed under: MLS, Serie A (Italy)

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) -- David Beckham says Los Angeles Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan is unprofessional for speaking out without confronting him first.

Beckham, who was making his first public appearance in Southern California since returning from his five-month loan with Italian club AC Milan, said he had not spoken to Donovan, who called him a bad captain and portrayed him as stingy in an upcoming book The Beckham Experiment, written by Grant Wahl.

"It's unprofessional in my eyes. In every soccer player's eyes throughout the world it would be unprofessional to speak out about a teammate especially in the press and not to your face," Beckham said.

"But I'm going to turn it on a positive spin because that's what this needs. But in 17 years, I have played with the biggest teams in the world and the biggest players and not once have I been criticized for my professionalism. It's important to get this cleared up and I will be speaking to Landon either this evening or over the next couple of days."

The Galaxy plays Chivas USA on Saturday, with Beckham returning to his first practice with the team on Monday.

And even though the level of play in MLS isn't as high as in Italy's top league the forward thinks the adjustment will be just fine.

"It's not going to be difficult because we've got talent on our team. It's just about confidence. It will be different coming back, but I don't see any problems."

The Galaxy could use a boost. Los Angeles is fifth in the Western Conference standings and could miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.

"That's the important part," Beckham said. "Now we want to move forward and there have been some good results in the last few weeks."

Being in Italy helped Beckham keep his game sharp. And even though it involved a month-long saga of negotations involving MLS, Milan, and the Galaxy, Beckham said it was for the best.

He also said he would do it again in 2010 if given the opportunity, so he can make one last World Cup appearance with England.

"To be involved in the World Cup and to be involved with this England squad, I have to give myself the chance to be at that top level. I'll do that personally and anything to do that. It's just saying that for the moment, this is what I need to do. It doesn't mean I'm running away from a project I believe in."

"I think the experiences I've had can only help this team," Beckham said.

And what about playing with Donovan?

"I'm personally very professional when I am on the field. I don't care what people say about me off the field, once I'm on the field I'm professional and if there is a chance for him to score, I will be giving him the ball. Me and Landon will talk, but that will be a private conversation."

Beckham joined former France star Zinedine Zidane in El Segundo to help the MLS kick off its footprint fields community program, which will help develop new soccer fields across the country.

He arrived in Los Angeles on Friday night and visited with his family for the first time in six months, staying up with wife Victoria until 5 a.m. to just "catch up."

On Saturday, he played in a short scrimmage with 13 and 14 year-olds with Zidane.

Wahl's book is due out on July 14, two days before the Galaxy play against the New York Red Bulls at Giants Stadium.

So will he be reading the book?

"No," Beckham said. "This is an unofficial book that I have not participated in. I haven't sat down one to one or spoken about the book, so there is not comment where I have sat down with the journalist and gone through. There are many unofficial books that have been published about me, so this is just another one on the shelf."

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Becks Responds to Donovan's Criticism originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Onyewu Signing Good Sign for US

Michael Cardillo — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:26:00 EST

Filed under: Soccer , US Soccer, Serie A (Italy), U.S. Men's National Team

Maybe the most under-reported aspect of the U.S. national team's run to the Confederations Cup final last month was that, given the spotlight, a couple of American players probably earned themselves some nice European paydays. Nowhere was this more evident than starting central defender Oguchi Onyewu, especially after his epic performance in the U.S.'s 2-0 win over-then FIFA No. 1 Spain in the tournament semifinals.

All of the post-Confederations Cup scuttlebutt surrounding Onyewu, who was out of contract at Belgian champ Standard Liege, were moves to lower-tier Premier League clubs and some far-flung Turkish teams. So Tuesday's announcement that the 6-foot-4 Maryland native signed with Italian giants AC Milan on a three-year contract comes as a pleasant surprise for U.S. fans since it's a far cry from a pre-Confederations Cup link to Birmingham City.

Onyewu's move, especially on the eve of a World Cup year, appears to be a boon for the U.S.

In short, while the movement of U.S. players to Europe has increased rapidly over the last decade, most of those moves haven't been to the most well-known spots on the continent. The bulk of these American plays are toiling away in semi-obscurity in Scandinavian leagues or with mid-table teams in the stronger leagues. So for Onyewu to sign on with a club that's practically a household name around the globe is almost hard to believe.

What makes the Onyewu move to Milan potentially important is that the "Rossoneri" are back in the UEFA Champions League. Following DaMarcus Beasley's move away from Dutch club PSV Eindhoven there haven't been many -- if any -- Yanks seeing the field in the world's top annual club competition. For the U.S. program to keep taking steps forward, there is no better accelerator than having its players participate in the Champions League, where the world's best play.

Though Milan fans protested the club's first day of preseason training, in light of selling Brazilian Ace Kaka to Real Madrid, the move for Onyewu might be a perfect fit for the player and club. Despite his less than auspicious loan-stint at Newcastle United for 11 games in 2007, Onyewu's massive frame is a big help to any defense. (Let's hope the stigma of playing at St. James Park, even if briefly, doesn't haunt Onyewu going forward.)

And with the Milan icon Paolo Maldini finally retiring at the end of last season, there is space for Onyewu to play, or at least complement, veteran holdovers Alessandro Nesta and Kakha Kaladze in defense. Milan fans should be grateful they picked up a potential diamond in the rough, especially one that didn't cost the club a transfer fee and is under 30 years old.

For Onyewu, assuming he plays, there probably isn't a better place for him to have gone. Serie A may have lost a little of its luster in the last couple years, but it's still a top quality league filled with cultured and savvy players. You'd have to think that by training alongside the likes of Andrea Pirlo, Ronaldinho, and possibly even David Beckham (if and when he returns from the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2010) will boost Onyewu's overall game. Just lining up against Pippo Inzaghi on the practice field and trying to catch him offside should boost Onyewu's awareness.

Physicality has never been a weakness for Onyewu and he should be able to throw his weight around in Italy. Meanwhille, his stint with Milan should get him to improve on his ability to distribute from the back and his overall soccer savvy.

It's reasonable to think some American fans would have preferred Onyewu to move to the Premier League. The physical style of play would have suited Onyewu, but it also wouldn't have forced him to work on the gaps in his game either.

Bottom line, there hasn't been an American in Serie A for over a decade and for a Yank to land at one of the world's glamor clubs is yet another sign how things have progressed over the last two decades for the U.S. as a soccer nation.

Onyewu Signing Good Sign for US originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:26:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oguchi Onyewu Joins AC Milan

FanHouse Newswire — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:53:00 EST

Filed under: Serie A (Italy), U.S. Men's National Team

MILAN (AP) - United States defender Oguchi Onyewu has joined AC Milan on a three-year contract the club said Tuesday, becoming the first American to join Serie A in more than 10 years.

Milan acquired Onyewu from Standard Liege in Belgium after some outstanding performances in the United States' run to the Confederations Cup final. The U.S. lost 3-2 to Brazil in the final.

Financial details of the transfer were not disclosed.

Onyewu also holds a Belgian passport and he will likely be registered by Milan as an EU player.

The last American to play in Serie A was Alexi Lalas, who played for Padova from 1994-96.

The 27-year-old Onyewu was born in Washington D.C. after his parents emigrated to the United States from Nigeria and helped Standard Liege to two consecutive Belgian league titles.

Oguchi Onyewu Joins AC Milan originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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US Can't Finish Italian Job

Michael Cardillo — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:25:00 EST

Filed under: European Soccer , Soccer , US Soccer, Serie A (Italy), U.S. Men's National Team

ESPN studio host Rece Davis probably said it best. Monday at the Confederations Cup, we found the next (or first if you will) American soccer star.

The problem, Giuseppe Rossi played in the blue of Italy, not the U.S. white Monday in the Confederations Cup Group B opener for both teams. The New Jersey born attacker came on as a second half substitute and promptly scored a pair of cracking goals to give the Azzurri a 3-1 win in Pretoria, South Africa. The U.S. remains winless in seven all-time matches against Italy.

Suffice to say, whenever the U.S. and Italy play, it never lacks drama. And this one picked up right where the testy 2006 World Cup affair left off, again with a red card at the center of the controversy.

American midfielder Ricardo Clark was shown a straight red for a some-what reckless challenge on an Gennaro Gattuso, lunging with his cleat up into the knee. In fairness, it was certainly a foul and a yellow card. But the straight red in the 32nd minute seemed harsh, especially with some of the calls later on by ref Pablo Pozo.

No matter, the U.S. actually had the better run off play down to 10 men. In the 39th minute, American forward Jozy Altidore was hacked down inside the penalty area after collecting a nice long pass from Benny Feilhaber, with captain Landon Donovan converting the ensuing spot kick to put the U.S. ahead 1-0 at the half.

All in all, it was strong first half for the U.S. considering the stumbles against Honduras and Costa Rica earlier this month.

It didn't take long for it all to unravel for Bob Bradley's team in the second half, however.

Italian coach Marcello Lippi dug into his bag of tricks, or at least his well-stacked bench. In the 56th minute he replaced the aged legs of Mauro Camoranesi and Gattuso, bringing on Rossi and Riccardo Montolivo in their place. It proved to be a master stroke, which changed the game.

The move paid immediate dividends as the Italians asserted their dominance shortly thereafter.

Two minutes later, Rossi took the ball off Feilhaber at midfield and rushed up the field and ripped an absolute cracker past the full dive of Tim Howard. Top shelf stuff from the former Manchester United reserve.

In the 71st minute, the U.S. was again beaten from long range. And this one hurt almost as much as the Rossi goal, since it was Danielle De Rossi, the player who famously elbowed Brian McBride in the head in 2006, who scored. De Rossi took an attempt from over 40 yards out and skimmed it over the grass and past Howard. It appeared American defender Oguchi Onyewu screened the keeper and also missed on his attempt to knock it away.

The icing on the cake for Italy came inside stoppage time when Andrea Pirlo put it on a platter directly into the run of Rossi, who ripped it by Howard on the half-volley.

Ouch.

There are probably two ways to look at this from the U.S. standpoint. The first is that they played great in the first half and held on for a while against a good team with only 10 men. That's probably the attitude as a player and coach you have to take, with a match with Brazil on the horizon (Thursday). The U.S. could even quibble that they were denied a penalty when an Italian defender jumped completely over the back of Donovan inside the box late in the game.

But as a fan, there wasn't much to like in the second half. Even with 10 men, the U.S. looked pretty limp as the Italians were able to carve them up at will, especially after Rossi came on. There wasn't a lot of bunkering down and clearances, the U.S. just let the Azzurri do whatever they pleased.

And for all the possession and nice passing the U.S. made, they didn't put too many shots on goal. Twice Donovan made nice passes into the runs of Michael Bradley and Altidore and each time they whiffed on shots at close range. In a match against a top-five side in the world, you have to convert those opportunities to have any sort of a chance.

The U.S. staff can spin the result as they please. But it was reported by ESPN at the half the U.S. hadn't given up a short-handed goal since something like 2004. Either they ran out of gas or simply weren't good enough on Monday. Take the moral victory route if you want, but that's not the tune most logged into the FanHouse live blog felt.

Still, even being cynical, it was probably a somewhat encouraging performance (the first half) against a good Italian team that showed the gulf in class between the two teams in the final 40 minutes.

It just burns that Rossi spurned the U.S. to play for Italy, the country of his father. And with defender Neven Subotic scoring for Serbia recently, there are a lot of players slipping through the cracks for the U.S.

Then again, if given the chance when you're Rossi, wouldn't you want to have the chance to play for Italy and actually have a chance to win World Cups, not simply just qualify for them?

Here's what the powers that be at the U.S. Federation let slip away ...

US Can't Finish Italian Job originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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US vs. Italy Live Blog

Michael Cardillo — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:45:00 EST

Filed under: International Soccer , International, MLS, Soccer , US Soccer, Serie A (Italy), U.S. Men's National Team

By all accounts, the United States' run at the 2006 World Cup was an unmitigated disaster. If there was a lone bright spot, it came in the second group-stage match against Italy, where a scrappy U.S. side hung on for a 1-1 draw in a red-card plagued match in Kaiserslautern.

Three years later, the two sides are at it again -- this time in the opening match of Group B play in the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa. Many of the participants from that match should see action on Monday, including the Azzurri's Danielle De Rossi, who famously elbowed U.S. forward Brian McBride, opening up a huge gash on the American's forehead.

McBride won't be in Pretoria, but maybe he can follow along in our live blog, which begins at 2:30 PM ET.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=00d29e04cb&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;U.S. vs. Italy Live Blog&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

US vs. Italy Live Blog originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Making Sense of the Kaka Deal

Michael Cardillo — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:14:00 EST

Filed under: European Soccer , Soccer , La Liga (Spain), Serie A (Italy)

Perhaps the most amazing aspect of Kaka's mega-money move from AC Milan to Real Madrid, which became official on Monday, was that the transfer fee of around £59 million ($94 million U.S.) is a little less than half of a rumored price tag Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley put on the entire club at £100 million.

Think about that for a second. Real Madrid and it's new club president Florentino Perez paid a lump sum for one player for an amount relatively close for a big club in England, albeit a club that just got relegated. If that doesn't put the insane amount of money shelled out by Madrid in check, what does?

Now, with a little time to digest the move and look past the price tag -- which obviously overshadows everything else -- let's try to sort out what this move means going forward.

Obviously for Madrid, the move is a signal of intent aimed at Barcelona and the rest of Europe. Perez wanted to make a splash, and clearly he did. The image of Kaka -- in an angelic full-white kit -- certainly must have Madrid fans dreaming of better times, filled with trophies.

What it will actually do to improve Real Madrid in La Liga remains to be seen. Kaka is an elite player, but will he close the gap behind Barca, especially if the Catalans add someone like Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Karim Benzema? Are huge-money transfers for star players the way to go instead of building a team organically, or at least with a sense of purpose?

And what does that mean for current Real players like Wesley Sneijder or Rafael van der Vaart? They'd appear like surplus parts at the Bernabeu and could easily move to a club like Bayern Munich, should the Bavarians offload Franck Ribery.

As for Kaka himself? From a sporting standpoint, it's hard to imagine he'll struggle with a move to Spain. The only question is if he'll have the talismanic value that he brought to Milan.

Tuesday he addressed some of the reasons why he turned down a move to Manchester City in January, pledging himself to Milan, only to change his mind a couple months later. For Kaka, the mega-money offered by Madrid was a way for him to help Milan, even if it was about half of the rumor deal offered by City.

It goes to show you that if a club like AC Milan, considered a top-10 side worldwide in terms of recognition, must sell off it's marquee player in order to stay solvent, well, it doesn't bode too strongly for the fiscal health of the game. You'd think Real Madrid and Milan are on about an even footing, but it's clearly not that way due to television revenues and in Milan's case, sharing a stadium.

Whatever the reason, the gap between the haves and have-nots will only continue to swell as the summer progresses.

In the big picture, that's what the Kaka move does. It sets the wheels in motion for all the big clubs in the world. And should Madrid pry Cristiano Ronaldo away from Manchester United, as Perez has stated he'll attempt, then all bets are off and the summer's tradionally "silly season" might get institutional-like crazy.

Making Sense of the Kaka Deal originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Madrid Signs Kaka From AC Milan

FanHouse Newswire — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:20:00 EST

Filed under: European Soccer , La Liga (Spain), Serie A (Italy)

RECIFE, Brazil (AP) -- Brazil midfielder Kaka finalized his move to Real Madrid on Monday, marking the end of a "soap opera" and the start of a new phase of his career in Spain.

"Now the soap opera is over," said Kaka, decked out in a yellow Brazilian national team jersey after a practice session ahead of Wednesday's Brazil-Paraguay qualifier in the northeastern coastal city of Recife. "The only leftover details were the medical exams, and I've done them. The negotiations are closed and I have sealed my transfer to Real Madrid."

Real Madrid announced the signing of the attacking midfielder from AC Milan earlier Monday. The Spanish club gave no financial details but reports said Madrid will pay Milan 65 million euros ($92 million) for Kaka, making it one of the richest deals in football history.

The largest previous transfer was set by Zinedine Zidane when he joined Madrid from Juventus for $65 million in 2001.

Kaka, who passed a medical in the northeastern Brazilian city of Recife earlier Monday, signed a six-year contract.

"Kaka is one of the players that every team would like to have and Madrid had the chance to get him," Madrid president Florentino Perez told radio station Onda Cero just before the signing was announced.

Kaka is the first player to join Madrid since Perez regained the club presidency unopposed last week.

Perez has said he intends to revive his "galactico" policy which, along with Zidane, attracted star players like David Beckham, Ronaldo and Luis Figo to Madrid earlier in the decade.

Kaka called Perez's strategy "an interesting sports project."

"He's trying to buy other players, and I think he can make a very offensive team," he told a news conference. "That's behind my decision to go to this team."

Kaka said he talked with Beckham about his transfer, and the England veteran said it would be the best step for his career.

"I hope to be part of this new project and help to win titles, both European and Spanish," he said.

Kaka, the 2007 FIFA world player of the year, turned down a record 100 million euros transfer to Manchester City last season.

Presently in Brazil for World Cup qualifiers, Kaka will travel to South Africa with the national team for the June 14-28 Confederations Cup.

Despite previously saying he was happy at Milan, the size of Madrid's bid appears to have proved too much for the Italian club to ignore. Last week, Milan president Silvio Berlusconi and chairman Adriano Galliani said the club had made huge financial losses in recent times.

Madrid's interest in signing Kaka goes back some years. Former Madrid president Ramon Calderon pledged to sign the player in 2006 when he was running for election.

Perez is expected to attempt to sign several more top names for Madrid before the start of next season. Last week, he announced that Madrid would also be looking to land Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo.

The departure of Kaka, who won the Champions League with Milan in 2007 and the Italian league in 2004, came a week after the coach Carlo Ancelotti left to take charge of Chelsea.

Kaka also said he believes Argentine striker Lionel Messi of Barcelona should be declared best player in the world, but hopes Madrid will overcome its archrival.

"I hope this Barcelona domination ends and that Real Madrid wins the new titles," Kaka said.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Madrid Signs Kaka From AC Milan originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Has Real Madrid Signed Kaka?

Michael Cardillo — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:54:00 EST

Filed under: European Soccer , Soccer , La Liga (Spain), Serie A (Italy)

If there's one thing I've learned, it's to take reports out of the Spanish soccer media with a grain of salt. However, I've also learned that where there's smoke, there's usually fire.

Late Tuesday, a Spanish radio station reported that Real Madrid have made a £56 million ($91 million U.S.) offer for Brazilian star Kaka to AC Milan, which the Italians have apparently accepted though the player hasn't said anything himself. If this is true, incoming Real president Florentino Perez wasted no time ushering in a new era of Galacticos football at the Bernabeu.

If anything, this report is odd since the price tag for Kaka is nearly half of the rumored £100 million that Manchester City offered in the January transfer window, only for the player to turn it down. (City did get its man, so to speak Tuesday, making a quick transfer for Aston Villa's Gareth Barry.)

It does, however, make any rumbling off a possible move for Kaka to Chelsea seem moot.

As was the case in January, this move seems to be contingent on Kaka himself actually wanting to leave the San Siro. Logic would dictate a move to Real Madrid has a bit more appeal than Manchester City, yet the Brazilian is a rarity in the modern game in that he doesn't appear driven solely by money. He has said in the past his heart belongs in Milan.

Why all of a sudden would he have a change of heart? Surely Carlo Ancelotti leaving for Chelsea isn't the only reason, is it?

Suffice to say, we'll surely hear more about this in the coming days. There are certainly at this point a lot more questions than there are answers.

Has Real Madrid Signed Kaka? originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:54:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chelsea Sign Ancelotti as Coach

Michael Cardillo — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:18:00 EST

Filed under: European Soccer , English Premier League, Soccer , Serie A (Italy)

In perhaps the worst kept secret of the season, Carlo Ancelotti signed on to coach English powerhouse Chelsea on Monday. Ancelotti replaces Dutchman Guus Hiddink, who ended his brief stint in West London after leading the Blues to the FA Cup over the weekend.

Ancelotti becomes the latest coach tasked to win Chelsea -- and specifically owner Roman Abramovich -- the holy grail of European soccer, the Champions League. The Italian is no stranger to winning the trophy with the big ears, winning it twice as a player at AC Milan and twice as a coach of the Rossoneri, as recently as 2007.

The question, obviously, now is if Ancelotti is the right man for the job? Around this time last year in the midst of Euro 2008 the Blues thought they had their man in Phil Scolari ... and that turned into an unmitigated disaster.

What will likely determine the fate of Ancelotti at Stamford Bridge is his interaction and relationship with the players. The Chelsea locker room is packed with worldwide stars with, let's put it nicely, strong personalities. How Ancelotti is able to connect with Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack, John Terry, Nicolas Anelka, etc. will likely determine how much silverware ends up in the trophy case. Scolari turned the locker room against him and the team almost self destructed, until the Dutch wizard swooped in and saved the season.

Ancelotti obviously knows his tactics, at least in European competition, finding loads of success with his so-called "Christmas Tree" formation. How well those tactics adjust to the huff-and-puff, up-and-down nature of the Premier League remains to be seen.

Now that Ancelotti has signed on the dotted line, expect the speculation to turn to who he'll bring in during the transfer window. David Beckham has already dismissed a move, but expect plenty of rumbling on the Kaka front.

In the end, the success of Ancelotti at Chelsea boils down to one thing -- the Champions League. Until he does, the Italian is just the latest man to strap on the armor and chase at the windmills.

Chelsea Sign Ancelotti as Coach originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MLS Gets $10 Million for Beckham Loan

Michael Cardillo — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:37:00 EST

Filed under: European Soccer , MLS, English Premier League, Soccer , Serie A (Italy)

Mercifully it's been a couple weeks since a David Beckham-related post. The erstwhile Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder is in the news on a couple fronts Friday.

First off, on Thursday it was reported that AC Milan has agreed to pay $10 million to MLS for extending Beckham's loan to the end of the Serie A season. Where exactly that cash comes from, well, that's up in the air though it seems Beckham himself might end up coughing up some of the cash.

The money isn't likely that huge a deal for Beckham or Milan, but it's a good thing for MLS. The league didn't want to come off like a pushover in the Beckham affair and in the end they played hardball and got a fair deal. Will foreign clubs think twice before trying to poach MLS players on lowball offers in the future? Probably not, but at least MLS now has some precedent to point toward.

Friday's other Beckham related nugget is more of a rumor that's picked up some steam in recent days. Namely, there are reports out of England that Tottenham may try to sign Beckham for some part of the 2009-10 season.

This deal would obviously strengthen Beckham's chance of making the England team for the 2010 World Cup, yet all signs point toward him ending up back at AC Milan once his brief return to MLS from July through November ends, assuming he buys out his contract with the league.

MLS Gets $10 Million for Beckham Loan originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inter's Adriano Goes AWOL

Michael Cardillo — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:02:00 EST

Filed under: European Soccer , International Soccer , Soccer , Serie A (Italy)

What is about players that once they become forwards on the Brazilian national team there lives become international tabloid fodder? A weird story is brewing out of Brazil and Italy Monday regarding the whereabouts of Adriano.

Reports have ranged from the Inter Milan forward being arrested and or kidnapped. This much is certain, he did not return to Italy after Brazil's World Cup qualifiers last week. His agent said Monday that the player is home with his family due to a personal matter. Still, anytime you have to issue a release that a player is definitely not dead, it's never a good thing, right?

Without Adriano this weekend, Inter took a commanding nine-point lead in Serie A, all but assuring the club of its fourth-straight Scudetto. Inter still are able to draw on Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Julio Cruz and the emerging Mario Balotelli at forward, so the club can certainly survive without the big Brazilian.

For Adriano, this isn't the first time he's had issue away from the field. He's been back to Brazil more than once to deal with personal stuff and to get his life back in order, mainly attributed to his party-type lifestyle.

It's a weird coincidence what's happened to Brazil's so-called 'Holy Four-some' of strikers from the 2006 World Cup -- Adriano, Ronaldo, Robinho and Ronaldinho. All four have seen their fortunes change since that tournament.

Ronaldo's been hurt and now trying to revive his career back in Brazil. Robinho became one of the biggest transfers in the world, going from Real Madrid to Manchester City last year. And Ronaldinho, the biggest face in world football, has faded somewhat going from Barcelona to AC Milan, basically becoming an afterthought to most everybody except the programmers of the 'FIFA' videogames.

Inter's Adriano Goes AWOL originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Manchester United vs. Inter Milan Live Blog

Michael Cardillo — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: European Soccer , English Premier League, Soccer , UEFA Champions League, Serie A (Italy)

Manchester United and Inter Milan face off in Wednesday's second leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 affair at Old Trafford. Choose your adjective to describe it -- huge, massive, epic, etc. Before the match, Inter defender Ivan Cordoba was quoted as saying the team will need to play the "game of its lives" to advance. So yeah, it's a big one.

Two weeks ago, the teams played to a 0-0 draw at the San Siro. Since then, Inter boss Jose Mourinho said he could coach Manchester United; maybe just to stir the pot and create some controversy. However you want to slice it, either the leader in England or Italy is going home earlier than expected.

The fun kicks off at 3:30 PM ET after the jump.

Manchester United vs. Inter Milan Live Blog originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Beckham, Milan, Galaxy Finally Make Deal

Michael Cardillo — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:39:00 EST

Filed under: European Soccer , MLS, Soccer , Serie A (Italy)

Hallelujah. The protracted, tedious and seemingly never-ending saga between David Beckham, AC Milan and the Los Angeles Galaxy has finally and officially reached it's conclusion, as all sides came to an agreement Sunday.

The Galaxy management are trying to spin that this was a good deal, since they get a friendly with AC Milan and cash compensation. Perhaps the Galaxy's only win in the ordeal is that they didn't end up completely red-faced and empty handed.

Sunday morning the clubs agreed to extend Beckham's loan until the end of the Italian season, then he'll return to MLS and play from July until October. After that, he'll return to Italy and finish out the 2009-10 season with Milan, which would likely mean buying out his contract, so in effect there'll be another saga in this story at the end of the year.

What exactly anyone is going to get out of Beckham's July-October MLS cameo is anyone's guess. The Galaxy are going to cut ticket prices and offer fans refunds. Will the league in good conscience hype Beckham's summer arrival and spend all their promotional budget on him, when anyone with half a brain knows it's a lame duck situation?

Is it possible Beckham has a change of heart if the Galaxy have a great season? Possibly, but not very likely. Beckham is hellbent on becoming the first England field player to play in four World Cups and it's all but certain England coach Fabio Capello won't select him if he's plying his trade in MLS.

So, that is apparently that for Beckham's big American experience. He came, he saw, he sold a bunch of replica shirts. Did he turn MLS into one of the big leagues in America? No. Did he increase exposure of the league? A little bit. Will he be missed when he's gone? Probably not.

Latest David Beckham Images

AC Milan's Filippo Inzaghi celebrates with his teammates David Beckham (R) and Pato (L) after scoring a second goal against Atalanta during their Italian Serie A soccer match at the San Siro stadium in Milan March 8, 2009. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo (ITALY SPORT SOCCER)

Reuters

Victoria Beckham attends the Serie A football match AC Milan vs Atalanta at San Siro Stadium in Milan on March 8, 2009. Victoria's husband, the soccer star David Beckham and Italian team AC Milan have today confirmed that a deal has been agreed between the Italians and Los Angeles Galaxy that enables David Beckham to stay in Italy until the end of the season. "I'm grateful to both clubs for making this dream come true," said the former England captain, adding "My family is happy and settled and will remain in LA. The perfect result for 2009 would be for me to help Milan to reach the Champions League and for the LA Galaxy to make the playoffs and win the MLS Cup." The deal follows weeks of negotiations between the two clubs during which Milan baulked at the size of transfer fee demanded by Galaxy --..AFP PHOTO / GIUSEPPE CACACE (Photo credit should read GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

AC Milan's Filippo Inzaghi (L) celebrates with his teammate David Beckham after scoring a second goal against Atalanta during their Italian Serie A soccer match at the San Siro stadium in Milan March 8, 2009. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo (ITALY SPORT SOCCER)

Reuters

AC Milan's Filippo Inzaghi (L) celebrates with his teammate David Beckham after scoring a second goal against Atalanta during their Italian Serie A soccer match at the San siro stadium in Milan March 8, 2009. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo (ITALY SPORT SOCCER)

Reuters

AFP/Getty Images

(FILES) File photo taken December 20, 2008 shows British footballer David Beckham holding an AC Milan jersey at an official presentation at the San Siro stadium in Milan. The soccer star and Italian team AC Milan have on March 8, 2009 confirmed that a deal has been agreed between the Italians and Los Angeles Galaxy that enables Beckham to stay in Italy until the end of the season. "I'm grateful to both clubs for making this dream come true," said the former England captain, adding "My family is happy and settled and will remain in LA. The perfect result for 2009 would be for me to help Milan to reach the Champions League and for the LA Galaxy to make the playoffs and win the MLS Cup." The deal follows weeks of negotiations between the two clubs during which Milan baulked at the size of transfer fee demanded by Galaxy -- thought to be around 12 million euros. AFP Photo / Files / GIUSEPPE CACACE (Photo credit should read GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Victoria Beckham, wife of AC Milan's David Beckham of England, arrives to watch the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Atalanta at the San Siro stadium in Milan March 8, 2009. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo (ITALY SPORT SOCCER ENTERTAINMENT)

Reuters

Victoria Adams, wife of AC Milan English soccer star David Beckham, arrives prior to the start of the Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Atalanta at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Sunday, March 8, 2009. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Reuters

It's easy to take a cynical approach to Beckham's failed impact on American and MLS. You could even call him a weasel for jumping out of his contract at the first chance he got. (Can you really blame a player of his caliber for wanting to play with an elite club like Milan? Though there are plenty of empty seats, Serie A matches aren't played in minor league baseball stadiums.)

Yet in the end, MLS used Beckham and Beckham used MLS. When he signed in January 2007, he'd been benched by Real Madrid and sent home by England. In short, nobody wanted him. MLS and Beckham's management team made a sweetheart deal that created headlines and at the very least revived Beckham the brand, if not Beckham the player.

And Beckham the player never really got a chance to shine in MLS. He was hurt when he came over and rushed into a silly ESPN friendly with Chelsea and drew a two-foot slide tackle from Steve Sidwell which basically derailed the would-be 'Summer of Beckham.

There were a few memorable moments -- notably big crowds in Washington and New York -- but overall Beckham and the Galaxy couldn't find the right mix of players or coaches to even get the club in the playoffs. Yet anyone that expected a then 32-year-old free kick specialist to set the league on fire probably only knew of Beckham through that Kiera Knightley flick. Maybe even more unrealistic were people who thought a famously-coifed Englisman with a tiny voice would become a media darling.

Off the field, in the long term we'll probably see that Beckham did have a positive impact on MLS. Since Beckham's arrival the league has sold more shirt sponsorships, increased its expansion fees and exposure. Beckham certainly put more casual fannies in the seats than anyone else has in MLS. Logic would dictate at least some small percentage of people that came just see No. 23 come to their city became MLS fans after the fact.

Did the league shake any of the stigma that it's an inferior league in the eyes of Europeans and U.S. soccer snobs? Probably not, but one man is never going to do that -- only time will.

And time will pretty much tell about Beckham in America. Before he arrived in America he shot some ads for Disney in the garb of a fairy tale knight fighting a fire-breathing dragon. In a lot of ways that sums up the Beckham's MLS experiment.

Except unless somehow he manages to lead the Galaxy to a league championship on his assumed fairwell tour over the summer this tale won't have a happy ending. Instead he and his Princess Posh will retreat to Italy and everybody will wake up and forget this Beckham American dream ever happened.

David Beckham, Milan, Galaxy Finally Make Deal originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Latest Beckham Twist Includes Extended Milan Loan

Michael Cardillo — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:36:00 EST

Filed under: European Soccer , MLS, Soccer , Serie A (Italy)

Tick...tock....tick....tock. Mercifully there's less than a week left before this entire L'Affair Beckham becomes a moot issue. By next Monday (March 9) we'll finally know whether or not the Englishman will remain in Italy with AC Milan or return to the Los Angeles Galaxy on the eve of the new MLS season.

Tuesday the latest turn in the on-going, and frankly tedious, saga came out that Milan might figure out a way to extend Beckham's loan until the end of the Serie A season in June, though the club is refuting that claim. There is also speculation that Beckham would then return to Milan in January 2010 after a buyout in his Galaxy contract is triggered.

Now, this idea finally seems somewhat logical. It splits the proverbial baby in half, if said baby once wore a faux-hawk.

Actually, this is probably much more appealing to Milan, since it gets to keep a player that's been a big contributor in its push towards a Champions League position. The Rossoneri aren't over-paying for a 33-year-old midfielder and retain the chance to sign him again in a couple months.

It's a little murkier for MLS, where Beckham would miss about half the season -- 17 games. Plus Beckham probably would take a week or two off, making him miss a few more games after the Italian season ends.

This would also become the ultimate lame-duck scenario for the league regarding Beckham, though if the league's PR department was savvy they could bill it like a farewell tour. Though, considering how this whole long, strange trip this Beckham saga has been, perhaps this is as good as MLS can get.

Of course, since it's only Tuesday, and because Milan management have denied any deal was complete, we'll surely hear different incarnations of this deal until March 9.

Latest Beckham Twist Includes Extended Milan Loan originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Champions League Live Blog -- Inter Milan v. Manchester United

Michael Cardillo — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:20:00 EST

Filed under: European Soccer , English Premier League, Soccer , UEFA Champions League, Serie A (Italy)

Update: Check out the live blog for the second leg between Manchester United and Inter Milan.

The UEFA Champions League is back Tuesday featuring an epic tilt at the San Siro in Milan as Inter Milan -- the leaders in Serie A -- host Manchester United -- the defending tournament champions and leaders of the Premier League. It's also Jose Mourinho vs. Sir Alex Ferguson in a battle of mangerial wits and Zlatan Ibrahimovi? vs. Cristiano Ronaldo in a battle of Nike-sponsored dribbling aces.

Inter crashed out in this stage to Liverpool last season and is seeking its first win in the competition since 1965. If Manchester United can get past the Nerazzurri it would keep the club in position to possibly three-peat in the Premier League and win back-to-back Champions Leagues, which would be quite the accomplishment.

The fun kicks off at 2:45 PM EST after the jump.&amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=&amp;amp;amp;quot;http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=189e0d76df&amp;amp;amp;quot; &amp;amp;amp;gt;Inter v. Manchester United&amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Champions League Live Blog -- Inter Milan v. Manchester United originally appeared on Soccer FanHouse on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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