Short Soccer, November 26, 2012
A brace from in-form striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic propelled Paris Saint-Germain to a 4-0 win over promoted Troyes as they provisionally returned to the top of Ligue 1. Maxwell netted a first-half opener for PSG, while two second-half strikes from Ibrahimovic and a goal from Blaise Matuidi snapped their domestic two-match losing streak in the French capital, sending Carlo Ancelotti's side one point clear of Saint-Etienne and Lyon at the summit. Ancelotti praised the impact of Ibrahimovic, who put the visitors to the sword on his return from a two-match suspension. "Ibra is a very important player. Naturally, we are more effective up front when he's there. He's one of the best forwards in the world." AFP
Police will press charges against a group of 60 fans from Bundesliga club Schalke 04 who held up Saturday's 1-1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt by lighting flares. The start of the second half was delayed by referee Guenter Perl after the fans lit around 25 flares during the half-time break that filled Gelsenkirchen's Veltins Arena with smoke. After the majority of Schalke fans loudly whistled and booed those who lit the flares, team manager Horst Heldt said: "Something like this has to be condemned. I think our fans gave the right answer." AFP
Former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola would leap at the chance to coach Brazil, who sacked Mano Menezes last week, the sports daily reported. "The Brazilian national side are the only team he would be ready to coach" if given the chance, an unnamed Guardiola confidant told the newspaper. Guardiola insists he will see out his sabbatical in the United States after leaving the Nou Camp last summer. But the source said he would do a good job with the five-times world champions, who are now on the lookout for a successor to Manezes, fired on Friday barely 18 months away from Brazil hosting the next World Cup. AFP
Neil Lennon has threatened to quit as Celtic manager after he was involved in an angry confrontation with supporters during the shock 1-0 home defeat to Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Billy McKay's second-half strike consigned Celtic to a second home defeat of the season in the league with the Hoops having collected just one point from their past three matches at Parkhead. "If [the supporters] are not happy with what I'm doing, and if they want me to go, then I will," Lennon said. "I will do the honourable thing." AFP
