by GIANFRANCO PANIZO
As they chase for their third successive Spanish title, Real Madrid will be without centerback Pepe as he was given a ten game suspension Friday for his violent actions against a pair of Getafe players in a league game earlier this week.
The ban means the Portugal defender will miss the remainder of the season as well as the beginning of the 2009-2010 season. Pepe was suspended ten matches for his aggressive outburst on Tuesday which included kicking and punching players and insulting a referee.
Real Madrid sits six points back of first place Barcelona, which it faces on May 3.
Here are some more stories to help kickoff your weekend:
Inter parts ways with Adriano
Inter Milan has released striker Adriano after the Brazilian international failed to return from a pair of World Cup qualifiers earlier this month.
A statement on the club's website read: "Inter's appreciation goes to Adriano for the eight years and 74 goals we lived through together."
Adriano had announced ealrier this month that he was going to take a break from soccer as he had lost the love for the sport.
Angola eyes Scolari
According to reports out of Portugal, experienced coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is close to accepting the manager position for Angola. Although the team has been eliminated from qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, the Angolan Football Association would like Scolari to be at the helm when the African country hosts the African Nations Cup earlier that year.
The World Cup-winning coach, who was relieved of his duties from Chelsea FC two months ago, is reportedly going to make his decision once he does fact finding trip in Angola.
MLS to receive $10 million for Beckham's loan deal
Major League Soccer will be receiving $10 million as a result of allowing David Beckham to remain with AC Milan until season's end.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber told reporters that they had asked for that amount in order to allow the former England captain to stay in Italy for the remainder of the Serie A season. It is uncertain as to how much of the compensation came from Beckham and how much came from Milan.
Beckham will return to the Galaxy on July 1.
Is Pepe's suspension too lenient? Do you ever see Adriano returning to soccer? Think Scolari can work his magic with Angola? Happy to see MLS gain so much out of the Beckham deal?
Share your thoughts below.
Tom A,
i’ve been waiting for shev to make his way here for a bit now. hopefully it will happen. i think he’d tear up the league for a couple years and i’d definitely travel to see him.
that said, it’s too bad so much has been said negatively about mls during the beckham separation. i wonder how much his and ruud’s experience/comments will cause players to second guess coming over.
but, yeah, shevchenko for mls!
This Guy and gmail,
It has been mentioned over the last year (since his father died) that Adriano has been battling severe depression. Is that a mental problem? Some say “No”. It is clinically proven that depression does affect the mind and of course behavior. Who knows to what extent?
It has been mentioned quite a bit over the last two years. Here is an article that has some quotes from his former club and the player when this first developed after his girlfriend left him followed by the passing of his pop.
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/overseas/italy/news/story_get.dor?STORY_NAME=international_feed/07/11/21/SOCCER_Ita-Internazionale_Adriano.html&TEAMHD=italy
Say what you will about the guys play but I think it’s pretty insensitive to call the dude names. Pray you never find out what he is feeling/thinking.
sonicdeathmonkey,
Yeah, duh he is not leaving Real, I was just saying that the goon should play for a goon team.
There is nothing wrong with Adriano other than he is a Mamma’s boy. He cannot be too far from his grandmother and mother.
He will play again, but close to home (Sao Paolo).
Adriano has drinking and drug problems not mental problems. I don’t know where this information of mental problems comes from.
Italian news has reported extensively about the showing up to practice drunk and things. Anyone who lives in Italy and goes to clubs has seen Adriano in all his glory too. It’s not pretty.
I don’t feel sorry for him as he acted like he was larger than football.
Adriano is a sad story. I doubt he ever plays outside of Brazil again, if he plays at all. Hopefully he has a good support network at home.
good luck to Adriano. Mental problems should not be taken lightly. Hopefully he gets back on track. He’s still way too young to write off.
Bob, Pepe is only suspended….he still belongs to Real Madrid. Which means hes not coming to Houston or anybody else in MLS.
LOL, reminds us of Rico
Adriano to MLS!!!!!!1!
Hmmmm….DP Money?
http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/9494594/Shevchenko-unsure-of-future-in-Milan
Houston Dynamo need to spend DP money on Pepe. He would fit in nicely
I like that MLS was able to secure $10MM for the Beckham loan. I’m wondering if this number also includes his buyout, or if that is another fee that would move that number higher. With the recent expansion fees,MLS is certainly flush with cash at the moment.
first!
keed.
supposedly adrianos got some psychological problems… sucks.
That Adriano story is odd…
the galaxy should gain the money,not mls