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Portsmouth Manager Harry Redknapp (right) speaks to Assistant Manager Tony Adams during training in Portsmouth on May 13. Portsmouth play Cardiff for the FA Cup this weekend in their first major Wembley final for 69 years(AFP/File/Ian Kington)

Redknapp well prepared for final FA Cup hurdle

Fri May 16, 9:47 PM ET

LONDON (AFP) - Portsmouth play Cardiff for the FA Cup on Saturday in their first major Wembley final for 69 years. For Harry Redknapp, their 61-year-old manager, the wait has been almost as long.

  • Everton's Australian midfielder Tim Cahill (R) holds off Reading's French midfielder Kalifa Cisse during their English Premiership football match at Goodison Park, Liverpool, north-west England, February 2008. Cahill has said he expects to bounce back from foot surgery in time for the start of the next English Premier League season.(AFP/File/Paul Ellis)
    Everton's Cahill says surgery recovery on schedule Fri May 16, 5:58 AM ET

    SYDNEY (AFP) - Everton's Australian midfielder Tim Cahill on Friday said he expects to bounce back from foot surgery in time for the start of the next English Premier League season.

  • Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez (right) has moved to bolster Liverpool's local links by bringing homegrown former midfielder Sammy Lee back to the club as his assistant manager.(AFP/File/Andrew Yates)
    Lee back at Liverpool as Benitez bolsters local links Fri May 16, 8:55 AM ET

    LONDON (AFP) - Rafael Benitez has moved to bolster Liverpool's local links by bringing homegrown former midfielder Sammy Lee back to the club as his assistant manager.

  • Manchester City's Martin Petrov (L) and Vedran Corluka. City have been awarded a 'Fair Play' place in next season's UEFA Cup, the English Premier League announced.(AFP/File/Andrew Yates)
    Man City get fair play place in UEFA Cup Fri May 16, 8:26 AM ET

    LONDON (AFP) - Manchester City have been awarded a 'Fair Play' place in next season's UEFA Cup, the English Premier League announced on Friday.

  • Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo, seen here in January 2008, has dropped a potential bombshell on the club by telling Spanish television he could consider his future following the Champions League final on May 21(AFP/File/Paul Ellis)
    Ronaldo drops Spanish bombshell on Man Utd Fri May 16, 5:34 AM ET

    LONDON (AFP) - Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo has dropped a potential bombshell on the club by telling Spanish television he could consider his future following the Champions League final on May 21.

  • The UEFA Champions League trophy. Manchester United have postponed plans for a homecoming parade should they capture the Champions League trophy after violence flared in the city following the UEFA Cup final.(AFP/File/Jean-Pierre Clatot)
    Violence prompts United to call off 'victory' parade Fri May 16, 6:01 PM ET

    MANCHESTER, England (AFP) - Manchester United have postponed plans for a homecoming parade should they capture the Champions League trophy after violence flared in the city following the UEFA Cup final.

  • Bayern Munich's goalkeeper Oliver Kahn during the UEFA Cup semi-final on May 1 in St Petersburg. When the German season concludes on Saturday Oliver Kahn and Ottmar Hitzfeld will bow out(DDP/AFP/File/Oliver Lang)
    Bayern Munich ready to party as Kahn and Hitzfeld bow out Fri May 16, 10:18 PM ET

    BERLIN (AFP) - When the German season concludes on Saturday, Bayern Munich's stalwarts Oliver Kahn and Ottmar Hitzfeld will take their Bundesliga bows.

  • AS Roma's forward Mirko Vucinic (left) fights for the ball against Atalanta defender Leonardo Jose' Talamonti at Rome's Olympic stadium on May 11. Roma are relishing their unexpected opportunity to snatch the Serie A title from a faltering Inter Milan(AFP/File/Andreas Solaro)
    Make or break time for Italy's Serie A Inter and Roma Sat May 17, 12:00 AM ET

    ROME (AFP) - AS Roma are relishing their unexpected opportunity to snatch the Serie A title from a faltering Inter Milan.

  • Veteran Brazilian defender Cafu, seen here in 2007, said on Friday he was quitting Italian giants AC Milan after six years with the club.(AFP/File/Toshifumi Kitamura)
    Double World Cup winner Cafu quits Milan Fri May 16, 1:43 PM ET

    ROME (AFP) - Veteran Brazilian defender Cafu, a World Cup winner in 1994 and 2002, said on Friday he was quitting Italian giants AC Milan after six years with the club.

  • File photo shows Lyon's Jeremy Toulalan (left) and Kim Kallstrom at a UEFA football match in Glasgow. Lyon's big match nerves will be tested to the full when they play their final French league match of the season with a seventh successive title at stake(AFP/File/Andrew Yates)
    Lyon's big match nerves tested in French football finale Fri May 16, 10:39 PM ET

    PARIS (AFP) - Lyon's big match nerves will be tested to the full on Saturday as they play their final French league match of the season with a seventh successive title at stake.

  • Germany defender Philipp Lahm, seen here in April 2008, said Friday conversations with new coach Jurgen Klinsmann had persuaded him to extended his contract at Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich until 2012.(AFP/File/John Macdougall)
    Klinsmann chat persuades Lahm to stay at Bayern Fri May 16, 1:52 PM ET

    MUNICH, Germany (AFP) - Germany defender Philipp Lahm said Friday conversations with new coach Jurgen Klinsmann had persuaded him to extended his contract at Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich until 2012.

  • The EURO 2008 official mascots Trix (L) and Flix pose in Berlin, April 2008. European football's ruling body will investigate the sale of luxury VIP packages by Croatian travel agencies for the upcoming Euro 2008 tournament, a UEFA official has told a Croatian business daily.(AFP/DDP/File/Michael Gottschalk)
    UEFA to probe illegal sale of VIP Euro tickets Fri May 16, 7:02 AM ET

    ZAGREB (AFP) - European football's ruling body will investigate the sale of luxury VIP packages by Croatian travel agencies for the upcoming Euro 2008 tournament, a UEFA official told a Croatian business daily Friday.

  • French football legend Zinedine Zidane, seen here, will play an exhibition match in Sydney next month alongside a number of teammates from his 1998 World Cup winning side(AFP/File/Martin Bureau)
    French great Zidane to play Sydney exhibition soccer match Fri May 16, 3:36 AM ET

    SYDNEY (AFP) - French football legend Zinedine Zidane will play an exhibition match in Sydney next month alongside a number of teammates from his 1998 World Cup winning side, the promoter said Friday.

  • Barcelona's Brazilian midfielder Ronaldinho, seen here in February 2008, was again ignored by Brazil coach Dunga when the squad for the next round of 2010 World Cup qualifiers was announced on Thursday.(AFP/File/Andrew Yates)
    Ronaldinho out of Brazil World Cup qualifiers Thu May 15, 4:34 PM ET

    SAO PAULO (AFP) - Barcelona superstar Ronaldinho was again ignored by Brazil coach Dunga when the squad for the next round of 2010 World Cup qualifiers was announced on Thursday.

  • Glasgow Rangers supporters in the stands before the UEFA Cup final against Zenit 1on May 14, 2008. Eleven Rangers football fans were charged by British police Thursday after violence erupted following the UEFA Cup final, drawing condemnation from British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.(AFP/File/Paul Ellis)
    Eleven Rangers fans charged over UEFA Cup final violence Thu May 15, 2:08 PM ET

    LONDON (AFP) - Eleven Glasgow Rangers football fans were charged by British police Thursday after violence erupted following the UEFA Cup final, drawing condemnation from British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

  • Alex Ferguson holds the English Premier League trophy after Manchester United beat Wigan Athletic at The JJB Stadium in Wigan on May 11. Ferguson has brushed off Avram Grant's claims that biased refereeing helped Manchester United clinch the Premier League title at Chelsea's expense.(AFP/File/Paul Ellis)
    Ferguson fires back at Grant in refs row Thu May 15, 11:18 AM ET

    MANCHESTER (AFP) - Alex Ferguson has brushed off Avram Grant's claims that biased refereeing helped Manchester United clinch the Premier League title at Chelsea's expense.

  • Portuguese international midfielder Deco, seen here in April 2008, handed Spanish giants Barcelona another bombshell on Thursday by announcing he will not be with the club next season, Spanish media reported.(AFP/File/Lluis Gene)
    I'm quitting Barcelona, says Deco Thu May 15, 1:19 PM ET

    MADRID (AFP) - Portuguese international midfielder Deco handed Spanish giants Barcelona another bombshell on Thursday by announcing he will not be with the club next season, Spanish media reported.

  • Nine-time Russian champions Spartak Moscow moved into second place in the table ahead of the Euro 2008 break with a hard-fought 1-0 home win over Ramenskoye on Thursday.(Spartak Moscow)
    Spartak narrow gap in Russia Thu May 15, 3:09 PM ET

    MOSCOW (AFP) - Nine-time Russian champions Spartak Moscow moved into second place in the table ahead of the Euro 2008 break with a hard-fought 1-0 home win over Ramenskoye on Thursday.

  • Former Middlesbrough striker Dong-Gook Lee, seen here in late December 2007, in Portsmouth, Southern England. The South Korean player is talking to five Japanese teams after being released by the English Premier team(AFP/File/Glyn Kirk)
    Middlesbrough striker Lee talking to Japan clubs: agent Thu May 15, 9:10 AM ET

    SEOUL (AFP) - South Korean striker Lee Dong-Gook is talking to five Japanese teams including Kyoto Purple Sanga after being released by English Premier League side Middlesbrough this week, his agent said on Thursday.

  • Inter Milan's fans wave their flags during a match, February 2008. Inter Milan fans have been banned from travelling to Parma to watch their team's crucial title decider in a move designed at fairness in the Serie A battle with AS Roma.(AFP/Damien Meyer)
    Inter fans banned from Parma Thu May 15, 9:09 AM ET

    ROME (AFP) - Inter Milan fans have been banned from travelling to Parma to watch their team's crucial title decider in a move designed at fairness in the Serie A battle with AS Roma.

  • The EURO 2008 official mascots Trix (L) and Flix pose in Berlin, April 2008. The EU and UEFA have launched an information campaign and helpline to advise fans travelling to Euro 2008 on their consumer rights and to provide support for those who run into problems.(AFP/DDP/File/Michael Gottschalk)
    EU, UEFA set up consumer hotline for Euro 2008 fans Thu May 15, 9:53 AM ET

    BRUSSELS (AFP) - The EU and UEFA have launched an information campaign and helpline to advise fans travelling to Euro 2008 on their consumer rights and to provide support for those who run into problems.

  • German coach Joachim Loew, seen here in February 2008, will scale one of the country's highest mountains on Friday to announce his team for next month's European Championships.(AFP/File/Samuel Kubani)
    Decision day looms for Germany's Loew Thu May 15, 10:06 AM ET

    BERLIN (AFP) - As Germany bid to conquer Euro 2008, head coach Joachim Loew will scale one of the country's highest mountains on Friday to announce his team for next month's European Championships.

  • Wigan have released out-of-contract midfielders Josip Skoko, seen here in 2006, and Salomon Olembe(AFP/File/Andrew Yates)
    Wigan release Aussie Skoko and Cameroon's Olembe Thu May 15, 10:03 AM ET

    WIGAN, England (AFP) - Wigan have released out-of-contract midfielders Josip Skoko and Salomon Olembe, the English Premier League club announced on Thursday.

  • Manchester United's French defender Patrice Evra is seen in action during a team training session at the Carrington training complex in Manchester, north-west England, on April 28. Evra is desperate to pick up a Champions League winners medal in Moscow to erase four years of pain.(AFP/File/Andrew Yates)
    Man Utd's Evra targets remedy for four years of pain Fri May 16, 7:45 AM ET

    MANCHESTER, England (AFP) - Manchester United defender Patrice Evra is desperate to pick up a Champions League winners medal in Moscow to erase four years of pain.

  • Embattled Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, seen here in April 2008, will have to wait at least another week before finding out if he still has a job.(AFP/File/Andrew Yates)
    No decision on Eriksson for at least a week Thu May 15, 8:42 AM ET

    BANGKOK (AFP) - Embattled Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson will have to wait at least another week before finding out if he still has a job.

  • The managing director of J-League side Tokyo Verdy is trying to lure former Japan star Hidetoshi Nakata, seen here in 2006, out of retirement, with the club saying on Thursday he had spoken to the midfielder's agent.(AFP/File/Toshifumi Kitamura)
    Japanese club trying to lure Nakata out of retirement Thu May 15, 6:20 AM ET

    TOKYO (AFP) - The managing director of J-League side Tokyo Verdy is trying to lure former Japan star Hidetoshi Nakata out of retirement, with the club saying on Thursday he had spoken to the midfielder's agent.

  • Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand gestures during a Champions League match against Barcelona at the Nou Camp stadium in Barcelona in April 2008. Ferdinand has signed a new contract that will keep him at Old Trafford until 2013.(AFP/File/Lluis Gene)
    Captain' Ferdinand wins new deal at United Thu May 15, 6:12 AM ET

    LONDON (AFP) - Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has signed a new contract that will keep him at Old Trafford until 2013, the English champions announced Thursday.

  • Celtic supporters sing 'You'll never walk alone' during the Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk at Celtic Park in Glasgow, 2007. Former Celtic midfielder and manager Tommy Burns has died from skin cancer at the age of 51.(AFP/File/Paul Ellis)
    Tommy Burns loses cancer fight Thu May 15, 5:32 AM ET

    LONDON (AFP) - Former Celtic midfielder and manager Tommy Burns has died aged 51, the Scottish club confirmed Thursday. He had been suffering from skin cancer.

  • Benfica give up on Eriksson Thu May 15, 4:53 AM ET

    LISBON (AFP) - Portuguese giants Benfica said Thursday they have given up trying to lure Manchester City manager Sven Goran Eriksson to Lisbon.