Bologna 0 – 0 AC Milan

Report: AC Milan fell 10 points behind city rivals Inter this afternoon after another uninspiring display at Bologna. Full match report here

Fergie gives Becks backing

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says he could not imagine England leaving for the World Cup in South Africa without midfielder David Beckham in the squad. [...]

The 34-year-old hopes playing regularly in Serie A will book him a place in the 23-man party for the finals in June, and his former boss said Beckham should figure in Fabio Capello’s plans because of his experience. [...]

Ferguson, who sold Beckham to Real Madrid for £25million in 2003, watched the midfielder in his side’s 2-0 defeat to Milan rivals Inter last month.

And despite a quiet performance from the former United man, Ferguson said Beckham’s unprecedented set-piece abilities also made him indispensible to the England cause.

He told The People: “‘No-one has a better delivery of the ball, and at set pieces in particular, than David Beckham and I would imagine he’ll be there at the World Cup with England.

“I can’t see Capello not taking him because David has so much experience. He has shown his desire to play at the top, he’s shown that by going back to Milan and that’s the key to it. Keep reading

Beckham soccer academy shut down

Anschutz Entertainment Group – owner of the Los Angeles Galaxy, the Major League Soccer club Beckham plays for – announced the closure in a terse, undated and unsigned memo from AEG spokesman Michael Roth that was distributed to some company employees in December.

“The David Beckham Academy will no longer operate its Los Angeles location,” the memo said. “Planning is currently under way with David and senior coaches to develop a program and coaching model that will move beyond the limits of one location and ultimately impact more children in more cities across the United States and worldwide.”

The academy was a victim of the worsening economy, sources said, although those involved denied the venture suffered significant financial losses.

“As a private company we don’t discuss finances in this way,” Roth said Friday. “However, it was not in the millions of dollars.” Full article

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