Blanc calls on Ben Arfa for Euro 2012

koclokindoblog, 10 Mei 2012, France head coach Laurent Blanc has included Newcastle midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa as one of 12 foreign-based players in his Euro 2012 squad.

The 25-year-old has not featured for Les Bleus since August 2010, when he came on as a substitute in the 2-1 friendly defeat against Norway in what was Blanc's first match in charge of the national team.

Ben Arfa has been in impressive form at Newcastle this season after fully recovering from a broken tibia and fibula sustained in 2010-11, and has been rewarded with a place on Blanc's first provisional list, which features only foreign-based players.

Team-mate Yohan Cabaye has also been named among eight Premier League players.

Tottenham defender Younes Kaboul, Arsenal centre-back Laurent Koscielny, Manchester City pair Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri, Manchester United's Patrice Evra and Chelsea winger Florent Malouda are all in the squad.

Real Madrid star Karim Benzema is the only striker on the roster.

The second provisional list, with players who ply their trade in France, will be revealed on May 15.

France will play friendly matches against Iceland, Serbia and Estonia before flying to Ukraine for Euro 2012.

The 1998 World Cup winners have been paired with Ukraine, Sweden and England in Group D, with their first match scheduled for June 11, against the Three Lions.

Preliminary squad of overseas-based players:

Defenders: Gael Clichy (Manchester City), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Younes Kaboul (Tottenham Hotspur), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), Philippe Mexes (AC Milan), Adil Rami (Valencia)

Midfielders: Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle United), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Samir Nasri (Manchester City)

Forwards: Hatem Ben Arfa (Newcastle United), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich)

soccerway.com

Ben Arfa earns Cisse´s praises

koclokindoblog.blogspot.com, 27 maret 2012,

Papiss Cisse has praised his Newcastle United team-mate Hatem Ben Arfa, comparing the attacker to Barcelona forward Lionel Messi.

The Frenchman produced a man-of-the-match performance in a 3-1 victory over West Brom on Sunday, providing two assists and getting on the scoresheet.

And the display has encouraged Senegal forward Cisse to compare the 25-year-old to the Argentine, who is widely heralded as the best player in the world.

"He is a great player with a great range of skills," the forward said.

"Sometimes with the ball at his feet, he is like Lionel Messi. The ball really sticks to his feet.

"I really like that kind of player. He is the kind of player who can make the difference and that is really good for us.

"He is really good to play with. He played really well against West Brom and that is why we took the three points."

Cisse is also backing the midfielder to prove himself at international level this summer and become a vital member of the France squad at Euro 2012.

"I am certain Hatem is capable of going to the Euros because he is really talented," he said.

"He is showing it every weekend. He did it at Arsenal and again against West Brom. If I were in the coach's place, I would take him."

The 26-year-old himself has been in blistering form and has scored five goals in England since his January move from Freiburg.

"English football seems to suit me - that is five goals now and I hope to score even more," he said.

"The whole team played well and gave the attackers the chances to score a lot of goals. I always pray to God to give me the strength to be good on the pitch and do what I have to do."

Cisse also revealed his dream to play on the continental stage with Newcastle and feels the Magpies have what it takes to qualify for the Champions League.

"My dream is to play in the Champions League. Right now we are on the right path to do that. We have to continue like this, keep picking up victories," he said.

"We have got Liverpool at home at the weekend. It won't be an easy match but we are going to do everything we can to win it."

soccerway.com