LONDON, Jan 29 - London's Wembley Stadium will host the Champions League final in 2011, European soccer's governing body UEFA said on Thursday. The 2012 final will be held at Munich's Allianz Arena, UEFA said in a statement.
Last year Wembley lost out on a bid to host the 2010 final after the British government was unable to provide assurance that players competing in the final would not be taxed. UEFA officials have told Reuters that issue has since been resolved.
"This is fantastic news for London and the UK and is acknowledgement of Wembley's ranking alongside the very best of football stadiums in the world," FA chairman David Triesman told the English game's governing body's website (www.thefa.com).
The German football association (DFB) said that as host of the 2012 final, Munich and the wider region could expect revenues from 50 million euros to 100 million euros ($65-130 million) according to UEFA estimates for the week leading up to the final.
The final of the 2011 Europa League -- as the UEFA Cup will be renamed from next season -- will be held at Lansdowne Road in Dublin, while Bucharest's National Stadium will host the final the following year.
"This is a magic day. It is probably our greatest achievement in football off the pitch," John Delaney, chief executive of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) told Reuters.
"It will bring much-needed revenue of over 100 million euros to the local economy and boost out standing in international football."
This year's Champions League final will be held at Rome's Stadio Olimpico, while Madrid's Bernabeu will host the 2010 edition. The UEFA Cup final in May will be in Istanbul and next year's will be in Hamburg, Germany.
MILAN, Jan 29 - If David Beckham decides to stay at AC Milan he is likely to prolong his England career but could damage his well-crafted image having consistently said he would be returning to Los Angeles Galaxy. The 33-year-old engineered a two-month loan to Italy in a bid to stay in the England reckoning during the U.S. close season and after a bright start at Milan and two goals, the club are keen to keep him full time.
"It's not easy to decide. It's a matter that requires time. I'm under contract with, and have lots of respect for, Galaxy," Beckham told Corriere della Sera newspaper. "But the possibility to play at Milan is something special."
Time, though, is almost up with the January transfer window closing on Monday and the loan ending on March 9.
The obvious plus to staying in Italy is that he is much more likely to be included in England coach Fabio Capello's squad for the remaining 2010 World Cup qualifiers and the finals in South Africa.
Capello, whose side visit Spain for a friendly next month, has said he has been impressed with Beckham's Milan form having told him to find top-level football during the long U.S. break.
Beckham has surpassed expectations by grabbing a Milan starting spot immediately after a year in the less high profile Major League Soccer, which he said was sometimes "frustrating".
A second reason for Beckham to move would be another bumper contract that looked unlikely when he signed a five-year deal with Galaxy in 2007 estimated to be worth $250 million.
That deal was meant to be his last playing contract but Milan's package, although likely to be worth less given a 33-year-old could only expect a three-year deal at best, would still reward the world's most famous player because of the extra marketing possibilities he would offer.
"From the studies we have done I think if he stays, there will be a positive impact for Milan. Certainly if you look at sponsorship," Giorgio Brambilla of sport marketing consultancy firm SPORT+MARKT told Reuters.
BREACHING TRUST
Thirdly, Beckham's Italian sponsors such as Armani would be pleased if he stayed and re-energised his brand in Europe having already paraded him at their Milan fashion shows recently.
"While his presence in the U.S. is important for his U.S. business interests, elsewhere in the world I think this has contributed to his brand losing some of its lustre," said Simon Chadwick, professor of sport business at Coventry University.
However, there are many drawbacks to staying at Milan.
When he left Real Madrid for Galaxy it was marketed as Beckham's own push to improve the standard of U.S. soccer.
He went to a lower standard league much earlier than other players, who headed to the likes of Japan and the Middle East at the end of their careers rather than in their early thirties.
Beckham may now regret going to L.A. so soon -- he could have gone straight to Milan from Spain -- but if he leaves now his U.S. project would be seen as a failure.
Beckham, who has always seemed a player of his word, could also be accused of breaching Galaxy's trust -- something his U.S. sponsors might not appreciate.
"Performing a U-turn would not be positive for the player's image. It would not be a transparent exit from Galaxy," Brambilla added.
Any move needs MLS approval and Galaxy themselves have not looked like budging so far.
"We have a contract, we have a handshake, his kids go to school here, end of story. There is no story. He's going to return to the Galaxy," said Tim Leiweke, head of Galaxy owners AEG.
Another risk in moving is that Beckham's Milan honeymoon may not last. His form dipped after his first season at Madrid and although the Rossoneri have a habit of keeping ageing players, a continued run in the team is not guaranteed.
Many Milan team mates have said they want him to stay but players such as Mathieu Flamini, in the side before his arrival, are unlikely to be happy if a two-month loan becomes a transfer.
If a permanent move does not transpire, Milan have already suggested he could come back and do the same loan next year.
However, yo-yoing between clubs could upset Galaxy and Milan players who have no security over their first team places.
His celebrity wife Victoria is another factor. She may enjoy Milan's fashion weeks but they can not compare to L.A.'s glitz.
Beckham's U.S. soccer school could also suffer a backlash, analysts said.
Whatever decision Beckham takes, it could easily backfire.
LONDON, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Manchester United have ruthlessly removed Liverpool from top spot in the Premier League and defeat for the Anfield Club by Chelsea at home on Sunday would leave them contemplating another season as also-rans in the title race.
Rafael Benitez's side are leaking points to such an extent they could find themselves five points adrift of the defending champions come kickoff against Chelsea, who now look the chief threat to United.
Fourth-placed Aston Villa won a sixth consecutive away league match on Tuesday at Portsmouth and even they are looking a better bet for a title push than misfiring Liverpool.
United face sixth-placed Everton on Saturday on the back of a top flight record of 11 consecutive clean sheets, and with players leaving the treatment room in droves Alex Ferguson's side look perfectly positioned for a sprint towards an 18th English title.
It is a galling sight for the increasingly grumpy Benitez, who was being lauded as a tactical wizard when Liverpool snapped Chelsea's 86-match unbeaten home league record in October with a 1-0 win to forge three points clear at the top.
The optimism that result nurtured has long since evaporated and dark clouds are looming over the Spanish coach. Benitez is also coming under increasing criticism from the home faithful for continually leaving striker Robbie Keane on the bench.
After Mido's late penalty condemned Liverpool to a third consecutive draw on Wednesday, 1-1 at Wigan, Benitez appeared to suggest his side had been undone by rough tactics.
"It has happened in the last three games. They have something in common I don't like. I know why but I cannot say anything," Benitez told Sky Sports News.
Advertisement - article continues below »CRACKING UP?
Chelsea look to have turned the corner after their own rocky spell and moved above Liverpool on Wednesday with a routine 2-0 win at home to Middlesbrough.
Luiz Felipe Scolari's Blues will be relishing the chance to avenge their Stamford Bridge defeat.
"Over the past couple of years, we've had some fantastic games with them," Scolari's assistant Ray Wilkins said. "I'm sure this will be the same. I've got no comment to make on whether Liverpool are cracking up. They won't be."
Villa, whose odds were cut from 50-1 to 40-1 to win the title this week, host Wigan on Saturday when victory will push them into second place -- significantly upping the stakes for Liverpool and Chelsea 24 hours later.
Striker Emile Heskey, who scored on his debut for Villa at Portsmouth on Tuesday after his move from Wigan, could prove to be a managerial masterstroke by Martin O'Neill.
"At least we are making it a bit interesting," O'Neill said after victory at Fratton Park. "I'm delighted with how we are performing. The spirit in the side is first class."
Things are also interesting further down the table with two matches on Saturday particularly crucial.
Third bottom Middlesbrough have gone 11 league games without a win and host Blackburn Rovers, who are just one point and one place above them. Bolton Wanderers face fellow strugglers Tottenham Hotspur.
LOS ANGELES, Jan 28 - David Beckham's suggestion that he might not return to Los Angeles Galaxy after his loan stint at Italian club AC Milan did not spark much of a response in the United States on Wednesday. Neither Major League Soccer nor the Galaxy commented on statements made by Beckham earlier in the day while Tim Leiweke, chief executive of AEG, the entertainment conglomerate that owns the Galaxy, could not be reached by Reuters.
"Major League Soccer's policy is that we do not comment or provide information on MLS employee contracts, which includes all players," Dan Courtemanche, senior vice-president of marketing and communications for MLS, told Reuters.
"That's been the policy since 1996 and is unlikely to change."
A Galaxy media official gave a much terser reply to a Reuters inquiry: "No comment."
However, Leiweke vehemently asserted in Wednesday's edition of the Los Angeles Times that Beckham would be returning to the Galaxy once his two-month loan spell ended in early March.
"David is under contract to the Galaxy and I had a good, straightforward conversation with him before he left and he loves it in L.A.," Leiweke was quoted as saying.
"He wants a better Galaxy team, we're going to have a better team and David has no interest in going.
"We have a contract, we have a handshake, his kids go to school here, end of story. There is no story. He's going to return to the Galaxy."
Leiweke's comments are in line with those made to Reuters by Beckham's spokesman Simon Oliveira last week.
'ALWAYS SPECULATION'
"There is always going to be speculation in sports pages and newspapers," Oliveira said. "David is enjoying his time in Milan but he is contracted to return on March 9th to L.A.
"It still stands and absolutely no conversations have taken place regarding changing that."
For all the speculation, there can be no doubt that Beckham has relished competing again at a high level and Milan Chief Executive Adriano Galliani has said the seven-times European champions were willing to pay Galaxy a fee for him.
"Playing here is every footballer's dream," Beckham told Italian paper Corriere della Sera on Wednesday when asked if he would go back to the United States as initially planned in March.
"But it's not easy to decide. It's a matter that requires time. I'm under contract with, and have lots of respect for, Galaxy.
"But the possibility to play at Milan is something special. I knew I'd have fun but I didn't expect to have so much fun. Anyway, I am a very respectful person."
The 33-year-old midfielder scored his first Milan goal in the 4-1 win at Bologna last weekend before scoring again in Wednesday's 1-1 draw at home by Genoa.
England manager Fabio Capello, who flew to Italy to see Beckham play against Genoa, has hinted his good form would be rewarded with a call-up to his squad for the friendly in Spain on Feb. 11.
One of the world's most marketable sports figures, Beckham joined the Galaxy in July 2007 on a five-year deal and had been expected to earn an estimated $250 million with the club, financed heavily by endorsements.
According to local media, the Englishman would be able to opt out of his contract at the end of the 2009 MLS season.
England coach Fabio Capello admitted on Thursday that he was undecided about whether or not to select David Beckham for next month's friendly against Spain after watching him play for AC Milan.
Beckham scored from a trademark free-kick in Milan's 1-1 draw with Genoa at the San Siro and was given a rousing reception from the club's fans when he limped off 20 minutes from time with a groin problem.
Capello was in the crowd but said he was not sure he would call up the 33-year-old former national team skipper for the friendly on February 7 in Seville.
"I still have to decide although I was pleased with the way Beckham played, which I though was better than in his previous games," said Capello at a business awards ceremony here.
"I was at the San Siro to check on his form and before that I sent my assistants. It seems to me that he has fitted in very well at Milan."
Advertisement - article continues below »Beckham is on loan from his club LA Galaxy because the Major League Soccer off season is so long that the former Manchester United and Real Madrid player needed to find a loan club to keep on playing or lose his place in Capello's England plans.
The midfielder's move has proved so successful, though, that the talk in Milan is about whether or not he will stay beyond the end of his proposed loan deal in March.
As for whether or not Beckham would be in Capello's plans for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, by which time the midfielder would be 35, the coach said: "We have to qualify first and only then will I think about who to select.
ROME, Jan 29 - David Beckham's chances of continuing his impressive form for AC Milan in Sunday's Serie A visit to Lazio (1930) are in doubt because of a leg muscle strain. The England midfielder was substituted in the 71st minute of Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Genoa after scoring a first-half freekick to notch his second goal in as many games.
"He came off because of a muscle strain," coach Carlo Ancelotti was quoted as saying by Thursday's La Gazzetta dello Sport. "We'll assess (the situation) in the next few days, but it does not seem serious."
The 33-year-old joined Milan on loan from Los Angeles Galaxy for two months in a bid to stay in contention for England selection during the U.S. close season.
But his assured showings in four starts so far have led to a growing clamour for him to stay permanently and the player admitted he was torn about whether to return to the U.S. in an interview published on Wednesday.
If Beckham does not recover in time then Ronaldinho could return to the starting lineup as third-placed Milan seek to regain ground on Inter Milan after dropping eight points behind the leaders.
Ancelotti tried fielding Ronaldinho and Beckham together on the Englishman's league debut, a 2-2 draw at Roma, in a highly offensive lineup that also included Clarence Seedorf, Andrea Pirlo and fellow Brazilians Kaka and Alexandre Pato.
But the team was lopsided in attack and Ancelotti has sought to restore balance by bringing Massimo Ambrosini's steely presence into midfield and leaving out Ronaldinho, who is less inclined to chase back and did not look 100 percent fit against Roma.
Even when Ronaldinho was in good form in front of goal earlier this season, Kaka complained that he was having play deeper and tackle more to compensate for his compatriot's presence in the side.
Milan captain Paolo Maldini and midfielder Mathieu Flamini will be suspended for the match in Rome.
Champions Inter entertain struggling Torino on Sunday (1400) with morale high after they won 2-0 at Catania on Wednesday with 10 men to extend their lead over second-placed Juventus to six points.
Coach Jose Mourinho will be without suspended midfielder Sulley Muntari, who was sent off in Sicily, and Brazil forward Adriano, who will serve the second part of a three-match ban for throwing a punch in Sunday's 1-0 win over Sampdoria.
Juventus hope to have Alessandro Del Piero back for Saturday's home game against Cagliari (1930) after the captain missed Wednesday's 2-1 defeat at Udinese with a knee knock.
MADRID, Jan 29 - With Barcelona holding a commanding 12-point lead in the Primera Liga, attention is turning to under-performing clubs such as Real Betis and Atletico Madrid with pressure mounting on their coaches. Paco Chaparro at Real Betis looks to be most at risk after his side were knocked out of the King's Cup by fellow strugglers Real Mallorca on Wednesday and lie 16th in the league with only six wins all term.
Another failure at home to Getafe on Sunday (1600 GMT) could spell the end for the former reserve team coach, who replaced Hector Cuper in December 2007.
"It was a big blow for all of us," Chaparro said after the 0-0 Cup draw with Mallorca, which condemned Betis to a 1-0 aggregate defeat.
Atletico Madrid's Mexican coach Javier Aguirre has also been feeling the heat.
Atletico have not won since Dec. 20 and are languishing in sixth, nine points behind second-placed Real Madrid even though they have scored more goals than their city rivals.
Midfielder Paolo Assuncao said he understood the fans' unhappiness but said Sunday's match at home to Real Valladolid (1600) was a chance to put their season back on track.
"The supporters pay their entrance fee so they have every right to complain," the Brazilian said in an interview with Thursday's As newspaper.
"We just have to get the win, whether we're playing badly or playing well. The team is in good shape now and we'll get back to winning ways."
CRISIS MOMENT
Sevilla coach Manolo Jimenez needs a comeback win in Thursday's King's Cup quarter-final, second leg against Valencia to help dispel any doubts over his future before his side travel to Sporting Gijon for Sunday's league clash (2000).
If they fail to overturn a 3-2 deficit from the first leg in Valencia, their chances of winning a trophy this season will be effectively gone following their exit from the UEFA Cup.
Real Madrid are looking for a sixth straight league win at Numancia on Saturday (2100) to keep alive their slim hopes of catching Barcelona, who play at Racing Santander on Sunday (1600).
Real's Portuguese central defender Pepe said the champions would fight all the way to hold on to their title. "Barcelona is strong and playing some great football but they will have their moment of crisis," he said in an interview with Marca newspaper. "We have to be ready to cut the gap in points when they slip up."
MILAN, Jan 29 - Napoli winger Daniele Mannini and striker Davide Possanzini have been banned for a year after arriving late for a drugs test when playing for Serie B side Brescia, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Thursday. The pair, who were late for a doping test at a match against Chievo in Dec. 2007, were banned for 15 days in March by an Italian Olympic Committee judge but the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed to CAS and asked for tougher sentences.
Mannini, 25, signed for Serie A side Napoli in January last year and has contributed to their impressive recent form.
The severity of the punishments prompted criticism from the Italian Footballers' Association (AIC) and Mannini's lawyer was stunned by the decision.
"It is a shocking and unbelievable sentence," Mattia Grassani told the ANSA news agency. "Mannini and Possanzini have been treated...like full-blown doping athletes. They never took doping substances. CAS knows this."
Italian soccer federation chief Giancarlo Abete told reporters he was perplexed by a sentence that seemed excessive to him and the AIC expressed indignation.
"The AIC Management Board will be immediately called to decide on what initiatives can be taken as a sign of protest at a sentence that is unacceptable, disproportionate with respect to the length of a footballer's career, unjustified from all points of view," said a statement on the association's website (www.assocalciatori.it).
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