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Nesta dismisses retirement talk

Veteran AC Milan defender Alessandro Nesta says he has no plans of retiring from the game. Former Italy international Nesta, 35, has one year left on his current deal at the San Siro and reports have suggested he’ll call time on his playing days when his contract runs out in 2012. But the World Cup winner believes he still has plenty to offer Milan. “I want to carry on playing football for as long as possible,” Nesta tol Milannews.it . “I want to put off retirement, but I can see my future still being in football, although I don’t know in what capacity.” Nesta, who will be part of the Milan squad set to face Inter in Saturday’s Supercoppa Italiana, also took time to hail team-mate Thiago Silva, a man many have suggested has all the attributes necessary to take on his legacy. “The best defender in the world, Thiago Silva, has stayed with us, so we are fine in defence,” he said. Nesta joined Milan from Lazio in 2002, and has helped the club to two Serie A titles and two Champions League wins in his nine years at the club. He won 78 caps for the Italian national team and was part of their victorious World Cup campaign in 2006. Credit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com

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Hoffenheim suffer Ibisevic blow

Hoffenheim striker Vedad Ibisevic faces a two-month lay-off after tearing muscles in his left thigh in training late last week. The Bosnian picked up the injury in training ahead of his side’s DFB-Pokal first-round victory over Germania Windeck and has been told he must rest for up to eight weeks after further examination of the injury. The injury is a further setback for the Bosnian, who missed over six months of the 2008-09 season. Ibisevic was the Bundesliga’s top goalscorer at the midway stage of that, Hoffenheim’s first campaign in the top flight of German football, with 18 goals in 17 games, but he tore cruciate knee ligaments during the winter break. He returned early in the following season, but has struggled to rediscover his best form since, scoring only 20 goals in the last two seasons. Hoffenheim coach Holger Stanislawski must therefore find a replacement for the 32-times capped Bosnia international for Saturday’s trip to Hannover and for much of the first half of the Bundesliga season. Credit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com

Pato: I want to stay at Milan

AC Milan attacker Alexandre Pato has reaffirmed his commitment to the Italian club and maintained that he will stay at least until the end of his contract in 2014. Pato, 21, is viewed as one of the best young players in the game and has been linked with a £20 million move (plus players) to Chelsea this summer. But the Brazilian, who joined Milan from Internacional in the summer of 2007, has no intention of quitting Serie A yet. “I have a contract with Milan until the summer of 2014 and I want to respect that. I want to stay at least until then. We’ll have to wait and see what happens from there on,” Pato told Il Corriere dello Sport . Pato was a key figure in Milan’s successful title campaign last season as he scored 14 times to become their joint-top scorer with Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Credit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com

Pele: Neymar can be a legend

Brazil great Pele believes Santos starlet Neymar will become one of the best players in the world, but insists it would be better for his development to stay in Brazil until the 2014 World Cup. Neymar, 19, has been linked with a number of Europe’s top clubs this summer, including Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City. The striker currently plays for Pele’s former club and the three-time World Cup winner acknowledges it may be a challenge to persuade him to stay with Santos. “I think it is very difficult to keep him in Brazil,” Pele told Press Association Sport . “Santos is my team and he started there with us. I hope he stays there until more or less the 2014 World Cup but it will be a little difficult to keep him here. “He is a good player, there’s no doubt. He will be like a Kaka, a Messi – of that there is no doubt. Or a Ronaldo, a Zico, a Pele. “He is an excellent player. I hope that he does reach his potential.” Chelsea and Manchester City have been mooted as potential destinations for Neymar and reports suggested he was close to leaving Brazil last summer. Pele, 70, believes the teenager made the right decision to stay at Estadio Vila Belmiro last year and warned if a move eventually comes about it will take him a while to adapt to European football. “He’s a good player who could play in any team but it’s hard to say if he’ll come to Europe or not,” Pele added. “Last year he had the same proposals but he decided to play another year in Brazil. “I think it was good for him because to play in England I think it would have been a little complicated for him. The style of Neymar, in England, Germany, Italy it’s a little complicated because the marking is very tight.” Neymar was a rare shining light in Brazil’s disappointing Copa America campaign this summer, which saw their tilt at glory curtailed at the quarter-final stage after a penalty shoot-out defeat to Paraguay. “Listen, this is football, it is a box of surprises,” Pele said. “Everybody before two months ago said ‘Oh, we’re going to have a very nice final – Brazil against Argentina’. “Neymar – the great player from Brazil – against Leo Messi. This was before the Copa America. Then, unfortunately, Brazil and Argentina went out.” Pele is in England working alongside New York Cosmos director of soccer Eric Cantona and club chairman Paul Kemsley. The re-formed Cosmos face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Friday in Paul Scholes’ testimonial and hope to become a Major League Soccer franchise in 2013. “To come back with the Cosmos is fantastic,” said Pele, who is acting as the club’s honorary president. “I spent a lot of my life promoting soccer in the United States and I’m very proud to do it.” Credit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com

Sunderland see off Hartlepool

Sunderland stepped up their Premier League preparations with a 3-1 win over Hartlepool in a testimonial for Pools midfielder Ritchie Humphreys. The League One hosts took an early lead through a tidy finish from former Newcastle man Nolberto Solano, signed on a free transfer following his release by Hull at the end of last season, but Asamoah Gyan headed the Black Cats level shortly after the half-hour. Kieran Richardson set up the impressive Jack Colback, who moments earlier had seen penalty appeals waved away, to powerfully fire Sunderland ahead early in the second half and Sebastian Larsson made it 3-1 from Stephane Sessegnon’s cross. Everton were beaten 1-0 away to Bundesliga side Werder Bremen , Sandro Wagner heading the only goal 10 minutes before half-time. Leighton Baines twice went close from long range but the Toffees were unable to find a way past home keeper Sebastian Mielitz. QPR enjoyed a 4-2 win over League Two newcomers Crawley at Broadfield Stadium. Kaspars Gorkss poked Rangers in front after Akos Buszaky’s corner was not cleared and they doubled their advantage early in the second half when Heidar Helguson slotted home. Charlie Wassmer headed in Ben Smith’s corner but Helguson grabbed his second after good work by Lee Cook and Buszaky. Cook then added the fourth before Wassmer scored again. A Newcastle XI featuring several first-team players won 3-1 at non-league neighbours Gateshead thanks to two goals from Sammy Ameobi. Ameobi’s cross was turned into his own net by Heed defender James Curtis in between times as the Magpies bounced back following Kyle Nix’s early penalty. Fabian Barthez had an unhappy return as a guest in a Manchester United XI as they lost 8-2 to Marseille in a charity game in Monaco. Cameroon defender Nicolas Nkoulou and Ivory Coast striker Jordan Ayew put Marseille 2-0 up but Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley made it 2-2 at half-time. In a one-sided second half, Benoit Cheyrou and Loic Remy scored twice apiece, Ayew also grabbed his second and Alou Diarra was on target as the Coupe de France holders completed their rout. Credit: http://soccernet.espn.go.com

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