..::Football III::..

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Roma 3-2 Udinese: Returning Totti leads Garcia's men to thrilling win

Roma sealed a thrilling 3-2 win over Udinese on Monday as Francesco Totti returned to action in style.

The veteran attacker opened the scoring with a precise finish and had a hand in his side's latter two strikes as the Giallorossi held on for three points despite goals from Giampiero Pinzi and Dusan Basta for a spirited visiting outfit.

Captain Totti was welcomed back to the starting XI a month after injuring his thigh, with Daniele De Rossi suspended and both Kevin Strootman and Federico Balzaretti injured.

Udinese, meanwhile, were without the banned Bruno Fernandes and injured Gabriel Silva.

Roma started the encounter brightly and it did not take them long to edge in front. Gervinho found space inside the area and, although his effort was thwarted by Simone Scuffet, Totti was on hand to steer the ball through the crowded penalty area and into the bottom corner.

Udinese pressed to find an instant way back into the match, but just eight minutes later it was 2-0. Gervinho was once again the architect, running into space from Totti's pass and slipping a clever pass into Destro, who poked the ball past the onrushing Scuffet and kept his balance well enough to steer home into the unguarded net.

Morgan De Sanctis denied Antonio Di Natale with a brilliant one-handed stop - a save which prompted the veteran to congratulate the goalkeeper - as Roma ended the half with their two-goal lead intact.

Shortly after the break, however, Udinese grabbed a lifeline. Allan won a free kick from Rodrigo Taddei's foul, and his delivery ended up at the feet of Pinzi, who rifled home a low finish from outside the box.

Di Natale was then denied again by De Sanctis, before Totti fired two efforts narrowly wide as the game opened up.

The veteran would soon play a part in his side's third, however, as he teed up Vasilis Torosidis to drill home from the left of the area.

Udinese responded again, with Allan and Thomas Heurtaux coming close, and with 10 minutes to go they halved the deficit once more, as Dusan Basta fired into the top corner after Roma failed to clear a corner.

The visitors continued to battle for a share of the spoils but ultimately Roma held on to respond to Napoli's earlier win over Torino.

 

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Barcelona slam Martino exit rumours

Barcelona have hit out at rumours that coach Gerardo Martino has decided the leave the club at the end of the season.

Fresh reports surfaced on Monday in the Spanish media which suggested the Argentine has taken the decision to step down from his role during the summer after just one year in charge.

The club have moved to condemn the speculation as false, however, with Manel Arroyo - vice-president in charge of the Blaugrana's media and communications - making it clear they had no intention to allow Martino to leave.

"We have no record of this," he said at a press conference following a meeting of the board of directors. "Tata has a contract with the club and is dedicated this week to what's important [Sunday's Clasico].

When asked if there is a condition in Martino's contract which would allow an exit this summer, he added: "I don't know if there's a deadline. There is a clause on his part and ours, but there is no intention to use it.

"The question over his future is a recurring one but it is not a topic for today. It's not something we have on the table. We can see he is focused on the sporting concerns of the first team, that is what he's concerned with."

Arroyo also added that Lionel Messi's future would be at Camp Nou and stressed that a contract renewal should be a priority for the club.

"Right now there is nothing," he said of potential interest in the Argentine from other clubs. "Leo himself has said his only intention is to continue here for many years. His renewal is a topic which must be covered."

 

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Messi: I hope the 'good Barcelona' turn up in the Clasico

Lionel Messi is relishing lining up against Real Madrid in El Clasico this weekend and hopes the "good version" of Barcelona turns up.

Messi became Barcelona's all-time leading scorer with 371 goals on Sunday as he netted a hat-trick in the 7-0 hammering of Osasuna.

Barca travel to Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday four points behind their rivals and although the Catalan giants have not been at their fluent best this season, Messi has no doubt they can claim an important victory as the title race hots up.

"I hope we see a good version of Barcelona and we can get a positive result, which we need to still be in there fighting for La Liga just a point behind," he told the club's official TV station.

"We have a unique opportunity to cut the gap on Madrid. It will be a very difficult game because we are playing away from home and Real Madrid is a great team playing with a lot of confidence.

"It will be difficult, but it all depends on us."

 

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Mourinho: One day Drogba will return to Chelsea

Jose Mourinho believes Didier Drogba will return to Chelsea one day as the Ivorian prepares to take on his former club with Galatasaray on Tuesday evening.

Drogba will take the field at Stamford Bridge for the first time since leaving the Blues in the summer of 2012, immediately after scoring the winning penalty to clinch the club's first Champions League triumph.

The Ivorian's feats have established him as one of Chelsea's greatest ever players, and Mourinho thinks he will return to the club in some capacity in the future.

When asked whether he could see Drogba coming back, the Portuguese told reporters: "That's not for me [to decide]. That's for Chelsea [to decide]. I think it has to happen one day.

"When? I don't know. As a player, as a coach, as an ambassador? Next year, in four to five years, in 10 years? I don't know. But when a person represents so much to a club and when a club represents so much to a person I think he has to be welcomed back.

"Undoubtedly he's one of the most important players of the history of this club. That's not a doubt.

"All Chelsea supporters agree with that. We don't say the most important one because that's not fair for other people that was in the same level and in the same generation.

"Is he the same player at 36 than he was at 26? I think nobody is but he is one of the best strikers in the world. That's for sure."

 

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Torino 0-1 Napoli: Last-gasp Higuain earns Partenopei three precious points

Gonzalo Higuain scored a dramatic late winner as Napoli drew level on points with Roma in Serie A's battle for second place with a 1-0 victory at Torino on Monday evening.

In truth, a draw would have been a solid result for the Partenopei, with the hosts having twice struck the woodwork through Cesare Bovo and Riccardo Meggiorini and then seen a gilt-edged opportunity go begging when Ciro Immobile fired over while totally unmarked in the area.

However, they stole all three points right at the death when Higuain finished with aplomb after being released by Marek Hamsik.

Giampiero Ventura sprung a couple of surprises with his team selection, as the Torino boss opted to leave star men Alessio Cerci and Immobile on the bench, preferring instead to start with Meggiorini and Paulo Vitor Barreto up front.

Rafael Benitez, meanwhile, elected to recall Dries Mertens at the expense of Lorenzo Insigne, while Federico Fernandez, Gokhan Inler and Jorginho also returned after being left on the bench for the 1-0 Europa League loss to Porto.

Despite the changes, Napoli started sluggishly and it was Torino who had the first chance of the game 19 minutes in, Meggiorini doing well to control an Omar El Kaddouri pass with this head before unleashing a right-footed volley that drew a smart stop from Pepe Reina.

The Partenopei had an even luckier escape just before the half-hour when Bovo struck the woodwork with a thumping 30-metre drive.

Napoli responded with a couple of long-range strikes from Hamsik and Inler, but there was no disguising the fact that the visitors had struggled dismally to impose themselves on a first half that finished without them having managed a single shot on target.

Napoli finally showed some signs of life moments later when Higuain tested Daniele Padelli for the first time with a low strike that the goalkeeper got down well to deal with.

However, Torino should have been in front in the 53rd minute but they were again denied by the woodwork, with Meggiorini striking the base of the left post after being slipped in on goal by Barreto.

Reina then pulled off a spectacular save from Matteo Darmian's shot from the edge of the area as Torino ramped up the pressure on the Partenopei.

Higuain was presented with a decent chance to open the scoring when Mertens was felled right on the edge of the area but the Argentine lost his footing just as he was taking the resulting free kick, and the ball flew wide.

By this stage, Torino had sent on top scorer Immobile and he should have broken the deadlock with just 17 minutes remaining but he fired horribly over the bar after being teed up by Jasmin Kurtic, who had stripped Valon Behrami of possession.

Benitez threw on Insigne for the closing stages and his introduction undoubtedly lifted Napoli, with Mertens going close with just over a minute of normal time remaining. The Belgian was denied by a brilliant save from Padelli but there was to no stopping Higuain, who produced a fine finish to win the game after latching onto a Hamsik pass.

 

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Drogba fired up for 'emotional' Chelsea return

Didier Drogba admits returning to Stamford Bridge will be "emotional" as his Galatasaray side prepare to take on Chelsea in the Champions League last-16 second leg.

Drogba, who scored the winning penalty for Chelsea in the final of the competition two years ago, will return to Stamford Bridge for the first time since his departure in 2012 when his current side take on Jose Mourinho's men on Tuesday.

However, despite spending eight years with Chelsea, the striker has insisted he will do his best to help his current club advance in the competition as they look to build on their 1-1 draw from the first leg.

"It's very difficult to play against Chelsea but it's not going to be difficult for me because now I belong to Galatasaray," the Cote d'Ivoire international told reporters.

"I need to be professional. Of course there will be emotions, like in the first leg, which was special.

"But I've nothing to prove to this club. Everything I have to prove I did already with Chelsea.

"I come here with another team and I just want to win the game and qualify. There's nothing personal against Chelsea. There will never be.

"With all the respect I have for this club, for the fans and the players, I might not celebrate. But if we win I will be happy.

"I'm really happy at Galatasaray. And I'm focusing on this game because it's an important one and I want it to be the best one."

The 36-year-old went on to reveal he would find it difficult to turn his back on the game when he opts to call time on his impressive career.

"I've learned so much in football," he said. ''This sport gave me so much as well. I can't turn my back and say I'm going to go into something different.

"Maybe it will be as a coach. Maybe in a different position. But I think now the idea is becoming clearer. I will stay in football, yes.

"Of course I'd like that to be here. But it's not now. That's the only thing."

 

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Tottenham in talks with Dnipro over Konoplyanka

Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk president Ihor Kolomoyskyi claims he is in contact with Tottenham over the possible summer transfer of Yehven Konoplyanka and believes the player could sign a contract with the north Londoners soon.

The winger was a January target for Liverpool, with chief executive Ian Ayre even flying out to Ukraine in an attempt to seal the deal on transfer deadline day.

Liverpool's bid failed, though, and Spurs are now moving to gazump their Premier League rivals.

And Kolomoyski claims he would rather sell Konoplyanka to Spurs – as London life is “preferable to Liverpool.”

"I have contact with the Tottenham chairman [Daniel Levy]. I am talking with him,” Kolomoysky told Ukrainian TV channel '2+2' .

“He is interested in Konoplyanka. We are in the stage of negotiations and are perhaps close to signing a contract if Yehven agrees.

"I would choose Tottenham - London - not Liverpool. There are matches only once or twice a week, and at other times he will still need somewhere to live. I believe London life is preferable to Liverpool."

Konoplyanka scored against Spurs in Dnipro's 1-0 victory in the Europa League earlier in the season.

 

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Draxler: Schalke don’t have much chance against Real Madrid

Schalke starlet Julian Draxler has admitted that his team face an almost impossible challenge to overturn a 6-1 deficit in their Champions League round of 16 second leg against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday.

The Germany international, who has been linked with a move to the Liga leaders in the past, is excited about playing in the Spanish capital and says that he and his team-mates are desperate to give a good account of themselves, even though their dismal showing in Gelsenkirchen has left them with too much to do.

"Playing at the Santiago Bernabeu is the place where all the players want to play," Draxler told AS.

"However, our situation is comical. We are realistic enough to assess that after the 6-1 defeat we don’t have much chance against Real Madrid, however we will make it a good match."

The 20-year-old is happy with his side’s current third place position in the Bundesliga, but he is hoping his team can surpass Borussia Dortmund, who are second, in order to guarantee Champions League football next season.

"Victory over Augsburg [at the weekend] was almost perfect," Draxler enthused. "At this stage of the season we have confidence in ourselves, especially now that we have overtaken Leverkusen in the standings.

"Now we do not want to miss third place and, if possible, we want to get to second place. We should not make the mistake of watching what our opponents are doing."

 

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Iniesta: Barcelona braced for Clasico 'war' with Real Madrid

Andres Iniesta is confident that his Barcelona side can win their "war" with Real Madrid on Sunday to narrow the gap at the top of the Primera Division.The Blaugrana are currently four points behind the Liga-leading Blancos, but a 7-0 win over Osasuna on Sunday has breathed new life into the Catalans' bid to defend their Spanish title.

"Now comes the most difficult game of the season but also the most beautiful one,” the midfielder told Sport.

“We want to get a good feeling at the Bernabeu and we believe that we can win there."The Madrid-Barca game is a war of football, but what has happened in the past has stayed there.”

While they can propel themselves right back into the title race with a win in the Spanish capital, Iniesta admitted that things have not gone according to plan for Barca this term.

"It has not been a comfortable season," the World Cup winner confessed. "At all levels, there are many reviews, changes to be made - it has been difficult."
Iniesta scored in Barcelona’s 7-0 thrashing of Osasuna and celebrated the goal by sending a kiss up to the sky in memory of the child he and his wife lost last week.

"When one bad thing happens and you have a low moment, you realise the love of anonymous people and that gives you a lot of strength. My wife and my family appreciate all the love of these people," he said.“I have received expressions of affection from the players of Real Madrid; there are more important things than a football game.”

 

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'It's very interesting' - Wenger predicts tight end to title race

Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal made the title race “very interesting” by defeating Tottenham on Sunday.

An early goal from Tomas Rosicky gave the Gunners a narrow 1-0 win at White Hart Lane and kept them level on points with second-placed Liverpool, who thumped Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford.

The results mean the two sides sit four points behind the Blues with a game in hand each – while Manchester City lurk in fourth with three games in hand on the leaders – and Wenger is sure the race for the trophy will go to the wire.

"We wanted to get back in the race and the defeat of Chelsea, the win of Liverpool and of Man City away makes the final sprint very interesting,” he told Arsenal's official website. "It put us back in a good position.

“It's not in our hands because even if we win our game in hand we are still a point behind but if we continue to win our games that will of course be very important. Then it is in our hands.

“Then it's just focus, recover, focus and try to win the next game."

Arsenal needed to be at their best to win at White Hart Lane, with a spirited Spurs intent on victory, and Wenger was impressed by the focus his defenders displayed during the game.

"It's a very good day for us because we were under pressure to win this game and we won it," he added.

"The pressure of Tottenham was great but we absorbed it well with a great focus, great performance from our defenders and on the break we always looked dangerous.

"But we couldn't finish the game off. So we needed zero mistakes at the back and did that in a very convincing way.”

 

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Meh Season 1ke EPL title 1kata pattama gemak yanawaCity,Chelsea,Arsenal & Liverpool​

 

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Vidic excited by Inter move: It's time for a change

Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic has expressed his excitement at his imminent move to Inter, declaring: "It is time for a change."

The Serbian announced earlier this month that he will be leaving Old Trafford when his contract expires this summer and joining the Nerazzurri on a free transfer.

Vidic says that it will be tough to move on after eight years at United but denied that his decision to depart was in any way influenced by Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement last summer.
"It's time for a change and now I'm looking for a new challenge in Italy with Inter," the 32-year-old defender told Sky.

"The fact that Sir Alex Ferguson has left has nothing to do with my decision to leave the United.

“It has been great eight years. Great memories - five titles, the Champions League and to play with so many great players.“I've developed as a man. I have no regrets.“It's been difficult thinking about how long left I've got to play for the club. I would like to finish on a high with good performances - as an individual and a team.”

However, Vidic has admitted that he has been taken aback by the degree to which United have struggled under Ferguson's successor, David Moyes, with the reigning Premier League champions currently seventh in the standings.

“What's gone wrong [at United this season]? There's been a lot of talking. We changed our manager and our director. It's been a transition,” the centre-half mused.

“Moyes needs time to adapt to the players and the same goes for us with him, but I did not think things would have been so bad.

“I am surprised [about how the season has turned out]. I knew it would be a hard season and we might not win as many trophies.”

 

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Hazard hopes to 'write a chapter' with Mourinho at Chelsea

Eden Hazard has hailed the impact Jose Mourinho has had on his career and says he is looking forward to having "a nice chapter to write together" at Chelsea.

The Belgian has been the Blues' main creative force and top scorer this season as they chase their first Premier League title in four years - boasting 14 goals and seven assists.

Hazard believes Mourinho's confidence and morale-boosting approach is helping not only him but the rest of the Chelsea squad and hopes to enjoy a working relationship with the Portuguese for the foreseeable future.

"When a person [like Mourinho] says good things about you, wants the best out of you, it's always a good thing," Hazard told Uefa.com.

"It shows that you're on the right track and that you still have a lot to accomplish, because talent is good but you can do better.

"It is up to me now to work hard in order to reach the best possible level, and that can be through training and games.

"It's not that he makes me improve or anything. He lets people do their own thing, he gives a lot of confidence to his players, he motivates us with small statements, small sentences in the newspapers or face to face.

"I think I am giving that back to him on the pitch. As I often say, I hope it will last because we have a nice chapter to write together."

 

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Jese: I learn from Ronaldo every day

Real Madrid youngster Jese Rodriguez says he learns from Cristiano Ronaldo "every day" as he continues his rise to prominence at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The 21-year-old has enjoyed a fine season so far - scoring eight goals in 30 appearances in all competitions for Madrid - and he has revealed that the two-time Ballon d'Or winner has played a big role in his development.

"You learn a lot from Cristiano every day," the young attacker told the official Uefa website.

"It's clear to me especially and to all my team-mates that he is the best. He deserves all the awards there are, he's a great professional.

"The thing that has most impressed me is the ambition he shows every day."

Jese then went on to discuss his step up from Madrid Castilla to the senior side at the start of the 2013-14 campaign and admitted that he initially struggled to find his feet at the highest level.

"It's been a gigantic step, because you come from the third level up into the first.

"So the steps you take get bigger and bigger, and then you start playing with world-class players, different kinds of players.

"There are really a lot of fantastic players at Real Madrid and you have to compete with them."

Jese signed a new contract with Madrid until June 2017 at the start of the season.

 

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'The sun will rise again' - Mata keen to leave Liverpool thrashing in the past

Juan Mata is confident Manchester United will quickly put their 3-0 thrashing at the hands of rivals Liverpool behind them.

United were convincingly beaten by the Anfield outfit at Old Trafford, with Steven Gerrard scoring two penalties - and missing a third - before Luis Suarez secured the win, while Nemanja Vidic was sent off.

Mata admitted "everything went bad" during the game after a positive week of training and preparation.

"The storm will pass and the sun will rise again," Mata wrote in his blog for Grada360. "I have no doubt. Besides, no one said this would be easy, but this is football.

"It gives you fantastic moments but also very hard times you have to cope with, when you have to show pride and professionalism until the end. And when all this is gone I’m sure I will be a more mature footballer.

"I have to say that our week at the training ground had been good and we were very hopeful ahead of this derby.

"However, the day of the match everything went bad. It was a tough defeat and I want to tell you that we will give everything we have in order to forget about this in the remaining games."
United face Olympiakos in the Champions League at Old Trafford on Wednesday, hoping to overturn a two-goal deficit and advance to the quarter-finals.

 

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Under-fire Moyes holds Manchester United crisis talks

David Moyes spent Monday locked in crisis talks with his backroom team as the pressure mounts on the under-fire Manchester United manager, Goal understands.
Moyes' standing reached a new low on Sunday after the champions were humiliated by Liverpool at Old Trafford. Two penalties from Steven Gerrard and a late Luis Suarez strike condemned United to their ninth loss of the league campaign and left them a staggering 14 points adrift of fourth placed Manchester City, who have two games in hand, and Champions League qualification.

Moyes responded to this latest setback by holding crunch talks with members of his coaching team at the club’s Carrington base on Monday, hoping to create a siege mentality and mastermind a Champions League comeback against Olympiakos.

The United boss has presided over a wretched season that has seen his side go out of both domestic cup competitions against teams currently among the bottom six in the top flight, while United’s league campaign is now restricted to scrapping with his old club for a Europa League place.

The Scot has spent close to £65 million on two new players, Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata, both of whom have struggled to make any sort of positive impression since moving to Old Trafford.

Indeed, both expensive signings failed to complete the 90 minutes against Liverpool, after which Moyes admitted he was finding the job of succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson “harder” than he had anticipated.

The fixture list, however, does not afford Moyes any semblance of respite. After United host Olympiakos on Wednesday they then travel to West Ham on Saturday evening before the Manchester derby against City the following Wednesday.

 

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Mata hithenawa Moyes ge Manchester United career 1ke key match 1kak wei kiyala heta thiyana Olympiakos match 1ka​

 

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Diego Costa very similar to Aguero, says Luis Filipe

Atletico Madrid defender Filipe Luis has compared Diego Costa to former Atleti star Sergio Aguero.

Filipe Luis played alongside the Argentine in 2010-11 before the latter left for Manchester City and the left-back feels Costa believes the match-winning qualities of the pair are striking similar.

"Each time we are struggling a bit, Diego Costa steps up and makes the difference," the Brazilian defender told AS.

"He really reminds me of Kun Aguero when he was at his best for Atleti. Sometimes things got complicated and then Kun created something from out of nowhere.

"Diego has that quality as well. When the going gets tough, he's able to do something special as well.

"We can only hope that he keeps up this level. It's great to have him in our team. He has what it takes to become a true great."

The 25-year-old Costa has been in fine form for Atletico in 2013-14, scoring 22 goals in 27 La Liga games.

 

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UEFA Champions League Round of 16 2nd Leg Fixtures 2014.03.18

UEFA Champions League Round of 16 2nd Leg Fixtures 2014.03.18

AGG

{1-1}

Chelsea Vs Galatasaray

AGG

{6-1}

Real Madrid Vs Schalke

​

 

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