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Pippo outlines three objectives Wednesday 2 July, 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Milan veteran Pippo Inzaghi has set his targets for next season and is already looking forward to challenging Inter’s supremacy. Inzaghi’s renaissance at the end of last season nearly inspired the Rossoneri to grab fourth place, but the world champions will have to settle for UEFA Cup football next term. “The title will be our objective, just like the UEFA Cup, which Milan are lacking and must be honoured,” Inzaghi told Mediaset. “This group has won two Champions Leagues and one Scudetto – it would be good to even the totals up. “We will be focused on the two targets. Inter are the strongest side, but we will have to see. The derby will be as good as ever. “Am I scared of the Jose Mourinho effect? I can’t judge Mourinho because I don’t know him,” Super Pippo continued. “But we are very happy with Carlo Ancelotti, who is a great Coach and a great person.” Inzaghi is the all-time top scorer in European competitions with 63 goals to his name after overtaking Gerd Muller’s record last season. “The UEFA Cup also counts for records and now that I have overtaken Muller I intend to defend the record. It would be a shame not to after 30 years of fighting to reach it. “My next personal goal is to get to 300 professional goals – I’m just 10 short. It would be a prestigious milestone.” (Channel4)

That last one is so cute!

Only one, Louis Thomas

Ale's villa was robbed a couple of weeks ago. Reportedly a diamond bracelet and some other jewellery from Sonia were stolen

Totti's message for Marcello Tuesday 1 July, 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi welcomed Marcello Lippi back to the Azzurri job. “I want to wish Lippi and his staff the best, as I have an excellent rapport of personal and professional respect with them,” said the Roma captain. It has been said that Lippi's return will convince Totti to come out of international retirement for the 2010 World Cup. He has been out of action since April after damaging the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and is not expected back until at least September. “At this moment in time my only thought is on the recovery process,” insisted Totti. His Roma teammate De Rossi is definitely a part of the Nazionale's plans and hopes to make up for his miss in the Euro 2008 penalty shoot-out against Spain. “I would be very happy if Totti returned,” said the young midfielder. “I speak to him about everything, but not this. “When a Coach changes, everything does, but here he would be returning to the same staff as in the 2006 World Cup. This tournament always gives you extra motivation.” (Channel4)

Let's just hope he beats Rafa as easy on grass as Rafa beat him on clay...

Spanish No. 31 seed Feliciano Lopez reached his second Wimbledon quarterfinal after a hard-fought five-set 5-7, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(4), 8-6 victory over No. 10 seed Marcos Baghdatis. Despite committing 41 unforced errors, Lopez was able to convert on three of 10 break point chances and served 25 aces to record his 10th career five set victory against 2006 semifinalist Baghdatis. The 26-year-old Spaniard, who was a quarterfinalist in 2005 (l. to Hewitt), enjoyed his best result of the year in Dubai, where he defeated three Top 10 players as he reached his fifth ATP final (l. to Roddick). Lopez takes a 4-1 lifetime record into his quarterfinal match against former World No. 1 Marat Safin, including a straight-sets win in the Wimbledon fourth round in 2005. Safin defeated No. 13 seed Stanislas Wawrinka, 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 on Monday to advance to the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the second time in his career. In 2001, he lost to eventual champion Goran Ivanisevic at that stage. The Russian will be making his first appearance in a Grand Slam quarterfinal since winning the 2005 Australian Open. Five years earlier, he won his first career Grand Slam title at the US Open. Prior to Wimbledon, Safin had won consecutive matches only twice this year in reaching the Munich quarterfinals and third round at Masters Series Hamburg. He is currently ranked No. 75 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings. (ATPtennis.com)

He won against Lleyton Hewitt 7-6 6-2 6-4 I believe, yesterday and will play Mario Ancic, the last ever player to beat him on grass at Wimbledon 2002 r1, tomorrow in the quarter finals. Young Roger:

Confirmed: she is pregnant

From the official site: Dear Friends, The time to enjoy my holidays came a bit earlier than I expected (one week earlier to be precise). As usual during the last month I’ve gotten a lot of messages, wishes and congratulations for the football season we played, for my victory as a leading goalscorer in the Serie A and for the European Championship. Once again I would like to thank you all for you support and affection that you give me, and also to say goodbye. I’ll be away for a few weeks (holiday time is never too long…) but we will keep in touch during this period. See you soon, Alessandro Apparently Alessandro is going to New York with Sonia and Tobias

Marat Safin, conqueror of No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic, also came through a late evening thriller, fending off the challenge of No. 29 seed Andreas Seppi to win 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 in a match that finished at 9:30pm. "For me it's a big achievement (to reach the second week)," said Safin. "I'm pleased with the way I'm playing, actually. This is the most important thing. At the end of the match it was pretty tough because we both couldn't see the ball anymore. I was a little bit worried because I couldn't see the ball at the end. I think the match was a really close one. But I think just a little bit of experience helped me a lot." The 28-year-old Safin, whose best result at Wimbledon was a quarterfinal finish in 2001 (l. to eventual champion Ivanisevic), fired 16 aces and won just three points more than Seppi to defeat the Italian in their first meeting. (ATPtennis.com) Next opponent will be Swiss nr 13 of the world Stanislas Wawrinka.

He'll play against Andreas Seppi

It looks like Claudia Oddo is pregnant again:

Del Piero Breaks Another Azzurri Record Italy striker Alessandro Del Piero cannot stop breaking records as his participation in Euro 2008 will mean he becomes the first Italian to smash the record for playing in his fourth consecutive European Championship. Del Piero joins a list of greats including Denmark’s Peter Schmeichel who also played in four European Championships 1988, 1992, 1996 and Euro 2000. Pinturricchio’s inclusion Roberto Donadoni’s side this year means he breaks an Italian record as he becomes the first Azzurro to play in four different European Championship’s The Juventus legend, who holds the record for the Bianconeri’s all time appearances and goals scored, played his first Euro for Italy in England in 1996. He then played in Holland and Belgium in 2000 where he was blamed for Italy’s defeat to France in the final. The Juventus hit-man was called up by Giovanni Trapattoni to represent the Azzurri in Portugal during Euro 2004 but Italy had a woeful tournament and they went out at the group stage. Now, Del Piero will be flying the flag for Italy once again as he is set to play a big part in what is likely to be his last European Championship for La Nazionale.

Italy striker Alessandro Del Piero admits that he is not worried about the competition for places in Roberto Donadoni’s Azzurri side. The Juventus legend scored 21 goals in Serie A this term and he was awarded the Capocanoniere crown. His form has been outstanding and it was rightly rewarded with a call up to La Nazionale. Pinturricchio is hoping for a good European championship and he is not worried about the stiff competition for places. He will have to fight Luca Toni, Antonio Cassano, Antonio Di Natale, Marco Borriello and Fabio Quagliarella for a starting place but he is hoping he can do well. “The competition for places doesn’t scare me at all,” said Del Piero. “For me it’s already an honour to be in this squad of champions. “I have always shown what I am worth and I hope I get the chance to do it again. “I was impressed with the way me and Cassano linked up during the Belgium game and it was excellent.” Del Piero will be hoping to repeat the stunning form he showed during Juve’s return to the top of Italian football. (Goal.com)

The Azzurri may have been dealt a huge injury blow in their first training session in Austria after Fabio Cannavaro left the field on a stretcher. Roberto Donadoni’s squad only arrived in their camp in Baden this morning, but they have already been struck by misfortune during today’s session at Admira Wacker’s ground. Skipper Cannavaro went to ground after a 50-50 with Juventus stopper Giorgio Chiellini and looked in severe discomfort. A stretcher was needed to take the Real Madrid man to the dressing room and he will undergo tests this evening to ascertain the severity of the problem. More details should be known later this evening or tomorrow, but Donadoni will have until June 8 to decide whether he needs to replace his captain. As long as a neutral FIFA doctor judges that an injured player is unable to take part on the competition, one change can be made to the squad 24 hours before the first game. Fiorentina defender Alessandro Gamberini would be the most likely stand-in and will be on the edge of his seat. (Channel4)

Del Piero: Totti: Maldini (left on the floor):

If you ask me Pippo should've gone instead of Borriello

Yes, but I would've preferred to see him go to the Euros instead of Boriello who hasn't scored a goal since March and has no International experience whatsoever

I am the leading goal scorer, for the second consecutive time and for the first time in the Serie A. If I had known at the beginning of the season, I would have bet that, once at the top of the league table, the first thought would have been:" I have told you so…".Talking to those, who didn't believe. To those, who have never believed. But when I really reached this goal, I realised that the first thing that crossed my mind was:" You have told me so…" Talking to those, who believed in me. To those, who have always believed in me. To those who have never stopped inciting me. To those, who have supported me and who have worked for me. To those who were always there for me, who have shared my passion and my hard times, my joy and my will to win. All of you have told me so, yes, and I have told so myself. And at last I scored the 21st goal in the championship, total 24 in the season. But what really counts more is that, together with all my team mates, whom I won't thank enough, thanks to these goals, we managed to reach the most important goal, that is the comeback to the Champions League and to finish the intensive championship. I'm satisfied with Juventus season as well as with my own season, and not only for the goals scored, that for me don't mean and will never mean everything. Now we have to take all the experience we have earned and use it as a starting point to improve more and more. And also to improve myself. Well, this is not the end. And don't tell me after I haven't told you so… Alessandro (alessandrodelpiero.com)

I get the point...

Waiting for the call-ups of Luis Aragonés, many doubts remain about Raúl Gonzalez Blanco's call-up for the next European championship in Austria and Switzerland. The first-rate season of the Merengues captain, crowned by the victory in the Liga, should not give cause for any doubt, over the last months, however, Aragonés has continued to ignore Raúl's performances and not to call him up on the occasion of the matches of the Furias Rojas (the Red Furies). In favour of Raúl also one of his former team-mates at Real Madrid CF, Luís Figo, intervened and said: "As regards the sporting aspects, I believe that he had a good year, I don't think that there are many players who are better than him, that's why he must play at Euro 2008, the possible personal aspects of the player that may clash with the coach's are a different matter". A few months ago Real's player and the Spanish coach even called a press conference only to confirm that there was no friction between them and that Aragonés's choices would be made only taking into account technical issues and not personal ones. We'll see. The story was published today, but they're a bit late with it if you ask me... (goldenfoot.com)