Chivas Aim for Early MLS Entry
Jorge Vergara, owner of Chivas de Guadalajara in the Mexican league, said he wants to bring Chivas USA to Major League Soccer next spring rather than sticking with the proposed start-up in 2005.
Vergara spoke at a news conference Tuesday night in Beverly Hills and said he continues to work with MLS officials and the four cities that are being considered for the expansion team.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber said last month that San Diego and Houston were the leading candidates, but Vergara said Los Angeles and Chicago remain possibilities.
“Each city that is interested presents a series of advantages,” Vergara told La Opinion. “Those range from fiscal issues, certain exemptions, and some [cities] are offering to share the cost of a new stadium. We are listening to all of them.”
Despite his enthusiasm, Vergara said he will not move forward unless he thinks he has a team that is fully prepared.
Vergara said he expected to make an announcement on the city that will be home to Chivas USA on Nov. 24, the day after the MLS Cup 2003 at the Home Depot Center. He also said he expected to know by then whether Chivas USA will play an MLS schedule in 2004.
Club America President Javier Perez Teuffer told La Opinion that negotiations to purchase the San Jose Earthquakes from Philip Anschutz were going well and that he expected to complete a deal and field his version of America USA in 2004.
Champions League
Juventus, last season’s European Champions League runner-up, joined Real Madrid in the knockout stage after a 0-0 tie against Real Sociedad at San Sebastian, Spain.
At the other end of the scoring spectrum, AS Monaco defeated Deportivo La Coruna, 8-3, in the highest-scoring game in Champions League history. Croatian striker Dado Prso had four goals at Monte Carlo. Monaco’s win moved it into first place in Group C.
Arsenal ended an eight-match Champions League winless streak with a 1-0 home victory over Dynamo Kiev, on an 88th-minute goal by Ashley Cole.
Bayern Munich’s recent struggles carried over to the Champions League in a 2-1 home loss to Lyon, which got the winning goal from Brazilian striker Giovane Elber, a former Bayern player.
In other matches, Celtic defeated Anderlecht, 3-1, at Glasgow, Scotland; Inter Milan and Lokomotiv tied, 1-1, at Milan, Italy; PSV Eindhoven scored a 2-0 victory over visiting AEK Athens; and Olympiakos of Greece defeated Galatasaray of Turkey, 3-0, at Athens.
Kadafi Drug Test
Saadi Kadafi has yet to play for Perugia in Italy’s Serie A, and he might have to wait much longer than he had expected to make his debut.
Kadafi, son of Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi, faces a lengthy suspension after he tested positive for a performance-enhancing steroid after a recent game. Players are randomly chosen for testing after every match.
Kadafi’s test found norandrosterone in his system that exceeded the allowable limit. The lengths of recent suspensions for failed drug tests in the Italian league have ranged from five to 16 months.
Roberto Carlos Injured
Brazilian defender Roberto Carlos is doubtful for his country’s World Cup qualifiers this month after tearing a muscle in his left thigh in a Champions League game Tuesday.
The Real Madrid star is expected to be sidelined at least two weeks but will undergo more tests today.
Nigeria Balks
Nigeria has canceled its plan to hire former England captain Bryan Robson to become its coach after Musa Mohammed, the country’s sports minister, said it could not afford the $50,000 monthly salary it had initially promised to pay Robson.
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Times wire services contributed to this report.
