..::Football III::..

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Wolverine GTR

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    UEFA Champions League Round of 16 2nd Leg Fixtures 2015.03.11

    UEFA Champions League Round of 16 2nd Leg Fixtures 2015.03.11

    AGG
    (1-1)

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    Chelsea Vs PSG
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    AGG
    (0-0)

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    Bayern Vs Shakhtar
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    Wolverine GTR

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    :yes:next thyenne Tottenham,Liverpool match neda:rolleyes:.aniwa win karanna weyi :yes:
    Ow bro lesi wenne naha kohomatath specially Liverpool match 1ka nam sure karanama baha:(Rooney arunukota anith strikersla ganath hopes thiyaganna baha.Falcao th anemanda bro:(
    De Gea nam patta machan. best gk in epl:yes:
    Aniwa bro:yes:meh season 1ka puratama pattama savings set 1kak kale.Api paradinna giya godak matches beragattha
    11.gif
    Dakkane Arsenal match 1keth savings tika:cool:Manchester United Hero:yes::love:
     

    rcccc

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    -Goodbye-
    Ow bro lesi wenne naha kohomatath specially Liverpool match 1ka nam sure karanama baha:(Rooney arunukota anith strikersla ganath hopes thiyaganna baha.Falcao th anemanda bro:(

    aniwa liverpool lath patta form eke enne:yes:tottenham lath lasi nae harry kane & Eriksen kohomahari match goda danawa:no:
    rvpth injured nisa Rooney wa digatama striker kenek hatiyata play karayi
    arsenal match eketh hodata play kala:).Falcao injury eken passe issara wage play karanne naene:eek::dull:


    Aniwa bro:yes:meh season 1ka puratama pattama savings set 1kak kale.Api paradinna giya godak matches beragattha
    11.gif
    Dakkane Arsenal match 1keth savings tika:cool:Manc
    hsester United Hero:yes::love:

    :yes::cool:
     
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    Wolverine GTR

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    Chelsea 2-2 Paris Saint-Germain (3-3 agg aet): Mourinho's men dumped out despite Ibra red

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    An extra-time Thiago Silva header saw Paris Saint-Germain knock Chelsea out of the Champions League and book their place in the quarter-finals by virtue of the away goals rule after a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

    The Brazilian centre-back gave away a penalty with a bizarre handball six minutes into extra time, but he made amends by heading a dramatic equaliser with six minutes left to play to send PSG through on away goals, with the tie ending 3-3 on aggregate.

    The visitors had been facing an uphill task when star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was controversially sent off shortly after the half-hour mark, but they got off lightly when a foul on Diego Costa in the box went unpunished.

    Edinson Cavani then hit the post for PSG before Gary Cahill looked to have settled an ill-tempered tie with an 81st-minute drive, though former Chelsea man David Luiz forced an additional 30 minutes with a bullet header five minutes later.

    PSG had the momentum heading into extra time, but they were undone when Silva attempted to palm the ball clear in the box having mistimed his jump, giving Eden Hazard the chance to fire the hosts in front from the spot.

    The Belgian made no mistake as he coolly converted, but Silva had the last word – looping a header over Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to stun Stamford Bridge into silence.

    Jose Mourinho made one change to the side that started the first leg, with Oscar coming in for Willian, while Thiago Motta slotted into the PSG midfield having missed the home tie through injury.

    Ibrahimovic saw red for recklessly lunging into a challenge on Oscar in the 31st minute, although the Sweden international did look to be trying to withdraw from the tackle when contact was made.

    The forward's case was not helped by the sea of blue shirts that immediately surrounded referee Bjorn Kuipers - who officiated last year’s final - in the immediate aftermath of the flashpoint.

    Oscar could count himself lucky to remain on the pitch when he avoided a yellow card for bundling into Marco Verratti a few moments after receiving his first booking, before Costa justifiably accused Luiz of catching him with an elbow.

    Costa and Luiz squabbled for much of the encounter, and the former should arguably have been awarded a penalty two minutes from the break when his heel was clipped by Cavani in the box.

    Cavani came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock when he beat the offside trap to take the ball beyond Courtois in the 57th minute, but the Uruguayan's eventual effort from a tight angle struck the near post.

    Courtois got down well to keep out Javier Pastore with 20 minutes left on the clock, before the match threatened to descend into farce.

    First, Costa received a booking for a cynical challenge on Thiago Silva, before being confronted by chief nuisance Luiz.

    The Brazil international recoiled as if he had been headbutted by the striker, but replays exposed his play-acting, spotted by Kuipers, who added Luiz’s name to his already-bulging notebook.

    Sadly, the incident was indicative of a match that was marred by poor discipline, but Cahill looked to have put the tie to bed nine minutes from time.

    The ball fell to the England defender as PSG failed to clear their lines from a corner, and he rifled home from 12 yards.

    That lead lasted only five minutes, though, as Luiz found the net with a firm header from a corner, a few moments after claiming to have had his shirt pulled in the box.

    Silva’s bizarre slapped clearance offered Chelsea a chance to apparently put the match to bed six minutes into the additional period – an opportunity Hazard was only too grateful to take from the penalty spot.

    At that stage, Chelsea looked to be heading into the last eight, but having cost his side earlier in extra time, Silva made amends and dumped the Blues out of the competition.

    His looping header from a corner turned the match on its head, seeing PSG into the quarter-finals at the end of a frantic game and reversing the outcome of last year's last-eight meeting between the pair, when Chelsea progressed on away goals after a 3-3 draw over two legs.
     

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    Bayern Munich 7-0 Shakhtar Donetsk: Guardiola's side run riot after Kucher's record red

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    A record-breaking red card allowed Bayern Munich to cruise into the Champions League quarter-finals in emphatic style as they beat Shakhtar Donetsk 7-0 on Wednesday.

    Having been held to a goalless draw in the first leg, Bayern went into the return meeting of the last-16 clash with work to do.

    But they were given a significant helping hand in the third minute when Shakhtar defender Kucher was shown a straight red card - the quickest in Champions League history - for a foul on Mario Gotze.

    Thomas Muller stepped up to convert the resulting penalty and from there it was little more than a procession for the Bundesliga champions.

    Jerome Boateng doubled the lead in the 34th minute with a close-range effort before Bayern found another gear in the second half.

    Franck Ribery capped off a well-worked move to make it 3-0 in the 49th minute, with a second from Muller, a Holger Badstuber header, a Robert Lewandowski strike and Gotze's effort putting the gloss on the victory on a night where injuries to Arjen Robben and Ribery were the only concerns for the hosts.

    Kucher's rash challenge on Gotze and subsequent dismissal immediately gave Shakhtar a mountain to climb, with Muller making no mistake with his fourth-minute spot-kick as he stepped up and coolly slotted the ball into the bottom-left corner.

    Bayern would have made it two had Robben been able to connect with Lewandowski's pull-back with the goal at his mercy.

    Sensing the prospect of being overrun by the extra man, Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu made a defensive change as Sergey Krivtsov replaced winger Taison in the ninth minute.

    Robben was then brought off and replaced by Sebastian Rode because of a trapped nerve, but Bayern continued to enjoy almost complete domination and were initially denied a second by the woodwork.

    Lewandowski struck the upright with a header from Rafinha's right-wing cross, but Bayern's constant pressure told as Boateng bundled the ball home at the far post after the Pole had been denied from point-blank range.

    And any slim hope of a Shakhtar comeback was extinguished four minutes after the restart by quick goals from Ribery and Muller.

    Ribery found the bottom-right corner with a low effort following a neat one-two with Boateng and then saw his left-wing pull-back deflect off a Shakhtar defender and into the path of Muller to roll his second into an unguarded net in the 53rd minute.

    Ribery hobbled off just before the hour mark and his replacement Juan Bernat almost found the net as he forced the busy Andriy Pyatov into another save.

    But Pyatov could not keep out Badstuber's near-post header from Rafinha's corner in the 63rd minute and was left helpless as Lewandowksi raced through 12 minutes later to make it six.

    Gotze swept home a seventh three minutes from time, rounding off a frightening demonstration of Bayern's ruthlessness against depleted and inferior opposition.
     

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    Ibrahimovic on Chelsea red card: I felt like I had 11 babies around me

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    Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has criticised Chelsea's players for their reaction to his Champions League red card, branding the Blues "11 babies".

    The Sweden international was dismissed after 31 minutes following a collision with Blues midfielder Oscar, with the likes of John Terry, Nemanja Matic and Gary Cahill surrounding referee Bjorn Kuipers immediately after the challenge.

    And Ibrahimovic was far from impressed with Chelsea's players and the referee, insisting that he attempted to pull out of the tackle.

    "When I saw the red card I was like 'the guy doesn't know what he's doing' or maybe he saw something else," he said.

    "The worst is what I see when I get the red card - all the Chelsea players come around. It felt like I had 11 babies around me. I pulled out because I saw him also coming.

    "I don't know if he [Oscar] was acting afterwards or where I hit him. It doesn't matter. We won the game and we went through so we will see what happens."

    Thiago Silva headed home as PSG battled back from 2-1 down in extra-time to book their place in the quarter-finals of the competition and Ibrahimovic hailed the Ligue 1 champions for recovering despite being down to 10 men.

    He added: "It was an amazing performance because we were playing with one less, even in extra-time, so they should have all the credit they can get. They played with big hearts. We showed quality and big heart."
     

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    Mourinho: Uefa should ban Luiz if he elbowed Diego Costa

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    Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho believes Paris Saint-Germain defender David Luiz should be suspended for the Champions League quarter-finals after appearing to elbow Diego Costa during their last-16 tie on Wednesday.

    The ex-Chelsea defender fought a running battle with the Blues striker throughout the fixture, which finished 2-2 and saw PSG advance to the last eight via the away goals rule, and the pair clashed off the ball before Luiz scored a dramatic header to force extra time.

    The Brazilian was named Uefa’s Man of the Match for his decisive performance but Mourinho insists that Luiz should be suspended for the next round if it can be proved that he intended to hurt Costa, while he also believes that Zlatan Ibrahimovic should red card have his red card rescinded.

    The Sweden international was dismissed in the first-half after a late tackle on Oscar, but Mourinho – who was also aggrieved that his side were not awarded a penalty – believes that Bjorn Kuiper’s decision to brandish the red card was a harsh one.

    “The David [Luiz] elbow I didn't see, but when Uefa gives him the Man of the Match I have to believe there is no elbow,” he told reporters. “He played very very well and I have to believe no elbow because I can't believe that Uefa gives the Man of the Match to someone that made an aggression.

    “So maybe because they cannot give us the penalty now, they can do what is fair from the disciplinary point of view and suspend David and let Ibra play the quarter-finals, because he deserves it.”

    Costa was also at the centre of Mourinho’s penalty appeals, with the Spain international going down in the box after being clipped by Edinson Cavani, and the Portuguese has criticised the role of the fifth official in the decision.

    “It's a clear penalty on Diego Costa and once more I think it's a waste of time and money to have the officials on the side of the goal because normally they do nothing,” he added. “If he's there just to see if the ball crosses the line, the goal-line technology is obviously much better.

    “If he can't see a penalty 10 metres in front of him where it's completely clean, it's a waste of time and money. The official there does absolutely nothing.”
     

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    Ibrahimovic red card inspired PSG - Blanc

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    Laurent Blanc said Paris Saint-Germain were inspired by Zlatan Ibrahimovic's first-half sending off in their Champions League clash with Chelsea on Wednesday.

    The striker was given his marching orders for a lunge on Oscar but, despite playing with 10 men for the rest of the game, the Ligue 1 side came from behind twice to earn a 2-2 draw and book a place in the quarter-finals with a 3-3 aggregate scoreline.

    Gary Cahill put Chelsea 1-0 in front on 81 minutes before David Luiz stunned his former club and took the game into extra-time five minutes later.

    Eden Hazard then looked to have sent the Blues through after sliding home a penalty after Thiago Silva was penalised for handball but the Brazil defender responded immediately by going up the other end and scoring the equaliser to send PSG through on away goals.Blanc was left to hail the performance of his players against the odds.

    "It's a great joy," he told infosport. "The players were prepared and did a great job. They played an extraordinary game from the beginning to the end. We did take a hit in the back of the head when Zlatan was sent off, but I felt that the players were determined at half-time.

    "The match was a little bit crazy and the performance was great. I've had a look at the stats and seen that we had the same numbers in terms of ball possession, more passes, more corners... Even at 10 against 11 we managed to be very efficient.
    "It's a great night for my team tonight and for all French supporters. We did something great, but at the same time we are yet to achieve anything."
     

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    David Luiz apologises for celebrating against Chelsea

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    Paris Saint-Germain defender David Luiz has apologised to Chelsea fans for celebrating the goal which contributed to the Blues' exit from the Champions League on Wednesday.

    The Brazil centre-back netted the 86th-minute equaliser that sent the match to extra-time, before Thiago Silva cancelled out Eden Hazard's 96th-minute penalty to take the score to 3-3 on aggregate and send PSG through.

    The goals only tell half the story, though, with PSG star Zlatan Ibrahimovic controversially sent off in the first half before Gary Cahill put Chelsea ahead with nine minutes to go.

    The modern-day etiquette is to not celebrate against a former club - Danny Welbeck incurred the wrath of some Manchester United fans following his winner for Arsenal at Old Trafford only on Monday - but Luiz, who was at Stamford Bridge from 2011 to 2014, did not hold back.

    "My cycle finished in Chelsea, PSG gave me a great opportunity to continue my career," Luiz told Sky Sports 5. "I was very happy at Chelsea. I respect everyone.

    "Tonight was good for me to score. I said I wouldn't celebrate but my emotions I couldn't control.

    "Thank you to Chelsea and sorry I celebrated because I was so emotional."

    "It is amazing for everyone, amazing for Paris club, for Paris city," he added. "We did a great game, we tried to win the game.

    "I am happy to be in the next round but we have a long way to go to win the Champions League. We have to keep our feet on the floor."

     

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    Thiago Silva: Mental strength sent PSG through

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    Thiago Silva hailed 10-man Paris Saint-Germain's mental toughness as they bundled Chelsea out of the Champions League on Wednesday.

    Having drawn the first leg 1-1 at the Parc des Princes, the tie seemed to be drifting away from the visitors when they had star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic harshly sent off in the first half.

    Gary Cahill put Chelsea ahead with nine minutes to go only for former Blues defender David Luiz to power home a header to send the tie to extra-time.

    Eden Hazard restored the home side's lead with a penalty after 96 minutes but Thiago Silva – who gave away the spot-kick with a needless handball – redeemed himself by nodding home another equaliser to send PSG through.

    "Congratulations to the whole team. At 11 against 11 it's difficult, but 10 is even more difficult," the Brazil defender told BeIn Sports.

    "We played a very good game, we were very sturdy. We have many quality players that can really hurt the opposition but today we earned it [the win] mentally."

    The Ligue 1 champions will go into the draw for the last eight next Friday in confident mood and their captain believes they have shown promising signs.

    He added: "A message sent to others? I don't know. We just think about ourselves. If we play like that, we can win it. Our goal is to win the Champions League."

    Thiago Silva's defensive colleague Marquinhos, meanwhile, was pleased PSG had learned from last year's defeat to Chelsea.

    "We did not let go until the end and did not make the same mistakes as last year. This time, we came to play and that's what we did. We must remain calm because the Champions League is not easy."
     

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    Guardiola congratulates 'dominant' Bayern after Shakhtar thrashing

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    Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola congratulated his players on a "dominant" display after they thrashed Shakhtar Donetsk 7-0 in the second leg of their last-16 Champions League tie.

    After the first leg ended 0-0 in Ukraine, the visitors were given a near impossible task to overcome on Wednesday following the dismissal of Olexandr Kucher after just three minutes for a foul on Mario Gotze inside the penalty area.

    The red card was the quickest in the competition's history and Bayern took full advantage, with Thomas Muller converting the resulting spot-kick and later adding a second as the home side ran riot.

    Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery, Holger Badstuber, Robert Lewandowski and Gotze all found the back of the net to confirm Bayern's place in the quarter-finals with the minimum of fuss and win the praise of Guardiola.

    "We are very pleased," admitted the Spaniard after the game. "We deserved the win. The players did fantastically."Of course it is a little easier against 10 men. But from the beginning we could see that the team was alert. Congratulations to the team, we dominated the game."

    It is the second time Bayern have scored seven goals in a Champions League game this season following their stunning 7-1 win away to Roma in the group stage back in October.
     

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    PSG's tactics not accepted in England - Mourinho

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    Jose Mourinho claims Paris Saint-Germain were "clever" in their approach as they knocked Chelsea out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage on Wednesday.

    The Ligue 1 champions saw Zlatan Ibrahimovic sent off in the first half for a lunge on Oscar but the Blues still didn't have enough to progress despite their numerical advantage.

    Mourinho had criticised PSG for being "aggressive" in the first leg and felt Laurent Blanc's side repeated their tactics at Stamford Bridge.

    "They did the same," he told Sky Sports. "They were aggressive in the same way. They were what we used to call, on the continent, clever. In England that's not acceptable as clever, intelligent and experienced.

    "For example, after the second goal, there was no more game. They took time to celebrate, simulations of injuries, make a change then not make the change. They stopped the game in a way we didn't do winning 1-0 with five minutes to go, so I think it's the beauty of English football but when we go to continental football the other teams are more prepared from a mental point of view to cope with this. It is a great part of the game."

    Twice Chelsea took the lead, firstly through Gary Cahill on 81 minutes before David Luiz returned to haunt his former club with a thumping header that took the game into extra time.

    Eden Hazard then tucked home a penalty after Thiago Silva was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area but the Brazil defender made amends with a dramatic equaliser on 114 minutes to see PSG through on away goals.

    "Of course, we had the game in our hands twice but I think the opponent was stronger than us," Mourinho told Sky Sports. "They coped better than us with the pressure of the game. I think with them at 10 men we felt the pressure of winning even more.

    "They had nothing to lose, they just played their game. We couldn't cope with that. We conceded two goals from set-pieces where the organisation is clear, where the markers have to decide and the players in the zone are the same. We conceded two goals that were difficult to accept."

    Mourinho says Chelsea must now turn their focus to the Premier League and ensure they end the season by winning the title.

    "I told my players as I always do that it's not after the match that I kick tables and doors," he added. "It's time to be calm and analyse the team because we have a game on Sunday and we have to win the Premier League.

    "We are playing to win the Premier League and we have more matches to play."
     

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    Red card was decisive - Schweinsteiger

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    Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger admitted the early sending-off of Shakhtar Donetsk defender Olexandr Kucher changed the complexion of their Champions League last-16 tie.

    The second leg was evenly poised after a goalless draw in Lviv three weeks ago but the return was effectively over as a contest after just three minutes when Kucher was harshly adjudged to have fouled Mario Gotze inside the area.

    Kucher saw red – the fastest sending-off in Champions League history – and Thomas Muller dispatched the spot-kick to set Pep Guardiola’s men on their way.

    Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery, Muller, Holger Badstuber, Robert Lewandowski and Gotze all scored as the contest turned into a rout with Bayern cruising through 7-0.

    "The red card and the penalty were decisive," said Germany international Schweinsteiger. "With 11 versus 11 it's surely a different game. But we played well, our passing was good."

    Badstuber claimed the match was actually harder than it appeared to most at the Allianz Arena.

    "It was a tough game, despite the scoreline," he told Sky. "We are very relieved. 0-0 [in the first game] was a dangerous result but our attitude was superb. We made it 1-0, then 2-0 and never slowed down."

    The only negative after a straightforward clash for the hosts was the fact both Arjen Robben and Ribery had to taken off – although neither injury looked serious.

    Robben is confident he will make a swift recovery, telling Dutch broadcaster NOS: "Just a few days' rest and I'll be back. At the start of the match I slipped in the goal. My back locked and that pressed my nerve which links to my hamstring. The muscle itself is perfect, however."

    And Ribery added: "It is not that bad, it is something with my ankle. I hope I can play again at the weekend."
     

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    Kucher handed quickest Champions League red card

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    Shakhtar Donetsk defender Olexandr Kucher received the fastest red card in Champions League history on Wednesday to put Bayern Munich in complete control of their last-16 tie.

    The second leg was evenly poised after a goalless draw in Lviv three weeks ago but the visitors' hopes of causing an upset in the return were effectively dashed in the early exchanges.

    Just three minutes had elapsed when Kucher was adjudged to have brought down Mario Gotze in the area. There appeared to be limited contact but Scottish referee Willie Collum brandished a red card.

    Thomas Muller offered little sympathy to Shakhtar, duly converting the spot-kick with ease.

    The dismissal means Kucher takes an unwanted place in the history books. Craig Bellamy was the previous recipient of the quickest red card with the Welshman sent off after five minutes when playing for Newcastle against Inter in 2002.
     

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    In-form Dost rewarded with Netherlands call-up

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    Wolfsburg striker Bas Dost has been rewarded for an excellent season with a call-up to the Netherlands squad for their Euro 2016 qualifier with Turkey and a friendly with Spain later this month.

    Dost was called up in 2012 by Louis van Gaal for a friendly with Belgium but did not feature in the match.

    However, the 25-year-old is in line to earn his first cap for his country following a season that has seen him score 16 goals in all competitions for a Wolfsburg side that sits second in the Bundesliga.

    Coach Guus Hiddink has also brought forward Eljero Elia in from the international wilderness.

    Elia, who has been a regular since joining Premier League side Southampton on loan from Werder Bremen in January, last played for Netherlands in a 0-0 draw with Germany in November 2012.There is no place in the 28-man squad for Manchester United striker Robin van Persie, who is out with an ankle injury.

    Netherlands take on Turkey at the Amsterdam ArenA on March 28 before hosting reigning European champions Spain three days later.

    Squad in full:

    Goalkeepers: Jasper Cillessen (Ajax), Tim Krul (Newcastle United), Kenneth Vermeer (Feyenoord), Jeroen Zoet (PSV)

    Defenders: Jeffrey Bruma (PSV), Stefan de Vrij (Lazio), Daryl Janmaat (Newcastle United), Bruno Martins Indi (Porto), Sven van Beek (Feyenoord), Gregory van der Wiel (Paris Saint-Germain), Ricardo van Rhijn, Joel Veltman (both Ajax), Ron Vlaar (Aston Villa), Jetro Willems (PSV)

    Midfielders: Ibrahim Afellay (Olympiakos), Daley Blind (Manchester United), Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord), Nigel de Jong (AC Milan), Wesley Sneijder (Galatasaray), Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV)

    Forwards: Luuk de Jong, Memphis Depay (both PSV), Bas Dost (Wolfsburg), Eljero Elia (Southampton), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke), Luciano Narsingh (PSV), Quincy Promes (Spartak Moscow), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich)
     

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    My future is undecided - Benitez

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    Rafael Benitez says he is undecided over his future at Napoli and will discuss his next move at the end of the season.

    The 54-year-old was appointed Walter Mazzarri's successor in 2013 and enjoyed success in his debut campaign in charge after guiding the club to Coppa Italia glory last May.

    Napoli were tipped to challenge for the Serie A title this season but have failed to live up to those expectations and sit 15 points adrift of leaders Juventus.

    Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Benitez did little to extinguish rumours that he could quit the club in the summer: “I said in January that I’ll talk [about my future] in April.

    “This interview from January repeats the same things. My future is not decided.
    “I’ll tell you now, I have had no offers, and I don’t have any particular interests except the game tomorrow.”

    Benitez's men remain in contention for the Europa League and face Dynamo Moscow in the first leg of their last-16 tie on Thursday.

    The club go into the game on the back of a 2-2 draw with Inter, after which president Aurelio De Laurentiis banned him and his players from talking to the media, but the former Liverpool boss insists he is happy to do interviews.

    “I’m a professional, and I’ll do an interview if I have to do it, there’s no problem," he explained.“I always say that we can go further if we’re united, shoulder-to-shoulder.”

    He added: “Although we had played Lazio (in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final four days previously, Inter only spent 19 per cent of the game in our third; [Mariano] Andujar didn’t have to do anything."

    Benitez concluded by saying he is satisfied with the progress of his side this term and pointed out that they could still end the season with yet more silverware.
    “I'm happy with how we're doing on three fronts.“We're still playing with great intensity and many have said that against Inter, Napoli gave one of our best performances.

    “I want to drive this team forward, one that is joint third in the League, in the Europa League and in the Coppa Italia semi-final.”
     

    Wolverine GTR

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    Xavi relieved he stayed at Barcelona

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    Xavi has admitted he is relieved he decided to stay with Barcelona last summer as he prepares to make his 750th appearance for the club against Eibar next weekend.

    The midfielder was in advanced negotiations with new MLS side New York City FC before a late plea from Barca coach Luis Enrique changed his mind at the 11th hour.

    He has since made 26 appearances so far this season and Xavi is convinced he made the right choice in staying at Camp Nou, where has spent his entire career.
    "I'm glad I didn't leave last summer," he said.

    "I'm lucky enough to have been at the best club in the world. I've been in the first team for 17 years and, together with the years in the academy, that's nearly 25 years here, which makes me very proud."

    The 35-year-old rose to prominence under the tutelage of former Blaugrana boss Frank Rijkaard who saw his potential to play in a more advanced midfield role and Xavi pointed to the Dutchman as a key influence.He added: "I had no idea that the best years of my career would be further forward in midfield. It was Rijkaard that put me there, he saw that I had a good last pass."

    The former Spain midfielder, who retired from international duty after the last summer's World Cup, also enjoyed great success during Pep Guardiola's four-year reign in charge of the club and sees similarities between the now Bayern Munich boss and Luis Enrique.

    "They both impose their character and style on their teams. Pep was very vocal and Luis Enrique is too, they both like to have control."
     

    Wolverine GTR

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    Pogba: My €200 million price tag is head-spinning

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    Paul Pogba has branded his €200 million price tag as “head-spinning” as the transfer saga around him at Juventus rumbles on.

    The French midfielder's agent, Mino Raiola, is alleged to have told Barcelona that they would need to pay €200m for the combined fee and salary of the 21-year-old in January 2016.

    Although Pogba signed a new contract with the Scudetto holders late last year, the rumour mill has only increased with ferocity since January with Real Madrid and Chelsea linked with a summer move.

    But the former Manchester United youngster is trying to think only about his efforts for Juventus, whom he fired to an 11-point lead in Serie A with his late winner against Sassuolo on Monday.

    "I think I have to be more focused on the field because these things can make your head spin," he told Corriere dello Sport."I'm concentrating only on my performances, as I always say. If you want to know about transfer things you'd have to ask Mino Raiola.

    "I am focused to win the Scudetto and not thinking about anything else. If I want to become a great player then I have to work harder, and do more and more in training."I try to thrive in every game and I have the confidence of my coach and team-mates - I have to grow up and do better."

    Juventus can continue to consolidate their hefty lead in Italy with a victory at Palermo on Saturday, followed by a crunch Champions League last 16 second leg at Borussia Dortmund in which they lead 2-1.
     
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