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Neymar has the potential to be better than Messi, insists Pele

Brazil legend Pele believes new Barcelona signing Neymar has the potential to develop into a better player than Lionel Messi.

The former Santos star completed his €57 million move to the Liga giants on Monday, when he was presented to around 56,000 fans at Camp Nou.

Speaking at his unveiling, Neymar revealed how he was looking forward to helping Messi "continue being the best player in the world" although Pele is adamant that the Brazil forward has all the attributes to potentially surpass his Argentine team-mate.

"Neymar has really gone up the last two years," he told Goal. "He can use both feet well and get up in the air.

"The difference that I try to explain to the people is that both are really good. I love Messi, I love the player. But to make the comparison, I think Neymar has the capabilities to play better than Messi... or maybe not.

"I'm not happy, because Santos lost a good player! But, seriously, I think it's good for him, because Neymar was no doubt the best player in Brazil and now he gets the experience to play abroad.

"Playing in Europe is a little different than playing in South America. Football in Europe is a little more tough, while South America is a little more laid back and technical."

Ahead of the 2014 World Cup being held in Brazil, Pele does not believe the hosts have what it takes to win the tournament, instead tipping Germany and Spain for success.

"I think Brazil have an excellent opportunity to do well," he told added. "To win [the World Cup] is very hard in football, but the team has the players.

"The team had almost three years with Mano Menezes. Now, they have one month with Felipe and [technical director Carlos Alberto] Parreira, they are excellent coaches."

"If you had to select now, one year before the World Cup, I think Germany would be a good surprise, they have a good team and good players, and Spain no doubt. Then Brazil."

win will do for the Eagles against the Harambee Stars

All the preparations, all the flying and all the withdrawals will not count when Referee Noumandiez Doue from Cote d’Ivoire blows the whistle to commence the World Cup qualifier between the Super Eagles and the Harambee Stars at the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani on Wednesday at 2pm.

All that will matter at the end is whether the African champions get the three points to continue to hold their own destiny in their hands as qualification for the 2014 World Cup enters the final bend. The first match against the Harambee Stars in April showed a Kenyan team that was ready to soak up all the pressure and hit on the break though their goal was a masterfully taken free-kick. They had other chances on the counter but did not take it and were punished by Nnamdi Oduamadi’s equaliser in the 93rd minute.

But on Wednesday, the Super Eagles shorn of Emmanuel Emenike and Victor Moses will attempt to do what they did in 2009 – beat the Harambee Stars in Kasarani. Emotions still run high from that match as it was alleged that the Eagles won by scoring two offside goals. So to Wednesday’s encounter – coach Stephen Keshi has bemoaned the flight and travel arrangements for his team and has said God is on his team’s side but that is all psychology. What he needs to tell his players is that they cannot afford to draw talk less of losing in Nairobi.

The Super Eagles have shown over the last two years under Keshi that they are a hard team to beat so that quality must come to the fore on Wednesday – make it very hard for the Kenyans to get into any rhythm and quieten the partisan crowd. At every point, the players should take their time in taking goal kicks, throw-ins and all set plays. The Kenyans will be in a rush to score and will play a very high tempo game in their high altitude, the Nigerians must slow it down at every opportunity.

But more significantly, at the end of the day, whether they play well or not – they need to get the desired result – and that is a win.

Will Harambee Stars reach the sky

Kenya will revive their 2014 World Cup hopes if they beat Nigeria in Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier at Moi Kasarani. Harambee Stars are currently at the bottom of Group F with just two points after picking two draws against Malawi and Nigeria.

Going into Wednesday’s fixture, the odds are seemingly stuck against the home team, who have never beaten the Super Eagles in 11 encounters so far between the two sides.

The situation is even more complicated for the Stars this time around with the team’s all-time highest scorer Dennis Oliech suspended for the fixture. The situation leaves coach Adel Amrouche with limited choices in front of goal yet the team needs goals.
In the absence of Oliech, Amrouche is likely to use Kepha Aswani upfront. Aswani is coming back into the team on the back of an outstanding performance for his Oman side Al Nasr for whom he scored seven goals in the just concluded season.
Home-ground advantage will play a key role in pushing the Stars to victory. The Super Eagles will be motivated by their past dominance against Kenya even on home soil and so far there is no reason to believe they cannot pick victory in Nairobi.
Nigeria have had good preparations for this match which included a two week training camp in Germany culminating in a 2-2 draw against Mexico last Friday in a friendly match.
Even in the absence of Chelsea star Victor Moses, the Super Eagles still have enough fire power upfront with Ideye Brown and John Obi Mikel controlling things in midfield.

Sunday Mba: We will get the desired result in Kenya

Sunday Mba is one of the players that Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi will be relying upon to get a win against the Harambee Stars Kenya tomorrow  at the Moi Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi. The undoubted hero from the last Africa Cup of Nations believes that though the team is shorn of some of its star players, the current squad will get the reslt needed against Kenya.

In the first leg in Calabar in April, Mba started but was replaced midway into the second half with the Eagles chasing an equaliser which Nnamdi Oduamadi got in added time to force the Harambee Stars to a 1-1 draw.

The Enugu Rangers midfielder played against Mexico in a friendly last Friday in which the Eagles were forced to a 2-2 draw.

“Last week, we showed character against Mexico in the 2-2 draw in Houston, Texas, and we believe we will also fly the flag high in Kenya, Namibia and also at the Confederations Cup.

“We have set a standard and Nigerians do not expect anything less,” Mba concluded.

Nigeria are ahead of Malawi on the Group F table courtesy of scoring more goals in the three matches played as both countries have five points.

Confusion in Kenya as Mikel lands ahead of Eagles

The Kenyan camp has become depressed that midfielder John Mikel Obi was on his way to Nairobi after missing the
friendly against Mexico in Texas at the weekend. They actually thought he was not coming for the game.
Chelsea FC of England ace Obi was instrumental to Nigeria’s 3-2 defeat of the Stars at the same venue on November 14, 2009 – a result that sent the Super Eagles to the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa.
The midfield lubricator flew into Nairobi aboard a British Airways flight on Monday evening, hours ahead of the rest of the delegation that was being expected from Frankfurt around 1.30am on Tuesday.

Mourinho is back again as Chelsea manager

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez claims Jose Mourinho will be confirmed as Chelsea's new manager on Monday. The 50-year-old took charge of his final game at the Bernabeu on Saturday as Real Madrid secured a 4-2 victory over Osasuna. Mourinho, who guided Chelsea to two Premier League titles during his first stint at Stamford Bridge, is now set to be appointed as Rafa Benitez's successor.


What is you stack in this ..?

Neymar's first day at Barcelona revealed

The Brazilian is set to join in a €28 million deal from Santos and will be unveiled to both the media and supporters at Camp Nou on Monday, June 3.

Following a photo session at midday at the Catalan club, Neymar will undergo medical tests at a nearby hospital before finally putting pen-to-paper on his five-year contract shortly before 17:00CET.

The 21-year-old will then take part in a second photo shoot in front of the club crest along with president Sandro Rosell, vice-president Josep M. Bartomeu and director of sport Andoni Zubizarreta.

Finally, doors will open to a presentation ceremony at Camp Nou for both fans and the media, prior to the player's first press conference as a Blaugrana player at 19:00CET. Around 50,000 supporters are expected to arrive for the event.

Neymar's transfer to Barcelona was agreed last week after the player opted against a move to Real Madrid or staying a further year in his homeland. He is currently in his native Brazil preparing for Sunday's friendly match against England at the Maracana.

Keshi: We lost concentration against Mexico

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi says his team had a decent outing despite drawing 2-2 against 10-man Mexico at the Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas early Saturday morning.

A brace from Chicharito was cancelled out by a Brown Ideye penalty and a Gerrado Torrado own goal off a deflected John Ogu shot.

Nigeria played almost half an hour with a man more after Barrera was sent off for a deliberate handball. But the Super Eagles could not make their number count as they were bettered technically by El Tri.

Nigeria played without midfielder John Obi Mikel who requested to be rested while injuries kept out Victor Moses, Kalu Uche and Emmanuel Emenike.

Keshi tested the trio of Ideye, Joseph Akpala and Nnamdi Oduamadi as the arrowhead of his 4-3-3 formation with John Ogu getting his first start in midfield alongside Sunday Mba and Ogenyi Onazi.

The back four from the Africa Cup of Nations remained in their position – Elderson Echiejile, Kenneth Omeruo, Godfrey Oboabona and Ambrose Efe while Austin Ejide kept goal before he made way for Vincent Enyeama in the second half.

Nigeria saw a raft of opportunities go wide even as they had to cope with the pace of the Mexicans who played with verve despite being a man short.

"I think the boys were not that bad, they just lost concentration," Keshi told media after the game.

"Mexico is a fantastic squad with top quality players."

With two important 2014 World Cup qualification matches coming up against Kenya and Namibia in the following weeks as well as the Confederations Cup in Brazil, Keshi says the more important task ahead is qualifying for Brazil 2014.

 "To represent Africa in the Confederations Cup is a good thing. But the Cup is not our biggest issue right now, we have upcoming qualifiers with Kenya and Namibia," Keshi said.

The Super Eagles will be in Nairobi next Wednesday to confront the Harambee Stars in a must-win encounter at Moi Kasarani Stadium.