Pro Eleven Headline News

Real pick Diarra over Huntelaar for Champions League

Real Madrid have decided midfielder Lassana Diarra will play in the Champions League knockout stages and not striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar, UEFA said on Monday following Sunday's deadline for registrations.
The Spanish champions were forced to choose between the two new signings because of UEFA rules that state only one player can be registered who has already played in a UEFA competition with another club this season.
They initially said they would fight the ruling in court but backed down last week.
A Real spokeswoman declined to comment on the decision.
Real, who face Liverpool in the Champions League last 16, had argued that the rule was discriminatory, pointing to players who can play in two European competitions when their clubs drop from the Champions League into the UEFA Cup.
But they scrapped their legal challenge following a meeting last week between the club's new president Vicente Boluda and UEFA chief Michel Platini.
Netherlands striker Huntelaar and France midfielder Diarra have already played in the UEFA Cup this season for Ajax Amsterdam and Portsmouth respectively.
Real host Liverpool at the Bernabeu on Feb. 25 and visit Anfield on March 10. Guardian


Julien Faubert Passes Real Madrid Medical

AS reports that Julien Faubert has passed a medical at Real Madrid this afternoon and will be presented at the club on Monday.

The Frenchman will join from West Ham on loan until the end of season, costing Madrid €1.5 million, and it is thought there will be an option to buy for €6.5 million in the summer.

The player arrived at the Santiago Bernabéu this morning, and first concluded his contract with the club, and then went on to the medical.

Along the way he was accompanied by Javier García Col, who has been responsible for guiding all the signed players lately, and has passed his medical at nearly 14.00 CET.

It is thought that he will now be presented at the club at 11.00 CET on Monday.

The 25-year old usually plays as a right-winger, and with this signing it is thought that Madrid will conclude their business this winter.

That should mean no move for Antonio Valencia, and again this is probably a player chosen by Juande Ramos, much like Lassana Diarra, who is very much under the radar of world football.

Faubert started his professional career with Cannes in France, and then moved to Bordeaux, before joining West Ham in 2007.

He has played for the French national team once, and scored on his debut to ensure they won the game 2-1. Goal


Quaresma joins Chelsea on loan

Ricardo Quaresma has joined Chelsea on-loan from Italy's Inter Milan for the rest of the season, the English Premier League side said on Monday.

The London club added on their official website that the Premier League had ratified the deal, which was announced some two hours after Monday's 1700GMT transfer window deadline had passed.

Quaresma, 25, a winger who can play on either flank, became the sixth Portuguese player at Stamford Bridge following the pre-season arrivals of Deco and Jose Bosingwa. He has also worked under Blues boss Luiz Felipe Scolari at international level, including during Euro 2008.

However he fell out of favour with former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho at Inter, whom he joined before the start of this season.

The former Porto and Barcelona forward was booed by Inter's own fans during the recent 1-1 draw with Torino where he shot over the bar after coming on as a second-half substitute.

Chelsea were left five points behind league leaders Manchester United after losing 2-0 to title rivals Liverpool on Sunday. AFP