..::Football II::..

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Xavi: Barcelona has a legacy that other teams lack

The 33-year-old midfielder believes that dominating opponents is important and is excited by the prospect of potentially playing the Champions League final at Wembley again.

Barcelona midfielder Xavi has stated that the club has a strong identity and legacy that other top teams lack.

The veteran midfielder has been as influential as ever this season, with the club on the brink of wrestling the Liga title from the grasp of Real Madrid. The Blaugrana have also reached the last four of the Champions League, but despite the prospect of bolstering their cases of silverware, Xavi believes that results are not always the ultimate barometer of quality.

"Other teams win and are happy, but it's not the same. The identity is lacking," the 33-year-old told UEFA's Champions magazine. "In football the result is an impostor. You can do things really, really well but not win. There's something greater than the result, more lasting - a legacy."

Xavi continued to explain, "Barca always try to direct the game, they don't wait for the opposition but go out and attack, so people identify with the club. Barca fans would never understand if the team were not controlling or dominating a match. It's about doing something extra, not just winning. That's the way it has to be."

Tito Vilanova's side will face Bayern Munich in the semifinals of the Champions League, and if it can overcome the Bavarians over two legs, the Camp Nou squad could be playing in the final at the stadium where it last lifted the European trophy two years ago.

"Wembley brings us a lot of joy," Xavi admitted. "We have been in two finals there and won both. Having the final at Wembley makes us dream of getting there again. It will be difficult but we want to be there with all the good feelings we've had in London and at Wembley in particular."

 

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Norwich's Van Wolfswinkel deal has relegation clause

Regardless of the striker's right to opt out in the event of relegation, agent Louis Laros is confident the Canaries will find themselves in the top flight next season.
Ricky van Wolfswinkel can opt out of his pre-contract agreement with Norwich if the club is relegated, the player's agent has revealed.

The 24-year-old became Norwich’s most expensive signing after penning a four-year contract for a reported fee of 8 million pounds in March, but the big-money move could be scrapped if the Canaries were to be condemned to the Championship at the end of the season.

Speaking to Portuguese news outlet A Bola, Van Wolfswinkel’s agent Loius Laros said: “There is a special clause in the contract that entitles Ricky Van Wolfswinkel to decide on his future if Norwich leave the Premier League.”

Despite the contractual safeguard, Laros insisted that he and his client were confident Chris Hughton’s side can wrap up its top-flight survival in the coming weeks.

“That is the reality, but we are confident in their ability to remain in the top division,” he explained. “For now Ricky is only thinking about Sporting and helping them to get results. At the end of the season he will start to focus on Norwich.”

 

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Arsenal and Everton escape punishment after halftime water bottle bust up

Arsene Wenger, who denied witnessing the fracas between Jack Wilshere and Kevin Mirallas, maintains that the controversy had no impact on his side’s halftime routine.

No action will be taken over a halftime clash between Everton’s Kevin Mirallas and Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere, the Football Association has announced.

Television pictures showed Wilshere reacting furiously to Mirallas after the Belgian appeared to spray the midfielder with his water bottle as the players made their way down the tunnel.

The incident came amid a tense goalless draw between two sides vying for top-four finishes at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.

Immediately after the incident, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said: “I don’t know about it, but if it was [on television], then very soon everybody will know about it - and I will know about it as well.

“It was all right in the dressing room.”

Neither player has commented on the incident.

 

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Dortmund captain Kehl extends contract to 2014

The veteran BVB midfielder has been a huge part of the squad since joining in 2002 and has been rewarded for his performances this season with a one-year extension.

Borussia Dortmund captain Sebastian Kehl has extended his contract with the club until the summer of 2014.

The defensive midfielder had helped to guide his side to two successive Bundesliga championships but Bayern Munich has dethroned Jurgen Klopp's men this season in emphatic style.

Kehl's contract was set to run out at the end of this campaign but this one-year extension ensures that he will remain with the Champions League semifinalist for another 12 months.

The 33-year-old told BVB's official Twitter account: "BVB, our team, the fans and the city of Dortmund have long since become like a piece of home to me."

The former Freiburg and Hannover player has made 233 Bundesliga appearances for BVB, scoring 19 goals in the process since joining in January 2002.

Along with the likes of Mario Gotze, Marco Reus, Ilkay Gundogan and Mats Hummels, Kehl has helped Klopp's side reach the last four of Europe's elite competition, where the team will need to overcome Real Madrid to reach the final.

 

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Cavani considering Napoli future, says agent

The Uruguayan has been linked with a host of clubs heading into the summer transfer window and his representative says any decision will not be based on money Napoli striker Edinson Cavani is considering moving away from the club if it does not match his ambitions to win silverware, according to his agent Claudio Anelluci.

The Partenopei are currently second in Serie A and look set to qualify for Champions League football, barring a dramatic collapse in the final six games, though the Scudetto looks beyond them with Juventus commanding an 11-point lead over the Naples-based club.

Cavani, 26, is a hot property with the summer transfer window not far away and his representative insists that his client is well within his rights to question what the club is targeting in the next couple of seasons.

Anelluci told Mattina Sport: "Edinson has never expressed a desire to get away from Napoli. Cavani, however, is an ambitious type.

"He would like to win with his current club at the moment but wants to know what the conditions would be to do it. I think for a player who wants to win it is normal to ask his club what their expectations are for the future."

The likes of Manchester City have been linked with a move for the Uruguayan forward - who is the top scorer in Serie A with 22 goals - but his 70 million euro price-tag could put some clubs off and Anelucci says that transfer options are not on the table yet.

"That there is the interest of many clubs for Edinson is definitely a positive thing, it means you're doing well," the agent continued.

"His assessment in my opinion is the one of [Napoli president Aurelio] De Laurentiis, is around 70 million euros. At this time, however, talk about this subject seems to me quite premature."

Cavani's contract runs until 2017 having joined the club from Palermo in 2010 - first on loan and then on a permanent deal after a successful season.

 

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Cavani th Transfer wei wage

 

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Inter 2-3 Roma (Agg. 3-5): Destro double helps set up Coppa final against city rival Lazio

Roma booked its spot in the final of the Coppa Italia with an impressive 3-2 win at the San Siro against a struggling Inter side.

The Nerazzurri held an advantage in the tie for the first time when Jonathan, who was a late addition to the squad following an injury to Esteban Cambiasso, broke the deadlock in the first half. However, Mattia Destro returned to haunt the club which rejected him as a youngster with two second-half goals to turn the tide.

Vasilis Torosidis grabbed a spectacular third for the visitors to set up a date in the final with rival Lazio before Ricardo Alvarez netted a late consolation strike.

Disappointment at the weekend's Serie A defeat to Cagliari was evident in the Inter ranks from kick off and it almost took another blow after just three minutes. After initiating a lovely, flowing move down Roma's left, Marquinho was only denied a simple finish from Alessandro Florezni's cross by the outstretched arm of Samir Handanovic.

The Nerazzurri soon awoke and in the 22nd minute they took the lead with a goal of extreme quality. Following a give-and-go with Alvarez, Jonathan stormed towards the area and played the ball into Tommaso Rocchi. The veteran striker rolled it straight back into the path of the Brazilian who slid his shot into the bottom corner.

The visitors maintained a high level of pressure but found their attempts to draw level thwarted by the in-form Handanovic. The Slovenian keeper denied Destro from point-blank range in the 34th minute and then turned a shot from Florenzi around the post on the stroke of halftime.

Roma did not let up after the break and after Francesco Totti and Torosidis had both gone close, it finally equalized on the night in the 56th minute. Erik Lamela's perfectly-weighted through-ball sent Destro in behind the defense and the former Inter player dinked the ball over Handanovic and into the net.

Inter's shaky defense has been frequently been its undoing this season and that proved to be the case once more in the 69th minute. Juan Jesus failed to track the run of Federico Balzaretti, who laid Daniele De Rossi's pass across the face of goal and Destro was on hand to tap in his second.

Andrea Stramaccioni's side quickly fell apart and five minutes later the tie was well and truly put out of reach. A magnificent, looping strike from the corner of the box by Torosidis compounded the hosts' misery.

Alvarez managed to pull one back for the hosts with a low shot inside the near post that was no less than he deserved, though it proved to be no more than a consolation.

Thus it is Aurelio Andreazzoli's men who secure a space in the final where they will face arch-rival Lazio, which eliminated Juventus in the other semifinal.

 

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West Ham 2-2 Manchester United: Van Persie rescues a point for champions-elect

 

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Carrick: Sir Alex Ferguson does not encourage England players to withdraw from internationals

The 31-year-old Manchester United midfielder insists that the club's manager does not put pressure on the players to rule themselves out of international matches
Michael Carrick says that Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has no influence over his players' involvement with international games.

United teammate Rio Ferdinand caused controversy recently when he pulled out of the England squad for March's World Cup qualifiers in San Marino and Montenegro, citing the need to stick to a strict fitness regime as the reason for his withdrawal.

Carrick, however, denies suggestions that the United boss attempts to dissuade his players from playing in international fixtures.

"I have never had anything from the manager saying pull yourself out or anything in that manner, because it's not in his nature," he told talkSPORT. "We have got players here who travel the world to play international football. Chicharito goes to Mexico, Antonio [Valencia] goes back to Ecuador.

"If you have got the best players, or the better players, then international football is part of it.

"I don't see a club versus country row. There is obviously two agendas because it's two different set-ups, but they can come together and work well."

Carrick joined United from Tottenham for 16 million pounds in 2006, and looks set to collect his fifth Premier League title in seven seasons at the club. The midfielder was quick to acknowledge the impact Sir Alex has had on his own career.

"He knows how to react and how to get the best out of players," Carrick added. "Whether it's a pick me up and pat on the back or a bit of a dressing down and a kick up the backside.

"That's what top management is about and to do it for that long is incredible."

 

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Arsenal midfielder Ramsey: Pressure is on Chelsea and Tottenham now

The Wales international believes that should the Gunners defeat Fulham on Saturday, they will become favourites to beat their London rivals to a Champions League spot Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey is confident that defeating Fulham on Saturday will put the pressure on Tottenham and Chelsea in the race for a top-four finish.

The Gunners are currently fourth in the Premier League, a point behind Chelsea and two above Spurs. A win at Craven Cottage would put them five points clear of Tottenham, although the they will have played two games more than their north London rivals.

The gap could have been greater if Arsenal had managed to beat Everton in Tuesday's goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium. Ramsey refuses to let this disappointing result affect him, however, and is confident that his side will extend the gap between the north London clubs.

"It's important [to get a five-point gap with a win over Fulham]. We always knew this week was going to be a big one for us," he told reporters.

"We're still unbeaten in a load of games and hopefully we can finish the week off strongly by getting a win against Fulham. That will put us in a strong position. "It was important for us not to lose against Everton. We still have a lot of confidence. It didn’t quite happen for us in the final third but overall we were quite solid. We’re looking forward to the weekend."

Arsenal have suffered only one defeat in their last 11 league games, and Ramsey believes that tough upcoming fixtures will count against their top-four rivals.

"Tottenham and Chelsea still have tough games. Teams are going to drop points and we are still positive and confident that we can finish in the top four," he continued.

"We are third at the moment and Chelsea and Tottenham may feel a bit of pressure going into their games to get the three points.

"The squad is going to be important for us now. Hopefully everyone will stay fit and we can finish the job off."

 

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Mancini left unimpressed with Richards performance

The right back started for the first time in five months during Manchester City's 1-0 win over Wigan but his manager feels that the defender needs to work harder to improve Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini launched a scathing attack on Micah Richards' first appearance for the club in over five months by suggesting that the returning right back needs to work harder.

As reported by Goal.com on Monday, the defender came in to replace Pablo Zabaleta for Wednesday's late 1-0 win over Wigan but his boss could not hide his disappointment in the 24-year-old's performance.

"I think that he needs to work a lot," Mancini remarked to reporters of Richards. "I didn't like it [the performance]. "I am happy because he comes back to play but I thought that he was in better form.

"After six months, though, it is impossible to play well for 70 minutes. He was tired but it is important that he came back to play."

The Italian conceded, howeer, that it was crucial to allow Zabaleta to refresh his batteries after a prolonged spell in the side while Richards was unavailable, explaining: "Pablo has played a lot of games, it was important to give him a break."

With only three days having passed since their tense FA Cup semi-final win over Chelsea, Mancini felt that his players suffered from fatigue against the Latics.

"We had to work really hard because Wigan played very well," he observed. "Every game that we play against them is difficult because they play football and they play to win every game.

"I think we didn't play very well because we were so tired. Only in the last 20-25 minutes we improved and played better.

"There's only three days and for this reason we play with the four, five new players because we spent a lot of energy against Chelsea and it was difficult."

 

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Ferguson: Carroll challenge on De Gea an obvious red card

Manchester United inched closer to the Premier League title after a 2-2 draw with West Ham, but the manager was unhappy that the striker's challenge on the keeper went unpunished Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says that Andy Carroll's challenge on David de Gea in the 2-2 with West Ham was an "obvious" red card.

The league leaders were twice trailing by a goal to 11th place West Ham, but Robin van Persie's 77th minute equalizer secured a point for the Red Devils. The draw takes United to 81 points, 13 clear of rivals Manchester City with five games remaining.

Though his team fought back into the game to secure the draw, Sir Alex was clearly unhappy with Carroll's challenge on de Gea at a corner as he steamed in and collided head-on with the Spaniard, and the referee's failure to punish the striker.

When asked about the challenge, Sir Alex told Sky Sports: "I think it's obvious. I don't think we need dwell on that, it's an obvious red card but the referee has seen different.

"[West Ham] are very aggressive as we've seen tonight. You hope there's a strong referee... I'm not so sure we got that tonight."

However, the 71-year-old did draw some positives from the game, saying they played "like champions", after battling back from a goal down twice on the night.

"We had to stand up to a lot there, but they kept going, our players," he added. "We were down twice, came back and played like champions I thought.

"Magnificent in terms of determination and courage to play, so I was pleased with the result."

 

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Evian 1-1 PSG (Evian wins 4-1 on pens): Ibrahimovic misses in shoot-out as Les Parisiens crash out of cup

10-man Paris Saint-Germain missed out on a place in the last four of the Coupe de France after a hard working Evian side defeated the Ligue 1 giant on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Javier Pastore had put the Parisian side 1-0 up after 10 minutes before Saber Khlifa levelled the scores for the hosts on the stroke of halftime.The scores remained level throughout the second half and after extra time, before Cedric Barbosa's penalty confirmed Evian's place in the next round.

The hosts started strongly and could've taken the lead after five minutes as Khlifa and Milos Ninkovic linked up superbly, only for the latter to drag his effort wide of the PSG goal.Evian was made to pay for the miss moments later as Christophe Jallet picked out Pastore to volley past Bertrand Laquait. The Frenchman got a hand to his effort, but the Argentine wasn't to be denied early on.

The goal sprung Les Croix de Savoie into life as they went in pursuit for a quick equalizer, but Nicolas Douchez was on hand to comfortably deny Yannick Sagbo and Kevin Berigaud, while David Beckham's 25 yard free kick drifted over the bar at the other end.

Carlo Ancelotti's side was lackadaisical in possession and was made to pay two minutes before halftime as Khlifa tapped into an empty net at the back post after being picked out by Sagbo.Evian began the second half brightly and Khlifa was again the focal point as he tested Douchez with another effort from distance.

PSG then came close to adding its second moments later as Jallet found Zlatan Ibrahimovic, only for the Swedish striker to clip the outside of the post from 18 yards.

After excellent work from Sagbo freed up Berigaud in the box, Blaise Matuidi recovered brilliantly to deny the Evian striker as the home side pushed for a second in the dying embers of normal time.

A reserved start to extra time from both sides failed to see any real clear cut opportunities until Sagbo fired over from 25 yards for the hosts. Substitute Kevin Gameiro then cut onto his right to test Laquit, with the Evian goalkeeper equal to the PSG man's effort.PSG was the dominant of the two sides following the interval in extra time and it took a superb stop from Laquait to deny Matuidi after the midfielder had been picked up by the energetic Ezequiel Lavezzi.

Thiago Motta received a straight red late on in extra time, while Ibrahimovic fired a free kick over with the final kick of the game, but it needn't have mattered as Evian secured its place in the next round of the competition following a 4-1 penalty shoot-out win. Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva both missed from the spot during the shoot-out.

 

[Michael]

Thawa 3 points hodatama athi 20th Title ekata

 

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Thawa 3 points hodatama athi 20th Title ekata

 

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Arsenal midfielder Ramsey: Pressure is on Chelsea and Tottenham now

 

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