Argentina must abandon Barcelona plan

Photo: AP

If the Titanic had reached New York it would have been just another ship ride. The fascination lies in the failure. The thought kept running through my mind last Wednesday night as I watched Argentina ride their luck to hold Colombia to a 0-0 draw in the Copa America. The game was like an iceberg - an appropriate image given the Arctic conditions - that left the big idea of Argentina coach Sergio Batista holed below the waterline. The project to mould the national side in the shape of Barcelona will surely have to be abandoned.

Corinthians yet to agree deal for Man City's Carlos Tevez

Brazilian club Corinthians say they have not yet struck a deal to sign Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez. On Sunday, City boss Roberto Mancini claimed a deal had been reached for the 27-year-old, with only personal terms still to be agreed. But a Corinthians statement said: "We would like to clarify to the public that City did not accept our offer. "City sent a counter-proposal in the early hours... and this will be analysed by Corinthians." Tevez's representative Kia Joorabchian also insisted that, contrary to Mancini's comments on City's pre-season tour, the clubs had not yet settled on a fee despite Corinthians returning with an improved bid understood to be about £40m.