Abramovich’s attorney to make final remarks in London court

LONDON, December 19 – RAPSI. Litigation between disgraced oligarch Boris Berezovsky and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in the High Court of Justice in London is approaching to its final stage: Jonathan Sumption, QC for Abramivich, is expected to make its final remarks on Monday, the Russian Legal Information agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) reports.

Sumption will to take the floor for two days to sum up everything said during the trial, including witnesses’ testimonies.

Berezovsky’s counsel Laurence Rabinovitz will deliver his final conclusions in mid-January.

Berezovsky seeks compensation for the assets he was allegedly forced to sell to Abramovich between 2000 and 2003. The lawsuit was filed in 2007.

Boris Berezovsky claims in his lawsuit that Roman Abramovich intimidated him and his business partner Badri Patarkatsishvili into selling a number of assets, including a 43-percent interest in the Sibneft oil company and a stake in the Rusal aluminum group, at a fraction of their value.

Berezovsky alleged that Abramovich abused his confidence.

Abramovich challenged the statement that Berezovsky owned stakes in these companies. Chelsea football club owner said he paid millions of dollars, often in cash, to Berezovsky only for political protection, however the payments were effected legally.

According to Abramovich Berezovsky had gained such a clout that became a “political corporation” attracting all Russia’s major businesses which “paid for his services”.

We are out of title race, says Wenger

Arsène Wenger last night conceded that his Arsenal team were out of the Premier League title race after a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City left them 12 points behind the leaders.

The Arsenal manager said that the game, decided by David Silva’s goal on 52 minutes, was one that his team “had to win” if they were to stay in contention for their first Premier League title since 2004. With City going back to the top of the table, two points clear of Manchester United, who won 2-0 away at Queens Park Rangers yesterday, Arsenal remain in fifth position.

For now, however, Wenger said that this defeat meant that his team could not win the title. “It puts us too much behind,” Wenger said. “It was a game we could not afford to lose. If we had won the game the gap would have been six points [to City] and with Jack Wilshere and Abou Diaby coming back we would have had a better squad in the second half of the season.”

He was angry that his side were denied a penalty in the 78th minute when the ball appeared to strike Micah Richards’ hand in the penalty area. “Robin van Persie is absolutely adamant that it was a penalty,” Wenger said.

Asked about the stories circulating on Saturday night that claimed Mario Balotelli had been spotted driving round Manchester wearing a blue Santa Claus suit handing out money, Roberto Mancini said that “with Mario, anything is possible”. An official of the club later confirmed that the reports were “nonsense”.

Mancini said: “We want to stay top for a long time, not only for Christmas. We want to beat Stoke [on Wednesday]. At the moment they are like Arsenal were, they have won four games unbeaten. Every game is difficult, so it is a big game for us. It’s difficult [for Arsenal], 12 points behind us, 10 behind United, it is difficult for them.”

If City beat Stoke on Wednesday they will guarantee going into Christmas at the top of the table, the first time they have done so in the top flight since 1929. That season they were three points clear on Christmas Day but finished third, 13 points behind Sheffield Wednesday. And that was in the days when a win was only worth two points.

Mancini said his team had come through a major test of “character”. “It was very important to win after [losing to] Chelsea,” he said. “We did not deserve to lose against Chelsea but that is football. It was a great game. We deserved to beat Arsenal, we had a fantastic performance as Arsenal are playing very well at the moment. For our character this was a big test and we showed we are a strong team. We know we have to fight other teams.”

THE BEST AND WORST OF SANTOS-BARCA

This is the best and the worst thing that has brought the Club World Cup final between FCBarcelona and Santos

BEST: party to remember. Barça were crowned world champions for the second time in its history in a match that will go into memory after a first part that amazed Barça getting going into the break with a 0-3 hand Messi, Xavi and Cesc. A 10 for all players.

WORST: Champions without Villa and Tito Vilanova. The victory was marred by the absence of Villa and Tito Vilanova. Asturian striker and coach the distance they lived from a victory that is as much his as of all who have touched the sky in Japan.

THE VESSEL COVERED BY THE ORDERS SANTOS WORLD CHAMPION

The football world surrenders to the foot of the club. Barca gave an exhibition the day they returned to touch the sky with your hands to be crowned world champions. Messi, Xaviand co. no rival.

It’s not the what but the how. This club has returned to impress the football world by giving a real lesson to the height of the greatest of all time. The set of Pep short dress again to get a date with history and failed. Japan owed one and chose the perfect revenge for that team in 1992 fell against Sao Paulo in the final of infamous memory. Now Messi, Xavi, Cesc and company took the witness to embroider a performance worthy of being true to the style library that made this great club.

‘Baseball Player’ lords and masters

Guardiola had no doubts in his bid for the ‘players’ and Ramalho wanted to keep the back of his sacrificing a midfielder for a defender. Bet useless. The Barca midfielder took the ball from the start and not let go until the end as if it were the most precious treasure to be kept in Yokohama. The Catalans turned the party into a ‘macrorondo’ laying the foundations of the first part of offense based on ball possession, mobility and constant danger.

Barca went into heat during the first ten minutes which would mature to become the first part of your dreams. The score he could open Thiago when virtually empty net, after a move failed masterful Messi. The Barca bench regretted the missed opportunity but few take the Argentinian star to appear as usual.

Xavi and Messi LIGTHING JAPAN

Everyone expected an intense duel between Neymar and Messi. And the truth is that the Argentine would support a debate without diluting back to prove that pot today, today, has no rival on the throne of world football. The bulbs were placed on Leo but Xavi is responsible for giving birth with a masterful control that eventually enabled a defined Messi famously chopping the ball over with a cold-blooded Rafael that only have the true ‘killers ‘.

Messi opened the way after 16 minutes but this boat was not satisfied. The ball ran back and forth moving the boots of the Catalans at the powerlessness of the Brazilians who ran drawn into an impossible mission.

The position of the Barca players allowed to control the possession simmering a delicious football Xavi eventually culminating with the second goal after Rafael shot from the penalty spot by a large inmate of Alves. The put the final 0-2 for Barca face and the party is open Pep liked even more.

Borges tried to answer the first arrival of the Brazilians Valdés area but nothing is further from the truth. Xavi’s master class in midfield and put no bounds on a platter to the 0-3 Fabregas but the ball crashed into the pole. Something that must keep Cesc in the depths of his heart because the latter would not fail.

Again, the mischief of Messi inside the area gave another play to remember. The Argentine-heeled attended Alves who saw it as its center cleared a helpless Rafael that nothing could be done when, after saving the plate at close range by Thiago, Cesc was limited up to score the third goal with a clear allusion to ’7 ‘for David Villa. Pim, pam and boom.

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The final 0-3 but the line seemed not go hand in hand with these players made a paste ‘special’.Santos and jump ship returned to Yokohama Stadium and twenty seconds Barca took the machine to have to play the fourth finger. Messi took advantage of Busquets work to attend a Cesc that he nearly beat Rafael.

The letter did not show variations Barca and Rafael siege resulted in a veritable barrage of occasions. Alves, Messi and Iniesta Barca could swell the account.

ALVES OMNIPRESENT, CRACK MESSI

Saints players, played on his self, tried to stretch their lines and the team broke into two parts appeared for the first time, the expected figure of Neymar. The Brazilian won the Barca back on defense but in his one on one with Valdes met with Barca goalkeeper effective that broke the illusion of appearing Brazilian star when it is most needed. A safe value.

And if Valdes failed in sporadic appearances he had in the game, a ubiquitous Alves did not cease in its efforts to be a dagger to the defense of the Saints. Up to three times had the Brazilian. The clearest of them a ball to stick in the 79th minute. But not everything is finished in goal for the famine of Alves demonstrated no ceiling.

Right, left or center. Every corner of the field was likely to be devoured by the tenacity of a Messi gave Alves a golden ball to put the icing on the final apotheosis.

Leo’s waist Rafael broke the fourth goal and the game did justice to a team that made history, this time in Japan.

Club World

1. Santos

   0

2. FC Barcelona

   4

TECHNICAL

• Rafael Santos, Danilo (Elano, min. 30), Edu Dracena, Bruno Rodrigo, Durval, Leo, Henry, Arouca, Goose (Ibson, min.83), Borges (Kardec, min.78) and Neymar
• FC Barcelona Valdes, Puyol (Font, min.85), Pique (Mascherano, min.56), Abidal, Alves, Busquets, Xavi, Thiago (Pedro, min 78), Iniesta, Cesc, and Messi.

GOALS 

• 0-1. Min.17: Messi, 0-2. 24 min: Xavi, 0-3. 45 min: Cesc, 0-4. 82 min: Messi 

REFEREE 

• Ravshan Irmatov (UZB). Pique showed yellow card (min.38), Mascherano (min.70), Goose (min.72) and Edu Dracena (min.73) 

INCIDENTS 

• International Stadium Yokohama. Full house: 68,166 spectators. Temperature: 9 degrees, 42 percent humidity. Before the game offered a fireworks display with the sacred volcano Fuji Nippon protagonist.