ALL FIXTURES TODAY

UEFA Champions
League
8:45 PM - Chelsea vs
Shakhtar Donetsk
8:45 PM - Juventus vs
FC Nordsjælland
8:45 PM - Bayern Munich
vs Lille
8:45 PM - Valencia vs
BATE Borisov
8:45 PM - Benfica vs
Spartak Moscow
8:45 PM - Celtic vs
Barcelona
8:45 PM - Braga vs
Manchester United
8:45 PM - CFR Cluj-
Napoca vs Galatasaray

English League One
8:45 PM - Hartlepool
United vs Tranmere
Rovers
8:45 PM - Milton Keynes
Dons vs Leyton Orient

English League Two
8:45 PM - Plymouth
Argyle vs Burton Albion

Scottish Premier
League
8:45 PM - Motherwell vs
Dundee United

French Ligue 1
Postponed - Sochaux P-
P Evian Thonon Gaillard
French Coupe de la
Ligue
8:00 PM - Bastia vs AJ
Auxerre

Major League Soccer
11/08 2:00 AM - New
York Red Bulls vs DC
United
11/08 3:00 AM - Kansas
City vs Houston
11/08 5:00 AM - San
Jose vs Los Angeles

Mexican Liga MX
11/08 3:30 AM -
Monterrey vs Toluca
Primera Profesional
de Perú
5:00 PM - Club Sportivo
Cienciano vs Sporting
Cristal
6:00 PM - Sport
Huancayo vs San Martin
11/08 1:00 AM - Alianza
Lima vs Melgar FBC
Primera A de
Ecuador
11/08 12:00 AM - El
Nacional vs Deportivo
Quito
11/08 1:00 AM - Manta
F.C. vs Emelec
11/08 1:30 AM -
Barcelona vs Liga de Loja

Japanese J League
11:00 AM - Kashiwa
Reysol vs Gamba Osaka
11:00 AM - Kawasaki
Frontale vs Urawa Red
Diamonds
11:00 AM - Nagoya
Grampus Eight vs FC
Tokyo
11:00 AM - Omiya Ardija
vs Kashima Antlers
11:00 AM - Sagan Tosu
vs Jubilo Iwata
11:00 AM - Sanfrecce
Hiroshima vs Consadole
Sapporo
11:00 AM - Shimizu S-
Pulse vs Albirex Niigata
11:00 AM - Vegalta
Sendai vs Cerezo Osaka
11:00 AM - Vissel Kobe
vs Yokohama F. Marinos

South African Premiership
6:30 PM - Amazulu vs
Pretoria Univ
6:30 PM - Black
Leopards vs Silver
Stars
6:30 PM - Free State
Stars vs Ajax Cape
Town
6:30 PM - Mamelodi
Sundowns vs Orlando
Pirates
6:30 PM - Maritzburg Utd
vs Bloem Celtic

Primera División de
Costa Rica
11/08 2:00 AM -
Puntarenas vs Club
Sport Uruguay
11/08 2:00 AM - Santos
vs Limon
11/08 3:00 AM -
Alajuelense vs Carmelita
11/08 3:00 AM -
Cartagines vs Herediano
11/08 3:00 AM - San
Carlos vs Perez Zeledon
Liga Nacional de
Guatemala
8:30 PM - Municipal vs
Penarol
11/08 Postponed -
Marquense P-P
Malacateco
11/08 4:00 AM - Petapa
vs Juventud Escuintleca
Primera División de
Honduras
11/08 2:00 AM - Olimpia
vs C.D.Real Sociedad
11/08 2:30 AM - Atletico
Choloma vs Platense
11/08 2:30 AM -
Marathon vs Vida
Copa Sudamericana
11/08 12:50 AM - São
Paulo vs Universidad de
Chile

Let's show why we're champions : Di matteo

Chelsea manager
Roberto Di Matteo has
challenged his under-
pressure team to justify
their status as
European champions as
they prepare for what
he describes as a 'must
win' game against
Shakhtar Donetsk on
Wednesday night.
Chelsea's 2-1 defeat
against Shakhtar two
weeks ago leaves them
precariously placed in
Group E and Di Matteo
has warned his team
that nothing less than
three points will suffice
in their re-match with
the Ukrainian champions
at Stamford Bridge.
"This game is about our
status as European
champions and we need
to play the perfect game
to win," Di Matteo said.
"We need to play a very
good game and be at
our best, but we have a
strong record at home
and have to work with
that.
"We'll have to show that
in this game and put
Shakhtar under
pressure. Every
individual player going
on the pitch has to
perform at the highest
of their ability because
we have to win this
game. The problem for
us in Donetsk was
conceding the early goal.
That allowed them to
play on the counter-
attack rather than
breaking us down so it's
important we start well
and get the crowd
behind us and draw
confidence from a good
start.
"We had games last
season in the Champions
League that were also
'must win' matches. This
is another like that.
Fortunately we have
players with the
experience who have
been through that
before.What helps is the
strong winning mentality
that these players have
and also the experience
of playing and
performing in big games
like this. When we are at
our best, we are a very
strong team and
everyone is fired up for
this game."
Di Matteo has confirmed
that he will head into the
Shakhtar game without
injured veterans Ashley
Cole and Frank Lampard,
but skipper John Terry
will return to action after
a spell on the sidelines
following his suspension
for domestic matches.
"Ashley won't be
available for tomorrow
because he has a
problem with his
hamstring," Di Matteo
said. "He shouldn't be
too long out but the
game tomorrow is too
soon for him.
"It's a real shame
because he's got all the
experience you need in
games like this so it is a
real blow for us. On the
other hand JT is
available again for us. In
these games over a
long season you have
to take into
consideration that you
might have a few
injuries."
Meanwhile Di Matteo
insisted he is
unconcerned about the
rumours that have
started to circulate
linking former Barcelona
boss Pep Guardiola with
his position at Chelsea.
"I am used to these kind
of rumours," he added.
"It's been there from
day one, so it doesn't
affect me too much. I
have my own destiny in
my hands and the club
and the owner are
behind me."
The Chelsea boss
confirmed Ryan Bertrand
will start in place of Cole
against Shakhtar, while
he was hopeful that both
David Luiz and Juan
Mata will shake off minor injury knocks to take their position in
starting eleven.

Source :soccernet

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Dzeko: I don't want to be super-sub

Edin Dzeko insists that
he does not want to be
known as Manchester
City's super-sub but is
aiming to become first-
choice for Roberto
Mancini.
- Blog: When 10 look
like 11
Dzeko was introduced
with 11 minutes
remaining against West
Brom and netted a brace
to ensure that ten-man
City came away with an
unlikely 2-1 win.
The Bosnia international
is City's leading scorer
with six goals this
season but four of
those goals have come
from the bench and he
revealed that, while he
is happy to do his job
for the team, he does
not want to be a
substitute.
"The manager (Roberto
Mancini) is there to pick
the team and I'm there
when the team needs
me," he said. "But I was
never a super-sub
even before I came to
Manchester City.
"I always used to play
from the beginning (for
Wolfsburg) and I scored
a lot of goals - not as a
sub. In the last few
games the situation has
been like this and I'm
just happy to be scoring
goals. But I will never be
a super-sub, I want to
play.''
First- team coach David
Platt confirmed Dzeko's
match-changing
contribution had put him
in contention to start
Wednesday's Champions
League encounter with
Ajax.
"Edin won't have that
tag (super-sub) either
because he will get his
starts like every other
player will get their
starts," Platt said.
"We've got 24 players,
four of them are on the
treatment table, so we
had a squad of 20 to
pick from.
"Edin came on and got
his two goals and has
put himself firmly in the
manager's thoughts for
Wednesday night
(against Ajax). But we
will pick a team on what
we think is right for
Ajax and the one after
that.''
Platt added that he was
pleased with the
reaction of Dzeko to not
starting the game.
He said: "Edin has been
in superb form, not just
goalscoring wise, and
towards the end of last
season he was coming
off the bench and doing
well. But when he has
started he has done
very well, as well. He is
a top, top player.
"People should be
disappointed when they
are not in the team but
the reaction you want
when they come on is
that they fight for their
team and they have all
done well.''
Information from the
Press Association was
used in this report
source : soccernet

Terry to continue as captain

Chelsea chairman Bruce
Buck has confirmed in an interview with talkSPORT that John Terry will
continue as club captain but has been subjected
to "strong disciplinary
action".
- Di Matteo silent over
captaincy decision
- Terry urged to take
anti-racism role
Terry this week
announced that he would
not appeal after the
Football Association
suspended him for four
games and issued him
with a £220,000 fine for
racially abusing Queens
Park Rangers defender
Anton Ferdinand in
October last year.
Chelsea announced that
they would take internal
action against Terry,
but Blues boss Roberto
Di Matteo pointedly
refused to answer
questions over the
player's captaincy
during a press
conference on Friday,
insisting the decision
would only be revealed
in the build-up to
Tuesday's Champions
League game against
Shakhtar Donetsk.
However, Buck has now
confirmed that Terry will
continue as club captain,
although he will be hit
with "by far" the biggest
fine the club has ever
handed to a player. The
Times believes it to be
around £330,000.
Buck said on talkSPORT:
"John will continue to be
captain of the club. We
have taken disciplinary
action and we think it is
firm disciplinary action
and appropriate for the
circumstances."
Buck said Chelsea had
taken into consideration
the fact that a court had
found Terry not guilty of
the charge earlier this
year as it was unable to
prove the words were
said in an insulting
manner beyond
reasonable doubt.
Of the FA's decision,
which was made on the
balance of probabilities,
Buck added: "We
certainly respect that
decision. We've kept
these factors in mind,
we've consulted with the
owner Mr Abramovich.
This is not a decision
we've taken lightly. It's
not a decision we took in
a half-hour meeting. We
discussed it over a long
period of time and we
think we've taken
appropriate disciplinary
action."
Buck said Chelsea would
not be adding to Terry's
suspension and hoped
that there could now be
some sense of closure
over the matter.
He added: "We would
like to draw a line under
this but, by drawing a
line under it, it does not
mean we want to forget
it. We know the
Ferdinand family will
remember it, we know
John Terry will
remember it, we know
the media will remember
it and we will remember
it too."
Information from the
Press Association was
used in this report

source : soccernet.com

Diouf : Gerrard is egostitical

Leeds striker El-Hadji
Diouf has hit out at
former Liverpool team-
mate Steven Gerrard,
labelling him
"egotistical''.
Diouf, 31, played alongside Gerrard, 32,
for three seasons
before departing for
Bolton Wanderers in
2005.
And the Liverpool
captain did not take a
liking to the Senegal
international, criticising
his attitude and work
rate in his 2007 autobiography.
"I wasn't Diouf's number one fan," Gerrard wrote.
"Being around Melwood
and Anfield I knew which players were hungry, which players had
Liverpool at heart. Diouf was just interested in himself.
"His attitude was all
wrong. I felt he wasn't
really a***d about
putting his body on the
line to get Liverpool
back at the top.''
However, Diouf has now hit back at Gerrard five years down the line,
claiming that the England international has his own detractors at the
club.
"What he said is only of
interest to him," he told
L'Equipe. "All I was
worried about was the
Senegal team, I took
them to the World Cup
quarter-finals in 2002.
"I was in Pele's 100
players of the century.
Not him.
"I respect him as a
footballer, but there is
nobody more egotistical
than him.
"He does not care about
others. I spoke to the
major figures at
Liverpool and nobody
can stand him. And I am not talking about (Jamie) Carragher.''
Diouf's career in
England, that has seen
him move along to
Sunderland, Blackburn,
Rangers, Doncaster and
now Leeds, has been
plagued by controversy.
He was embroiled in a
series of spitting
controversies while at
both Liverpool and
Bolton, while his time
with Blackburn saw him
accused of taunting
Queens Park Rangers'
Jamie Mackie as he lay
on the ground with a
broken leg.
The latter incident saw
then QPR boss Neil
Warnock, now Diouf's
manager at Elland Road,
infamously compare the player to a rat.
Yet Diouf feels he has
been treated unfairly
during his time in
England and has
defended himself against the 'bad-boy' image he has been given.
"I have done things but
others have done
worse. I am an easy
target, people talk about me no matter what," Diouf said. "Okay, I have
hurt people and I regret
that. But I have never
been to prison, I have
never injured anyone
on the pitch.
"After people gave me
the 'bad-boy' image, I
had to deal with it. Bad
boy? It makes me laugh.
It doesn't bother me. I
prefer that people talk
about me, whether good
or bad. I leave my mark
wherever I go.''
Information from the
Press Association was
used in this report.

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Mourinho: Sahin will cost Liverpool

Real Madrid boss Jose
Mourinho insists on-loan
midfielder Nuri Sahin will
cost Liverpool heavily if
the Reds want to make
his deal a permanent
one.
- Blog: Rodgers faces
executioners
Sahin made just four
appearances at his time
in Madrid before
Liverpool signed the
Turkey international on
a season-long loan.
However, Mourinho
maintains Sahin will not
move to Anfield cheaply.
"Sahin? He is still at
Real, he is on loan to
Liverpool, and we did
not spend a euro for
him. He is young and is
evolving in a
championship that will
help him to grow. And, if
we want to sell
tomorrow, we sell very
well," Mourinho told
France Football.
Mourinho says all
players should be sold
for a profit, including
Sahin, who moved from
Borussia Dortmund for
£7.8 million in 2011 He
cited Didier Drogba as
another example,
describing the striker as
"the greatest player in
the history of Chelsea".
"Everyone makes
mistakes [in recruitment]
. Look at the greatest
player in the history of
Chelsea, Drogba, it was
me who signed him. In
England, no one knew
who he was.
"Another example,
Tiago. It was not a great
move for Chelsea, but
sold him for more than
we bought him for from
Benfica. Do not forget
the economic aspect is
important.
"You can have sporting
success and a good
shot economically. And
sometimes we are wrong
about everything. It
happens."

We cannot afford to drop anymore points : Mourinho

Jose Mourinho says Real Madrid cannot afford to give away any more
points, after four from a possible 12 in the opening four games of the
season contributed to the club's worst start inover a decade.
Los Blancos will hope they have turned a corner after tasting victory
in their last two outings - a 2-0 victory at Rayo Vallecano and a3-2
comeback win against Man City at the Santiago Bernabeu.
"We've given everything we had to give away," the coach told Maisfutebol .
Madrid's next game comes in the form of a home clash with Deportivo La
Coruna on Sunday, a team nicknamed 'the Portuguese' for their large
Seleccao representation.
"Why [are they called the Portuguese]? Are there many [Portuguese
players] or do the Portuguese like Depor?," asked Mourinho, who also
said he would "love" to see Evaldo Fabiano on Sunday, having worked
with the left-back at Porto.
"We have to win. We have to find a way to get back-to-back victories
and not just [one] isolated win, and that includes beating Deportivo,
having done the same with Manchester City and Rayo Vallecano."
And when quizzed about Barcelona's Champions League tie with Benfica
on Tuesday, Mourinho replied: "Jorge Jesus knows how to build a team
capable of creating difficulties to Barcelona."
Related News
September 28, 2012
Mourinho: John Terry is not a racist
Mourinho praises Kaka after Millonarios win
Di Maria puts personal success down to Mourinho
Ramon Calderon launches scathing attack on Jose Mourinho and Florentino Perez.

Source: goal.com

We cannot afford to drop anymore points : Mourinho

Jose Mourinho says Real Madrid cannot afford to give away any more
points, after four from a possible 12 in the opening four games of the
season contributed to the club's worst start inover a decade.
Los Blancos will hope they have turned a corner after tasting victory
in their last two outings - a 2-0 victory at Rayo Vallecano and a3-2
comeback win against Man City at the Santiago Bernabeu.
"We've given everything we had to give away," the coach told Maisfutebol .
Madrid's next game comes in the form of a home clash with Deportivo La
Coruna on Sunday, a team nicknamed 'the Portuguese' for their large
Seleccao representation.
"Why [are they called the Portuguese]? Are there many [Portuguese
players] or do the Portuguese like Depor?," asked Mourinho, who also
said he would "love" to see Evaldo Fabiano on Sunday, having worked
with the left-back at Porto.
"We have to win. We have to find a way to get back-to-back victories
and not just [one] isolated win, and that includes beating Deportivo,
having done the same with Manchester City and Rayo Vallecano."
And when quizzed about Barcelona's Champions League tie with Benfica
on Tuesday, Mourinho replied: "Jorge Jesus knows how to build a team
capable of creating difficulties to Barcelona."
Related News
September 28, 2012
Mourinho: John Terry is not a racist
Mourinho praises Kaka after Millonarios win
Di Maria puts personal success down to Mourinho
Ramon Calderon launches scathing attack on Jose Mourinho and Florentino Perez

Italy to play France in November

Italy are set to revive their long-standing rivalry with France by
hosting a friendly match between the two nations at the Ennio Tardini
on November 14.
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) published details of the
fixture on its website on Friday, after its president Giancarlo Abete
had announced the news at the end of a Federal Council meeting.
The match is the first to be scheduled at Parma's home stadium since a
friendly againstLuxembourg was postponed after May's earthquake in the
Emilia-Romagna region.
The governing body also announced that Italy will play one of its last
two World Cup qualifiers in Naples, meaning the national team will
take on either the Czech Republic or Armenia at the San Paolo.
Italy and France have enjoyed a strong rivalry for a number of years,
although this has perhaps been intensified by matches in recenttimes
such as the 2006 World Cup final, when Zinedine Zidane was famously
sent off for head-butting Marco Materazzi.

Source : goal.com

Barcelona not yet 100 per cent : vilanova

Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova has insisted that his players are yet to
perform to the best of their abilities thisseason.
The Catalan giants currently lie two points clear at the top of La
Liga and eight points ahead of fierce rivals Real Madrid, while they
opened their Champions League campaign with a victory over Spartak
Moscow.
"There have been games where we have beenat a high level and others
that our start has cost us in," the 42-year-old told reporters.
"As we go through the season we will be looking to develop a further
rhythm. We are currently not playing at 100 per cent.
"But I do think we are physically stronger thanwe have been in the
past, because these are virtually the same players."
The next opponents looking to end Barca's perfect start will be
Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, and Vilanova is adamant that the
fixture will represent a stern challenge for his team, particularly
with five defenders currently absent through injury.
"It always affects you when numbers are this low, but for a club like
this, with so many games, we are used to it," he added. "Some will
recover for Lisbon and others for the Clasico, but we will have to
wait.
"When the injuries are concentrated on a certain position in the field
then it does further complicate matters, but I saw [Alex] Song do very
well the other day at centre-back."
"All games are tough but it is true that the Pizjuan is not an easy
ground to go to. I spentthe worst 15 minutes of my life there [with
Barcelona in 2009-10].
"We were 3-0 up, then it was 3-2 and they could have drawn against us
even though they had 10 men. Sevilla are in great shape, they have
conceded the fewest goals in the league [alongside Malaga with two]
and it will not be easy."
Vilanova also spoke about Lionel Messi's clash with David Villa last
week, and was keen to declare the matter closed.
"Villa-Messi? This is a part of football. Nothing happened that was
not normal," the Catalan trainer concluded.

Bishops 'outraged' by Neymar

The Brazilian National Bishops Confederation (CNBB) has
criticisedPlacar magazine for bearing a photograph of Neymar being
crucified in the same way as Jesus Christ.
Placar, which has become one of the most successful sports
publications in Brazil since itsinception in 1970, were using the
picture as a metaphor to highlight the criticism the star had been
coming under for supposedly diving too often.
In a letter, signed by CNBB president Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno
Assis and general secretary Dom Leonardo Ulrich Steiner and posted on
the organisation's website, the publication came under fire for
"showing disdain towards people's feelings".
"The Brazilian National Bishops Confederation states that it feels
severely outraged with the [photo] montage that is is the cover of a
sports magazine, where the image of Jesus Christ is seen with the face
of a football player," read the statement.
"We acknowledge freedom of speech as a fundamental principle of our
state and [see it as necessary for] democratic co-existence, however,
there are known limits for such.
"To ridiculise faith and show disdain towards peoples' religious
feelings by using the disrespectful use of the image of Jesus suggests
manipulation and use of editorial resources as a means for commercial
ends.
"The magazine has shown itself as being insensitive to the recent
context of deplorable violence caused by the inadequate use of
religious images and, with that, has made a bad contribution towards a
consolidation of respectful co-existence between different beliefs.
"This [photo] montage uses the image of Jesusin an explicit manner,
even if the magazine director denied this evident fact.
"This is a clear lack of respect that offends the most sacred image
for Christians and updates, in a hazardous manner, the well-known
resource of gaining attention by provocation."
An online petition has now been launched against Placar's use of the
image of Neymar as Jesus Christ, which has gained over 7,000
signatures since its manifestation.
Source: goal.com

ManChester united vs wigan match report

Manchester United comfortably beat Wigan Athletic 4-0 in a pulsating
Premier League clash at Old Trafford.
Chicharito had a fourth minute penalty saved by Ali Al-Habsi after he
was adjudged to have brought down Danny Welbeck but a Paul Scholes
close-range effort, a goal from the Mexican and debut finishes from
Alexander Buttner and Nick Powell, all in the second-half,were the
difference.
It was a day of landmarks for three of Sir AlexFerguson's men as Ryan
Giggs made a record600th Premier League appearance, whilst Scholes and
Rio Ferdinand played their 700th and 400th matches for the club.
Looked by no means out of his depth on his Old Trafford debut. The
Dutchman was always a willing runner to provide an outlet on the left
but never ignored his defensive duties, and made one crucial block on
Di Santo in the first half. In the second half, he fired across goal
to allow Chicharito to poke home before bustling his way past three
defenders to open his own account. Only a booking for a late lunge on
Boyce tarnished afine debut.
Robin van Persie and Shinji Kagawa started on the bench as they were
nursing knocks picked up on international duty and there was a debut
for left-back Buttner.
Roberto Martinez stuck with the same starting line-up and substitutes
who drew 2-2 with Stoke last time out after intitially sweating on
Jean Beausejour's fitness.
United should have been 1-0 up inside the first five minutes when the
on-rushing Welbeck was clipped by Al-Habsi in the area. Replays
suggested it was a harsh decision and the goalkeeper did well to save
Chicharito's weak effort.
The visitors held their own the first half but it was Welbeck who was
causing problems up front for the hosts.
He had four chances in the opening 25 minutes. His first was a volley
which just wentwide and left Al-Habsi stranded, before a second effort
was blocked by Gary Caldwell.
From the resulting corner, Scholes and Welbeck had further volleys
blocked and the England international then headed over from a Carrick
centre.
Wigan nearly scored with a header of their own with an effort
sandwiched in between United's chances. Shaun Maloney whipped in a a
free-kick on the right and Ivan Ramis rosehighest but failed to keep
the ball down.
Emmerson Boyce almost capitalised on an advantage played by referee
Michael Oliver. Hewas caught from behind by Giggs but managed to
bounced back up and shoot just wide.
The second-half proved a step too far for Wigan as the floodgates opened.
Scholes finished just inside the six-yard area following a bout of
pinball in the box. The visitors just could not get the ball clear and
the landmark celebrating midfielder was on hand to rifle home past
Al-Habsi on 51 minutes.
Source : soccernet

FA apologises over Hillsborough disaster

The apology came soon after the Hillsborough Family Support Group called on English football's governing body to say sorry.

The FA gave the go-ahead for the 1989 FA Cup semi-final, at which 96 people died, to be staged at Sheffield Wednesday's ground despite the fact that it had no safety certificate and had been the scene of potentially dangerous crowd situations in previous years.

"We are deeply sorry this tragedy occurred at a stadium the FA selected. This fixture was played in the FA's own competition, and on behalf of the FA I offer a full and unreserved apology and express sincere condolences to all the families of those who lost their lives and to everyone connected with the city of Liverpool and Liverpool Football Club," Bernstein said.

"This should never have happened. Nobody should lose their lives when setting out to attend a football match, and it is a matter of extreme regret and sadness that it has taken so long for these findings to be published and the truth to be told."

Earlier on Thursday, the FA issued a statement in which it welcomed the publication of the Hillsborough Independent Panel's report on Britain's worst-ever sporting disaster, saying it "reiterates its deep and ongoing sadness at the dreadful events that unfolded on April 15, 1989".

But Support Group chairman Trevor Hicks said they should go further, following the example set by Sheffield Wednesday and issuing an apology. He told BBC Radio Five Live: "Yes they should - the ground didn't have a safety certificate.''

The FA commended the panel for its work in compiling the report, which revealed a devastating cover-up by police and emergency services and said the lives of some of the victims could and should have been saved.

The panel, chaired by the Right Reverend James Jones, the Bishop of Liverpool, assessed more than 400,000 pages of documents relating to the tragedy, which happened on the Leppings Lane terraces as the Reds played Nottingham Forest.

In a statement, the FA praised their "exhaustive and professional work" and said: "Having thoroughly reviewed yesterday's report in full, the Football Association would like to commend the Hillsborough Independent Panel.

"It is also important that the FA recognises the tireless commitment shown by so many, particularly the Hillsborough Family Support Group. We welcome the publication of the report.

"The FA reiterates its deep and ongoing sadness at the dreadful events that unfolded on 15 April 1989. The organisation's thoughts at this time remains with the families of all those who lost their lives in such terrible circumstances, as well as everyone connected with the city of Liverpool.

"For 23 years, the families have suffered unbearable pain, and we have profound sympathy for this."

The statement said the FA had "co-operated fully" with the panel throughout the compilation of the report, and had released documentation as requested.

After the report was released, Prime Minister David Cameron, in a statement to the House of Commons, apologised to the families of the victims for the injustice they had suffered and said the report showed that the police cover-up, aided and abetted by media coverage - most infamously in the Sun - had resulted in the "denigration of the deceased".

With the repercussions continuing, South Yorkshire Police is to reopen investigations into police conduct at the time and in the aftermath of the disaster. The force could refer itself to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Sir Norman Bettison, a South Yorkshire chief inspector in 1989, was at the match as a spectator and joined rescue attempts. He said the 1990 Taylor report "was right in saying that the disaster was caused, mainly, through a lack of police control".

But he added: "Fans' behaviour, to the extent that it was relevant at all, made the job of the police, in the crush outside the Leppings Lane turnstiles, harder than it needed to be. But it didn't cause the disaster."

He insisted he had "nothing to hide" after the report revealed that more than 160 police statements about Hillsborough had been changed, saying: "I never altered a statement nor asked for one to be altered."

On Wednesday, Cameron told MPs: "With the weight of the new evidence in this report, it is right for me today as Prime Minister to make a proper apology to the families of the 96 for all they have suffered over the past 23 years."

Cameron said the report was "black and white" in its findings that Liverpool supporters had been in no way to blame for what happened that day.

Relatives of those who died are to press for criminal actions to be launched. In 23 years, nobody has yet been held to account for the deaths at the Leppings Lane end, and Trevor Hicks, who lost two daughters in the disaster, said the families would take the necessary legal steps themselves if the state failed to act.

"We have two eminent lawyers - they will take the long-term look," Hicks told the BBC's Newsnight programme. "In David Cameron's statement, he said quite categorically that the state had let us down, so we will give the state the opportunity to put that right.

"But if it looks as though they're not going to do that, then we will do as we've done before and we'll take it out of their hands."

Kenny Dalglish, the Liverpool manager on the day of the disaster, said the report's findings "mean the dignified search for justice has been given a platform to build on".

He praised Labour MPs Andy Burnham and Seve Rotheram, whose pressure helped bring about the release of many of the documents scrutinised by the panel, and also praised Cameron for his statement.

The FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he hoped the report's findings meant those affected by Hillsborough could find peace, writing on his Twitter account: "I sincerely hope the findings and the apologies bring some peace to the still-grieving families and the people of Liverpool."

SOURCE:soccernet.com

PICS

Gago: Argentina rely too muchon Messi

Fernando Gago has warned his Argentina team-mates that they will need
to do more than just "pass the ball only" to Lionel Messi ahead of
their World Cup qualifier in Peru on Tuesday.
Gago said Argentina depends much on Messi, which had lead to some
below-par performances from the Albiceleste. He insists Argentina have
begun working on a new style of play to move away from focussing too
much on the Barcelona star.
"Having Lionel is a bonus,but Argentina cannot play the ball only to
Messi," said Gago. "We are building astyle of play from several sides
now."
Gago says the team must carry on their current form if they are to
reach the finals in Brazil.
"We are comfortable and we are getting results, but we cannot think
beyond Peru,then Uruguay," said Gago.
"The qualifiers are difficult,and our first hope is to reach the 2014
World Cup with a ticket in our hands, then we will see."