AC Milan Ends Pursuit of Beckham
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, in Israel for a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, said Monday that AC Milan, the Italian club team that he owns, is not interested in acquiring England midfielder David Beckham from Manchester United.
“There are many better ways of spending money, earned with such sacrifice, rather than [by] signing Mr. Beckham,” Berlusconi told reporters in Jerusalem.
Berlusconi, of course, last year also denied that AC Milan was chasing Italian national team defender Alessandro Nesta, then signed the player from Lazio in August for more than $30 million, beating Manchester United to his signature.
Meanwhile, Lluis Bassat, the front-runner in the race to become the next president of Barcelona, blasted his closest rival, Joan Laporta, for promising that if elected he would bring Beckham to the Spanish club.
“AC Milan has said it can’t afford to pay for him, and it is in a much better financial situation than us,” Bassat told the sports daily Mundo Deportivo. “Mr. Laporta needs to explain how he is going to manage to do all that he has promised.”
Barcelona, which is more than $100 million in debt, will hold its presidential election Sunday. Laporta has cut substantially into Bassat’s lead since meeting with Manchester United officials and making a $34.4-million offer for Beckham.
The Ronaldinho Angle
Whichever way the Beckham saga ends could have an impact on the next move for World Cup winner Ronaldinho of Brazil.
The 23-year-old Paris Saint-Germain player is under contract but has said he wants to go to Manchester United, which has offered PSG $14.75 million for the striker.
Real Madrid, which earlier this year expressed interest in Beckham, has since voiced much firmer interest in Ronaldinho.
“Yes, we want Ronaldinho,” a club source told Marca, a Spanish daily. “He is a player perfectly suited to the qualities we are looking for. He has quality, and no one doubts the charisma that he could hold over the fans.”
All of which has angered new PSG Coach Vahid Halilhodzic, who said he did not take the job expecting to immediately lose his best player.
Women’s World Cup
Favorites Japan and South Korea scored impressive opening victories in the Asian Women’s Championship in Bangkok, Thailand, as they attempt to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup this fall.
Japan, powered by seven goals from Mito Otani, demolished the Philippines, 15-0, in its first game, while South Korea scored a lopsided 8-0 victory over Hong Kong, with Park Eun-Sun scoring four goals.
China, which qualifies automatically for the tournament as the former host, upended Vietnam, 6-0, while India beat Uzbekistan by the same score.
In other games, Thailand defeated Singapore, 3-0, and Taiwan edged Guam, 2-1.
The tournament continues through June 21, with the top two teams qualifying and the third-place finisher advancing to a home-and-home playoff with Mexico for a place in the World Cup.
Quick Passes
One player that AC Milan did sign was Brazil’s World Cup-winning captain Cafu, 33, from AS Roma for two years.... Ecuador and Colombia played to a 0-0 tie in Madrid, Spain, in a game intended as a warmup for South American champion Colombia’s FIFA Confederations Cup campaign.... A goal in the 88th minute by Rolando Fonseca earned Costa Rica a 1-0 victory over Chile in San Jose, Costa Rica.... Ireland national team defender Steve Finnan, 27, has joined Liverpool from Fulham for $8 million.... Flamengo and Cruzeiro played to a 1-1 tie in the first leg of the Brazilian Cup final in front of 75,000 at Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Midfielder Alex put Cruzeiro ahead with a back-heel goal in the 74th minute but forward Fernando Baiano tied it in injury time for Flamengo.
