Offline
BARCELONA, Spain -- Goalkeeper Victor Valdes may have played his last game for Barcelona after tearing a right knee ligament during Wednesdays league win over Celta Vigo at Camp Nou. Barcelona said the injury will require surgery, which would likely rule him out for the rest of the season. The 32-year-old Valdes has said he will leave Barcelona after this season when his contract expires. "This is painful news and is too high a price to pay for these three points," said Barcelona sports director Andoni Zubizarreta. Valdes right knee buckled when he came down after jumping to block a routine free kick. He managed to gather in the ball but then fell to the turf and called to be substituted. The Spanish international was carried to a cart and then shuttled off the pitch with his gloved hands covering his face. Backup Jose Pinto took his place in the 22nd minute with Barcelona leading 1-0. Barcelona went on to win 3-0 with two goals by Neymar and one by Lionel Messi. Valdes was taken to a hospital for tests that determined the severity of his injury. Valdes has played a crucial role in Barcelonas rise to the top of European football over the past decade. In his 12 seasons with Barcelonas first team, Valdes has won three Champions League crowns, six Spanish leagues, and two Copa del Rey titles, among various other trophies. Valdes was also expected to compete with Iker Casillas for the starting job for Spain at this summers World Cup. Barcelona is trying to defend its Spanish league title. It has also reached the final of the Copa del Rey and the quarterfinals of the Champions League. It will now have to rely on the 38-year-old Pinto as it reaches the final stretch of the campaign. Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino said that the club would not look to make an emergency move to replace Valdes, meaning the young and untested Oier Olazabal will serve as Pintos backup. "We wont sign a goalkeeper. We will finish the season with this group," Martino said. "I am not one to believe in bad luck, but at this stage of the season I thought everything that was to happen had already occurred. I was wrong. Its a big blow but this team has rolled with punches for some time now and we will pull through this." Pinto has played 15 games this season, with a record of 12 wins, one draw and two losses. He had played in the Copa del Rey and for Valdes in the league and Champions League when he was injured for eighth games earlier this season. Pinto gave his team, and the Camp Nou crowd, another scare in the second half when he slid into the goalframe, hitting his left knee on the upright. But after a brief spell gathering himself on the ground he was able to continue. The veteran made four noteworthy saves to keep a clean sheet for the hosts. Marcus Peters Rams Jersey .The other side of the Bruins special teams unit delivered in the end.Gregory Campbell netted the game-winner with less than 10 minutes remaining and the Bruins fended off a late four-minute San Jose power play to earn a wild 5-3 win over the Sharks. Joseph Noteboom Jersey . Once again, the third baseman delivered in a big spot. Ramirez kept up his torrid hitting with a two-run homer to help back Wily Peraltas solid start, and the Brewers extended their winning streak to seven with a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night. Barea during a three-game shooting slump that was getting him booed off his home court with regularity. Custom Los Angeles Rams Jerseys . 1-9 on TSN. With more than 65 hours of exclusive live coverage, TSN delivers all the action beginning with Draw 1 on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 2 p. Los Angeles Rams Jerseys .com) - Jenny Boucek is the new head coach of the Seattle Storm.NEW YORK -- As Freddie Roach recalled, he recently received a phone call from Miguel Cotto, who suggested he only had three fights left. Judging by his performance Saturday night, Cotto has plenty left in the tank. Cotto became the first Puerto Rican fighter to win world championships in four weight divisions, stopping Sergio Martinez in their WBC world middleweight title fight Saturday night. "It was a reflection of my hard work (for) 10, 11 weeks," Cotto said. Martinez didnt get off the stool when the bell rang for the 10th round. He did not speak to the media after the fight, as he was taken to a hospital as a precaution. "Miguel beat him from pillar to post," said Martinezs promoter, Lou DiBella. "Miguel Cotto is a great champion." Cotto improved to 39-4 and is 8-1 at Madison Square Garden. Martinez fell to 51-3-2. According to Todd duBoef, the President of Top Rank, the attendance was 21,090, and the gross gate was under $5 million. In the week leading up to the fight, Roach, Cottos trainer, said his pupil would be able to use his footwork to control the fight, and still possessed power even though he moved up in weight class. Cotto proved Roach right from the opening bell, knocking down Martinez twice in the first round with a flurry of body shots. As the fight progressed, Cotto pressured Martinez around the ring, and attacked when openings were presented. Cotto won every round, including a 10-6 first. "Miguel fought a really great fight," Roach said. "Thank you, Miguel, for making me look so good. "He really gave the guy a boxing lesson." Martinez forced Cotto to fight in the middle of the ring instead of on the ropes or in thee corners.dddddddddddd But Cotto was able to land a variety of jabs and hooks. By the end of the eighth round, Martinez had swelling around his right eye. He also had a cut on his forehead due to a head-butt. Both cuts were glued shut. Cotto landed 54 per cent of his punches, and 54 per cent of his power punches. By comparison, Martinez connected on 31 per cent of his punches, and landed 60 of 157 power punches. "Martinez couldnt hurt him," Roach said. "Miguel listened to the game plan." The Cotto-Martinez fight was the main event of a nine-fight card. Marvin Sonsona (19-1-1) became the NABF featherweight champion with a 10-round split decision win over Wilfredo Vasquez Jr (23-4-1). "Hes a dirty, rotten fighter," Vasquez said. "When I pressured him, he held. He landed one good punch, the punch that knocked me down." Javier Maciel (29-3) won the USNBC super welterweight title, defeating Jorge Melendez (28-4-1) by split decision, and Andy Lee (32-2) stopped John Jackson (18-2) with a left hook in the fifth round. "I ran into a bad one," Jackson said. "What a lucky punch." Prior to the main card bouts, Felix Verdejo improved to 13-0 with a first-round technical knockout of Engelberto Valenzuela (9-2); and Jose Lopez (13-0) won an eight-round unanimous decision over Raul Hidalgo (21-11-0-1) to retain the WBC super bantam FECARBOX title. Jose Pedraza moved to 17-0 with a first-round technical knockout of Arturo Uruzquieta (15-6); and Willie Nelson improved to 22-1-1 with a first-round technical knockout of Darryl Cunningham (29-7). In his first professional bout, Jantory Ortiz stopped Elio Ruiz (1-5) in the first round. Cheap Predators Jerseys Cheap Jets Jerseys Cheap Ducks Jerseys Cheap Coyotes Jerseys Cheap Sharks Jerseys Cheap Canucks Jerseys Cheap Bruins Jerseys Cheap Sabres Jerseys Cheap Panthers Jerseys Cheap Canadiens Jerseys Cheap Senators Jerseys Cheap Hurricanes Jerseys Cheap Blue Jackets Jerseys Cheap Islanders Jerseys Cheap Rangers Jerseys Cheap Flyers Jerseys ' ' '