England Plan Experiments for Denmark Friendly Visit
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2014 SPORTS Puyol to leave Barcelona at end of season BARCELONA: Barcelona captain Carles Puyol And having featured just 10 times this season know me know that I will not give up until the past decade as he won three Champions the goal that took his side to the final in South announced yesterday that he will leave the club in all competitions, he said it was time for a new end. I will continue fighting to help the team Leagues and six La Liga titles with his boyhood Africa with a 1-0 win over Germany. at the end of the season after a hugely successful challenge in a less physically demanding envi- improve and achieve our objectives this season. club. A number of Puyol’s teammates past and “Carles is an example for everyone on and off 15-year career at the Camp Nou. ronment. “After the last two operations it has “I don’t know what I will do on June 30. What present paid tribute to an historic figure in the field,” Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said The 35-year-old, who did not reveal whether been difficult for me to recover the level I need I do know is that I will need time to rest. I have Spanish football. “I will continue to enjoy being at yesterday. In total he has represented Spain 100 he will continue playing elsewhere, has been to be able to continue here, more than I expect- had four years without a break due to the your side until the end of this season. It has been times with his last appearance coming in a 3-1 plagued by injuries over the last couple of sea- ed and more than surgeons said. That is why I injuries. That is what I will do and then we will an honor. I wish you the best for what is to come. friendly win over Uruguay in February 2013, sons and has undergone three knee operations. have taken this decision.” see.” The announcement brings to an end an There is no one like you captain,” Andres Iniesta making him one of only eight players to have “At the end of the season I will leave FC extraordinary career in the Barcelona first team wrote on his official Facebook page. “Thanks won a century of caps with La Roja. Barcelona. The club are aware of this and we are DESTINATION UNKNOWN that began in 1999. Puyol is the club’s second captain for all you have taught me. Good luck,” “He is a natural leader, a person that when in agreement,” he said. “We will rescind the final Puyol didn’t reveal where he would go at the most decorated player of all-time, behind only Cesc Fabregas said in a tweet alongside a photo you hear his name you think of Barcelona,” added two years of my contract that were still to run.” end of the current campaign and insisted he will teammate Xavi Hernandez, having made 593 of the two of them just after Fabregas re-signed former Barca midfielder Thiago Alcantara, now of Puyol signed a new deal with the club in give everything in what remains of the season to appearances. for the club in 2011. Puyol was also a key part of Bayern Munich. “In the time I was there he was a January last year, but admitted in June that he help Barca succeed on three fronts. After beginning his career as a right-back, the Spanish sides that won the European reference on and off the pitch. Everyone knows would not stay if injuries continued to prevent “I am not leaving today, there are still three Puyol was converted into one of the most suc- Championship in 2008 and the country’s first him and whilst Puyol is in the world of football, him from playing a significant part on the field. months of the season remaining and those that cessful centre-backs in world football over the World Cup in 2010, memorably heading home he will be an example for everyone.” —AFP England plan experiments for Denmark friendly visit LONDON: England manager Roy Hodgson will run the rule over his players for the last time before naming his World Cup squad when they tackle Denmark in a friendly today. Hodgson will not announce his 23-man selection and seven standby players for the World Cup until May 13, but the match at Wembley Stadium represents his final opportu- nity for experimentation before he does so. Having seen his side lose at home to Chile and Germany in friendly games last November, Hodgson is seeking to avoid becoming the first England manager ever to lose three consecu- JOHANNESBURG: Brazil’s soccer team members train in Johannesburg tive fixtures on home soil. However, with the ahead of a friendly match against South Africa today. —AP World Cup in Brazil looming on the horizon, he has hinted that he may use Denmark’s visit to examine some of the players on the fringes of Lots at stake for his first XI. “The Denmark game is very much a game where I’ve got to think about what experimen- South Africa, Brazil tations I need,” he said. “If we take Steven Gerrard, does he need to play against Denmark JOHANNESBURG: World Cup hosts and “It is an opportunity to get the players to prove to me that he needs to play against title favourites Brazil hope to maintain a and back-room staff together a final time Italy (in England’s first match at the World Cup)? perfect record against South Africa today in before naming the World Cup squad.” “Would I be better off playing somebody a Soweto football friendly with much at Brazil rely heavily on foreign-based stars else because I know what Steven Gerrard can LONDON: Denmark’s soccer head coach Morten Olsen speaks to the media during a stake. for the friendly, choosing 16 including do? He’s got 103 caps. Could (Wayne) Rooney press conference. Denmark is to play England today in an international friendly soc- For the South American stars it is a last Chelsea quartet David Luiz, Oscar, be in the same category as Gerrard? And Joe cer match at Wembley Stadium. —AP chance in the national strip to impress Ramires and Willian. Hart too?” with a knee problem. Martin Braithwaite due to injury, which prompt- coach Luiz Felipe Scolari before he names There are also two new faces among The 30-man squad that Hodgson “I think you always have to be on your toes ed Olsen to draft Jakob Ankersen, Jakob his 23-man tournament squad in early May. the 19 Brazilians who arrived in wet and announced for the game did not contain any and make sure that when you have opportuni- Poulsen and Simon Makienok into his squad. And only a victory can possibly save murky Johannesburg-Bayern defender major surprises, but Southampton left-back ties to play for your club or country, you take it With the Danish Superliga season having Bafana Bafana (The Boys) coach Gordon Rafinha and Manchester City midfielder Luke Shaw was awarded a first senior call-up. and show what you have to offer,” said the 20- only just resumed after its winter break and Igesund-labelled a ‘dead man walking’ by Fernandinho. The 18-year-old has both Leighton Baines year-old. most of Denmark’s players plying their trade in the media because of poor tournament After a recent six-hour grilling from and Ashley Cole ahead of him in the pecking “I don’t think I’m playing catch-up (in terms their homeland, Olsen concedes that England results. South African football chiefs, Igesund said order, but Cole’s lack of playing time at Chelsea of fitness). I’m a young player and I’m still learn- will have a physical advantage. Brazil have beaten South Africa twice in he got “a vote of confidence”, but the may hand Shaw an opportunity to gazump ing. When I get the opportunity, I always try to “The English players are in fantastic match Johannesburg, once in Soweto and most media told a different story. him. do my best.” condition, while some of our players can’t have recently in Sao Paulo, but all the victories City Press newspaper quoted an On the opposite side of the defence, a hip Having missed out on a place at the World the same level of match fitness as we have only were by one-goal margins. unnamed South African Football injury to Tottenham Hotspur’s Kyle Walker Cup, Denmark will use the game to begin recently resumed our domestic league,” he said. A squad boasting star Barcelona striker Association (SAFA) official saying the end means that Liverpool’s Glen Johnson is likely to preparations for their Euro 2016 qualifying cam- “So this will be quite a match for them. We Neymar plus drawcards from Bayern was nigh for a coach whose contract win his 50th cap at right-back, while Everton paign. will need to perform as a team if we are to stand Munich, Chelsea, Manchester City, Paris expires in mid-year. centre-back Phil Jagielka is also absent. Morten Olsen’s side finished six points adrift a chance against them at Wembley.” Saint-Germain and Real Madrid start as “Even if he (Igesund) beats Brazil 5-0 it of Italy in World Cup qualifying and face a diffi- Denmark’s players will wear black armbands overwhelming favourites again. will not help his case.