Milan Beat Inter On Penalties To Lift The TIM Trophy

The Rossoneri started the game brightly with Kaka going close early on following his super run on goal before Julio Cesar was forced to smother the danger.

Inter then responded with Luis Figo playing a brilliant one-two with Jimenez before Abbiati pushed the drive out for a corner but the Nerazzurri failed to capitalise.

The game began to pick up pace midway through with both teams searching for a winner and it was new signing, Sulley Ali Muntari’s turn to test the Milan defence.

The Ghanaian unleashed a superb drive from distance which saw Abbiati make an equally impressive save to prevent Inter from going a goal to the good.

Kaka once again went on one of his trademark runs which left Esteban Cambiasso for dead. However it was another brilliant save from Cesar which denied him.

Neither side were then able to take the lead and the game was decided via a penalty shoot out.

Kaka stepped up first to send Toldo, who replaced Cesar, the wrong way before Adriano levelled for Inter by fooling Abbiati from 12 yards.

It was then down to Massimo Oddo but the stopper saw his tame effort saved by Toldo. Luis Figo also had his effort saved by Abbiati who gathered comfortably.

Jankulovski then restored Milan’s lead before Suazo hit home to level the scores.

Favalli and Jimenez both missed their efforts before Brocchi and Santon stuck theirs away comfortably.

Digao then restored Milan’s lead before Muntari missed his.

The 4-3 result means Milan win the Trofeo Tim with four points with Juve ending runners up also with four points but Milan had the better head to head record. Inter finish the tournament with just one point.

Barcelona Teach Fiorentina A Lesson

Barcelona came to Firenze with their eye on a third successive pre-season victory, and they duly got it after fine work in both halves against the Viola, who must improve ahead of their Champions League qualifier.

Guardiola's side lined up 4-4-2 against Prandelli's men, who had the likes of Felipe Melo in the side for invention.

The early stages were largely even, but ten minutes in the on-form Lionel Messi set up Xavi for an effort that Frey could only just palm clear.

Barcelona began to look stronger after that as they played a collective, energetic game, and after 28 minutes they took the lead.

Lionel Messi was again involved as his cross met Piqué, who in turn directed the ball onwards to Puyol. At the mouth of the goal, it was all the captain could do to hit the back of the net to make it 0-1.

Iniesta came off injured ten minutes before the break to dampen the spirits of the visitors, and they almost paid the price as Gilardino strode into the box, only for the AC Milan to waste his effort.

Overall Barcelona deserved their lead, and they were to double it just two minutes after the break. Young Jeffren, who had only recently come on for Iniesta, got on the end of Keita's fine pass to shoot across Frey and set the score at 0-2.

Substitutions followed for both sides but they appeared to pay off for Fiorentina first. Osvaldo played the bal to Pazzini on the edge of the box, and ask Valdés rushed out to meet the substitute he fired it under the 'keeper and thus halved the deficit.

But this glimmer of hope was not to last as young gun Bojan Krcić restored the two-goal advantage seconds later after a lovely team move involving three cantera products: Jeffren, Víctor Vázquez and Bojan himself.

That goal seemed testament to Pep Guardiola's good work with the youth, but one wonders if his side can keep it up once the competitive football starts. Based on showings like this, though, they will be hard to beat, while Fiorentina must do more to prepare themselves for Europe.

ACF Fiorentina 1-3 FC Barcelona
0-1 Puyol 29'
0-2 Jeffren 47'
1-2 Pazzini 69'
1-3 Bojan 72'

Fiorentina: Frey (Storari 71); Zauri (Gobbi 56), Gamberini (Da Costa 66), Kroldrup, Pasqual (Osvaldo 56); Santana, Kuzmanovic, Felipe Melo, Donadel (Waigo 56); Gilardino (Pazzini 56), Mutu (Jovetic 56).

Barcelona: Valdés; Alves (Víctor Sánchez 76), Piqué, Puyol (Cáceres 46), Abidal (Sylvinho 46); Xavi (Busquets 46), Keita (Gudjohnsen 61), Touré (Víctor Vázquez 61), Iniesta (Jeffren 39 (Marc Crosas 76)); Pedrito (Bojan 46), Messi (Hleb 67).

Messi Happy While Barça Stars Accept Decision

he 21-year-old flew from Italy to Paris and then on to Shanghai on Thursday morning after FIFA ordered the Catalan club to release him for international duty.

Controversy has surounded Messi's participation in the event with Barcelona insisting that they wanted hm to play in at least one leg of their Champions League qualifiers next month.

"I have always said I want to play for the national team and I want to thank the club for the way they have been with me," he told reporters after the game in Florence.

Club captain Xavi Hernández admitted that the Blaugrana were powerless once FIFA had insisted that all clubs release their Under-23 players.

"We want Messi to be here and Argentina want him there. He is a decisive player and we cannot do anything. FIFA is that one that decides," he told the club's official website.

Gerard Piqué agreed with his skipper and stated that the ruling was unfair,but that he understood Argentina's desire to have the exciting forward in their side.

"The players have to stay out of things, but from our point of view we think its unfair that Messi cannot play with us, but for them it is also important to have him. We have to accept the decision," he added.

Inter Milan Agree Ferrari Deal

The Nerazzurri had announced earlier this week that they would not be purchasing any more players this summer.

However, Marco Materazzi then picked up a thigh strain during the Trofeo Tim on Tuesday night that will keep him out of action for up to a month, plunging Inter into a defensive injury crisis.

With Christian Chivu, Walter Samuel and Ivan Cordoba all sidelined too, the Beneamata are at risk of going into the new season with just one fit centre back, in the form of Nicolas Burdisso.

As a result the club’s hierarchy have decided to go back into the market and over the last couple of days they have been heavily linked with signing Ferrari as a stop-gap replacement.

Ferrari is currently a free agent having left Roma at the end of his contract earlier this month. Tuttomercatoweb claims that Inter have come to an agreement to sign the 29-year-old, who will pen a three year contract, worth close to €2m a season.

Both parties agreed upon the terms today, and the transfer should become official by the end of this week. It all goes well, Ferrari will become Inter’s third transfer of the summer after Amantino Mancini and Sulley Muntari.

Silva To Barcelona Or Roma? All Lies! - Bronzetti

report in Marca claimed that Los Che are about to offload the midfielder to Roma in a €25m deal, in order to curb the club’s financial strains.

The Spanish daily has even quoted Juan Villalonga as saying that a deal with Roma was at “an advanced stage,” and that Silva is on the verge of signing for the Serie A side.

Controversial figure Villalonga would have been involved in any negotiations during his brief, 15 day spell in charge of the Mestalla's side's affairs.

However, Bronzetti has rubbished the reports and accused the Spanish media of lying.

“It’s a colossal lie because Silva will be moving to Barcelona, they are dealing for him,” Bronzetti told Sky Sport Italia.

“Baptista? He is one of the candidates to wear the Roma jersey but first Real Madrid need to sort out the Cristiano Ronaldo and Rafael Van der Vaart saga.

“Roma are likely to sign two players.”

The Giallorossi are finding it hard to sign players this summer and Silva seems out of the question following the agent’s latest rant. Luciano Spalletti is looking for a striker but he has yet to tempt one to the Olimpico.

Iaquinta Upbeat Ahead Of The Emirates Cup

The team arrived in London on Thursday afternoon and they began preparing for this weekend’s games.

Iaquinta has been in stunning form so far during the pre-season campaign and he cannot wait to get back onto the pitch.

“Last year was an unfortunate one. I suffered a few injuries and in the end it stopped me from going to the Euro’s,” Iaquinta told the club’s official website.

“However, now I have started off well. I am fine physically and mentally. We have some great games awaiting us against prestigious teams.

“Playing these teams in a Juve shirt makes me feel important, strong and more secure. We hope to do well.”

The Bianconeri will play both Arsenal and Hamburg during the tournament which also sees Real Madrid take part.

Inter were originally scheduled to play in the Emirates Cup but the club pulled out and Juve took their place.

Van Der Vaart To Miss Real Clash?

The Holland international has been heavily linked with the Bernabeu-based side all summer as an alternative to Cristiano Ronaldo.

Real will meet Hamburg during the Emirates Cup tournament this weekend but Van der Vaart may not be present.

Marca claims that negotiations for the player are currently in progress and this may make him ineligible to take on his potential future employers.

The Spanish side are also looking to use the “neutral” ground to help them wrap up a deal for the promising star.

Van der Vaart could find himself wearing the Los Blancos jersey as early as next week if the deal goes through.

However, Real may consider delaying their swoop for the Dutchman following Ronaldo’s bombshell on Thursday morning.

The Portuguese international revealed he will tell Manchester United that he wants to play for the La Liga champions and this may scupper the VDV move.