..::Football II::..

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Reina: Liverpool needs help from board

The 30-year-old Spanish goalkeeper has urged the Anfield hierarchy to invest in the squad this summer to propel the club towards the Champions League places next season.Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina believes his side will need some assistance from the board if it is to become a serious contender for Champions League qualification next season.

The Reds romped to a 4-0 victory over Wigan at the weekend, but remain 10 points adrift of the top four after a run of three wins in their last six Premier League games.

However, Reina feels the Merseysiders are capable of qualifying for the competition, but stressed that the club's hierarchy will need to play their part in turning that ambition into a reality.

He told The Daily Express: "This year has been important for us in terms of getting to know what the manager wants and develop the ideas.

"We have to be ready for the very first game of next season to challenge. Obviously, we will need some help from the board, but I think the basis is well settled.

"We know the ideas and philosophies of the manager. It is getting better and better, so hopefully we will be ready to compete.

"The whole group is trying to find the right balance. We will get better, I'm sure of it."

 

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Valdes handed four-match ban

The Primera Division leader will have to make do without the services of its first-choice goalkeeper for a number of weeks.Barcelona has announced on its official website that Victor Valdes has been handed a four-match suspension following his dismissal in Saturday's 2-1 La Liga loss away against Real Madrid.

The shot-stopper was shown a red card for verbally abusing referee Miguel Angel Perez Lasa after he refused to award Barcelona a spot kick in the closing stages of the game, and consequently faces a spell on the sidelines.

However, a statement on the Barca website reads that the Blaugrana will not accept the ban and the club's legal department will appeal the decision in the upcoming days.

Valdes will miss the Primera Division games against Deportivo La Coruna, Rayo Vallecano, Celta de Vigo and Real Mallorca if the suspension is upheld.

The 31-year-old has made 26 league appearances so far this term, keeping five clean sheets in the process.

 

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Klopp enjoys 'extraordinary moment' after Dortmund triumph

The BVB trainer was delighted to see off Shakhtar in the second leg of their knockout tie, while midfielder Mario Gotze also heaped praise on his team's performance Jurgen Klopp could not hide his joy after Borussia Dortmund advanced to the Champions League quarterfinals by defeating Shakhtar Donetsk 3-0 in the second leg of their round of 16 clash.

Dortmund dominated the encounter at Signal Iduna Park from start to finish, with goals from Felipe Santana, Mario Gotze and Jakub Blaszczykowski sending the Bundesliga champion through to the last eight by a 5-2 aggregate scoreline.

And the quality of the performance was not lost on Klopp, who told Sky Sport: “This is an extraordinary moment, and it feels like an extraordinary moment.“We saw during the second half how strong Shakhtar can be if you let them play. But we played great for 80 minutes and did not let their offence come into the match.”

The coach’s sentiments were also echoed by Gotze, who was impressive throughout the match, scoring one and setting up another during the first half.
“It was an amazing match, and we had great chances,” the 20-year-old told reporters. “The first two goals made us very calm, and after the third goal, we played magnificently.”

Dortmund, which is in action next in the Bundesliga for a Revierderby against Schalke on Saturday, joins Real Madrid as the first two teams in the draw for the Champions League quarterfinals.

 

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Sneijder: Inter blocked Manchester United move

The formerReal Madrid and Nerazzurri midfielder says he was in talks with Manchester United in 2010, and believes he was sold by the Blancos to fund Cristiano Ronaldo's move.

Wesley Sneijder has revealed that Inter blocked his move to Manchester United in 2010.The Dutchman, who moved from San Siro to Galatasaray in January, has claimed that he had held talks with the Red Devils boss three seasons ago following the Italian side's Champions League success.

However, Sneijder believes that the Nerazzurri demanded too high a figure for the Premier League club to swallow, and hence the transfer never went through.
"We had some talks with Alex Ferguson back in 2010," he told Galatasaray Dergisi. "They [United] contacted the club after our treble season but too much money was asked for. And I was also happy at Inter so I decided to stay.

"Manchester United are a fantastic club and they kept showing interest after that year but not as determined as before. I don't give much thought about proposed transfers, if I’m happy somewhere, I’m happy there."Sneijder also said that he could have chosen Barcelona over Real Madrid years ago, but ultimately opted for the Blancos even though the move did not work out as he would have liked.

"Real Madrid were very persuasive about signing me," he continued. "There were two possibilities in Spain for me: either Real Madrid or Barcelona.

"Barca are really a great club and they have won everything for the past six years but I always liked Real Madrid's white shirt. I was very excited when they offered me a deal and took it immediately. And for me, they have a greater history than Barcelona."

Sneijder believes that he was sold from the Santiago Bernabeu to help fund the move for Cristiano Ronaldo, but he insists that he is not bitter to have left.
"The second season at Real Madrid was really hard for me," he said. "The club were having some troubles financially and they wanted to cash in by selling some valuable players.

"They were looking to sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United and Arjen Robben and I had to leave. It was not a big deal for me. Inter then showed an interest for me and, with Jose Mourinho, it wasn't really hard to decide."This winter transfer window saw Sneijder receive a lot of attention due to Inter's desire to offload the Netherlands international, though he claims that he only had his heart set on Galatasaray.

"Galatasaray were my best option," he said. "They are one of the biggest clubs in Europe. We're playing for the title in Turkey, we're still in the Champions League.

"Yes, I had several offers from other teams, but I called my agent and told him that I wanted to sign for Galatasaray. Who knows, maybe I’ll stay here until I’m 40 years old."

 

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Simeone extends Atletico Madrid deal to 2017

The Rojiblancos head coach has seen his contract renewed for four more seasons due to excellent team performances in La Liga and the Copa del Rey this season.
Atletico Madrid has extended the contract of head coach Diego Simeone until 2017.

The Liga club has had an excellent season thus far and sits second ahead of local rival Real Madrid with just Barcelona higher up in the table. The club has also qualified for the Copa del Rey final thanks to a 4-3 aggregate win over Sevilla in the semifinal, setting up a mouth-watering cup clash against Real Madrid in May.
"Atletico Madrid and Diego Simeone have agreed to renew the coach's contract for the next four seasons," a statement released on Tuesday afternoon by the club said. "The coach, who played as a player in the Rojiblancos in two separate periods [1994-97 and 2003-05] including the historic double-winning time in 1996, returned to Atleti in late December 2011 to take over the first team.

"Simeone won two European titles in his first year as Atletico coach - the Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup - and this season has qualified the team for the final of the Copa del Rey."One of the few negatives for Simeone this season was the club's shock exit from the Europa League in February at the hands on Rubin Kazan in the round of 32.

The Rojiblancos were the reigning champions in the competition, although, based on their current trajectory, it will be the Champions League where they will be competing next campaign.

The Argentine cut his teeth on the coaching front at the likes of San Lorenzo and Catania before succeeding Gregorio Manzano in the Atleti hotseat, and has seen his reputation soar while at the Vicente Calderon. He had been mooted as a surprise replacement to Mourinho at the Santiago Bernabeu, and, more realistically, been suggested as an alternative to Andrea Stramaccioni at Inter or Rafael Benitez at Chelsea.

 

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Robben: I crave winning trophies again

The Bayern Munich winger is looking forward to adding to his trophy collection, with the club in position to win a treble this season.

Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben has said that he craves the feeling of winning silverware once again, after a barren 2011-12 looks set to be followed by a fruitful haul this season.

The last time the Bavarians won a major trophy was in 2010 when the club won the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal.

However, this season they find themselves 17 points clear of second-place Borussia Dortmund in the league, into the semifinal stage of the cup and with a 3-1 lead over Arsenal in the last 16 of the Champions League.

"I long to be overwhelmed by that happiness," Robben told Bild. "I still remember how it feels to touch cups and trophies. It tingles, it's just unbelievably beautiful."

He added, "The best moment is immediately after the game on the field and in the booth. You feel redemption. On the balcony [at the town hall] it is also very nice, but by then you have to sleep on the victory and it is already clear in my head."

The Netherlands international added that Bayern need to take the rest of the season one game at a time and not start thinking they have won anything already.

"Our heads need to focus on Dusseldorf, then think about Arsenal and then to Wolfsburg," he said. "Nothing else. We need to continue to concentrate and not start to dream. We need to focus on the title in May and not now."

 

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Alba confident Barcelona can come back against Milan

The Spain international believes that the Liga leader will rediscover its form ahead of the European encounter, and claimed that the players are calm despite their poor form.

Barcelona's Jordi Alba is confident the Catalunya outfit can overcome AC Milan in the second leg of their Champions League tie, despite being 2-0 down from the first leg.

The defender believes that if the Liga leader can replicate the type of performances that the team has been putting in for much of the season, then it will be able to overcome the Italian outfit.

The Spain international believes the league match against Deportivo La Coruna could help put the team back on track ahead of the crunch European encounter next week.

"We want to win at Deportivo then look at Milan. It will be difficult but if we recover the level of play we have shown all season, I am sure we will win," he told reporters at the Mediterranean International Cup.

Tito Vilanova's side is currently in a poor patch of form after the defeat at San Siro was followed by a close shave against Sevilla and then back-to-back defeats at the hands of Real Madrid, but the former Valencia fullback refuted claims of panic at Camp Nou.

"It is true that we are not used to being in this situation, but we are calm," he said. "We look forward to scoring goals and winning again."

 

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Huntelaar: I could retire at Schalke

The Netherlands international recently committed his future to the Bundesliga side and could stay put until he hangs up his boots.Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has revealed that he could remain at Schalke until the end of his career.

The Netherlands international joined Schalke from AC Milan in the summer of 2010 and has since developed into a key player at the Konigsblauen.

Huntelaar was crowned Bundesliga top scorer last term with 29 goals, and recently inked a new deal with Schalke until June 2015.

"It is very well possible that I sign another extension with Schalke. I could sign another contract here at the age of 32. Retiring here is an option for me," Huntelaar told Sport Bild.

Schalke has been struggling to find its best form this term, and Huntelaar feels the club must improve if it is to meet its goals.

"I am not satisfied with the way things have been going so far this season, both with my own performances and with the team's displays," Huntelaar stated.

Huntelaar has netted 12 goals in 30 appearances for the side so far this season.

 

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Kahn: Current Bayern side is the best ever

The 43-year-old is thoroughly impressed with the Bavarians' dominance this season, and believes they could win the treble.

Former Germany international Oliver Kahn believes that the current Bayern Munich squad is the best team in the club's history, and expects the Allianz Arena side to dominate German football in the years to come.

The Bavarians have broken a number of records this season and currently sit atop of the Bundesliga table, while they are still in the race for the Champions League and DFB Pokal as well.

Former head coach Felix Magath recently voiced his admiration for Bayern, and Kahn has now followed suit with words of praise.

"Magath was right when he said this is the best Bayern ever," Kahn was quoted as saying by Kicker. "The defensive core of the team is superb. And they have incredible options in attack. I played at Bayern for 14 years, but I cannot remember a similarly dominant team.

"A very interesting era could be on the cards. The Bundesliga could become pretty boring in the years to come. Bayern have a realistic chance of winning the treble."

Bayern currently holds a 17-point lead over second-placed Borussia Dortmund in the league table.

 

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Mourinho: The best team lost at Old Trafford

The Madrid coach does not think his side deserved to win their Champions League match this evening, and claimed that the Red Devils were superior during the game Jose Mourinho believes Manchester United was better than his team during Real Madrid's 2-1 victory at Old Trafford.

United attacker Nani was sent off in the second half for a high challenge on Alvaro Arbeloa, with Madrid going on to score twice after that decision to walk away with a 3-2 win on aggregate.

"Independent of the decision, the best team lost,"Mourinho told Sky Sports after the game.

The Red Devils had taken the lead shortly after halftime when Sergio Ramos deflected Nani's cross past his own goalkeeper, before the same United player was shown a straight red card by the referee Cuneyt Cakir.

Los Blancos overturned United's lead following Nani's dismissal as Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo scored in quick succession, but their coach said after the game that the Spaanish club was fortunate to triumph.

"We didn’t play well, we didn’t deserve to win, but football is like this," Mourinho told the TV station. "I’m not speaking about the decision [Nani red card] because I am not sure about it. Independent of that, the best team lost."
The draw for the quarterfinals will take place in Nyom on March 15.

 

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Samba delighted by QPR blocking quick return to Russia

The Congolese defender was the subject of a bid from an unnamed Russian club after a 14 million euro January move to Loftus Road, but is pleased the London club rejected the offer.Chris Samba has revealed his joy at staying at QPR with his family after the struggling Premier League club reportedly rejected a bid from an unnamed Russian club.

Harry Redknapp has claimed his side turned down a "massive offer" for the defender in February, but the Hoops stood firm and are now looking up the table following a 2-1 win over Southampton on Saturday.

The 28-year-old is happy to remain in the capital with his loved ones nearby, and says he has no intention of returning to Russia where he had been subjected to racism from rival supporters at games.

"All the money in the world cannot make you happy if you don't have your family with you," he told reporters. "I came back to be with my family. Life needs to have both sides - enjoy your football and have your loved ones close to you.

"I have no plans to go back to Russia."

While QPR is on the brink of an exit from the top flight, Samba insists he is fully committed to the club and will not make any decisions about his future until the end of the season.

"I'm a Rangers player and I will give 100 percent to this club," he stated. "People have said to me if Rangers go down it could be a springboard to another move. Maybe that's true but I don't think like that."

 

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Ronaldo admits 'strange feeling' after eliminating Man Utd from Champions League

The Portuguese winger was understandably delighted to have secured the Blancos' route into the quarterfinals but did retain a notion of affection for his former club.
Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted that although he is understandably pleased with Real Madrid's progression to the Champions League quarterfinals at the expense of Manchester United, he has been left with a "strange feeling."

Ronaldo scored the series-winning goal with United reduced to 10 men after his international teammate, Nani, was sent off for a controversial red card. Madrid advanced with the 2-1 victory (3-2 on aggregate) and awaits the quarterfinal draw to determine its next opponent.

"I did my job - helping Real Madrid to win - and I'm very happy, but it's a strange feeling. It was the sensation of wanting to do something but not being able to," Ronaldo told TVE.

"I played at Manchester United for many years, and if someday I face Real Madrid it will be the same. To be received well is special for me, coming home, seeing friends. Inside I'm happy but also sad for Man Utd.

Like after his goal in the first leg of the tie, Ronaldo did not celebrate his goal out of respect for his former club, despite the massive importance of the tally.

"I didn't celebrate out of respect to those who treated me well here, but what I wanted the most was winning and keeping Real Madrid on course for La Decima," Ronaldo said.

 

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UEFA Champions League 2013.03.06 Round Of 16 2nd Leg Fixtures

UEFA Champions League 2013.03.06 Round Of 16 2nd Leg Fixtures

PSG Vs Valencia

Juventus Vs Celtic

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Manchester United 1-2 Real Madrid (Agg 2-3): Ronaldo pounces decisively after Nani sees red

Aiyoooooooo Manchester United paradilaneNani RED

matanam mara upset

Anyway good luck Real Madrid​

 

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Borussia Dortmund 3-0 Shakhtar Donetsk (Agg 5-2): Dominant Germans breeze into quarterfinals

Borussia Dortmund ලා පට්ට

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Sneijder: Inter blocked Manchester United move

 

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Alba confident Barcelona can come back against Milan

The Spain international believes that the Liga leader will rediscover its form ahead of the European encounter, and claimed that the players are calm despite their poor form.

Barcelona's Jordi Alba is confident the Catalunya outfit can overcome AC Milan in the second leg of their Champions League tie, despite being 2-0 down from the first leg.

The defender believes that if the Liga leader can replicate the type of performances that the team has been putting in for much of the season, then it will be able to overcome the Italian outfit.

The Spain international believes the league match against Deportivo La Coruna could help put the team back on track ahead of the crunch European encounter next week.

"We want to win at Deportivo then look at Milan. It will be difficult but if we recover the level of play we have shown all season, I am sure we will win," he told reporters at the Mediterranean International Cup.

Tito Vilanova's side is currently in a poor patch of form after the defeat at San Siro was followed by a close shave against Sevilla and then back-to-back defeats at the hands of Real Madrid, but the former Valencia fullback refuted claims of panic at Camp Nou.

"It is true that we are not used to being in this situation, but we are calm," he said. "We look forward to scoring goals and winning again."

 

[panchaz]

ado machan rcccc onna api nam next round ekata qualify una

 

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Valencia patta gamak denawa