Kuiper to referee in uefa champ final

Björn Kuipers will take charge of the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid CF and Club Atlético de Madrid at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica in Lisbon on Saturday 24 May.

The 41-year-old Dutchman, who was awarded his FIFA badge in 2006, has overseen 68 matches in UEFA competition, including four in this season's UEFA Champions League and three in the UEFA Europa League. He also oversaw the 2011 UEFA Super Cup, and Chelsea FC's win against SL Benfica in last term's UEFA Europa League final at the Amsterdam ArenA. Kuipers becomes the fourth Dutch official to take the whistle for a European Cup final after Leo Horn (1957, 1962), Charles Corver (1978) and Dick Jol (2001).

In Lisbon, Kuipers will be assisted by fellow countrymen Sander van Roekel and Erwin Zeinstra. The fourth official will be Turkey's Cüneyt Çakır, and the two additional assistant referees, Pol van Boekel and Richard Liesveld, are also from the Netherlands. A Dutch reserve assistant referee – Angelo Boonman – completes the lineup of the refereeing team.

Ukraine is close to war, the German foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has warned in interviews published in four European newspapers on Tuesday.

Dozens are feared to have died in clashes outside Slavyansk on Monday as Ukrainian troops clashed with pro-Russia separatists.

"The bloody pictures from Odessa have shown us that we are just a few steps away from a military confrontation," Steinmeier told El País, Le Monde, La Repubblica and Gazeta Wyborcza. He added that the conflict had taken on an intensity "that a short time ago we would not have considered possible".

The acting Ukrainian interior minister, Arsen Avakov, claimed that more than 30 pro-Russia separatists had been killed in fighting outside the key rebel town on Monday.

"We estimate that the terrorists lost more than 30 people," Avakov wrote on his Facebook page. The Guardian was unable to confirm the figure.

According to officials, four Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and at least 30 injured in clashes with separatists as the army attempted to regain control of eastern Ukraine. The fighting on the outskirts of Slavyansk, the base of the armed movement that has taken over a number of cities, was triggered when pro-Russia rebels reportedly ambushed Ukrainian forces.

The separatists reported deaths in the fighting but could not confirm the number of fatalities. A military helicopter was shot down although both pilots survived, according to the defence ministry.

On Tuesday morning, Donetsk airport was closed for departing and arriving flights because of a government order. Ukraine's government gave no information about the closure, and the airport spokeswoman said she had not received any information about how long the closure would last.

Its really funny how life turns around you. Friends become enemies enemies become friend.  ain't that funny?. This happened in the world of Floyd Mayweather I never thought 50 and Nelly would share a common foe, but it has happened. It seems that Floyd Mayweather has tossed a black cloud over 50 Cent and Nelly, whom he has issues with. Just some backdrop, Floyd’s ex-girlfriend Shantel now seems to be dating Nelly and 50 Cent recently commented jokingly on Floyd’s situation with her. And then at the pre-fight madness, Money May was asked some questions and he send some darts and some nameless rappers. But, you know who he’s talking about.

http://allhiphop.com/2014/05/05/hip-hop-rumors-floyd-mayweather-disses-50-cent-and-nelly/

Preparing for the Champions League  semi final match on tuesday, Madrid could afford to lose one of their star men for each of those matches as their counterattacking potency saw them through, but the second leg in the Allianz Arena is a special case. With both Ronaldo and Bale available, Ancelotti's decision whether to start one or both of them will dictate the style and mentality of his team in this match.
Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale told the press, "I feel good, I'm hoping to play and looking forward to it," ahead of his side's crucial semifinal second leg against Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich.
The news that the club's 100 million euro summer signing is raring to go will be a huge boost to coach Carlo Ancelotti as he looks to maintain the 1-0 lead his side picked up in the Santiago Bernabeu last week. However, it also presents him with a delicate dilemma as he ponders which permutation of the fabled BBC (Bale-Benzema-Cristiano) triumvirate to field against the German champions.
"It's possible to advance even if we don't score, but our intention is to do so. We have scored a lot in the Champions League and in La Liga and my intention is that we do so again in this one. In the majority of games we try to attack."
Ancelotti would be right to adopt a more aggressive style to keep their fate in their own hands. After a 3-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in their quarterfinal first leg, Madrid allowed the Germans to attack throughout the return fixture, and if it wasn't for BVB's sloppiness up front and some fine work from Iker Casillas, they could have been eliminated from the competition altogether. Ancelotti simply cannot bank on the Bundesliga champions being so wasteful in front of goal for a second match in a row, and certainly not following their 5-2 win over Werder Bremen at the weekend.


http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/174/uefa-champions-league/2014/04/29/4783732/carlos-conundrum-should-madrid-play-ronaldo-and-bale-in?ICID=HP_BN_4

As we already know, setting fire flares in the fan stands is common among the European soccer fans, but one fan in Poland was set aflame by a steward at a game between Slask Wroclaw and Zaglebie Lubin this weekend. In the away fan section, one fan with a flare was standing on top of a gate when a steward came over and sprayed him with tear gas, according to Eurosport, causing the gas to light into a fireball. this unfortunate fan was burn to ashes. Could it be that the fan did something wrong or went against the rule of the stands?. or could it be just a mere celebration that almost cost the life of a fan?. this question still stays on answered in the mind of so many Polish 


http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/04/soccer-fan-on-fire-poland

Mark Cuban says Donald Trump is a liar -- claiming there's NO WAY Trump could have personally witnessed his terrible golf game ... because he's NEVER played ... not once.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Trump blasted Cuban (and his golf game) after the Mavs owner said Donald couldn't afford to buy the Buffalo Bills by himself -- "I watched him play golf and he is a total non-athlete. Zero clubhead speed."

Now, Cuban is firing back ... telling us Trump's allegations are "funny because I never golf. Never. 1x in my entire life."

Cuban says he does have a membership to Dallas National -- "The nicest club in Dallas" -- but says he's literally never been there. 

Mark did give us a message to pass along Trump -- "Donald, I'm glad you got the chance to watch me golf. Where? If you want to know the real story about my golf game, call my club, Dallas National and see what they have to say ..." 

Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2014/04/08/mark-cuban-donald-trump-liar-golf-buffalo-bills/#ixzz2yJDsilfv

UConn point guard Shabazz Napier was the unquestioned leader of a team that made NCAA tournament history Monday. And moments after Connecticut beat Kentucky 60-54 to capture the program's fourth national championship, Napier made it clear what provided him and his teammates the motivation necessary to become the first No. 7 seed win it all. When asked by CBS Sports' Jim Nantz to describe his emotions, Napier responded, "Honestly. I want to get everyone's attention. Ladies and gentlemen, you're looking at the hungry Huskies," the tourney's Most Outstanding Player said as confetti rained down at AT&T Stadium. "This is what happens when you ban us. Last year, two years, we worked so hard for it, two years …" The microphone was then briefly cut off and the broadcast showed UConn fans celebrating. Nantz resumed the interview to tell Napier he'd been named MOP — but not before Napier called out the NCAA for keeping the program out of last year's Big Dance due to low test scores.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/yahoo-sports-minute/shabazz-napier-slams-ncaa-uconn-wins-national-championship-073627136.html