..::Football III::..

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Villarreal 4-0 Apollon: Moreno and Espinosa at the double for Yellow Submarine

Villarreal strolled to a comfortable 4-0 victory over Apollon in their Europa League meeting at El Madrigal.

Gerard Moreno and Javier Espinosa both netted doubles, with a goal in either half each, as the Spanish outfit made light work of their opposition.

After a stuttering start to the game with knocks picked up by defenders on both sides, Villarreal found the net with their first meaningful attack after just eight minutes.

Luciano Vietto fed Cani who, in turn, knocked a great pass in behind for Moreno and the striker did the rest, lashing the ball between the legs of Bruno Vale.

The Spanish side continued to dominate, and after Vietto forced a great save from the Portuguese keeper he turned provider for his side’s second goal.

The Argentine spotted the run of Espinosa, picking him out with an exquisite cross-field pass which was then lifted over the keeper and into the far corner by the former Barcelona man.

Just six minutes after the interval the pair combined again to net the hosts’ third of the night. Vietto fed Espinosa on the left and the midfielder dribbled into the box before shifting the ball to his right and hammering a great shot past the rooted Vale and into the top corner.

The Yellow Submarine stepped off the pace following that strike but Apollon were bereft of any sort of creativity with the increased possession they mustered, and with 69 minutes on the clock only the crossbar stopped Moreno from heading the hosts into a four-goal lead.

Moreno did finally get his second, though, as he added a tidy finish to Giovani dos Santos’ brilliant run to ensure his team displace Apollon at the top of Group A.

 

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Celtic 1-0 Dinamo Zagreb: Gordon stars as hosts cling on for win

Celtic got their first win of the Europa League group stage but had goalkeeper Craig Gordon to thank that they held off Dinamo Zagreb in a 1-0 victory.

The Scots wasted no time in establishing an advantage as Kris Commons rocked the visitors in the sixth minute. Combining with Anthony Stokes on the left-hand side, the midfielder slipped a diagonal shot past Eduardo in the Dinamo goal from 12 yards.

Though Celtic settled into control after that goal, the away side were not without threat. Wilson Eduardo should have hit the target when he met a cross from the right flank with his head just before the 20-minute mark.

Commons was soon kicking himself for not having a second, however. The visiting keeper, getting too clever as he received a backpass under pressure from two Celtic players, miscontrolled and put it on a plate for the Scotland international, whose surprise got the better of him as his instinctive scuff at goal went wayward.

Dinamo were far from out of it and, after the second half, Wilson Eduardo had time to think about his shot as Dinamo broke suddenly from a defensive lapse, free in the box with only Gordon to beat. His effort was on target but Gordon leapt to his right to divert it away, bailing out Ronny Deila's men.

The Croatian side were becoming the more dominant as they pushed hard for an equaliser, though Gordon remained on top form, reacting quickly more than once to punch away dangerous crosses.

In the 68th minute, he yet again came to Celtic's rescue as he dived low to his right to keep out a strong Marcelo Brozovic effort.

From then on, the Scots were able to sap away Dinamo's momentum in the later stages before surviving a slightly panicky finish and held on to go to four points from two games in Group D.

 

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Dinamo Minsk 0-3 Fiorentina: Montella's men ease to victory

Fiorentina's winning start to the Europa League goes on thanks to a 3-0 victory against a determined Dinamo Minsk side at Borisov Arena.

The Italian side made it two wins out of two this evening thanks to goals from Alberto Aquilani, Josip Ilicic and Federico Bernardeschi, the first of which came shorly after the half hour mark after a mistake from Dinamo goalkeeper Sergei Ignatovich.

Ilicic then made it 2-0 early in the second half with a tap-in in front of goal before Bernardeschi wrapped up all three points with a comfortable finish after great build-up play by Ilicic, who was on fire from start to finish.

Fiorentina were arguably the better of the two sides in the first half but were made to work by a strong and well disciplined performance from the hosts, who responded incredibly well to going behind.

Both Adama Diomande and Igor Voronkov went close with headed efforts at the end of the first period and were incredibly unlucky not to join Aquilani on the scoresheet.

The Italian had volleyed his side into the lead 33 minutes into the first half after a wonderful cross from Manuel Pasqual was punched into the path of the former Liverpool man, who had no trouble firing the ball into the top corner of the net.
However, Dinamo were on the front foot for the rest of the first half, and they continued to push hard for an equalising goal at the start of the second, with Diomande and Hernan Figueredo both being presented with good chances early on.

The Uruguayan's was the pick of the bunch, as poor defending by Fiorentina allowed the Belarusian side to break forward before he found himself with just goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu to beat, but he ended up scuffing his shot over the top of the crossbar, much to the disbelief of the small pocket of Dinamo fans inside the stadium.

The miss would prove costly, as Fiorentina then doubled their lead soon after through Ilicic, who converted a simple tap-in after a wonderful through ball by substitute Andrea Lazzari found him completely unmarked at the back post.

The Slovenian then turned provider just six minutes later, setting up Bernardeschi who slotted the ball into the back of the net to make it 3-0.Dinamo continued to try and fight their way back into the game but Fiorentina were just too strong for them, and the Italian side were able to hold on to their lead to pick up another well deserved victory.

 

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Rijeka 2-2 Sevilla: Mbia rescues a point for 10-man Rojiblancos

Sevilla stumbled while trying to maintain their 100 per cent record in Group G, fortunately recording a second-half draw against plucky Croatian top flight side Rijeka on their Europa League travels.

Goals from Andrej Kramaric and Zoran Kvrzic overturned an advantage given to Sevilla by Iago Aspas, as Unai Emery’s side failed to push on from an unconvincing first-half display before managing a late equaliser at Stadion Kantrida.

Substitute Stephane M'Bia was the man to have the final say in stoppage time.
Clear cut chances were few and far between in the opening 45 minutes, with former Liverpool forward Aspas clinical with his 26 minute opportunity.

After a terrible defensive header across his own goal from Ivan Tomecak, the Spaniard kept his composure to dance around an outstretched leg and fire a low finish into the bottom left corner to give los Nervionenses the lead.

After the break, the contest was to be turned on its head, as the away side gave away a clumsy 53rd minute spot-kick to give the hosts a glimmer of hope.

Andrej Kramaric was brought to ground by Timothee Kolodziejczak, who was given his marching orders as a result of the tackle, before the lone striker fired an inch-perfect finish beyond the grasp of Beto.Moments later, Rijeka nearly took the lead, as captain Vedran Jugovic shaved the outside of the far post with a cross-cum-shot that Kramaric couldn’t quite turn home.

An intimidating atmosphere in Croatia, paired with a hard-working home side, posed Emery’s 10 men with plenty of difficult questions.
The task was to become more difficult near the hour mark, however, as good work down the left from Kramaric proved to be Sevilla’s undoing.

The forward squared an intelligent pass inside to Zoran Kvrzic, whose eventual close-range finish looped over the helpless Beto with the help of a wicked deflection to hand his side the advantage for the first time of the night.

When the game looked lost, two substitutes combined for Sevilla, as Benoit Tremoulinas whipped in an early cross from the left which Mbia steered home. A minute into added time and possible undeserved, Emery's men grabbed themselves a lifeline.

It was two points dropped for the visitors, who will next travel to Belgium to face Standard Liege. Intensity, determination and vociferous home support will make Rijeka a feared away fixture for the rest of Group G.

 

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Krasnodar 1-1 Everton: Eto'o salvages a point for the Toffees

Everton struck back through Samuel Eto'o to secure a 1-1 draw with Krasnodar in the Europa League group stage.

Roberto Martinez's men fell behind just before half-time when Phil Jagielka flubbed an attempted clearance straight into the path of Ari, who finished decisively past goalkeeper Tim Howard.

Despite being second best through much of the game, however, the Toffees got back into it with less than 10 minutes to go when Eto'o took advantage of a poorly defended cross to bundle home at the far post.

The draw moves Everton onto four points, while Krasnodar, who also led against Lille, are left to reflect on another missed opportunity ahead of meetings with Wolfsburg.

Krasnodar started the game brightly and went close to opening the scoring in the 17th minute when Marat Izmailov's low drive from the edge of the area forced Howard into a strong save.

Izamilov then brought the American shot-stopper into action again as the hosts dominated the early stages without being troubled defensively by Martinez's men.

Everton finally did threaten the Krasnodar goal in the 22nd minute. Aiden McGeady - a player with experience of Russia, having spent time at Spartak Moscow - saw an effort turned round the post by former team-mate and veteran keeper Andriy Dykan, who soon produced another stop to keep out Gareth Barry's curling strike.

John Stones was the next to waste a good opportunity by heading a McGeady cross wide and the visitors were punished for their profligacy by Ari in the 43rd minute, the 28-year-old firing a volley beyond Howard after Mauricio Pereyra had flicked Odil Ahmedov's clever lofted ball into his path.

Striker Romelu Lukaku was brought on for Christian Atsu after the half-time interval but his introduction failed to produce an immediate impact.

Instead it was Krasnodar who almost added a second, substitute Wanderson jinking his way into the box before clipping a shot against the crossbar.

Unsurprisingly Oleg Kononov's men began to sit deeper in the closing stages as Krasnodar sought to protect their slender advantage.

But they could not see out what would have been a famous victory, Eto'o displaying his considerable prowess in front of goal to turn home Leighton Baines's right-wing cross and rescue a share of the spoils.

 

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Benitez: We had the perfect attitude

Napoli coach Rafael Benitez says he was delighted with his side's performance in their 2-0 win over Slovan Bratislava on Thursday, insisting their attitude was "almost perfect".

The Italians took all three points from their away clash with Slovan Bratislava on Thursday night with a 2-0 win, maintaining their 100 per cent record in Group I after two matches.Marek Hamsik scored his team's first goal against his former club, before helping to seal the victory by setting up Gonzalo Higuain for the second.

“I substituted Hamsik towards the end because it was only right to give him that recognition of applause from the fans in Slovakia," Benitez told reporters after the game. "It seemed positive to me.”“I said all season that we deserved more and just needed a bit of luck."Slovan have quality players and when they run at your defence they do cause problems.

“We had the game under control and I really liked the attitude, which was almost perfect, as the team was calm and needed that confidence."We must now continue along that path, as everyone knew what they had to do.“What are our chances of qualifying? I am not playing this game this year.

"We take it one match at a time and qualification is still a long way away. The team is in good shape and with a bit of luck we could win every game,” he added.

 

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Lloris: We didn't deserve to win

Hugo Lloris accepts that Besiktas deserved a point from Thursday's 1-1 draw with Tottenham, despite relying on a late penalty to share the spoils.

The goalkeeper, who was Spurs' captain on the night, produced a man-of-the-match display to thwart Demba Ba & Co. multiple times, with Harry Kane netting an opener against the run of player in the first half.

Vlad Chiriches, who was suspect for most of the evening, clumsily handled the ball inside his own area to concede the 88th-minute spot kick - which Ba converted.

Lloris has urged his team-mates not to dwell on the disappointment, insisting the Turkish side were a formidable opponent for the Premier League club.

"Maybe it will be a clearer penalty on the replay," he told ITV. "It was a tough game against a big Turkish team and maybe the teams deserved to draw.

"It's football - sometimes you don't play a great game but you have to know how to win.

"Today we went close but we conceded that late penalty but now we have to refocus on a big game on Sunday [against Southampton]."

 

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Montella: Fiorentina must improve

Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella says his side has to improve, despite the Italians recording a 3-0 win over Dinamo Minsk.

The Viola took all three points from the tie in Belarus following a first half strike from Alberto Aquilani and goals from Josip Ilicic and Federico Bernardeschi after the inverval.They are now three points clear at the top of Group K, having won both their opening games."It was important to win today and consolidate first place," Montella told reporters after the match.

"We put in a good performance, but afforded them far too many chances due to a lack of concentration."Those are mistakes we should never make and we have got to improve.”The 40-year-old also talked about Bernardeschi, whose goal was his second in two Europa League appearances.

"He can play as a centre-forward, as he showed today, or a support striker," the former forward continued."He needs to improve and we cannot ask for everything right away from a 20-year-old. We must have patience and he is eager to learn.

"We wanted a victory today, a clean sheet, a good performance and no injuries.
"Unfortunately, [Micah] Richards needs to be evaluated, as he had a muscular problem that he’s suffered from in the past."

 

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Everton should have won - Martinez

Everton manager Roberto Martinez hailed his side's character after they fought back to earn a 1-1 Europa League draw at Krasnodar, but feels his side should have won.

Martinez's men looked set for defeat at Stadion Kuban on Thursday after Brazilian striker Ari put the Russian club ahead in the 43rd minute.

Everton lacked incisiveness for much of the encounter but salvaged a share of the spoils from the Group H game in the 82nd minute, with former Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o converting from Leighton Baines's cross.

And Martinez, whose team earned a 1-1 draw at Merseyside rivals Liverpool in similar fashion on Saturday, was effusive in his praise of the spirit of his players.

"I thought Krasnodar played really, really well," he told ITV. "I was very pleased with the manner in which we stayed in the game. We showed incredible character.

"The second half we finished really, really strong. It is an incredible result for us. It was a very, very good away performance. We could have and probably should have won it at the end.

"Today was a hard-fought result away from home, Krasnodar are a side in a very good moment and they showed that today.

"We're still unbeaten after two games. It's pleasing."

 

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Ramsey: Welbeck can become an Arsenal legend

Aaron Ramsey believes Danny Welbeck can become an Arsenal legend following his hat-trick against Galatsaray on Wednesday.

The €20 million deadline-day signing from Manchester United failed to score in his first two games for the Gunners but netted in the 3-0 victory over Aston Villa at Villa Park and followed it up with a treble in their Champions League in over the Turkish giants.

Ramsey believes that it could be the start of a wildly successful career in north London for the striker.

"Welbeck has everything to make himself an Arsenal legend," he told talkSPORT. "He has pace, strength and finishing.

"He scored a very Thierry Henry-esque goal against Galatasaray; he just opened up his body and forced it into the side of the net.

"He put in a great performance on Wednesday night. It was the first hat-trick of his career and that will be important for him. He can tick that off and set his sights on getting more goals."

Arsenal next face Chelsea on Sunday, with Welbeck set to lead the line against Jose Mourinho's’s men at Stamford Bridge, though Ramsey remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.

 

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Emery: You learn from these games

Sevilla coach Unai Emery says his team will learn from their 2-2 draw away at Rijeka in the Europa League on Thursday.

The Rojiblancos took the lead in the tie in the first half, only to go 2-1 down after going losing a man following a Thimothee Kolodziejczak red card, which also resulted in a penalty.However, an injury-time equaliser from Stephane M'Bia prevented the visitors from going home empty-handed.Emery was disappointed in his side's performance, but believes his side can use the experience to better themselves.

"We knew it would be a tough match," Emery was quoted as saying in AS."We had the game under control and knew we had to wait for our chance to get the second but the penalty and red card changed the game.

"With one less [player] we wanted to remain strong and we did... The team has worked hard but has failed to attack dangerously enough."We are not happy but this has to give us optimism for improvement. In these games you grow and you learn.

 

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Hamsik: I've been judged too harshly

Napoli star Marek Hamsik says he has been judged too harshly, after netting for the first time this season in his side's Europa League win over Slovan Bratislava.
The Slovakia international scored the first of his side's goals against his former club and also set up Gonzalo Higuain for the second in a 2-0 win in Bratislava on Thursday.The win comes as a relief to Napoli, who have had a rough start to the season and have come under a lot of criticism recently with Hamsik himself being called into question.

But the 27-year-old says he deserves more respect.It was a wonderful night,” Hamsik told Mediaset.“The important thing was to win in order to have six points in the table and we achieved that aim.

"Over the last couple of matches we have kept clean sheets and that gave us a lot of confidence.“People have been judging me harshly because I haven’t scored goals, but my performances were never that bad. Finally, the goal arrived as well tonight."

 

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Koke hits back at Alves over 'violent' Atletico tag

Atletico Madrid star Koke says his team do not care if people label them violent after Valencia goalkeeper Diego Alves said the Spanish champions 'compete close to the edge of the rules'.

The physical playing style the Liga side have adopted under Diego Simeone has been crucial in their recent success, having won the league and reached the Champions League final last season to add to their Europa League and Copa del Rey triumphs in the seasons prior.

While the bravery and strength of the team has received a lot of praise, the scrappy style has also been criticised heavily and Alves is just the latest to have spoken out against Atletico's methods. "[Atletico] has proven for years that it is [a team that is] very strong at set-pieces and has players that are among the best," the shot-stopper told reporters.

"But it's not just set-pieces [they are good at], it's a style of play they have... they try to play the perfect match in every way."Alves, however, added that Atletico "is a team that competes very physically, close to the limit of the rules".

And Koke responded quickly after his side beat Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday, stating that his team "don't care if people label them as violent."

The two sides currently sit level on points in La Liga after four wins and two draws each in their opening six games, with Valencia ahead on goal difference.

 

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Liverpool open Sturridge talks

Liverpool are in talks with Daniel Sturridge over a new contract but a deal is yet to be agreed, manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed.

Sturridge has scored 37 goals in just 52 appearances since arriving at Anfield from Chelsea in 2013 and is set for a key role as they look to build on last season's second-placed league finish.

"There are talks ongoing with Daniel Sturridge's representatives," Rodgers said. "[But] there's no more news other than that."

Sturridge has not featured for Liverpool since injuring his thigh while on England duty in the previous international window last month.

Rodgers was critical of England's handing of Sturridge and made it known that he felt he should not be included in Roy Hodgson's latest squad for the Euro 2016 qualifying double header with San Marino and Estonia.

Subsequently, Sturridge was left out of the 21-man party and Rodgers insists there is no lingering issue between himself and Hodgson over the conflict of interest.

"I get on with Roy and spoke with him," he added. "The communication has been good. We agreed it was probably too soon for Daniel Sturridge to meet up with England.

"There is no issue with England. I don't think the same thing will happen again. My focus is on getting Sturridge fit for Liverpool. He has been out for nearly four weeks with a grade one strain."

 

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Podolski hints at Arsenal exit

Lukas Podolski has hinted that he could leave Arsenal in search of regular first-team football.

The Germany international came close to a move away from the Emirates in the summer, with Wolfsburg and Juventus both having been keen to acquire his signature.

An injury suffered by Olivier Giroud eventually prompted Arsenal to rebuff offers for Podolski, though he has played just 27 minutes of Premier League football this season.

The versatile attacker has now suggested that he could look to leave north London in the upcoming transfer window, with Danny Welbeck the club’s current first-choice striker.

“I am a full-blooded player, a street player and I love competition,” Podolski told RTL Television.

“If I don’t have that competition every weekend, then a change must occur.”

Podolski’s contract expires in 2016 but he has suggested that he may look to leave the club before his current deal has run its course.

“We will have to see,” he said when asked if he would see out his current deal. “It is certainly something one has to think about.”

Podolski has scored 28 goals for Arsenal since joining the club in 2012.

 

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Xavi: I'm not happy on the Barcelona bench

Xavi has admitted that he is not happy with his bit-part role at Barcelona this season and is determined to win back his place in the first team.

The 34-year-old has been the lynchpin of the Blaugrana midfield almost from the moment he made his debut back in 1998, but he has seen little game time under new boss Luis Enrique, who has put his faith in summer signing Ivan Rakitic.

Xavi is frustrated by his current predicament but added that he does not regret the decision he made at the end of last season to stay at Camp Nou for another year, pointing out that there were never any guarantees given that he would be a starter this season.

"I am not happy to be sitting on the bench," the World Cup winner confessed. "I want to play as much as possible and change the current situation. But the team comes first and it's the boss who decides [who plays].

"It isn't a dramatic situation from my point of view and I will try and turn it around to feel more useful."I am happy that I stayed at Barcelona. I didn't agree any kind of role beforehand with Luis Enrique."

Xavi featured as a substitute in Tuesday's 3-2 Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain, thus moving him clear of Raul as the most-capped player in the tournament's history, and he conceded that Barca were not at their best at the Parc des Princes.However, the former Spain international does not see any reason to panic after what was the Catalan's first defeat of the season in all competitions.

"In games like the one in Paris, errors can cost you dearly and we made too many, as much from set-pieces as losing the ball in key areas," Xavi mused. "We didn't play very well but we deserved a draw."It isn't a debacle; the feeling around the team is positive. We are on the right track."

Barca, who have yet to concede a goal in La Liga, return to domestic action at the weekend when they face Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.

 

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Mertesacker confident of Arsenal finally beating Chelsea at the Bridge

Per Mertesacker believes Arsenal can take renewed optimism into Sunday's clash with Chelsea after their comprehensive Champions League win over Galatasaray.

Danny Welbeck's fine hat-trick inspired Arsenal to a 4-1 victory over the Turkish side at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday and centre-back Mertesacker is now targeting three points against Jose Mourinho's men in the Premier League on Sunday.

The German is also keen to eradicate memories of their last two visits to Stamford Bridge, which both ended in defeat, with Chelsea running out 6-0 winners in March during Arsene Wenger's 1000th game in charge of the Gunners.

"Obviously it's [beating Galatasaray] a good lift [before the Chelsea game]," Mertesacker told Arsenal's official website.

"We've got good confidence at the moment and will try and implement that into the game on Sunday.

"We know we can do better than the two consecutive seasons [there] before and I think we'll try new things on Sunday to get a better result than last year."

 

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Messi: I don't want to compete with Ronaldo

Lionel Messi insists that he has no interest in competing with Cristiano Ronaldo for the title of the world's greatest player.Having claimed the last six Ballon d'Or awards between them, the pair are regularly compared to one another, with their respective merits discussed at length by players, pundits and fans alike.

However, Messi insists that he has no interest in the perceived rivalry between the two, explaining that he is not driven by personal prizes - but club titles.

"Competing with Cristiano? I don't feel like competing with him or anyone else," he told reporters on Thursday. "It's not about individual awards; I want to help my team."

Messi's status as one of the finest players of all time has long been a subject of much debate, too, with some feeling that his failure to lead Argentina to World Cup glory this summer has undermined the argument that he ranks higher than Pele or Diego Maradona. Again, though, the 27-year-old is unconcerned by such matters.
"I don't think about my place in football history," Messi insisted. "I just want to keep getting better and win trophies with my team."

There was speculation last season that Messi was unhappy at Barcelona, who have not won the Champions League since 2011.However, the forward insists that he did not think twice about signing a new contract with the club in May.

"Everything went very fast because it was easy," he stated. "I had no doubts about staying."This summer we have signed great players, who have adapted very fast to Barcelona. We have a great group now."

Messi also dismissed recent claims that he picks and chooses when he wants to represent Argentina, and that he was even considering his future at international level.

"There was some speculation, but I've been called up and I will continue to play with Argentina," the Rosario native declared.

 

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Boos make Casillas worse, says Camacho

Former Spain coach Jose Antonio Camacho says supporters should not boo Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, as they risk making him play worse.

Casillas has been the subject of criticism from some sections of the Santiago Bernabeu crowd over the last year, with some fans calling for summer signing Keylor Navas to replace him in the first team.

Camacho says he believes the shot-stopper is playing well, however, despite the added focus on him."To me Casillas looks upbeat," the 59-year-old told reporters. "He's talking to his team-mates and performing well in goal.

"If you whistle at a player, you make him make mistakes. The fans are there to cheer you on during the game."

The former defender also moved to quell fears over Madrid's recent record from set-pieces, saying "bad spells" happen and "unexpected things like this should make the players more united".

 

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Manchester United plot €13m Khedira bid

Manchester United are plotting a €13 million January bid for Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira, Goal can reveal.

United have turned their attentions to the Germany World Cup winner after being informed by Roma that Louis Van Gaal’s No.1 midfield target Kevin Strootman will not be allowed to move when the transfer window reopens.

Goal revealed last month that Van Gaal had been given the green light to spend again in January following an unprecedented summer outlay which saw the likes of Angel Di Maria, Ander Herrera and Radamel Falcao move to Old Trafford.

Despite that promise, executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has asked the club's manager to put forward a cheaper alternative to Strootman with Roma likely to demand over €38 million for a player who has yet to make his comeback from the cruciate knee ligament injury he sustained in March.

Van Gaal has now sanctioned a move for Khedira and the club are confident they can complete a deal for the 27-year-old, who is out of contract in the summer and appears set on leaving the Santiago Bernabeu, for as little as €13m.

The former Stuttgart midfielder is currently recovering from a thigh injury and is due to make his comeback following the international break, although he faces intense competition to force his way back into Carlo Ancelotti’s plans with the likes of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Asier Illaramendi and Isco all vying for a place in the Italian’s starting line-up.

Khedira is understood to be keen to move to a club in the Champions League but United are willing to match his €255,000-a-week wage demands in order to lure him to Old Trafford.

The Germany international was valued at €26m by the Spanish giants in the summer and was the subject of an approach from Arsenal.

However, a disagreement over personal terms derailed the deal, with Arsenal unwilling to smash their wage structure to sign the 27-year-old.