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aniwa
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Everton 1-1 Porto: Toffees draw with Portuguese giants in Besic debut
Muhamed Besic made his first appearance in an Everton shirt as they were held to a 1-1 friendly draw by Porto at Goodison Park on Sunday.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina midfielder - signed from Hungarian side Ferencvaros on Monday - was brought on after half-time as Everton stepped up their preparations for the new Premier League season.
But the 21-year-old's debut was not marked with a win, as an entertaining affair - which was played as Everton veteran Leon Osman's testimonial to mark his 10 years at the club - ended in a draw.
A mistake from Porto goalkeeper Fabiano gifted Steven Naismith the opener in the 42nd minute but that strike was cancelled out by Porto's Colombia international, Jackson Martinez, 12 minutes after the break.
Everton shot-stopper Tim Howard was given a run-out after returning from his World Cup exertions with the United States but his cameo lasted only 19 minutes, with Joel Robles brought on in his place.
After a first half scarce on chances but largely dictated by Porto, Everton took the lead in fortuitous fashion. Fabiano's dismal clearance went straight to Aiden McGeady, who played in Naismith to present the Scot with the simple task of finding the bottom corner.
Besic was brought on at the interval for Ross Barkley, while Osman did his best to create opportunities as the hosts pressed for a second but Porto's quality up front told when Martinez levelled with a neat to finish to round off a well-worked move from the Portuguese side.
Both teams spurned chances in the quest for a winner, Porto playmaker Juan Quintero seeing an effort deflected narrowly wide of the post before Osman and defender Tyias Browning going close for Everton, but neither could snatch a second goal, meaning that an even contest finished all square.
Muhamed Besic made his first appearance in an Everton shirt as they were held to a 1-1 friendly draw by Porto at Goodison Park on Sunday.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina midfielder - signed from Hungarian side Ferencvaros on Monday - was brought on after half-time as Everton stepped up their preparations for the new Premier League season.
But the 21-year-old's debut was not marked with a win, as an entertaining affair - which was played as Everton veteran Leon Osman's testimonial to mark his 10 years at the club - ended in a draw.
A mistake from Porto goalkeeper Fabiano gifted Steven Naismith the opener in the 42nd minute but that strike was cancelled out by Porto's Colombia international, Jackson Martinez, 12 minutes after the break.
Everton shot-stopper Tim Howard was given a run-out after returning from his World Cup exertions with the United States but his cameo lasted only 19 minutes, with Joel Robles brought on in his place.
After a first half scarce on chances but largely dictated by Porto, Everton took the lead in fortuitous fashion. Fabiano's dismal clearance went straight to Aiden McGeady, who played in Naismith to present the Scot with the simple task of finding the bottom corner.
Besic was brought on at the interval for Ross Barkley, while Osman did his best to create opportunities as the hosts pressed for a second but Porto's quality up front told when Martinez levelled with a neat to finish to round off a well-worked move from the Portuguese side.
Both teams spurned chances in the quest for a winner, Porto playmaker Juan Quintero seeing an effort deflected narrowly wide of the post before Osman and defender Tyias Browning going close for Everton, but neither could snatch a second goal, meaning that an even contest finished all square.
Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Stoke City: Bojan on target in friendly draw
Bojan Krkic scored his second goal in as many pre-season games as Stoke City were held to a 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers on Sunday.
The forward, signed from Barcelona for an undisclosed fee last month, was on target in a 2-1 defeat against Schalke on Tuesday and struck again at Ewood Park with a well taken left-foot finish to thwart the Championship side.
Jordan Rhodes had put Blackburn in front with a first-half header and they looked set to claim a Premier League scalp until Bojan, on as a half-time substitute, denied them.
Stoke boss Mark Hughes picked a strong side to face his former club, with new signing Phil Bardsley making an appearance alongside Ryan Shawcross, Robert Huth and Marc Muniesa in the back four and first-choice goalkeeper Asmir Begovic playing the first half.
Striker Mame Biram Diouf, another new recruit, was handed a start against the club where he spent a season-long loan spell in the 2010-11 campaign.
Full-back Bardsley wasted no time in making an impact as he swung over a cross for Peter Crouch 12 minutes in and the big striker headed against the foot of the post.
Jon Walters fired over the crossbar after good work from Diouf two minutes later, before Matt Kilgallon made a great block to ensure a Diouf strike went behind for a corner.
Blackburn also looked threatening going forward and Josh King headed just over the crossbar minutes before Craig Conway picked out Rhodes with an inviting cross. The Scotland striker jumped well and beat Begovic with a glancing header eight minutes before half-time.
Hughes made three changes at the break, with Thomas Sorenson, Bojan and Stephen Ireland replacing Begovic, Crouch and Marko Arnautovic.
The Premier League side went close to an equaliser just two minutes into the second half, Walters heading a Charlie Adam corner over the crossbar.
Rhodes could have doubled Rovers' lead midway through the second half, but he headed King's cross over and was made to pay when Bojan levelled a minute later.
The former Barca man picked up a pass from ex-Rovers midfielder Steven Nzonzi and flashed a left-footed strike into the bottom corner from 25 yards out.
Stoke finished strongly and Rovers goalkeeper Paul Robinson had to be alert to keep out Huth's close-range strike three minutes from time after Diouf had cut the ball back, but Stoke were unable to end their wait for pre-season win.
Bojan Krkic scored his second goal in as many pre-season games as Stoke City were held to a 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers on Sunday.
The forward, signed from Barcelona for an undisclosed fee last month, was on target in a 2-1 defeat against Schalke on Tuesday and struck again at Ewood Park with a well taken left-foot finish to thwart the Championship side.
Jordan Rhodes had put Blackburn in front with a first-half header and they looked set to claim a Premier League scalp until Bojan, on as a half-time substitute, denied them.
Stoke boss Mark Hughes picked a strong side to face his former club, with new signing Phil Bardsley making an appearance alongside Ryan Shawcross, Robert Huth and Marc Muniesa in the back four and first-choice goalkeeper Asmir Begovic playing the first half.
Striker Mame Biram Diouf, another new recruit, was handed a start against the club where he spent a season-long loan spell in the 2010-11 campaign.
Full-back Bardsley wasted no time in making an impact as he swung over a cross for Peter Crouch 12 minutes in and the big striker headed against the foot of the post.
Jon Walters fired over the crossbar after good work from Diouf two minutes later, before Matt Kilgallon made a great block to ensure a Diouf strike went behind for a corner.
Blackburn also looked threatening going forward and Josh King headed just over the crossbar minutes before Craig Conway picked out Rhodes with an inviting cross. The Scotland striker jumped well and beat Begovic with a glancing header eight minutes before half-time.
Hughes made three changes at the break, with Thomas Sorenson, Bojan and Stephen Ireland replacing Begovic, Crouch and Marko Arnautovic.
The Premier League side went close to an equaliser just two minutes into the second half, Walters heading a Charlie Adam corner over the crossbar.
Rhodes could have doubled Rovers' lead midway through the second half, but he headed King's cross over and was made to pay when Bojan levelled a minute later.
The former Barca man picked up a pass from ex-Rovers midfielder Steven Nzonzi and flashed a left-footed strike into the bottom corner from 25 yards out.
Stoke finished strongly and Rovers goalkeeper Paul Robinson had to be alert to keep out Huth's close-range strike three minutes from time after Diouf had cut the ball back, but Stoke were unable to end their wait for pre-season win.
Malaga 2-0 West Ham: Quickfire double sinks Hammers
Ezequiel Rescaldani and Luis Alberto scored in quick succession as Malaga beat West Ham 2-0 in the Schalke Cup on Sunday.
The Spanish side, fresh from a 3-1 win over Newcastle United, made it back-to-back victories over Premier League opposition and it could it have been more convincing had Luis Alberto not missed from the penalty spot.
West Ham, who named a completely changed starting XI, needed a shoot-out to overcome the hosts in their tournament opener, and they were toothless in front of goal again, adding to manager Sam Allardyce's pre-season worries as his side remain winless in normal time.
Malaga scored twice in as many first-half minutes as Rescaldani and Luis Alberto found the net to put the Spanish outfit in control.
The Liverpool loanee spurned the opportunity to make it 3-0 when his tame spot-kick was saved by Adrian.
It was Malaga who made the brighter start, with Rescaldani flashing an effort wide of Adrian's goal after seven minutes following a dangerous delivery from recent signing Roberto Rosales.
Ricardo Vaz Te almost connected with Matt Jarvis' delivery soon after but Malaga took a firm grip on the game with two quickfire goals.
After Rescaldani had coolly side-footed home inside the area in the 23rd minute, Luis Alberto produced a fine finish when Juanmi's cross was not cleared by the West Ham defence.
The 21-year-old striker had a great opportunity to make it three from the spot after drawing a foul from debutant Carl Jenkinson, but Adrian denied him.
Luis Alberto thought he had doubled his tally when he had the ball in the net eight minutes after the break - only to be flagged offside - before Rescaldini and Pablo Perez forced Adrian into smart saves.
Arsenal loanee Jenkinson gave Allardyce cause for concern when he was taken off after requiring attention from the physio, before the West Ham manager, perhaps sensing the game was lost, gave youngsters Amos Nasha and Josh Cullen a taste of the action in the closing stages ahead of his side's final friendly before the new season against Sampdoria.
Ezequiel Rescaldani and Luis Alberto scored in quick succession as Malaga beat West Ham 2-0 in the Schalke Cup on Sunday.
The Spanish side, fresh from a 3-1 win over Newcastle United, made it back-to-back victories over Premier League opposition and it could it have been more convincing had Luis Alberto not missed from the penalty spot.
West Ham, who named a completely changed starting XI, needed a shoot-out to overcome the hosts in their tournament opener, and they were toothless in front of goal again, adding to manager Sam Allardyce's pre-season worries as his side remain winless in normal time.
Malaga scored twice in as many first-half minutes as Rescaldani and Luis Alberto found the net to put the Spanish outfit in control.
The Liverpool loanee spurned the opportunity to make it 3-0 when his tame spot-kick was saved by Adrian.
It was Malaga who made the brighter start, with Rescaldani flashing an effort wide of Adrian's goal after seven minutes following a dangerous delivery from recent signing Roberto Rosales.
Ricardo Vaz Te almost connected with Matt Jarvis' delivery soon after but Malaga took a firm grip on the game with two quickfire goals.
After Rescaldani had coolly side-footed home inside the area in the 23rd minute, Luis Alberto produced a fine finish when Juanmi's cross was not cleared by the West Ham defence.
The 21-year-old striker had a great opportunity to make it three from the spot after drawing a foul from debutant Carl Jenkinson, but Adrian denied him.
Luis Alberto thought he had doubled his tally when he had the ball in the net eight minutes after the break - only to be flagged offside - before Rescaldini and Pablo Perez forced Adrian into smart saves.
Arsenal loanee Jenkinson gave Allardyce cause for concern when he was taken off after requiring attention from the physio, before the West Ham manager, perhaps sensing the game was lost, gave youngsters Amos Nasha and Josh Cullen a taste of the action in the closing stages ahead of his side's final friendly before the new season against Sampdoria.
Arsenal 0-1 Monaco: Gunners denied penalty as Valencia win Emirates Cup
A Radamel Falcao header gave Monaco a 1-0 victory over Arsenal on Sunday and allowed Valencia to win the Emirates Cup, though the Gunners were denied a penalty in the second half.
The Colombia international made his long-awaited return from the knee ligament problem that ruled him out of the World Cup with a substitute appearance against Valencia on Saturday, and headed in the opener just after the half-hour mark.
With Valencia beating Benfica 3-1 earlier in the day at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal's defeat denied them the chance to regain the pre-season tournament title but Arsene Wenger will have been disappointed with Martin Atkinson's baffling decision to award a free-kick instead of a penalty when Chuba Akpom was fouled in the area in the closing stages.
On a positive note, Wenger was able to hand a debut to Mathieu Debuchy while seemingly avoiding any injuries ahead of next week's Community Shield.
Wenger was given a scare early on when Olivier Giroud went down clutching his back, but the striker was able to continue in what was a sedate opening to the match.
Giroud and a supporting cast of Alexis, Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla failed to inspire a sluggish Arsenal while Monaco's closest attempt early on was a wayward Yannick Ferreira Carrasco cross that almost caught out Wojciech Szczesny.
Joao Moutinho almost opened the scoring when he nudged Lucas Ocampos' delivery wide before Ferreira Carrasco then let fly with an effort that just crept over the crossbar.
After a tentative start, the chances then began to arrive as Jack Wilshere forced a save from Danijel Subasic before Falcao put Monaco ahead.
Wilshere conceded a free-kick following a late tackle on Nabil Dirar before Colombian forward Falcao lost his marker to nod home Moutinho's delivery, scoring his first goal since January.
Subasic was then required to keep Wilshere's strike out with a strong palm after nifty work from Alexis as Arsenal started the second half well.
Alexis - moved into the centre after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had replaced Giroud at half-time - looked increasingly threatening as he fired wide from inside the area following a lay-off from Cazorla.
With Falcao, Moutinho and Alexis all taken off midway through the second half, both sides lost a degree of quality in the attacking third as Monaco were able to see out the win.
Leonardo Jardim's side were given a let off when referee Martin Atkinson surprisingly awarded a free-kick rather than a penalty for Subasic's foul on Chuba Akpom, despite the contact appearing to have been in the box, but the French side will go into their Ligue 1 opener against Lorient next Sunday off the back of a win.
For Arsenal, a lack of cutting edge ultimately cost them - in contrast to Saturday's 5-1 win over Benfica - with Wenger sure to demand an improvement in the Community Shield curtain-raiser against Manchester City in seven days' time.
A Radamel Falcao header gave Monaco a 1-0 victory over Arsenal on Sunday and allowed Valencia to win the Emirates Cup, though the Gunners were denied a penalty in the second half.
The Colombia international made his long-awaited return from the knee ligament problem that ruled him out of the World Cup with a substitute appearance against Valencia on Saturday, and headed in the opener just after the half-hour mark.
With Valencia beating Benfica 3-1 earlier in the day at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal's defeat denied them the chance to regain the pre-season tournament title but Arsene Wenger will have been disappointed with Martin Atkinson's baffling decision to award a free-kick instead of a penalty when Chuba Akpom was fouled in the area in the closing stages.
On a positive note, Wenger was able to hand a debut to Mathieu Debuchy while seemingly avoiding any injuries ahead of next week's Community Shield.
Wenger was given a scare early on when Olivier Giroud went down clutching his back, but the striker was able to continue in what was a sedate opening to the match.
Giroud and a supporting cast of Alexis, Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla failed to inspire a sluggish Arsenal while Monaco's closest attempt early on was a wayward Yannick Ferreira Carrasco cross that almost caught out Wojciech Szczesny.
Joao Moutinho almost opened the scoring when he nudged Lucas Ocampos' delivery wide before Ferreira Carrasco then let fly with an effort that just crept over the crossbar.
After a tentative start, the chances then began to arrive as Jack Wilshere forced a save from Danijel Subasic before Falcao put Monaco ahead.
Wilshere conceded a free-kick following a late tackle on Nabil Dirar before Colombian forward Falcao lost his marker to nod home Moutinho's delivery, scoring his first goal since January.
Subasic was then required to keep Wilshere's strike out with a strong palm after nifty work from Alexis as Arsenal started the second half well.
Alexis - moved into the centre after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had replaced Giroud at half-time - looked increasingly threatening as he fired wide from inside the area following a lay-off from Cazorla.
With Falcao, Moutinho and Alexis all taken off midway through the second half, both sides lost a degree of quality in the attacking third as Monaco were able to see out the win.
Leonardo Jardim's side were given a let off when referee Martin Atkinson surprisingly awarded a free-kick rather than a penalty for Subasic's foul on Chuba Akpom, despite the contact appearing to have been in the box, but the French side will go into their Ligue 1 opener against Lorient next Sunday off the back of a win.
For Arsenal, a lack of cutting edge ultimately cost them - in contrast to Saturday's 5-1 win over Benfica - with Wenger sure to demand an improvement in the Community Shield curtain-raiser against Manchester City in seven days' time.
Werder Bremen 3-0 Chelsea: Blues slump to heavy defeat
Chelsea were beaten 3-0 by Werder Bremen in a pre-season friendly on Sunday, with Eljero Elia, Ludovic Obraniak and Felix Kroos all on the scoresheet for the Bundesliga side.
The match marked Thibaut Courtois' first outing in a Chelsea shirt, having returned from a three season loan spell at Atletico Madrid, but the goalkeeper's debut did not go to plan, with Elia scoring from the penalty spot and Obraniak doubling Bremen's advantage before half-time.
Courtois was replaced by Cech at the break, while Chelsea legend Didier Drogba also made his second debut for the club having signed a one-year deal last week.
However, the Ivorian was unable to spark a Chelsea revival and the London club fell further behind when Kroos converted a late penalty after Nils Petersen was brought down by Nathan Ake.
Courtois was called into action as early as the eighth minute when former Chelsea man Franco Di Santo headed goalwards.
The 22-year-old palmed that effort away, before captain John Terry was guilty of using his own arms to block a cross 20 minutes in, opening the door for Elia to slot beyond the Chelsea debutant from 12 yards.
Jose Mourinho's men attempted to push for an immediate response, but appeared short of ideas going forward, with Bremen able to deal with everything the visitors threw at them.
And Courtois was left to pick the ball out of the net once again eight minutes before the break, when Obraniak rose well to direct a header in the bottom left-hand corner.
Mohamed Salah found the net for the visitors before the break, but he was deemed to be offside following good work from Chelsea new boys Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa.
Mourinho introduced Drogba in a bid to change his side's fortunes, but the sheer number of changes that followed robbed the match of any flow or tempo, meaning chances were at a premium.
The match threatened to liven up once again in the closing stages, and Kroos' 89th-minute penalty put the result beyond doubt.
Chelsea were beaten 3-0 by Werder Bremen in a pre-season friendly on Sunday, with Eljero Elia, Ludovic Obraniak and Felix Kroos all on the scoresheet for the Bundesliga side.
The match marked Thibaut Courtois' first outing in a Chelsea shirt, having returned from a three season loan spell at Atletico Madrid, but the goalkeeper's debut did not go to plan, with Elia scoring from the penalty spot and Obraniak doubling Bremen's advantage before half-time.
Courtois was replaced by Cech at the break, while Chelsea legend Didier Drogba also made his second debut for the club having signed a one-year deal last week.
However, the Ivorian was unable to spark a Chelsea revival and the London club fell further behind when Kroos converted a late penalty after Nils Petersen was brought down by Nathan Ake.
Courtois was called into action as early as the eighth minute when former Chelsea man Franco Di Santo headed goalwards.
The 22-year-old palmed that effort away, before captain John Terry was guilty of using his own arms to block a cross 20 minutes in, opening the door for Elia to slot beyond the Chelsea debutant from 12 yards.
Jose Mourinho's men attempted to push for an immediate response, but appeared short of ideas going forward, with Bremen able to deal with everything the visitors threw at them.
And Courtois was left to pick the ball out of the net once again eight minutes before the break, when Obraniak rose well to direct a header in the bottom left-hand corner.
Mohamed Salah found the net for the visitors before the break, but he was deemed to be offside following good work from Chelsea new boys Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa.
Mourinho introduced Drogba in a bid to change his side's fortunes, but the sheer number of changes that followed robbed the match of any flow or tempo, meaning chances were at a premium.
The match threatened to liven up once again in the closing stages, and Kroos' 89th-minute penalty put the result beyond doubt.
Reus going nowhere despite Bayern interest - Watzke
Marco Reus will not be leaving Borussia Dortmund for Bayern Munich or anywhere else in the near future, according to club CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke.
The 25-year-old attacker has been continuously linked away from Signal Iduna Park this summer, with his agent claiming many top clubs are vying for the Germany international's signature.
Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge suggested that Pep Guardiola's men would not rush into a transfer for Reus, despite many suggesting he would follow Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski from BVB to the Allianz Arena.
And it seems that Reus will be clung on to by Jurgen Klopp for the 2014-15 campaign as the club's chief has claimed that a contract renewal may well be around the corner.
"We have said many times this summer that Reus will not leave," he told Kicker. "Marco will play with us next season.
"There is no possibility that he will play elsewhere. We will try to tie him to our club for longer and we are proceeding with peace of mind that he will renew his deal."
Reus has been with Dortmund since 2012, when he joined for around €17 million, and his current contract runs until June 30, 2017.
Marco Reus will not be leaving Borussia Dortmund for Bayern Munich or anywhere else in the near future, according to club CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke.
The 25-year-old attacker has been continuously linked away from Signal Iduna Park this summer, with his agent claiming many top clubs are vying for the Germany international's signature.
Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge suggested that Pep Guardiola's men would not rush into a transfer for Reus, despite many suggesting he would follow Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski from BVB to the Allianz Arena.
And it seems that Reus will be clung on to by Jurgen Klopp for the 2014-15 campaign as the club's chief has claimed that a contract renewal may well be around the corner.
"We have said many times this summer that Reus will not leave," he told Kicker. "Marco will play with us next season.
"There is no possibility that he will play elsewhere. We will try to tie him to our club for longer and we are proceeding with peace of mind that he will renew his deal."
Reus has been with Dortmund since 2012, when he joined for around €17 million, and his current contract runs until June 30, 2017.
Koke: Why I rejected Barcelona
Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke has explained why he rejected a move to Barcelona, saying he could not bear to leave the Vicente Calderon.
The 22-year-old had been linked with the Camp Nou club following a stellar 2013-14 season in which he helped the Rojiblancos lift La Liga and reach the Champions League final.
Striker Diego Costa and left-back Filipe Luis both left Atletico this summer for Chelsea, but Koke decided against joining Lionel Messi and Co. despite their intense interest due to his desire to continue to impress under Diego Simeone.
"The truth is that part of me said it was difficult to say no to Barca but I wanted to continue at home for many years at Atletico," he told AS.
"It wasn’t time to leave. This is my home, where I feel wanted and the club didn’t need to sell. How was I going to leave at the best time for Atletico?
"It’s not easy to say no to Barca and their interest was appreciated. It means the work I’ve done has paid off. But I’m at home here.
"I’m just another player at Atletico, a player who gives everything for his team and does what Simeone asks. I’m not the best or the flagship, the banner. The most important thing to me is to make a better Atletico and be a team player, which is ultimately what matters.
"The new signings are great players, they’re all important and I believe they will all contribute a lot to the team. They hope to do things right and that is something Simeone values highly."
Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke has explained why he rejected a move to Barcelona, saying he could not bear to leave the Vicente Calderon.
The 22-year-old had been linked with the Camp Nou club following a stellar 2013-14 season in which he helped the Rojiblancos lift La Liga and reach the Champions League final.
Striker Diego Costa and left-back Filipe Luis both left Atletico this summer for Chelsea, but Koke decided against joining Lionel Messi and Co. despite their intense interest due to his desire to continue to impress under Diego Simeone.
"The truth is that part of me said it was difficult to say no to Barca but I wanted to continue at home for many years at Atletico," he told AS.
"It wasn’t time to leave. This is my home, where I feel wanted and the club didn’t need to sell. How was I going to leave at the best time for Atletico?
"It’s not easy to say no to Barca and their interest was appreciated. It means the work I’ve done has paid off. But I’m at home here.
"I’m just another player at Atletico, a player who gives everything for his team and does what Simeone asks. I’m not the best or the flagship, the banner. The most important thing to me is to make a better Atletico and be a team player, which is ultimately what matters.
"The new signings are great players, they’re all important and I believe they will all contribute a lot to the team. They hope to do things right and that is something Simeone values highly."
Fabregas is 'missing piece' for Chelsea - Mourinho
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes Cesc Fabregas is the "missing piece" for his team's Premier League challenge.
The Blues have added Fabregas, Diego Costa, Didier Drogba and Filipe Luis to their squad in the close-season after losing the likes of David Luiz, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Romelu Lukaku.
But Mourinho believes the signing of the former Arsenal captain Fabregas is just what Chelsea were missing last season after finishing four points adrift of champions Manchester City in third place.
"He can play as a No.8 or No.10, plus the fact he has experience in the Premier League," Mourinho told reporters.
"He is not on the foreign list, as he counts as a homegrown player, which was important and he is not on the foreign list for the Champions League either. They were important factors.
"I see him everywhere because he can play everywhere. His best quality is the speed where he analyses the game and executes. He is difficult to shake off the ball or make the wrong decision.
"He can accelerate the intensity of the game or he can reduce it. He's very intelligent. And he has goals. He is the missing piece."
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes Cesc Fabregas is the "missing piece" for his team's Premier League challenge.
The Blues have added Fabregas, Diego Costa, Didier Drogba and Filipe Luis to their squad in the close-season after losing the likes of David Luiz, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Romelu Lukaku.
But Mourinho believes the signing of the former Arsenal captain Fabregas is just what Chelsea were missing last season after finishing four points adrift of champions Manchester City in third place.
"He can play as a No.8 or No.10, plus the fact he has experience in the Premier League," Mourinho told reporters.
"He is not on the foreign list, as he counts as a homegrown player, which was important and he is not on the foreign list for the Champions League either. They were important factors.
"I see him everywhere because he can play everywhere. His best quality is the speed where he analyses the game and executes. He is difficult to shake off the ball or make the wrong decision.
"He can accelerate the intensity of the game or he can reduce it. He's very intelligent. And he has goals. He is the missing piece."
Chiellini: Vidal won't ditch Juventus for Man Utd
Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini is "convinced" that Arturo Vidal will ignore Manchester United's interest to stay in Serie A.
The Chilean has been heavily linked with a transfer to Old Trafford and, despite the Bianconeri publicly claiming Vidal is going nowhere, rumours are continuing to bubble that a move is in the offing.
However, his team-mate Chiellini has no doubt that Vidal will remain in Turin and insisted that he has no plans to depart Juventus either.
"I am convinced Arturo Vidal will stay with us," he told reporters ahead of the Turin club's pre-season tour of South East Asia.
"My contract is not formal, but I think it’s safe to say I will be a Juventus player for a long time yet."
Antonio Conte guided Juventus to three successive Scudetti but became frustrated with decisions at boardroom level and stepped down this summer.
Though Chiellini stressed his intent to impress under new boss Massimiliano Allegri, he admitted he was stunned by Conte's decision to part ways with the club he brought so much success.
"I totally did not expect Conte to leave," he added. "I was on holiday and there were rumours, but then it actually happened.
"After initially being shocked, we all put ourselves at the disposal of Allegri and we want to continue our winning era after three years of success.
"The fans are struggling to see it clearly and were shaken up, but they must understand that Allegri is a vastly experienced coach.
"We're reinforcing with good players and the unconditional support of the fans is important. This is still a winning team and Allegri’s arrival can even make us more unpredictable."
Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini is "convinced" that Arturo Vidal will ignore Manchester United's interest to stay in Serie A.
The Chilean has been heavily linked with a transfer to Old Trafford and, despite the Bianconeri publicly claiming Vidal is going nowhere, rumours are continuing to bubble that a move is in the offing.
However, his team-mate Chiellini has no doubt that Vidal will remain in Turin and insisted that he has no plans to depart Juventus either.
"I am convinced Arturo Vidal will stay with us," he told reporters ahead of the Turin club's pre-season tour of South East Asia.
"My contract is not formal, but I think it’s safe to say I will be a Juventus player for a long time yet."
Antonio Conte guided Juventus to three successive Scudetti but became frustrated with decisions at boardroom level and stepped down this summer.
Though Chiellini stressed his intent to impress under new boss Massimiliano Allegri, he admitted he was stunned by Conte's decision to part ways with the club he brought so much success.
"I totally did not expect Conte to leave," he added. "I was on holiday and there were rumours, but then it actually happened.
"After initially being shocked, we all put ourselves at the disposal of Allegri and we want to continue our winning era after three years of success.
"The fans are struggling to see it clearly and were shaken up, but they must understand that Allegri is a vastly experienced coach.
"We're reinforcing with good players and the unconditional support of the fans is important. This is still a winning team and Allegri’s arrival can even make us more unpredictable."
Van Gaal impressed with 'amazing' Manchester United defenceManchester United boss Louis van Gaal has paid tribute to his "amazing" defenders following their 3-1 win over Real Madrid on Saturday.
An Ashley Young double, followed by a goal from substitute Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez, kept the Red Devils' undefeated pre-season record intact in front of 109,318 fans at Michigan Stadium.
Van Gaal believes the latest victory will serve as a major confidence boost for his players and says he is proud of the way the team has adapted so quickly to playing with a back three.
"Within two weeks we have played for more than 300,000 fans and that is amazing," he told reporters following the win. "We also had the chance to meet the American fans of ours which was very good as well.
"I also think the match was not a friendly. I had the feeling that Real Madrid did not want to lose and that is why [Ancelotti] went with Ronaldo earlier than he said he would. Nevertheless, we have won and I think we deserved to win.
"I think our defensive line is amazing with how they picked up a new system just like that. The greatest change with this new system is with the back line and it is amazing how they have performed. We gave away just one chance in the first half and two chances in the second.
"It's still preparation time, and the same goes for them. You saw Ronaldo come on late and we are also missing players like [Marouane] Fellaini, [Adnan] Januzaj and [Robin] Van Persie. You can't say we will beat every team now because it is not like that.
"Of course it is a very good result for us and it will give confidence to all the players. I changed a lot of players and we still scored in the second half, so we are heading in the right direction."
Danny Welbeck was forced off during the first half of the clash and Van Gaal says the player will need further tests to determine the extent of the damage.
"He had minor problems [with his knee] before the match but he said he could play. In the match he was feeling it again so we have to wait and see tomorrow what his reaction is and we will know more, but until then I can not say."
United club will now face bitter rivals Liverpool in the final on Tuesday with a chance for the team to win a trophy before the season kicks off.
"I think it's good for English football and I think that is very important that two teams from the Premier League will play in the final. It is still preseason for them so it doesn’t mean anything, but it is better to win than to lose."
United will not compete in Europe this season after their dismal Premier League campaign under David Moyes last term and Van Gaal admits it is frustrating he will not be able to face top teams from the continent in competitive games.
"There are always two sides to the coin. It is positive because I can train more with my players and I need the time. But on the other side you need also good opponents and in the Champions League you have higher level teams, so it is also a pity."
Manchester United are set to take on Liverpool in the final on Tuesday in Miami.
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