Algerians in Europe 2008 - 2009

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Barcelona want Belhadj to replace Abidal

November 28, 2008 -- Barcelona have watched Nadir Belhadj impress for Portsmouth this season and are considering making a move for him if Éric Abidal does not recover from injury soon.

The Blaugrana are concerned that their French international defender is struggling with a knee injury that has seen him miss the whole of November and that could see them dip into the transfer market, according to Catalaunya Radio.

Carles Puyol, Sylvinho and Martín Cáceres have all filled in for Abidal, but unless his recuperation speeds up the club could make an approach for a replacement.

Belhadj has caught the Catalan club's attention after his outstanding form this season during a loan spell with Premier League Portsmouth from Ligue 1 outfit Lens.

While the 26-year-old is on a season-loan deal with the English outfit, Barça may look to compensate Pompey as well as paying Lens a fee for his services during the January transfer window.

Despite his impressive form this term, Belhadj has rarely settled at any of his previous clubs having had two loan stints and four permanent moves in six seasons.

Able to play either at left-back, where Barça would employ him, or further up field, his credentials would fit in with Barça's desire to sign players able to play in more than one position.

[Al-khiyal]

Algeria's Ziani named best OM player

December 7, 2008 -- Fans of French club Olympique Marseille elected Algerian international midfielder Karim Ziani the best player for November. Ziani won 31% of some 15,000 votes, ahead of Hatem Ben Arfa and Bruno Cheyrou, the club announced Friday (December 5th) on their official website.

[Al-khiyal]

Madjid Bougherra denies move away from Rangers

December 8, 2008 -- Madjid Bougherra has dismissed suggestions that he will be making his fourth move in three seasons by leaving Rangers to return to the French league. The Algeria defender has been linked with Marseilles but he insists he has no plans to leave Ibrox during the January transfer window.

Bougherra helped Rangers to a 7-1 success against Hamilton Academical on Saturday and his impressive displays in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League have not gone unnoticed either in France, where he began his career, or England, where he played for Crewe Alexandra, Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton Athletic.

The centre-back cost Walter Smith £2.5 million in August but the Rangers manager has admitted recently that he may have to reduce his squad. But Bougherra said: “I’m staying here, I am very comfortable here. I have an agent but he never calls me until January or the end of a season. However, I have told him that I am very happy here and that I want to stay.”

Rangers won despite gifting a goal to James McArthur after just two minutes, which was in the same vein of defensive charity that contributed to a the 2-1 defeat at Heart of Midlothian the previous weekend. Bougherra said his side cannot do the same when they travel to Tannadice this weekend to face Dundee United.

“It’s important we don’t lose an early goal there,” he said. “That’s been a big problem and we will be working on that this week. We have to do better in the first 20 minutes. We have to be on our game right from the start. Concentration is the problem. We have to get into the game quickly.

“It was very important that Kenny Miller got the goal so quickly because if the score had stayed 1-0 for a long time, Hamilton would have sat back. But we knew what we had to do and with the fans behind us we did it. Kenny started it and the team followed him.

“When Hamilton scored we could hear our fans and they were very angry. But when Kenny scored quickly, the crowd got behind us and we tried to play football. When we do that, the game is easy for us.

“Miller and Boyd will score a lot of goals. Kenny is the kind of player who runs everywhere, trying things everywhere while Boydy is a clever striker. They have a good partnership and that’s good for us.”

[Al-khiyal]

Barcelona want Belhadj to replace Abidal

Portsmouth planning to make a permanent move for loan star Belhadj

December 8, 2008 -- Portsmouth are set to sign Nadir Belhadj on a permanent transfer despite interest in the full-back from Barcelona.

Belhadj is on loan from Lens and executive chairman Peter Storrie had a first-option deal included in the loan agreement.

The Algerian, who has made a big impact at Fratton Park, will cost around £2million.

Manager Tony Adams has made securing Belhadj a priority as the transfer window opens on January 1.

The left-back has played in every game this season and Adams has been reassured the proposed sale of the club by chairman Alexander Gaydamak will not affect January transfers.

[Al-khiyal]

Les Verts dans les championnats européens de football :
Bon match pour Ziani, Mansouri buteur et Bouguerra blessé

Lundi 15 decembre 2008 -- L'Olympique de Marseille a fait une très bonne opération en imposant le nul (0-0) à Lyon sur les terres de ce dernier pour le compte de la 18e journée de la Ligue 1 française. Ziani, qui a joué presque toute la partie - remplacé par M'Bami à la 88e minute - a été très bon sur tous les plans. Il est en tête des meilleurs joueurs de l'OM, selon le sondage qu'effectue le site Internet du club, avec 35% des voix - plus 17 000 votants - suivi par Benarfa avec 15%. Par ce résultat, l'OM a empêché l'OL de prendre le large. Ce dernier est leader avec 35 points suivi de l'OM, Bordeaux et PSG avec 32 points chacun.

L'autre joueur algérien qui s'est illustré ce week-end est Yazid Mansouri qui a pu inscrire le premier but de son club (40'), Lorient, en déplacement au Havre. Lorient l'a emporté par le score de 3 à 1. Il y a également Djamel Belmadi, auteur du second but de Valenciennes, qui l'a emporté à domicile face à Monaco (3-1). Grenoble, par contre, dans lequel évolue Akrour - remplacé par Faghouli à la 52e minute - a perdu à Nancy par 2-0. En Ligue 2 (17e journée), Zarabi et Harek ont été heureux ce week-end. Tous deux ont joué en tant que titulaires et leurs clubs respectifs ont réalisé de bonnes performances. Nîmes (Zarabi) est revenu de Châteauroux avec le point de l'égalité (0-0) et Bastia (Harek) a foudroyé Ajaccio par le score de 6 à 2.

En Angleterre (17e journée de Premier League), Portsmouth a été battu à domicile par Newcastle (0-3). Belhadj, comme à son habitude, a joué toute la partie. Son club, Portsmouth, est classé 8e avec 23 points, à 15 points du leader Liverpool (38 points). En Italie (16e journée de Série 1), Ghezzal, récemment convoqué en équipe nationale, titulaire également, a eu le même sort puisque son équipe, Sienne, a été battu par Palerme (2-0).

En Espagne (15e journée de la Liga), Mehdi Lacen a été expulsé après avoir écopé de deux cartons jaunes (74' et 75'). Son club Racing Santander a pu néanmoins revenir de Almeria avec le point de l'égalité (1-1). En Allemagne, Matmour (Borussia M'Gladbach) a eu un «avant goût» de la rencontre Algérie - Egypte (3e tour des éliminatoires pour la CAN et le Mondial) puisque il a joué contre l'Egyptien Zidan (Borussia Dortmund). C'est ce dernier qui l'a emporté, Dortmund ayant gagné le match (2-1). Zidan a même inscrit le premier but de son club (35'). Antar Yahia n'a pas, par contre, joué le match Bochum-FC Cologne (1-2). Même chose pour Bouguerra avec Glasgow, dans le championnat écossais, puisque il a contracté une blessure quelques jours avant le match de cette semaine.

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L’Olympique Marseille compte prolonger le contrat de Karim Ziani

Dimanche 28 Décembre 2008 -- La direction du club de l’Olympique Marseille (1re division française) compte prolonger de deux ans le contrat du milieu international algérien Karim Ziani, a indiqué hier le site football365.fr. Libre en juin 2011, l’ex-Lorientais serait toujours suivi par plusieurs clubs étrangers. Le Werder Brême (pour succéder au Brésilien Diego), le FC Séville et le VfB Stuttgart seraient très intéressés par son profil. Consciente de l’importance du joueur sur l’échiquier de l’entraîneur belge, Eric Gerets, la direction du club phocéen étudie actuellement une proposition de prolongement de son contrat, ajoute le site. Arraché au FC Sochaux-Montbéliard pour près de huit millions d’euros il y a un an et demi, l’international algérien serait désormais évalué à près de quinze millions d’euros. L’OM a, en outre, récemment repoussé une offre de 11 millions d’euros venant de clubs étrangers.

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Belhadj seals permanent Pompey switch

December 30, 2008 -- Portsmouth have signed defender Nadir Belhadj on a permanent deal after a successful loan spell at Fratton Park.

The 26-year-old Algeria international has signed a four-and-half-year contract after Pompey agreed a fee of £4.4 million with French club Lens.

"I am delighted to have secured Nadir as a permanent signing," manager Tony Adams told the club's website. "Nadir is an excellent acquisition for the club and even [Arsenal manager] Arsene Wenger commented on his ability to spring from defence to attack so quickly."

He added: "He has great pace and energy and is a terrific crosser of the ball, too.

"At the moment he is playing left-back and developing a good relationship with Niko Kranjcar, but he can also play left midfield."

Belhadj, who has scored twice in 23 appearances this season, will officially become a Portsmouth player when the transfer window opens on January 1.