From third-party ownership in the Japanese second division to one of the most explosive strikers on the planet.

Manchester City fans chanted “you’re not incredible” at Hulk when FC Porto visited Etihad Stadium last month.

Despite an aggregate 6-1 loss to crash out of the Europa League, and even allowing a wry smile for their cheekiness, the Man City fans are wrong. Hulk is, pretty undeniably, incredible.

The 25-year-old scored 36 goals and added 21 assists in all competitions last season, which means he was singlehandedly responsible for more goals than 14 out of 16 clubs scored total in the league. He was the player of the year and the top scorer in the Portuguese Liga.

This January, on the last day of the transfer window, Anzhi Makhachkala decided to splurge 87 million euros for him. Hulk even agreed to eye-watering personal terms at 10.5 million euros a year before Porto chairman Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa upped his asking price to 90 million euros and the deal unraveled.

So how did Hulk go from the teenager in the Japanese second division to an elite striker with a transfer value pushing up against nine figures? Let’s examine.

For Givanildo Vieira de Souza’s preposterous nickname, you can blame his parents, who noticed that their son shares a similarly thick jawline with Lou Ferrigno.

“I was a huge fan of the Incredible Hulk as a child. My parents nicknamed me Hulk as they thought I resembled the character,” Hulk told Goal.com in an exclusive interview. “The name has stuck with me ever since.”

You can also credit his parents with the raw athleticism and natural ability as equally preposterous as his moniker. His explanation for a blistering left-footed shot: “I’m just thankful for my parents blessing me with good genes, I guess.”

Former teammate Mariano Gonzalez can attest to his cannon of a shot. Poor Gonzalez’s thigh was in the way of a free kick on Hulk’s Porto debut back in 2008. The Argentine was carted off and missed the next month thanks from the resulting injury. Hulk also scored, giving the first indication that his left peg could transition well from the Japanese game.

As an 18-year-old Hulk moved from Brazil to Japan. He only played slightly north of a dozen games in the first division, but 62 goals in 80 games in two seasons in the J2 League, plus seven J1 goals in 11 games for Tokyo Verdy in 2008 convinced Porto to buy him.

“I liked living in Japan – the people are really friendly and love their soccer,” Hulk said. “I had a great experience playing alongside some strong Japanese players and I always look forward to the next time I visit.”

Porto paid 5.5 million euros for half of his rights from Uruguayan club Atletico Rentistas. Hulk has never played for Rentistas, or even in Uruguay. The team’s name literally translates as ‘financiers’ and was merely a legal placeholder for Hulk’s rights while value increased.

FIFA announced last month it was investigating agent Juan Figer, with Hulk’s case among the questionable third-party ownership deals.

Despite the sticky ownership entanglements, Hulk had plenty of suitors even then.

“There were many offers, but [Porto] was a good choice for me because I am Brazilian and there are many Brazilian players in Portugal,” he said. “Portugal is much like Brazil – the weather, the people, the food and the language is also a bonus. FC Porto is a great club and the Portuguese league is popular back in Brazil. I have many friends here and it feels like a home away from home.”

That’s not to say Hulk settled immediately. His first two seasons in Portugal produced only 12 goals in 44 games, and he was sent off against Sporting CP in the league cup for diving.

“It always takes some time to adjust to playing in a new club and a new league, getting to know your team mates and becoming familiar with new surroundings,” Hulk explained. “I learned a lot in my first two years allowing me to explode last season and prove exactly what I was capable of.”

Benfica experienced what the muscle-bound 5-foot-11 frame of Hulk is capable of last week. His seventh-minute shot – which opened the scoring in a 3-2 away win which gave Porto a three-point lead in the Portuguese Liga – was clocked going 108 kilometers per hour (67 miles per hour).

“I was happy with that,” Hulk said with typical understatement. But it’s only his second favorite goal. The first came in April last year in a 2-1 away win over – again – Benfica. To dismiss it as a mere penalty is to overlook two crucial points.

First, it sealed the league for Porto. Andre Villas-Boas’ charge zipped through the season unbeaten, wrapping up the title against vicious rival Benfica on the 25th matchday. Porto celebrated in the sprinklers at the Estádio da Luz.

“It meant so much to the club and the fans,” Hulk said. “It’s really an indescribable feeling scoring the winner against your biggest rivals in the title decider.”

The Brazilian is less forthcoming about the second reason. The year before, in December 2009, Hulk was involved in a tunnel brawl against Benfica. The Portuguese league initially banned him indefinitely, but by the time the suspension was trimmed to four games, he had already sat out 18.

Though Hulk scored three and assisted three in the seven games remaining in the 2009-10 season, Benfica sashayed to the title.

Those were leaner times. Since, Hulk has bulked up. He kept his blistering pace, canny movement across the frontline, but added strength on the ball. His diagonal runs from the right wing into the middle, where he can uncork with his left cleat, terrify all sane defenders.

“To be one of the best I concentrate on three key areas of my game – speed, dribbling and shooting,” he said.

Earlier this year, the recently fired Villas-Boas suggested to a Portuguese radio station that he would try to reunite with Hulk at Chelsea.

“I see room for an explosive player on the wing, someone who is strong in one-on-one situations and Hulk fits that profile,” AVB told the station.

Others are taking notice as well. Hulk has appeared in each of Brazil’s last four matches, three as a starter.

Porto is ready and braced for bids. Following his scintillating last season, in which he put up numbers which could compare favorably with childhood hero Ronaldo, Porto paid 13.5 million euros more to secure a total of 90 percent of Hulk’s rights. His contract extends through 2016 and includes a release clause of 100 million euros.

While it seems inevitable that Hulk will leave (“Another challenge is always ready for the player,” he said, cryptically), it’s also inevitable that Porto will wring every last euro out of the sale. Pinto da Costa is a notoriously excellent negotiator and has a string of overpriced sales to his name, the most recent being Radamel Falcao to Atletico Madrid for upwards of 40 million euros last summer.

The Colombian partnered Hulk last year, scoring 34 goals, including a tournament-record 17 in the Europa League. It’s possible Hulk joins him in Spain’s La Liga, which he lists along with the German Bundesliga and English Premier League as his favorites.

“The atmosphere of these leagues are amazing and the fans really make the match more exciting,” he said. The new Porto captain likes excitement on the field, but not off it. He spends most of his time with his family, or unwinds playing snooker and video games.

Even superheros need their downtime.

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In an interview to Radio Mitre, Antonio Cuchitini, the maternal grandfather of Lio Messi said he “has another grandson who plays the same”.

Talent appears to run in Messi’s family, as the Liga ace’s grandfather says that the diminutive attacker has a cousin who is a star in the making.

Antonio Cuchitini, the maternal grandfather of  Messi, said he has a grandson who plays as Lionel Messi who is 13, brother of Maximilian and Emanuel Biancucchi.

“I have another grandson,from  my other daughter, who is the brother of two boys playing in Paraguay , which plays like Lio,” said the grandfather of Messi in an interview on Radio Mitre.

Refers to Bruno Biancucchi, who is currently in the ranks of Renato Cesarini, Rosario (Argentina), the birthplace of Lionel Messi. His brothers both play in Paraguay, Maximilian at Club Olimpia of Paraguay and Emanuel at the Independent Campo Grande, also in the same South American country.

“The other two grandchildren who play in Paraguay are champions. I want all of  them to succeed . And there’s a guy who is 13 he plays like Lionel, added Messi’s grandfather.

Messi’s grandfather revealed that the young man  is still reluctant to leave Argentina: “He is afraid to leave Argentina too young to Europe as it  s happened to Messi , Bruno Biancucchi is very attached to his mother.” Added Messi’s grandfather.

The grandfather also had some things to say about Messi: “When Lio was 5 or 6 years, he played wonderful. People stopped in their car or bike to see him play. He was born for that,” he said of his grandson, who plays for  Barcelona.

Posted by Sidney Ferreira

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Dear future superstar,

I am writing this from the future. If you’re willing to use a little imagination, I will now place in your hand a box.

Are you ready to open it?

Open the box and place the soccer ball in your palms.

Feel how light it is?

It’s made with technology that hasn’t been discovered yet.

See how brightly it shines?

Notice the stitching and the texture of the ball?

Can you see and feel the soccer ball in your hands now?

Give it a squeeze!

Great!

Now you start to feel ecstatic to have been given this ball because the opportunities are endless.

As you will discover, this soccer ball will enable you to travel the world, feed your family and unlock many hearts.

Such is the power of the soccer ball. Make sure you carry it with you at all times.

“May the winds of destiny blow you to the stars”

Hat-trick hero Neymar inspired by Messi.

Neymar netted a hat-trick as Santos saw off Brazilian rivals Internacional 3-1 in Copa Libertadores Group One on Wednesday night.

On the day Argentina forward Lionel Messi scored five goals for Barcelona in their Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen, South America’s other big star also produced a brilliant display in the continent’s showpiece tournament.

Brazil international Neymar opened the scoring for Santos with an 18th-minute penalty and then evaded three Inter players and beat goalkeeper Muriel for the second time eight minutes after the break.

Leandro Damiao reduced the deficit in the 64th minute following a cross by Oscar, but the Inter fans’ hope lasted only 60 seconds before Neymar netted another sublime goal.

“I cannot explain what I did tonight. I need to watch the TV to see what I did on the field. I knew I dribbled past a lot of rivals. That’s the only thing I know,” Neymar told Globo TV.

“I am a Messi fan. I was told what he did today. I support him to score a lot of nice goals so I can keep copying and imitating him.”

The result marked a return to winning ways for Santos following their 2-1 defeat at Bolivian side The Strongest on the opening matchday, while Inter remained on three points.

In Group Seven, Deportivo Quito hammered Argentina’s Velez Sarsfield 3-0 in Ecuador.

Matias Alustiza converted a controversial penalty to put the hosts ahead in first-half stoppage time and Deportivo extended their lead after the interval thanks to goals from Fidel Martinez-Tenorio and Luis-Fernando Saritama.

Deportivo’s Argentinian coach Carlos Ischia, a former Velez boss, admitted the scoreline flattered his team.

“It was an even game, even though the score says 3-0,” he said. “We scored at crucial moments, so that made it easier.”

Brazil’s Fluminense claimed an important 2-1 win over Boca Juniors in Buenos Aires.

Fred opened the scoring for the visitors with a ninth-minute header and, although Leandro Somoza equalised in the opening moments of the second half, Deco’s 54th-minute goal secured victory for Fluminense.

The triumph saw Fluminense take top spot in Group Four with two wins in as many games, while Boca stayed winless in the competition.

Fred told Fox Sports: “We were aware of the difficulties we were going through, but we had the ball, we had the opportunities to score so I think this is a fair result.

“We played great football, technically. Boca are an intense, strong team, but we played as aggressively as them.”

Former Barcelona and Chelsea midfielder Deco added: “Nothing is sure, but this win as visitors make things easier for us.”

Finally, in Sao Paulo, Danilo and Jorge Henrique were on target in either half as Brazilian giants Corinthians beat Paraguayan side Nacional 2-0 to clinch their first win in Group Six.

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Lionel Messi set a new Champions League record, scoring five goals as Barcelona demolished Leverkusen 7-1 on the night and 10-2 on aggregate.

Barcelona advanced to the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday following a 7-1 hammering of Leverkusen at Camp Nou.

Lionel Messi was the history-making hero, becoming the first player to score five times in a single Champions League match.

The Catalan giants entered the night with a 3-1 aggregate advantage from the first leg, and Messi’s exploits, plus a double from tournament debutant Cristian Tello meant that Karim Bellarabi’s late goal was only a consolation strike as Barca advanced by a 10-2 aggregate margin.

The hosts had control from the early stages of the match, and Messi nearly put his side ahead after 11 minutes after being played into the box by Cesc Fabregas, but Bernd Leno did very well to push the Argentine’s shot around the post.

Leverkusen’s fortunes eventually turned, and on 25 minutes, Messi latched onto Xavi’s chipped ball before lifting his finish beautifully over the goalkeeper and into the net.

Barca pushed on for more, and Messi cut in from the right after a half-hour before having his shot blocked. In the 42nd minute, the scorer tried a similar move, but this time had space to fire an unstoppable finish into the lower-left corner, doubling the hosts’ advantage and putting the tie beyond any doubt before half-time.

The hosts nearly got a third before the break, but Leno was quick off his line to deny Fabregas, and moments later, Pedro.

Five minutes after the interval, Messi completed his hat-trick with another phenomenal effort. After receiving Cesc’s ball over the top, the 24-year-old created just enough space to fire at goal, and again chipped his shot, leaving Leno with no chance.

Tello joined the fray as a substitute on 55 minutes, and within seconds found himself at the end of Cesc’s flick, striking low into the net.

The 20-year-old made it two for him in the 62nd minute as he received the ball in a similar position, and again beat Leno with a low strike that squirmed under the custodian.

Between Tello’s strikes, Messi grabbed a fourth. The Ballon d’Or winner was initially stopped, but after Leno spilled the ball, he tapped home from close range.

Before the final exchanges, Leverkusen’s only meaningful attempt came after the tie was already decided, in the 54th minute when Eren Derdiyok beat Javier Mascherano to the byeline before striking inches wide from a tight angle.

After the hour mark, things quieted as Barca rested on their lead, while Leverkusen offered little resistance as the hosts dominated possession. Five minutes from full time, however, Messi scored a brilliant fifth, bending his strike from the edge of the box just inside the left post.

The Argentine’s tally was the greatest-ever for a player in a single match in Europe’s elite competition, and took his Champions League account for the season to 12 goals in just 7 outings.

Leverkusen would strike at the death as Bellarabi played a one-two with Simon Rolfes before striking a hard finish to the far post, but it was little consolation for the demoralised away side, whose defeat equalled the worst-ever result for a team in one leg in the round of 16.

In the end, Leverkusen proved no match for Barcelona, and crashed out of Europe at the hands of an elite side. In progressing, the hosts have reached the quarter-finals for the fifth consecutive season, and now wait patiently for the draw, which takes place on March 16.

Rudi Voller: Messi is now in the same league as Pele and Maradona

The Germany legend was full of praise for the Argentine star and stated that he is of the opinion that the Catalan giants are still the best club on the planet.

Rooney says Messi is ‘the best ever’ footballer after Leverkusen display

The England international forward was lost for words about the Argentine attacker and singled him out as the best player ever to have graced the game of football.

Platini: Real Madrid – Barcelona could be a great Champions League final

The Uefa president is not tipping any club to reach the decider in the competition, but admitted that a match between the two Liga giants would be very appealing.

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Real Madrid 5-0 Espanyol: Kaka in tantalising form as Mourinho’s men restore 10-point lead at the top of La Liga.

Los Blancos were at their very best as they saw off Mauricio Pochettino’s men at home with the Brazilian playmaker pulling all the strings for the league leaders.

Real Madrid made light work of Espanyol on Sunday evening as they stormed to a 5-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu to claim their 10th consecutive Liga victory, and open up a 10-point lead over rivals Barcelona once again.

The league leaders grabbed their first goal on 23 minutes when Cristiano Ronaldo finished off a clever move, before Sami Khedira doubled Madrid’s goal tally before the break.

Just after the interval Higuain struck from close range before Kaka netted a deserved goal. Higuain put the icing on the cake for the home side with 12 minutes to go, with Jose Mourinho’s men appearing odds on to win their first Liga title since 2008.

Madrid made a dominant start to proceedings and it was a surprise that it took until the 23rd minute to open the scoring. After sloppy defensive play by Raul Rodriguez, the centre-back gave the ball away to Mesut Ozil, who played a quick pass into the feet of Higuain. The Argentine flicked into the feet of Ronaldo to sweep home with his left foot from 12 yards out – his 30th Liga goal of the current campaign.

The German midfielder played the ball to Ronaldo who found Ozil, with the playmaker picking out his compatriot in the area who had continued his run. The former Stuttgart man showed great composure to place the ball into the bottom corner past the despairing Kiko Casilla.

The home side could have doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time. Higuain’s effort from close range was blocked by the Espanyol custodian, before Ronaldo’s long range effort nearly crept in, with Casilla parrying a low shot onto the crossbar after some unorthodox goalkeeping.

Madrid make the perfect start to the second period and put the result beyond doubt on 47 minutes. Kaka picked up the ball before gliding forward and beating the Espanyol offside trap with a precise pass to Higuain, who smashed the ball past the helpless Casilla from six yards out.

It was four for the home team just after the hour mark and Kaka grabbed the goal his impressive performance deserved. Higuain was able to lay the ball off to the Brazilian on the edge of the box, and the former AC Milan man made his way past two Espanyol defenders before placing his shot into the net via the inside of the post.

Madrid made it a five-star evening in the 78th minute as Kaka and Higuain linked up brilliantly once again.

The 30-year-old playmaker showed excellent skill to get past his marker on the left side of the box before sliding the ball into the feet of Higuain, who smashed into the top corner from 15 yards for his 19th goal if the season, to round off a great evening for Los Blancos.

Next up for Madrid is a trip to Betis while Espanyol entertain Rayo Vallecano as they look to bounce back from tonight’s heavy defeat.

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Tottenham 1-3 Manchester United: Two stunning Young strikes seal crucial win after Adebayor disallowed goal controversy.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s men shellshocked the hosts to go 11 points clear in second place despite playing comfortably within themselves at times against an injury-depleted Spurs side.

Manchester United overcame Tottenham 3-1 at White Hart Lane to remain two points behind Manchester City in the Premier League title race and put an 11-point cushion between second and third.

An uneventful first half was dominated by a disallowed Spurs goal, Emmanuel Adebayor divisively judged to have handled prior to finishing, before Wayne Rooney headed home from a corner moments before the whistle.

Despite not being at the top of their game, United pushed clear after the interval, Ashley Young catching the eye first with a well-taken volley from a tough angle and then a delightful finish from outside the area to double his tally. Jermain Defoe later secured a late consolation having capitalised upon a loose pass from Ryan Giggs.

Neither Gareth Bale nor Rafael van der Vaart were available for the home side due to illness and injury, respectively, Sandro, Aaron Lennon and Jake Livermore coming into the midfield with Scott Parker suspended. Louis Saha, meanwhile, started against his former club.

Rooney recovered sufficiently from a throat infection to return to the visitors’ starting XI in place of Javier Hernandez, Young the other alteration from United’s defeat of Norwich, replacing Giggs.

With shots scarce, David de Gea made a key save near the 20-minute mark from Adebayor, having caused the chance himself with a poor clearance that was easily intercepted by Sandro.

The home side, starting to dominate, had the ball in the net in the 37th minute. Lennon’s enterprising run inside the area from the left wing forged a chance for Adebayor, who received the ball via Saha’s effort and bundled it into the net in a slightly scrambled manner, but referee Martin Atkinson ruled it out on grounds of the Togolese handballing as it reached him.

Despite a period on the back foot, United edged in front just before half-time through a simple goal. The Red Devils having earned a corner, Young delivered an in-swinger from the left and Rooney’s impressive off-the-ball movement coupled with the strength to hold off Kyle Walker allowed him to head home decisively for a 1-0 lead.

Spurs resumed probing after the break and came close when Livermore’s rasping shot took a thin deflection off Saha’s leg to threaten De Gea, but the Spaniard reacted sharply to get low down and block with his arm.

Yet, despite being on the back foot, United stretched their lead a minute later. Luka Modric’s lazy marking let Nani through in space on the right byeline and the Portuguese played the ball across the area. It broke to Young just past the far post who had a difficult angle but still volleyed low, evading a small crowd and creeping into the net.

Spurs looked to riposte, Lennon carving some room once again, but, receiving the ball with time to volley, Assou-Ekotto limply struck the ball utterly wayward.

White Hart Lane was in shock and it only got worse for the north Londoners as Young picked the ball up a little way outside the area. The England winger pushed inside a little to get sight of the net and struck, placing his shot with delightful precision into the top-right corner.

Harry Redknapp’s side seemed to accept that matters were settled and the game drifted in the final 15 minutes, the away fans crowing loudly over the subdued home supporters.

There was, however, a late consolation. With 86 minutes gone, the United defence seemed to switch off and substitute Giggs’ lax pass into nowhere allowed fellow replacement Defoe to run on and dispatch an uncomplicated finish past De Gea.

Spurs had no time for an accompanying late rally, however, and the final whistle soon confirmed the setback that left any remaining title hopes very distant indeed.

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Juan showed great class after he was racially abused by Lazio supporters “It never happened before. I feel sorry for them.”

The Roma defender heard the racist boos from the Biancocelesti end during the 2-1 result this afternoon and reacted by putting his finger to his lips, which only incited further abuse.

“It’s terribly disappointing, as I’ve been in Rome for 10 years and this has never happened to me before,” the Brazilian told Sky Sport Italia.

“I felt sorry for them, but I have enough character to just shrug these things off and don’t let them affect me on the field.

“I received hugs from the Roma and Lazio players after that incident, as they were also embarrassed by what was happening.

“It is a particular shame as we all came on to the pitch before kick-off with anti-racism messages on our shirts.

“In all my time at Roma, I have never shown disrespect for Lazio, so it was a surprise to be targeted like that.”

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Roma 1-2 Lazio: Early Stekelenburg dismissal sets the tone as Hernanes and Mauri give Edy Reja’s men derby spoils.The Biancocelesti were the happier side in the derby and have moved closer to the top of the table.

Goals, sendings off, controversy…the Derby della Capitale would have been a true classic if only the handbags had come out. Maarten Stekelenburg saw red for AS Roma in the seventh minute and Hernanes scored the resulting penalty. Fabio Borini equalised for the giallorossi just minutes later, but in the end it was Lazio who grabbed the win, via a goal by Stefano Mauri.

The derby started off on a chaotic note. Despite Roma’s early attempts to take the game by the scruff of the neck, goalkeeper Stekelenburg made a horrible blunder before ten minutes had even passed. Hernanes sent in a pass to Miroslav Klose, with the Lazio forward in plenty of space inside the area. Stekelenburg panicked, rushing out and bringing down the German. It was a textbook example of denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity, and referee Mauro Bergonzi wasted no time in pulling out the red card. Bogdan Lobont took charge in goal, with Erik Lamela the man to give way. Hernanes easily put the resulting penalty past the substitute keeper, giving Lazio the early lead.

Roma may have been down a man, but they were able to even the score after less than ten minutes. A spell of pressure resulted in Juan hitting the bar from a tight angle. The ball bounced to the feet of Borini, and despite a desperate header from Giuseppe Biava, the ball was rightly ruled to have crossed the line, and Roma had their precious equaliser.

The pace of the match dropped considerably after the leveller, as the Giallorossi looked content to frustrate due to their man disadvantage. Lazio were unable to capitalise on that fact, and they went into half-time with four of their players booked.

The 1-1 scoreline held into halftime and, surprisingly, beyond. But it was only a matter of time before Lazio managed to weary ten-man Roma. Cristian Ledesma sent a free-kick into the box for the Italian to guide the ball past Lobont with a sublime finish as Juan failed to get his head to the cross.

Lazio were now in the driving seat, and they almost doubled their lead just minutes later, when Fabio Simplicio gave the ball away to Hernanes with a misplaced pass. The Brazilian midfielder ran towards the box and as he was about to shoot, Juan stole the ball from under his nose with a perfect sliding tackle inside the box.

In the 86th minute, Lazio had a player sent off to even the numbers, as Lionel Scaloni saw his second yellow of the match, but the Biancocelesti were able to keep hold of the lead.

The 2-1 win puts Lazio ahead of Udinese, who only managed a draw against Atalanta this afternoon. It looks like the biancocelesti are doing their best to cement that Champions League position — while Roma just may have pulled themselves out of the race with this performance.

Source http://www.sbnation.com and http://www.goal.com

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Thiago Silva not distracted by Barcelona and Real Madrid  talk

AC Milan defender Thiago Silva says he is aware that Barcelona and Real Madrid are interested in signing him, but insists he is fully focused on performing for the Rossoneri.

Thiago Silva, 27, has been a mainstay in Milan‘s defense this season as they bid to retain their Serie A title for the first time since 1994.

His imperious displays at the back for the reigning Italian champions have seen Barcelona reportedly take note, with the Catalans thought to be searching for a long-term replacement for Carles Puyol.

But while the Brazil international says he is aware of interest from Barcelona, he claims he has not been distracted by talk of a possible move to Camp Nou.

“I do not know what will happen in my future,” Thiago Silva told Mundo Deportivo. “Through some friends and the press I know that Barcelona are interested in me, but for now there is no concrete offer.

“I leave these questions to my agent, but at this time my only thought is to return Milan to be champions of Italy again. The Catalan team are the best in the world, even if they are not going through the happiest of times right now.

“Every player dreams of playing at a big club like Barcelona. [But] I am only focused on Milan. They are a club that allowed me to fulfill my dream, namely to play in a great team.”

The Brazil international is, therefore, said to have also caught the attention of Los Blancos manager, José Mourinho, who has coached one of the players’ team arch-rivals, Internazionale.

The Santiago Bernabeu side are said to be willing to dispute the signing of 27-year-old player with the Catalan giants, in the summer transfer window.

On the other hand , Thiago Silva’s agent has stated recently that the Rossoneri defender is happy at Milanand if he does have to leave San Siro, it will be a club’s decision, and not his.

The AC Milan defender who recently won the 2011 Samba Gold Trophy has been a long-term target for Madrid’s historic rivals FC Barcelona, but the reports suggest they will offer up Pepe as an incentive.

Lance! reports a €30 million plus Pepe deal will be the offer from the Real Madrid side, in a coup that would surely irritate those at the Camp Nou, where Thiago Silva is seen as an ideal long-term successor to Carles Puyol.

Thiago Silva is considerated by many as one the best defender in the world. In a recent interview to goal.com Ibrahimovic stated:

“I have the best defender in the world, and his name is Thiago Silva. Maybe he is not so well-known yet, but trust me … I have played with many defenders, like Thuram, Cannavaro, Pique, Puyol, I have played with many fantastic central defenders, but this player is like all of them put together. He’s compact, he has everything a defender should have, and he’s mentally strong, and now he’s becoming a leader for the team. Players look up to him and he has to take a lot of responsibility, and I think that has made him even better. But not many look at him because, I don’t know, because he’s Brazilian and they’re not known for having good defenders or whatever, but he’s the best defender in the world.”

Source http://soccernet.espn.go.com , http://www.footballzz.com and http://www.sambafoot.com

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