Results from the 38th round of Spains first-division football league (home teams listed first).
Saturdays Games
Mallorca 2, Villarreal 3
Deportivo La Coruna 1, Barcelona 1
Valencia 2, Athletic Bilbao 0
Atletico Madrid 3, Almeria 0
Sundays Games
Numancia vs. Sevilla
Racing Santander vs. Getafe
Sporting Gijon vs. Recreativo Huelva
Real Betis vs. Valladolid
Espanyol vs. Malaga
Osasuna vs. Real Madrid
Results from the 38th and final round of the French first-division football league (home teams listed first).
Saturdays Games
Caen 0, Bordeaux 1
Grenoble 0, Sochaux 1
Lille 3, Nancy 2
Lorient 1, Le Mans 1
Marseille 4, Rennes 0
Nantes 2, Auxerre 1
Nice 0, Le Havre 0
Paris Saint-Germain 0, Monaco 0
Saint-Etienne 4, Valenciennes 0
Toulouse 0, Lyon 0
Englands failure to contest a final since winning the 1966 World Cup leaves Fabio Capello with little evidence of how his players would cope if they went the distance in South Africa next year.
The coach was left examining their performances in finals like the Champions League, where Manchester United was comprehensively beaten last week by Barcelona - a side containing many of the Spaniards, notably Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta in midfield, who could confront England in a year if Capello gets his ideal World Cup final.
What Capello saw in Stadio Olimpico was his star forward Wayne Rooney suffering stage fright as he made little impact off the left flank.
Rooney lost easy passes in Rome, incredible - he was nervous, he wanted to play different, Capello said at a round-table with reporters.
When you have to win, sometimes the pressure is too big and when you go to the pitch its not the same. United played for 10 minutes like United but (not) after.
With qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Andorra in the next two weeks, Capello is confident the pain of defeat for Rooney and his England and Manchester United teammates wont hinder the national teams cause.
Its not a problem for me because hes a very, very good player and he will play very well, Capello said. Its normal in a career of one player to lose and to win. For me I forgot every time when I lost. As a player I lost a final against Ajax and as a manager I lost some finals. You win, you loss - but you carry on.
Capellos one chance to see England players together in a competitive final could come next month at the European Under-21 Championship.
The Italian will be keeping a close eye on winger Theo Walcott who - much to Arsenal manager Arsene Wengers irritation after an injury-reduced season - will travel to Sweden after playing for the senior wide.
For Capello, it is important the 20-year-old Walcott, who went to the 2006 World Cup but didnt play, gains experience in the junior ranks.
Im happy he is fit now after four months injured. I checked him in three games and he played better every time, Capello said. He is a young player and one of the most important players in my squad.
I also understand Arsene because he said he needed to take a holiday, but he did not play during the winter. His holiday was in the winter. Hes very happy. Every game is important when you play in the shirt of the national team.
What Capello wont be granted before South Africa is a winter break for every member of his squad to split the grueling English Premier League season.
When you arrive at the end of the season you are not fresh, Capello said. It is a very long season, here more than the other countries because we have one competition more (the League Cup) and in the last three or four years the most important teams, the big four, have been in the semifinals of the Champions League.
I know that not only physically but also mentally you have to be very, very strong for this period and you spend a lot of energy.
If England wins in Kazakhstan next Saturday and against Andorra at Wembley the following Wednesday, Capello believes qualification will be effectively clinched after missing out on Euro 2008.
If we get six points it is a very big step to South Africa, he said.
A big decision in the next week is to replace first-choice goalkeeper David James, who was injured along with understudy Ben Foster: The choices are Robert Green or Paul Robinson, who has not appeared for England in almost two years.
Another concern was the dearth of right backs, with Capello forced to call up 34-year-old Gary Neville, who was not even in Manchester Uniteds squad for the Champions League final and was fourth choice at the Premier League champion.
I know that very well, Capello said. We havent got in England a right back. I spoke to (Uniteds) Wes Brown in Rome and he told me he is not completely fit but he will OK for next season.
Although highly rated by predecessor Steve McClaren, Manchester Citys Micah Richards, isnt rated by Capello.
He has had some problems in his team, he has played sometimes but missed some games, Capello said. He is young and not ready for the seniors now.
(Home teams listed first).
Friendlies
China 1, Germany 1
Wales 1, Estonia 0
At London
Ireland 1, Nigeria 1
Kirin Cup
At Tokyo
Belgium 1, Chile 1
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard wants to give Guus Hiddink the perfect going away present: an FA Cup winners medal.
In less than four months, the Dutch manager has rejuvenated players who seemed to lose their way under Luiz Felipe Scolari.
Hopefully we can get him a medal, Lampard said before Saturdays final against Everton.
The game at Wembley also gives Chelsea a chance to ease some of the sting from the loss to eventual winner Barcelona in the Champions League semifinals.
European soccers ruling body is investigating misconduct charges against Chelsea players in the aftermath of that match, and the recriminations could be felt long after Hiddink is back coaching Russia leading to the 2010 World Cup.
Also lingering will be Lampards regard for Hiddink.
Our performance over the last five months has set the standard, Lampard said. Hes been very impressive, the way he handles players, the way he handles everything really. It will be great to finish off with a big day out and a win for him.
Chelseas players were furious over a number of penalty appeals that were waved off against Barcelona. The Spanish club tied the score during injury time at Stamford Bridge and advanced on away goals.
Winning the FA Cup would never erase the memory of that. We think we should have been there, so its going to be hard, said defender Ashley Cole, who is looking to become the first player since 1891 to win five FA Cup medals. We have to forget about that and concentrate on the final.
Chelsea finished third in the Premier League, seven points behind champion Manchester United. It is looking to win its first trophy since capturing the 2007 FA Cup under Jose Mourinho, who left at the start of the following season to be replaced by Avram Grant for eight months before Scolari took charge.
While AC Milans Carlo Ancelotti is favored to fill the job next season, captain John Terry just wants a peaceful offseason.
It would be lovely to win the cup, go away and not read anything and not hear anything about Chelsea or football, Terry said. It has been a tough couple of years with different managements and it is important the players get their rest and we come back even stronger next year.
At Everton, manager David Moyes has been on a steady ascent since arriving from Preston in 2002. The Scot was honored this week as manager of the year for the third time by the League Managers Association. He is looking to deliver Evertons first trophy since winning the FA Cup in 1995.
He has made this club believe they can look upwards, and for that more than anything else we worship him, Everton owner Bill Kenwright said. David has turned us into virtual European regulars. The man has achieved miracles.
Robbie Keane scored his 39th international goal Friday night, rallying Ireland to a 1-1 tie with Nigeria in an exhibition game.
Keane collected a pass from Keith Andrews in the area in the 38th minute, got around goalkeeper Austin Ejide and easily scored the equalizer. It came just eight minutes after Michael Enemaro had given Nigeria the lead, taking a cross from Femi Olubayo that Ireland defender Kevin Foley should have cleared and sending it past goalkeeper Shay Given.
Five players made their debuts for Ireland, as coach Giovanni Trapattoni used the game at Fulhams Craven Cottage to get a look at some of his younger players ahead of the World Cup qualifier at Bulgaria on June 6. A win in Bulgaria would push the Irish closer to at least a playoff for a spot in South Africa next year.
Nigeria is also preparing for a World Cup qualifier, against Kenya on June 7, and Obafemi Martins did not play against Ireland. Evertons Joseph Yobo and Chelseas John Obi Mikel were not in the lineup, either, because they were preparing for the FA Cup final on Saturday.
Nuremberg took a huge step toward returning to the German first division when it won the away leg of a two-match playoff series against Energie Cottbus 3-0 on Thursday behind two goals from Isaac Boakye.
Nuremberg, which won the German Cup in 2007 but then got relegated, finished third in the second division to earn a shot at promotion by playing against Cottbus, which finished 16th in the top division. The second leg in Nuremberg is Sunday.
While Cottbus had most of the possession, Nuremberg relied on successful counterattacks.
The home side had several good opportunities early in the game and goalkeeper Raphael Schaefer did well to tip a shot by Jiayi Shao. It was just the first of some outstanding saves by the Nuremberg captain.
Boakye, who once played for the newly crowned Bundesliga champion Wolfsburg, put Nuremberg ahead after 13 minutes when his shot from the edge of the box deflected off Ivan Radeljic.
Shao headed wide late in the first half and Schaefer denied Cottbus on a pair of occasions before Christian Eigler doubled the lead in the 56th after collecting a long pass and chipping the ball over Cottbus goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel.
The frustrated Cottbus players never found a way to breach Nurembergs solid defense and the visitors could have scored more goals with their counter attacks.
Tremmel was beaten again in the 89th when Boakye struck inside the far post after a good feed form Marek Mintal.
With three away goals, Nuremberg looks all but sure to be promoted, while Cottbus, the only team from former East Germany in the top division, appears set to be relegated.
The playoff was reintroduced this season for the first time since 1991.
Liverpool has rewarded Fernando Torres for scoring 50 goals in his first two seasons by handing the striker a lucrative new deal that could keep him at Anfield until 2014.
The 25-year-old Torres already had a contract with the Reds until 2013, but the improved terms announced Thursday also give them the option of extending it by further year.
Financial details of the contract were not disclosed.
Fernando is one of the best strikers in the game today and, at his age, can only get better, manager Rafa Benitez said. Every major side would want him in their team, but he has shown how much he wants to achieve success at Liverpool by committing his future to the club.
Hes a special talent, but still has the hunger to improve his game.
The Spain international, who scored his 50th Liverpool goal in Sundays 3-1 season-ending win over Tottenham, is key to Liverpools quest to win a first English title since 1990.
Despite struggling with hamstring injuries, his goals helped the club amass its best Premier League points tally to finish second behind Manchester United.
I have my first 50 and this makes me really happy, but now I want the next 50, Torres said. The main thing for me now is to forget the injuries and then if I can play every game in the next season it will be even better for me.
Torres, who joined from Atletico Madrid in the 2007 offseason for 20.3 million pounds (then $41 million; ?30 million), will have little time to recover as he will be on international duty at the Confederations Cup in South Africa next month - despite Benitezs concerns.
Of course I will go - its the price of success for Spain, Torres said. We won the European Championship and we have to play the Confederations Cup now. We have to go and win one more trophy for me and the country. The main thing is to come back fit.
Torres is the latest Liverpool player to commit his future to Liverpool after captain Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt, Daniel Agger and Benitez himself signed new deals.
Weve made huge progress this season and now we need to take the next step, Benitez said. We are building something special here and securing such important players on long-term deals means we can move forward with confidence.
This sends out a very positive message to everyone connected with the club.
Torres is now targeting winning his first trophy with Liverpool.
I came to Liverpool to win trophies and going two seasons without winning any is a long time for a club like Liverpool, Torres said. For me the team has improved over the last year and we are much closer to United than we were. We managed to get more points than any other Liverpool team since the Premier League began and I dont think there is any question that the team is improving and the club is improving.
Now hopefully we will be able to keep the good players that we have here and also make some good signings in the summer because that would be fantastic for us.
Florentino Perez pledged to return Real Madrid to glory and prestige if hes elected club president.
We want to recuperate as soon as possible the values and greatness that have always framed the life of this club, Perez said on Thursday at a press conference to announce his proposed board.
Perez became the sole candidate for president after candidate Eduardo Garcia stepped down earlier Thursday. Last week Juan Onieva, another possible contender, threw in the towel.
Perez, who turned Real Madrid into a star-studded global marketing project during his previous presidency, was expected to proclaim himself president next Monday unless another candidate appears and forces an election to be held as scheduled on June 14.
We have learned from the past and we are going to work intensely to return Real Madrid to the place of prestige and leadership that it should never have abandoned, he told reporters and supporters at a Madrid hotel.
The press conference coincided with the jubilant return home of new European club champion Barcelona, also holders of the Spanish league and cup titles.
Madrid finished runner-up in the Spanish league and ended the season without a trophy.
We will build a spectacular team with players of world renown and, of course, others from Spain. We will make the youth teams our symbol of identity, Perez said.
He provided no names but press reports say he plans to sign Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini and Milan star Kaka. He was also reported to be trying to woo Zinedine Zidane to work for him.
Perez led Madrid from 2000-06, when the club won two leagues and one Champions League in the galactico era that featured superstars such as Zidane, Luis Figo, David Beckham and Ronaldo.
Perezs pledge each season was that the worlds best would play for Madrid.
But he quit his post after the clubs worst trophy drought in more than 50 years, when it went three seasons without silverware while hiring and firing coaches continually.
Results from the 12th round of Major League Soccer (home teams listed first).
Wednesdays Game
Columbus 2, San Jose 1
Thursdays Game
Chivas USA vs. Chicago
Saturdays Games
New York vs. Colorado
New England vs. D.C. United
Houston vs. Toronto
Seattle vs. Columbus
Los Angeles vs. Kansas City
San Jose vs. Real Salt Lake
Sundays Game
Chicago vs. Dallas
