Soccer: Euro failure no longer on Germany's minds - Loew

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's summer of soccer failure will not be preying on their minds as they kick off their World Cup qualifying campaign on Friday, coach Joachim Loew has promised.

The Germans have been given a gentle start, with a home match against the Faroe Islands in Hanover, but even so are likely to be jittery after a traumatic four months.

After Friday it gets more difficult, with a trip to neighbors Austriaon Tuesday.

"The players have put their disappointments behind them and there is real hunger for success," Loew said. "That goes for the coaching staff as well."

Germany's troubles began when Bayern Munich lost the Champions League final to Chelsea in their own Allianz Arena, going down on penalties after dominating the game.

The national side then lost to Italy in the Euro 2012 semi-finals, continuing a run of near misses that include second place at the 2002 World Cup, third in 2006, third in 2010, and runners-up at Euro 2008.

Loew's team was also outclassed by a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina, losing 3-1 at home in a friendly in August.

Germany won all 10 games on their way to Euro 2012 but Loew has warned that a group also containing Sweden, Austria and Ireland, and involving a long trip to Kazakhstan, could pose more difficulties.

"We completed the last qualifies in a rousing manner," Loew said. "This time it will be more difficult, the group is very even. There won't be any pushovers.

"We have to improve when we don't have the ball. I place value on the way we develop going forward, but we must be more active off the ball and make sure we don't give our opponents any time."

Loew said that not even the Faroe Islands, who have 12 of their 19-man squad based locally, would be easy.

"The Faroes have only lost recently by narrow margins, one-or two-goal margins. Italy only beat them by a goal," he said. "They are certainly not cannon-fodder."

Germany are missing striker Mario Gomez, who is recovering from an ankle operation, and Bastian Schweinsteiger, who is not match fit.

Soccer: No Balotelli but Italy seek first win in Bulgaria

SOFIA (Reuters) - Italy, without strikers Mario Balotelli and Antonio Cassano, begin their World Cup qualifying campaign on Friday seeking their first victory over Bulgaria on their opponent's soil.

For a team that has won every major international trophy, Italy's record in Bulgaria is not a proud one -- two defeats and two draws with six goals conceded dating back to 1968. Most recently they emerged with a goalless draw in a 2010 World Cup qualifier four years ago.

The Italy team to face Luboslav Penev's side in the Group B match at the Vasil Levski stadium will also have a different look to the one that impressed at Euro 2012.

Balotelli is out due to eye surgery and Cassano has been dropped, so coach Cesare Prandelli, who hopes to have Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi ready, is expected to use a 3-5-2 formation.

Prandelli has tried the formation before -- notably in the early stages of Euro 2012, where his side finished runners-up to Spain, though eventually he settled on a back four.

De Rossi, who suffered an ankle injury during Roma's 3-1 win at Inter Milan last weekend, was thought to be out, but Prandelli revealed he might recover in time.

Prandelli is also expected to favor Juventus' diminutive playmaker Sebastian Giovinco over Mattia Destro in attack alongside Destro's in-form Roma team-mate Pablo Daniel Osvaldo, who has scored in his team's first two games this season.

Roma left back Federico Balzaretti had to pull out of the squad on Tuesday after tests showed his thigh injury would keep him out of action for a month.

AC Milan striker Giampaolo Pazzini, who has a knee problem, is unlikely to feature on Friday, though he is expected to play some part in Italy's game with Malta on Tuesday (1845 GMT).

Cagliari defender Davide Astori has also had to pull out of the squad with a similar injury, and has been replaced with AC Milan's Francesco Acerbi.

BERBATOV BLOW

Bulgaria, who have failed to qualify for a major tournament since 2004, have lost only once in four matches since coach Penev took over after the previous qualifying campaign, including a morale-boosting 2-1 away win over the Netherlands in May.

But this week Penev suffered a blow when striker Dimitar Berbatov, Bulgaria's all-time leading scorer with 48 goals, said he would not end his self-imposed international exile despite signaling he would be open to an approach from the coach.

Penev also decided against Valeri Bojinov's inclusion in the squad, as the former Juventus and Manchester City striker joined Italian Serie B side Verona only on Friday, with the coach concerned about his lack of match practice.

Penev will probably start with three attacking players in captain Ivelin Popov, Emil Gargorov and Stanislav Manolev, but none of them is a typical forward. PSV Eindhoven's Manolev even played as a right back in most of his Bulgaria appearances.

For the first time in the past two decades, Bulgaria will rely on home-based midfielders only, with Ludogorets' Svetoslav Dyakov, Litex Lovech's Georgi Milanov and Levski Sofia's Vladimir Gadzhev destined for a place in the starting line-up.

Bulgaria are struggling to sell tickets for the qualifier and the domestic football federation has begun handing out free tickets to the clubs in an attempt to encourage fans.

Bulgaria host Armenia in their second match in the group, also containing Denmark, Czech Republicand Malta, on Tuesday.

Alonso backs automatic World Cup qualification

Defending World Cup holders should qualify automatically for the next competition, Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso, part of theSpain squad that won the 2010 tournament, said Tuesday.

"Logically, as in many competitions and sports, the champion has the right to defend their title. FIFA does not allow for it but I think it is sufficiently important and fair that the winner have the right to qualify," he told a news conference ahead of Spain's friendly Friday against Saudi Arabia.

World Cup holders stopped getting automatic entry in the next competition at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

In making the changes to the rules, football world governing body FIFA argued that the four years between competitions was a long time for any team to retain its strength.

After taking on Saudi Arabia in Pontevedra in northeastern Spain, the 2008 and 2012 European champions will face Georgia in Tbilisi on September 11 in their opening qualifying match for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

"I think many of us are in a fortunate position where we are part of a group that has made history, but we are aware of the future that lies ahead. We don't want to rest on our laurels," said Alonso.

"We want to win more trophies. When the time comes when we stop winning we will face up to it in the best possible way," the 30-year-old added.

Alonso, who was outstanding as Spain retained their European title earlier this year, welcomed the return of David Villa, Spain's all-time leading scorer, to the national team after an eight month absence due to injury.

"It is great news for us. Villa brings much bite, he is a threat to the defence of our rivals, he creates a great deal of uncertainty," he said.

Last week Spain coach Vicente del Bosque included Villa in his squad for the matches against Saudi Arabia and Georgia.

The 30-year-old has not played for Spain since he broke his left leg last December while playing with Barcelona at the Club World Cup.

Alonso said the Spanish national team had "a great deal of respect" for Saudi Arabia's squad.

"They have taken part in may World Cups. We will play with the same professionalism and respect with which we face all our rivals," he said.

It is not about the money, says sad Ronaldo

MADRID (Reuters) - Cristiano Ronaldo said on Tuesday his sadness had nothing to do with money as the Real Madrid forward looked to head off media speculation he simply wanted for a more lucrative deal.

The world's most expensive player hit the headlines after Sunday's 3-0 La Liga win over Granada when he failed to celebrate his two goals and told reporters he was "sad" for "professional" reasons and that the club knew why.

"That I am feeling sad and have expressed this sadness has created a huge stir," the 27-year-old Portugal forward said via his Twitter account.

"I am accused of wanting more money, but one day it will be shown that this is not the case."

Local newspapers and radio stations have been full of speculation about the reasons for Ronaldo's outburst.

He was reported to have had a meeting with club president Florentino Perez on Saturday and said he did not feel he had the support of the dressing room, was unhappy and wanted to leave.

Ronaldo rejected the idea he was downcast at losing out to Barcelona's Spain midfielder Andres Iniestafor the Best Player in Europe award on Thursday.

There were also suggestions the former Manchester United winger, one of the world's best-paid players, earning some 11 million euros ($13.82 million) a year, was seeking an improved contract.

"I just want to guarantee to the Real Madrid fans that my motivation, dedication, commitment and desire to win all competitions will not be affected," he added.

"I have too much respect for myself and for Real Madrid to ever give less to the club than all I am capable of."

ARBELOA SURPRISED

Earlier On Tuesday, Ronaldo's team mate Alvaro Arbeloa said the squad had no idea their leading scorer was unhappy.

"I don't know what's up with Cristiano. It was a surprise for us as much as for you. We found out after the game," the fullback told reporters as he joined up with the Spain squad.

"At Madrid, we are a family and we will support him in any way he needs, just as we would do with Mesut Ozil, Michael Essien or whoever.

"It's true that Cristiano, like most of us, doesn't have the problems that many Spaniards have, but he will have his reasons for not being at his best and this is reasonable.

"I have never heard him talk about money, a longer deal, or wanting to go. I think he'll be here for many years.

"There has been too much made of his words. Maybe he needs more affection from everyone, I don't know, but if that is it, he will receive it from us."

($1 = 0.7961 euros)

Veteran Cris signs for Galatasaray

Former Brazilian international defender Cris ended his eight-year spell at French Ligue 1 side Lyon by signing for Turkish giants Galatasaray for 1.25 million euros ($1.57m) on Monday, the buying club announced.

The 35-year-old, capped 22 times, won the Ligue 1 title for four successive years (2005-08) as well as the French Cup in 2008 and 2012 after joining Lyon from Brazilian side Cruzeiro in 2004.

Cris, who also won Brazilian titles with Corinthians in 1998 and Cruzeiro in 2003, would have been out of contract with the cash-strapped French side next June and had fallen out of favour having not played in the last two Ligue 1 games.

Football: Juve go top as Roma stun Inter at San Siro

Champions Juventus underlined their Serie A title credentials by going top as Inter Milan were humbled 3-1 by a Francesco Totti-inspired Roma at the San Siro on Sunday.

AC Milan, who finished runners-up to Juventus last season but stuttered against Sampdoria last week, got their scudetto campaign back on track Saturday when Giampaolo Pazzini struck a hat-trick in a 3-1 win away at Bologna.

In Sunday's earlier match Juventus produced a similarly commanding performance in a 4-1 win away to 10-man Udinesewhich included a brace from Sebastien Giovinco and gave them two wins from two.

While Udinese chief Giampaolo Pozzo was furious at the referee's decision to send off his 'keeper Zelijko Brkic for a foul on Giovinco, the little striker known as the "Atomic Ant" was unforgiving.

"Today it was important to win and give a signal and we did that," said Giovcinco, who produced a second half brace to add to Arturo Vidal's first half penalty and a goal from Montenegrin Marko Vucinic.

While there were deserved wins for Napoli and Lazio, Roma's humbling of Inter Milan was the talk of the night.

After 15 minutes former Italy marksman Totti was given space on the left and delivered a perfectly-weighted cross for Alessandro Florenzi to head superbly past the outstretched Luca Castellazzi and into the bottom corner.

Inter striker Diego Milito twice came close with a header on the half hour and an angled shot five minutes before the interval that was blocked by a defender.

And after the restart Inter, who hammered promoted Pescara 3-0 away last week, got back on level terms albeit in somewhat fortuitous fashion.

Antonio Cassano, who until last week had been AC Milan's main striker, latched onto a a long ball from Dutchman Wesley Sneijder, turned while holding off two defenders and saw his deflected shot rise high and drop into the goal.

His celebrations, less than an hour after being left out of Casare Prandelli's most recent Italy squad, were exuberant but were soon overshadowed.

Roma striker Daniel Osvaldo, who was red-carded for a second bookable offence late in the match, missed two great chances to put Roma ahead while in prime position to score.

But his vision and sense of good timing finally paid off when he beat Inter's failed attempt to spring the offside trap and ran onto a Totti long ball to chip the onrushing Castellazzi.

Inter's hopes of launching any kind of fightback were extinguished nine minutes from time when Osvaldo's chip with the outside of his right boot from the left flank allowed second-half substitute Marquinho to somehow beat the diving Castellazzi from the tightest of angles.

Totti, whose Roma side could only eke out a late draw at home to Catania last week, told Premium Calcio: "We put in a great performance, because it's not easy to come to (Inter) Milan and win in front of a crowd like this.

"These three points will give us confidence because we came in for some criticism after our result last week. This is the best kind of answer we can give."

While Antonio Conte's Juventus sit top on six points, they are being trailed closely by Napoli (6) and Lazio (6), while Sampdoria's 2-1 win over Siena left the Genoese in third with five points.

Czech midfielder Marek Hamsik opened the scoring for Napoli after heading home a free-kick and Swiss defender Blerin Dzemali made it two with 15 minutes remaining.

Fiorentina grabbed a goal back in the final minutes when Stevan Jovetic produced a superb strike.

Germany international Miroslav Klose, meanwhile, turned in a sublime performance scoring a brace either side of a superb goal by Italian midfielder Antonio Candreva to give Lazio in a 3-0 home win over Palermo.

Van Persie treble fires United, Arsenal sink Liverpool

Robin van Persie hit a dramatic hat-trick as Manchester Unitedfought back to win 3-2 at Southampton in Sir Alex Ferguson's 1,000th league game in charge, while Arsenal piled on the misery for struggling Liverpool with a 2-0 victory at Anfield on Sunday.

Van Persie looked like ruining Ferguson's landmark celebrations when he missed a penalty with United trailing 2-1 midway through the second half at St Mary's.

But the Dutch forward showed why Ferguson splashed out £24 million to sign him from Arsenal last month with two clinical finishes in the final three minutes to snatch the points from Southampton's grasp.

Rickie Lambert had headed Southampton into the lead from Jason Puncheon's 16th minute cross, but van Persie equalised seven minutes later with a fine strike after Nathaniel Clyne slipped while trying to reach Antonio Valencia's cross.

Southampton, who are bottom of the table after losing their first three matches back in the top-flight after a seven-year absence, regained the lead 10 minutes after half-time when midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin directed a diving header past United goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard.

Van Persie won a penalty when Jos Hooiveld fouled him in the 69th minute, but Kelvin Davis saved the Dutchman's chipped spot-kick.

Determined to make amends for that blunder, van Persie bagged the 87th minute equaliser with a close-range finish before heading the winner from Nani's corner in stoppage-time.

Earlier on Sunday, Arsenal had ended their goal drought in emphatic fashion as Lukas Podolski andSanti Cazorla inspired an impressive 2-0 win at Liverpool.

Arsene Wenger's side had drawn a blank in their first two Premier League matches as they struggled to adapt to life without van Persie.

But the Gunners, held to goalless draws by Sunderland and Stoke, were back on target at Anfield thanks to two of Wenger's pre-season signings.

Germany striker Podolski netted his first goal for the club in the first half to end Arsenal's barren run of 211 scoreless minutes.

Then Spanish midfielder Cazorla bagged his first Gunners goal in the second half with a low shot that Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina should have saved.

That was more than enough to clinch Arsenal's first win of the season and leave struggling Liverpool with just one point from their first three matches.

After Liverpool missed out on long-term transfer target Clint Dempsey and failed to make any other signings on deadline day, this lacklustre display was a painful end to a dispiriting week for Reds manager Brendan Rodgers.

"The sharpness gets better from game to game. Overall we looked solid," Wenger said. "We missed opportunities on the counter-attack at the start of the game but we had a convincing team performance."

Rodgers added: "I am disappointed with the scoreline and the goals we conceded.

"We have things to work on, needing to keep the ball better and Arsenal did that well in the final period.

"Giving the ball away has nothing to do with the style of play. There is a long way to go."

In the day's other game Aston Villa earned their first point under new boss Paul Lambert with a 1-1 draw against Newcastle.

Villa had lost the first two matches of Lambert's reign, but they took the lead at St James's Park through Ciaran Clark's 22nd minute header.

French midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa salvaged a draw for Newcastle with a brilliant strike in the 59th minute.