..::Football II::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Herrera: I’ve given my word to Porto

The rising Mexican star appears set to join Diego Reyes at the Portuguese giant next season.Pachuca’s Hector Herrera has given his word to Porto that he will join the club next season, according to an article in Portuguese publication O Jogo.

Herrera was believed to be close to signing in January as the transfer window slammed shut, but the deal appears to be back on.

“I’ve given my word to Porto,” midfielder Herrera, 23, is quoted as saying.

“I know that they compare me to Moutinho,” he added in part of the interview.

Reports in the Mexican press suggest that a few loose ends still need to be tied up between the clubs for the player to officially make the move.

If “El Zorrillo” (The Skunk) does sign for the Portuguese giants, he will join fellow Olympic and national team player Diego Reyes, who announced his transfer from Club America to Porto over the past winter.

The Portuguese club is well known for buying Latin American talents, having signed Radamel Falcao, Jackson Martinez, Hulk, James Rodriguez and Nicolas Otamendi in recent years.

Herrera has had a mixed season this Clausura, opening up with a stunning solo goal in the first round of matches against Atlante, but not having the impact he would’ve like through the season, with Pachuca slipping from the playoff reckoning.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Gotze will have no buy-out clause at Bayern, says Rummenigge

The German legend wants to make sure that the Bavarians do not make the same mistake with the 20-year-old as rival Borussia Dortmund Bayern Munich director Karl-Heinz Rummenigge insists Borussia Dortmund star Mario Gotze will have no buy-out clause in his contract when he signs for the club this summer.

The 20-year-old, who is one of Europe's hottest attacking talents, reached an agreement with the German champions last month to move from BVB in the summer for a fee in the region of 37 million euros.

Rummenigge says Bayern won't make the same mistake as its rival, after Gotze had a buy-out-clause in his contract allowing him to move on without Dortmund having a say on the transfer.

"[Gotze's agent] attempted to negotiate for a buy-out-clause, but this request has been rejected by us [Bayern Munich]," Rummenigge told Bild.

"None of our players have buy-out-clauses in their contracts."

Dortmund is believed to be unhappy with the way Bayern dealt with the signing of Gotze but Rummenigge has played down such allegations, citing Dortmund's hurt at losing such a key player as the main reason for its anger.

"I don't think Bayern lack class. I think our colleagues [Dortmund] are just disappointed to lose good players," he said.

"I'd be angry as well if tomorrow someone snatched away Franck Ribery!"

With Dortmund already through to the Champions League final, Bayern looks set to join them barring a disaster against Barcelona on Wednesday, due to its 4-0 advantage heading into the second leg.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Suarez has the mentality of a child, claims former coach Veldmate

The man who signed the Uruguayan for Groningen as a 19-year-old in 2006 believes the controversial Liverpool striker's character is influenced by his South American upbringing.Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has been accused of having the mentality of a child by former boss Henk Veldmate, the man who brought him to Europe.

The 56-year-old signed the then 19-year-old for Eredivisie outfit Groningen in 2006 before his subsequent moves to Ajax and Liverpool. Veldmate, now Groningen's sporting director, says Suarez has always adopted the mentality of a child on the pitch and attributes it to his South American upbringing.

"He's a grown up person but also, in the way he likes playing football, he sometimes has the mentality of a child," he told BBC Radio 5 Live."That's the way he enjoys playing. If you compare the mentality and attitude to Dutch players, then in South America it's dead or alive.

"To do the best for your family - it's a way of life and a way of surviving."Despite those issues, Veldmate says it took him only 15 minutes to decide that he had to sign Suarez from Uruguayan side Nacional.

"He had everything you see today - he scored a goal and did some fantastic dribbles," Veldmate explained. "Sometimes you think he is lucky with his dribbles - he starts something and you think it is impossible but in the end it works and he creates a chance and scores a goal.

"He dived to win a penalty, so all the things we see in Luis' potential we saw in that 15 minutes and most importantly we saw he was a winner."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Edmilson: Neymar can be Barcelona’s new Ronaldinho

The defender says the Santos forward can contribute to the Catalan club’s cause in the same way his compatriot did during his stay at Camp Nou Former Barcelona defender Edmilson feels that Neymar can emulate Ronaldinho’s success at the club should the forward move there this summer.

The Santos forward has been continually linked with a move to the Liga leaders and Edmilson, who played for Barca from 2004-08, thinks that Neymar can achieve similar accolades to his compatriot should he make the switch.

"Neymar has a character like Ronnie, he plays football very cheerful, very fun, very spontaneous and with this commitment from Leo [Messi] to beat records every season, they can do great things together," he told La Xarxa."He is focused and uncomplicated, so the fans will love him."

Edmilson also is of the opinion that the 21-year-old has achieved everything possible in his homeland and thinks that a move to Europe should be imminent."In Brazil he has already done it all, he does not have any challenges left in Brazil. He should go to Barca and he will perform greatly," Edmilson explained.

The 36-year-old also reserved a word of praise for Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho following Tuesday night’s Champions League semifinal exit at the hands of Borussia Dortmund.

"Mourinho speaks the truth in the press conferences, things that many people want to cover,” Edmilson stated. "He is very direct, open and honest about his team."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Lucas: Coutinho will only get better

The 26-year-old believes the January signing from Inter has be good since his arrival, and has credited the Reds' contingent of South American players with helping him adapt.Lucas Leiva has heaped praise on Liverpool winger Philippe Coutinho and insists there is even more to come from the young Brazilian.

The 20-year-old arrived at Anfield after a frustrating spell at Inter, where he struggled to hold down a regular place in the starting XI and was loaned out to La Liga side Espanyol.

Since his move to Merseyside he has become one of Liverpool’s chief architects going forward, recording five assists and two goals in his first 10 games, and Lucas has praised his countryman's impact.

"Philippe is a young player but he has got a lot of experience because he spent two years in Italy and six months in Spain so he knows how things work in Europe,” Lucas said in the official matchday program. "Of course the Premier League is a different league but he has been fantastic for us since he came.

"For sure, he will only get better because he is very young and works very hard. We are just delighted that he came here and is having the chance to show his quality. That is maybe what he didn't have in Italy with Inter."

According to his Brazilian compatriot, Coutinho’s seamless adaptation to the Premier League has been helped along by the presence of a small contingent of fellow South Americans at the club.

"He has settled quickly and has myself, [Sebastian] Coates and [Luis] Suarez to help him feel comfortable and understand a bit more," Lucas said. "I'm sure the fans are really looking forward to seeing a full season from him next year just as I am."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Kiessling denies Dortmund contact

The 29-year-old German striker insists he has made no contact with the Champions League finalists amid rumors surrounding his future at the end of the season Bayer Leverkusen striker Stefan Kiessling has denied rumors linking him with a move to Borussia Dortmund in the summer, amid speculation linking him with a move away.

The 29-year-old, who has six caps for Germany, has been hotly tipped as Robert Lewandowski's potential replacement should the Poland international leave BVB at the end of the current campaign.

Kiessling has played down the rumors, however and insisted that he is happy at the current third-placed side in the Bundesliga.

"I am not responsible for gossip and rumors. I have been in touch with nobody," Kiessling told Bild.

"I am under contract with Bayer Leverkusen until June 2015. Thus far I have not had any conversation with someone from the club as I feel the club should come to me.

"I am not under pressure, I like being at Bayer Leverkusen and everybody knows that. I could definitely imagine signing a new deal, of course."Kiessling's agent Ali Bulut also played down the rumors and says that any discussion with other teams would be subsequent to talks with Leverkusen."Those rumors are pure nonsense," he told Kicker.

"Stefan feels at home at Bayer Leverkusen and we would talk at first to Bayer Leverkusen about everything."

The German has scored 24 goals in 40 appearances for Leverkusen this season, and trails Lewandowski by one goal in the battle to be Bundesliga top scorer this season.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Barcelona 0-3 Bayern Munich (Agg 0-7): Rampant Germans complete humiliation

A marvelous strike from Arjen Robben put Bayern Munich's passage into the Champions League final beyond doubt, as the Bavarian side cruised past Barcelona 3-0 in the semifinal second leg to set up a clash with Borussia Dortmund.

The Dutchman released a perfect left-footed effort past Victor Valdes, before an own goal from Gerard Pique and Thomas Muller's strike added insult to injury for the hosts as they crashed out 7-0 on aggregate.

Dealt a severe blow in the build-up to the semifinal with the news that Lionel Messi would not be available from the start, Barcelona nevertheless started positively in its quest to overturn a daunting four-goal deficit and down Bayern. Both teams poured forward in a frenetic first 20 minutes to the encounter, but the energy was not matched by precision in front of goal and there were few clear chances to show for an entertaining beginning.

Barca in particular suffered against a Bayern defense that was organized and committed around the box, and was forced to try its luck from deep. This almost paid off midway through the first half. Pedro let loose with a bomb 35 yards out, and it was well parried behind by Manuel Neuer to save an opener. It was also the Catalan side that enjoyed the best opportunity of the opening 45 minutes.

Enjoying a rare moment of space and time on the ball, Dani Alves whipped a cross into the box that found Cesc Fabregas. The ex-Arsenal man did well to chest down to Xavi, who found himself free, but the midfielder uncharacteristically lost his cool and fired his volley well over the crossbar.

Despite these isolated moments of pressure, Die Roten coped well with the hosts' advances and always looked dangerous breaking from their own half.Robben and Franck Ribery in particular stood out with all-action performances, stretching the Barca backline albeit without creating too many clear openings before heading in for the interval.

Just three minutes after play recommenced, the game was over as a contest. David Alaba from deep on the left showed terrific vision and matched it in the execution as he changed the direction of play, finding an unmarked Robben on the other side of the pitch. The Dutchman still had work to do, but was unstoppable as he cut back past the challenge of Adriano and fired left-footed into the corner, leaving Victor Valdes no chance between the posts.

The Catalan giants now trailed by five goals, and there appeared to be no hope left of a miracle comeback.

The Blaugrana did not give up after that fatal blow and kept pushing towards goal, but there was no joy for the likes of David Villa as they were suffocated in the final third. Indeed, Bayern was the team that continued to enjoy the best opportunities; Robben side-footed wide of the post with the goal in full view, after a storming run down the left from Ribery had spilt open the Liga leaders.

Messi remained on the sidelines throughout the 90 minutes, unused as Tito Vilanova recognized that the game was beyond the reach of his charges. Further confirmation was provided by the hapless Piquewho sliced a cross into his own net with 18 minutes to go.

A convincing defeat soon turned into a humiliation when Mullerrose to head in the third, putting the Bayern faithful in full voice as the club marched into its third Champions League final in four years.

The Bavarians' dominant 5-0 victory tees up a first-ever all-German final in Europe's premier club competition, as they prepare to face compatriots Borussia Dortmund in the showpiece. The match is scheduled to take place on May 25 in Wembley.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Robben ge goal 1ka patta!​

 

[panchaz]

LMAO Agg 0-7 ,real madrid la nam aduma gaaney home match ekawtah dinna

 

[panchaz]

 

[rcccc]

 

[asanka99]

Barcelona 0-3 Bayern Munich (Agg 0-7): Rampant Germans complete humiliation

A marvelous strike from Arjen Robben put Bayern Munich's passage into the Champions League final beyond doubt, as the Bavarian side cruised past Barcelona 3-0 in the semifinal second leg to set up a clash with Borussia Dortmund.

The Dutchman released a perfect left-footed effort past Victor Valdes, before an own goal from Gerard Pique and Thomas Muller's strike added insult to injury for the hosts as they crashed out 7-0 on aggregate.

Dealt a severe blow in the build-up to the semifinal with the news that Lionel Messi would not be available from the start, Barcelona nevertheless started positively in its quest to overturn a daunting four-goal deficit and down Bayern. Both teams poured forward in a frenetic first 20 minutes to the encounter, but the energy was not matched by precision in front of goal and there were few clear chances to show for an entertaining beginning.

Barca in particular suffered against a Bayern defense that was organized and committed around the box, and was forced to try its luck from deep. This almost paid off midway through the first half. Pedro let loose with a bomb 35 yards out, and it was well parried behind by Manuel Neuer to save an opener. It was also the Catalan side that enjoyed the best opportunity of the opening 45 minutes.

Enjoying a rare moment of space and time on the ball, Dani Alves whipped a cross into the box that found Cesc Fabregas. The ex-Arsenal man did well to chest down to Xavi, who found himself free, but the midfielder uncharacteristically lost his cool and fired his volley well over the crossbar.

Despite these isolated moments of pressure, Die Roten coped well with the hosts' advances and always looked dangerous breaking from their own half.Robben and Franck Ribery in particular stood out with all-action performances, stretching the Barca backline albeit without creating too many clear openings before heading in for the interval.

Just three minutes after play recommenced, the game was over as a contest. David Alaba from deep on the left showed terrific vision and matched it in the execution as he changed the direction of play, finding an unmarked Robben on the other side of the pitch. The Dutchman still had work to do, but was unstoppable as he cut back past the challenge of Adriano and fired left-footed into the corner, leaving Victor Valdes no chance between the posts.

The Catalan giants now trailed by five goals, and there appeared to be no hope left of a miracle comeback.

The Blaugrana did not give up after that fatal blow and kept pushing towards goal, but there was no joy for the likes of David Villa as they were suffocated in the final third. Indeed, Bayern was the team that continued to enjoy the best opportunities; Robben side-footed wide of the post with the goal in full view, after a storming run down the left from Ribery had spilt open the Liga leaders.

Messi remained on the sidelines throughout the 90 minutes, unused as Tito Vilanova recognized that the game was beyond the reach of his charges. Further confirmation was provided by the hapless Piquewho sliced a cross into his own net with 18 minutes to go.

A convincing defeat soon turned into a humiliation when Mullerrose to head in the third, putting the Bayern faithful in full voice as the club marched into its third Champions League final in four years.

The Bavarians' dominant 5-0 victory tees up a first-ever all-German final in Europe's premier club competition, as they prepare to face compatriots Borussia Dortmund in the showpiece. The match is scheduled to take place on May 25 in Wembley.

Patta,meda para nam aniwa cup eka ganna one

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Vilanova: Messi was not injured

The 44-year-old also intimated that the Argentine would have made an appearance had he believed his side still had a chance of progressing Tito Vilanova has revealed that injury was not the reason behind Lionel Messi's absence during the second leg of Barcelona's Champions League semifinal with Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

The Argentine attacker was a surprise omission from the Blaugrana starting lineup against the Bavarians, with many speculating that he suffered a recurrence of his recent hamstring knock prior to the 3-0 defeat.

However, this was not the case according to his coach, who also claimed that Messi would have made an appearance in the second half had he thought the Catalans still had a chance of making the final on May 25.

"Messi was not injured, but he was not feeling okay, and I thought that in his situation he would not help the team," Vilanova told reporters. "He played in Bilbao because he was in much better condition, but at the end of the game he contracted some strange sensations.

"We would have taken the risk of playing Leo towards the end of the match if we still had a chance of making the final."

Reflecting on his side's performance at Camp Nou, Vilanova admitted that Barca was "massively" outclassed by Bayern but insisted that widespread personnel changes would not be necessary during the close season.

"Bayern are physically at a great level. The difference today between the sides was massive and I congratulate them on their progression, but also thanks to our fans for their support," he added. "We've been suffering with injuries all season and at this level you pay for that. Every squad needs to be changed, but we have a good squad already.

"We don't need to make a lot of changes as we have some players who are still recovering."

Meanwhile, David Villa supported Vilanova's assertion that Messi was not in the right physical condition to start at Camp Nou, but nonetheless urged his teammates to move on quickly from their European humbling.

"They were better during both matches, we must admit it. We're sad because we were close to Wembley but they deserved it and we must congratulate them," the Spain striker remarked. "We tried to attack from the beginning in order to quickly reduce the aggregate, but the difference was too big in the end.

"Messi wanted to play but during the day he knew he wouldn't be able to do it. It's not an excuse, even if he is the best player in the world.

"Now we must forget about the Champions League and focus on La Liga. There are still many happy moments that we are yet to experience and we are close to winning the league title."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Heynckes: 'Barcelona is a different team without Messi'

The 67-year-old coach hailed his side's "clever" performance on Wednesday night, but feels it was fortunate not to have had to contend with the Argentine ace
Jupp Heynckes believes Bayern Munich was lucky that Lionel Messi did not feature for Barcelona in the Bavarians' 3-0 win at Camp Nou on Wednesday.

The Argentine watched on from the substitutes bench as Arjen Robben's stunner, a Gerard Pique own goal, and Thomas Muller's late strike condemned his side to a 7-0 aggregate defeat in the Champions League semifinal.

And while Heynckes was proud of his team's focus in the tie, he acknowledged the Blaugrana are a different prospect without their talismanic attacker.

"I think it was clearly noticeable that my team entered this game extremely focused," he told reporters after the match. "We played great right from the start. However, there is no denying it – Barcelona is a different team without [Lionel] Messi.

"Still, I am sure no one expected us to win 7-0 on aggregate. I would not say that we witnessed an end of an era tonight. Barcelona were missing a lot of players and we showed a clever performance."

Bayern will now contest the final on May 25 against Bundesliga rival Borussia Dortmund, and Heynckes feels BVB's place at Wembley is fully deserved, albeit a little surprising.

"Dortmund deserve to be in the final, as they are playing a great season as well," he continued. "Sure, it is a small surprise that they reached the final. I obviously hope that we can be successful in Wembley. We will now reflect on what we achieved tonight, enjoy the moment and then put our focus on the game against Dortmund on the weekend [in the Bundesliga]."

Much has been made of the future of Heynckes as the arrival of Pep Guardiola draws ever closer, but the 67-year-old has stressed there has been no contact with Real Madrid over a possible return to the Santiago Bernabeu.

"Madrid have not been in contact with me," he remarked to Marca after Wednesday's match.

"On May 9, I turn 68. I think I should be thinking about taking a break."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Robben: Beating Barcelona wasn't tough

The Netherlands international scored in each leg of the semifinal against Tito Vilanova's side, and was delighted that his team progressed to the final at the Blaugrana's expense Arjen Robben was surprised at how easily Bayern Munich beat Barcelona in the second leg of their Champions League semifinal at Camp Nou.

The former Real Madrid star opened the scoring with a fine finish past Victor Valdes shortly after halftime, before an own goal from Gerard Pique and a towering header from Thomas Muller late on made it 3-0.

"It surprised me that we could dominate the match today, but we deserve credits for this. We expected a tough game, but it wasn't that tough at all," the Dutchman told NOS. "It's not up to me to say that we were superior to Barca, but we won both games with our own style.

"I think it is a terrific performance, it is a little bit of history," Robben said, speaking to UEFA.com after the game. "To perform like this, against a team who have dominated Europe for the past five years, who have so much quality, it is amazing.

"The most important thing is we play as a team, not only going forward but defensively. If you want to achieve something and have results and win competitions at a high level you have to defend as a team."

Robben then gave his thoughts on the prospect of an all-German Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.

"[The final] is going to be a big one. Dortmund have proved over last two to three years they are a very good team."

Fellow Bayern winger Franck Ribery was equally impressed with the team's showing against the Catalans and highlighted the team ethic as the side's key quality.

"Above all, we all work together. We want to do something together and we showed that tonight," the France international told Canal+. "We knew that if we defended well, we could score goals.

"Dortmund is a team that is not easy to play against and has a little of our style – it will be a good match.

The France international also expressed his desire to finally get his hands on a Champions League winners medal, having twice been a runner-up.

"I've already lost two finals, I do not want to lose a third. We'll play as we played tonight."

FCB captain Philipp Lahm explainedthat he always thought his team was capable of producing a performance like it did against the Liga leaders.

"It’s not taken for granted to beat Barcelona on their home ground 3-0," he said. "But I’ve always said that we have special characters in our squad and that we are capable of great things."

The Bavarian giants will face Dortmund in the first all-German Champions League final. The match will be held at Wembley on May 25.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Barcelona has a lot to learn from unbelievable Bayern

he Bavarians tore their hosts apart to complete a battering over two legs that must prompt a serious reshuffle in Catalunya To many the tie was over as soon as Lionel Messi’s name didn’t appear among the first 11 names on the teamsheet. By the end, Barcelona fans were left wishing their side had been able to forfeit there and then.

Bayern Munich’s 3-0 victory at Camp Nou completed a phenomenal 7-0 aggregate win in the Champions League semi-final and consigned the Catalans to the kind of humiliation they have only previously subjected rather than felt themselves. The starkest fact of the last eight days is that Bayern have been every bit seven goals better than Barca.

If anything, Bayern were even more superior in the second leg than they were at the Allianz Arena, but Barca were also worse. With no Messi there was no cutting edge. Over the two games they created no real clear-cut chances to speak of, and while that may be partly forgiven in an away leg, there was simply no excusing their inability to trouble Bayern second time around.

Bayern didn’t really need to emphasize the gap any further, but three second-half goals from Arjen Robben, a calamitous Gerard Pique own goal and Thomas Muller did exactly that. Bayern was brilliant and Barcelona had nothing in return.The ‘ole’ that came with each pass during the final half hour came like fingernails being dragged down a blackboard to the ears of every Catalan in the stadium.

The phrase ‘End of an era’ might well have been trending on Twitter tonight such has been the depth of disappointment in the Blaugrana’s displays over the two legs. It may be easy to say in the immediate aftermath of such an unbelievable result, but there is certainly growing evidence to support it.

The blessing may come in just how big a defeat this is for Barca. If it had been edged out by Bayern as it was by Chelsea this time last year then maybe it could explain the loss away as a blip. Instead there can be no doubting that serious rebuilding has to be done.

This was Barcelona's biggest-ever aggregate defeat in a European Cup knockout match. Even when Barcelona was not ‘this Barcelona’ it never received such a spanking. But that doesn’t mean it is at its lowest ebb. After all, it's not exactly starting from scratch as it looks to recover from this.There is much to do though, and Bayern showed exactly where Barcelona need to be. The Bavarians are the hottest team in the world right now, while the Catalans are just one of a number of outfits who are left looking on in admiration.

After the performances of the last couple of weeks, the Champions League final will be one of the most highly anticipated showpieces in recent memory. There will be no Messi and no Barcelona, but that is just how it should be. The Blaugrana have a lot to learn from Bayern, especially now they have seen at first hand just how good the Bavarians are.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

UEFA Europa League 2013.05.02 Fixtures

UEFA Europa League 2013.05.02 Fixtures

Benfica Vs Fenerbhce

Chelsea Vs Basel

​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Robert Lewandowski is ready to snub Manchester United and join Bayern Munich

Alex Ferguson admits he would love to sign the Borussia Dortmund striker this summer.

But the £25million-rated Polish sensation is on the brink of sealing a stunning £160,000-a-week five-year deal at Bayern. Lewandowski’s reputation soared after he smashed all four goals in Dortmund’s 4-1 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final first leg.

It sparked a scramble for the 24-year-old — who has just a year left on his Dortmund deal. United believed they were in the driving seat when Bayern signed Lewandowski’s team-mate Mario Goetze.

But the striker has also set his heart on joining the team who dumped Barca out of Europe.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Liverpool unveil their brand new kit for next Season​

LIVERPOOL have unveiled their kit for next season. Banned striker Luis Suarez joined skipper Steven Gerrard to model the new threads — giving Kop fans hope he will stay at the club. Stopper Pepe Reina was also used to show off the new white No 1 jersey. The shirt — designed by Warrior — is based on the 1984 version, worn for the Anfield club’s fourth European Cup win.​

Gerrard said: “The players and I are all genuine fans of the new kit. “As with all Liverpool shirts, I will wear it with pride and carry the excitement and history of what it represents, and, as a team, we hope to bring that success back to the club.​

“It will certainly spark many happy memories of the club’s famous fourth European Cup win for supporters of that era.”

 

[charitha chandi]

Nice one...! lol case...! Barca going to fall...!