Torres: I'm staying at Liverpool
Liverpool's star striker Fernando Torres has given the club a huge boost ahead of the new Premier League season by insisting he has no intention of leaving the club.The Spanish forward's future has been up in the air since Liverpool slumped to a seventh placed finish last season, meaning they missed out on qualification for the European Champions League.Torres was part of the Spain squad that won the World Cup in South Africa and has only recently returned to training with Liverpool. Rumors of a £50 million bid from Chelsea surfaced during the tournament.
Atletico Madrid claim Super Cup; Kaiserslautern humble Bayern Munich
Atletico Madrid upset European champions Inter Milan to secure the UEFA Super Cup in Monaco.Goals from Jose Reyes and Sergio Aguero handed the Europa League winners a healthy advantage before Inter's Argentina striker Diego Milito missed a late penalty.It signaled defeat for new Inter coach Rafael Benitez in his first competitive fixture, after taking over from Jose Mourinho, who joined Spanish club Real Madrid.Inter had the better of the opening half with Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder going close from a tight angle.But in the second half, Atletico posed more problems of Inter's defence and they deservedly took the lead when Reyes' shot squeezed past keeper Julio Cesar at the near post.As Inter pressed for an equalizer, Atletico doubled their advantage when Sergio Aguero turned home Simao's left wing cross.There was still time for Atletico keeper David De Gea to save Diego Milto's penalty in the final minute.Elsewhere, newly-promoted Kaiserslautern shocked German champions Bayern Munich with a 2-1 win in the Bundesliga.Two goals in as many minutes from Ivo Ilicevic and Srdjan Lakic gave the home side the advantage just after the half hour mark.Despite fielding a host of World Cup stars, including Franck Ribery, Thomas Muller, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mark Van Bommel, Bayern couldn't find a way back into the game.Goalscorer Ilicevic was sent off in the closing stages for a second bookable offence but Kaiserslautern held on to win their second game in a row and climb to the top of the table.
Barcelona agrees Mascherano deal
Spanish champions Barcelona have announced they've agreed a deal to sign Javier Mascherano from Liverpool.The Argentina international asked to be sold in July and has recently been left out of Liverpool's squad as his drawn out move neared completion.Mascherano is now expected to fly to Barcelona this weekend to put the finishing touches to a transfer believed to be in the region of $27 million.A statement on Barcelona's official website read: "FC Barcelona and Liverpool FC have reached agreement in principle for the transfer of Javier Mascherano, who will join the club for the next four seasons."The agreement was reached after considerable effort from the club over the last few hours and the willingness and desire of the player to make the move."FC Barcelona will give more details of the operation once the player has gone through his medical and the transfer is definitive. Javier Mascherano is expected to arrive in Barcelona this weekend."Mascherano played in Liverpool's opening English Premier League fixture with Arsenal, but did not feature in either of the club's next two games, as he tried to push through the deal.He was signed from West Ham in January 2007 by former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez -now in charge at European champions Inter Milan.New Liverpool coach Roy Hodgson had set a deadline of Sunday for the deal to be finalized, as the two clubs haggled over a fee.Liverpool also confirmed the deal on their website: "Liverpool Football Club have agreed terms for the transfer of Javier Mascherano to FC Barcelona. "The Spanish club have now been given permission to speak to the Argentina midfielder."
