Xavi hits back at boring tag
Brilliant Spain playmaker Xavi has dismissed the allegation Spain have become a boring team.
Their tiki-taka style thrilled supporters at the last European Championships, also at the World Cup in South Africa. Now it has taken them to the brink of history as the only side to win three major international tournaments on the trot.
Yet it seems tiki-taka is no longer what it once was.
With David Villa ruled out through injury and Fernando Torres not back to the level that once had opposition defences quaking, Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has taken the novel approach of selecting teams with no orthodox forwards.
As four of the eight goals they have scored in Poland and Ukraine came against the Republic of Ireland, there is evidence to back up the boring tag.
However, Xavi is not buying it.
“We are not bored,” he said.
“All our players know how to adapt and how we play. It is important that our fans can identify with our style. They enjoy it and we enjoy it.
“If people think it is boring that Spain always win, that is fantastic for us.”
Indeed, Xavi feels the style of play has rescued his career.
In an era when the physical dominance of midfield areas seemed to be taking over, he...
Migrant’s death: PN concerned about racism
The Nationalist Party said this evening that while it awaited the outcome of investigations into the case where a Malian immigrant died in a Detention Service van, it was concerned about racist sentiments expressed by irresponsible people in the media and in politics.
The party said that it had every confidence that justice would be served in this case.
It believed in a fair society which helped whoever was in need, while the government worked to ensure that the burden of immigration was evenly borne in the EU.
"The Nationalist Party in government has saved the lives of thousands of people who were in danger of drowning after escaping from their countries - and it never did like somebody else who insisted that Malta should do like other countries and refuse to help them. The PN defends the rights of the immigrants and when it speaks of a fair society it does not make vote considerations, as, unfortunately, somebody else does," the party said.
"Unfortunately, populist politicians and irresponsible commentators in the media are fomenting racist sentiment which lead to incidents which in this country can never be tolerated" the PN said.
Special mentality pushes Italy beyond limits: Buffon
Italy have a special ability to achieve beyond their means in times of difficulty, according to captain and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
History is on the brink of repeating itself in the most curious of manners as the Azzurri prepare to tackle world champions Spain in the Euro 2012 final on Sunday.
Italy are just one win away from landing a major title and once again in the wake of a match-fixing scandal back home.
Six years ago following the outbreak of Calciopoli, Italy went on to win the World Cup.
Even before that, 30 years ago, the Azzurri won the 1982 World Cup just a couple of years after the Totonero affair, which almost deprived them of star striker Paolo Rossi, who served a two-year suspension for his involvement.
And now, once again, following the Calcioscommesse football-betting incident, Italy are on the brink of success.
Buffon says it’s a peculiarity to the Italian mentality that allows their players to bring out their best under such circumstances.
“There’s something special that’s for sure. After all the gossip, Italians have a sense of responsibility and respect for the shirt that goes beyond our limits,” he said.
“If you look to our history and our nation we...
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