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..::Football II::..
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Arsenal plan £8m summer move for Swansea captain Ashley Williams
• Arsène Wenger wants Wales skipper to shore up defence
• Competition for 28-year-old likely to come from Liverpool
Arsène Wenger wants to sign Ashley Williams from Swansea City at the end of the season having lost faith in his central defensive partnership of Thomas Vermaelen and Per Mertesacker.
Wenger has identified the Wales captain as someone with the leadership qualities to control and organise Arsenal's defence in a way more reminiscent of when the club built a large part of their success on having a dominant figure such as Tony Adams, Martin Keown or Steve Bould in the heart of their back four.
Arsenal face competition for the 28-year-old Williams from Liverpool, with Brendan Rodgers also prioritising the signing of at least one established centre-half in the summer and keen to recruit a player he previously managed at Swansea. Williams, contracted to 2015, would cost in the region of £8m.
Williams has been an integral part of Swansea's success since joining the club from Stockport County, in the Roberto Martínez era, establishing himself over the last five years as a key figure in defence with his reading of the game and ability to organise and take responsibility.
The absence of such a player has been repeatedly exposed during some of Arsenal's key matches this season, not least the 2-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur that leaves Wenger's team seven points behind their rivals with 10 games remaining, facing the distinct possibility of finishing behind them for the first time since Gerry Francis was the manager at White Hart Lane in 1995.
Wenger had already made up his mind that he needed a new centre-half well before the north London derby and, ideally, wanted to bring in someone in the January transfer window. What happened at the weekend is hardly likely to have persuaded him to rethink bearing in mind the soft nature of Tottenham's goals and the way neither Vermaelen nor Mertesacker, experienced internationals with Belgium and Germany respectively, seem capable of taking charge of the team's defence.
Wenger, whose appointment of Bould as assistant manager this season has failed to find a solution, had hoped Vermaelen could be that controlling, organisational player but there are few signs of it happening. The Belgian was particularly culpable on Sunday when Arsenal's poor defensive line let in Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon to score in quick succession.
In Liverpool's case, Rodgers is preparing for Jamie Carragher's retirement and is not convinced by Martin Skrtel's performances. Rodgers has already spoken of wanting to "bring in some men" after a period of recruitment that has seen the club concentrate mostly on signing players of 23 or under. Sebastián Coates, the 22-year-old Uruguayan, could also be on his way out of Anfield and that means Rodgers might need as many as three new centre-backs to go alongside Daniel Agger.
Williams, who has played in all four professional divisions and began his career with Hednesford Town, fits the bill as someone who is not just one of the leading lights in Michael Laudrup's team but also a strong figure in the dressing room who will lead by example.
• Arsène Wenger wants Wales skipper to shore up defence
• Competition for 28-year-old likely to come from Liverpool
Arsène Wenger wants to sign Ashley Williams from Swansea City at the end of the season having lost faith in his central defensive partnership of Thomas Vermaelen and Per Mertesacker.
Wenger has identified the Wales captain as someone with the leadership qualities to control and organise Arsenal's defence in a way more reminiscent of when the club built a large part of their success on having a dominant figure such as Tony Adams, Martin Keown or Steve Bould in the heart of their back four.
Arsenal face competition for the 28-year-old Williams from Liverpool, with Brendan Rodgers also prioritising the signing of at least one established centre-half in the summer and keen to recruit a player he previously managed at Swansea. Williams, contracted to 2015, would cost in the region of £8m.
Williams has been an integral part of Swansea's success since joining the club from Stockport County, in the Roberto Martínez era, establishing himself over the last five years as a key figure in defence with his reading of the game and ability to organise and take responsibility.
The absence of such a player has been repeatedly exposed during some of Arsenal's key matches this season, not least the 2-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur that leaves Wenger's team seven points behind their rivals with 10 games remaining, facing the distinct possibility of finishing behind them for the first time since Gerry Francis was the manager at White Hart Lane in 1995.
Wenger had already made up his mind that he needed a new centre-half well before the north London derby and, ideally, wanted to bring in someone in the January transfer window. What happened at the weekend is hardly likely to have persuaded him to rethink bearing in mind the soft nature of Tottenham's goals and the way neither Vermaelen nor Mertesacker, experienced internationals with Belgium and Germany respectively, seem capable of taking charge of the team's defence.
Wenger, whose appointment of Bould as assistant manager this season has failed to find a solution, had hoped Vermaelen could be that controlling, organisational player but there are few signs of it happening. The Belgian was particularly culpable on Sunday when Arsenal's poor defensive line let in Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon to score in quick succession.
In Liverpool's case, Rodgers is preparing for Jamie Carragher's retirement and is not convinced by Martin Skrtel's performances. Rodgers has already spoken of wanting to "bring in some men" after a period of recruitment that has seen the club concentrate mostly on signing players of 23 or under. Sebastián Coates, the 22-year-old Uruguayan, could also be on his way out of Anfield and that means Rodgers might need as many as three new centre-backs to go alongside Daniel Agger.
Williams, who has played in all four professional divisions and began his career with Hednesford Town, fits the bill as someone who is not just one of the leading lights in Michael Laudrup's team but also a strong figure in the dressing room who will lead by example.
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Iniesta '100 percent' confident of Barcelona comeback
The 28-year-old says he is fully convinced Barcelona can make amends for the first-leg defeat to AC Milan and claims to be using the media's criticism as a motivational tool.Barcelona playmaker Andres Iniesta says he is supremely confident the Blaugrana can overhaul the two-goal deficit inflicted by AC Milan at San Siro two weeks ago.
The Catalan giants welcome the Rossoneri to Camp Nou next Tuesday, and despite trailing 2-0 on aggregate, the two-time European champion and World Cup winner believes Barcelona boast enough quality to turn the tie around.
"I would put my hand in the fire for the team, I am confident that we can do it. It was not a good result, but I am 100 percent convinced that we can turn it around," Iniesta told reporters at a corporate event. "We have to do well and go out as though it's a final. For us it's a final where we need to get a good result to come out alive."
The 28-year-old also responded to the criticism the team has faced in recent weeks following the Milan defeat in addition to two Clasicos, but he believes the team can draw on the comments of their detractors to inspire the club to stronger performances for the remainder of the season.
"We deserve more respect. What's more, in La Liga, we are in an unbeatable position. I wish it was always this way," Iniesta added. "We are concerned, because we haven't been good, but the concern should make us stronger and more optimistic to keep doing well."
kawadawath Europe ena ekkak nae wageNeymar refuses to rule out summer move
The Santos forward has increased speculation over his future by refusing to commit to the Brazilian giants, and believes Dani Alves' claims should be laughed off
Brazil star Neymar has fueled speculation regarding a potential move away from Santos this summer after failing to pledge his future to the club.
The 21-year-old is one of the most sought-after talents in world football and has reportedly courted the interest of European giants Bayern Munich and Barcelona, the latter of which is believed to be the front-runner to land the star.
And speaking to Lance, the striker did little to stem the tide of transfer speculation.
"It is the talk of those who do not know my life," he said. "I have already said, if the time feels right, the best, then why not? It's my thing folks, no one else is a part of it."
The youngster also refuted claims made by Barcelona's Dani Alves that an agreement had been reached between Santos and the Catalan giants to secure the services of Neymar.
"And if I say that (Lionel) Messi is coming to Santos?" Neymar said. "He's a great friend and I appreciate what Daniel says, but I'm happy here at Santos for the moment."
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UEFA Champions League Round Of 16 2nd Leg 2013.03.05 Fixtures
Manchester United Vs Real Madrid
Dortmund Vs Shakhtar
Gotze: Dortmund lives for football
The attacking midfielder has hailed the club's fanatical support as a constant source of inspiration Mario Gotze says the people of Borussia Dortmund "live for football".
As the club prepares for the visit of Shakhtar Dontesk at Signal Iduna Park, in the second-leg of their last 16 Champions League clash, the 20-year old is already excited about another night in front of BVB's fanatical fan base.
"The city lives for football, lives for this stadium," Götze told UEFA.com. "It's great to see that there are Dortmund fans in every stadium. That is something that motivates you and in the end you look forward to games even more, especially Europa League or Champions League away matches, when you see how many fans follow us. It is something very special."
The Bavarian-born playmaker has scored eight goals in the Bundesliga this season but is determined to remain grounded, regardless of the praise that comes his way.
"It is always positive when you get a lot of praise, but you should handle it the right way," he said. "If you play well, you are praised; if you play badly, you are criticised. Everyone should try to manage it the way they want to."
Dortmund drew 2-2 with Shakhtar in the first leg at the Donbass Arena and will hope to advance to the quarterfinals.
Its true
dortmund fans go to watch football like they go to war
crazy atmosphere.
Aston Villa 0-1 Manchester City: Tevez punishes Clark error to keep visitors' slim title hopes alive
Manchester City reduced the gap to leader Manchester United back down to 12 points after grinding out a 1-0 win at Aston Villa on Monday night.
A badly timed slip in the midfield from Ciaran Clark led to Carlos Tevez’s opener in first-half stoppage time, before Edin Dzeko saw his rebound from Yaya Toure’s strike ruled out for offside.
The result also means Paul Lambert’s side remains in the bottom three, having only picked up one victory in their last 11 league matches.
The home side was unchanged from its defeat at Arsenal, with Ron Vlaar still sidelined due to a calf problem, while Darren Bent was also out with a foot injury.
Roberto Mancini made one change from his side’s 2-0 win over Chelsea, replacing Sergio Aguero with compatriot Tevez up front after the former picked up a knee injury in training. Jack Rodwell kept his place in midfield, but Gareth Barry returned to the bench after recovering from an ankle injury.
Villa started brightly, causing panic inside the City area when Javi Garcia sliced a clearance from Joe Bennett’s cross, and a Joe Hart punch went straight up into the air, but Kolo Toure eventually cleared the danger.
Villa’s early superiority nearly paid off on 20 minutes when Benteke met Charles N’Zogbia’s corner with a powerful header which looked destined for the bottom corner but for Tevez’s clearance off the line.
After Edin Dzeko replaced the injured Rodwell, however, Mancini’s men started to enjoy more possession, and Pablo Zabaleta nearly put the visitors in front, latching on to Tevez’s through pass and hammering a superb shot across goal which Guzan managed to flick on to the post.
Guzan was called into action again shortly after, parrying away a 20-yard curling effort from Tevez before diverting away Dzeko’s low effort from the right-hand side of the area.
City’s late first-half dominance finally paid off in stoppage time when Ciaran Clark slipped in midfield and Dzeko stole the ball and squared it to Tevez, who skipped past Brad Guzan before slotting it past Clark, who had recovered to get back to the line.
Both sides came out quickly after the break, but it was City that nearly doubled its lead as Dzeko fired a volleyed effort from the edge of the box which deflected off Nathan Baker and wide of Guzan’s post.
Tevez then spurned a fine opportunity, electing to shoot with Silva free in the area, seeing his shot cleared away by Clark with Guzan beaten.
With City pressing for more, Villa was able to occasionally find space in behind, and on the hour mark Andreas Weimann was able to fire in a cross from the right for Gabriel Agbonlahor but Kolo Toure managed to scramble it behind.
After Matthew Lowton drilled a 35-yard effort wide, City was denied a second when Yaya Toure’s low left-footed effort from 20 yards was tipped on to the post by Guzan with another stunning fingertip save, but it came to Dzeko who fired the ball into an empty net only for the flag to go up for offside.
City then forced a corner and Garcia side-footed a volley just wide of the post before Benteke was denied a penalty late on, when it looked like Nastasic brought down the defender with a clumsy challenge.
Villa pressed for an equaliser late on but City held on for the win with what was - for the majority of the match - an understated performance.
nice game aguero was injured at training and rodwell too
the defence put a great show specially Kolo and Nastasic
nice goal
weldone City
UEFA Champions League Round Of 16 2nd Leg 2013.03.05 Fixtures
Manchester United Vs Real Madrid
Dortmund Vs Shakhtar
BIG GAMES
Manchester United 1-2 Real Madrid (Agg 2-3): Ronaldo pounces decisively after Nani sees red
MANCHESTER, England -- Cristiano Ronaldo came back to haunt 10-man Manchester United as Real Madrid booked its place in the Champions League quarterfinal with a dramatic and controversial 2-1 victory at Old Trafford.
With the tie finely balanced at 1-1 following the first leg in Spain, United struck first through an own goal by Sergio Ramos early in the second half but the game turned on its head after Nani was sent-off in the 56th minute for a high boot in a challenge with Alvaro Arbeloa.
Real Madrid used the man advantage and sealed the aggregate victory with two goals in three minutes. Substitute Luka Modric equalized with a stunning strike from 25 yards before Ronaldo slid in at the far post to break the hearts of supporters who gave him a hero’s reception before kickoff.
The result completes a wonderful week for the Spanish giants following two wins over bitter rival Barcelona and the visiting fans saluted coach Jose Mourinho as they target an historic 10th European crown.
Ronaldo had a relatively quiet game on his first return to Old Trafford since his 80 million pound transfer in 2009 but the script was always written for the Portuguese forward to have the final say.
He may not have done so were it not for referee Cuneyt Cakir, who infuriated United with his decision to show a red card to Nani. The United winger appeared to be challenging for the ball and certainly meant no harm to Arbeloa, but the consequence of his dismissal was that the home side’s gameplan, which had worked so well to that point, was ruined.
Sir Alex Ferguson made a hugely bold decision of only naming Wayne Rooney as a substitute for United, with Ryan Giggs making his 1,000th career appearance in central midfield in the absence of Phil Jones with an ankle injury. Nemanja Vidic returned at center back in place of Jonny Evans after the United captain missed the first leg.
There were no such surprises in the Real Madrid lineup, with Gonzalo Higuain selected ahead of Karim Benzema to lead the attack as Jose Mourinho returned to his first-choice starting XI having rested a number of players in the 2-1 win over Barcelona on Saturday.
Mourinho claimed this clash between two of the biggest clubs in the Europe would ‘stop the world’ and stars past and present were in attendance at Old Trafford for this showpiece occasion, from Diego Maradona to Gareth Bale.
Ferguson called on the crowd to ‘turn up the volume’ in his pre-match program notes and Old Trafford was a cauldron of noise at the teams made their way out of the tunnel at the Stretford End, with the home fans unveiling a mosaic in support of their team.
As the team lineups were read out, Ronaldo’s name was greeted with an enormous roar from all sides of the stadium, the former United man looking choked as he patted his chest and raised an arm to acknowledge the reception.
Ferguson predicted an attacking game but set out to stifle Real and counterattack, with his plan working almost perfectly in the first half as they restricted the visitors and came closest to opening the scoring.
United captain Vidic thought he had scored in the 21st minute but his thumping header from Giggs’ corner rattled against the post before Danny Welbeck, admittedly in an offside position, mishit the rebound straight at Real goalkeeper Diego Lopez.
In the 34th minute, Lopez was again forced in to action as he made a hash of his attempt to save Robin van Persie’s shot from a tight angle and had to react quickly to deflect Welbeck’s rebound over the crossbar with his shoulder.
But the hosts had to wait less than three minutes after the break to take the lead.
After Madrid defenders blocked two United shots in the penalty area, the ball landed at Nani’s feet on the left. The Portuguese winger played the ball into the box and, after the faintest touch off Welbeck, Ramos could only turn it into his own net.
The turning point, however, came in the 56th minute when Nani was shown a straight red card by Turkish referee Cakir for a high foot in a 50-50 challenge with Arbeloa. On first viewing, it looked a harsh decision and it certainly left Ferguson and the United players fuming with the officials.
Mourinho responded to the man advantage by bringing on Modric for Arbeloa and the former Tottenham midfielder leveled the score in the 66th minute. After picking the ball up 30 yards from goal, Modric breezed past Tom Cleverley and struck a thunderous effort in off the post from 25 yards.
Three minutes later, Real Madrid took the lead for the first time in the tie. Higuain fizzed a low cross along the six-yard box and Ronaldo used all of his predatory instincts to slide in at the far post.
Aiyoooooooo Manchester United paradilaneNani RED
matanam mara upset
Anyway good luck Real Madrid
Nani REDmatanam mara upset
Anyway good luck Real Madrid
Borussia Dortmund 3-0 Shakhtar Donetsk (Agg 5-2): Dominant Germans breeze into quarterfinals
Borussia Dortmund strolled into the quarerfinals of the Champions League by recording a 3-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk at Signal Iduna park, completing a 5-2 aggregate win.
The two sides had played out a tense 2-2 draw in Ukraine three weeks ago, but the Germans took the lead here through Felipe Santana on the half-hour mark, with Mario Gotze doubling the lead soon after.
The Miners rallied after the break, but all hopes of a comeback were killed off when Jakub 'Kuba' Blaszczykowski made it three.
Just as in the first leg, it was Dortmund which started the game the better of the two sides. Within minutes of the off, the club had won a corner which Robert Lewandowski met, only to make poor contact on the ball and have it blocked.
Soon after, Gotze had picked out the Polish striker who failed to get his shot away in good time, allowing Andriy Pyatov to scurry off his line and block the eventual strike from close range.
And so it continued. Marcel Schmelzer forced one across the box, almost finding Gotze, who flung out a leg, but could not make clean enough contact on the ball to force it into the net.
Lukasz Piszczek and Gotze wasted further opportunities to give their side the lead, but on the half-hour mark, Dortmund finally had a deserved advantage, with Santana meeting a right-wing corner with a magnificent header which Pyatov could never have stopped.
Seven minutes later, the home side was well and truly in control of the tie. Lewandowski found space down the right and squared it to Gotze, who sent a delicate flick past the keeper and into the corner of the net.
More hesitance from the Polish striker denied the Germans a third, with Oleksandr Kucher making a good block, and it would have been no less than the team deserved after a dominant first half.
Indeed, the closest Shakhtar came to a reply was in stoppage time, when Fernandinho strode down the right and miscued a cross, almost catching out Roman Weidenfeller, who was forced to back peddle and tip it over the bar.
Mircea Lucescu withdrew Taison and introduced Douglas Costa at the break, and the Brazilian almost had an instant impact, driving wide after being set up by Luiz Adriano.
Alex Teixeira and Fernandinho came close to giving a much-improved Shakhtar a path back into the match, while at the other end, Pyatov was forced into decent saves to deny Marco Reus and Gotze.
The Miners' frantic start to the second period had died down, and their chances of progression were dealt a definitive blow just before the hour mark.
Pyatov clumsily spilled an Ilkay Gundogan effort right into the path of Blaszczykowski, who kept his composure to lift the ball over the sprawling goalkeeper and make it 3-0.
Dortmund was heading for the last eight, and missed chances to give itself a four-goal advantage when Gotze fired wide, Lewandowski failed to read Marco Reus' pass and Kevin Grosskreutz had a lovely shot tipped wide.
At the other end Yaroslav Rakytskyy had two efforts saved by Weidenfeller, who had enjoyed a quiet evening, but was alert enough to deny Luiz Adriano from close range after a deflected effort fell into the Brazilian's path.
In the end, though, BVB could not muster a flattering fourth and Shakhtar could not find a consolation, and the home side progressed to the last eight.
Borussia Dortmund strolled into the quarerfinals of the Champions League by recording a 3-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk at Signal Iduna park, completing a 5-2 aggregate win.
The two sides had played out a tense 2-2 draw in Ukraine three weeks ago, but the Germans took the lead here through Felipe Santana on the half-hour mark, with Mario Gotze doubling the lead soon after.
The Miners rallied after the break, but all hopes of a comeback were killed off when Jakub 'Kuba' Blaszczykowski made it three.
Just as in the first leg, it was Dortmund which started the game the better of the two sides. Within minutes of the off, the club had won a corner which Robert Lewandowski met, only to make poor contact on the ball and have it blocked.
Soon after, Gotze had picked out the Polish striker who failed to get his shot away in good time, allowing Andriy Pyatov to scurry off his line and block the eventual strike from close range.
And so it continued. Marcel Schmelzer forced one across the box, almost finding Gotze, who flung out a leg, but could not make clean enough contact on the ball to force it into the net.
Lukasz Piszczek and Gotze wasted further opportunities to give their side the lead, but on the half-hour mark, Dortmund finally had a deserved advantage, with Santana meeting a right-wing corner with a magnificent header which Pyatov could never have stopped.
Seven minutes later, the home side was well and truly in control of the tie. Lewandowski found space down the right and squared it to Gotze, who sent a delicate flick past the keeper and into the corner of the net.
More hesitance from the Polish striker denied the Germans a third, with Oleksandr Kucher making a good block, and it would have been no less than the team deserved after a dominant first half.
Indeed, the closest Shakhtar came to a reply was in stoppage time, when Fernandinho strode down the right and miscued a cross, almost catching out Roman Weidenfeller, who was forced to back peddle and tip it over the bar.
Mircea Lucescu withdrew Taison and introduced Douglas Costa at the break, and the Brazilian almost had an instant impact, driving wide after being set up by Luiz Adriano.
Alex Teixeira and Fernandinho came close to giving a much-improved Shakhtar a path back into the match, while at the other end, Pyatov was forced into decent saves to deny Marco Reus and Gotze.
The Miners' frantic start to the second period had died down, and their chances of progression were dealt a definitive blow just before the hour mark.
Pyatov clumsily spilled an Ilkay Gundogan effort right into the path of Blaszczykowski, who kept his composure to lift the ball over the sprawling goalkeeper and make it 3-0.
Dortmund was heading for the last eight, and missed chances to give itself a four-goal advantage when Gotze fired wide, Lewandowski failed to read Marco Reus' pass and Kevin Grosskreutz had a lovely shot tipped wide.
At the other end Yaroslav Rakytskyy had two efforts saved by Weidenfeller, who had enjoyed a quiet evening, but was alert enough to deny Luiz Adriano from close range after a deflected effort fell into the Brazilian's path.
In the end, though, BVB could not muster a flattering fourth and Shakhtar could not find a consolation, and the home side progressed to the last eight.
'This is the worst day of my life' - Bendtner apologizes after DUI arrest
The Danish forward has expressed his regret in court after being found under the influence while behind the wheel, which has seen him banned from his national team for six months.Juventus striker Nicklas Bendtner has apologized after being banned from international football for six months following a DUI offense.
The Denmark international, who is on loan at the Serie A club from Arsenal, has scored 22 goals in 55 games for his country but will miss a number of World Cup qualifiers after being caught driving on the wrong side of the road on Saturday evening.
"I am incredibly sorry for my actions. I can truly say, that this is the worst day of my life," Bendtner said while speaking in front of the Copenhagen District Court. "At the same time I take full responsibility for it, for what I have done, but I must go on. I cannot describe how much pain I am going through, but now I want to do all I can to come back strong."
Bendtner's spell with the Italian champions has been blighted by injury. The 25-year-old has yet to score since moving to Turin and has made just eight appearances in Serie A.
The Danish forward has expressed his regret in court after being found under the influence while behind the wheel, which has seen him banned from his national team for six months.Juventus striker Nicklas Bendtner has apologized after being banned from international football for six months following a DUI offense.
The Denmark international, who is on loan at the Serie A club from Arsenal, has scored 22 goals in 55 games for his country but will miss a number of World Cup qualifiers after being caught driving on the wrong side of the road on Saturday evening.
"I am incredibly sorry for my actions. I can truly say, that this is the worst day of my life," Bendtner said while speaking in front of the Copenhagen District Court. "At the same time I take full responsibility for it, for what I have done, but I must go on. I cannot describe how much pain I am going through, but now I want to do all I can to come back strong."
Bendtner's spell with the Italian champions has been blighted by injury. The 25-year-old has yet to score since moving to Turin and has made just eight appearances in Serie A.
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