THE BEST SOCCER PLAYERS

Gila monster shakes the monkey off his back Alberto Gilardino finally broke his goal-scoring duck this weekend, but some of his critics are yet to be convinced. By: Paolo Bandini Typical - you wait 171 days for a goal, and then two come along at once. To be fair they do say that an adult Gila monster can go a whole winter without eating, but after a five-and-a-half month goal famine in Serie A, Milan's Alberto was beginning to look decidedly worse for wear. When he finally broke his duck yesterday, threading the ball through Fernando Muslera's legs for the fourth goal in Milan's 5-1 rout of Lazio (he would add the fifth nine minutes later), Gilardino scarcely managed to hold back the tears as he was mobbed by his team-mates. "There's been a summer in between," he protested when he was reminded of his lengthy drought after the game. "I can't exactly score when I'm not playing!" His demeanour betrayed him - the trademark haunted eyes and perma-

Former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy refused to let injury prevent him from celebrating Real Madrid's title success with the rest of his team-mates last night. Van Nistelrooy, La Liga's leading scorer this season with 25 strikes, only lasted 33 minutes of Madrid's title decider with Real Mallorca after limping off with a hamstring injury. That looked to be a huge blow for Madrid, who were trailing 1-0 at the time while title rivals Barcelona were well on their way to an eventual 5-1 thrashing of Gimnastic Tarragona. But Madrid managed to recover from the loss of the prolific Dutchman, and two second-half strikes from Jose Antonio Reyes and an own goal from Angelos Basinas earned Fabio Capello's men a 3-1 win and their 30th league title. Van Nistelrooy, who joined the club from United last summer, may not have finished the game, or won the European golden boot - he needed to score twice to pip Roma's Francesco Totti - but the Dutchman was not about to

Liverpool's players will stride out into the muggy heat of the Olympic stadium this evening with one final rallying cry from their captain ringing in their ears. "We do not want to leave Athens upset and with regrets that we have not brought the European Cup home," said Steven Gerrard. "We want to make history, be heroes and come home as winners." Memories of Istanbul two years ago will abound at kick-off tonight as Gerrard, the inspiration behind Liverpool's comeback at the Ataturk, leads his team out against a Rossoneri line-up primed for revenge. The midfielder usually revels on such stages, having been instrumental in claiming the Champions League and the FA Cup under Rafael Benítez, and any notion that the Merseysiders' motivation is any less in pursuit of a sixth European Cup was dismissed. This team may have enjoyed consistent successes in cup competitions in recent years but the hunger remains. To win one final was absolutely magnificent but to d

Samuel Eto'o has rubbished newspaper speculation linking him with a £30m summer move to the Premiership by insisting he will "definitely be at Barcelona next season". During the last few months Eto'o, the three-time African footballer of the year, has looked increasing unhappy at the Nou Camp. He has a brooding, often distant relationship with Ronaldinho, and he fell out with coach Frank Rijkaard after refusing to come on as a late substitute against Racing Santander. During the last few months Eto'o, the three-time African footballer of the year, has looked increasing unhappy at the Nou Camp. He has a brooding, often distant relationship with Ronaldinho, and he fell out with coach Frank Rijkaard after refusing to come on as a late substitute against Racing Santander. But despite regularly dropping hints that he'd like to play in England - in March he openly flirted with the idea of a move to Liverpool in FourFourTwo and the Daily Mirror - Eto'o now insist

Paolo Maldini is seeking a fifth European Cup tonight before the years finally catch him up. Column by Richard Williams At the back of the room, behind the row of television cameras, there is a small commotion as a door opens. Il capitano, someone says. And as Paolo Maldini walks in, the smiling master of all the surveys and the very embodiment of la bella figura, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that he may be the only footballer currently active whose entrance can provoke the instinctive urge to rise to one's feet. A month away from his 39th birthday, Maldini is the living symbol of a club he joined when he was 10 years old. Now Milan's leader on the pitch is looking forward to his eighth European Cup final, a run which began in 1989, when he was still a teenager. He has been a winner on four occasions and a loser on three. "I don't intend to equalise the score in Athens," he says. Over the last three weeks he has been undergoing daily treatment for the long-

By: James Ducker Premiership defenders received the news that none of them will have wanted to hear yesterday: Kaká wants to play in England. But not before the AC Milan playmaker has tried to persuade Cristiano Ronaldo to join the Italian giants. Manchester United’s Champions League semi-final against Milan had been billed as a battle between the world’s two best players, but while Kaká won that contest hands down as he inspired the Serie A team to a 5-3 aggregate victory, the Brazilian is keen to play in the same team as the United and Portugal winger. “He should transfer to Milan, then we could play together,” Kaká said yesterday. “You never know.” Seemingly more likely, however, is the prospect of Kaká playing in the Barclays Premiership, although to judge from his performances — and three goals — over the two legs against United, that spells bad news for defenders. “I love the competition, the challenge. There are many big teams,” he said. “Three English teams made the last four o

Argentina international Carlos Tevez has hinted that he could stay with West Ham United next season and says he has been delighted with the support he has received from the club's fans. Tevez and his compatriot Javier Mascherano moved to Upton Park in a controversial deal last August that prompted a Premier League investigation because of their association with the MSI group. Although the Hammers were last week found to have been guilty of irregularities surrounding the transfers, they avoided a points deduction. Tevez has played a key role in the team's recent good form which has lifted hopes that Alan Curbishley's side could still avoid the drop. "There is a possibility I could stay," he told the club's official website. "It is a case of sitting down with the directors of West Ham to sort out a few things, but certainly there is a chance I could stay with the club. "The fine and everything surrounding my transfer is something for West Ham and the l

MADRID, Spain -- David Beckham's return to form has taken a new twist -- a bad twist of his right knee. The Los Angeles Galaxy-bound midfielder will be sidelined for about a month after hurting a knee ligament during a Spanish League game last weekend, an injury that eliminated his chance of being recalled to England's national team for upcoming European Championship qualifiers. The 31-year-old hurt his right knee during Real Madrid's 1-1 tie with Getafe on Sunday when his momentum following a cross took him into an advertising sign behind the goal. He limped off the field, and a scan Monday revealed the injured ligament. "Obviously, we hope it's not a serious injury so he can get back to helping Real Madrid challenge for the title," Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas said. "We do not expect this injury to affect his arrival in Los Angeles or his debut with the Galaxy."' Beckham missed three games in November due to an injured left knee, which he

LONDON (AFP) - Didier Drogba is in the form of his life but the Chelsea striker would be happy not to score another goal if it means his side can win the Champions League. Drogba is on the verge of becoming the first player to score 30 goals for Chelsea in a single season since Kerry Dixon in 1985. The Ivory Coast forward has already bagged 29 goals so far this term and could emulate Dixon's achievement against Porto in the Champions League second round, second leg on Tuesday. But he would gladly swap a place in the record books for the chance to get his hands on a Champions League winners' medal in Athens in May. Drogba said: "I know how big Dixon was for Chelsea. It would be something great for me to reach his record, but there is no interest for me to score if we don't win. "It would mean nothing special if we don't win this competition. "I want my team to win and everybody to be happy. Even if I don't score until the end of the season it is not a

Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko is furious at reports that he has become an unsettling influence at the club. The 30-year-old striker is seen as the cause of a conflict between manager Jose Mourinho and the club's hierarchy. He has been accused of being the dressing-room 'spy' of owner and friend Roman Abramovich but has strongly denied the accusations. "I am being made a scapegoat for things that have nothing to do with me," Shevchenko told The Times. He added: "My contract runs for four years. I am here now and I am staying here. I am continuing to work to fit inside the team. "I have been attacked from all sides but I intend to carry on. I will grit my teeth. I am not a quitter I just want to be kept out of the politics." It is no secret that Abramovich wanted Shevchenko and the Ukraine star moved to Chelsea in a £30m summer deal from AC Milan. But he has struggled to fit into Mourinho's plans and reports suggest that new striking arrivals

Alessandro Del Piero will make his 500th appearance for Juventus when the Serie B leaders host Bari this weekend. The 32-year-old striker, a World Cup winner with Italy last year, is in his 14th season with the Turin club and was one of the few stars to stick by them when they were relegated from Serie A last summer for match-fixing. Former Italy coach Marcello Lippi, who stood down after the Azzurri triumphed in Germany, heaped praise on Del Piero for his contribution to Italian football. "Del Piero is exceptional," Lippi said. "Few players have reached 500 appearances for Juventus, let alone score 203 goals. "When anyone thinks of Juve, they think of Del Piero. He is one of the few real symbols of Italian football; he is a leader and has an immensely tough character, he demonstrated that at the World Cup. "He stayed with Juventus after they were relegated and is a shining example to the rest of the squad." Source: AFP