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Inter defender Maicon sustained a serious leg injury playing for Brazil at the weekend, the Serie A club's doctor has confirmed. The right-back will be out for several weeks with Italian media speculating his season could be over. “I spoke with Brazil's chief doctor during the night. Unfortunately, he confirmed that Maicon has a serious injury… in his right leg,” Inter doctor Franco Combi told the official club website ( www.inter.it ). “We agreed Brazil's doctor will take care of the player until his return to Italy in about 10 days' time. When he returns to Milan we will do further tests to see how the injury is, and then proceed with a rehabilitation programme.” Maicon was injured in the first half of Brazil's 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw in Ecuador on Sunday. His absence will be a big blow to Inter, who lead Serie A by seven points with nine games remaining. Young left back Davide Santon may switch to the right for Sunday's league game at Udinese with Maxwe

AFP - Germany captain Michael Ballack on Thursday urged the Euro 2008 finalists to raise their game for Saturday''s World Cup qualifier against Liechtenstein to banish the memories of their recent defeats. The 32-year-old Chelsea star is demanding a raised effort in Leipzig from his side who have lost their last two home games: a 2-1 defeat to England last November and a 1-0 defeat to Norway in February. Germany have not suffered back-to-back home defeats since 1956 and Ballack says only a convincing win over Liechenstein, ranked 151st in the world, will suffice. "We simply have to play better and put in a better performance," Ballack told sports magazine Kicker. "And it will happen." Germany are top of their qualifying group and are unbeaten with three wins and a draw to give them a four-point lead over their main group rivals Russia. But the Germans travel to Moscow in October for the tie which could decide the group and Ballack says it is crucial Germany

The Real Madrid boss is adamant that he does not have a problem with the experienced midfielder after reports suggested the pair had a bust-up in training last week. Despite leaving Guti out on several occasions and using him as a substitute on many others, Ramos stated that he would happily choose him when the occasion was right. "Guti was not called up because I decided not to do that. For that game, I felt other players would be better. My job is to choose the best team," he told Onda Madrid. "Each player has a different character, but they must all be treated equally. Players are left out and they are included. "I have not finished with anyone." Reflecting on the race for the title, Ramos refuted allegations that Madrid are too defensively-minded. "Barca are recording some results that are difficult to match. We have to raise our game because there is a team above us and all we can do is keep playing the way we have been," he continued. "If w

Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi wants South Africa to stage the tournament, BBC Sport understands. Modi has arrived in South Africa as he evaluates the options available to the IPL following the decision to move the event because of security fears. He plans to visit both South Africa and England in the next 24 hours to "assess venues and the logistics". England had been the early favourites to stage the tournament following the decision to switch it from India. Modi said he had no choice but to move the event because India's government could not guarantee safety and security resources with national elections happening at the same time. England and Wales Cricket Board [ECB] chief executive David Collier plans to fly to London from the West Indies to hold talks with Modi later this week. But it now appears South Africa are in pole position to stage the lucrative Twenty20 competition, which is due to run from 10 April to 24 May, featuring 59 matches, eight teams an

Soccer has been played in various forms though out history. Many sites on the world wide web have information on the history of football or soccer. Of course, here at Soccer Ball World, we will concentrate on the history and evolution of the soccer ball . Early Ball History Through out history, humans have enjoyed kicking a ball or something like a ball. South American Indians were known to use a light elasticized ball. However; rubber was not to be practically manufactured until a few thousand years later. According to historical references and legend, early balls ranged from human heads, stitched up cloth, animal and human skulls to pig or cow bladders. During the Ts'in and Han Dynasties (255 BC-220 AD), the Chinese played 'tsu chu', in which animal-skin balls were dribbled through gaps in a net stret

Inter president Massimo Moratti tried to play down speculation that striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic might leave at season's end by saying he couldn't imagine the club without the player. Ibrahimovic scored two goals in Inter's 3-0 win over Reggina on Sunday, taking his personal goals tally for the season to 19, as the Milan club stayed seven points clear at the top of Serie A. After his performance, Ibrahimovic hinted that he may be considering a future away from the San Siro. "I'm totally focused on winning the title but as for next season, we'll see," he said. "I'm very happy to be at Inter but next year we'll see." But Moratti said Monday: "I can't imagine Inter without Ibrahimovic. "But if that were to happen, it would not stop the club from carrying on." According to the Italian press, Ibrahimovic could be tempted to join a club that has a better chance of winning the Champions League after seeing Inter depart at last-1

Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka will miss the first leg of the club's UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool. The French international picked up a toe injury during Sunday's 1-0 defeat to Tottenham that will require three weeks on the sidelines, according to the French Football Federation (FFF). France coach Raymond Domenech, who has called up Paris St Germain's Guillaume Hoarau to replace Anelka in his squad. "(Hoarau) replaces Nicolas Anelka, who is suffering from an injured left big toe and is out of action for three weeks," the FFF said on their website. Chelsea's next league game sees Guus Hiddink's side travel to Newcastle, before on 8th April they take on Liverpool at Anfield.

Despite lucrative offers from foreign clubs such as Blackburn Rovers, Celtic, Hertha Berlin and Hoffenheim, Marc Janko agreed to remain with Red Bull Salzburg because he has unfinished business in Austria. “I still have a mission to accomplish here in Salzburg,” explains the 6ft 5in striker who signed a two-year extension to his contract, keeping him with Die Bullen until 2013. “My career is at a turning point and in order to reach the next level I need stability and focus now. Therefore, I have decided to stay.” Not surprisingly the 25-year-old's wages have increased significantly, with Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz admitting: “You cannot expect somebody to turn down a £1.5million offer from an English club and instead play for £30,000 in Salzburg.” But according to his agent, Georg Stangassinger, Janko decided to stay put because he wants some continuity. “He has played an excellent first half of the season, but he wants to find stability. After all, he was injured fo

The Brazilian Cup is a genuinely national competition that highlights the strength-in-depth of the country's football. Held annually since 1989, the Brazilian Cup is commonly referred to as “the shortcut to the Libertadores”. Rather than the 38 games of the league campaign, the cup-winners qualify for South America's premier club competition after just 12 – which can even be 10, as in the first two rounds there is no second leg if the away side wins the first by more than two goals. But for a shortcut, there is a lot of travelling involved. The cup is a genuinely national competition in a land the size of a continent. Just nine of Brazil's states are represented in this year's first division. The cup has participants from all 27. There are two teams per state, plus ten from the top of the CBF's ranking, making 64 in all. They eliminate each other on a home-and-away knock out basis culminating in a two legged Final in late June and early July. Cruzeiro and Gremio hav

Reds co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have promised to hand Benitez £20m on top of the £12m recouped by selling Robbie Keane back to Tottenham Hotspur. Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry is once again top of the Spaniard's wanted list, Liverpool having failed to sign the England international last summer, and Spurs winger Aaron Lennon is also a prominent target. After confirming his own future, Benitez will also turn his attention to negotiating new contracts for Anfield stars Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. "My priority now is to do the deals for my staff and for the players who will be important for this club in the future," Benitez said. Biggest earner Gerrard can expect a small increase in his £100,000-a-week salary to keep him at Anfield into his thirties, while Torres, identified by Benitez as crucial to his title ambitions, will also be handed a improved package. The £21m former Atletico Madrid striker, who arrived on a six-year deal worth £70,000 a week

Eintracht Frankfurt vs TSG Hoffenheim Commerzbank Arena 14:30 Clydesdale Bank Premier League Hibernian vs Hearts Easter Road Stadium 12:30 Motherwell vs Dundee Utd Fir Park Stadium 15:00 Aberdeen vs Hamilton Pittodrie Stadium 15:00 Inverness CT vs Kilmarnock Caledonian Stadium 15:00 Japanese J League Oita Trinita vs Kyoto Purple Sanga Oita Sports Park 04:00 Urawa Red Diamonds vs FC Tokyo Saitama Stadium 05:00 Vissel Kobe vs Kawasaki Frontale Kobe Wing Stadium 05:00 Shimizu S-Pulse vs Yokohama F. Marinos Nihondaira Stadium 06:00 Kashiwa Reysol vs JEF United Ichihara-Chiba Hitachi Stadium 06:00 Gamba Osaka vs Jubilo Iwata Expo '70 Stadium 07:00 Montedio Yamagata vs Nagoya Grampus Eight Yamagata Park Stadium 07:00 Barclays Premier League Man Utd vs Liverpool Old Trafford 12:45 Arsenal vs Blackburn Emirates Stadium 15:00 Middlesbrough vs Portsmouth The Riverside Stadium 15:00 Bolton vs Fulham Reebok Stadium 15:00 Everton vs Stoke Goodison Park 15:00 Sunderland vs Wigan Stadium of Light