Sebastian Coe slams England's failed World Cup 2018 bid

Sebastian Coe has slammed Englands failed bid to host World Cup 2018 and criticised the warring factions within the English game.

Coe, who successfully engineered Londons hosting of the 2012 Olympic Games, revealed that Sepp Blatter thought English football was run by idiots.

Much of the blame for Englands failed bid was attached to the heavy criticism and allegations of corruption towards Fifa from the British media, but Coe has rebutted that.

"I am less willing to lay the blame at the media's door," said Coe in his autobiography, being serialised in The Times.

"Ultimately the fault, I believe, lies with the awful dysfunctionality of the English game, its personalities and politics.

Though the former middle-distance runner believes Blatter always wanted to take the World Cup to Russia, he insisted that accusations of the governing bodys president being anti-England are wide of the mark.
< br /> "He doesn't. He's Swiss and like a lot of Swiss, he's rather fond of England. He likes the political stability, he likes the pomp and tradition," Coe continued.

"What he always has a problem with is the English game. And from his perspective, it's not hard to understand.

"As president of the international federation he sees the unwillingness of English clubs to release players for international duty. He sees the purchasing power of the English game - big name clubs buying up players from all over the world.

"And he sees a national federation that, at the time of the bid, had no chairman and no chief executive.

Blatter once said to me 'Your game is run by idiots, it's not run by bright people'... I was obviously disappointed, very disappointed."

Real Madrid starlet Cheryshev receives Russia call-up

Real Madrid youngster Denis Cheryshev has received a call-up by Russia coach Fabio Capello.

The Russian has been named in the 35-man squad for the friendly with the USA on November 14.

Despite not making a single appearance for the Madrid first team, the 21-year-old has not been overlooked by the former England manager.

"I'm very happy to have made the provisional squad! I'll just keep on working," he wrote on Twitter.

The midfielder will be following in the footsteps of his father, Dmitry, who gained international recognition with Russia and also received his first cap against the United States.

Capello, who took over from coach Dick Advocaat after a disappointing Euro 2012, has won all four of his games so far in Russia's World Cup qualifying campaign, and top Group F having yet to concede a goal.

AC Milan start search for Allegri replacement

EXCLUSIVE
By Elijah Raimondo

AC Milan's poor start to the Serie A season could cost Massimiliano Allegri his job, and owner Silvio Berlusconi has already created a shortlist of coaches to replace the 45-year-old, Goal.com understands.

After a turbulent summer which saw big names such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic leave San Siro, the Rossoneri have been in poor form, losing five of their first 10 Serie A matches, and speculation is rife that the former Cagliari boss will soon be sacked.

Top of the shortlist is Pep Guardiola, who resigned as Barcelona boss last summer, citing exhaustion, but is unlikely to make a move to the club due to their financial situation.

Next on Berlusconi's list is Zenit St Petersburg trainer Luciano Spalletti, due to his vast experience in Serie A, having coached Udinese and Roma for a number of years.

The rest of the contenders are Rafa Benitez, wh o was sacked by Inter in December 2010 after just six months in charge, and Roberto Mancini, who is currently under pressure at English champions Manchester City, but has won three Scudetti.

Filippo Inzaghi could also be in contention to replace Allegri. The former Italy international ended his playing career last summer, but has been working with the club's youth ranks, and would be a popular choice amongst fans.

AC Milan take on Palermo on Tuesday, with kick-off scheduled at 20:45CET.

Roberto Carlos: My future is on the touchline

Anzhi Makhachkala director Roberto Carlos has expressed his interest in becoming a coach in the future.

The Brazilian, who made 125 appearances for his country, ended his career at the Russian club last season with a proud record of three Champions League trophies and a 2002 World Cup winners' medal.

Although enjoying his work as a director for his club, the 39-year-old is now flirting with the idea of taking on a more hands-on role.

"Its great to be a director and take on the responsibilities that come with it, but my business is down there on the touchline. Thats what I want," he was quoted as saying on Fifa.com.

"Ive been travelling with the team and working side-by-side with the coaches, but Im still taking part in training sessions out there on the pitch. Its a new life, one that Im enjoying a lot. Were coming to the end of 2012 though, and I need to get my coaching licence."

The former wing-back the n explained his relationship with current Brazil coach Mano Menezes and thanked him for passing on a wealth of coaching knowledge during his spell at Corinthians in 2010.

"It was a great experience because he taught me a lot - how to handle players, how to talk to the big stars. He looked on it like a friendship, but he was always responsible about it too," he added.

"I remember him coming up to us and being very straight from day one. He said he needed our help to do his job, and from that point on everything worked just fine."

When asked about his stance on leadership in the national team, he singled out Kaka and Thiago Silva as the two most important figures in guiding the side, while advising youngster Neymar to "focus on his football".

"Every team needs leaders, but not just one or two. You need a few of them, like we had in the 2002 team. Its for the likes of Thiago Silva and Kaka to do that."

Danny relishing prospect of Hulk link-up

Zenit St Petersburg midfielder Danny admits he is relishing the chance to link-up with Hulk.

The Portugal international has been out of action since February after suffering a number of injuries, but he hopes to make a swift return so he can link-up with the powerful striker.

"Individually, he is a very strong player and can beat almost any defender one-on-one and create scoring chances single-handedly," Danny told Soviet Sport.

"It is very interesting to play with such a creative partner and I hope after my complete recovery our attacking partnership will bring Zenit a lot of benefits and wins."

Team-mate Igor Denisov publically stated his belief that Hulk's wages are too high in comparison with long-term servants of the club, but Danny believes the issue will be resolved soon.

"Denisov is an excellent player and one of our team's charismatic leaders, who plays an important role at the club," he continu ed.

"I believe he will be able to settle his disagreement with the chiefs pretty soon and return to the first squad."

Roma icon Totti not interested in move to Russian Premier League

Roma veteran Francesco Totti looks set to end his career at the Stadio Olimpico after reportedly turning down a move to play abroad.

The 'King of Rome' met with Russian Federation vice-president Nikita Simonyan, who attempted to lure Totti to play in the Russian Premier League.

In Corriere dello Sport, Simonyan reportedly claimed: Im certain that you dont have money issues, but you should know that we are ready to pay you a lot in order for you to come and play in our country."

If you phone me then Ill be able to find you a club, who will sign you with their eyes shut, within the space of 24 hours."

The clubs in question were said to have been CSKA Moscow and their rivals Spartak Moscow but Totti expressed that he has no intention of leaving his boyhood club.

The 36-year-old, in his 16th season at the Giallorossi, became the third highest Serie A goalscorer of all-time after scoring in the 4-2 win over Genoa on Sunday, his 217th league goal for Roma.

Liverpool set to field strong side against Anzhi, reveals assistant Pascoe

Liverpool are set to ditch their Europa League rotation policy in the face of their upcoming clash against Anzhi Makhachkala, assistant manager Colin Pascoe has revealed.

The Merseyside outfit currently occupy third place in Group A, behind both the Russian team and Udinese, with three points from their opening two games and a positive result on Thursday night is seen as an absolute must.

However, after losing 3-2 against the Italian outfit at Anfield earlier this month and with injuries starting to pile up, Pascoe admits Brendan Rodgers hand may be forced into relying on some of the more senior members of the squad this time around.

"Anzhi are a strong unit. They are a big team with big players," Pascoe told reporters.

"We have swapped and changed things around a bit before but, looking at this game, it is very important for us. We will pick a stronger team than we played against Udinese.

With three gam es inside a week, including an away trip to local rivals Everton and a home game against Rodgers former club Swansea to contend with, Pascoe admits that the situation is far from ideal but Anzhi's form means they simply cannot make the wholesale changes that they might have done otherwise.

He added: "It is a difficult [situation]. After Anzhi we have got games against Everton, Swansea [in the League Cup], Newcastle, Anzhi away and then Chelsea.

"We will have to mix things up depending on the games. But we want to win this one. It is as simple as that.

"Anzhi have lost one in 21 games overall this season. Theres only one way they are going to go and thats Champions League.

"Its a strong group but if you want to do well in every competition you have to beat the best teams."

Liverpool - Anzhi Betting Preview: Eto'o-inspired Russian side capable of Anfield win

After defeat to Udinese in their previous Europa League tie, Liverpool could do with a win to get back on track.

But that is unlikely to be straightforward for the Reds when Russian Premier League side Anzhi Makhachkala visit Anfield.

Brendan Rodgers men will need to be at their best and repeat the solid form that has seen them keep consecutive Premier League clean sheets in their last two matches.

Liverpool are 5/4 (2.25) with William Hill to get the win that would move them into the qualification spots in Group A.

But one issue for Rodgers will be the fact that the Merseyside derby with Everton is looming on Sunday.

Of course, Anzhi have a big game against Rubin Kazan as soon as Saturday but are likely to make European success the priority here and can be b acked to win at 21/10 (3.10) with William Hill. The draw is available at 12/5 (3.40).

In the goalscorer markets, Luis Suarez is 9/2 (5.50) favourite with William Hill to open the scoring but his opposite number is one of the greats of the modern game Samuel Etoo.

The Cameroon international has eight goals in his last nine games, including two last time out in the Europa League against Young Boys.

While Anzhi are 3/1 (4.00) to lead at half-time, they have not scored before the break in any of their last three games but gone on to win them all.

As a result, backing Etoo to be the last scorer rather than first is the value bet here its paid out in four of their last nine games and is available at 5/1 (6.00) w ith William Hill.

Thats because the visitors look a little over-priced all round in this one. Prior to the two recent clean sheets, Liverpool went nine games without a shut out and have conceded six in two in Europe.

The Anzhi players are all used to significant travel and are in fine form having won 10 of their last 11 games the other was a draw at Udinese, winners at Anfield in the previous round of group games.

For the pick of the bets, back Anzhi here at that price of 21/10 (3.10) with William Hill.


Sign up with William Hill for a 25 free bet

Adam Bate is a professional freelance journalist who specialises in football and betting. He is editor of GhostGoal which can be found here - you can also follow Adam on

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Anzhi squad pay respect to Hillsborough victims

The players and staff of Anzhi Makhachkala have paid their respects to the 96 victims of the Hillsborough tragedy.

Led by manager Guus Hiddink and striker Samuel Eto'o, the Russia outfit laid a wreath of flowers at the stadium on Wednesday as a symbol of support to the Merseyside club after completing their final training session ahead of their Europa League game against the Reds at Anfield.

The display comes in the wake of the Hillsborough Independent Panels findings in September that the emergency services committed multiple failures.

And, on Wednesday, former Merseyside police chief constable Norman Bettison resigned from his 225k-per-year post with the West Yorkshire Police following allegations about the events in 1989.

The investigation into the events surrounding the disaster is ongoing.

Hiddink: Liverpool can be great again

Anzhi Makhachkala boss Guus Hiddink is adamant Liverpool can return to their status as one of the best teams in the Premier League.

The former Netherlands boss takes his side to Anfield in their Europa League clash with the Reds after enjoying a solid start to their campaign, taking four points from their opening two games.

Hiddink recalls when he was Chelsea boss towards the end of the 2008-09 season, where Liverpool were challenging for the Premier League title but ultimately finished second to Manchester United.

He told reporters: "Of course, at that time they had different players and were more leading in the Premier League."

The 65-year-old believes that despite the tough start to the season the Reds have suffered under new boss Brendan Rodgers, he is confident the club will return to their days of dominance in England's top-flight sooner rather than later.

He added: "This season they have had a problematic start, but th is is a huge institution - it will always recover. Liverpool will always resurrect and come up to the top, where they belong."

Liverpool are currently third in Group A on three points after beating Young Boys in their opening game, but then suffered a 3-2 defeat to Udinese last time out in the Europa League.

Rooney joining Anzhi rumours are 'without any reality', insists Hiddink

Anzhi Makhachkala manager Guus Hiddink has denied the club will move for Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney.

The Russian club, who are owned by billionaire Suleyman Kerimov, are aiming to build a squad capable of beating the best in Europe and have made steady inroads and are currently topping their domestic league.

And, after Roberto Carlos stated on Thursday that Anzhi are targeting a move for Rooney, Hiddink insists the former left-back was just expressing his desire rather than actual intent.

Speaking to reporters after his teams 1-0 loss to Liverpool in the Europa League, Hiddink said: "He is vice-president, Roberto, and he can express his ideas, and he does that well.

"He hasn't said it to me so far, but it's nice sometimes to talk out of the blue without any reality."

Anzhi have already spent large amounts on transfer fees and wages for players such as Samuel Etoo, Yuri Zhirkov and Chris Samb a, but Hiddink is now focusing on promoting young local talent to the first team.

"We want star players," he added.

"But before the game [against Liverpool], I explained that the club are not making investment for investment's sake. It must be good.

"Of course, Rooney is very good. But it must be realistically achievable as well. As you have seen tonight, I was happy with the performance of some young Russian players, even though we lost.

"We are not looking just for big names. We want a good balance. I don't think the club will do anything foolish. But let's not undervalue Wayne Rooney, of course. I respect him very much."

Europa League Results: Groups G-L - Hannover complete Helsingborg turnaround, Lazio gift Panathinaikos injury-time point

Liverpool 1-0 Anzhi Makhachkala: Downing wonder goal moves Reds top of Group A

A wonder strike fromStewart Downing was enough to giveLiverpool a deserved 1-0Europa League win overAnzhi Makhachkala at Anfield.

The much-derided wingers 20-yard effort proved enough for the Reds, who wasted a host of chances to put the game out of sight.

Daniel Agger had a goal disallowed for heading the ball out of goalkeeper Vladimir Gabulovs hand, after Jonjo Shelvey had wasted a fantastic chance to give Liverpool the lead, before Downings goal settled the match and moves the Reds to the top of Group A.

Brendan Rodgers named a strong Liverpool line-up despite the looming prospect of the Merseyside derby at the weekend. Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez both started at Anfield, while Oussama Assaidi and Downing also got the nod.

Brad Jones started in goal for the Reds, with Pepe Reina still ruled out with a hamstring injury, while Shelvey also earned a start ahead of Joe Allen.

Anzhi Makhachkala named Cameroon le gend Samuel Etoo in the starting line-up, while former Blackburn defender Chris Samba started in defence for the visitors, but manager Guus Hiddink was without ex-Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Lassana Diarra, who was ruled out with a knee injury.

The home side dominated the early possession, with Suarez looking particularly lively, but it took until the 12th minute for Liverpool to fashion a chance. Assaidi pulled back to Suarez on the edge of the box, but the Uruguay internationals effort tamely rolled into the arms of Gabulov.

Assaidi was involved once again as Liverpool created another decent chance after a spell of Anzhi possession. The 24-year-old darted into the box and found Johnson, who drove a left-footed strike towards goal which the goalkeeper could only parry away.

Shelvey had a glorious chance to put the hosts in front minutes later, as Suarez broke free of the Anzhi defence and squared to the 20-year-old, but the midfielder bla sted his first-time effort well clear of the bar.

And the second half started with yet more Liverpool possession. Martin Skrtel won the ball in an advanced position and drove a dangerous half-volley towards goal, which Gabulov eventually gathered at the second time of asking.

The hosts created another fantastic chance moments later but failed to capitalise once more. Shelvey broke free and lifted the ball into the area towards an unmarked Gerrard, but the cross was just behind the Reds skipper who couldnt quite direct his header on target.

But on 53 minutes the deadlock was finally broken in spectacular fashion. Shelvey spread the ball out to Downing, who chose to cut in side and then unleashed a rasping right-footed effort from 20 yards which flew into the far corner.

Suarez nearly doubled the lead within 60 seconds with a fizzing left-footed strike from 25 yards which ricocheted off the stanchion and into the sid e netting, before Yuri Zhirkov was forced to make a last-ditch challenge with Shelvey bearing down on goal.

Some lackadaisical passing in defence led to a chance for the visitors, but Samuel Etoos strike on the turn was easily dealt with by Jones, who had a very quiet evening in the Liverpool goal.

Assaidi had a penalty shout turned down before Mbark Boussoufa fired a deflected effort just wide of Jones near post. Agger then had a goal disallowed after heading the ball out of Gabulovs hand and firing into the net; a move which also earned the defender a booking.

Gerrard drove a long-range effort over the bar late one before substitute Raheem Sterling had a superb chance to put the game beyond doubt, but the hosts held on for a well-deserved win.

TEAM NEWS: Suarez & Gerrard start as Liverpool name strong side for Anzhi clash

Liverpool have named a strong line-up, including Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez, for their Europa League clash with Anzhi Makhachkala.

Pepe Reina is still out of action due to a hamstring injury, so Brad Jones continues in the Spaniard's place.

Youngsters Raheem Sterling and Suso drop out of the side that faced Reading at the weekend, being replaced by Oussama Assaidi and Stewart Downing.

The third change to Brendan Rodgers' side sees Jonjo Shelvey, who has scored three goals in this season's competition, replacing Joe Allen.

The visitors include Samuel Eto'o and former Blackburn man Chris Samba in their starting line-up but ex-Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Lassana Diarra misses out with a knee injury.

Liverpool: Jones; Wisdom, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson; Gerrard, Sahin, Shelvey; Assaidi, Suarez, Downing.

Subs: Gulacsi, Henderson, Carragher, Allen, Sterling, Suso, Yesil.

Anzhi Makhachkala: Gabulov; Zhirkov, Joao Carlos, Samba, Agalarov; Boussoufa, Gabulov, Shatov; Smolov, Eto'o, Carcela-Gonzalez.

Subs: Pomazan, Gadzhibekov, Lahiyalov, Tagirbekov, Logashov, Muhammad, Traore.

Anzhi will consider move for Rooney, says team director Roberto Carlos

Anzhi Makhachkala team director Roberto Carlos has said his side will consider a move for Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney.

The Russian club, who signed former Barcelona forward Samuel Eto'o last year, have been constantly linked with some of the biggest names in world football.

Carlos believes Anzhis owner, billionaire Suleyman Kerimov, will continue to pour money into the club and may even fund a move for Rooney to bring success to the club.

He told Sky Sports News: "Why not? [Rooney] is one of the best players in the world and any team would be happy to have him in their squad.

"He's still a very young player. Of course I could not say when, and if, it will happen.

"[Kerimov] is capable of doing everything. If the owner of Anzhi has a wish to buy somebody, he will go and do it.

"But we are trying to change the image of the club. It's not just about money. Of course we are going to buy good players bu t not only international players - we want to sign good Russian players that are not that expensive."

Spalletti relieved that Zenit are off the mark

Zenit St Petersburg boss Luciano Spalletti feels that his side were worthy winners in their 1-0 victory over Anderlecht.

The Russian side claimed their first Champions League points of the campaign courtesy of Alexsandr Kerzhakov's 200th career goal.

Speaking to the club's official website after the match, Spalletti was delighted his team were able to grind out the victory in what was essentially a must-win clash.

"Of course we expected a difficult game today because of pressure from the fact that we had to win. The pitch was difficult, and our opponent was strong.

"We were aware that the game would not be a simple one. I think we played well most of all in terms of team balance. We attacked a lot without losing our balance.

"We played wisely today. I think we made a lot of scoring opportunities. From my point of view, we deserved to win today."

The former Roma coach also reserved special praise for match-winner Alexsandr Kerzhakov, who kept his composure to convert from the penalty spot.

"Kerzhakov shows his best in times of great pressure. He is a player and a person who shows his best qualities in difficult times."

Big-money signing Hulk came in for some criticism after his performance and Spalletti admits that the Brazilian did not enjoy his best match in a Zenit shirt.

"Hulk was unlucky in many episodes today. Often when in possesion of the ball he made mistakes. It was impossible to do what he wanted, and because of this he got nervous. I can't say he played his best match."

The 53-year-old also hoped that Malaga would triumph over Milan as he believes it would boost his side's chances of qualifying.

"It's better to support Malaga. It's always very difficult to think who should win when your opponents play. But considering the current situation, I'm for Malaga."

Zenit currently sit one point behind Milan in third place and return to Champions League action on Tuesday, November 6 when they travel to the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium in Anderlecht.

Eto'o: Song is not even among the best players in Cameroon

Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o has lashed out at compatriot Alexandre Song by claiming that he is not a worldwide star.

The 31-year-old forward, who now plies his trade in Russia for Anzhi Makhachkala, has endured an uneasy relationship with the Barcelona midfielder ever since Song refused to shake his hand in an African Cup of Nations qualifier against Senegal last year.

In an interview with Canal+, Eto'o insists that their rivalry is still as fierce as ever and laid down the gauntlet to Song.

When asked whether there was a dispute "between the two stars", the former Inter attacker responded by saying: "There is no conflict between two stars. Because I am one of the best players in the world, and Song is not even among the best players in Cameroon."

The players appeared to have made peace before the African Cup of Nations qualifier against Cape Verde but Eto'o is adamant that there has been no major reconciliation .

Reports suggest that Song had tried to steal the national captaincy from the striker, who was exiled for eight months after sparking a player's strike over wage demands.

Eto'o, the four-time African Player of the Year, is the all-time leading goalscorer in the Africa Cup of Nations with 18 goals.

Zenit 1-0 Anderlecht: Kerzhakov penalty rescues unconvincing hosts

Zenit St Petersburg claimed the first points of their Champions League campaign after a narrow 1-0 win over Anderlecht at the Petrovskij Stadium on Wednesday.

With both sides needing a win to resurrect their failing European challenges, a penalty from Aleksandr Kerzhakov in the second half, given after a foul by Milan Jovanovic, was enough to send the Russian outfit to a victory that they barely deserved.

Anderlecht will rightfully be disappointed with the result, as they fashioned the best chances throughout the match, and fell victim to a momentary lapse at the back to leave them with one point from their opening three games.

Zenit now move off the foot of the table with the win and sit three points behind Group C leaders Malaga, who square off with AC Milan later on Wednesday.

With so much at stake, it was perhaps no surprise to see the match take a while to get off the ground, as both sides seemed determined to prevent a goal rather than score themselves.

The first opening went Anderlechts way after 12 minutes, as a delightful one-two between Tom de Sutter and Jovanovic saw the latter drag wide of the far post after going one-on-one with Vyacheslav Malafeev.

That chance seemed to spark Zenit forward, and a stinging free-kick from Hulk was whipped inches wide of the far post, with two of his team-mates close to getting a touch.

The hosts were able to sustain pressure in the opposition half for large spells, but their monopolisation of the ball did not result in any clear-cut chances, as their attack seemed woefully out of sync.

In fact, the best chance of the first half fell to Anderlecht after 26 minutes, when Guillaume Gillet turned Domenico Criscito inside out to find himself in point blank range, only to slide the ball across goal when it was begging to be hit.

That was about as close the match got to a goal before the break, as both teams were ex tremely laboured in their play, despite the 0-0 scoreline doing more harm than good to their flailing chances of making the knockout stages.

Anderlecht came close four minutes after the restart, after good work from De Sutter out wide saw him tee-up Jovanovic inside the area, but the Serbian, instead of attacking the cross, elected to go to ground in futile hopes for a penalty.

But the second half followed the pattern of the first, with both teams lacking any sort of initiative in attack, as goalmouth action remained elusive.

There was finally some action of note just past the hour mark, as a testing free-kick from Lucas Biglia was punched clear by Malafeev moments before Kanu was able to connect.

Not long after, substitute Vladimir Bystrov cut into space just inside the area, but his shot was fired disappointingly over the bar.

But Zenit were handed a huge stroke of luck with 18 minutes remaining, after Anyukov was hauled down by Jova novic while attacking a free-kick, leaving the referee with little choice but to award a penalty.

Most of the players were unaware that the infraction had been called, but after matters had settled, Kerzhakov stepped up to send Proto the wrong way and give the home side a lead they scarcely deserved.

Anderlecht pressed forward in the time that remained, but despite a few spells of pressure, they could not strike a telling blow as Zenit ran off with the points, though with Malaga and AC Milan set to meet later in the day, their task in Group C remains monumental.

Liverpool - Anzhi Makhachkala Preview: Merseysiders look to bounce back from Udinese defeat

With the eagerly anticipated Merseyside derby with Everton on the horizon, Brendan Rodgers will again look to rotate his squad for the Europa League as he prepares for the visit of in-form Russian moneybags Anzhi.

Rodgers' hand has been forced somewhat by the injuries to Pepe Reina (hamstring), Martin Kelly (knee) and Fabio Borini (foot), all of whom would have surely played in this fixutre. The likes of Steven Gerrard, Daniel Agger, Martin Skrtel, Joe Allen and Raheem Sterling could all be rested.

In their place should come fringe squad members such as Jamie Carragher, Sebastien Coates, Jose Enrique and Stewart Downing. However, without any other senior striker available to them, Luis Suarez looks set to lead the line once again for the Reds.

Big-spending Anzhi, led by former Netherlands and Russia coach Guus Hiddink, have impressed in the Russian league this season and currently top the standings by two points from CSKA Moscow.

Hiddink could make only one change from the starting XI that secured a 2-1 victory over title rivals Spartak Moscow at the weekend, with France international midfielder Lassana Diarra (knee) dropping out.

In Christopher Samba and Yuriy Zhirkov the Dagestan outfit have players who will have competed at Anfield before, while their attack is set to be spear-headed by African legend Samuel Eto'o, reportedly the highest-paid player in world football.

• Liverpool have only won six games at home in the whole of 2012, none of which have been in European competition.

• Stewart Downing may have failed to either score or assist in the Premier League since arriving at Anfield, but the winger has contributed a goal and three assists in Europe this seas on.

• Liverpool won this competition under the guise of the UEFA Cup back in 2001 as part of a "treble" season that included both FA and League Cup triumphs.

• Brad Jones is set to make only his eightH start for Liverpool despite arriving in the summer of 2010, three of those have come in the Europa League.

• The last time Liverpool played Russian opposition came in the 2005 Uefa Super Cup final, where two Djbril Cisse goals helped see off CSKA Moscow in a 3-1 victory.

• Anzhi are on a four-match winning streak and are currently unbeaten in all competitions since August 12.

• Samuel Eto'o is currently this season's Europa League top goalscorer, with seven strikes to his name.

• Anzhi centre-back Christopher Samba once lined up as a lone striker for Blackburn in their 4-0 defeat at Anfield in April 2009.

• This is Anzhi's first participation in European competition since the 2001-02 season, where they were defeated by Scottish side Rangers. The match was chosen to be played on a one-legged affair at a neutral venue in Warsaw, Poland due to the unstable situation in Chechnya.

• Anzhi's Yuriy Zhirkov only started once against Liverpool during his two-year spell at Chelsea, coming at Anfield in a 2-0 home victory courtesy of a Fernando Torres (who now plays for Chelsea) double.

We were worthy of a point, says Benfica coach Jorge Jesus

Benfica boss Jorge Jesus believes that his travelling side did enough to earn a point against Spartak Moscow, and is ultimately disappointed after failing to get a share of the spoils.

An own goal from Jardel was enough to gift the home side the victory, and despite their best efforts in the second half, Benfica couldn't find the clinical touch to convert their chances.

Instead of bemoaning his side's performance however, Jesus sympathised with his players, as he claimed that Spartak's artificial pitch was hard for his side to get accustomed to.

"It would have been important to get a point. We played well enough to deserve one," reasoned the coach, speaking to reporters.

"But Spartak surprised us, and also the fact this is an artificial pitch [influenced proceedings]. We struggled to adapt but we put that right.

"We dominated in the second half and had several chances, but could not score.

"Still, we de served to leave with a point. Now we have to win both games at home and I think if we do that we can get there [the knockout stages]. We have every chance of winning them," he said.

Spartak Moscow 2-1 Benfica: Jardel own goal puts Russians back into Group G contention

Spartak Moscow kept their hope of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League alive by deservedly edging out Benfica 2-1 in a crunch Group G clash at the Luzhniki Stadium on Tuesday evening.

The hosts broke the deadlock with less than three minutes played, Rafael Carioca finishing off a wonderful breakaway from deep inside their own half, but their Portuguese opponents levelled matters courtesy of a near-post header from Lima half an hour later.

However, Jardel, under pressure from Ari, put through his own goal shortly before the interval and Spartak held on to their slender advantage in the face of incessant late pressure from Benfica to register their first points of their Champions League campaign.

Spartak, who had blown 2-1 leads in their opening two games against Barcelona and Celtic, made a storming start and could easily have been ahead inside a minute, with Ari picking out Diniyar Bilyaletdinov unmarked in the ar ea only for Artur to parry the former Everton mans towering header away to safety.

Still, the home fans would not have to wait much long to see their side go ahead. Bilyaletdinov pounced on a loose pass from Nemanja Matic in Spartak territory and surged forward before moving the ball onto Jurado. The on-loan Schalke attacker held it up superbly, waiting until the last possible second before slipping the supporting Rafael Carioca in on goal. The Brazilian demonstrated just as much poise and composure in drawing out Artur before coolly prodding the ball past his compatriot.

It should have been 2-0 just over 20 minutes later but Ari volleyed against the bar after being picked out at the back post by a terrific cross from Jano Ananidze. Almost inevitably, the strikers profligacy was punished almost immediately, Lima heading home an equally inviting delivery, this time from Salvio from wide on the right after Spartak had fa iled to fully clear a Benfica corner.

The momentum appeared now very much with the visitors but, credit to Spartak, they first reclaimed the initiative, and then the lead when Jardel bundled a dangerous cross from Evgeni Makeev into his own net, after the latter had been released into space by a defence-splitting pass from his captain, Dmitri Kombarov.

Spartak began the second half as promisingly and menacingly as they had the first and nearly doubled their advantage on 55 minutes but Ari failed to get enough purchase on Ananidzes low ball across the six-yard box and the former AZ forwads back-heeled effort was easily saved by Artur.

It was Benfica, though, who should have struck next, with the otherwise impressive Makeev gifting Salvio the opportunity to equalise by making a mess of an attempted header back to his goalkeeper. However, luckily for the Spartak right-back, the Argentine fired wide with the goal at his mercy.

Despite dominating territory and possession in the final quarter, winless Benfica would not go so close again to snatching a point, meaning they drop to the bottom of the group and must now triumph in their return clash with Spartak in Lisbon to retain any chance of reaching the last 16.

Zenit St Petersburg - Anderlecht Preview: Both sides looking to kickstart floundering Champions League campaign

Zenit will be looking to claim their first win of the Champions League campaign as they face off against Anderlecht in the first of their back-to-back Group C matches.

Following their matchday two home defeat at the hands of AC Milan, the Russians will be fully aware of how pivotal three points at the expense of their Belgian challengers could prove to be.

Head coach Luciano Spalletti as a full squad at his disposal (with the exception of Danny, a long-term absentee) and will look to unleash the full wealth of attacking talent at his disposal.

Anderlecht, meanwhile, will hope to bounce back from a heavy home defeat at the hands of in-form Malaga. The Belgian champions are missing strikers Matias Suarez and Cyriac to long-term injury and it is perhaps no coincidence that they have failed to register a goal thus far.

Another striker Dieumerci Mbokani has a broken nose, while Massimo Bruno has a toe injury.

• Zenit conceded six goals in their first two games, the joint highest total in the group stage along with Nordsjllandand and Spartak Moscow.

• The Russian side are the only team who were not caught offside in their first two matches.

• Aleksandr Kerzhakov is Zenits top scorer with 7 goals in 11 appearances in all competitions.

• Goalkeeper Silvio Proto is the only player to have featured in all 540 minutes of Anderlecht's campaign.

• The Belgians are eight group stage matches without a win, since Vincent Kompany earned a 1-0 victory at Real Betis on December 6 2005 to end a record run of 12 group stage defeats.

• Milan Jovanovic spent a total of two years in the Russian Premier League, representing Lokomotiv Moscow between 2004 and 2006.
  

Spartak Moscow - Benfica Preview: Muscovites must make the most of home advantage to kick-start their campaign

Following their narrow 2-1 loss to Anzhi Makhachkala at the weekend, Spartak coach Unai Emery must decide whether to give on-loan attacking midfielder Jurado a starting place in the team. The youngster's creativity may be needed with Spartak playing at home, and the desperate need for points, especially given that Aiden McGeady is still injured.

The rest of the line-up will most likely be similar to the side that played on Saturday, with Rafael Carioca retaining his place in the team as Romulo is out for the long term, and Dmitri Kombarov likely to drop back to left-back. Sergei Parshivlyuk and Soslan Gatagov are still missing with knee injuries.

However, Juan Insaurralde serves a one-game ban following his red card on Matchday 2, meaning that 19-year-old starlet Sergey Bryzgalov will most likely take his place.

The visitors have almost a fully fit squad to choose from. With Luisao not playing due to his continuing ban, Jardel w ill continue at the back with Ezequiel Garay. In midfield Nemanja Matic will supply the robustness as Aimar, Gaitan and Carlos Martins try to provide the ammunition for Oscar Cardozo to fire home.

• Spartak Moscow lost their third successive league game when losing to Anzhi on Saturday - their worst run since November 2009.

• Spartak's home record in the Champions League against teams from Portugal is W1 D2 L1.

• So far the Spartachi are without a point in Group G after two 3-2 defeats: away against Barcelona and at home to Celtic, as Spartak conceded a 2-1 lead in both games.

• Benfica have the unenvious record of being the team to have committed the most fouls so far in this seaso n's Champions League: 43 offences.

• The Eagles have scored 348 goals in total in the European Cup.
  
  
• Key Benfica defender Luisao (pictured) is banned from all competitions until November 14 after attacking a referee in a pre-season friendly against Fortuna Dusseldorf in the summer.

Hulk: I'm feeling the pressure at Zenit at the moment

Record Zenit St Petersburg signing Hulk has revealed he has been feeling under pressure ever since his multi-million euro move to the Russian outfit.

The Brazil striker has scored once in five league appearances since his 55 million switch from Porto over the summer, and the powerful attacker has conceded he is suffering under the strain of living up to the price tag.

"I'm feeling pressured," the 26-year-old was quoted as saying by AS. "Today, I notice that I feel more pressure than when I arrived at Zenit, but I always try to keep my feet on the ground.

"Nevertheless, I am happy to be at this club."

There have been murmurings of discontent ever since Hulk's arrival at the big-spending Russian club, with the player himself admitting to struggling with the language barrier, whilst club captain Igor Denisov openly complained at the high wages being paid to the former Porto man and fellow summer arrival Axel Witsel.
Zenit take on Anderlecht in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Dinamo Moscow squad shot at by angry fans

A handful of Dinamo Moscow fans have stunned the club by taking part in a vicious assault against the club's players.

A group of supporters fired at members of the squad with paintball guns while wearing camouflage clothing, an attack which left some players in agony as they were hit in the head.

A statement on the club's website read: "After training exercises a group of individuals tried to shoot the players with paintball guns.

"We are convinced this was a planned and organised action. This is a challenge to the club and we will answer in the toughest possible manner.

"We intend to use all the resources available to us to find and hold the shooters accountable in any way the current law allows, including criminal prosecution."

It is believed the event took place as a protest against the team's poor start to the campaign as they currently sit 14th in the Russian Premier League .

Criscito: I dont miss the controversy in Italy

Domenico Criscito has spoken out about the time when his room was raided at the Coverciano training ground in Florence on the lead up to this years European Championships.

The 25-year-old was one of a number of Italian players who had been investigated in connection with a betting scandal which threatened to overshadow Italian preparation for the tournament. Criscito withdrew from the squad while he was being investigated.

Speaking to Tuttosport about the raid he said: Now that a few months have passed from that crazy morning of May 28, I can think about everything that happened with a clear head and less of an emotional haze.

I just have to shake it all off and forget the past. I am concentrated only on the present and thefuture.

Criscito was only recently cleared of any wrong doing in the scandal and made his comeback for the national side in their 3-1 win against Armenia in a World Cup qualifier.

The former Genoa player spoke about the feeling he felt in returning to the national set-up for the Azzurri.

He said: Being back with theNazionalewas a unique sensation. CesarePrandelliscall really warmed my heart and I felt relieved.

Criscito played senior football in Italy from 2003 until 2011 when he joined Russian side Zenit St Petersburg for a fee believed to be about 15 million and says there are particular aspects of Italian football he's relieved not to be involved in.

He said: If theres something I really do not miss about Italian football then its the controversy. Excessive, repetitive, boring, tiring and even nauseating at times.

We should go back a few years and focus more on the football, less on the talking."

Criscito was born in Cercola in the province of Naples and once played for Juventus and was careful not to choose a winner when asked about Saturday's clash between Napoli and Juventus while poking fun at his recent controversy.

I am sure it will be a splendid match between two of the strongest teams in Serie A. The Bianconeri are the favourites for the Scudetto, while the Partenopei play very well. Lets not forget last season the only ones able to beat Antonio Contes men were Napoli in the Coppa Italia Final.

He added: I wont make a prediction, though. If I were to get it right, I might get another dawn raid by police!

Hulk: Zenit will become one of the biggest teams in Europe

Hulk is confident that Zenit St Petersburg have what it takes to compete with the top teams in Europe in the not too distant future.

The Brazil international has revealed that he got a number of offers during the summer transfer window, but only Zenit did enough to convince him of their immense potential to make him want to leave Porto.

"Im certain that, in the future, Zenit will be one of the biggest teams in Europe," Hulk was quoted as saying on the official Fifa website.

"Before I signed for Zenit, Id spoken to [coach Luciano] Spalletti. He sold the club to me very well, telling me about the great structure that was in place and their project of building a great side.

"And thats just what I found when I came here: a great structure and an ambitious project.

"During the whole transfer window there were a lot of rumours about me interesting a number of big clubs, but neither Porto nor I were keen on the offers that came in."

Hulk has made six official appearances for Zenit since his summer move, scoring twice in the process.

Bentley: Villas-Boas can lead Tottenham to glory this season

Rostov midfielder David Bentley believes Andre Villas-Boas can succeed with Tottenham this year, but is unsure whether he will return from his loan club to play a part at in the Portuguese's plans.

The 28-year-old midfielder joined the Russian side on loan for three months in September in order to play first-team football following an unfortunate series of injuries while at White Hart Lane.

And Bentley suggests while he is ultimately unsure where his future lies, Spurs are in good hands with Villas-Boas - who can lead the club to success in the wake of Harry Redknapp's sacking.

"I respect Villas-Boas for taking the Spurs job," he told theDaily Mail. "He had a tough time at Chelsea and Harry [Redknapp] was always a difficult act to follow. But I think it might happen for them this year."

As for his own role at Spurs, Bentley remarked: "I don't know what the future holds. Football can change so fast. Whether I am a pa rt of that, I don't know."

Rostov currently sit 14th out of the 16 teams in the Russian top flight, but Bentley feels the loan move has been a good experience for him - despite the presence of tanks and snipers to protect players during an away trip to Chechnyan side Terek Grozny last weekend.

"It was definitely something I've not experienced before. We flew into Chechnya just 45 minutes before kick-off, went to the stadium, ran out the tunnel, played the game and then turned back to the airport," he continued.

"The coach ride in was something else. There were tanks on the street, army snipers at every cross-section and a four-car convoy surrounding the team coach.

"I enjoyed it in a strange way, I knew they were there to protect us. Being a London boy who hadn't seen anything like that, I just found myself staring out the window in amazement. I have a much better appreciation for my own country now. We really don't realise how luc ky we are."

Despite featuring in a number of Spurs' pre-season games, Bentley was allowed out on loan, and while he was disappointed by the decision, he is determined to prove himself while in Russia.

The winger says he has learnt from his past errors as an exuberant youngster after making a 17 million (21m) move from Blackburn to Tottenham.

He added: "I thought I was James Dean in the day - if I saw a cliff, I'd want to jump off it," he reflected. "I think being a bit more boring would have helped me earlier in my career.

"I used to love players like Gazza [Paul Gascoigne] and Eric Cantona for their personalities as much as what they could do with a football. But there is so much pressure in the game now, I don't think top players or managers have a laugh and joke any more.

"Whether that has improved the game or is killing the game, I don't know."

Manchester United consider shock Vidic sale amid Anzhi interest

EXCLUSIVE
By Greg Stobart

Manchester United are considering cashing in on Nemanja Vidic amid interest from big-spending Anzhi Makhachkala, Goal.com understands.

The Old Trafford giants are steeling themselves for a 33 million (41m) bid from the Russian club, and United are open to allowing the 30-year-old to leave with doubts increasing over the Serbia defender's longevity and durability, following a second serious knee injury in less than 12 months.

Anzhi, meanwhile, who last year made Samuel Eto'o the highest paid footballer in the world when they bought the Cameroon star from Inter Milan, are said to be preparing an eye-popping 250,000-a-week salary in order to tempt Vidic back to Russia, where he spent two years with Spartak Moscow.

A cornerstone of Uniteds success since he joined the club for 7 million in 2006, Vidic missed the majority of his sides trophyless campaign last sea son after he suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury during the Champions League defeat against Basel 11 months ago.

Vidic returned to the side at the start of the current season but struggled to find his best form, before he damaged the same knee in the build-up to his sides victory over Liverpool in September and underwent surgery that could force him out of action until January.

Sir Alex Ferguson has already planned for the future by recruiting Phil Jones from Blackburn and Chris Smalling from Fulham over the last 18 months, while last season he hailed Jonny Evans as one of the Premier Leagues best defenders.

With United so well stocked in that area, the club would find it difficult to turn down the sort of extravagant bid Anzhi are rumoured to be in the process of making, although last week Vidics agent ruled out a potential move away from Old Trafford amid reported interest from Juventus.

"Vidic is not playing at this time be cause he's had surgery, so he's only thinking about his recovery and not about the transfer market," Silvano Martina told itasportpress.it.

"Juventus are complete with their non-EU players for this season and it is highly unlikely they will make a bid for Vidic, therefore I can categorically rule out any interest from them.

"Vidic is already part of a top club and there are no negotiations with Juventus or Barcelona."

While Vidic is not expected to return until December at the earliest, United are likely to welcome back Smalling for next Saturdays Premier League clash against Stoke and Ferguson could be further boosted by the return of Jones for the crunch meeting with Chelsea a week later.

Follow Greg Stobart on

AC Milan are not up for sale, insists Galliani

AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani has emphasised there is no reason for the club to be put up for sale, dismissing speculation president Silvio Berlusconi is prepared to part with his majority share to investing entities.

The Rossoneri's summer wascharacterised by the high-profile sales of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva, raising questions amongst fans whether coach Massimiliano Allegri's side were able to compete on an even financial footing with the rest of Europe's greats.

However, Berlusconi's right-hand man has denied one of Milan's worst starts to the season will prompt an exit from the patron, dismissing continual suggestions to the contrary.

"I really think fans cannot complain at all," Galliani told Sky Sport Italia. "I want to remind everyone that the presidency of Berlusconi has delivered 28 trophies in 25 years.

"I repeat what I have already said before - there is no ongoing negotiation that reg ards the sale of Milan."

The 68-year-old's declaration comes in the wake of reports the San Siro outfit's board was considering offloading shares to Russian company Gazprom or the Qatar Investment Authority, in a bid to alleviate mounting organisational debts.

Pepe: Cristiano Ronaldo is an idol for many

Pepe has taken the time to praise Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of his 100th international appearance for Portugal against Northern Ireland on Tuesday.

The prolific attacker was unable to help theSeleccao to a good result in Friday's World Cup qualifier away against Russia as they were beaten 1-0, but the defender has nothing but positive words for the 27-year-old.

"Cristiano is a point of reference within Portuguese football. He is an idol for a lot of people and a perfect professional," Pepe stated to RTP.

"I hope that he will make many more appearances for Portugal. The way he plays for Real Madrid and for the Seleccao, he is the best in the world, both as a player and as a human being."

The centre-back then looked back at Portugal's loss versus Russia, and stressed that they deserved better.

"Portugal were the better team and got plenty of chances to score. Russia wer e fortunate and scored early in the game.

"Everything is still open in our group, though. We have to continue to work hard to achieve our goal."

Portugal sit second in Group F at the moment with six points from three games.

Russia 1-0 Portugal: Kerzhakov leaves Ronaldo and Co. reeling

An early goal from Aleksandr Kerzhakov was enough to hand Russia all three points against Portugal in Moscow.

The Zenit St Petersburg man fired past Rui Patricio with just six minutes on the clock, and despite the visitors enjoying 70% of possession for the majority of the match, Fabio Capello's men were able to hold on for a crucial victory as Sergey Ignashevich put in an indomitable display at the heart of the defence.

The visitors were buoyed by the inclusion of Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting line-up, with the Real Madrid superstar having recovered from a shoulder injury sustained in last weekends Clasico in time to feature on Friday.

Capello was without Premier League duo Andrey Arshavin and Pavel Pogrebnyak, so the burden of orchestrating the hosts attacks was once again placed on the young shoulders of Alan Dzagoev, who lit up the early rounds of Euro 2012 with his displays.

Russia got off to the best possi ble start after just six minutes, when Roman Shirokov found Kerzhakov with an incisive first-time through ball, allowing him to finish cooly past Patricio. Moments later, Portugals dismal opening spell was compounded when Fabio Coentrao had to be replaced by Miguel Lopes after failing to shake off an injury.

The visitors rallied quickly and were almost level just three minutes later when Ignashavich sliced a clearance which almost went into his own net, before Igor Akinfeev denied both Ronaldo and Bruno Alves in quick succession.

Nani, who has frustrated Manchester United fans with his recent performances, was a constant menace down the right-hand side as Kombarov failed to get close to him, and only some excellent last-ditch defending stopped his wicked cross from reaching the head of Helder Postiga.

Ronaldo and Nani wer e persistently Portugals biggest threat in the first half and they almost combined to brilliant effect when the captain played a delightful backheel through the Russian backline, but Nani was adjudged to have fouled his man and the move came to nothing.

Russia came close with another Kerzhakov effort from close-range before a frustrated Ronaldo fired a free-kick straight at Akinfeev, as Portugal left the field for the interval with 65% of the possession but without a goal to show for it.

The visitors dominance continued after the break and only a brilliant tackle from Alexander Anyukov denied Ronaldo from finding the net at the near post after some terrific interplay between Nani and Joao Pereira. However, Akinfeev remained largely untroubled for the opening 20 minutes of the half as the Russian rearguard, marshalled by the towering Sergey Ignashevich, stopped practically everything Paulo Bentos side could muster.

Ronaldo saw another effort fly over the crossbar as the Seleccao became increasingly frustrated in their bid to find an equaliser, and Russia began to look the more likely on the counter-attack, with Aleksandr Kokorin drawing a stinging save from Patricio after a strong run and shot.

Portugal threw on in-form Braga striker Eder as they continued their desperate attemtps to unlock the hosts' defence, but Ignashevich and Co. were not to be undone and Russia held on for a crucial victory as they look to reach their first World Cup finals since 2002.

'Huge desire, huge commitment' - Capello lauds Russia team after Portugal win

Russia head coach Fabio Capello has praised his players after they beat Portugal in their World Cup qualifier on Friday evening.

Aleksandr Kerzhakov netted in the first 10 minutes to give the hosts the lead in Moscow and, despite being on the back foot for most of the match, the Euro 2012 semi-finalists were unable to equalise and it finished 1-0.

Ex-England, Juventus and Real Madrid boss Capello admitted the game was tough but congratulated his squad for a battling performance to claim all three points.

"Today on the pitch I saw a Russia team that played with huge desire, huge commitment," Capello told reporters after the win. "It was a difficult match."

Portugal head coach Paulo Bento was melancholy in defeat and mused that his team were perhaps less focused than usual, which caused them to be error-prone in possession.

"Maybe we weren't as calm as we usually are," Bento said.

"Everyone can make mista kes, even the coach can make mistakes. We lost the ball a lot of times."

The win propelled Russia to the top of Group F with a 100 per cent record after three matches, while Portugal remain second on six points with two wins and a loss.

First Terry, then Arshavin, now Denisov - Capello's captains continue to haunt him

ANALYSIS
By Michael Yokhin

If you have to name a national team captain and want to make the worst possible decision, there is only one man who will instantly solve the problem for you: Fabio Capello.

Well, maybe not instantly. Sometimes it takes him eight months. Appointed England manager in December 2007, the Italian embarked on a wild goose chase. Steven Gerrard captained the side in his first friendly against Switzerland, then Rio Ferdinand succeeded him versus France.

John Terry got the nod against the United States, and then came David Beckham. Finally, when Chelseas 'Captain, Leader, Legend' was named the permanent skipper for the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign, even the man himself admitted he was surprised.

"I would hope a captain would be an example, a role model Capello said, claiming Terry's big personality was the deciding factor. Oh dear.

The role model, 2009 Dad of the Yea r, was stripped of the armband in February 2010 following the Wayne Bridge affair, which left England's dressing room in complete disarray during the World Cup in South Africa. Ferdinand got the armband back, but he was injured in June, meaning Gerrard filled in. During the tournament, there were reports of Chelseas centre-back trying to turn Capello against the Liverpool midfielder.

Incredibly, in March 2011 Capello reinstated Terry, stressing that a years punishment is enough. He got his due less than 12 months later when his captain was involved in another ugly saga, allegedly racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, Rios brother. When the FA stripped the violator of the armband once again, the Italian chose to resign. Whether his decision was justified in the circumstances is another matter. The bottom line is that Capello miserably failed in choosing the right captain.

If you thought he couldnt fare any worse in his new job as Russia national team coach, you would be wrong. Andrey Arshavins reputation in Russia has been in tatters for some time now. His image is of a lazy superstar with a huge ego, who rarely gives his all when playing for his country.

A joke which sounds better in Russian sums this up well: Arshavin comes home late, and his wife asks him where he was. I was playing football, he says. But your shirt is completely dry, screams the wife. Well, I was playing for Russia, Arshavin replies.

Russias disastrous Euro 2012 campaign only made matters worse. Much worse. Many players were accused of not trying hard enough and not caring. Indeed, after the defeat to Greece few bothered to greet the fans who travelled to Poland to support the team.

Arshavins reaction was quite extraordinary. When faced with claims that the team didn't answer the fans expectations, the captain replied: How is it our problem? Thats their problem. When chosen as Russias new coach, Capello correctly noticed that the most important mission was to rebuild the trust between the team and its supporters. What did he do next? Right, he gave the armband back to Arshavin. The country was stunned.


Not my problem Arshavin's attitude has earned him a bad reputation in his homeland
Ironically enough, the Arsenal substitute didn't start in Capellos debut, a friendly against Ivory Coast in August. When he appeared in the second half, the Moscow crowd loudly booed him each time he touched the ball. Apparently, that was Capello's recipe to rebuilding trust. It is a huge mystery why the Italian made a public announcement on Arshavin's captaincy, as just a couple of weeks later he decided to drop him from the squad altogether.

So who took his place as captain? The man who was hand ed the armband against Ivory Coast and got the job permanently in September is none other than Igor Denisov. It is important to state that Denisov is a defensive midfielder of rare quality, and his leadership qualities on the pitch are not to be doubted. However, despite being one of the longest serving home-grown players at Zenit, he has never been considered for the club captaincy, and there is a reason for this. To put it bluntly, Denisov is not the most mentally stable person in the world.

The list of Denisov-related scandals is quite long, and here are a couple of examples. In August 2010 he got into a street fight with a driver, who received a broken nose. The midfielder injured his leg, which forced him to miss the crucial Champions League qualifier at Auxerre which Zenit lost.

Two months later, he kicked the ball in the direction of Spartak Moscow coach Valery Karpin after the final whistle, and came very close to a violent clash with him. Players managed to separate the rivals, but the incident still descended into chaos and ended in a mass brawl.

Add to this the fact that Denisov rarely speaks to the press and refused Guus Hiddink's convocation to Euro 2008 because he felt insulted the call wasn't made earlier, and you have a man who is even less suitable to the armband than Arshavin.

Capello thought differently, and again he received his just rewards. Just a few weeks after becoming national skipper, Denisov went berserk and demanded that his club almost double his salary following the signings of Hulk and Axel Witsel.

Denisov refused to play, and Zenit threw him into the reserves, where he bizarrely injured himself during a youth team game. All that didn't prevent Capello from naming his protege in the squad to face Portugal, and the Italian has remained silent on whether the rebel will keep the armband. There are huge doubts though, both medical and professional, about th e holding midfielders participation in Friday's game. That means the coach will have to name a new captain, at least temporarily.

The list of bad options is getting shorter, but that shouldn't deter Capello from making another catastrophic decision.

Follow Michael Yokhin on

First Terry, then Arshavin, now Denisov - Fabio Capello's captains continue to haunt him

ANALYSIS
By Michael Yokhin

If you have to name a national team captain and want to make the worst possible decision, there is only one man who will instantly solve the problem for you: Fabio Capello.

Well, maybe not instantly. Sometimes it takes him eight months. Appointed England manager in December 2007, the Italian embarked on a wild goose chase. Steven Gerrard captained the side in his first friendly against Switzerland, then Rio Ferdinand succeeded him versus France.

John Terry got the nod against the United States, and then came David Beckham. Finally, when Chelseas 'Captain, Leader, Legend' was named the permanent skipper for the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign, even the man himself admitted he was surprised.

"I would hope a captain would be an example, a role model Capello said, claiming Terry's big personality was the deciding factor. Oh dear.

The role model, 2009 Dad of the Yea r, was stripped of the armband in February 2010 following the Wayne Bridge affair, which left England's dressing room in complete disarray during the World Cup in South Africa. Ferdinand got the armband back, but he was injured in June, meaning Gerrard filled in. During the tournament, there were reports of Chelseas centre-back trying to turn Capello against the Liverpool midfielder.

Incredibly, in March 2011 Capello reinstated Terry, stressing that a years punishment is enough. He got his due less than 12 months later when his captain was involved in another ugly saga, allegedly racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, Rios brother. When the FA stripped the violator of the armband once again, the Italian chose to resign. Whether his decision was justified in the circumstances is another matter. The bottom line is that Capello miserably failed in choosing the right captain.

If you thought he couldnt fare any worse in his new job as Russia national team coach, you would be wrong. Andrey Arshavins reputation in Russia has been in tatters for some time now. His image is of a lazy superstar with a huge ego, who rarely gives his all when playing for his country.

A joke which sounds better in Russian sums this up well: Arshavin comes home late, and his wife asks him where he was. I was playing football, he says. But your shirt is completely dry, screams the wife. Well, I was playing for Russia, Arshavin replies.

Russias disastrous Euro 2012 campaign only made matters worse. Much worse. Many players were accused of not trying hard enough and not caring. Indeed, after the defeat to Greece few bothered to greet the fans who travelled to Poland to support the team.

Arshavins reaction was quite extraordinary. When faced with claims that the team didn't answer the fans expectations, the captain replied: How is it our problem? Thats their problem. When chosen as Russias new coach, Capello correctly noticed that the most important mission was to rebuild the trust between the team and its supporters. What did he do next? Right, he gave the armband back to Arshavin. The country was stunned.


Not my problem Arshavin's attitude has earned him a bad reputation in his homeland
Ironically enough, the Arsenal substitute didn't start in Capellos debut, a friendly against Ivory Coast in August. When he appeared in the second half, the Moscow crowd loudly booed him each time he touched the ball. Apparently, that was Capello's recipe to rebuilding trust. It is a huge mystery why the Italian made a public announcement on Arshavin's captaincy, as just a couple of weeks later he decided to drop him from the squad altogether.

So who took his place as captain? The man who was hand ed the armband against Ivory Coast and got the job permanently in September is none other than Igor Denisov. It is important to state that Denisov is a defensive midfielder of rare quality, and his leadership qualities on the pitch are not to be doubted. However, despite being one of the longest serving home-grown players at Zenit, he has never been considered for the club captaincy, and there is a reason for this. To put it bluntly, Denisov is not the most mentally stable person in the world.

The list of Denisov-related scandals is quite long, and here are a couple of examples. In August 2010 he got into a street fight with a driver, who received a broken nose. The midfielder injured his leg, which forced him to miss the crucial Champions League qualifier at Auxerre which Zenit lost.

Two months later, he kicked the ball in the direction of Spartak Moscow coach Valery Karpin after the final whistle, and came very close to a violent clash with him. Players managed to separate the rivals, but the incident still descended into chaos and ended in a mass brawl.

Add to this the fact that Denisov rarely speaks to the press and refused Guus Hiddink's convocation to Euro 2008 because he felt insulted the call wasn't made earlier, and you have a man who is even less suitable to the armband than Arshavin.

Capello thought differently, and again he received his just rewards. Just a few weeks after becoming national skipper, Denisov went berserk and demanded that his club almost double his salary following the signings of Hulk and Axel Witsel.

Denisov refused to play, and Zenit threw him into the reserves, where he bizarrely injured himself during a youth team game. All that didn't prevent Capello from naming his protege in the squad to face Portugal, and the Italian has remained silent on whether the rebel will keep the armband. There are huge doubts though, both medical and professional, about th e holding midfielders participation in Friday's game. That means the coach will have to name a new captain, at least temporarily.

The list of bad options is getting shorter, but that shouldn't deter Capello from making another catastrophic decision.

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I was hoping Ronaldos injury would be more serious - Capello

Fabio Capello has confessed he wishes Cristiano Ronaldo was more seriously injured so that his team would not have to defend against him.

The Real Madrid star was originally a doubt for Portugals trip to Moscow on Friday but it looks as though he has shaken off the knock he picked up in Sundays Clasico.

With the former Manchester United forward in outstanding form at the moment, the former Santiago Bernabeu boss admitted Russia would have an easier match on their hands without him.

Honestly speaking, I was hoping that Ronaldo's injury would be more serious, Capello told reporters on Thursday.

Of course if he didn't play, then it would be much easier for us to defend.

Capello replaced Dick Advocaat in the summer and will hope to claim all three points in their World Cup 2014 qualifier against the Euro 2012 semi-finalists.

Portugal are a top-notch team and tonight, once again, we'll go over the tactical p lans on how to play them, the Italian coach added.

As for Ronaldo, it's always very difficult to stop him. Every team tries but it's not so easy.

We're going to try to play to the best of our ability in order to neutralise his strengths.

Russia - Portugal Preview: Group F's heavyweights clash in Moscow

October 13 2004 is a date that the hosts will not forget in a hurry having suffered an ignominious 7-1 defeat at the hands of opponents Portugal. And while it is very unlikely for this score line to be repeated in Moscow on Friday, Fabio Capello's men will be determined to ensure they pick up what could eventually turn out to be three valuable points.

Both sides head into this clash with both with a 100 per cent record and seem, out of the rest of Group F, most likely to qualify, putting more pressure on results against each other for that automatic place in Brazil 2014.

Paul Bento's charges will be buoyed by the news that Cristiano Ronaldo has made a full recovery from his sprained shoulder he suffered in El Clasico last Sunday and should be fit to start against the hosts, but the visitors are sweating over the fitness of Pepe who admitted that he was a doubt.

Meanwhile, Capello has again left Arsenal winger Andrey Arsh avin and Reading striker Pavel Pogrebnyak out of the squad for his team's clashes against the Seleccao and Azerbaijan this month.

The Italian coach may be struggling to adapt to the culture change in Russia but on the field he is having much more success having started his World Cup qualifying campaign impressively with his side having yet to concede a goal in Group F, beating Northern Ireland 2-0 and Israel 4-0.

Their opponents Portugal meanwhile, only did enough to beat Luxembourg 2-1 away but had a much more convincing 3-0 win at home against Azerbaijan.

• Russia's last victory against the Portuguese was also their biggest having beat the Seleccao 5-0 back in 1983.
  

• Fabio Capello's men are ranked 12th in the world while their opponents are third behind Germany and world and European champions Spain.

• Russia have never lost to Portugal at home, winning in 1983 and drawing in 2005.

• Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (pictured, right) scored a double as they inflicted on Russia their heaviest defeat ever back in 2004.

• The Seleccao are undefeated in their last three fixtures against the Russians.

• Paulo Bento has been in charge of Portugal since 2010, winning 15 of his 24 games in charge, with four draws and four losses.