premiumwww.luchatv.com spaces $100 2x9.5 www.chicaGosoccermeDia.com live online raDio 3 Petrov: Muamba’s recovery inspires leukemia fight Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov is hopeful of a full recovery from acute leukemia, inspired by Fabrice Muamba’s continued fightback from his on-field cardiac arrest. A photo of Muamba sitting up and smiling appeared on his Twitter account on Friday, the day Petrov’s illness was announced. It is still unclear whether Muamba will ever be able to play professionally but his recovery since collapsing on the field two weeks ago has been unexpectedly strong. “With the help and love of my family, my teammates, all of my friends in football, Aston Villa Football Club and all of the fans, I am sure I will beat this illness and I am determined to do this,” Petrov said in a statement on Saturday. “I saw the picture released yesterday by Fabrice Muamba, my fellow player, and it has inspired me - as has all of the support in the past 24 hours.” The 32-year-old Petrov was diagnosed with leukemia after he developed a fever following last weekend’s Premier League match against Arsenal. The Bulgaria international is due to begin treatment in a London hospital on Monday but still attended Saturday’s match against Chelsea at Villa Park. Petrov was visibly emotional as he waved from the stands to the fans giving him a standing ovation. “For me, football will have to take a back seat for a while, but I’m here to support my teammates today and I will continue to support them, as I know they will support me,” Petrov said. Leukemia is cancer of the white blood cells. In acute leukemia, the cancer progresses rapidly and requires immediate treatment. Petrov joined Villa in August 2006 in a transfer from Scottish side Celtic. He signed a new four-year deal with the Bir- mingham club in 2009. Petrov made his 100th appearance for Bulgaria last year in a European Championship qualifier against Switzerland. WWW.CHICAGOSOCCER.NET www.chicaGosoccermeDia.com 4 live online raDio RUMORVILLE Rennes to Arsenal The Rennes enforcer is coming towards what is widely acknowledged to be his final season in Ligue 1. When M’Vila does go on the market, the French international is expected to have almost every big club in Europe banging on his door. Arsenal have been one of the most heavily linked suitors, and as a 21-year-old Frenchman, M’Vila is certainly Wenger’s type. The Gunners, though, may find themselves priced out of the market, especially since M’Vila’s teammate, Kader Man- gane, recently tipped him to sign for Real Madrid. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Barcelona to Chelsea The uncertainty around Guardiola’s Barca future has gone on too long to suggest that he definitely has one. The coach has won everything there is win at Camp Nou and appears to be looking for a new challenge. The Rumor Redux family has heard a whisper that Guardiola is London bound in the summer, but whether he might be heading to the west or north of the capital remains unclear. Roman Abramovich is understood to be desperate for Guardiola to oversee the Chelsea revolution and despite previous instability, the opportunity to build a new team capable of bringing the Champions League to Stamford Bridge for the first time might be a difficult one for Guardiola to pass up. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Newcastle to Chelsea Only Newcastle and Everton were prepared to take a punt on Ba in the summer and the Magpies’ gamble has paid off more handsomely than any Geordie could have dreamt. The Senegalese international has netted 16 goals in 26 appearances this season, attracting interest from Tottenham and Chelsea. The Blues may be in the market for a replacement for Didier Drogba and Ba certainly fits the bill. Ba, though, has ‘a ticking timebomb’ in his knee, according to Tony Pulis, who passed up the opportunity to sign the striker for Stoke. With this being the case and Ba’s stock likely to peak this summer, Mike Ashley may well be tempted to do a deal on the striker he signed for nothing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chelsea or Manchester City Bayern wants to sign Robben, can afford him, but given the only reason Arjen Robben is at the Allianz is because Real Ma- drid cast him off, it’s not hard to see Robben as a bigger league kind of guy. Obviously, he’s no stranger to England, having done one tour of duty with the Blues, but with Chelsea in need of another goal scoring threat and Manchester City at times choosing Adam Johnson on their right flank, there are two big spenders in England that could use (and afford) somebody like Robben. www.chicaGosoccermeDia.com live online raDio 5 5x9.5 $170 $170 5x9.5 www.chicaGosoccermeDia.com 6 live online raDio Sejad Salihović postigao gol s bijele tačke u remiju Hannover je danas savladao Borussiu iz Monchengladbacha sa 2:1, dok su Hoffenheim Schalke igrali neriješeno 1:1, u preostalim utakmicama 28. kola njemačke fudbalske Bundeslige. Hannover je preuzeo peto mjesto na tabeli sa realnim šansama da se bori za plasman u Ligu Evrope, dok je Borussia sedmim porazom ove sezone definitivno otpala iz trke za titulu. Schalke je osvajanjem važnog boda protiv Hoffenheima ostao trećeplasirani sa devet bodova zaostatka za vodećom Borussiom iz Dortmunda. Hoffenheim je poveo u 30. minuti, penalom bh. reprezentativca Sejada Salihovića. Rezultati 28. kola: Hannover 2 - 1 Monchengladbach Hoffenheim 1 - 1 Schalke Već traži klub u Italiji: City će prodati Marija Balotellija Manchester City razmišlja o prodaji napadača Marija Balotellija na kraju sezoni, piše “The Telegraph”. List navodi da je menadžer Roberto Mancini izgubio strpljenje kada je u pitanju Balotellijevo ponašanje na terenu i van njega. Mada još nema zvaničnih informacija o tome, izvori iz kluba su potvrdili da će City razmotriti svaku ozbiljnu ponudu za problematičnog napadača, dok mu njegov agent već traži klub u Italiji. Mancini je kritikovao italijanskog napadača nakon remija sa Sunderlandom u subotu, iako je Balotelli postigao dva gola. “Nije igrao dobro”, rekao je Mancini za “The Telegraph”. “Postigao je na kraju dva gola, ali...”, dodao je. Mancini navodi da je ključni razlog za poraz neigranje povrijeđenog Sergia Aguera, koji bi, po njegovom mišljenju, donio prevagu u meču sa Sunderlandom. “Sto posto sam siguran u to i zbog toga sam razočaran. Nadam se da će biti spreman za sljedeću utakmicu”, kazao je Mancini. City 8. aprila putuju u sjeverni London gdje se sastaje s Arsenalom. 4.5x4.5 4.5x4.5 $60 $60 www.chicaGosoccermeDia.com live online raDio 7 4.5x4.5 $60 www$60.chicaGosoccer.net www.chicaGosoccermeDia.com 8 live online raDio Mexico qualifies for London Olympics Honduras beats El Salvador to qualify Marco Fabian had a goal and an assist to lead Mexico to a 3-1 victory over Second-half substitute Gerson Rodas scored twice in a goal-filled over- Canada on Saturday night in the semifinals of CONCACAF’s Olympic quali- time, giving Honduras a 3-2 victory over El Salvador on Saturday in the fying tournament. semifinals of the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament. Mexico secured its 10th Olympic berth and will meet Honduras in the champi- Honduras earns its second straight Olympic berth and third since 2000. onship game on Monday. Mexico did not make it into the 2008 Games. El Salvador, the surprise Group A winner, has not qualified since 1968. “We don’t have to relax,” said American-born midfielder Miguel Angel Ponce, “There were a lot of doubters in our country,” Honduras coach Luis Fer- who gave Mexico an insurance goal in the 59th minute. “We’re in the Olym- nando Suarez said. “Our own fans were nervous and didn’t really trust pics, but we have another important game and we have to do a nice job.” that we could accomplish the goal. This is something to be very proud Mexico has already beaten Honduras 3-0 in the group stage, but coach Luis of.” Fernando Tena said he would not make wholesale changes to his lineup for Rodas scored in the 101st minute to put Honduras up 2-1, but Edwin Monday’s game. Sanchez -- another substitute -- equalized in the 106th when he snapped “We’re going to maintain the base,” he said. “We’re going to make a couple of home a header from just right of the penalty spot on a cross from Xavier changes, but nothing too serious.” Garcia. The Canadians had to play the last 13 minutes short-handed after defender That set the stage for Rodas’ gamewinner in the 115th, when he ran onto Doneil Henry was sent off for his second yellow card. D.C. United midfielder Andy Najar’s cross from the right corner and Mexico took the lead for good in a quick first-half exchange of goals. headed it inside the left post. Canada’s Marcus Haber tied it with a header in the 32nd minute, but a minute “We are real happy,” Najar said. “It’s an important game for us to win. I later Alan Pulido finished off a give-and-go from Fabian to make it 2-1. don’t have words to describe this moment.” “You think you’re back in the game, and then all of a sudden you go down Antony Lozano again,” Canada coach Tony Fonseca said. “Obviously, that makes everything scored in the first bad for the team. I thought we kept battling, kept fighting for things, but un- minute for Honduras, fortunately in that particular moment it was painful to watch.” but Milton Molina equalized in the 77th for El Salvador.