Pro Eleven Headline News

Brazil, Portugal prepare for friendly

Brazil's friendly against Portugal on Wednesday will bring together two of the best players in the sport - Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka.

The match at Bezerrao stadium in Brasilia will be a homecoming of sorts for Brazil playmaker Kaka, who was born in a small, nearby town. But he tried to lower expectations that it will become a duel between him and Portugal winger Ronaldo.

"It isn't just a game between Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo, like a lot of people are saying," Kaka said. "I'm viewing this as an important friendly for Brazil."

The match will also include Brazil forward Robinho, who has been starring for Manchester City in the Premier League, and is important for coach Dunga. After several mediocre performances in World Cup qualifiers, Dunga needs his side to put on a good show to answer the calls for his dismissal.

"We are mainly looking for a home victory for our fans," Dunga said Tuesday. "We haven't won the last two games we've played in Brazil and now we're going to repay the support of our fans."

Meanwhile, Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz is looking at the game as a chance to help his players gel as a team.

"I want to experiment, this is the time to gamble," Queiroz said. "There is room for error. Later, when playing in the World Cup qualifiers, we won't have this margin of error."


Ronaldo hopeful on awards

Cristiano Ronaldo believes he is a frontrunner for the Ballon d'Or and Fifa World Player of the Year awards.

The Portuguese winger has kept up his fine form this season after inspiring Manchester United to domestic and European glory last term.

He is among the favourites to win the individual gongs next month and has joked that he is the number one, two and three player in the world.

Ronaldo, who aims to keep improving over the coming years, accepts that there are a number of other players in the frame.

"I am the first, the second and the third best player in the world. But there are other good candidates like Kaka, (Lionel) Messi and Fernando Torres," Ronaldo said in an interview with Sao Paulo-based newspaper O Estado.

"I think I did everything that is necessary to win and I want to continue doing even more.

"My aim is to win everything that is front of me."



Diego Maradona looking to put on show for fans

Diego Maradona is aiming for a stylish performance against Scotland on Wednesday when he takes charge of Argentina for the first time.

Maradona, who was appointed coach this month, has been cheered and feted in Glasgow during preparations for the friendly match at Hampden Park and said Tuesday that he wanted to repay the host fans by showing them just how he wants Argentina to play.

Popular in Scotland not least because of his role in humbling England at the 1986 World Cup, Maradona has been greeted by fans singing songs in his honor and is likely to experience more of the same during the game.

"I am very much aware of how apparently popular I am," Maradona said through a translator. "It's great to think that I have at some point made them very, very happy. It's nice to make them happy and if I get a chance to make them happy again, that will be marvelous.

"What I want to do in terms of repaying them is to offer up a great spectacle tomorrow night. We want to offer up a feast of football and put on an entertaining game."

But Maradona must overcome the absence of striker Lionel Messi and playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme because of club commitments, while Atletico Madrid forward Sergio Aguero looks likely to miss the game after he withdrew to visit his pregnant girlfriend — Maradona's daughter — in Madrid.

Giannina, who is six months pregnant with Aguero's child, was taken to a hospital Tuesday after experiencing pain, but the situation was not thought to be serious.

Still, Scotland, which is ranked 27 places below Argentina at No. 33, could still have to contend with the likes of Manchester United forward Carlos Tevez.

While Argentina can draw upon players from the highest echelons of European and South American football, Scotland's squad is mostly taken from its own league and England's second-tier clubs.

Rangers midfielder Barry Ferguson, who is set to captain Scotland in his first international appearance in a year, said he didn't expect to make much of an impression upon Maradona.

"You want to try and impress him, but I don't think he'll be too bothered by us," Ferguson said.

Scotland's chances of an upset win have been hit by the withdrawal of West Bromwich Albion midfielder James Morrison, Cardiff forward Ross McCormack, Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher, Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon and Rangers striker Kenny Miller to injury.

Scotland coach George Burley, who is using the match as preparation for a World Cup qualifier against the Netherlands in March, has called up Aberdeen striker Lee Miller and uncapped Dundee United midfielder Scott Robertson to bolster the squad.

Burley confirmed only that goalkeeper Allan McGregor and Ferguson, who has played just two full games for Rangers since recovering from ankle surgery in the offseason, would start.

"It's obvious that this is a game that not just myself but that everyone involved in the squad is desperate to play in," Ferguson said. "Argentina is one of the best teams in the world and they have some fantastic players, so when I found out we were going to be playing Argentina, that was one of the games I was desperate to get back for."


Spain fearful of complacency in friendly vs. Chile

Riding a two-year unbeaten streak, Spain's biggest hurdle in Wednesday's friendly against Chile could be complacency.

Spain won the European Championship in June, its first major title for 44 years, as part of a 27-match unbeaten run that has seen it become the world's top-ranked club. Spain hasn't lost an international since a 1-0 loss to Romania on Nov. 15, 2006.

Spain plays Chile for the first time in 15 years having never lost to the South Americans, with one draw and five victories.

Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque isn't worried about spoiling either unbeaten run, making several changes to his squad for the match at El Madrigal stadium against an "organized and aggressive" Chile team.

"It's obligatory with every game, whether it be a friendly or official game, to give off the best image of Spanish football," Del Bosque said Tuesday. "They are all here to play, but we don't want them to get hurt, not for themselves or their club."

Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente and Valencia winger Juanma Mata are first-time call-ups who could play after both scored in the Spanish league at the weekend.

"We will give an opportunity to those who merit it," Del Bosque said. "There are some indispensable footballers, but we also have to open the door to those who are able to come in in-form."

Del Bosque's starting lineup will change slightly, with midfielders Andres Iniesta and David Silva sidelined by long-term injuries and striker Fernando Torres in doubt.

Center backs Carles Puyol and Juanito Gutierrez are expected to be game-time decisions to leave the central defense looking vulnerable, especially since Carlos Marchena has been a little erratic for Valencia since returning from a layoff.

Striker David Villa continues to score, with goals in all four of Spain's World Cup qualifiers to take his tally to 23 in 40 internationals. His late goal in a 2-1 win at Belgium has Spain on top of its group with a perfect record and only one goal conceded.

"People tell me that no one is playing like Spain and Brazil isn't even close to what we're doing," said midfielder Marcos Senna, who was born in Brazil.

Chile arrives after having beaten Argentina 1-0 in qualifying for its first competitive victory over the two-time World Cup winners. That led to Diego Maradona being hired as Argentina coach with the two South American countries joint third in the standings.

Chile coach Marcelo Bielsa picked a squad dominated by players from foreign clubs, including Blackburn midfielder Carlos Villanueva, who had missed recent World Cup qualifiers. Villanueva replaces injured winger Mark Gonzalez.

Udinese's Mauricio Isla has returned eight months after he vowed never to play for his country again as long as Bielsa was coach.

Villarreal midfielder Matias Fernandez could start, while Bielsa has reportedly called up Fernando Meneses to replace injured defender Pablo Contreras.

It will be Spain's first international at Villarreal's home ground since its 9-0 win over San Marino in 1999 in qualifying for the European Championship.