The Zurich-based International Football Arena is organising the round table. It is their first such round table event plus their first-ever event into India. The IFA has been organising a yearly football congress in Zurich for over a decade and since 2006 a second event has been held each year in Asia. They have held events in Beijing and Kuala Lumpur, now New Delhi is being added to that list while Qatar is set to host the next event in January 2011 during the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.

The IFA conferences are designed to facilitate the global transfer of knowledge within the world of football. Over the years, IFA has become the leading marketplace for quality encounters within the football industry. It is the leading and foremost event for the business of football and football’s global leaders.

And India is not new as a theme for IFA. In November 2008 India was one of the headline topics on their 10th anniversary. The event was held at the auditorium of FIFA House in Zurich and I had the honour and task of making a 40 minute introductory speech-cum-lecture on Indian football’s past, present and possible future with two panel discussions to follow it up.

September 9, 2010
The Imperial Hotel, New Delhi

Timetable for Day

10.00 Welcome coffee

10.30 – 12.30 IFA Round Table Part I

12.30 – 14.00 Lunch, 1911 Restaurant

14.00 – 16.30 IFA Round Table Part II (with a break in-between)

16.30 – 17.00 Cocktail reception

17.00 – 18.00 Media Round Table

For more on the International Football Arena go to their website www.internationalfootball.com/

International FootBall Arena

Bilić has likewise opted to bring emerging talents Pamić and Sharbini on board in back-up roles. “We chose 23 players and we are also taking two youngsters,” explained the coach. “Not because we want to give them a chance to fit in or to thank them, but because they are young, talented and playing in the positions we need.”

The former national-team defender also put the finishing touches on his two-year contract extension earlier today. “The final decision came after the [3-2 qualifying] victory [over England] at Wembley [last November], so the signing of the contract could have happened six or three months ago,” said Croatian Football Federation president Vlatko Marković. “Instead, it happened today. We are very happy to have Slaven Bilić and his assistants.”

The Croats face Austria, Germany and Poland in Group B at this summer’s tournament and Bilić is hoping his squad will make a major impact. “We have a goal to continue with our good work,” said the 39-year-old. “We have a difficult task ahead, but if we get a little luck we can end up being proud.”

Croatia squad

Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (FC Spartak Moskva), Vedran Runje (RC Lens), Mario Galinović (Panathinaikos FC).

Defenders: Dario Šimić (AC Milan), Robert Kovač (BV Borussia Dortmund), Josip Šimunić (Hertha BSC Berlin), Vedran Ćorluka (Manchester City FC), Dario Knežević (AS Livorno Calcio), Hrvoje Vejić (FC Tom Tomsk).

Midfielders: Niko Kovač (FC Salzburg), Jerko Leko (AS Monaco FC), Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk), Niko Kranjčar (Portsmouth FC), Luka Modrić (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Danijel Pranjić (SC Heerenveen), Ivan Rakitić (FC Schalke 04), Ognjen Vukojević (NK Dinamo Zagreb), Nikola Pokrivač (AS Monaco FC).

Forwards: Mladen Petrić (BV Borussia Dortmund), Ivica Olić (Hamburger SV), Ivan Klasnić (Werder Bremen), Igor Budan (Parma FC), Nikola Kalinić (HNK Hajduk Split).

Reserves: Manuel Pamić (FC Salzburg), Anas Sharbini (HNK Rijeka).

Photo: Getty Images

Liverpool’s star striker Fernando Torres was proud of having equaled Roger Hunt’s club record of having scored in eight successive home league games in the 1-0 win over Manchester City. The 24-year-old Spain international has netted 32 goals in all competitions in his first season with the Reds and has scored in his last eight outings in the league at Anfield, equalling Hunt’s record from the 1961-62 campaign.

Torres told the club’s official website: “I’m very proud. I knew about the record before the game and I am pleased to have scored again. Now I will try to do even better next season. The first season is normally always difficult but it has been made easy for me by my team-mates. It’s thanks to them that I can keep scoring and keep improving.”

Reds manager Rafael Benitez added his own tribute, commenting: “It was another good game from us and another fine goal from Fernando. I believe he will score more, which will be a great benefit for the club, for him and for the fans.”

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The Frenchman said after the game: “It was a farewell and I wanted him to have a chance to say goodbye to the fans, that we respect him for what he has done for us. Jens was 100 per cent professional, if not always an easy character. In all his time here, I have not known Jens to not be fully committed for a single minute. That deserves a lot of respect.

“He was the best keeper in the Premier League. He reads the game well, he is brave and had all the assets to come into the Premier League, because he is not frightened of anybody. Jens has become better and better, because at the start he was a bit upset easily sometimes, when people walked on his toes at corners. But he got more controlled through his career. Jens was 38 this year, and at some stage in a club like ours you have to make a decision to change.”

Lehmann has made 199 appearances for the Gunners since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2003.

Photo: Gety Images

The 24-year-old is expected to undergo a medical at the San Siro on Monday. Despite the offer of a new five-year deal from Arsenal, Flamini’s future remains unresolved and both AC Milan and Juventus are reported to have been tracking the France international.

Following Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Everton on Sunday, the Gunners’ last home game of the season, Wenger conceded that he was not “super-confident” Flamini would still be with the club next season.

“Frankly, I don’t know [if he is staying],” said Wenger. “But if you ask me was I overall super-confident, I would say no. He has an offer on the table which is valid until tomorrow [Monday], then we will see. We have done what we had to do, it is now down to him to make a decision. My ideal solution is that he stays, so I am not happy if he goes – but we’ve done everything we can. We can’t wait until July. You could lose players if they come on the market.”

Meanwhile, Milan club owner Silvio Berlusconi has cast fresh doubt over the potential signing of Barcelona star Ronaldinho.

“I have always been doubtful over whether Ronaldinho is needed, at this point I really think we don’t need him,” he said.

The Italian club has agreed terms with the 28-year-old Brazilian playmaker but failed to settle on a mutually satisfactory transfer fee with Barcelona during preliminary talks.

If I were a sports betting man, I wouldn’t bet on Ronaldinho coming to Milan.

Photo: Getty Images

United will meet either Liverpool FC or Chelsea FC in this season’s UEFA Champions League final at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium on 21 May in what will be only the second final contested by two English teams in the history of the European Champion Clubs’ Cup and UEFA Cup. The first was when Tottenham Hotspur FC defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers FC over two legs in the inaugural UEFA Cup final in 1971/72.

Two previous UEFA Champions League finals have been played between sides from the same nation. Spain set the ball rolling in 1999/00 as Real Madrid CF defeated Valencia CF 3-0 at the Stade de France, with goals from Fernando Morientes, Steve McManaman and Raúl González, while the 2002/03 final saw AC Milan meet Italian rivals Juventus, with the former prevailing 3-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford.

That game in Manchester was the most recent of five all-Serie A continental finals including four UEFA Cup showpieces. Juventus beat AC Fiorentina 3-1 over two legs in the 1989/90 final, while FC Internazionale Milano prevailed 2-1 on aggregate against AS Roma the following year. In 1994/95, Parma AC beat Juventus 2-1, also after home and away matches, while Inter beat S.S. Lazio 3-0 in the one-legged 1997/98 final at the Parc des Princes in Paris.

There has been one all-German final to date, in 1979/80 when Eintracht Frankfurt beat VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach on away goals, losing 3-2 away but winning 1-0 at home. The semi-finals of that competition also featured four sides from the former West Germany. More recently, the 2006/07 UEFA Cup final was contested by two Spanish sides, with Sevilla FC beating RCD Espanyol 3-1 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in Glasgow.

Photo: Getty Images

“Nothing is impossible,” said Fabregas. “We have to win the last two games and then we’ll see. We are not the favourites, but you never know.”

Derby were well in contention in the first period but Arsenal ran away with it after half-time, with substitute Emmanuel Adebayor grabbing a hat-trick.

“They started very strong and put us under a lot of pressure,” said Fabregas. “After we made it 3-1 we relaxed a bit but they made it 3-2 and we knew we had to push. But fortunately we responded straight away and Theo (Walcott) scored a great goal.”

The midfielder also paid tribute to Adebayor, adding: “He makes a difference every time he plays, he’s a striker who can do everything. We should feel fortunate to have him.”

Photo: Getty Images

Now our chance of winning the Primera División is gone, our one and only priority is to reach the Champions League final. The good game we had against Manchester United last week showed everyone we are capable of beating them and booking our ticket to Moscow. We played a very complete game. The only thing missing was obviously a goal on the score sheet. Even so, a goalless draw is not a bad result because another draw in Manchester will put us in the final or at least take us to penalties.

Lots of people criticized Manchester United for playing defensively at Camp Nou, but if you look at their line-up, it was more attacking than in many of their other games. I guess they weren’t actually able to attack us, because we pressed them very well and controlled possession. Their only option was to counterattack, which they tried with Cristiano Ronaldo, but our defence was very alert and marked him well. It was surprising that he missed the penalty, but these things happen in football. It doesn’t overshadow the magnificent season he’s had.

I think I played a good game. It was an enormous relief to play after a long absence and not feel anything wrong. The injury is healed and I am ready for Tuesday’s match. Frank Rijkaard has shown his confidence in me many times before. If he decides to include me in the Old Trafford lineup I will do my best to get to my third Champions League final.

The second leg will be a completely different game because they will try to win the ball and put pressure on us. They need to score, so they will go for it. We need to hang tight during the first 15 minutes and avoid giving it away easily. We must be 100 per cent focused, especially at the start, when their supporters will lift them a lot.

I don’t think the weekend’s league results will have the slightest influence in the semi-final. It is true Manchester United lost an important high-stakes game against Chelsea, but we lost to Deportivo La Coruña as well. Most of United’s starters were benched because of the Barcelona game, so they will be fresh and fit. When a semi-final like this comes around, everybody forgets what has been and focuses only on the match.

Photo: Getty Images

Kidnapping, corrupt referees, mass brawls, rampaging fans and clubs who sack their managers on a weekly basis; all of these are more commonly found in Brazilian domestic football than samba superstars delighting hordes of attractive beach babes with their silky skills. It may not be pretty, but it’s certainly always interesting, and Sunday’s Paulista championship semi-final second leg clash between Sao Paulo and Palmeiras was another memorable match for all the wrong reasons.

It was played at Parque Antartica, the home ground of Palmeiras, who were trailing 2-1 from the first leg, and they took the lead in the 23rd minute through Leo Lima. The trouble started at half-time, when the visitors returned to their changing-room and quicked exited it, complaining that it had been filled by an unknown gas that was making their players come close to vomiting. They had to hold their team-talk on the pitch instead. “It was impossible to breath, it was extremly irritating for the nostrils and eyes,” team doctor Jose Sanchez told reporters.

Nevertheless, they were able to continue and the match went on, with Jorge Valdivia tapping in Palmeiras’ second goal with six minutes to go after a swift breakaway attack. However, his flamboyant and rather cocky celebrations rubbed the opposition players up the wrong way, and they started to aggressively remonstrate with him. And then the lights went out. There was a scuffle on the pitch during the 15 minute blackout, with the home side’s Martinez sent off after the restart. Andres Dias had already been dismissed in the 80th minute for the visitors.

Photo: Getty Images

“It is a nice compliment,” he said. “But, for the moment, there is nothing. Who are we going to sign? It has not been decided yet. I have a list where there is a number one, a number two, a number three and a number four for each position we want to strengthen. We have money, just not as much as the papers say because that is not true.”

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