AGOSTO 2007: Il vento dell'Est

TORNA A CASA, SHEVA

Il presidente della Dinamo Kiev vuole l'attaccante del Chelsea in prestito.

[Gazzetta.it] Igor Surkis, il presidente della Dinamo Kiev, ha un sogno proibito: riportare a casa Andriy Shevchenko dopo otto anni. E per fare questo è disposto a pagare l'intero stipendio del bomber ucraino. Ovvio, il Chelsea dovrebbe venire incontro ai desideri del presidentissimo: vendere, sì, Sheva, ma solo in prestito. «Ho chiesto a Shevchenko di intercedere presso i suoi dirigenti per essere mandato in prestito alla Dinamo - ha spiegato Surkis sul sito del club -. Siamo pronti a prendere Andriy, guadagna tanto, ma siamo pronti a pagare quello che dobbiamo. Non so come Andriy si trovi a Londra, ma so che a Kiev starebbe bene. Se passeremo il preliminare di Champions League insisterò ancora di più». Il problema è che di Sheva si sono quasi perse le tracce. Al Chelsea (che l'ha strappato la scorsa estate dal Milan per 46 milioni di euro) quest'anno non ha ancora giocato, a causa, si dice, di un infortunio alla schiena. Due giorni fa, però, l'ucraino è sceso in campo con la sua nazionale in un'amichevole contro l'Uzbekistan, muovendosi anche abbastanza bene nei 55 minuti in cui è stato impiegato. Più plausibili, dunque, gli screzi con l'allenatore dei Blues, José Mourinho. Dissapori che potrebbero spingere l'ex milanista a un incredibile ritorno a casa.

KICK-OFF

[Guardian.co.uk] There was more bad news for Jose Mourinho yesterday after reports from France suggested Didier Drogba's knee injury is likely to rule him out for two weeks, which means he could miss Chelsea's crucial early season game with Liverpool. The Chelsea manager's difficulties do not end there. He must also make a tough decision about Andriy Shevchenko. The Ukrainian trained last week despite having a slight back strain and was expecting to be part of the squad against Manchester United in the Community Shield. Mourinho erred on the side of caution, however, mindful that Salomon Kalou was among those in the treatment room, with a shoulder injury, and his other striker, Claudio Pizarro, the new signing from Bayern Munich, lacked match fitness.

Shevchenko took part in full training yesterday and is determined to play a full part against Birmingham City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. The £30m signing from Milan struggled to justify his superstar billing last season and fell out with Mourinho at the time of the Champions League semi-final second-leg at Liverpool, when he was left out of the starting line-up and did not make the bench, after he felt an injury. Drogba's injury is the one which will be worrying Mourinho most, however. The Ivorian was his top scorer last season with 33 goals and offers the team its focal point. Drogba damaged the knee in training on Saturday and there are fears that he will miss not only the opening games of the season against Birmingham and Reading away next Tuesday but also the visit to Liverpool the following Saturday. With John Terry, the captain, already ruled out for four weeks with a knee ligament injury, he can ill afford to be without another of the team's leaders.

Shevchenko's adviser, Fabio Parisi, said: «It's a small problem, and it's not something that has suddenly happened. His back is tired, it's been a gradual thing. Jose Mourinho did not want to take the risk [in the Community Shield]». Shevchenko played in Chelsea's three friendlies on their tour of the United States and there has been concern that the hard pitches there contributed to his injury. He then appeared against Feyenoord and Rangers but did not travel to Denmark for the Brondby friendly last week. Milan's president, Silvio Berlusconi, would like to take Shevchenko back and the Italian club are exploring the possibility of a loan but Chelsea refuse to do business. Mourinho hopes to have Kalou back for Sunday but Wayne Bridge, Michael Ballack and Claude Makelele are out.