..::Football III::..

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Muller: Nothing stopping a Bayern player from winning Ballon d'Or

Thomas Muller believes there is nothing standing in the way of a Bayern Munich player winning the Ballon d'Or this year.

Six of the Bavarians' stars have been nominated in the long list after their treble-winning 2012-13 season: Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm, Manuel Neuer and Muller himself.

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo remains the favourite, but the Germany international feels his side's treble shows that his team-mates are contenders.

"It is no coincidence that there are six Bayern nominees," the 24-year-old told Fifa.com. "This means we have been well assessed and awarded the nominations based on our performances in the last year.

"Nothing stands in the way of a Bayern player [winning]."

The Club World Cup kicks off on December 11 in Morocco and Muller tipped Ribery to continue his devestating form this term.

"Franck wants to make his mark with aplomb every game and, with his class, he succeeds very often," the attacker added. "So I think that it will be the case in Morocco as well."

Looking further into the future, Muller has played down suggestions that Germany are outright favourites for the World Cup next summer but insists that Joachim Low's men are not afraid of any side.

"Germany are certainly one of the favourites, perhaps consisting of three, four, or five teams, but football is always a bit hit-and-miss," the World Cup 2010 Golden Boot winner continued. "Therefore, any prediction is difficult.

"We want to get the title of course, but there is never a guarantee. There's no one we would like to delay meeting though - we can beat any team."

 

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Messi returns to Argentina for treatment

Barcelona have revealed Lionel Messi's recovery from a hamstring injury is on track and that he will fly to Argentina for further treatment.

The 26-year-old tore the leg muscle in a 4-1 victory over Real Betis on November 10 and is in the midst of a two-month absence.

Medical tests confirmed Messi will spend around six to eight weeks on the sidelines during his rehabilitation, with the final part of his recuperation seeing him head home to his native Argentina on Friday.

The club have now confirmed that Messi will return to his homeland on Friday to undergo the final part of his treatment, with medical staff set to join him to check on his progress in mid-December.

"The latest tests on the player have shown that the recovery programme is going to plan," read a statement on Barca official website.

Barcelona crashed to a 2-1 defeat to 10-man Ajax in Amsterdam in Messi's absence on Tuesday.

 

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Ronaldo: Madrid can conquer Europe & Spain in 2014

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo is confident that the club can do the double by winning the Champions League and finishing first in Spain in 2014.

A tenth European Cup has eluded the Blancos since their last triumph in the competition in 2002, while they have stuttered in their Liga start this season and trail leaders Barcelona by six points after 14 matches.

Ronaldo, who was absent due to injury as Carlo Ancelotti's men recorded a 4-1 win over Galatasaray on Wednesday, has faith that the squad can usurp Barcelona and Bayern Munich's respective domestic and continental crowns.

"I think we can win both La Liga and the Champions League," the Portugal international, 28, told magazine FourFourTwo.

Ronaldo, a frontrunner for the upcoming Ballon d'Or award, was recently embroiled in a public spat with Fifa president Sepp Blatter over comments the latter made comparing the ex-Manchester United attacker to Barca star Lionel Messi.

In his comments, Blatter also referred to Ronaldo as a "commander" for Madrid, but the Santiago Bernabeu star believes that the Spanish capital-based club has many authoritative figures in the squad.

"I’m not sure commander is the right word," he added. "We have a lot of leaders in the team - not just on the field but off it too."

 

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Borini wants Serie A return in January, says agent

Liverpool striker Fabio Borini is eyeing a return to Serie A in January after failing to hold down a first-team spot while on loan at Sunderland, according to his agent.

The striker has seen his opportunities limited since moving to the Premier League from Roma in 2012 and has concerns over whether he will be able to force his way into Italy's 2014 World Cup squad.

Despite agreeing to join Sunderland until the end of the season, Borini's representative believes the player will be looking elsewhere in the new year.

"Liverpool own him and in the summer didn't want him to leave, even though the player wants minutes," Marco De Marchi is quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror.

"He dreams of Brazil in 2014 and needs games. He's only had a chance at Sunderland after the arrival of Gus Poyet, but it is still insufficient.

"I would like a meeting with Liverpool in January."

Borini has made seven league appearances for Sunderland so far this season, with his only goal being the memorable winner in the derby encounter with Newcastle United on October 27.

 

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'Llorente is Juve's weapon' - Bonucci

Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci has lauded Fernando Llorente as the club's "weapon" on the back of a 3-1 win over Copenhagen on Wednesday.

The Spanish striker was a key focal point as the Bianconeri secured a comprehensive Champions League victory on home turf, though it was midfielder Arturo Vidal who grabbed the headlines with his hat-trick.

Bonucci was pleased with how he and his team-mates handled the anti-attacking tactics of the visitors and heralded Llorente for helping to break down the Danish side's defence.

"Copenhagen tried to defend with 10 players behind the ball," the Italy international, 26, said to reporters after the match.

"We did well to bring the advantage back in our favour by playing with the calm and the experience that we have acquired over the years.

"In recent years we have played great football but we are changing it [against some] opponents. When we sometimes play ball high, Llorente is certainly a most effective weapon for us."

Antonio Conte's men need to win or draw their final game away to Galatasaray to qualify second in Group B behind Real Madrid, but defeat at the Turk Telekom Arena will see them eliminated from the Champions League.

 

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Bale: Free kick against Galatasaray one of my best-ever goals

Real Madrid star Gareth Bale says his free kick against Galatasaray has to rank as one of the best goals of his career to date.

The Welshman’s set-piece found the corner from over 30 yards out to set Carlo Ancelotti’s men on the way to a 4-1 victory despite playing most of the match with 10 men after defender Sergio Ramos’ sending-off.

Bale has now netted five goals in seven games and was in positive mood when he reflected on Madrid’s victory at the Bernabeu, which sends them through to the Champions League knockout stages as Group B winners.

"I am very satisfied by the game and the goal I scored,” the 24-year-old said to Marca.

“I have been working on free kicks in training and I have been fortunate that this one has come off so well. It is one of the best goals of my career.

“For me, there are no limits to what we can achieve in the competition. We have a good chance to win the Champions League this year.

"We showed character and camaraderie to play like we did when we were a man down.”

Bale’s team-mate Asier Illarramendi was delighted with Madrid’s second-half performance, saying they adjusted perfectly after Ramos received a red card after 26 minutes.

The former Real Sociedad midfielder said: "When we are left with one man less the team will always suffer a little and that was the case here, especially at the end of the first half.

“But at half-time we talked about a few things and in the second we pressed them much higher and we played a lot better.

“We put three in the middle with Isco and Bale up top and we have done superbly. I am very happy with the result. "

Los Blancos’ next game is a home clash against Valladolid on Saturday evening in the Primera Division.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Bale ge free-kick 1kanam pattama patta!

 

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Kagawa performance hands Moyes another happy headache

"It's the best we've played in my time here and there's more to come." That was David Moyes's appraisal of Manchester United's emphatic 5-0 drubbing of Bayer Leverkusen, but those words could just as easily have been reserved for Shinji Kagawa, who served up a timely reminder of his worth to the Scot with a fine display.

It is tempting to fixate on Wayne Rooney's four assists or Ryan Giggs' evergreen performance in the middle of the park, but Kagawa's intelligence and ability to open up space for his team-mates was integral to United's ability to retain their shape and ruthlessly exploit Sami Hyppia's side on the counter-attack time after time.

He has struggled to make a name for himself so far at Old Trafford, thanks in the main to Rooney and Robin van Persie's blistering partnership, and recently made his frustrations known to his manager.

But Kagawa is not the type to sulk, and Wednesday's performance was not a case of putting himself in the shop window for any suitors. On the contrary, the Japan international is desperate to prove himself to Moyes and to establish himself in Manchester.

With Van Persie out injured for the trip to the BayArena, Kagawa seized his chance, dropping deep into central positions to pick his passes and initiate counter-attacks. His skill and efforts were key to Antonio Valencia's opener; his desire to press forward with the ball and then meet Rooney's cross allowed the Ecuadorian the necessary space at the back post to tap home, and highlighted the threat the Japanese poses when driving at opposition defenders.

Even his defensive work was more diligent from the centre, as he picked Emre Can's pocket for the first goal - one of two interceptions on the night and a marked improvement on recent league games.

The impudent flicked pass for Rooney to set up Chris Smalling for 4-0 was a delight to watch, and while Leverkusen were atrocious on the night, Kagawa showed he can pick apart teams when given time and space in the middle.

"Shinji and Wayne played very well," Moyes told Sky Sports of the duo's partnership. "Wayne had four assists tonight, and Shinji was terrific as well. Its a long season and we're going to have to make sure we have different combinations for different games, and tonight Wayne and Shinji were very good."

The former Borussia Dortmund man has found it hard this season, undoubtedly. He played just 45 minutes of United's first seven Premier League games, and Goal has previously reported that he has sat down with his advisors and Moyes about his role at the club.

But far from his portrayal as an outsider, a brooding figure on the training ground (thanks mainly to poorly translated quotes given to Japanese media, it must be said), Kagawa is a quiet but popular member of the United squad, always working hard to improve and carve out a place in Moyes' plans.

Wednesday's performance has finally brought that determination into the public domain, and Moyes now has a decision to make. It is the kind of challenge Sir Alex Ferguson, the master at getting the best out of his squad and rotating his key players, would have thrived on.

It is not something the former Everton boss has a great deal of experience in, and is yet another example of the step up he has made by moving to Old Trafforrd. At Goodison Park he relied on largely the same starting XI week in, week out. Now he has at least 20 players knocking on his door.

It will therefore be interesting to see if he seeks counsel from Giggs, Rio Ferdinand and Phil Neville, who have so far helped to smooth his transition, over whether to give Kagawa a run in the No.10 role against Tottenham on Sunday.

Yet his decision making may be aided by another senior voice at Carrington; Robin van Persie, frustrated by Moyes' intense training methods, is now effectively dictating his own schedule and will inform his manager if he is ready for the trip to north London following injury - not the other, traditional, way around.

Moyes' comments on Wednesday suggest the Japanese's budding combination with Rooney will be just another option at his disposal rather than the main attraction, so you can expect Kagawa to grab any opportunity he is given in the absence of Van Persie with both hands.

He is clearly determined to prove himself, and the situation is made significantly easier by the fact that his advisors are not pushing for a transfer - his £70,000-per-week wages will unlikely be matched elsewhere, especially at Dortmund where he was earning a third of that.

Moyes, though, must still handle the situation carefully. He cannot afford to take Kagawa's willingness for granted, even unwittingly, and will at some point have to work out how to effectively fit the playmaker, Rooney and Van Persie into the same line-up.

The better Kagawa plays, the bigger the challenge for Moyes. It is another happy headache for the new manager.

 

[rcccc]

Wenger: Szczesny can be an Arsenal legend

 

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Bale ge free-kick 1kanam pattama patta!

 

[unicornx]

CR hetath fit nalu :/

 

[Wolverine GTR]

CR hetath fit nalu :/

Kokatath thawa tikak rest karana 1ka hodai bro mokada risk 1kak gatthoth CR ge health 1kata thamai hoda natthe 1ken

Get well soon CR!

 

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REUS to Man U.

In Reus' case it's Manchester United that are rumoured to be eyeing his situation with all the intent of a predatory bird circling prey and, with a mooted €35million release-clause on his head, it's more than likely that unless he pens a new deal with Dortmund, his club won't be in a position to refuse offers.

At Dortmund Reus stands in a good position to win silverware. To win the Champions League may be asking a bit too much of Jurgen Klopp's young side, but they will certainly be there or there abouts in the competition, not to mention a surefire favourite to run Bayern Munich close for the Bundesliga.

Alternatively at United Reus would find himself at a club that not only looks a cut under the required bench-mark for those hoping to compete for Europe's finest honour, but is also struggling to assert dominance in their own country.

Moyes is re-building his United squad and, although it's an admirable notion, Reus would be taking a step down in quality if he were to join the cause.

Then there's the matter of his personal development. With Jurgen Klopp having penned an extension until 2018, Reus has to carefully weigh up whether his skills will thrive elsewhere or whether or not remaining under Klopp's tutelage stands to benefit him the most.

There's then the simply fact that at the moment Borussia Dortmund are a better side than Manchester United. The latter has a far more impressive legacy and therefore far more impressive name to add to the resume, but Reus would be taking a step down in the quality of football he is playing each week were he to decide to move to the Premier League champions.

His current employers are a force on the up, who are proving with each passing Champions League fixture that they now have what it takes to contend with the biggest names in the sport. In stark contrast the Red Devils are at the very best indifferent without Sir Alex Ferguson, and it could be a good few years before they come close to replicating the glory they enjoyed with him at the helm.

With the departure of Mario Gotze to Bayern Munich, and the fact that current key man Robert Lewandowski looks all but set to follow, Reus is set to take on a new impetus at the club, and could find himself the key figure in Klopp's exciting setup.


IF THIS DEAL HAPPENS R.I.P. BVB

 

[unicornx]

On your face OZIL

 

[Wolverine GTR]

In Reus' case it's Manchester United that are rumoured to be eyeing his situation with all the intent of a predatory bird circling prey and, with a mooted €35million release-clause on his head, it's more than likely that unless he pens a new deal with Dortmund, his club won't be in a position to refuse offers.

At Dortmund Reus stands in a good position to win silverware. To win the Champions League may be asking a bit too much of Jurgen Klopp's young side, but they will certainly be there or there abouts in the competition, not to mention a surefire favourite to run Bayern Munich close for the Bundesliga.

Alternatively at United Reus would find himself at a club that not only looks a cut under the required bench-mark for those hoping to compete for Europe's finest honour, but is also struggling to assert dominance in their own country.

Moyes is re-building his United squad and, although it's an admirable notion, Reus would be taking a step down in quality if he were to join the cause.

Then there's the matter of his personal development. With Jurgen Klopp having penned an extension until 2018, Reus has to carefully weigh up whether his skills will thrive elsewhere or whether or not remaining under Klopp's tutelage stands to benefit him the most.

There's then the simply fact that at the moment Borussia Dortmund are a better side than Manchester United. The latter has a far more impressive legacy and therefore far more impressive name to add to the resume, but Reus would be taking a step down in the quality of football he is playing each week were he to decide to move to the Premier League champions.

His current employers are a force on the up, who are proving with each passing Champions League fixture that they now have what it takes to contend with the biggest names in the sport. In stark contrast the Red Devils are at the very best indifferent without Sir Alex Ferguson, and it could be a good few years before they come close to replicating the glory they enjoyed with him at the helm.

With the departure of Mario Gotze to Bayern Munich, and the fact that current key man Robert Lewandowski looks all but set to follow, Reus is set to take on a new impetus at the club, and could find himself the key figure in Klopp's exciting setup.


IF THIS DEAL HAPPENS R.I.P. BVB

Mamanam hithanne naha machan oya deal 1ka wei kiyalahabai karaganna puluwan nam loweth naha

Reus stable neh machan BVB walaAnith 1ka LEW aniwa Bayern transfer wenna inne.Ithin ahema situation 1kaka Klopp keeyatawath thawath striker kenek nathi karaganna 1kak naha

 

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Marseille 2-0 Montpellier: Hosts extend Ligue 1 unbeaten streak with simple win

Olympique de Marseille extended their unbeaten streak to four Ligue 1 games with a comfortable 2-0 win over Montpellier at the Stade Velodrome on Friday.

Florian Thauvin deservedly put the hosts in front after 36 minutes, before substitute Saber Khelifa sealed their win with the last kick of the game.

Khelifa was only introduced in the 88th minute, but slotted past Geoffrey Jourden in injury time to ensure Marseille moved four points clear of Nantes in fourth place.

Andre-Pierre Gignac almost put Elie Baup's men ahead early on, but Marseille had to wait until nine minutes before the interval to see their pressure pay dividends as Thauvin poked home his fourth goal of the season.

Victor Montano almost drew Montpellier level just before the hour as he almost got on the end of a whipped cross, and Siaka Tiene had a free kick saved by Steve Mandanda soon after.

However, Tunisia international Khelifa had the final say when he scored late on to condemn Montpellier to their sixth Ligue 1 game without a win.

 

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'It was difficult to send Zidane off' - World Cup final referee discusses headbutt

The referee who gave Zinedine Zidane his marching orders for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final says the decision was difficult but not the most important moment in his career.

Horacio Elizondo took charge of the clash between France and Italy seven years ago, which saw les Bleus' skipper provoked by the Azzurri defender, to which his violent reaction provoked a red card in extra-time.

France survived with a man down until the penalty shoot-out, in which Italy conquered the 1998 champions, but the official does not think that his decision to send off Zidane was the most pivotal in his career.

"[I am remembered] for the sending off as it was the World Cup final and because of the importance of the player, who was the captain of France and the best player in the world," Elizondo, who also took charge of the opening match of the tournament between Germany and Costa Rice, told Goal.

"It was a difficult decision to send him off, but one cannot fail to recognise that the right decision was made.

"Soon there will have been two World Cups since then, but everyone still asks me about that moment. It was a very significant event, but not the most important decision I made in my career."

Zidane is currently part of Real Madrid's coaching staff, having worked behind the scenes for the club in the years following his retirement from playing football.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Lukaku considering Chelsea exit

Romelu Lukaku has indicated he would consider leaving Chelsea for Everton permanently, if the Goodison Park club earn a place in the Champions League this season.

The Belgian, on loan for the second season in a row after spending the 2011-12 campaign at West Brom, made the move to Everton on transfer deadline day.

Lukaku has gone on to score seven goals in the Premier League as the club sit just three points behind second-placed Liverpool after 12 games.

Asked on BBC Sport if he would stay at Goodison Park, Lukaku said: "It's not a bad idea. If we play Champions League, yeah, why not?

"I was watching the games this week and I miss European football a lot.

"I would like to be successful at Chelsea but I have to work and grow and be a better player and then at the end of the season see what is the best decision for my career."

Lukaku also revealed he has not been in regular contact with anyone at Chelsea since moving to Everton.

He added: "It's a bit strange at the minute, the last time I heard from [Chelsea] was a couple of months ago.

"But I think they are watching my performances."

 

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Lukaku wa loan karala Chelsea la karagagthe thanikarama waste 1kak

 

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Inter have the best attack in Italy - Palacio

Inter forward Rodrigo Palacio has branded his side's strikeforce the very best in Italy.

There have been rumours that new Nerazzurri owner Erick Thohir is keen to bolster Walter Mazzarri's attacking options, with the club chief himself confirming that he and the coach are set to have talks ahead of the January transfer window.

The Milan-based club sit fourth in Serie A but they have scored more goals than any of the 19 other teams, and Palacio believes that Inter have suggested that the current attackers can handle the pressure without extra players added in 2014.

"I do not ask about anything [transfer related] - these are decisions for the coach and the club," the 31-year-old told Sky Sport 24.

"Certainly we are strong up front, though, and it is not a problem. I'd say that currently we have the best attack in Serie A."

Scudetto holders Juventus sit top of Serie A, with Roma and Napoli not far behind them, but the Argentine attacker is certain that Inter can propel themselves up the table from fourth if they stick with their current mindset.

"We are not thinking about the standings right now, we're taking things game-by-game," Palacio added. "But, if we continue in this manner, we can reach the top of the table."

Inter host Sampdoria at San Siro on Sunday, with kick-off at 15:00CET.