Goles y sonrisas

Se mueven en sectores muy distintos de la cancha. Y ellos son muy diferentes. Pero se dieron el gusto de marcar en la red de Barcelona y ese grito los unió. La admiración que se profesan y la ilusión por llegar a lo más alto.

Uno es un grandote que mete miedo. El otro es un chueco de gambeta endiablada. Uno se especializa en asperezas. El otro camina el trayecto de las suavidades. Sin embargo, por más que sean bien distintos, los dos tienen un gesto en común. Claudio Pérez y Juan Manuel Martínez sonríen. Su alegría, al cabo, es un bien preciado en tiempos en los que aquello por lo que se jugaba dio paso a ésto por lo que se debe jugar. Ambos autores de los goles en el triunfo vital de Guayaquil se encuentran con Clarín en la intimidad del hotel. “Mirá lo que es el gigante. Me saca una cabeza. En la cancha mete miedo. Pero afuera no pasa nada; es un pibe tranquilo”, suelta el Burrito Martínez. Y Chiqui Pérez responde: “El no será alto, pero andá a agarrarlo. Igual se tiene que encargar de eso, de la magia. Lo que hago yo es otra cosa”.

-Pero los dos aparecieron por el área.

-Yo me metí a esperar que algún compañero saltara y me la desviara. Tal vez entre tanto cabeceador yo paso más desapercibido y me puedo colar en la defensa. Los especialistas son Viatri, Burdisso, Chiqui o Silva. Pero yo tengo que moverme en la zona, para aprovechar. Te digo la verdad: el gol lo hice con la plancha. Metí la suela y la empuje, aunque me comí una patadita por el camino. Pero cuando miré que entraba, no me importó más nada (Martínez).

-El siempre va a la segunda jugada. Tiene eso que es de vivo. Yo me mando siempre a cabecear. Pero qué van a decir ahora si nosotros vamos a buscar todos los corners y la termina metiendo el tipo más bajito. Ahora tengo que alcanzarlo a Guille, que ya hizo dos goles. Igual, hablando en serio, si sirve para ganar, que lo meta hasta el arquero el gol (Pérez).

-¿Cuánto tiene de especial el primer gol con la camiseta de Boca?

-Es lindo tener la posibilidad de convertir. Lo buscamos permanentemente y nos brindó tranquilidad. Los goles nos dieron eso. Me quedé con bronca porque cuando el partido estaba más lindo para jugarlo fue en el momento que había hecho todo el desgaste. Es un momento bueno para entrar si estás en el banco; con un 2 a 0 arriba todo se hace más fácil (Martínez).

-Tenemos que lograr eso durante más tiempo. Mantener la tranquilidad que tuvimos después de los goles desde el inicio. Pero yendo a la pregunta, pienso que es muy especial. Porque fue mi primer gol internacional, el primero con la camiseta de Boca y en un partido tan importante. Es uno de los momentos más lindos de mi carrera. Te acordás de todo el sacrificio. De todo lo que pasaste en diferentes equipos del ascenso. Mirá si habrá sido especial que me vinieron a cambiar la camiseta los del Barcelona y les dije que no, que me la guardaba para mí. Ya se la pedí a los utileros y la voy a tener como recuerdo. Cumplí uno de mis sueños (Pérez).

-Fue una escena de película para ustedes: triunfo de visitante por la Copa Libertadores y con Carlos Bianchi en el banco. Una escena completa.

-Es bueno que esté Carlos. Nos estamos conociendo. Para nosotros es más fácil, ya que él es uno y nosotros somos 30. Pero yo quiero ganar todos los partidos y los torneos. Eso es lo lindo de jugar tantas competencias (Martínez).

-Todos sabemos lo que es Bianchi. Lo bueno es poder ir acomodándonos a algunas de las cosas que nos pide. Contra Barcelona se pudo dar todo eso que decías. Y por eso nos vamos contentos. La Copa Libertadores es lo más lindo que hay (Pérez).

Esos dos tipos que se identifican en sus diferencias siguen sosteniendo la sonrisa que los vincula. En sus rostros está la ilusión de Boca en la Copa Libertadores. Que con un gigante rudo y un mago de la pelota acaba de volver a encender esa ilusión. Por opuestos y por goleadores.

Fuente: Clarìn

No se lo quiere perder: Riquelme vuelve ante Unión

Bianchi aún no decidió el equipo titular, pero el enganche estará al menos en el banco de suplentes.

Si no es titular, irá al banco y entrará en el segundo tiempo. Juan Román Riquelme ya sabe que sí o sí el domingo jugará algunos minutos en Boca. El enganche está de regreso, y tras una pretemporada de 18 días, está listo para volver a ponerse la camiseta Xeneize.

Lo cierto es que el 10 no está para jugar los 90 minutos. Y la idea del Virrey es llevarlo de a poco: el jueves 7 de marzo Boca recibirá a Nacional en la Bombonera por la Copa Libertadores, y el plan del DT es que Román sea titular ese día. Por eso, no sorprendería que ante Unión ingrese en el complemento.

Tras el ensayo formal de hoy, Bianchi dará a conocer su decisión: ¿JRR titular o suplente? La cita ya tiene día y fecha: domingo 3 de marzo a las 20.15.

Fuente: TN

Djokovic se cruza en el camino de Del Potro en Dubái

Juan Martín Del Potro, el número uno del tenis argentino, enfrentará al serbio Novak Djokovic, líder del ranking mundial, en una las semifinales del ATP 500 de Dubái, Emiratos Arabes.

Del Potro, nacido en Tandil y ubicado el séptimo puesto del ranking mundial de la ATP, superó ayer al alemán Daniel Brands por 6-4 y 6-2 en una hora y cuatro minutos de juego. En tanto, Djokovic eliminó con poco esfuerzo al italiano Andreas Seppi por 6-0 y 6-3.

El encuentro entre Del Potro y Djokovic, que se jugará no antes de las 10 de la mañana, hora de nuestro país, será el décimo de su historial en el circuito: el serbio se impuso en siete ocasiones y el argentino le ganó dos veces; la última, en el partido por la medalla de bronce en los Juegos Olímpicos de Londres 2012.

Djokovic, por su parte, superó al tandilense en los últimos tres choques entre ambos jugados el año pasado: semifinales del Masters 1000 de Cincinatti, cuartos de final en el US Open y semifinales del torneo de Barclays, todos sobre superficies rápidas.

El tandilense venció en las rondas previas al chipriota Marcos Baghdatis y al indio Somdev Dewarman, y hoy se instaló una vez más en semifinales (repitió la actuación de 2012).

«Sé que ante Djokovic necesitaré impactar mi revés al cien por ciento. Si no, mis posibilidades de ganar serán muy pocas. Tengo todo el resto del día para recuperar mi muñeca y haré lo mejor que pueda», declaró el tandilense, que admitió que está sintiendo nuevamente dolores en su muñeca izquierda.

Del Potro fue operado en 2010 en el tendón de la muñeca izquierda por el doctor Richard Berger, un especialista estadounidense, y luego de superar a Baghdatis sintió molestias en la zona.

El dolor le impide impactar cómodo el revés (emplea ese golpe a dos manos y utiliza la izquierda para armarlo), y por eso lo utiliza únicamente con slice.

La otra semifinal del ATP de Dubái, con 1.785.500 dólares en premios, la jugarán el suizo Roger Federer (2 del mundo) y el checo Thomas Berdych, sexto en el ranking y tercera cabeza de serie.

Chávez Jr. banned nine months, fined $900,000 for doping

Julio Cesar Chávez Jr. was banned nine months and fined $900,000 by the Nevada State Athletic Commission today for failing a drug test after his loss to Sergio «Maravilla» Martínez last September, Top Rank Boxing said.

Chávez, 27, tested positive for marijuana after losing a unanimous decision to Argentina’s Martínez in their World Boxing Council middleweight title fight on Sept. 15 in Las Vegas.

The Mexican would regain his active status on June 15, but lawyers for Chávez vowed to appeal what they thought was an excessive fine for what is not considered a performance enhancing drug, said Top Rank, which represents the boxer.

The fine represents 30 percent of Chávez’s $3 million purse for the Martinez fight.

The commission’s decision took into account a failed doping test in 2009 by Chávez in Las Vegas for a banned diuretic.

Chávez was suspended seven months for that offense, which also resulted in a victory by Chávez over Troy Rowland being changed to a no-decision.

Source: Buenos Aires Herad

Sporting Cristal defeat Tigre in Lima

Peruvian Sporting Cristal defeated Tigre by 2-0 in the match played at Lima for the Group 2 of the Libertadores Cup.

Renzo Sheput opened the score at 29′ of the first half, as his teammate Carlos Lobaton netted the second goal 12′ after the beginning of the second half of the game.

Line-ups:

Sporting Cristal: Diego Penny; Renzo Revoredo, Nicolás Ayr, Jesús Álvarez and Nelinho Quina; Jorge Cazulo, William Chiroque, Renzo Sheput and Carlos Lobatón; Hernán Rengifo and Irven Ávila. Coach: Roberto Mosquera.

Tigre: Damián Albil; Norberto Paparatto, Mariano Echeverría and Javier Malagueño; Javier Carrasco, Matías Escobar, Diego Ferreyra and Ramiro Leone; Rubén Botta; Diego Cisterna and Ezequiel Maggiolo. Coach: Néstor Gorosito.

Stadium: Roberto Mosquera de Lima.

Referee: Julio Bascuñán (Chile).

Source: Buenos Aires Herald

Pope Benedict pledges obedience to successor

Pope Benedict, addressing cardinals on his final day in office, called for the Roman Catholic Church to unite behind his successor and pledged his own «unconditional» obedience to the next pontiff.

«I will continue to be close to you in prayer, especially in the next few days…as you elect the new pope to whom I today declare my unconditional reverence and obedience,» he said.

«In these past eight years we have lived with faith beautiful moments of radiant light in the path of the Church as well as moments when some clouds darkened the sky,» he told cardinals gathered to bid him farewell, including most of those who will enter a conclave to choose his successor.

«We tried to serve Christ and his Church,» he said.

Benedict’s papacy was dogged by sex abuse scandals, leaks of his private papers and reports of infighting among his closest aides, crises that are thought to have contributed to his decision to be the first pontiff in six centuries to resign.

The pope spoke to the cardinals about nine hours before he officially steps down, leaving the papacy vacant until the new head of the Roman Catholic Church is chosen by the cardinals, a decision expected by the middle of March.

Source: Buenos Aires Herald

Obama to urge US high court to allow gay marriage in California

In President Barack Obama’s latest act in support of gay rights, his administration will urge the US Supreme Court to allow same-sex marriages to resume in California, an administration official said today.

Today is the deadline for the administration to file a friend-of-the-court brief in a case that is due to be argued on March 26 on whether California’s 2008 law, known as Proposition 8, is unlawful under the US Constitution.

The official confirmed an NBC News report of the administration’s plans. It was not clear as yet what form the its legal argument would take.

The federal government is not a party in the case and it had been unclear whether the administration would file a brief. Gay rights activists were keen to have it intervene. The official’s confirmation meant that it would.

The court’s nine justices are under no obligation to pay close attention to the administration brief, or any of the dozens of other briefs filed by groups not a party to the litigation, including businesses, religious institutions and states.

The Obama administration already has taken a stand on gay rights in another case before the court, to be argued a day later on March 27. That case challenges the constitutionality of a central part of the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage under federal law as being between a man and a woman.

The administration has several options it can take in approaching the California case.

One, which would be the boldest and most controversial, would be to argue for a free-standing right to gay marriage in all 50 states, a position gay rights activists have urged officials to take.

That is the approach being taken by the lawyers representing gays and lesbians in the Proposition 8 case.

Alternatively, the administration could keep the focus on California by saying that the ban on gay marriage there is unlawful, without reference to bans in other states.

In what could be described as a compromise position, Verrilli could also choose to say states cannot give all the benefits of marriage to gays and lesbians without calling it marriage. That position, if adopted by the court, would affect not just California but also seven other states that offer benefits to same-sex couples but don’t allow marriage.

The seven states, in addition to California, that allow civil unions or domestic partnerships providing all or virtually all state-level spousal rights to same-sex couples but not the «marriage» designation are: Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Nevada and Oregon.

Source: Buenos Aires Herald

AMIA to take Iran bill to SC

AMIA Jewish Community Centre President, Guillermo Borger, harshly criticized the approval of the Argentina-Iran accord, which occurred last night at press time and after nearly 20 hours of debate, and warned that the institution will take the case to the Supreme Court to stop it.

«We’re taking it to all possible instances in both domestic and international courts», Borger told TN news channel, to then reveal that the AMIA “will make a presentation to the Supreme Court seeking for invalidation of the agreement.”

Upon approval, Borger said «after 20 hours of debate, no one responded to what is behind this.”

Likewise AMIA’s head remarked that the creation of the joint commission, intended to advance in the investigation of the 1994 bombing attack, will only represent «a big delay the case”.

To end, Borger said that “the so-called Truth Commission makes no sense, as the Argentine judge in charge can travel to Iran to question the defendants without the need of a memorandum.”

Furthermore, the head of the Latin American Jewish Congress Jack Terpins, considered the accord «is totally embarrasing, and I can’t accept it. It’s an aggression to Judaism, the Argentine people, and most of all an insult to all the relatives of the victims.»

Last night in the Lowe House, the Kirchnerism managed to approve the memorandum with 131 votes in favour and 113 against.

Source: Buenos Aires Herald

Spielberg to lead Cannes film festival jury

Best Director nominee Steven Spielberg arrives on the red carpet for the 85th Annual Academy Awards.

Director Steven Spielberg will preside over the 2013 Cannes film festival jury in May, organizers said today, an A-list casting that adds Hollywood firepower to the high-brow international festival.

Spielberg, whose presidential drama «Lincoln» took home two Oscars at Sunday’s Academy Awards, will succeed Italian director and actor Nanni Moretti, who helmed the jury for Cannes’ 65th anniversary last year.

The 12-day festival, which takes place on the Cote d’Azur in the south of France, is a major showplace for new movies from around the world that attracts top and emerging screen writers, deal-makers and hundreds of film critics.

Spielberg’s blockbuster film E.T. screened as a world premiere at Cannes in 1982, and festival President Gilles Jacob called the respected director a «regular» at the prestigious film festival.

«Since then I’ve often asked Steven to be Jury President but he’s always been shooting a film,» Jacob said. «So this year, when I was told ‘E.T. phone home,’ I understood and immediately replied ‘At last!'»

Spielberg called the festival a «platform for extraordinary films to be discovered and introduced to the world.»

The 66-year-old director’s four-decade career has included such varied films as «Jaws,» «Schindler’s List,» «The Color Purple» and «Jurassic Park.»

Spielberg was passed over at Sunday’s Oscars for Best Director for «Lincoln,» the story of the president battling to abolish slavery and end the civil war, but the film provided actor Daniel Day-Lewis with his third Best Actor award.

«Lincoln,» distributed by Disney, also won for production design.

The Cannes film festival runs from May 15 to 26.

Source: Buenos Aires Herald

Iran: Argentina´s accusations ‘ridiculous’

After Argentina’s Congress passed into law the Memorandum of Understanding to probe the investigation over the 1994 AMIA bombing, the government of Iran considered the accusations against its officials “ridiculous” and warned the parliamentary debate in Tehran could be held up.
According to the legal expert of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Mosher Dahaban, the Middle East country “ignores” who are responsible for the 1994 attack.
“The best way to cover up something is to accuse someone who has nothing to do with it”, Dahaban told a local radio station.
The Iranian official also explained that the Buenos Aires-Tehran accord cannot be modified leading to a full ratification or rejection.
The Parliament of Iran –where support to president Mahmud Ahmadineyad has crumbled since the 2012 legislative elections- has began to analyze the agreement signed with Argentina although Iranian lawmakers are currently focused on discussions over the 2013 budget.
buenosairesherald.com

French doping agency will do Tour de France testing

The French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) has agreed to carry out testing at the Tour de France in June.
The AFLD said in a statement today the UCI (International Cycling Union) had guaranteed «information on the whereabouts of the riders and their biological profile data in order to carry out random tests».
Two weeks ago the AFLD said it would not carry out tests on the Paris-Nice race that starts on Sunday, citing a disagreement with the UCI.
The two organizations have long been at loggerheads, with the AFLD saying the UCI had not followed correct procedures during testing in the 2009 Tour de France. The UCI denied the allegations.
The UCI came under heavy fire in last year’s U.S. Anti-Doping Agency report that led to the Lance Armstrong scandal.
The US cyclist was stripped of his seven Tour titles in October and admitted to doping in a televised interview last month.
buenosairesherald.com

Obama to urge US high court to allow gay marriage in California

US President Barack Obama.
In President Barack Obama’s latest act in support of gay rights, his administration will urge the US Supreme Court to allow same-sex marriages to resume in California, an administration official said today.
Today is the deadline for the administration to file a friend-of-the-court brief in a case that is due to be argued on March 26 on whether California’s 2008 law, known as Proposition 8, is unlawful under the US Constitution.
The official confirmed an NBC News report of the administration’s plans. It was not clear as yet what form the its legal argument would take.
The federal government is not a party in the case and it had been unclear whether the administration would file a brief. Gay rights activists were keen to have it intervene. The official’s confirmation meant that it would.
The court’s nine justices are under no obligation to pay close attention to the administration brief, or any of the dozens of other briefs filed by groups not a party to the litigation, including businesses, religious institutions and states.
The Obama administration already has taken a stand on gay rights in another case before the court, to be argued a day later on March 27. That case challenges the constitutionality of a central part of the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage under federal law as being between a man and a woman.
The administration has several options it can take in approaching the California case.
One, which would be the boldest and most controversial, would be to argue for a free-standing right to gay marriage in all 50 states, a position gay rights activists have urged officials to take.
That is the approach being taken by the lawyers representing gays and lesbians in the Proposition 8 case.
Alternatively, the administration could keep the focus on California by saying that the ban on gay marriage there is unlawful, without reference to bans in other states.
In what could be described as a compromise position, Verrilli could also choose to say states cannot give all the benefits of marriage to gays and lesbians without calling it marriage. That position, if adopted by the court, would affect not just California but also seven other states that offer benefits to same-sex couples but don’t allow marriage.
The seven states, in addition to California, that allow civil unions or domestic partnerships providing all or virtually all state-level spousal rights to same-sex couples but not the «marriage» designation are: Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Nevada and Oregon.

buenosairesherald.com

AGN considers Schiavi´s statements ‘provocative’

The Head of the National Audit Office (AGN in Spanish) Leandro Despouy has echoed recent statements by former Transport Secretary Juan Pablo Schiavi and considered them «provocative».
Schiavi –who is indicted in the Once Train Tragedy case-, had said that “all State mechanisms worked” in the Sarmiento train case.
“When (Schiavi) responded to our auditing reports he said that trains did not fail to function but that Argentinians destroyed them”, the AGN official told a local radio station and added that the auditing reporst forboded what finally turned into the Once fatal accident.
“Reports are categoric, disastrous service conditions that would lead to tragedy if measures were not taken”, Despouy affirmed.
buenosairesherald.com

BA stocks lower; bonds, coupons plummet

Buenos Aires stocks moved 3.5 percent lower today, with the Merval benchmark stock index reaching 3,048.55 points.
Among public bonds, the Bonar 2017 lost 2.5 percent, Discount edged down by 6.4 percent, Global 2017 dropped 5.8 percent, while the Par lost 3.6 percent.
Likewise, GDP-related-bonds issued under New York law dropped by 8,7 percent.
Likewise, GDP-related-bonds issued under New York law dropped up to 3.6 percent.
Argentina’s country-risk edges up 10.3 percent and stands at 1,210 basis points in the JP Morgan EMBI index.
buenosairesherald.com

AMIA to take Iran bill to SC

AMIA Jewish Community Centre President Guillermo Borger.
AMIA Jewish Community Centre President, Guillermo Borger, harshly criticized the approval of the Argentina-Iran accord, which occurred last night at press time and after nearly 20 hours of debate, and warned that the institution will take the case to the Supreme Court to stop it.
«We’re taking it to all possible instances in both domestic and international courts», Borger told TN news channel, to then reveal that the AMIA “will make a presentation to the Supreme Court seeking for invalidation of the agreement.”
Upon approval, Borger said «after 20 hours of debate, no one responded to what is behind this.”
Likewise AMIA’s head remarked that the creation of the joint commission, intended to advance in the investigation of the 1994 bombing attack, will only represent «a big delay the case”.
To end, Borger said that “the so-called Truth Commission makes no sense, as the Argentine judge in charge can travel to Iran to question the defendants without the need of a memorandum.”
Furthermore, the head of the Latin American Jewish Congress Jack Terpins, considered the accord «is totally embarrasing, and I can’t accept it. It’s an aggression to Judaism, the Argentine people, and most of all an insult to all the relatives of the victims.»
Last night in the Lowe House, the Kirchnerism managed to approve the memorandum with 131 votes in favour and 113 against.
buenosairesherald.com

Construction drops 5.7% in January

The construction dropped 5.7 percent in January compared to the volume registered during the same month last year, according to the Indec national statistics bureau.
The Construction Activity Synthetic Index (ISAC) stated that the industry fell 0.5 percent against the previous month.
buenosairesherald.com

Chávez Jr. banned nine months, fined $900,000 for doping

Julio Chávez Jr (L) during the fight against Sergio «Maravilla» Martínez (R).
Julio Cesar Chávez Jr. was banned nine months and fined $900,000 by the Nevada State Athletic Commission today for failing a drug test after his loss to Sergio «Maravilla» Martínez last September, Top Rank Boxing said.
Chávez, 27, tested positive for marijuana after losing a unanimous decision to Argentina’s Martínez in their World Boxing Council middleweight title fight on Sept. 15 in Las Vegas.
The Mexican would regain his active status on June 15, but lawyers for Chávez vowed to appeal what they thought was an excessive fine for what is not considered a performance enhancing drug, said Top Rank, which represents the boxer.
The fine represents 30 percent of Chávez’s $3 million purse for the Martinez fight.
The commission’s decision took into account a failed doping test in 2009 by Chávez in Las Vegas for a banned diuretic.
Chávez was suspended seven months for that offense, which also resulted in a victory by Chávez over Troy Rowland being changed to a no-decision.
buenosairesherald.com

Pope Benedict pledges obedience to successor

Pope Benedict XVI addresses during the last meeting with the Cardinals at the Vatican
Pope Benedict, addressing cardinals on his final day in office, called for the Roman Catholic Church to unite behind his successor and pledged his own «unconditional» obedience to the next pontiff.
«I will continue to be close to you in prayer, especially in the next few days…as you elect the new pope to whom I today declare my unconditional reverence and obedience,» he said.
«In these past eight years we have lived with faith beautiful moments of radiant light in the path of the Church as well as moments when some clouds darkened the sky,» he told cardinals gathered to bid him farewell, including most of those who will enter a conclave to choose his successor.
«We tried to serve Christ and his Church,» he said.
Benedict’s papacy was dogged by sex abuse scandals, leaks of his private papers and reports of infighting among his closest aides, crises that are thought to have contributed to his decision to be the first pontiff in six centuries to resign.
The pope spoke to the cardinals about nine hours before he officially steps down, leaving the papacy vacant until the new head of the Roman Catholic Church is chosen by the cardinals, a decision expected by the middle of March.
buenosairesherald.com

Use of public services climb 6.8%

The use of public services climbed 6.8 percent in January year-on-year, according to the Indec national statistics bureau.
Compared to the previous month, the sector dropped 1.5 percent.
The Public Services Synthetic Index was headed by the telephone services, which advanced 14.2 percent, followed by the electricity, gas and water sector, which climbed 2.9 percent.
Nevertheless, the public transport service dropped 4.7 percent after the hike in the tariffs. Besides, the tolls fell 4 percent.
buenosairesherald.com

Barcelona seek solutions and a lift at Bernabeu

Seemingly rudderless and leaderless, Barcelona have little time to find solutions to their dip in form but they have a chance to lift morale when they visit a distracted Real Madrid in La Liga on Saturday.
Holders Barca were dumped out of the King’s Cup by their arch-rivals on Tuesday, suffering a humiliating 3-1 semi-final second-leg battering in front of their own fans, to miss out on a place in the final.
With the defeat coming hot on the heels of their lame 2-0 Champions League last-16 first-leg reverse at AC Milan last week, alarm bells have been ringing at the Nou Camp as Barca’s season threatens to run out of steam.
They hold a 12-point lead over second-placed Atletico Madrid in the league, and a 16-point advantage over Real in third, but Barca are a side used to winning more than one title a year and anything less will spark talk of a decline.
On the other hand, Real, who have written off their chances of retaining their league crown, come out of the semi-final reinforced psychologically and with their eyes firmly fixed on their quest for a 10th European Crown.
Coach Jose Mourinho is sure to rest players with a trip to Manchester United in their Champions League last-16 tie looming on Tuesday, when Real need to build on a 1-1 draw from the home leg.
On Wednesday, Barca president Sandro Rosell flew to New York to see coach Tito Vilanova, who is managing the team from afar while he continues his recovery from a second bout of surgery on his saliva glands in December.
Pep Guardiola’s former assistant had a tumour removed from his glands in November 2011 and is not expected to return until mid-March.
«It isn’t easy without the presence of the first-team coach,» Barca and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta told a news conference on Wednesday.
«It’s been a long time and it’s one more hurdle we have had to get over this season.
«We don’t need him to return immediately now we have lost a couple of games. His health comes first, and we have confidence in those who are here.»
buenosairesherald.com

Scottish singer Susan Boyle to make film debut

Scottish singer Susan Boyle will get her first turn on the big screen in the British holiday period film «The Christmas Candle,» the movie’s producers said today.

Boyle, 51, will back up Samantha Barks, Hans Matheson and Lesley Manville in the Christmas film that began production this week on location in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.

The film, based on the novella by Max Lucado, tells the tale of an enchanted Christmas candle in Gladbury, a dull village that must confront the dawning of the 20th century and a new, skeptical minister.

There was no information on what role the singer will play.

«Everyone on set is a delight to work with and it’s a fantastic experience to be part of the team,» Boyle said in a statement.

«I’m really enjoying getting dressed in the period costumes and stepping back in time and although it’s very cold filming on location, I’m wearing long johns under my bustle,» she added.

The singer became an overnight international sensation in 2009 after appearing on variety show «Britain’s Got Talent» and performing a flawless rendition of «I Dreamed a Dream» from the musical «Les Miserables.»

Her rendition has been viewed hundreds of millions of times on YouTube, and her life story from unknown Scot to multi-million-selling recording artist has itself been made into a musical.

Barks was most recently in the 2012 film production of «Les Miserables.» Matheson’s credits include 2010’s «Clash of the Titans» while Manville is best known for 2010’s «Another Year.»

«The Christmas Candle,» directed by John Stephenson, is produced by Impact and Big Book Media and will be distributed in the United Kingdom by Pinewood Productions.

Source: Buenos Aires Herald

Del Potro serves up a treat in sweltering Dubai

Thunderous serving from former US Open champion Juan Martín Del Potro helped him overwhelm German qualifier Daniel Brands 6-4 6-2 in a sweat-soaked quarter-final at the Dubai Championships.
Del Potro faces a likely semi-final duel with Novak Djokovic, although the Serb must first get past Italy’s Andreas Seppi, against whom the world number one has 9-0 winning record.
«If I am ready and I’m very solid with my forehands and serve … it’s going to be a very big chance for me,» Del Potro told reporters when asked about the prospect of a 10th meeting with Djokovic.
That confidence is a reflection of the Argentine’s improving form in Dubai following a scare in the first round in which he saved three match points before beating Marcos Baghdatis. He has eased through the next two rounds without losing serve.
Cheered on by pockets of Argentine support decked out in the blue and white stripes of the country’s football team, he conceded just 10 points on serve against Brands in the volcanic afternoon heat.
The German, 25, had been expected to provide more of a challenge after taking the world number seven to three sets in their one previous encounter.
The opening nine games all went with serve but then Brands faltered, the world number 97’s netted backhand giving Del Potro three set points against serve.
The 24-year-old succeeded on the first as Brands bludgeoned a wayward forehand.
To describe Del Potro as simply a brutal server would be unjust, with the Argentine’s ground strokes also proving lethal and he broke again for a 2-0 lead in the second set.
He sealed the match after Brands capitulated with a double fault.
Third seed Tomas Berdych continued his imperious form, swatting aside wildcard Dmitry Tursunov 6-3 6-2, the third seed’s second trouncing of the Russian in the past week following a similarly one-sided match in Marseille.
The Czech, ranked sixth in the world, has yet to drop a set in Dubai and will play Roger Federer or Nikolay Davydenko in Friday’s semi-final.
Federer has an 18-2 winning record against the Russian veteran and will be heavy favourite to reach the Dubai semis for the eighth time.
buenosairesherald.com

French doping agency will do Tour de France testing

The French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) has agreed to carry out testing at the Tour de France in June.

The AFLD said in a statement today the UCI (International Cycling Union) had guaranteed «information on the whereabouts of the riders and their biological profile data in order to carry out random tests».

Two weeks ago the AFLD said it would not carry out tests on the Paris-Nice race that starts on Sunday, citing a disagreement with the UCI.

The two organizations have long been at loggerheads, with the AFLD saying the UCI had not followed correct procedures during testing in the 2009 Tour de France. The UCI denied the allegations.

The UCI came under heavy fire in last year’s U.S. Anti-Doping Agency report that led to the Lance Armstrong scandal.

The US cyclist was stripped of his seven Tour titles in October and admitted to doping in a televised interview last month.

Source: Buenos Aires Herald