SOCCER ROUNDUP: RAMIREZ QUITS CHIVAS OVER VISAS.Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services Less than a month before its Major League Soccer debut, Chivas USA announced 35-year-old Mexican midfielder Ramon Ramirez, its most popular and marketable player, is leaving the team and returning to Mexico for personal reasons. Ramirez met last weekend with team president Antonio Cue, who released Ramirez from contractual obligations with Chivas USA and its parent club, CD Guadalajara
``It's a big blow because Ramon is a great player,'' Cue said, ``and he has a great image in Mexico.'' Chivas officials said Ramirez asked the club to help him obtain working visas for people close to his family, such as his nanny, but the club was unable to accommodate him. ```At this point in my life, I need to be stable,'' Ramirez told La Opinion. ``If there is something that keeps me away from my family and my people, then I need to step away from it.'' Cue said the situation was beyond the team's control. ``I can't put a gun to the U.S. Consulate to get a visa for someone Ramon wants,'' Cue said. ``And I'm not going to feel pressure (to accommodate him) because of things I can't control. Ramon has to understand that, and I think he does, but now it's too late.'' Ramirez is the second Mexican national team veteran to depart the club. Francisco Palencia Juan Francisco Palencia Hernández (born April 28, 1973 in Mexico City) is a Mexican football striker, currently playing for UNAM Pumas in the Primera División de México. Biography earlier decided he would rather remain with Guadalajara. --U.S., Mexico in SoCal: The United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. meets Mexico in its next World Cup qualifier March 27 in Mexico City Mexico City Spanish Ciudad de México City (pop., 2000: city, 8,605,239; 2003 metro. area est., 18,660,000), capital of Mexico. Located at an elevation of 7,350 ft (2,240 m), it is officially coterminous with the Federal District, which occupies 571 sq mi . Both teams will be in action tonight in Southern California. U.S. coach Bruce Arena will test domestic players in a 7:30 p.m. exhibition against Colombia at Cal State Fullerton. Mexico makes its first Coliseum appearance in more than two years, facing Argentina at 8 p.m. Arena's 22-man roster includes Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman and defender Chris Albright. Argentina and Colombia resume South American World Cup qualifying March 26. --No fans: FIFA FIFA International Association Football Federation [French Fédération Internationale de Football Association] FIFA n abbr (= Fédération Internationale de Football Association) → FIFA f ordered Costa Rica to play its home CONCACAF CONCACAF Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Soccer) CONCACAF Confederacion Norte, Centroamericana y del Caribe de Futbol Asociacion (Spanish) World Cup qualifier March 26 against Panama without spectators, a penalty for fans throwing objects at last month's loss to Mexico. --All-Star plans: The MLS See multilevel security. All-Star Game on July 30 in Columbus, Ohio, will pit the league's top players against English club Fulham. Former MLS stars Brian McBride and Carlos Bocanegra (UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX ) play for the London-based club. --Three advance: AC Milan, Chelsea and Lyon advanced to the European Champions League quarterfinals with home victories Tuesday night. |
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