The new Saveclaudio.co.uk website received 3 000 responses in its first week. Chelsea’s immense wealth bemuses the public and the manager is the only person at Stamford Bridge to inspire unstinting affection. Claudio Ranieri is seen as the little guy pitted against a vindictive enemy of limitless power.
Robert Sangster, Europe’s most successful racehorse owner of the past 30 years, died at his home on Wednesday after a long fight against pancreatic cancer. He was 67. Sangster’s horses won 27 European Classics. He also owned the 1984 Breeders Cup Mile winner, Royal Heroine, and 1980 Melbourne Cup winner Beldale Ball.
Orlando Pirates defender Lucky Lekgwathi will on Thursday accompany Bucs to the Seychelles for their African Champions League match against St Michel on Saturday. Lekgwathi has been out of action for more than six months after sustaining a career-threatening injury during the 2004 African Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Kaizer Chiefs continued their march to their first league championship title in 12 years when they defeated Moroka Swallows 2-1 in a hard-fought Soweto Castle Premiership derby played at a wet FNB stadium on Wednesday night. Swallows were the better of the two sides in the first half but missed a number of easy chances to score.
Deportivo la Coruna coach Javier Irureta described his team’s sensational Champions League triumph over holders AC Milan on Wednesday as a ”miracle”. The Spanish side overturned a 4-1 first leg deficit to win the return clash of their quarterfinal tie 4-0 to go through 5-4 on aggregate and set up a semifinal match-up against FC Porto.
For Jack Nicklaus, this might be about as close as he’ll ever come to giving a farewell speech at Augusta National. ”I would say the chances of not seeing me here next year are a lot greater than seeing me,” Nicklaus said on Wednesday. ”It’s far better than 50% that I won’t play here any more.”
Defending champions Auckland will face a Bulls tight five of Test strength as they try to rebuild their Super 12 rugby season on Friday in the opening match of round eight. Bulls coach Rudy Joubert has named Richard Bands, Danie Coetzee and Christo Bezuidenhout in his front row against the Auckland Blues.
The ACT Brumbies’ form will be under scrutiny in their home match with Otago Highlanders in Sydney on Friday to see if the shock sacking of coach David Nucifora has undermined their chances of lifting the Super 12. There are reports that player power was behind the decision.
Pakistan defeated India by nine wickets on the fourth day of the second Test in Lahore on Thursday to level the three-match series 1-1. The Indians, trailing by 202 runs on the first innings, were bowled out for 241 in their second innings just before lunch to leave Pakistan a modest target of 40.
The Algerian election last Thursday was billed as the second most important African poll this year — after South Africa’s this week. Twelve years after truncating the poll that seemed to be heading the way of Islamic fundamentalists, the Algerian authorities are still paying a heavy public relations price.