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Cerro Porteno beat Deportivo Petare 1-0 in the first leg of their Copa Libertadores first-round qualifying match on Thursday.

Paraguayan hosts Cerro were in control throughout but had to wait until the 70th minute before Roberto Nanni gave them a deserved lead at the Estadio Defensores del Chaco.

They should have gone in front early on in Asuncion when Luis Cardozo failed to score with an open goal from just six yards out.

Cerro continued to press and went close again when Jorge Nunez’s free-kick was kept out by goalkeeper Alan Liebeskind.

Liebeskind saved the Venezuelan visitors again in the 35th minute, palming away Juan Lucero’s long-range effort.

The away side barely had a sight of goal throughout the first half.

And when a rare opportunity finally came, Victor Guaza wasn’t able to direct his header goalwards.

Petare threatened again just after the restart, but Feliz Casseres saw his header saved by Diego Barretto.

Even if he had found the net, the linesman’s flag would have ruled out the strike for offside.

Cerro soon regained control and Nunez forced another smart save from Liebeskind.

With 20 minutes remaining, the hosts finally found the breakthrough, with Nanni on hand to power home what proved to be the winning goal.

Deportivo rarely looked like mounting a comeback and they could have gone 2-0 down when goal-scorer Nanni went close with another powerful header late on.

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Despite their dominance, the Paraguayans were forced to settle for a slender advantage going into the second leg in Venezuela on February 3.

Elsewhere, Chilean club Union Espanola came away from Bolivia’s Bolivar with a valuable 1-0 win in the first leg of their first-round qualifier.

Left midfielder Fernando Cordero scored the winner for the visitors in the 17th minute at La Paz’s Estadio Hernando Siles.

The away goal makes them slight favourites to progress after the return leg at the Estadio Santa Laura-Universidad SEK in Santiago, also on February 3.

Newcastle United have signed Lille midfielder Yohan Cabaye on a five-year deal for a reported fee of 4.3 million pounds.The 25-year-old helped Lille to a double of Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France last season, but told his team-mates before their final game of the campaign that he was bound for the English Premier League.

“This is a fantastic move for me,” Cabaye said.

“I have enjoyed great times with Lille but the time is right now to test myself against the best and playing for Newcastle United in the Premier League does just that.”

“My first impressions of the club and the city are that it is a lovely place and the stadium is magnificent.”

Cabaye’s good form with Lille, where he made more than 250 appearances, scoring 39 goals, earned him a France debut against Norway in August.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew said he was pleased that his first signing of the close season was a player with a reliable record at the highest level.

“We are delighted to have signed Yohan on a five-year contract,” Pardew said.

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“He has a first class pedigree having proved himself at the top level in France, both for his club and the national team.”

“He will add great quality to our squad and I am really looking forward to working with him.”

The overwhelming sound of supporters rummaging in draws and rooting around filing cabinets was all that could be heard in Newcastle on Sunday evening. Geordie supporters embarked on a frantic forage for passports as their beloved club edged close to achieving a feat not a soul clad in black and white could have envisaged in their wildest dreams at the Premier League’s kick off last August. Eight months on and the Magpies are on the cusp of a return to European football for the first time since 2007 when under the stewardship of Glenn Roeder. Current commander Alan Pardew has led the Toon Army on a whirlwind journey into the top six with just nine games left to play. Or nine cup finals as he put it following the 1–0 triumph over Norwich at St James’ Park on Sunday. Pardew has overseen a remarkable turnaround during his 15-months on Tyneside surpassing expectations of a top half finish and assembling an exciting squad that plays an intoxicating brand of attacking football.

With entry to next season’s Europa League now a distinct possibility and fans hysterically scanning their passport expiry dates, the question now posed is would continental competition benefit or hinder Newcastle United?

From a football perspective the outlook does look gloomy. Not to paint myself as a pessimist but, whilst the current crop of players are more than capable of holding their own in Europe, the Magpies don’t possess a squad with the depth to cope with such a gruelling schedule. The demands of European competition have greatly intensified in recent years with teams required to play two games within the space of three or four days with a continental round trip thrown in for good measure. It’s an physically and mentally draining excursion that necessitates the ability to rotate players to ward off fatigue. Fulham and Stoke, both of whom have larger squads than Newcastle, struggled to manage the extra load added onto their domestic commitments. Their league form and position suffered as a result and they find themselves in the bottom half of the table with no hope of a return to the Europa League next season. It was clear that the Toon Army toiled to cover the loss of key players Hatem Ben Arfa, Demba Ba, Yohan Cabaye, Fabricio Coloccini, Steven Taylor and Cheick Tiote at differing points of the campaign. Now imagine the club trying to tackle a Thursday night fixture in Europe and then a Premier League game on Sunday deprived of one or two players from that list.

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Obviously Pardew will be recruiting new faces during the summer. However whoever he brings in will be subsidised by the sale of fringe players and one potentially big name. Tiote has been linked with a move to Chelsea and if £20 million is laid on the table it’s likely that owner Mike Ashley will gobble it up without hesitation. With Dan Gosling, Danny Guthrie and Peter Lovenkrands, all of whom are on the periphery of the first team, likely to leave along with striker Leon Best there will be huge gaps left to fill in terms of retaining the healthy complexion the squad currently has. Right now the aim for Ashley is to balance the books so, for example, if five players step through the revolving door at St James’ expect five to step out. Thats how he’s doing business right now. Irrespective of the extra riches that comes with qualifying for Europe or finishing sixth in the league he will avoid splashing out on lucrative transfers. Newcastle can’t compete on the European front with a philosophy like that. Thats not having a pop at the Sports Direct mogul because it if wasn’t for him the club would have died a slow and whimpering death. Ashley’s tightening of the purse strings has put the Magpies’ accounts back into the black for the first time in a long while. But, it’s that prudent approach that prove to be a hinderance.

No disrespect to the players like James Perch, Danny Simpson and Mike Williamson but they don’t possess the talent required  to compete at the level Newcastle aspire to reach. There are five or six other players of similar ilk. Couple that with the reliance on youth to provide backup and there just seems no conceivable way how Newcastle can marry the Europa League with their Premier League obligations without suffering a few injuries and the dreaded mid-season burnout. It would prove to be a huge burden on their domestic campaign without the necessary investment. It’s no falsehood that they need to bolster every area of their squad but the likelihood of that happening is slim.

Therein lies a decision for Ashley to make. Whilst a continental adventure will provide a significant boost to the clubs coffers it could only last for one season. What needs to be considered is would it be more beneficial for Newcastle to consolidate in the top half, strengthen the squad bit-by-bit and then make a play for Europe? If they’re going to approach the Europa League with a majority of the current players in tow supplemented by a few additions then it could prove to be a disaster. The best thing for the Toon Army at this current juncture would be to avoid the allure of the European lights and continue their rebuilding process on the home front.

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Ian Holloway will not allow transfer rumours and contract negotiations to distract his Blackpool players.

Holloway is keen to focus on the task in hand – securing Premier League survival – and the Seasiders boss is keen to keep his players performing despite transfer speculation surrounding his big names.

David Vaughan, Charlie Adam, Luke Varney and Matt Gilks are among the names at Bloomfield Road whose futures have come under the spotlight in recent weeks but Holloway is keen to ensure the speculation does not detract from Blackpool's efforts on the pitch.

He told the Blackpool Gazette: "Whether it be lads who are yet to agree new contracts or someone being linked with Charlie (Adam), staying in the Premier League is more important than anything. Nothing will get in the way of it."

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Blackpool have been the surprise package in the Premier League this season as they currently sit in 13th place despite being tipped for the drop at the start of the campaign.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

As the curtains are finally drawn on the long running Cesc Fabregas saga this summer, it appears that one man has emerged with at least some credit.

Pep Guardiola has remained relatively unobtrusive this summer whilst his players and president have persistently tested Arsenal’s resolve and the latest admission that the North London side were right to keep hold of their star man is quite frankly a breath of fresh air.

Guardiola said: “I understand Arsenal and I understand Wenger, I wouldn’t have let him leave either,” which contrasts greatly with the immense pressure his squad trying to exert over a stubborn Arsene Wenger. Perhaps if the Nou Camp boss had a spoke sooner, the mind-numbing transfer saga would have long since run its course.

However, any credit that is lavished upon the Spaniard for this latest twist must be paralleled with that of Arsene Wenger who took a stance which he felt best for his football club and did not move an inch in the face of blatant provocation.

Fabregas himself admitted that he has only remained at Arsenal because the Frenchman “forced” him to do so, but it is with this understanding that I only feel further compelled to feel admiration for the Arsenal chief as it is too often that player power conquests the clubs desire to keep him.

The fact he signed a five-year deal not so long ago acts in accordance with Arsenal’s right to retain his services and it could be argued that Fabregas himself denied himself the move by putting pen to paper on such a long deal which is vindicated even more by Guardiola’s agreement.

There is no doubt that the admission of another top coach that “he would have done same” makes the unremitting chase for Fabregas and the forcing of a Barcelona shirt over his head during Spain’s World Cup celebration seem all the more irrational and only intensifies the lack of respect shown to Arsenal from some of the players and hierarchy at the Nou Camp.

For now, the resilience of Arsenal has prevailed and Guardiola’s latest comments contribute to re-building a reputation that has been slightly tarnished by their seemingly desperate attempts to capture the Gunners skipper.

Wenger concluded that “It is important for football that players do not move away. That nobody can just come in and say ‘we want him and you go.”

Fabregas will undoubtedly be watched with interest next year as he tries to acclimatize himself to the fact his “dream” move will not realised for at least another season and the Arsenal fans will hope his heart is now set on winning their first trophy in years as opposed to a move to the Spanish capital.

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With the PL season nearly upon us, let’s see the WAGS that will be keeping the players on their toes. Click on image to VIEW gallery

There has been no shortage of celebrity Arsenal fans over the years, for example even Her Royal Majesty the Queen of England has been accused of following the Arsenal in the past, before she broke Arsenal hearts by confirming that her allegiance lies with the Hammers.

However, these ten celebrities are fully fledged, Arsenal loving humanoids, and may I say, that as celebrity fans go, it is one of the finest lists around…

Click on the North Bank below to see the top 10 celebrity fans who have once graced it

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Well there you have it. The top 10 famous Arsenal fans. Think there’s a celebrity missing from the list? Don’t consider Piers Morgan to be human, let alone a celebrity? Get involved in the comment box below.

David Beckham is set to snub a potential move to Paris Saint-Germain, and looks set to renew his deal with LA Galaxy.

The ex-England international’s deal with the MLS side has expired, and Beckham has been linked with a transfer back to Europe in the January transfer window.

With the big-spending Ligue 1 side the frontrunners for Beckham’s signature, reports in France had previously stipulated that a deal to bring the veteran to the Parc des Princes was all but done.

However, sporting director Leonardo has stated that Beckham will not be moving to the French capital.

“It’s over,” Leonardo told L’Equipe.

“It’s a shame. But the welfare of his family in Los Angeles, the wish not to change everything in his life, weighed heavily.”

PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi also confirmed that a deal was close, but would now not happen.

“We didn’t reach an agreement – he’s a great player, I met him and it’s bad luck we didn’t reach an agreement.

“We weren’t far, but there are family issues and I think that was the reason. It was very difficult to move the family,” he concluded.

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By Gareth McKnight

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The Blues are top of the Premier League form table and on the path to secure a top 4 place come the end of the season with an outside chance of catching Arsenal in 2nd or even United at the top if either of the teams are to slip up.

Despite super signing Fernando Torres not scoring a single goal since his arrival, Chelsea have been performing incredibly well since their form at mid-way through the season. They’ve won their last 3 games back-to-back with other new signing David Luiz already making a name for himself since his arrival with 2 goals.

Stoke on the other hand seem safe in 10th position and safe for Premier League football next season. Tony Pulis’ men have a semi-final at Wembley in the FA Cup to look forward to but the manager will be looking to turn over a poor record against Chelsea as the Potters have not picked up a single point against them in their last five attempts.

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City have a good home record and will make it tough for the visit of the side from south west London, but Chelsea being in such good form of late will use their class to make the difference in this game depending on the formation that Carlo Ancelotti uses.

Prediction: Stoke City 0-1 Chelsea

Watch Jason Cundy & Scott Minto on Scoreboard and see their pre-match predictions

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Blackburn owners Venky’s have urged the club’s fans to back the team, despite growing calls for Steve Kean to be sacked.

The Lancashire outfit are bottom of the league after gaining only one point from their opening four games, and an anti-Steve Kean lobby is preparing to protest outside Ewood Park on Saturday before the team’s game against Arsenal.

However, the clubs shareholders have belief the side can turn their bad fortune around, and have asked their supporters to believe in the players.

“We understand that there is sense of disappointment and anger among our fans at the recent performance of our team Blackburn Rovers, which was not up to the expectations of the fans. We fully understand your feelings and share your disappointment,” an official statement reads.

“At times like this, when the team is going through a bad patch, they need all the support and encouragement they can get from the fans to boost their morale and enable them to perform at their best. This is the time when the fans can make a difference by lending their full support and cheer the team more vigorously than ever, and, help the players to renew the confidence in themselves.

“On behalf of Venkys, we would like to reassure the fans that we are fully aware of our responsibilities towards the them, and the club and to football.

“We are fully committed to make sure that the team’s performance improves, and that the recent set backs do not stand in the way of regaining our clubs standing in the Premier League, and the admiration of our fans,” it concluded.

Blackburn face a tough test against an Arsenal side that played well in Europe against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, and a defeat will put real pressure on an already under-performing team.

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Continuing our look into the foreign wags that put the Premier League ones to shame…

Bernardo Corradi, as Man City fans will testify, is a pretty unremarkable footballer who is currently available on a free transfer; however the term unremarkable certainly cannot be said of the experienced striker’s other half, the beautiful Elena Santarelli.

Miss Santarelli is a model and TV personality in her native Italy and I’m sure you’ll agree by flicking through the gallery that she more that puts the Premier League WAGs firmly in the shade.

While Mr Corradi currently does little but training on his own to maintain his fitness in hope of a move these days, I’m certain Bernardo must take a lot of comfort knowing the little lady he has waiting at home for him.

Click on Miss Santarelli below to see her in all her glory