..::Football II::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Roma 1-0 Juventus: Champions shocked by Totti thunderbolt

Roma ended a run of six Serie A matches without a win by stunning league-leading Juventus 1-0 at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.

Francesco Totti scored the only goal of the game in the 58th minute, with the Giallorossi captain finding the top left corner of Gianluigi Buffon's goal with an unstoppable 25-yard drive.

Juventus tried to rally in the remaining half hour but a blunt Bianconeri outfit was unable to force an equalizer, meaning Napoli can now cut the lead at the summit of the standings to just two points should the Partenopei defeat Sampdoria at home on Sunday.

Despite its woeful recent form, Roma began in a sprightly fashion, with Pablo Osvaldo looking particularly lively up front. The volatile forward threatened twice inside the opening 10 minutes, cutting inside Leonardo Bonucci early on only to shoot straight at Buffon, before then being forced too far wide by the Juventus skipper to get a shot away, after being slipped through by Erik Lamela.

Juventus, despite its Champions League exertion in midweek, also played their part in what was an open start to the game, with Andrea Pirlo nearly opening the scoring with a clever free kick that could very easily have found its way into the bottom right corner of Maarten Stekelenburg’s goal had the Dutchman not got down so swiftly to parry the ball to safety.

The pace of the game then dropped and the atmosphere became increasingly tetchy. Daniele De Rossi levelled Stephan Lichtsteiner with a desperately late lunge on the Swiss wingback before Totti elected to run his studs down the leg of Pirlo, leaving the playmaker with a nasty gash on his knee.

The halftime break removed some of the mounting tension from the game, allowing both sides to rediscover their attacking instincts. First, Osvaldo hooked the ball just wide after sliding to get on the end of Totti's through ball, and then, just moments later, Mirko Vucinic whizzed a volley just past Stekelenburg's right post.

The game-breaking goal arrived just before the hour mark and in sensational fashion. Miralem Pjanic tried his luck with a free kick but it was blocked by the Bianconeri wall. The ball only went as far as Totti, though, and he unleashed a blistering, first-time shot that gave Buffon absolutely no chance.

Juventus pushed forward in search of an equalizer, but it was Roma that looked the more likely to score next, and it was only a combination of poor finishing and wonderful defending that prevented the captial club from doing so. De Rossi erred after being teed up by Osvaldo, before Lichtsteiner threw his body in the way of an effort from Marquinho.

 

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Granada 1-2 Barcelona: Magical Messi bails out Blaugrana

Lionel Messi scored his 300th and 301st career goals for Barcelona, who were forced to dig deep to overcome Granada 2-1 in their Liga clash at Los Carmenes on Saturday.

The Argentine's match-winning double also extended his scoring streak to 14 consecutive games, but it was far from an easy outing against the Andalusian club, who deservedly opened the scoring through Ighalo to end the first half with the lead.

Barca hit back in a dominant second half, as Messi turned home a rebound five minutes after the restart, before clinching the win with a free-kick in the 73rd minute to provisionally extend the Blaugrana's lead at the top of the table to 15 points over second-place Atletico Madrid.

With one eye firmly on the UEFA Champions League midweek trip to Italy to face AC Milan, Barca opted to rest Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol and Jordi Alba, with Alexis Sanchez, Javier Mascherano and Adriano stepping into the side.

Granada certainly were not fazed by the reputation of their opponents, and threatened themselves when Nolito forced Victor Valdes to save low after getting to the end of Ighalo’s testing cross.Wth 26 minutes on the clock, the pair would combine once again to open the scoring. Nolito this time played the role of provider, taking advantage of Barca’s hesitancy to clear a cross by centering for Ighalo, who stroked home from yards out.

The Catalans, despite dominating the ball, were struggling to break down the opposition's defense, but Adriano went close to an instant response when his swerving shot from the corner of the box flew just off target.

Guilherme Siqueira was lucky to escape with a yellow card after a last-man foul on Pedro, and Granada counted their blessings again when Tono denied Messi, who had ghosted in front of a static defense to connect with Thiago Alcantara’s lovely touch.

Adriano was withdrawn for Alba shortly before the break, and the change coincided with a drop in Barca’s momentum, as it was the home side who made the stronger finish to the half.

Five minutes into the second half, the Blaugrana were right back into the match, though. Cesc Fabregas’ shot caught the defense and Tono by surprise, and the ball was parried back into the path of Messi, who slotted home his milestone 300th goal to level the score.The breakthrough came with 17 minutes to go, and it was Messi at the forefront again, the Argentine this time converting straight from a swerving free-kick 25 yards from goal.

Granada finally awoke from their second-half slumber in the last few minutes of the game. Inigo Lopez sent a free header right into the arms of Valdes, who was forced to work a lot harder to parry a shot from Yacine Brahimi into the side netting during stoppage time.

Messi was denied a chance for a hat-trick at the death by Tono's save, but by that point, Barca had done just enough to see out the game and clinch a hard-earned three points.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Oldham 2-2 Everton: Smith does it again to take Toffees to replay

Oldham Athletic continued its FA Cup fairytale as it secured a replay with Everton after a 2-2 draw that featured a last-minute goal from Matt Smith.


The League One side took the lead through Jordan Obita, before goals from Victor Anichebe and Phil Jagielka gave the visitors a hard-fought advantage. However, that was not the end of the story as Smith powered in a corner to keep his side's dream alive.

Everton dominating much of the early going. However, Moyes' charges struggled to create too much in front of goal, with Leighton Baines' deflected free kick their best chance of the opening stages.

Everton was soon made to pay for its profligacy, as it quickly fell behind just minutes after that Baines opportunity. Lee Croft began a rapid counter and found the perfect cross which Obita tapped home from close range, with Tim Howard stranded.

The home side's lead lasted less than 10 minutes however, as Everton turned the screw before finding the leveller through Anichebe, the Nigerian powering home after Nikica Jelavic had flicked a long ball from Jagielka into his path.

Oldham was not deterred by Everton's response, and it almost re-established its advantage seconds after the equalizer, Obita again at the forefront as he saw a curling effort strike the post with Howard beaten.

Tony Philliskirk will have been pleased to see his side go into the interval with the tie all-square, however that satisfaction proved short-lived as Jagielka rose to meet a corner from substitute Kevin Mirallas and give the visitors the lead.

Oldham remained a threat despite Everton's relative dominance, and came close to restoring parity, when Smith, the hero of the win over Liverpool, forced an excellent stop from Howard with a fierce low drive.

However the Latics continued to struggle with the quality of the Premier League side from a defensive standpoint, and Jelavic almost ended the game as a contest when he fired over following a good through ball from Darron Gibson.

Still the hosts kept pushing forward, and they must have been cursing their luck as Lee Barnard witnessed his close-range strike deflect agonizingly wide of the post before Howard was called into action again to deny Robbie Simpson.

Undeterred, Oldham fought desperately to try and provide the sting in the tail, and it was Smith who was once again the headline maker, leaping highest to meet a Jonathan Grounds corner and spark jubilant celebrations from the home crowd.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Borussia Dortmund 3-0 Eintracht Frankfurt: Reus hits hat trick as champions return to winning ways

Borussia Dortmund reclaimed second place in the Bundesliga with a fantastic 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt at Signal Iduna Park.

Marco Reus scored all three goals to settle the contest, which saw two players, Julian Schieber and Takashi Inui, dismissed by referee Felix Brych.

The Schwarzgelben started the game at breakneck pace, determined to notch an early goal. Within seconds, Reus had teed up Kuba, who screwed an effort high and wide, before the former Borussia Monchengladbach man forced a decent save from Kevin Trapp after being played in by Sven Bender.

Reus should really have finished his chance, but it was not long before he made amends. In the ninth minute, Mario Gotze flicked Ilkay Gundogan's ball into the 23-year-old's path, and he finished superbly to put his side into a deserved lead.

Seconds later, things got a whole lot worse for the visitors. Hummels stepped out of defense and played a lovely through ball to Reus, and the Germany international tucked the ball past Trapp to make it two.

The game had settled down into a rhythm, but the visitors were soon handed a path back into the match. Julian Schieber, handed a rare start thanks to Robert Lewandowski's suspension, picked up two harsh bookings within minutes, and became the second BVB striker to get sent off in as many weeks.

The visitors should have gained a foothold in the contest just before the break. First, Sebastian Rode sent the ball wide after being sent through by Lakic, then Inui sent a shot high and wide from a promising position.

Dortmund began the second half on the front foot, with Gotze darting inside from the left wing and firing wide, when he perhaps should have squared threaded a ball through to Reus.

BVB's set pieces were causing Frankfurt all sorts of problems, and one almost led to a goal when Neven Subotic blasted the ball goalwards after the visitors failed to clear their lines, only for the ball to strike Anderson Bamba and hit the bar.

Lakic missed another chance to give his side a path back into the match, volleying wide after good work from Olivier Occean, and it was to prove costly. Gundogan fed Gotze brilliantly, and the Germany international held the ball up well to tee up Reus, who completed his hat trick from short range.

Things went from bad to worse for the visitors soon after when Inui received his second booking, and, with the contest long over, BVB coasted to victory.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Arsenal 0-1 Blackburn: Kazim-Richards' strike stuns Gunners

Arsenal was dumped out of the FA Cup by Blackburn thanks to a goal from Colin Kazim-Richards that cemented the 1-0 result and means the Gunners will have to win the Champions League or make an even more improbable 21-point charge up the Premier League table if they are to end their seven-year hunt for a trophy.

Arsene Wenger's side dominated much of the game but found chances difficult to come by, particularly in the first half, and found goalkeeper Jake Kean and the crossbar blocking their route to the quarterfinals.

Wenger selected a strong team for their tie against Rovers, with Thomas Vermaelen starting despite being the only player available to start at left back against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Elsewhere, Olivier Giroud and Gervinho were in attack, while there was also a strong presence on the bench, featuring the likes of Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski.

For Blackburn, there was a place on the bench for former Gunner David Bentley, who famously scored from nearly 40 yards against Arsenal for parent club Tottenham in a remarkable 4-4 draw.

Wenger's side had plenty of the ball in the opening stages, but despite a succession of corners, the Gunners could not create any clear opportunities until the 24th minute, when Abou Diaby forced a good save from 22-year-old goalkeeper Kean with a header.

Kean was called into action again minutes later, when a deflected defensive header looped towards his goal, but the keeper clawed it out for yet another corner.

With the first half drawing to a close, the clearest opening of the match came and went as Gervinho was threaded through by Tomas Rosicky, only to place his shot wide of Kean's post, having sent the keeper the other way.

The 67th minute heralded the first real moment of note in the second half, as Rosicky struck a stunning effort from 25 yards that crashed back off Kean's crossbar, while Gervinho was sent through on goal only to be denied by a last-ditch tackle from Grant Hanley.

With 20 minutes to go, Wenger made a triple substitution, with Wilshere, Walcott and Cazorla replacing Gervinho, Rosicky and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

But it didn't have the desired effect as just one minute later, the Gunners were split open by a long ball. Martin Olsson's strike was pushed out by Wojciech Szczesny, but only back in front of goal, and Kazim-Richards was on hand to bounce an awkward shot home off the post.

With two minutes to go, the Gunners spurned another chance as Walcott headed an effort straight at Kean, while an injury-time shot from Giroud was cleared off the line, and Arteta smashed an effort into the side netting as Wenger's side crashed out of the FA Cup.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Real Madrid 2-0 Rayo Vallecano: Ramos scores and sees red as Blancos record victory

Real Madrid cruised to a 2-0 win over city rival Rayo Vallecano despite having to play much of the game at the Santiago Bernabeu with 10 men.

A thrashing was on the cards for the Rayo as los Blancos raced ahead with goals from Alvaro Morata and Sergio Ramos inside 12 minutes, however, the right back was shown a red card soon after. Although Rayo controlled possession for the remainder of the game, a toothless display in front of goal made it easy for Jose Mourinho's team to close out the win.

Kaka began alongside Mesut Ozil for the home side and the pair combined to create the opening goal with just three minutes on the clock.

The Brazilian played his teammate in on the right side of the area and his cutback was swept in at the far post by Morata, who made his first start of the season.

Los Blancos were in control of proceedings but in the eighth minute Rayo came agonizingly close to an equalizer. Piti spotted Alejandro Dominguez's run through the Madrid defense but the Argentine's cross-goal effort shaded the outside of the post.

Mourinho's side heeded that warning and doubled the lead five minutes later. Ramos, who won a free kick after beating Cassado down the right, got in front of his marker to head home from Ozil's in-swinging delivery.

After a good save from Ruben kept Michael Essien's powerful attempt from distance out, momentum looked to be swinging Rayo's way, even more so when Ramos was sent off having received two yellow cards, the second for handball, in the 18th minute.

Morata was subsequently sacrificed for Raul Albiol as the home side sought to keep a solid shape. Paco Jemez's side thus took charge of the ball, though it was unable to forge any meaningful chances.

Los Merengues were sticking to the counterattack and almost stole a third when Cristiano Ronaldo rounded Ruben but failed to find the back of the net from a tight angle.

Rayo remained in control of possession but was bereft of ideas that could unlock the Madrid defense. The team's impotence nearly saw it fall further behind 10 minutes after the restart but Kaka's rushed shot was screwed wide of the post.

The home side was clearly confident in its ability to close the game out, and it proved to be justified. Alhassane 'Lass' Bangoura looked lively in the wide areas but his side was incapable of getting anyone in behind to test Diego Lopez.

In fact, the team with 10 men was looking more dangerous as Sami Khedira dribbled past the keeper but sent his cutback just out of Kaka's reach.

Victory ensures that Real Madrid keeps pace with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, which both picked up three points, meaning the gap at the top still stands at 16 points.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Manchester City 4-0 Leeds: Aguero fires Mancini's men into FA Cup quarters

Manchester City cruised through to the last eight of the FA Cup with a classy display as the club registered a comfortable 4-0 victory over Leeds United at the Etihad Stadium.

Yaya Toure opened the scoring early on after a powerful run, before Sergio Aguero bagged from the spot to double the lead inside 15 minutes.

Carlos Tevez’s early second-half goal and Aguero’s cool finish compounded Leeds’ miserable afternoon, and the 2011 winner will go into the last eight as one of the favorites.

Roberto Mancini rang in the changes, with only five of the starting lineup from the 3-1 defeat at Southampton keeping their place. Costel Pantilimon came in for Joe Hart while Gareth Barry was left out of the squad entirely, and James Milner earned a start against his former club.

Leeds also lined up with a different goalkeeper as Neil Warnock drafted in Jamie Ashdown for Paddy Kenny in one of four changes from the 1-0 defeat against Middlesbrough in midweek.

It didn’t take long for the home side to make its mark on the game, as Tevez collected the ball on the edge of the box before flicking a perfect pass into the path of Toure, who made no mistake in rounding Ashdown and slotting the ball into the net.

David Silva and Tevez both blasted shots wide before City moved two up within the opening quarter of an hour after Tom Lees was penalized for a tug on Aguero in the box, and the diminutive striker stepped up to drive the ball into the top left corner.

El Hadji Diouf headed over the bar for a shell-shocked Leeds, but City was still dominant in possession, and Toure was denied his second of the afternoon after Ashdown tipped over the midfielder’s powerful 25-yard volley, before Garcia flashed a header wide from a corner.

The home side cruised through the last minutes of the half but Ross McCormack had an excellent chance on the stroke of halftime from a free kick at the other end, only forcing a simple parry from Pantilimon.

City quickly moved further in front after the break as good work from Silva set Aguero free on the left, and the striker lifted it across goal past Ashdown for Tevez to bundle home on the line.

Any pushes forward from Leeds were easily dealt with by City’s defense, who had hardly been tested by the Leeds all afternoon. At the other end, Milner nearly made it four with a low drive from distance which rifled into the side netting.

The superb Aguero broke forward yet again, after linking up with Silva, and tried to find Tevez with a low cross which, unfortunately for City, was just behind the Argentina international’s run.

Jack Rodwell came off the bench and should have scored within moments of coming on after Toure forced a parry from Ashdown, and the rebound looped into the path of the midfielder who headed on to the bar with the goal at his mercy.

Leeds fashioned a good chance shortly afterwards as Aidan White whipped in a superb cross from the right side, which Luke Varney met six yards out but couldn’t direct anywhere near the target.

Then, with just over 15 minutes remaining, Aguero doubled his tally for the afternoon, latching on to Silva‘s ball over the top and diverting it past Ashdown to go in off the post.

Substitute Edin Dzeko forced a fine save from Ashdown and Hugo Zabaleta fired wide late on, but the result was well beyond doubt and City will feel it has an excellent chance of winning a second FA Cup title in three seasons.

 

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Chelsea 4-0 Brentford: Mata-inspired Blues reach fifth round of FA Cup

The second time around, Chelsea had too much for Brentford as the Blues cruised into the FA Cup fifth round with a 4-0 victory in their fourth-round replay at Stamford Bridge.

After a goalless first half, Juan Mata broke the deadlock before Oscar and Frank Lampard hit a one-two punch midway through the second half. John Terry wrapped up the scoring, as Chelsea advances to face Middlesbrough.

Terry had been recalled to the Chelsea starting XI after injury, while Victor Moses returned to the fold following his Africa Cup of Nations triumph. Fernando Torres’s replay-earning strike at Griffin Park did not stop him being dropped for Demba Ba, while Harry Forrester was unexpectedly benched by Brentford.

The game began evenly and the visitors, far from overawed, had chances early on, with Adam Forshaw’s long shot and Clayton Donaldson’s header wide. Chelsea had its own efforts but was also lucky not to lose a man when Gary Cahill clumsily caught Jonathan Douglas on the shin.

Using increasingly adventurous passing to open up space, the Blues came close on 26 minutes, with Oscar shooting on the slide when Brentford was caught out, but the Brazilian, unable to control the shot, hit the post.

Uwe Rosler’s men kept their heads, with the impressive Forshaw firing just past Petr Cech’s post. The Bees were later frustrated when Marcello Trotta put the ball in the Blues’ net, but referee Neil Swarbrick pulled play back for a David Luiz foul earlier in the sequence.

After halftime, the Blues continued to press, with Bees keeper Simon Moore reacting superbly to divert Branislav Ivanovic’s header from goal and out of Ba’s reach. The resistance broke five minutes later, however, when a long ball dropped to Mata. With bodies between him and the goalkeeper, the Spaniard shot across into the far corner and put home hearts at ease.

Brentford plugged away, but struggled for venom despite Forrester’s introduction and was broken decisively with 20 minutes to go.

Substitute Eden Hazard held the ball up while Ivanovic overlapped, with the Serbian then crossing low into the box where Oscar flicked toward goal. The finish evaded Moore, but Harlee Dean inexplicably stepped over it as it rolled over the line.

The knockout punch followed, as Mata ran into space on the left before pulling it back with class for Lampard on the edge of the box, the midfielder this time making no mistake for hsi 199th career goal with Chelsea.

With the Bees beaten and the mood calm, captain Terry had freedom to get forward, and he nodded in a fourth from Oscar's cross to mark his first-team return.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

De Gea can be the best in the world, says Manchester United teammate Chicharito

The Red Devils striker has tipped the Spaniard to become a world class goalkeeper within the next two years following his inspired display against Real Madrid on Wednesday.Manchester United striker Chicharito has claimed that teammate David de Gea can become the best goalkeeper in the world.

The Spaniard was in fine form as the Red Devils earned a 1-1 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash with Real Madrid on Wednesday.

And Chicharito, who was an unused substitute for the game in the Spanish capital, has backed the 22-year-old to continue improving.

"A lot of people who know about football know that David is a top-class goalkeeper," he told MUTV.

"That is why Manchester United bought him. They saw how good he can be. If he wasn't at the right level to play at this club he wouldn't be here and they are trying to look after him.

"To me, he is a complete goalkeeper. You see the great saves he made on Wednesday. He can also play with his feet, which is very useful to see in a goalkeeper."I think he is doing brilliant and in a couple of years he will be the number one in the world."

De Gea had previously come in for criticism after some high-profile mistakes early in his career at United, but Chicharito says the Madrid-born shot-stopper is unconcerned by such talk."David is very focused and doesn't care about what people say about him," he continued.

"He has a lot of confidence. He doesn't need to listen to what people say about him. He should just play and enjoys it because he knows he can be number one in the world."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Liverpool striker Borini likely out for the season after dislocating shoulder

The 21-year-old has been blighted by injuries in his debut Anfield season and is now set to miss the remainder of the campaign following a collision with Kyle Bartley.Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that Fabio Borini will likely miss the remainder of the season after the forward dislocated his shoulder in Liverpool's 5-0 win over Swansea on Sunday.

The Italian forward had only been on the field for eight minutes before colliding with Swans center back Kyle Bartley in a sliding challenge. The 21-year-old immediately let out a scream of pain as Bartley slid over his left arm, leaving Borini to trudge off down the tunnel at Anfield.

"He will probably be out for the season, it looks like he’s dislocated his shoulder," Rodgers told reporters after the match. "It’s unfortunate because it’s the other shoulder, he had the same injury at Chelsea. It looks like, early stages, that that’s the diagnosis."

Borini has been plagued by injuries since joining Liverpool from Roma in the summer and spent three months on the sidelines with a broken foot earlier in the campaign. He made his return to first-team action at Old Trafford on Jan. 6 but is now set for another spell in the treatment room.

 

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Fabregas forgets to defend, claims Flamini ahead of AC Milan clash with Barcelona

The French midfielder has highlighted a potential weakness in his former Arsenal teammate's game as the two prepare to lock horns in the Champions League on Tuesday.AC Milan midfielder Mathieu Flamini has suggested that Cesc Fabregas "forgets to defend" ahead of his side's last-16 match against Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Flamini, who played alongside Fabregas at Arsenal, was full of praise for the Spain star's abilities but has hinted at a possible weakness in the 25-year-old's game which the Rossoneri could look to exploit.

"Fabregas is a player with many qualities, as he has incredible vision and is also very good in front of goal," he told Milan Channel. "As for his defects, at times he 'forgets' to defend."

Barcelona heads into the tie as clear favorite to progress, and Flamini conceded he would rather have faced a different opponent at this stage in the tournament.

"Barcelona have great individual talents and play wonderful football, so they are among the favorites for the trophy," he continued. "Admittedly, we would’ve preferred to face a different team at this stage, but they will certainly be two fantastic games. We will do everything possible to surprise Barcelona."

 

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Kaka: I'd like to play more at Madrid

The Brazilian has been on the fringes over the last two seasons at Santiago Bernabeu, though he started in the win over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday
Kaka has stressed his desire to be playing more football for Real Madrid.

The midfielder started for the Blancos in their 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano, but appearances under Jose Mourinho have been sparse and intermittent, with the likes of Sami Khedira, Luka Modric and Xabi Alonso preferred to the Brazilian.

"I'm happy for the win and I feel lighter," Kaka told reporters after the game. "That is down to the work [I’ve put in]."I get to do things on the field that I would not have done before. I do what I have to do and the coach decides [who plays].

"I'd like to play more and have more minutes but I respect the decisions of the coach."I have to take my chances and I'm doing it. My goal is to conquer this rough patch and soak up the applause at the Bernabeu because I still want to succeed at Real Madrid."

Sergio Ramos' red card in Madrid's Liga victory this weekend made the game tougher, Kaka has claimed, though he revealed the players were pleased with the outcome."The game became more physical," he said. "We interpreted well what we had to do with 10 men."Playing with a man down is very difficult because you have to run faster and fight harder. But we left happy."

The Selecao star was linked heavily with a move to AC Milan in the January transfer window but the switch failed to materialize, and Kaka wants to give his all for the Blancos despite his desire to leave for San Siro.''I had good chance [to leave] in the winter but it was not good for Madrid financially," the former Ballon d’Or winner added.

"In the end, I am here and I have the ability to succeed at Madrid, so I will try to do that."

 

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Javi Martinez: Let's not talk about Guardiola

The Spain midfielder says the excitement over Bayern Munich's managerial appointment could prove to be an unwelcome distraction for the team.
Javi Martinez believes Bayern Munich's focus should be on this season and not on Pep Guardiola's looming arrival in the summer.

The former Barcelona boss was announced as the Bavarians' new coach in January and will succeed Jupp Heynckes at the end of the campaign. Since then, a great deal of attention has rested on the surprise appointment, but Martinez has raised concerns that constantly talking about Guardiola could have a detrimental effect on the club's performances.

"Let's not talk about it much," Martinez told TZ when asked about the managerial change. "For a week, when the agreement was made public, we talked about nothing else.

"Against Greuther Furth [a 2-0 win and the first game after the Guardiola appointment was revealed] we were not good. They have made us aware that the rest of the league is still playing."

Die Roten are atop the Bundesliga table, 15 points ahead of Borussia Dortmund, but Martinez was willing to entertain the idea that Guardiola might improve the Bavarian outfit's style of play once he takes the helm at the club.

"Time will tell," the 24-year-old Spanish international conceded when asked if his side could match the quality of Barcelona with their new boss. "But Bayern are also playing very well. We have very good players, and the majority of the squad is still very young."

 

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Vorm slams Swansea after heavy defeat

The Dutch goalkeeper labelled Michael Laudrup's team's display against the Reds a "disgrace" after they were thrashed 5-0 a week before the Capital One Cup final
Michel Vorm has labelled Swansea's performance in its 5-0 defeat against Liverpool a "disgrace" and offered an apology to the club's supporters.

Michael Laudrup elected to rest several players for the trip to Anfield ahead of Sunday's Capital One Cup final but Vorm says its display was not worthy of the Reds' stadium.

Steven Gerrard scored a penalty in the first half to give Liverpool the lead before Philippe Coutinho, Jose Enrique, Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge all found the target after the break.

"We owe the fans an apology because they travel all that way and we play like that - it's a disgrace," Vorm told reporters. "I've played a lot of games in my career already but this is probably the worst.

He added, "As a team you win and lose with each other, but when you have the privilege to play at Anfield against Liverpool in front of their amazing supporters, on a nice pitch, in good conditions and you play like that then you don't deserve to play at Anfield.

"We showed this year what we are capable of against the big teams but our mentality was so poor.

"I hope it's just an accident because we could have lost 10-0 and if you play like that against smaller clubs we will get beat."

The 29-year-old hopes Swansea will respond when it faces Bradford at Wembley but admitted that the heavy defeat would not serve their preparation well.

"I hope it's just this once because we have a final coming up and it does not help your preparation to have a game like this," Vorm said. "I hope it's a wake up call for next week but don't think we needed this.

"Everybody has to look in the mirror and ask if they gave 100 percent and what more they could do better next time. We mourn for a couple of days and be sharp and fit for the final."

 

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'Maybe I'd be like Lionel Messi today' - Ben Arfa regrets past immaturity

The 25-year-old attacker believes he would have reached a higher level with more focus earlier in his career, but is determined to win a place in France's World Cup 2014 squa Newcastle attacker Hatem Ben Arfa has suggested that a lack of maturity early in his career has prevented him from reaching his true potential, but feels he can still match Lionel Messi’s talent.

The midfielder was touted for success from a young age, working his way through the Lyon youth system before making his professional bow at the age of 17.
However, disputes at both his first club and again at Marseille tarnished his reputation and stunted his progression, before he was loaned to Newcastle and later made his move permanent.

He told le 10 Sport: "I regret not being mature earlier, because I think today I'd have evolved to a higher level. Maybe I'd be like Lionel Messi today. But I still have time, I can catch up."

Ben Arfa was overlooked for the France squads for both Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010, and has not added to his 13 caps since a disagreement with coach Laurent Blanc at Euro 2012.

The midfielder, however, is determined to win a place in the squad for the World Cup in Brazil at the end of next season."In my mind, I always have World Cup 2014, and for me it is impossible that I do not go," Ben Arfa said.

"In the current generation, there are many talented players. But I think that there is a lack of leaders. If I had to give it a name, I would say that Karim Benzema can be a leader."

The attacker has been out since the end of last year with a hamstring injury but is due to return to action shortly.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Muller desperate to win Champions League

The Bayern Munich attacker dismissed revenge as motivation for his European glory desire, and highlighted Barcelona and Manchester United as major threats
Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller has revealed he is desperate to win the Champions League this season, though he dismissed the club’s failings in last year’s final as a motivation behind his desire for success.Chelsea beat the Bavarians in a penalty shootout at their own stadium, the Allianz Arena, in the 2011-12 European cup final.

Jupp Heynckes’ men face Arsenal in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday in the first leg away from home, but Muller rejected the notion of revenge for the previous campaign’s failings and stressed the team must keep up their quality form this season."I do not care for revenge," the Germany international told Kicker. "I just want to win this thing, as quickly as possible.

"Therefore, our goal this year again is to get to the final again. We are in good form and are not afraid of Arsenal. We strive to play to our maximum everywhere."
Muller insisted there is not a club in Europe that Bayern fear, though he accepted that there are footballing juggernauts still in the competition that will be tough to beat.

"We can compete with any team in Europe," he stated. "We know from the last three years what we can achieve.He added, “However, Barcelona are able to play exceptional football, and also Manchester United are constant threats in England."[Barcelona] have broken incredible records. For years Barcelona have worked in this way.

"Their growing understanding within the team applies to us as well. For example, because the whole team takes part, we are better defensively this season."Die Roten head into the game on the back of a 2-0 victory over Wolfsburg, while Arsene Wenger will be hoping that the Gunners can avoid another home defeat after being beaten 1-0 by Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

"We want to win against Arsenal," Muller added. "No matter when and where: we have to win this thing [the Champions League] at some point."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Sergio Ramos: It's easy to send me off

The Real Madrid defender was dismissed during his side's 2-0 win over Rayo on Saturday, and suggested his reputation may have preceded himSergio Ramos has claimed that his reputation led to his red card during Real Madrid's 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

The Spain international received two yellow cards withing minutes of one another after scoring his side's second goal, and felt guilty about letting down his teammates.

"I am hurt by the situation," he was quoted as saying by AS.

"It is not normal for me to be sent off within two minutes. I'm not one to come in with hard tackles or to do something evil. It's easy to send off Sergio Ramos. It's worrying.

"It hurts me to have left my teammates disadvantaged and to have forced changes. Spanish football deserves the best referees because we have the biggest players.

"Referees are required to interpret situations. My first card was completely unfair. You cannot leave a team with 10 men for that."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

FA Cup 2013.02.18 Fixture

FA Cup 2013.02.18 Fixture

Manchester United Vs Reading

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[Banks PLK]

Sergio Ramos: It's easy to send me off

The Real Madrid defender was dismissed during his side's 2-0 win over Rayo on Saturday, and suggested his reputation may have preceded himSergio Ramos has claimed that his reputation led to his red card during Real Madrid's 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

The Spain international received two yellow cards withing minutes of one another after scoring his side's second goal, and felt guilty about letting down his teammates.

"I am hurt by the situation," he was quoted as saying by AS.

"It is not normal for me to be sent off within two minutes. I'm not one to come in with hard tackles or to do something evil. It's easy to send off Sergio Ramos. It's worrying.

"It hurts me to have left my teammates disadvantaged and to have forced changes. Spanish football deserves the best referees because we have the biggest players.

"Referees are required to interpret situations. My first card was completely unfair. You cannot leave a team with 10 men for that."

dirty player in the game

 

[Banks PLK]

Manchester City 4-0 Leeds: Aguero fires Mancini's men into FA Cup quarters

Manchester City cruised through to the last eight of the FA Cup with a classy display as the club registered a comfortable 4-0 victory over Leeds United at the Etihad Stadium.

Yaya Toure opened the scoring early on after a powerful run, before Sergio Aguero bagged from the spot to double the lead inside 15 minutes.

Carlos Tevez’s early second-half goal and Aguero’s cool finish compounded Leeds’ miserable afternoon, and the 2011 winner will go into the last eight as one of the favorites.

Roberto Mancini rang in the changes, with only five of the starting lineup from the 3-1 defeat at Southampton keeping their place. Costel Pantilimon came in for Joe Hart while Gareth Barry was left out of the squad entirely, and James Milner earned a start against his former club.

Leeds also lined up with a different goalkeeper as Neil Warnock drafted in Jamie Ashdown for Paddy Kenny in one of four changes from the 1-0 defeat against Middlesbrough in midweek.

It didn’t take long for the home side to make its mark on the game, as Tevez collected the ball on the edge of the box before flicking a perfect pass into the path of Toure, who made no mistake in rounding Ashdown and slotting the ball into the net.

David Silva and Tevez both blasted shots wide before City moved two up within the opening quarter of an hour after Tom Lees was penalized for a tug on Aguero in the box, and the diminutive striker stepped up to drive the ball into the top left corner.

El Hadji Diouf headed over the bar for a shell-shocked Leeds, but City was still dominant in possession, and Toure was denied his second of the afternoon after Ashdown tipped over the midfielder’s powerful 25-yard volley, before Garcia flashed a header wide from a corner.

The home side cruised through the last minutes of the half but Ross McCormack had an excellent chance on the stroke of halftime from a free kick at the other end, only forcing a simple parry from Pantilimon.

City quickly moved further in front after the break as good work from Silva set Aguero free on the left, and the striker lifted it across goal past Ashdown for Tevez to bundle home on the line.

Any pushes forward from Leeds were easily dealt with by City’s defense, who had hardly been tested by the Leeds all afternoon. At the other end, Milner nearly made it four with a low drive from distance which rifled into the side netting.

The superb Aguero broke forward yet again, after linking up with Silva, and tried to find Tevez with a low cross which, unfortunately for City, was just behind the Argentina international’s run.

Jack Rodwell came off the bench and should have scored within moments of coming on after Toure forced a parry from Ashdown, and the rebound looped into the path of the midfielder who headed on to the bar with the goal at his mercy.

Leeds fashioned a good chance shortly afterwards as Aidan White whipped in a superb cross from the right side, which Luke Varney met six yards out but couldn’t direct anywhere near the target.

Then, with just over 15 minutes remaining, Aguero doubled his tally for the afternoon, latching on to Silva‘s ball over the top and diverting it past Ashdown to go in off the post.

Substitute Edin Dzeko forced a fine save from Ashdown and Hugo Zabaleta fired wide late on, but the result was well beyond doubt and City will feel it has an excellent chance of winning a second FA Cup title in three seasons.