The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Singapore businessman lines up Valencia takeover Posted: 22 Dec 2013 03:10 PM PST The club's hierarchy has been looking for investors since principal creditor Bankia refused earlier this month to refinance the combined 306 million euro (RM1.3 billion) debt the club and its foundation has with the bank. Salvo said that Bankia had still to give the green light to Lim's proposal and had asked for more time to study other offers. However, he insisted that given the 60-year-old is willing to clear the club's debts and invest heavily in the playing squad, Lim's would be a difficult offer to match. "He has made us a proposal that will clear the debt owed by the foundation and Valencia to Bankia and will invest a significant amount in the first team immediately," said Salvo. "It is one of the best two or three biggest offers made for a club in world football." Moreover, according to Salvo, Lim has set a deadline of January 15 for the offer to be accepted so the club can reinforce their squad in the January transfer window with the hope of challenging for the Champions League places come the end of the season. Lim has previously been linked with investment in football clubs, most notably when he bid for Liverpool in 2010, and has a net worth of $2.3 billion (RM7.5 billion), according to American business magazine Forbes. Valencia fortunes on and off the field have suffered since a financial crisis struck Spain in 2009. The club have been unable to finish work on their new Mestalla stadium and have had to sell a number of their best players. And last week it was announced that Valencia are one of seven Spanish clubs to be investigated by the European Commission for alleged illegal state aid for the role in which local government played in guaranteeing the loans taken out by the club from Bankia. - AFP, December 23, 2013. |
| Goals galore as Juventus, Roma distance Napoli Posted: 22 Dec 2013 02:57 PM PST Champions Juventus conceded their first goal in nine games but saw Carlos Tevez, Paul Pogba, Fernando Llorente and Arturo Vidal all hit the net in a 4-1 win away to Atalanta. Early season pacesetters Roma had no trouble disposing of basement side Catania, with Mehdi Benatia hitting a brace and Mattia Destro and Gervinho adding one apiece in a 4-0 win at the Olympic Stadium. Juventus's 15th win in 17 games means Antonio Conte's men will enjoy a five-point lead over Roma during the Christmas break. Roma sit second with a five-point lead on Napoli, who saw Fiorentina edge to within three points of third place after Giuseppe Rossi hit an 80th-minute winner for La Viola away to struggling Sassuolo. Juventus and Roma were not the only sides in goalscoring mood, however, with Verona claiming a 4-1 win at home to Lazio and Torino beating Chievo by the same scoreline at the Olympic Stadium. Former Italy striker Luca Toni hit a brace for Verona to help secure a ninth win which moved the league newcomers up to fifth at the expense of Inter. Ciro Immobile also struck twice, with further goals from Giuseppe Vives and Alessio Cerci, as Torino outclassed Chievo 4-1 to reinforce their grip on seventh place. Elsewhere, Bologna claimed a precious 1-0 home win over Genoa, their third win of the season, to move out of the relegation zone. Parma were one of the biggest winners on the day, Roberto Donadoni's men securing a 1-1 draw away to Sampdoria which, thanks to results elsewhere, moved them from 13th to eighth. Two weeks after exiting the Champions League group stages at the hands of Galatasaray and ahead of beginning their Europa League campaign, Juventus turned their attention firmly back on winning a third consecutive scudetto. Atalanta had conceded defeat only once at home this season, but when a bobbling, low strike from Tevez beat goalkeeper Andrea Consigli in the sixth minute the Bergamo-based side looked to be in for a long afternoon. The hosts were back on level terms less than 10 minutes later when Maxi Moralez sent a superb curling strike past the outstretched Gianluigi Buffon to end the goalkeeper's eight-match, 745-minute unbeaten streak. Juve, however, moved up a gear after the interval and after just a minute Pogba beat Consigli from close range after Kwadwo Asamoah's cross from the left was chested down into the Frenchman's path by Llorente. Llorenta made it three on 75 minutes when he collected Giorgio Chiellini's pass inside the area and turned his marker before beating Consigli at his far post. Four minutes later Vidal virtually sealed Juve's ninth win on the trot when he was given space at the back post to first-time Stephan Lichsteiner's weighted pass beyond the keeper. Inter will reclaim fifth place if they at least draw with Milan in yesterday's late game although the Rossoneri, languishing in 13th, will be motivated by the chance to move up to eighth in the event of a win. - AFP, December 23, 2013. |
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