Algerians in Europe 2007-2008

[Al-khiyal]

Ziani préfère l’Espagne au PSG

Olympic Marseille star not going to Paris Saint Germain

January 5, 2008 -- Marseille midfielder Karim Ziani has been contacted by arch-rivals Paris Saint Germain but he is going nowhere, chairman Pape Diouf has revealed.

Algeria international Ziani is supposed to be L’OM’s replacement for Franck Ribery, who joined Bayern Munich in the summer, but the skilful player is struggling to impose himself at Stade Velodrome.

PSG boss Paul Le Guen has tried to sign the former Sochaux star, but Diouf has ruled out a move for Ziani.

The Senegalese chairman has also declared that West Ham and Bolton target Djibril Cisse is still a Marseille player.

“He won’t leave,” former agent and journalist Pape Diouf declared on French TV.

“Ziani won’t leave even if he has been solicited by some (clubs), including PSG.

“As well as Djibril Cisse, whose start to the season has been speculated on regarding his future.

“Djibril can for sure recover the efficiency he has shown in the past.”

[Al-khiyal]

Belhadj nears Lens switch

January 6, 2008 -- Algerian international soccer player Nadir Belhadj Sunday signed a three and half years contract with the Racing Club of Lens, the French élite club has announced.

With this development, Belhadj has left Olympique Lyon only six months after joining it from Sedan for an amount of 3.6 million euros.

In Lyon, the defender only played 9 matches out of the 19 played by the leader of the French league.

"Even though I have not played much, I have learnt a lot here in six months. I have worked with big players like Juninho and Karim Benzema," said the Algerian player.

"I hope I will be able to put in practice the experience in RC Lens."

"For the time being, they are not doing very well, but I am sure with the caliber of players they have, they will get out of this zone," he said, adding "anyway, we will do our best."

RC Lens is presently in the relegation zone, occupying the 18th place, with a total of 20 points from the 18 matches played in the French league so far.

Algerian Nadir Belhadj joins RC Lens of France

[Al-khiyal]

Algerian striker Rafik Saifi behind Lorient’s precious victory over PSG

January 26, 2008 -- Algerian Rafik Saifi is again in the limelight by scoring Lorient's sole goal in the team's home win against visiting Paris Saint-Germain in a hotly-contested French league game played earlier this week.

The thunderous Algerian striker hurled a sizzling shot from around 15 meters at the opponents' goal, and in his attempt to deflect the shot, PSG defender Gregory Bourillon sent the ball into his own net.

This was Saifi's 10th goal in the French first football league this season.

This home victory sent the squad of Lorient to a solid eighth slot in the overall standings, just three points shy of the fourth spot required to take part in this year's UEFA Cup competition.

[Al-khiyal]

Lorient profit

January 27, 2008 -- Karim Benzema struck a last-gasp leveller to earn Olympique Lyonnais a 1-1 draw at AS Saint-Etienne and increase they lead over FC Girondins de Bordeaux in Ligue 1 to four points after Laurent Blanc's side lost 1-0 at FC Lorient.

Bafétimbi Gomis's seventh league goal of the season opened the scoring for St-Etienne after an error from Grégory Coupet on the stroke of half-time but Benzema scored his 15th league goal of the campaign from a free-kick with time almost up to send Alain Perrin's side a further point ahead at the top of the table. Lyon increased their lead after Bordeaux lost an uneventful match at Lorient.

The only goal of the game came 12 minutes from the finish when Algerian striker Rafik Saïfi was felled in the penalty area by Henrique and Christophe Jallet made no mistake from the spot. The setback ended Bordeaux's four-game winning streak while Lorient moved up to seventh place in Ligue 1 after no team who began the weekend in the top seven managed to register a win.

[Al-khiyal]

Halliche signe pour quatre ans au Benfica

Mercredi 30 Janvier 2008 -- C’est officiel, Rafik Halliche 21 ans, est devenu le 7e joueur algérien à jouer dans le championnat portugais. Il vient, en effet, de parapher, hier au stade La Luz, un contrat de quatre années assorti de plusieurs avantages tant pour le joueur que pour le NAHD. Joint hier par téléphone, Mourad Lahlou, président du NAHD qui, faut-il le signaler, a accompagné le joueur à Lisbonne, a tenu à nous confirmer l’information. “Au moment où je vous parle, je m’apprête à entrer dans le bureau du président du club pour officialiser le transfert de Halliche, je vous en dirai plus à l’issue du protocole de signature”. C’est le président Luis Filip Ferrera du Benfica qui a mené directement les négociations avec son homologue nahdiste Lahlou. Le longiligne défenseur a passé lundi les examens médicaux avec succès. La clause de libération est fixée à 300 000 euros que le NAHD percevra. Toutefois, Halliche aura sa prime de signature dont on dit qu’elle est conséquente.

[Al-khiyal]

January 31, 2008 -- Hibernian have agreed a deal with Kilmarnock to allow them to sign striker Colin Nish now, rather than having to wait until the summer.

The 26-year-old is out of contract with Killie at the end of the season and had opted against extending his stay at Rugby Park, penning a pre-contract agreement with Hibs.

However, the two clubs have now agreed an undisclosed fee to allow Nish to head to Easter Road with immediate effect, penning a three-and-a-half-year deal.

Hibs manager Mixu Paatelainen told the club's official website: "We're very pleased to have secured Colin's services at this time.

"He is a very talented player who has proven that he can score goals in the SPL, so we are delighted to welcome him to the club." Hibs have also announced that they have agreed a deal with French club Gueugnon for Algeria defender Abderaouf Zarabi, while defender Torben Joneleit has left Easter Road to head back to Monaco at the end of his loan spell.

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Mixu swoops for Algerian Zarabi

[Al-khiyal]

February 3, 2008 -- Werder Bremen suffered a major blow in their title race following their 2-1 away defeat against Bochum in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

The visitors came back from a 1-0 deficit through Daniel Jensen one minute before the break.

Bremen sealed a late win courtesy of goals from Benjamin Auer, 67, and Algerian defender Antar Yahia, 84.

Naldo was shown the red card in the 70th minute leaving Werder Bremen with only 10 men on the field.

The result leaves them second of the table with 36 points, three behind leaders Bayern Munich.

Elsewhere Schalke stormed past Stuttgart 4-1.

Kevin Kuranyi scored twice in the 32 and 52 minutes before Antonio Da Silva pulled one back in the 61st minute.

But Westermann, 76, and Ze Roberto, 90, killed any hopes of a comeback and completed the rout.

Schalke are now fifth with 32 points while Stuttgart are ninth with only 25 points.