Atletico Madrid defender Joao Miranda said he hopes his recent good form at the Spanish club will earn him a call up from the national team in his native Brazil.
The 28-year-old helped Atletico win the European Supercup last month, scoring one goal in the Spanish side’s shock 4-1 victory over Chelsea in Monaco.
“The goal in Monaco was one of my best days since I arrived at Atletico,” Miranda said.
“Falcao scored three times and I scored once. I really celebrated this goal and now I have the feeling that I am closer to wearing the jersey of my national team,” Miranda added.
Zico ‘emotional’
Iraq coach Zico admits he feels “emotional” in playing his young and largely untested squad in a World Cup qualifier tomorrow against Japan, whom he coached between 2002 and 2006.
“For me it is very, very nice to be back in Japan and very emotional because I worked there 15 years and have a good impression of the Japanese,” he said.
The 59-year-old, who starred in the World Cup in 1978, 1982 and 1986 without lifting the trophy, ended his playing career in Japan in 1994.
He also helped develop J-League side Kashima Antlers as a technical director and led Japan to Asian Cup victory in 2004.
Juventus hunting for Huntelaar
Juventus seem to have given up hope of signing Fernando Llorente in the January transfer window and reports in Italy are now saying that they have turned their sights on Klaas Jan Huntelaar of Schalke.
Juve added Nicklas Bendtner to their squad this summer but they want more options in attack and former Milan striker Huntelaar has now become their no.1 target.
Huntelaar has a less than positive history in Serie A. The 29-year-old joined Milan in 2009 for €15m, but managed only seven goals in 25 appearances before moving to Schalke for €12m after one year.
Rooney thankful for treatment
The extent of Wayne Rooney’s current injury was so severe that it could have cast a doubt over his future, according to the Manchester United striker who is currently sidelined after the studs of Fulham’s Hugo Rodallega left him with a deep thigh wound.
It was an unsavoury incident and one that the England international now claims could have caused him even more trouble.
Rooney said: “I was quite lucky it didn’t cut my muscle.
“I was told it was just one millimetre away from severing an artery. It could have been a lot worse.
“The doctors tried to cover it up from me but thankfully their prompt action prevented possible lasting damage.”
Bellamy struggling without Speed
Craig Bellamy admits he is suffering the lowest period of his life following the death of his close friend Gary Speed last year.
Speed, who was then in charge of the Wales national team, was found dead at his home last November at the age of 42.
Bellamy has been in emotional turmoil as he tries to come to terms with the loss and that daily struggle has taken its toll on his life, including his marriage as the 33-year-old revealed he has moved out of the home he shared with wife Claire and their three children.
“Losing my best friend has affected everything,” the Cardiff striker said.
“He was the best mate I’ve ever had. It’s sad but unfortunately it got to my marriage.”
Abidal on track for comeback
Barcelona left-back Eric Abidal, who is recovering from liver transplant surgery in April, is on track to return to action in December, the doctor who carried out the operation says.
Last month the 32-year-old said he had started working in the gym and had set his sights on a return to action in December.
“There is no objective reason for him not to return. If he says he will be back in December, the road is clear,” doctor Juan Carlos Garcia-Valdecasa said.
“The way things are going now, he is going to have few medical problems. We can’t predict the future but it is going very well,” he added.
Greece’s Samaras out for a month
Greece’s Giorgos Samaras will be out of action for at least a month after sustaining an arm injury playing for his country against Latvia in a World Cup qualifier.
Medical tests after the 2-1 win showed that the 27-year-old Celtic striker had suffered ligament damage and will need four to five weeks to fully recover. On Friday, Samaras was used in the second half for 22 minutes as a substitute and Greece down 1-0 at the time.
He helped turn the match around with his performance as the Greeks scored twice to open their campaign with a win.
The injury will mean Samaras misses Greece’s next qualifier at home to Lithuania on Tuesday as well as Celtic’s opening games in the Champions League.