Dani Alves: It is Neymar's decision if he joins Barcelona

The Brazil international has made it clear that he can only give his compatriot advice about his future, but that the attacker will have to make his own decision..

Barcelona defender Dani Alves has insisted that it is up to Neymar to decide whether he will leave Santos for the Catalans in the future.

The Brazil international has a contract with his current club until the summer of 2014, and has stated more than once that he intends to stay put until after the World Cup.

However, Barcelona are keen to lure the tricky attacker to Camp Nou, and they are hopeful that Alves will be able to convince his compatriot to make the move to the Liga leaders.

"He [Neymar] is Brazil's best player and there is no doubt about it that he will further improve in Europe. I can only give him advice, but it is up to him to make the decision whether he wants to join Barcelona or not," the right-back told reporters.

The full-back then went on to discuss Lionel Messi's contract extension until June 2018 on Thursday.

"I think it was a special day for all Barca fans, because the team’s best player will stay with the club for many years," he added.

"I’m very pleased, because I want my friends to do well and because I’ll be able to spend many more years with him."

Barca are currently preparing for the Liga match at home to Getafe.

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Ronaldo is unfortunate to play in the Messi era, says Larsson

Former Barcelona star Henrik Larsson feels Real Madrid attacker Cristiano Ronaldo is unfortunate to be playing in the same era as Lionel Messi..



Larsson has stressed that Ronaldo has a lot of quality as well, but believes he is no match for the Argentina internationa.

"I don't think there's too much difference between the two of them because they are both great players," Larsson told Xarxa.

"Cristiano is unlucky to be playing at the same time as Messi. Ronaldo is a very good player, but Messi is even better.

"Messi has won the Ballon d'Or in the past few years, four years in a row to be more precise.

"He is from out of this world. He's so good that it's almost incredible. When you see him with the ball at his feet it's hard to believe that anybody else could do the same. He's a fantastic player to see."

Messi has already netted 34 goals in 22 Liga appearances for Barcelona this term and signed a new contract at Camp Nou until 2018 on Thursday.

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Rosell: There is one Real Madrid player I like...

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has hinted that he has a desire to sign an unnamed Real Madrid player.
The two clubs are arch-rivals in Spain and it is not often that players are able to enjoy periods at both Camp Nou and the Bernabeu during their career, however, the likes of Luis Figo, Brazilian striker Ronaldo and Michael Laudrup have crossed the divide..


Although he would not reveal who he would like to take from Jose Mourinho’s ranks, Rosell admitted that there is a Blancos footballer he has wanted to bring to the Catalunya club for a long time.
"There is one Real Madrid player I have liked for many years," he told Punto Radio. "But I'm not going to say who it is because I would be creating a circus.
"Madrid have some great players and of course there is one I would like to sign. Is it [Iker] Casillas? I'm not giving away any clues."
Liga fanatics wondering if it might be Cristiano Ronaldo that the Barca boss was referring to may want to reconsider the possibilities.
When asked if he would take Ronaldo from the Bernabeu for free, Rosell cryptically replied: "Sometimes things that are free end up costing you dearly."
Barcelona and Real Madrid’s rivalry is considered amongst the greatest in the world, though the Blaugrana chief explained what a nerve-wracking affair the Clasico can be for a club president to watch.
"It makes me tense because it is such a great game to experience," Rosell said. "It's one of those games where, if you win, everyone cheers the players, but if you lose, it's the president's fault."
It was announced this week that one of Pep Guardiola’s first games as Bayern Munich coach will be against Barca, the club where he had so much success, and Rosell expressed his desire to see the Spaniard back at Camp Nou someday.
"We miss him," he said. "The bond he had with Barcelona will be talked about forever in the history of football, but life goes on.
"If he put himself up for club president in the future I would vote for him, I would love to see that."

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Turkish delight as Drogba arrives in Istanbul

New Galatasaray signing Didier Drogba is raring to go having been given a rapturous welcome on his arrival in Istanbul on Friday..


Similar to when Wesley Sneijder arrived in the country last month to finalise his move to the Champions League last-16 competitors, thousands of fans greeted the striker upon his exit from the airport.
Once he arrived at the club headquarters, Drogba revealed his satisfaction with his signing from Shanghai Shenhua - where his agents had claimed he was not being paid - and said he hopes to aid to club in future achievements.
Sat alongside head coach Fatih Terim, the forward told Galatasaray TV: "I've met with the coach, but it’s not the first time we’ve met. He just remembered me from when Cote d’Ivoire national team played against Turkey.
"I’m really happy to be here for me as it’s a new challenge, a new part of my life. I will do my best to be successful for the club."
The former Chelsea player agreed to join the Turkish club in January from Shanghai Shenhua, though had yet to travel to the nation to publicly finalise the deal as he had been with the Cote d’Ivoire team at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Drogba will be paid €15,000 per appearance at Galatasaray, on top of a €4m paid to the player up front, €2m for this season and €4m in the 2013-14 campaign.
The ex-Marseille striker, who scored the Champions League-winning penalty in the final for Chelsea last year, will wear the No. 12 for his new club.

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Sir Alex Ferguson to rotate Manchester United squad during crucial week

The 71-year-old has revealed that he will ring the changes between Sunday's clash with Everton at Old Trafford and Wednesday's Champions League meeting with Real Madrid..


 Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that he intends to heavily rotate his squad during a crucial week for the club. The Red Devils face Champions League-chasing Everton at Old Trafford on Sunday before a Champions League last-16 clash with Real Madrid.

And the Scot says he must place his full trust in his players in order to ensure he has fresh legs in both games.

 “It will be different teams,” the 71-year-old told reporters. “The team on Sunday will not be the same as the team that plays on Wednesday. “I trust the squad of players I have. They are all internationals, they are all good players and there is no reason why I can’t play them.

“They’re all contributing in their own way and that gives us a better chance of dealing with the various competitions we’re in.” The United manager also lamented the fact that preparations have been disrupted by midweek international friendlies, adding:

 “There is not a domestic manager who can agree to friendly internationals at this time of year." However, he did concede that the confidence boost provided by England's 2-1 win over Brazil could help two members of his squad. “I was happy for Wayne Rooney and Chris Smalling to play full games at Wembley because they have not had a lot of football anyway," he concluded.

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