Manchester Football

Lyon vs. Lille (1-0) and found a defence before Manchester FOOTBALL - It was the final rehearsal. Before going to face Manchester United in England, Tuesday, Olympique Lyonnais won against Lille, Saturday afternoon at the Stade de France, to celebrate ten years of the chamber francilienne. The Ligue 1 are beaten his attendance record, in a match which marked the grand return of the Crees, the defender who has failed both in Lyon. He made the greatest good for his team, and knocks at the door to Old Trafford ... A little early to tell whether this will change anything, but the beginning of the Crees solidifies a coup Lyon defence. It is better because Lillois are better into the match. Although their midfielder plays a little low, leaving their only attacking coal, the pressure moves at the start of the match on the defence of the OL. By the 5th minute, Cris must intervene, in the style that is so clean. The body upright, regardless of the opponent, not watching the ball, which makes it all the feints ineffective body. It comes at a time ad hoc, when the attacker tries to pass. And in the aftermath, offered a rise on the left side, relay Benzema. The Brazilian is there. Upon heating, hargne was pleased to see. At a time when executives of the club Olympian have a little tendency to allow filer instead to keep the locker room - with the notable exception of the preparation of the last OL-Manchester - his return can do much good. At the 8th minute, it offered a nice anticipation, intercepting a ball to Kluivert, midfielder. The Lyonnais know that the match will not be easy. As Laurent Blanc, the coach of Bordeaux, Lille is the most boring team to play in Ligue 1. It does "cowardly nothing," is always "very well prepared physically," playing a "pressing hard," confirmed Alain Perrin, Thursday. The match gives him reason and the 23rd, a ball lost in the Réveillère by pressing, which replaces the post of Grosso left rear, allows Youla to overflow, taking Cris speed. The centre, Squillaci may intercept, but Bastos, behind, is a bit short. He sent the ball in the air. Govou offered three minutes later a nice gesture. On a cross from Cris, he softened a chest air and proceeds with a small bridge over his opponent back into the soil. Olé, but that does nothing. The Lyonnais have not yet created any serious occasion. And then, at the 32nd minute, Benzema intercepts a ball in the middle of the field. The attacker, who plays eccentric left tonight, eliminates a Lillois toward the midline, to slide laterally to the left to Clerc. The rear side, launched his eliminates towards Fred and forwards, centre-forward this Saturday, which controls and slid between the legs of his defender. The ball file flush with the opposite pole. But. The Lyonnais are happy, and keeps their insurance because Cris, in the 38th, confirmed that he is back with a new offering at an interception against in its surface. The Lyon supporters must regain that feeling of wonder never shy away from the goal, when the Crees duel. Six and a half months after leaving his cross ligaments in a clash with Elmander, August 11, the Brazilian is back left side of the defence, while he prefers move to the right. "I feel good, the knee is strong. What I miss is the pace. Now, we must play," he summed up in the week. Before the game, we said that there should be a match of fire to convince Perrin to align for battle Tuesday, in Manchester. But in view of the first half-time, it will eventually raise questions. The match resumed after rest and Pierre-Alain Frau, come into play at the end of the first half, creating beautiful holes. But in the 51st, the most beautiful falls to Benzema, well served by Bodmer. It controls the tip of the foot and resumed near the pole, but on the wrong side for once. His eyes said enough how much he does not miss it. But it leaves eight minutes later, as her coach wants to spare. Leaving the lawn, it ignores Ben Arfa, who replaced him, seeming to confirm that the two young players are now in a cold, or rivalry. The Lyonnais are content then manage. We feel that Manchester is farther. But Lillois are unwilling much more dangerous. Only two strikes worried Coupet. Frau located above the bar, drawing by far (59e), and then sends a beautiful Tafforeau missile (68e). Govou fate in turn, which was planned before the match with his coach. The most valuable right winger had not resulted earlier this week. It has kept pace with no draw on reserves, as Juninho, rested on the 78th by the beginning of Källström. Hatem Ben Arfa, pointed fingers in recent times for his wrong choices offensive, this time is a nice beginning. And in the 81st minute, Tony Sylva must go slam under his helm a beautiful shot from a distance, well wrapped, young Lyonnais. He plays left and this time made all the right choices, temporisant when his family are in arrears, while speeding away. The Lyonnais, however, are not immune to this disease. At the 85th, a shot from afar, Fauvergue this time going near the pole. They end the match in a very large pressure Lille, very British. Good rehearsal before Manchester. Cris cleaned house in the surface and hits his fist as his guardian after a beautiful intervention. Grégory Coupet should be damned relieved to find her hitchhiker. OL suffers, OL plaice in the 92nd minute, Bastos inherits a ball on the edge of the surface repairs. He manages to pull, but right next door. The Lyonnais have been very hot, but they will not be caught. They won, remain before, and have found a defense. This falls well because in the meantime, Manchester won 3-0 at Fulham, while resting his main offensive cartridges, Rooney and Ronaldo. The match promises to be Tuesday.

Bailly takes the yellow jersey

In-mast during the last World Championships, the flag flew high in the sky South Korea on Saturday and the station Pyongyang, which will take place on World 2009. For Sandrine Bailly, passed it on to Ostersund in individual pursuit in this victory is all the more flavor, in addition to a response to its World Championships mixed and the seizure of power in the overall standings of the World Cup, it takes a new direction is by winning its 20th victory in the World Cup. On a track that she said did not yet appreciate, biathlete de l'Ain had already finished 2nd in the sprint Thursday, which allowed him to run in an ideal position Saturday for the prosecution. Exactly 14 seconds separated from the German Magdalena Neuner at the outset. A gap negated after only a few metres. Taking advantage of some steep, Bailly booted foot to the floor, leaving his opponent with almost ten seconds after 500 meters. Dégainant its bullets at lightning speed, Neuner took the advantage on the first step of firing, which she left with 7 seconds ahead of the French. The perf 'Brunet A real war of nerves between the two undertook rival, the German putting maximum pressure on his opponent firing. But it was the first to crack. One fault lying on the shooting, leaving Bailly again with 10 seconds ahead and then two on the first shot standing against the Habs only allowed it to get to the last meeting with the rifle near an advantage 30 seconds. Breathing deeply and focused on its target, Bailly took all his time to remove its bullets before Neuner took place at his side. Eventually, the French did not even have the opportunity to panic as the latter shooting turned the slaughter for the German (4 errors). Author of a 19/20, the winner of the World Cup 2005 was free to go on its 4th victory of the season, more than two months after his last success in Pokljuka. But behind the picture could be even more beautiful for the French delegation. Party in the 8th position, Marie-Laure Brunet achieved a faultless shooting, referring to the last loop to the 2nd place. At 19, which is still junior was unfortunately a little shorter skis, letting himself be overwhelmed by the Italian Michele Ponza and Russian Albina Akhatova to fail at the foot of the podium. No serious. That meant still a better performance in the short career of the World Junior Champion 2007, full of promise for the future.

Rally of Mexico

Winner of the last two editions of the Rally of Mexico, Sebastien Loeb can legitimately aim for from three. The French, "only" the 2nd at the end of the day on Friday, has taken the controls. And it will not take too much time for the best driver in the world to put the record. From the first special of the morning, he signed the scratch time (18'35''7) and the opportunity to get back on the heels of Jari-Matti Latvala overall. Separated from 9''9 yesterday, the two men stood only a little more than one tenth! "It's very tight now in the general. It has been a few changes since last night settings. We are better, I do not know why ... Maybe Latvala scans the road ahead of us, "confided the pilot Citroen on the site of the mark to rafters. We must remember that times have changed. While the Finns travelling in second place Friday, he had the onerous task of opening the road this Saturday. Latvala does not sweep A sweeper role that does not seem to suit her. "This is not good. I understand better what Mikko (Hirvonen) said yesterday (the leader of the championship opened the road Friday). It's much better to be second than first on the road from the point of view of the brake. I have to learn to fly on the basis of that. I just need to make my own steering more and stay calm. It is not hopeless, we still have a chance. This is not lost. "Young had beautiful Scandinavian continue to believe, however Loeb him inflicting a second blow to morale by taking the lead at the following special. More rapid 4''7, Alsacien thus pushing its main rival to nearly five seconds in the overall standings. Chris Atkinson, in turn, retained his place on the podium, just ahead of Mikko Hirvonen, who benefited from a mechanical problem with Petter Solberg to grab the ground. The Norwegian was indeed forced to stop about two minutes in the middle of the ES10 after his broken driveshaft. He fell to 7th place overall at more than 5 minutes Loeb before he decided to abandon.

Alpine skiing

The giant ladies of Zwiesel cancelled, Karbon sacred Denise Karbon won without skiing the overall standings of the World Cup giant Saturday after the cancellation of the race at Zwiesel scheduled because of rain and strong wind gusts Karbon totaled 181 points ahead of Austrian Elisabeth Goergl while only one Giant to compete this season, in Bormio. The Italian could not be reached and offered his country's first Crystal Globe in giant since the success of Deborah Compagnoni in 1997. "We are going to celebrate that tonight at the hotel," said Karbon on the website of the Gazzetta dello Sport. "I heard the news a few minutes ago and I really had a strange feeling because I was really compete this race. But the conditions were really horrible." Karbon is 10th in the overall standings of the World Cup with 619 points, well behind the leader Lindsey Vonn, who keeps 54 points ahead of Austrian Nicole Hosp.

The French victim of the stage burst of Biarritz

Biarritz, sometimes unrecognizable last week in Bourgoin, has recovered from his beating by a small difference but a logical stage French (9-6) in shortness of breath, Saturday at home, at the poster for the 12th day on Top 14 rugby. The BO, determined, author of a second act of high fly only rewarded with a drop of Bosch (62), due to an incredible mess, taking advantage of this success to revive the classification and return to four percentage points of his victim days previously undefeated in 2008. First willing upwind, the Basques did not fail them and begin taking advantage of working to undermine their forearms (Moala collossal) to sow doubt in the minds of Parisians ultra-realistic with two drops of Hernandez before the half-hour (6-6 at the break) but clumsy throughout with a plethora of mistakes hands. Like the last weekend in Isere, winger American BO Ngwenya had three balls trials (50, 53, 58) but has not been able to flatten at the height of the domination biarrote. The French stage, which had only one opportunity to score in the 2nd period, a drop failed to Hernandez (65) - may feel happy to go home with the bonus point defensive as his score was disappointing and the light-years of entertainment offered eight days ago in Castres

Philippe Gilbert

The Belgian Philippe Gilbert struck a major blow by imposing Saturday in the Het Volk for the second time in his career. Striker solo 50 kilometres from the finish, the rider of the Francaise des Jeux in the classic opening Belgian has outpaced Nick Nuyens (Cofidis) and Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole). The race was marked by the domination of the French teams and the sinking of the Quick Step Tom Boonen. Interviewed live by VRT 20 kilometres from the finish, sports director of La Francaise des Jeux, Marc Madiot, said: "I do not know if, as you say, this is an issue to the Merckx, but I can say that this is an issue to Gilbert. What it does is enormous. " In a race noted, aware that the difficulties of the trail were concentrated between the Kruisberg, 65 km from the finish, and one paved area 20 km from the line, Gilbert has behaved boss to blow in the pack. The Kruisberg was fatal to the world champion, Italian Paolo Bettini, who fell with his teammate Wilfried Cretskens. In Eickenberg, Gilbert asked his teammate Michael Delage accelerate in turn before making a violent attack, at the height of the slope. Nuyens tried unsuccessfully to hang him and left his compatriot filer only 49 km from the finish. At 25 years old, a protégé of Madiot signed the 16th success of his career, the third in 2008. "At first I thought it was crazy. I asked her to get up but the atria not operating. Much the better, he signed a feat," said Madiot

The crisis in cycling continues to swell

Paris-Nice shows usually runners promised a beautiful season. This year, the "race to the sun" highlights the incredible failures in the world of cycling. Not only Alberto Contador, title holder and last winner of the Tour de France, will not be present at the two events, but also a long-term feud between the organizer ASO and the International Cycling Union eliminated the hopes of a season without controversy. Contador, which has never been tested positive for a banned product, may not participate in the Paris-Nice and Tour since Amaury Sports Organisation has banned his team for violations dating from before the arrival of the Spanish in the training during the winter. "Of course I am not pleased and I do not agree with the decision," said the Associated Press manager of Astana, Johan Bruyneel. "But we will get back under way. We will set new targets." ASO has also launched a new challenge to the International Cycling Union decided to hold Paris-Nice outside the rules of the UCI, in joining the french national calendar. "Regarding the UCI, it is an illegal race," said the PA to the president of the UCI, Pat McQuaid. "The UCI could ultimately suspend riders. This is not what we want to do. Runners must not be victims of a bad decision by an organiser and his federation." After a 2007 Tour de France exhausting marked by doping incidents, tensions between the UCI and ASO have flared up and cast a new shadow over cycling about a week before the start of Paris-Nice, which begins on 9 March. "Everybody always speaks of the poor image of cycling with doping scandals, and it's true," said Bruyneel, the former mentor of Lance Armstrong. "But the other image that we refer to the outside world is that cycling is unable to solve its problems. I do not know what is worse." In response to the decision of ASO, as its detractors accuse of wanting to take over the leadership of cycling, UCI asked the 20 teams to boycott the event, which will offer no point to the classification of the UCI ProTour. "It is the weakness of our sport, at any level there is the unity," said Bruyneel. "It's complete anarchy." The appeal of the UCI has fallen on deaf ears, particularly as a result of too much pressure from sponsors in a sport lacking in income and in danger of losing its permanent sources of supply because of doping scandals repetition. "In this conflict, riders have no other choice but to obey orders," said Daniel AP Malbranque, the secretary general of the association of professional cyclists (CPA). "It is not a corporation that can afford to strike." After the victory of Contador in the 2007 Tour and withdrawal from the world of cycling Discovery Channel, and Spanish Bruyneel joined Astana, whose star rider Alexandre Vinokourov has been excluded from the Tour last year for blood doping. The previous year, the Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme Astana were excluded because some of its riders were linked to the Operation Puerto. Because of the escalating conflict between the UCI and ASO, it is unlikely that a truce be announced a few days before the start of Paris-Nice. "The one after the other major races in cycling falling into the hands of a commercial organisation," said McQuaid about ASO, which also plans to purchase the Tour of Spain. McQuaid warned in a letter teams who intend to compete in Paris-Nice. "By signing the contract, you rejoindriez a circuit entirely controlled by private ASO for the benefit of its commercial interests," said McQuaid

Rugby: Biarritz beat French stage 9 to 6, Pascal Papé injured

The Biarritz Olympique defeated the French stage 9-6 (6-6 at half-time) at the end of a match that will perhaps lead to the package of the second row Pascal Papé for the France-Italy next weekend. Five international - Damien Traille, Dimitri Yachvili and Jerome Thion, Biarritz later, Pascal Pape and Nicolas Szarzewski later stage French - were on the lawn of Aguilera in this weekend took sandwiched between two matches of the Six Nations tournament. The second line Papé is out on injury after a touch to the half-hour Thursday "My knee has cracked. I hurt the meniscus. Nothing wrong that I tend leg," he said on Canal Plus. "This is not the top." Soon after, Traille was treated on the ground to the right shoulder but was resumed on Thursday "That's going to," he said. The centre three-quarters of the French team was again treated, in the thigh, this time in the 43rd minute and he left the ground shortly before the scheduled time of Thursday "This is a crutch, we will see tomorrow," he said. Four others were international in the field of Sapiac where Montauban was 14-6 and beat Montpellier. The three Montpelliérains, François-Duc Trinh, Julien Tomas and Fulgence Ouedraogo, and Montalbanais, Ibrahim Diarra, seem to have come out unscathed from the adventure. BUTEURS At Biarritz, the first half-time was marked by two missed opportunities for the BO on a kick by David Skrela parried by Dimitri Yachvili and a revival of Damien Traille, after recovery of a candle, marred by Benjamin Thierry. French side Stade, a mano-a-mano between Guillaume Boussés and Stephane Glas failed on a lack of hands Julien Saubade. As often happens in these circumstances, the goalscorers have furnished the score. Yachvili has managed two penalties in the 10th and 32nd minutes. In the meantime, Juan Martin Hernandez had scored two drops in two minutes for the French stage. Biarritz took over the game wind in the back and created several opportunities to test that on a pass at the foot of Yachvili missed by the American winger Takudzwa Ngwenya. Acculé in its 22 meters for nearly a quarter of an hour, the Parisians have not conceded a point. The score was still 6-6 20 minutes from the end Marcelo Bosch but gave the advantage to Biarritz for a drop of 35 metres. The dominance of Biarritz has remained constant, its lack of realism but also the Stade French champion France title, suffered its first defeat since the beginning of the year.

The LFP satisfied

"This decision reflects the wishes of the LFP to give access to images of the championship at all football fans. It is in the interest of the competition. Canal + Bravo! "At the announcement of the availability of clear goals for the League by Canal + 1, not everyone has had the compliment as easy as Frederic Thiriez, the president of the LFP. It is true that the League, which granted the TV rights for the League 1 for the 2008-2012 period to operators not radio, Canal + and Orange, was not in the best position in this debate, which since inception Téléfoot of in 1977, had for the first time offered the traditional magazine Sunday at the pay channel, thereby depriving non subscribers images. This choice of the LFP, reaping the passage 668 million, had provoked an outcry on the part of France Televisions and its sports director, Daniel Bilalian, holder of that magazine over the past year with only France 2 Foot. For critics of the public channel, Frederic Thiriez had merely replied that he had been applying the law, could not set aside a portion of the rights to unencrypted channels. Attracting the barge Not really convinced Bilalian had then threatened to seize the CSA (Conseil Superieur de l'Audiovisuel) to modify the rule of the right to information, calling for an extension of the law, which currently offers a free thirty minute images to each Ligue 1 day, for the push for five or ten minutes. Canal + has heard the controversy and decided, in his good heart, that the magazine would be partly clear. "It is not our intention that all the images of Ligue 1 is disseminated in encrypted. Our goal is both to provide exclusive and the best of Ligue 1 to our subscribers but also give a good visibility and awareness in the competition. It is our interest as well as that of the Ligue 1. That's why there will be a party that will give clear access to the L1 series, "explained Bertrand Méheut Friday morning, the CEO of Canal +, when the group announced have increased fivefold its profits in 2007 compared to 2006 (400 million euros versus 75). Bilalian: "unfair competition" Where stops philanthropy of the pay channel is that there is obviously an incentive behind the availability of images, and especially the goals of each day's Ligue 1. "We also hope that this will be a showcase to encourage non-members to subscribe to see the matches in full," do not conceal and Alexandre Bompard, sports directors of Canal +, interviewed by 20 Minutes. The content and timing of this magazine are still under discussion, knowing that from next year, there will be at least two matches on Sunday afternoon at 15 hours, and that Canal +, which in the habit of opening its programs in clear around 19 hours, must request a waiver from the CSA to get another window. "At a time when the debate is open on the elimination of advertising in the public service, the announcement of the leaders of Canal Plus underlines the ambiguity of the status of this channel, pay-encrypted, which specializes in film and sport, especially football, and who can broadcast clear and mostly benefit from the advertising revenue, hastened to challenge Daniel Bilalian, alleging unfair competition. As for the pay channel, it argues simply that "Canal + were more interested in the magazine France Televisions."

More Americans Memphis

The beautiful series of seven victories rank of Andy Roddick ended in the quarter-finals of the tournament in Memphis. Brillant faces Mardy Fish yesterday, A-Rod came up against one of the men in the form of time on hard, Robin Soderling. The Swedish emerged as the winner of a match ultimately fairly balanced in two sets (7 / 6 6 / 3) even if the American never managed to create a break ball (against 8 per Soderling) on the service the Scandinavian. "This is probably the short My favorite on the circuit. I served very well and I have no comment to make on my game, "confided the winner. Soderling has indeed offered great statistics with 16 aces and 67% of the first ball. He will face in the semi-finals Radek Stepanek, virtually untouchable face Chris Guccione (7 / 6 6 / 1) in a little over an hour Thursday Before Andy Roddick, the public Tennessee had attended the elimination of David Young by Jonas Bjorkman in a match somewhat discontinuous, but very open where the two men will have had plenty of opportunities to break on both sides (1 / 6 6 / 2 7 / 6). Jonas Bjorkman, are engaged in the first tournament of the season at Memphis, will challenge Steve Darcis who humiliated Benjamin Becker in fifty minutes played (6 / 1 6 / 0). Finals dream in Acapulco The finals in Acapulco Mexican spectators will offer what is probably the best on clay now with a duel between David Nalbandian and Nicolas Almagro. The logic was respected in the semi-finals with the qualification of Argentina, the game once again flawless face Luis Horna (7 / 5 6 / 1). The opposition between Nicolas Almagro and Jose Acasuso was much disputed. The Spanish will be needed more than two hours to overcome Argentina in three sets (6 / 4 3 / 6 7 / 5). A marathon which could weigh in the legs of clay specialist in the finals. The Iberian language has competed with the South American his twelfth match in three tournaments (Costa do Sauipe, Buenos Aires and Acapulco therefore). In this exercise there, David Nalbandian is not bad either. Winner of the tournament in Buenos Aires last weekend, the head serial number 1 has garnered ninth success in less than two weeks.

Racism in Football: Metz frontline

When the security manager of a football club is on the front line facing the media, it announced bode well. That's what happens with FC Metz, the last of the League 1 (with the total famélique 12 points and two wins in 26 games), which receives Caen, Saturday night for the 27th day of the championship. Jacky Ancel, responsible for the safety of Saint-Symphorien stadium, spent the week at answering interviews. With the fear "that casts shame on the club because of fifteen idiots": "I do not want to make that an amalgam embarrassing that suggests there are only cons to Metz." The club is in the midst of the media storm following the double racist excesses of some of his supporters (see page 2). Christopher H., the safety officer who had insulted Abdeslam Ouaddou, will appear in correctional March 18. The prefecture has prohibited the stage for three months, and the club filed a complaint against him. "A witness has identified as the author insults at half-time, it was out of the stadium and was handed over to the police," says Jacky Ancel. At the end of the match against Valenciennes, two brothers had caillassé bus opposing supporters and wounded a child. In immediate, they sentenced to nine months in prison, six suspended, and were banned from stadiums for five years. In Lyon, in addition to an extended arm and a "Sieg Heil", a song to Nazi connotation has been resumed: "Through the Lorraine / I lost the iron cross / up to me" Hitler… New Complaints club, one against X and the other against two nazillons identified. They are part of the Faction, "is a collection of some forty people" some of whom are linked to the extreme right movement Jeunesses identity. Friday, an administrative ban of stage three months has been imposed against a member of the faction by the prefect of Lorraine. This small group was founded in 2003 by dissidents groups of supporters more respectable. The evening game, they took seats at the bottom of the West Stand. "It ideologues 15%, 35% and other imbeciles, it must be people who love the fight," calculates Jacky Ancel. Christine Lo Monaco, the owner of a bar near the stadium, suspected members of the faction of having "done everything" in his valdinguer establishment, in August, when supporters of the Paris-SG chased had taken refuge. The Faction is not a group of supporters recognised by the FC Metz. Two of its members were however received by Jacky Ancel in October, after misbehaviour during a match against Strasbourg. "It was not a negotiation, provides Ancel. They asked me and tranquillity guaranteed for the remainder of the season. Moreover, they held their commitment since they are not among those who surrendered to the excesses of Lyon. " To find the "spirit of sport and the civic spirit," the security manager agreed with the idea of a dissolution of this group, advanced by the president of League, Frederic Thiriez. But not that of Bernard Laporte, which was to punish clubs financially: "There is already paying when there is smoke, which is normal. But when you play palpations at the entrance to the stadium, we can not penetrate the mind of the guys. In Metz, there were reactivity on the case Ouaddou. And Lyon, it was unequivocally taken the actions necessary. So if, in addition, you morfle financially… Moi, the guy who plays con, if I forbid him to enter the stadium next time, I have in the bather. The club has no right to do that. Fortunately, because otherwise it would be what? At look? We need a support, a measure prohibiting stage decided by the courts or by the prefecture. These measures exist, the arsenal is there. "Remains to be used. Meanwhile, the players Metz will play Saturday night with a jersey without a sponsor, helmed by the mere mention

France basketball

Finally cleared for a beautiful hexagonal basketball. After the collapse of clubs in EuroLeague french side of men, Bourges brilliantly carried the torch that lights in women. The Berruyères have simply stalled Friday their ticket to the Final Four, the second consecutive going prevail in the room Fenerbahçe (74-72). A few days after the law in the face of the Turks Prado (85-69), girls Pierre Vincent, however, have made some fears to pass the pitfall of the quarter-finals. The suspense at the end of second Bourges led to score almost from start to finish the game (31-35 at half-time). In the fourth quarter, the formation leader of the Pro A took the same wide (+11) despite a number of bullets excessive losses (21). But teammates Cathy Melain, one of the five Berruyères to have scored at least ten points (10 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists), have been placed in an untenable ordeal Cappie Pondexter at the end of the match. The cornerstone of the training Turkish American has offered a total of 31 points but was mainly brought his team from 70-62 to 70-69 just sixteen seconds from the end of the match! Through candid shots-signed Dumerc (6 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists), the visitors offered fortunately a little air to lead 74-71 before the untenable Pondexter enjoys a free throw with one second from the late blow of the final buzzer. After marking the first, the best of the encounter marqueuse voluntarily loupait the second Fenerbahçe but failed to win the last battle to rebound (74-72). A sector also dominated by the French throughout the match (38 to 30). Brno or Valencia in semis Best scoreuse French side (20 points), Australian Melinda Snell must evolve to be at its best hope to thwart the next opponent of Bourges Basket. On 11 April, the club will face either french Brno, Valencia, the two teams is a victory for equality everywhere before the third match. Whether the Czechs or Spanish, there is an expectation of a very heavy. Valencia had indeed over the phase of hens (10 victories in ten matches) before they depart in Valenciennes eighths-finals (two wins to one). The route from Brno is a little less impressive (8 wins-2 losses in the pool stages and a qualification match after support from the Hungarian Pecs), but strong enough to transform Bourges outsider in next spring. In the other semi-final, takes on Yekaterinburg Spartak Moscow Region, the ogre of the EuroLeague 2007-2008.

Olympic Track

Bode Miller won the second downhill of Kvitfjell American Bode Miller has curly perfection Saturday to win the second downhill World Cup Kvitfjell with 0.40 seconds ahead of Swiss Didier Cuche. The American has dropped the Olympic track in one minute, 46.16 seconds. "It was good, I really supported," commented Miller. Cuche, winner of the World Cup downhill last season, has been largely defeated on a runway where a few hundredths of a second separating only often the best. The Italian Werner Heel, winner Friday for the first run and his first race of World Cup, finished third, 0.75 seconds. "Yesterday, after only one training, I really did not feel that I could go to 100%," said Miller. "Today, I knew how I was going to feel. Bumps I knew. I improved a few places where I was in trouble yesterday. Some news I made mistakes today, but they were small and have not really had an effect on my timing. " Miller has signed all the best intermediate time on the Olympic track, 3,035 meters long. The American has increased his lead over Cuche leads the overall standings of the World Cup (1283 points to 1118) to seven races from the end of the season and moved closer to the classification of descent, where only five points separate them. Miller, who had finished second for the first run Friday, became the fourth American skier to win at Kvitfjell since the coronation Olympic Tommy Moe in the 1994 Games in Lillehammer. Miller signed his third success in downhill of the season. By 2005 1983 to win the overall World Cup

Football: "The Faction" messine s'autodissout

A group of supporters of FC Metz named The Faction, challenged in several racist incidents, dissolved itself Thursday night. "They met on Thursday night and made their autodissolution. They shall most matches of FC Metz and elsewhere, or at home," told Reuters a spokesman for the prefecture of Moselle. Created in 2003, this group of some forty people were pointing the finger for several months after a series of outbursts during the league matches of FC Metz. Several stadium bans were initially made against its members at the end of the match Metz-Strasbourg, October 6, which was interrupted twice. The Lorraine supporters, including some "Faction," had attempted to do battle with their counterparts from Alsace. Some individuals had approached the podium to attack the president messin, Carlo Molinari. Another member affiliated with the group has been barred from the stage Friday for a period of three months by the prefect of the Moselle, Bernard Niquet, after making greetings Nazis and Nazi songs sung at the end of the match Lyon-Metz (2 -0), last Saturday. The players of FC Metz had come to offer their supporters T-shirts against racism they had brought before the kick-off of the meeting. Some clothes were returned on the lawn, sometimes torn. The racist acts had been committed then. The president of the Professional Football League, Frederic Thiriez, had seized Wednesday the Interior Ministry and called for the implementation of a law in 2006 allowing the dissolution of such a group in the Council of Ministers.

Luzzi in the business of betting

The Italian Federico Luzzi, found guilty of betting on a number of matches, was ruled out by the ATP. World No. 139, Federico Luzzi plays mainly on the challenger circuit. Between May 2004 and April 2007, the Italian would have bet on 836 matches. ATP has decided to suspend for a period of 200 days and imposed a fine of $ 50000. As a reminder, his compatriots Giorgio Galimberti, Potito Starace, Daniele Bracciali and Alessio Di Mauro were also convicted in the same type of case.

Arsenal saves his head

This has had little to the theatre of dreams put in a clash scene leaders Tuesday in the eighth-finals return of the Champions League. Dominator this Saturday on the lawn of Fulham (3-0), Manchester United has failed hunt Arsenal from his throne at the 28th lifted Premier League. The Gunners have saved their standing as the favour of a zero before ripped Aston Villa in the judgments game (1-1). A lesser evil, but not without consequences and benefits also in Chelsea, executioner at the same time West Ham (4-0).