By GOPAL NAMBIAR
SOCCER fans in Bahrain are set to get a first-hand taste of top European action when star-studded Italian Serie A leaders Inter Milan arrive in Bahrain for a friendly clash at the beginning of next year. This new year gift is part of a 10-day Bahrain football festival to be held from January 1 to 10.
The Italian friendly is set for January 6, according to the General Organisation for Youth and Sports (Goys) president Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, who said details of the soccer festival will be revealed later, at a Press conference at the Bahrain Football Association (BFA) headquarters in Riffa yesterday.
The Italian outfit's team manager Guido Sussini, BFA president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and Economic Development Board (EDB) chief executive Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa also addressed the Press conference.
The Italian team, which arrives in the Kingdom on January 2, will be here for a six-day training camp during the winter break in Europe, said Sussini.
Inter Milan's Marco Materazzi and Fabio Grosso were part of the Italian team which won the World Cup in Germany earlier this year.
Materazzi was famously head-butted by French captain Zinedine Zidane in the final and that controversy is still a topic of much debate and discussion.
The Italian team, which will comprise between 40 to 45 members, will include head coach Roberto Mancini as well as other coaching staff, physical trainers, doctors, physiotherapists, cooks et al.
"We are very happy to accept the invitation from Bahrain to train in the kingdom during our winter break," Sussini added.
"This training stint will help us because once we return on January 7 we will be involved in the Italian Cup quarter-finals which begin on January 10.
"All the players from the first team of Internazionale will be coming to Bahrain.
"Injured players will not make the trip as they will need the time to rest and recover from their injuries," he added.
Though Inter have not been able to win the Scudetto for the past 14 years, they were awarded the 2005-06 Serie A championship because of the match fixing scandal.
After 10 matches in the present Italian league, Inter Milan are the only unbeaten team having won seven matches and drawn three. They share the lead with Palermo on 24 points.
"We chose to invite Inter Milan because a lot of Bahraini soccer fans follow the Italian league closely," said Shaikh Fawaz.
"We will also be having a beach soccer tournament as well as a women's soccer tournament during the festival. The other events for the festival are still in the planning stages," he added.
Bahrain's Economic Development Board also has a role to play in Inter Milan's visit. "It is part of a larger campaign to promote Bahrain as an investment destination in Europe," said EDB chief executive Shaikh Mohammed.
Bahrain's national team coach Hans Peter Briegel, who attended the Press conference, said that this will be a good opportunity to enhance the team's preparations for the Gulf Cup, which begins in the second half of January.
He was hopeful that the Bahraini professionals playing in other GCC leagues will be released by their clubs to play in the friendly against Inter.
http://gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp...&IssueID=29243
SOCCER fans in Bahrain are set to get a first-hand taste of top European action when star-studded Italian Serie A leaders Inter Milan arrive in Bahrain for a friendly clash at the beginning of next year. This new year gift is part of a 10-day Bahrain football festival to be held from January 1 to 10.
The Italian friendly is set for January 6, according to the General Organisation for Youth and Sports (Goys) president Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, who said details of the soccer festival will be revealed later, at a Press conference at the Bahrain Football Association (BFA) headquarters in Riffa yesterday.
The Italian outfit's team manager Guido Sussini, BFA president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and Economic Development Board (EDB) chief executive Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa also addressed the Press conference.
The Italian team, which arrives in the Kingdom on January 2, will be here for a six-day training camp during the winter break in Europe, said Sussini.
Inter Milan's Marco Materazzi and Fabio Grosso were part of the Italian team which won the World Cup in Germany earlier this year.
Materazzi was famously head-butted by French captain Zinedine Zidane in the final and that controversy is still a topic of much debate and discussion.
The Italian team, which will comprise between 40 to 45 members, will include head coach Roberto Mancini as well as other coaching staff, physical trainers, doctors, physiotherapists, cooks et al.
"We are very happy to accept the invitation from Bahrain to train in the kingdom during our winter break," Sussini added.
"This training stint will help us because once we return on January 7 we will be involved in the Italian Cup quarter-finals which begin on January 10.
"All the players from the first team of Internazionale will be coming to Bahrain.
"Injured players will not make the trip as they will need the time to rest and recover from their injuries," he added.
Though Inter have not been able to win the Scudetto for the past 14 years, they were awarded the 2005-06 Serie A championship because of the match fixing scandal.
After 10 matches in the present Italian league, Inter Milan are the only unbeaten team having won seven matches and drawn three. They share the lead with Palermo on 24 points.
"We chose to invite Inter Milan because a lot of Bahraini soccer fans follow the Italian league closely," said Shaikh Fawaz.
"We will also be having a beach soccer tournament as well as a women's soccer tournament during the festival. The other events for the festival are still in the planning stages," he added.
Bahrain's Economic Development Board also has a role to play in Inter Milan's visit. "It is part of a larger campaign to promote Bahrain as an investment destination in Europe," said EDB chief executive Shaikh Mohammed.
Bahrain's national team coach Hans Peter Briegel, who attended the Press conference, said that this will be a good opportunity to enhance the team's preparations for the Gulf Cup, which begins in the second half of January.
He was hopeful that the Bahraini professionals playing in other GCC leagues will be released by their clubs to play in the friendly against Inter.
http://gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp...&IssueID=29243
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