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Afternoon Ticker: Sampdoria eyeing Adriano, Maradona linked with Portsmouth and more

Adriano 1 (Reuters)

 

by GIANFRANCO PANIZO

Brazilian striker Adriano left Serie A earlier this year because he had lost the desire to play. After regaining that desire, and his form with Flamengo, he could soon be heading back to Italy.

Sampdoria sporting director Beppe Marotta has revealed that his club would consider making a move for Adriano if he was interested in returning to Serie A. Marotta believes that Adriano would help shore up Sampdoria's lineup, and is willing to lure the former Inter Milan player despite his recent personal struggles.

Adriano has enjoyed a strong return to Brazilian soccer, scoring seven goals through ten games thus far this season.

Here are some more stories to get you through the day:

Maradona to leave Argentina job for Portsmouth?

Diego Maradona could soon leave his post as Argentina national team head coach to join Portsmouth as a "global ambassador".

According to Maradona's lawyer Angel Oscar Moyano, new Portsmouth owner Sulaiman Al Fahim is keen on bringing in the soccer legend in order to attract top talent to the club.

Maradona, who has recently come under fire for his style of coaching, is also allegedly interested in the move.

River Plate defeats Toronto FC on penalties

Famed club River Plate defeated Toronto FC on penalty kicks to capture the Carlsberg Cup international friendly on Wednesday.

With the score 0-0 after regulation, River Plate topped the home side by beating them, 4-3, in a penalty shootout at BMO Field.

The result makes it the second straight year that Toronto loses the Carlsberg Cup on penalties. Toronto lost to Pachuca last year.

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What do you think of Adriano possibly returning to Italy? Think Argentina is better off with Maradona leaving? Encouraged to see Toronto FC push River Plate to penalties?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. there’s nothing in ANY of argentina’s media outlet about the pompey thing. just pure bs,put the name maradona and it gets a response, that’s all. maybe if we lose to brazil in sept., THEN the story could probably have some legs. but for now it’s just BS.

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  2. Adriano is better off in Brazil. He’s at home and I think the demons of his past in Italy will return he’s snapped up by Sampdoria. I don’t think he’ll need a babysitter per se but reports have mentioned he has a peer group of sorts that has helped him with his struggles. If Adriano has any dreams of being in the WC; he can’t afford to have a meltdown like he did at Inter. Stay home. Be a hero for Flamengo.

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  3. Maradona should go to Pompey today so he can quit raping the Argentine national team, what a joke that guy is as a coach!!!

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  4. Love it. Maradona linked to Portsmouth, and Sven to Notts County. Next, Pele will come out of retirement for a position as player-coach at Stevenage Borough.

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  5. TFC has had friendlies with Benifica, Aston Villa, River Plate and Pachuca now. And they have acquired solid players like Gerba, Barrett, (deGuzman?) and DeRo produced players like MoEdu and Frei as well as given international club faith to put players like Vitti on loan with them. That just speaks about how solid of an oganization they have been.

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  6. Portsmouth will always be a regular team. Nothing special, even the name bothers me for some odd reason. Argentina or Portsmouth? Choice is clear in my eyes.

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  7. maradona struggles with never living up to the hype of pele.
    but as a pompey faithful, i think that he could deff help out the club. their are in shambles right now, with only 15 players on the squad.

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  8. What ever happened to Gabe Ferrari? is he still in the 3rd division in Italy? Still property of Sampdoria. Sorry the Adriano to Samp thing remided me of him.

    Maradona is a idiot. I hope he goes to Pompey and is never heard from again.

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  9. Maradona-run Argentina is SO BORING TO WATCH. There’s no creativity and they struggle to beat bad teams. I kinda feel bad for the guy, with all the pressure he must be under, but maybe a move away from such a high-pressure situation would be good for him.

    I actually think Adriano should go to the MLS (laugh it up now). He’d be able to dominate the field, make the same $$$ as he would have in Italy, and sell a bunch of jerseys. He’s physically built to handle the physicality of MLS… Philadelphia, anyone?

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  10. Maradona seemed to need to sniff white lines to feel good about himself, I don’t know if this would be a good business move on the part of Portsmouth.

    As for the Argentinian National team, he is considered a god there and he would be followed by any Argentina side, that means nothing of how he manages a team.

    Hey, let the oil money flow back… if they want to pay for Maradona, it will certainly be good theater! 😛

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  11. Maradona is the Mike Tyson of Soccer. Deep down a sweet guy that struggles w/ personal demons; who is also past his usefulness in the sport he used to dominate

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