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BATISTUTA'S UNITED HINT
Speculation has increased that Argentina striker Gabriel Batistuta could yet end up leaving Fiorentina for Manchester United. The 29-year-old said: Fiorentina are a great team, but the club isn't. In Argentina, everyone knows Manchester United, but the only ones who have heard of Fiorentina are people who follow me. After the World Cup, I'm going to take a month off and consider my future.
The Argentina star also called on Norwegian referee Rune Pedersen to crack down on tough-tackling Jamaica when the two sides meet in Paris on Sunday. Batistuta - who scored his side's only goal in their 1-0 win over Japan - thinks he might be in for a battering from the European-based Reggae Boyz, such as Chelsea's Frank Sinclair. "I am expecting a much more violent match than we had against Japan, he said. But if the referee interprets the rules, there won't be a problem."
The Argentine media criticised the team after their single-goal victory last Sunday, but Batistuta said: "Just because it was Japan, the people back home thought we would win by three or four goals. But we knew better. It was the first World Cup match for several of our players. Anyway, I do not think we played badly. I hope we play a little bit better against Jamaica, but the most important thing is to win. How we do it does not matter."
Argentina arrived in France as one of the favourites to lift the cup and the striker has seen nothing in the first week of the tournament to change that feeling. "I have not seen any team that is better than us, he claimed. I have not seen any team have an easy win. Sure, some have scored two or three goals but they have had a little more luck, that is all."
TINO READY TO RETURN
Faustino Asprilla, thrown out of Colombia's World Cup squad on Wednesday, claimed yesterday that he is ready to return. Coach Hernan Dario Gomez acted after the Parma striker had moaned about being substituted in the opening game against Romania but, in a bid to heal the rift, the player has said he'll return if Gomez wanted him to.
''If the coach thinks it is important that I take part I will agree to his rules and will do everything I can to help,'' said the former Newcastle star. Colombian president Ernesto Samper has called for his reinstatement, and the fact that Asprilla remained in Paris rather than returning to Bogota suggests that he will be recalled.
The Colombian camp has been thrown into chaos following the bust-up, and if he is brought back it could split the squad into two camps. Team captain Carlos Valderrama certainly didn't seem too unhappy at losing such a key player. "It's too bad, but if he's not here, then that's the way it goes. We will just get on without him, he said. The coach took the decision and we go along with him. Now we just want to concentrate on beating Tunisia on Tuesday."
Before Asprilla held out the olive branch yesterday afternoon, Gomez said: "We didn't throw him out. The decision was his. Faustino did not conform to rules and decided to pull himself out of the group. Rules must be respected. In our country, there is a lack of maturity, and this episode is a manifestation of that. I have no regrets about what I have done. This has to be resolved and that is what has been done. It's a shame that it has ended the way it has, as I have always regarded Faustino as a friend and a great guy."
GOMEZ revealed yesterday that he will leave the job after France 98. He has been angered over persistent rumours that a foreign coach was being lined up to replace him. Nigeria's Bora Milutinovic and Brazilian Paulo Cesar Carpeggiani, currently coach of Paraguay, have been mentioned as possible replacements. ''If certain officials think they can get someone better, so be it," said an angry Gomez.
BERGKAMP FIGHTING FIT
Dutch striker Dennis Bergkamp has confirmed that he will make his first start of France 98 in Saturday's Group E game against South Korea. The double Footballer of the Year began Holland's opening match against Belgium on the bench last Saturday, but came on during the second half of the 0-0 draw. With Patrick Kluivert suspended for two matches after being sent off in that game, the Arsenal star couldn't have timed his return from a troublesome hamstring pull any better. "I feel really good, he said. I'm going to start the match, although I don't know yet whether I'll be able to finish it."
REFS BROUGHT TO BOOK
Top Premiership referee David Elleray has criticised the lax officiating at France 98. Before the tournament started, it was feared that refs would be too strict and lots of red cards were expected, but many challenges have gone unpunished, angering FIFA president Sepp Blatter and tournament big-wig Michel Platini.
"The sad fact is that the first week has been notable for increasingly weak officiating that has failed to protect the skilful players and promote attacking play," said Elleray, writing in The Times. "Since the Italy v Chile game on June 11, the overall standard of refereeing has gone steadily down.
"Not only have some outrageous tackles - such as Chiba's on Ronaldo in the Brazil v Morocco game - gone unpunished, but there have been offences that should have had yellow cards because of their persistent nature or the tactical advantage that they gained. That was highlighted in the England game against Tunisia, when Alan Shearer and other England players were constantly pushed and almost wrestled to the ground."
LIVING IN A FANTASY WORLD
An English fan is threatening to sue FIFA, world football's governing body, claiming Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert's controversial sending-off has wrecked his hopes of winning a �60,000 Fantasy Football contest.
A FIFA spokesman revealed the unnamed fan had written to them "in legal terms", making an official complaint because the Dutch striker has been suspended for two games after being shown the red card for elbowing Belgium defender Lorenzo Staelens during last Saturday's 0-0 draw. "We have to take this semi-seriously as he is threatening action against us," the spokesman said.
MEHDI'S A CHINESE TAKEAWAY
Iranian FA chiefs are trying to convince top Tehran club Piruzi not to sell World Cup midfielder Mehdi Mahdavikia to Chinese champions Dalian.
The 20-year-old Asian Young Player of the Year was being linked with a move to Borussia Dortmund in the weeks leading up to France 98, and reportedly wants a move to Europe, but the club are willing to sell him to the Chinese side for around �1.2m. "The deal is 99% done with Dalian," said an official at the Iranian federation, who want their young star to play in a higher-profile league. "If another club from Europe made an offer then maybe we would be able to convince Piruzi to change their minds. We are sure that a lot of European clubs are interested in him."
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FRANCE 98 NEWSROUND
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Pick Up A Penguin
Brazilian fans have adopted a stray penguin that turned up in the surf off a Rio de Janeiro beach as an unofficial mascot for Ronaldo and the lads. They rescued the bedraggled bird, wrapped it in a green and yellow national flag and named it Penta (translation - Fifth, as in the fifth World Cup they hope Brazil will win in France). The fans posed with it for local TV crews during a party after Tuesday's 3-0 victory over Morocco before putting it into a cooler box until zoo officials came to collect it.
Jurgen's No
To Dortmund
Germany striker Jurgen Klinsmann has denied he is about to join Borussia Dortmund. The 33-year-old, who helped Tottenham avoid relegation from the Premiership last season but is now without a club, said: "It's all stuff and nonsense. A return to the Bundesliga is out of the question."
Simply The Best
Chile's Ivan Zamorano says his international strike partner Marcelo Salas is just as good as Brazil's World Player Of The Year Ronaldo. Speaking to reporters after Chile's 1-1 draw with Austria on Wednesday, in which Salas scored his third goal of the finals, Zamorano said: "I am proud to play with the two best players in the world - Ronaldo at Inter and Salas with the national team."
Good Luck, Mate!
South Africa have called up another third-choice goalkeeper, hoping that their injury jinx at the position has now ended. Simon Gopane of Bloemfontein Celtic comes in for Paul Evans, who came in for knee-injury victim Andre Arendse shortly before the World Cup began, only to go down with a similar problem in training.
Vogts Backs Brazil
After watching all the major nations' first games, Germany coach Berti Vogts has tipped Brazil to retain their world championship. They are already in the second round and, for me, they're still the favourites, he said. "France also impressed and my dark horses, Nigeria, played very well. We still have to improve.
Teenage Rampage
Hundreds of inmates at a youth detention centre in Thailand ran riot on Tuesday after guards ordered them to switch off their TVs just as the Brazil-Morocco match was about to start. Around 400 teenagers smashed furniture, the televisions (not so clever, boys!), and windows in a three-hour rampage before riot police restored order.
Royal Box-To-Box
Prince Takamade, the son of the Japanese emperor and patron of the country's FA, joined in a practice match during a visit to the team's World Cup HQ. Asked if he was considering calling the prince up for Saturday's match against Croatia, coach Takeshi Okada diplomatically replied: I'll think about it.
Dejan Doubt
Yugoslavia midfielder Dejan Savicevic, who has not kicked a ball for two weeks because of a knee ligament injury, seems certain to miss Sunday's Group F decider against Germany. The AC Milan star, who sat out Sunday's match against Iran, still couldn't train properly on Thursday.
Ivic Bounces Back
Tomislav Ivic, sacked by Iran last month after a disappointing run of World Cup warm-up games, is the new coach of Belgium's Standard Liege. Ivic was hired by Iran after they had qualified for France, but was sacked following a humiliating 7-1 defeat by Roma in a warm-up match. The Croatian has previously coached the Croatian national team, Ajax, Paris St Germain, Marseille and Anderlecht.
Load Of Cobbers
Cameroon's Minister of Sport has criticised FIFA for appointing referees from "non-footballing nations" for World Cup matches, after watching Edward Lennie of Australia send off defender Raymond Kalla in Wednesday's 3-0 loss to Italy. Sports Minister Joseph Owona said: "I hope, in the future, matches will be officiated by footballing nations.
Cautious Desailly
Chelsea-bound France defender Marcel Desailly has called on the French media to keep their feet firmly on the ground. The hosts are one of the favourites to win the World Cup, building on a rock-solid defence, but Desailly warned against over-confidence. "You'd think we'd reached the semi-finals judging by the media reaction, said the 29-year-old. You can't read anything into our defensive record. We gave two goals away to Morocco in a friendly just two weeks ago."
Bob's New Job
Argentina defender Roberto Ayala is set to move from relegated Napoli to Serie A giants AC Milan for around �6m, says his agent Gustavo Mascardi.
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