..::Football III::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Southampton 2-0 Burnley: Champions League hopes still alive for Koeman's men

Southampton maintained their push for a Champions League place as they saw off relegation-threatened Burnley.

The Saints were dealt an early blow as goalkeeper Fraser Forster was stretchered off inside the opening 15 minutes, with Kelvin Davis on in his place.

Despite that, Ronald Koeman's side took the lead as Shane Long converted after Nathaniel Clyne's shot deflected into his path before Davis made a fine save to deny Danny Ings.

The home side doubled their lead after the break as Clarets skipper Jason Shackell diverted Ryan Bertrand's cross into his own net.

Southampton manger Ronald Koeman, celebrating his 52nd birthday on Saturday, recalled Graziano Pelle for Victor Wanyama, but resisted the temptation to bring back Eljero Elia.

Sean Dyche named the same Burnley side that stunned champions Manchester City 1-0 last weekend thanks to George Boyd's fine strike, meaning striker Sam Vokes got his second Premier League start.

The home side were dealt an early blow when Forster suffered an injury setback.

Forster fell as he kicked the ball clear and Vokes tripped over his outstretched leg, leaving the England international requiring lengthy treatment on the pitch before being carried off on a stretcher and replaced by veteran Davis.

Davis made an instant impact as he got down well to his right to save from Vokes following a cross by Ashley Barnes, before referee Roger East ignored Boyd's penalty claim after a Jose Fonte foul.

Eight minutes before half-time, Long, lurking at the back post, fired the opening goal into the roof of the net after the ball had been hit across a crowded penalty area by Clyne.

Pelle's close-range volley then hit the crossbar from a Southampton free-kick before Davis kept out Ings' shot in a frantic end to an entertaining first half.

Wanyama started the second half in place of Dusan Tadic as Southampton attempted to stifle Burnley.

Long went close to a second of the afternoon as he fired narrowly across goal following a knockdown by Pelle.

Southampton, though, did double their lead after 57 minutes when Steven Davis set up Ryan Bertrand and his cross hit Burnley captain Shackell's knee and flew past goalkeeper Tom Heaton.

Steven Davis crossed for Pelle, but the striker headed at Heaton as Southampton searched for a third goal.

But the home side had done enough to claim all three points and keep the pressure on the teams hoping to secure a top-four finish, leaving Burnley rueing missed first-half chances.

 

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Stoke City 1-2 Crystal Palace: Zaha clinches priceless comeback win

Crystal Palace look all-but safe for a third successive season in the Premier League after a 2-1 victory over Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.

Goals from Glenn Murray and Wilfried Zaha saw Alan Pardew's side come from a goal down to earn their fifth away win of the campaign and move 11 points from the drop zone.

They now sit on 36 points - a tally good enough to guarantee survival in six of the last 11 Premier League seasons.

Mame Biram Diouf's eighth league goal of the season after 14 minutes appeared to put Stoke on course for a productive afternoon, but Zaha and Yannick Bolasie inspired Palace's comeback.

After shining against QPR last week, the two wingers again did the damage as Murray converted a penalty won by Bolasie and Zaha doubled their advantage before the break.

Pardew expressed a wish to overtake former club Newcastle United in the Premier League table last week, and Palace have now done that – climbing to 11th.

Palace's electric wing-play has been central to their revival under Pardew and Bolasie was quickly in the action, blazing over the crossbar, but Stoke eventually settled with Adam – one of five home changes – taking centre stage.

Having seen an earlier effort whistle just wide, Adam's 30-yard free-kick deflected off the foot of Damien Delaney inside the penalty area and Diouf capitalised to poke past Julian Speroni.

Palace slowly worked their way back into the game and found themselves ahead at the break, with wide duo Bolasie and Zaha coming to the fore again.

Home boss Mark Hughes was seething as a controversial penalty brought the visitors level after 41 minutes, Murray emphatically converting from 12 yards after an onrushing Asmir Begovic barged Bolasie as he raced goalwards.

And Pardew's side turned the game on its head in first-half stoppage as Zaha latched onto a Murray flick before shrugging off the attentions of Marc Wilson and slotting home his second goal in as many games.

Full of confidence, Palace resumed strongly after the interval with Bolasie and Zaha continuing to terrorise the Stoke defence, and they went close to extending their lead after 54 minutes as Scott Dann's effort beat Begovic but came back off the post.

The visitors did not have it all their own way, though, with Speroni making a string of saves to keep their lead intact.

Having denied Diouf in the early stages of the second half, the Argentine was on hand to make two reflex saves to prevent Stephen Ireland from levelling the match.

Further clear-cut chances did not arrive for Stoke, leaving a jubilant Palace side to celebrate a significant step towards survival.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Atletico Madrid 2-0 Getafe: Torres & Tiago on target for resurgent Rojiblancos

Fernando Torres once again made a telling impact for Atletico Madrid as his first Liga goal of the season helped the reigning champions beat Getafe 2-0 to end their recent domestic slump.

The Spain striker netted Atletico's decisive penalty in the Champions League shoot-out victory over Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday and was integral again on Saturday, scoring the opener as Diego Simeone's men halted a run of three consecutive league draws.It took the lively Torres just three minutes to put Atletico ahead against their local rivals, his first La Liga goal since May 2007 a fine header that delighted Simeone, who is reportedly closing in on signing a new contract.

Atletico dominated the first half at the Vicente Calderon and saw several fine chances go begging, Koke guilty of spurning two of those opportunities.But Tiago opened up a deserved two-goal lead just before the break, with Getafe improving as a defensive unit after the interval.

Despite the visitors growing in stature in the second half, Atletico's advantage never looked in threat and victory sees the Champions League quarter-finalists close back to within a point of third-placed Valencia.

Simeone made the surprising decision to omit birthday boy Antoine Griezmann from his starting XI, with Raul Jimenez and Torres – who had just one Liga goal between them this season prior to kick-off – leading the line instead.

Nevertheless, Atletico began the contest positively and Simeone's selection was vindicated after only three minutes, as Torres met Koke's free-kick with an emphatic header to find the top-left corner.

Getafe were being overrun and were lucky to avoid falling further behind six minutes later, as Koke's low drive came back off the right-hand upright, hit goalkeeper Vicente Guaita and then struck the other post.

Koke missed an even better chance when blasting straight at Guaita from point-blank range in the 19th minute and Getafe could have capitalised a few moments later had it not been for some incredibly brave defending by Jose Maria Gimenez.
The Uruguayan dived head first at the feet of Fredy Hinestroza 10 yards from his own goal, denying the Colombian an almost-certain equaliser.

But Atletico continued to dictate proceedings and eventually netted a second just before the break, as Tiago latched on to Jimenez's flick-on and headed in at the back post.

Getafe made a slight improvement after the break, although Atletico remained in the ascendancy initially and almost added a third in the 56th minute, only for Diego Godin to head Koke's corner just wide of the target.

Atletico appeared content to sit back and invite pressure on to themselves as the second period progressed and, while Getafe did see more of the ball, Jan Oblak was rarely troubled in the hosts' goal.

The 64th-minute introduction of Griezmann saw Atletico's control return and Torres almost doubled his tally 13 minutes from time, but his diving header from Juanfran's delivery went just wide and the hosts settled for a two-goal triumph.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Newcastle United 1-2 Arsenal: Two for Giroud as Gunners hang on

Two goals from Olivier Giroud proved to be enough for Arsenal as they saw off Newcastle at St. James' Park.

Arsene Wenger's men exited the Champions League at the last 16 stage to Monaco on away goals despite a 2-0 victory at the Stade Louis II on Tuesday.

But they quickly rebounded from that disappointment by overcoming a depleted Newcastle side on Saturday, as Giroud made it eight goals in six games against the Tyneside club.

The France striker scored his brace in the space of four first-half minutes, breaking the deadlock with a cleverly flicked effort into the bottom-right corner.

Giroud then made it 2-0 by capitalising on some slack Newcastle defending to head home and give the hosts a mountain to climb.

Moussa Sissoko provided some hope for the St James' Park crowd when he halved the deficit shortly after the half-time interval.

Yet, despite a much improved second-half showing, Newcastle could not complete the comeback as Arsenal stayed within a point of second-placed Manchester City.

Arsenal had slightly the better of an open start to the contest but Newcastle's makeshift backline, which saw Daryl Janmaat move to centre-back and midfielder Jack Colback take his right-back spot, coped well with the early pressure until Giroud pounced in the 24th minute.

Giroud demonstrated good striker's instincts to deflect Danny Welbeck's header from Santi Cazorla's right-wing free-kick beyond Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul.

And, shortly after Welbeck had volleyed an Alexis Sanchez cross wide, Giroud doubled his tally.

Again Newcastle failed to deal with a set-piece, with Giroud seeing off the attention of defender Mike Williamson to nod Cazorla's delivery into the bottom-left corner.

Newcastle's effort did not drop after falling two behind and they were rewarded three minutes into the second half by Sissoko, who met Remy Cabella's right-wing pull back with a cool first-time finish.

Ayoze Perez then curled over the crossbar with a spectacular 25-yard strike before Yoan Gouffran shot straight at David Ospina from close range.

Ospina was called into action again, producing an excellent reaction save to keep out Mike Williamson's header, with Janmaat the next to go close with a vicious long-range drive.

Newcastle continued to push forward in search of a leveller, but Arsenal stood firm to put the pressure on fourth and fifth-placed Manchester United and Liverpool, who meet at Anfield on Sunday.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Aston Villa 0-1 Swansea City: Late Gomis strike ends Sherwood's winning run

Aston Villa's fine form under Tim Sherwood came to an abrupt end as Bafetimbi Gomis struck a late winner for Swansea at Villa Park.

The France international had seen numerous opportunities come and go as the match looked to be petering out to a drab goalless draw.

However, substitute Jefferson Montero found Gomis with a low cross from the left in the 87th minute - the striker applying the simple finish to earn Swansea a first win in three.

Villa had won their last three matches in all competitions, but this weekend's clash was in stark contrast to the 4-0 win at Sunderland last time out.

That fixture saw Villa net four goals in the first half, but chances were few and far between for the home side in the opening 45 minutes against Swansea.

In fact, Sherwood's men were booed off by some at half-time.

Things did not get any better for Villa after the break, and Gomis finally took a chance to see Swansea climb to eighth in the top flight.

Both sides made one change at the back, with Alan Hutton replacing Matthew Lowton for Villa and Federico Fernandez coming back into the Swansea side in place of Jordi Amat, but it was the hosts' defensive line that came under most pressure early on.

After Kyle Naughton had seen an effort blocked in the Villa box, Gomis should have done better with his first real opening from six yards – Alan Hutton sliding in to make an excellent intervention.

Gomis was causing problems in the Villa box again in the 22nd minute as he fired against goalkeeper Brad Guzan after being played in by Ki Sung-yueng, before the hosts were forced into a change when Tom Cleverley left the field through injury, with Carlos Sanchez introduced in his place.

It was not until the 33rd minute that Swansea stopper Lukasz Fabianski was called into action for the first time, with Febian Delph seeing his low drive kept out by the Poland international after being teed up by Scott Sinclair – playing against his former club.

Ciaran Clark was in the six-yard box to keep out Routledge after Guzan flapped at a free-kick, and the American was lucky to get away with another fluffed clearance when he kicked the ball straight at Gomis.

Sinclair saw the ball run through his legs as he unleashed an air shot at the beginning of the second half, before Guzan tipped over from a Sigurdsson free-kick.

Gomis endured a largely difficult day at the office and cut a dejected figure after heading well over in the 54th minute.

Gabriel Agbonlahor squandered a glorious opportunity to go ahead soon after – his poke from six yards deflected wide by Neil Taylor - and Gomis' problems in front of goal continued as he saw an effort diverted over by Clark.

However, the 29-year-old eventually found the net three minutes from time to seemingly put the result beyond doubt.

Sinclair came close to snatching a spectacular leveller with a volley soon after, before Routledge should have made it 2-0 when sent through on goal with the match nearing a conclusion, but saw his effort smothered.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Hannover 2-3 Borussia Dortmund: Aubameyang at the double as BVB return to winning ways

Borussia Dortmund made the most of Leonardo Bittencourt's second-half dismissal to see off Hannover 3-2 at the HDI Arena with the help of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's double.

Goalless draws with Hamburg and Cologne, followed by Wednesday's Champions League exit at the hands of Juventus, had hampered Dortmund's 2015 revival.

However, Aubameyang's double and a Shinji Kagawa tap-in punished Bittencourt's red card, with the Gabonese striker shaking off any early Dortmund rustiness when he latched onto Marco Reus' pass 19 minutes in to open the scoring.It was Dortmund's first league goal since February's derby win over Schalke but Hannover were level just after the half-hour through Lars Stindl.

Stindl made the most of strong running from Bittencourt before the former Dortmund man was dismissed early in the second half for two mistimed tackles in quick succession.

Hannover were made to pay when Kagawa tapped home following good work from Jakub Blaszczykowski, with Aubameyang heading home the Japan playmaker's cross to secure the points – Stindl's late stunner doing little to ease pressure on under-fire Hannover coach Tayfun Korkut.

The hosts almost capitalised on a breakdown in communication between Neven Subotic and Roman Weidenfeller eight minutes in as Dortmund started slowly following Wednesday’s European exploits.

However, the game's first moment of quality brought about the opening goal as Blaszczykowski - making his first Bundesliga start since January 2014 - found Reus infield with the help of Sebastian Kehl's dummy.

Reus' clever pass played in Aubameyang, who calmly tucked away his first 11th Bundesliga goal of the season.

Having ended their three-game goalless spell, Dortmund initially looked to grow in confidence but were pegged back when Hannover broke after Blaszczykowski was dispossessed, and Bittencourt cut back for Stindl, who slotted the equaliser past Weidenfeller.

Hannover put Jurgen Klopp's men on the back foot late in the half and Bittencourt should have put them ahead when through on goal, but instead blazed wide.Mats Hummels was required to clear Joselu's header off the line shortly after the interval before Bittencourt received his marching orders to turn the tide.

Two late challenges on Blaszczykowski and Kehl in the space of six second-half minutes gave Felix Brych no choice but to brandish a red with Dortmund quickly making the numerical advantage count.

Just two minutes later, Kagawa restored the visitors' advantage following good work from Blaszczykowski, before the Japan international turned provider for Aubameyang's diving header on the hour.

After Reus hit the post, Stindl scored his second - a dipping long-range strike nine minutes from time – and while it threatened a comeback, Klopp's side held firm to see out the win and move within five points of the Bundesliga's European spots.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Manchester City 3-0 West Brom: Wrong man sent off for Baggies as Bony opens account

An apparent case of mistaken identity stole the spotlight on a day when Manchester City recovered from back-to-back defeats with a 3-0 victory over 10-man West Brom.

While Manuel Pellegrini's men - beaten by Burnley last time out in the Premier League before suffering a Champions League exit at the hands of Barcelona - cut the gap to leaders Chelsea to three points, the focus fell firmly on referee Neil Swarbrick.

The key talking point unfolded in the second minute at the Etihad Stadium, when Wilfried Bony was fouled outside the box by Craig Dawson, with Swarbrick allowing play to go on before Gareth McAuley dispossessed the Ivorian.

Swarbrick then awarded a free-kick for the initial infringement, but inexplicably sent McAuley from the field - despite Dawson appearing to concede that he should be the one to go.

City made the extra man count as Bony opened his account for the club in the 27th minute and Fernando capitalised on some shoddy defending to double the lead before the interval - chalking up the club's 1000th Premier League goal in the process.

Boaz Myhill was excellent in the face of sustained attacking pressure after the break, while Frank Lampard and Bony struck the woodwork - as did Saido Berahino at the other end - before David Silva wrapped it up late on.

The champions' task of retaining their title remains a tall order, with Chelsea - who face Hull City on Sunday - having two games in hand, while West Brom still cannot rest easy in their survival bid.

Tony Pulis had to reorganise quickly after McAuley's early dismissal as City dominated possession and territory.

Myhill would have expected to be kept busy, but the goalkeeper's first major test did not come until the 24th minute, when he kept out Silva's powerful strike.

As tight and compact as West Brom were, City found a way to unpick the lock four minutes later as Fernando's deflected shot was brought down by Bony and rifled into the net from 10 yards.

Pulis' side rarely emerged from their own half and Myhill had to be alert to tip a Jesus Navas effort over the bar, but there was little he could do when slack defending allowed Fernando to make it 2-0.

Jonas Olsson's poor attempted clearance forced a save from his own goalkeeper, with Fernando on hand to tap in the loose ball for a landmark City goal.

The pattern of play continued after the interval - the hosts in control, pressing and probing for openings against an organised but embattled 10-man side.

The division's top scorers were frustrated by the woodwork twice in one attack, as Lampard struck the upright before Bony's untidy follow-up was hit into the ground and looped onto crossbar.

Berahino hit the underside of the crossbar with a close-range header - preserving a 100th Premier League clean sheet for Joe Hart - and City responded to that scare by extending their lead further with Silva deflecting Stevan Jovetic's shot in.

Despite the home side's celebrations, the focus will fall firmly on Swarbrick, whose decision to dismiss McAuley will surely be overturned.

 

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I'll help Falcao come through difficult moment' - Pekerman vows to help misfiring striker

Colombia coach Jose Pekerman has vowed to help misfiring Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao come through "a difficult moment" during the upcoming international break.

Falcao has struggled since joining United on a hugely expensive loan deal from Monaco in the summer, scoring just four goals in 18 Premier League appearances.

The striker was even picked for the club's Under-21 side earlier this month, with his former agent claiming that he found the experience "weird", while Louis van Gaal was forced to deny that he was humiliating the 29-year-old.

Despite his struggles, Pekerman is set to give Falcao the chance to showcase his talents in friendlies against Bahrain and Kuwait next week, and the coach says he will try to restore the star's confidence during his time with the national side.

He said: "It's a huge problem that we need to resolve; this problem is as large as the sadness that Falcao is going through right now.

"I feel I need to support him because I understand how hard it is for him and the difficult moment he is experiencing. I want to work with him again and help him restore his confidence."

"I know Falcao's strengths, his mentality and his fighting spirit and I've never doubted that he’ll come out the other side. He's in a bad moment, but he's looking after himself and this week is going to be very important for him."

Pekerman stopped short of blaming Van Gaal for Falcao's predicament, though he insists he on the attacker's side "on a human level".

"Without being there you can't really comment about these matters," Pekerman added.

"In terms of decisions taken regarding coaching methods, players the manager chooses or in which team a player plays for, I don't think I should comment on that.

"I’m on Falcao's side because I know that he's suffering and he deserves the opportunity to work better and to have his chance to show that he's okay. But it's not my job to judge the decisions of another coach."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Liverpool already well set for life without Gerrard

Long before Sir Alex Ferguson, in a typically needless jibe, declared in his autobiography that Steven Gerrard was “not a top, top player,” the Manchester United manager thought he was. So much so that he tried to sign him. Twice.

So much so that in 2004 he described the Liverpool captain as the ideal successor to Roy Keane. "If you were looking for the player you would replace Keane with, it's Gerrard, without question," he said. “To me, Gerrard is Keane; he is now where Keane was when Roy came to us in 1994. I've watched him quite a lot, and everywhere the ball is, he seems to be there.”

More than a decade on and as Gerrard prepares to face United for the last time, neither Ferguson nor his successors has unearthed a new Keane. Perhaps Liverpool have found two new Gerrards. Mission impossible may have been accomplished before the man with the taste for the spectacular heads for his Hollywood ending at Los Angeles Galaxy.

If no one will ever be able to replicate the full extent of his contribution, as the fan who became captain, the talent who could turn a game single-handedly, the man who orchestrated the greatest Champions League fightback of all, Brendan Rodgers has a pair who can compensate for Gerrard’s decline and departure. One of them is likely to ensure the Anfield idol begins on the bench on Sunday.

Jordan Henderson has been empowered by the armband. He has assumed responsibility in Gerrard’s absence. He has started to draw comparisons with the captain, and not just for his running power. A return of three goals in as many league games is Gerrard-esque.

If the most recent, at Swansea on Monday, was fortunate, the others were fantastic. Long-range shots against Manchester City and Burnley seemed straight out of the 34-year-old’s handbook. The cross Daniel Sturridge converted against the Clarets could have been classic Gerrard, too. Henderson has grown more ambitious in his passing range and more likely to eschew the safe ball. He appeared to have inherited not just the captaincy but the veteran’s priceless capacity to make something happen.

Henderson is 24, just as Gerrard was in 2004. He is approaching his prime. Emre Can is three years younger. He is more precocious, with more potential. He is reminiscent of the early Gerrard in the way his ability seems to equip him to play anywhere. Admittedly, the German is prospering as a centre-back, one of the few roles Gerrard has not occupied, but his second-half showing at Sunderland in January suggested that, like the veteran, he has the tools to be a wonderful wing-back.

Gerrard’s outings as a right-back or wing-back were few and far between but such rarities – extra-time in the 2005 Champions League final, the end of England’s friendly win over Argentina earlier that year – showed he had the skills required to excel there.

Part of the remarkable element of Gerrard’s career is that one who has rarely hidden his preference for playing as a central midfielder was named PFA Player of the Year in a season, 2005-06, when he generally played on the right of midfield and Footballer of the Year for a campaign, 2008-09, when he was deployed as a No.10.

If it makes sense for Brendan Rodgers to sign a centre-back in the summer to liberate Can to join Henderson in midfield, perhaps the reason why James Milner is a target is that the German has transformed Liverpool as a makeshift defender. He makes Rodgers’ 3-4-2-1 formation work with his willingness to carry the ball out of defence and his Gerrard-like capacity to strike long passes. There is no obvious candidate to be colossus, creator and stopper. If Can wants a return to midfield, it may require Liverpool to revert to a back four.

But his swift development, like Henderson’s startling improvement, shows the question of the succession has been answered before the king has even abdicated. That used to be the Liverpool way. In the dugout, they went from Bill Shankly to Bob Paisley to Joe Fagan to Kenny Dalglish with winning continuity. On the pitch, they moved on from Kevin Keegan to Dalglish and then Peter Beardsley with seamless ease.

But as United can testify, it is not always as easy to replace icons. And not just Ferguson, either. November will mark the 10th anniversary of Keane’s explosive exit from Old Trafford. The first seven-and-a-half years after the Irishman's departure were remarkably successful, but there was no new Keane. The emphasis was switched to a deep-lying distributors’ axis of Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick.

The midfielders who were signed to offer energy, in Owen Hargreaves and Anderson, began promisingly but their United careers deteriorated for different reasons. Remarkably, Ferguson went six years without buying a senior central midfielder. Still more damningly, United let Paul Pogba escape from within their ranks.

Belatedly, midfielders have started arriving, in a flurry and at a cost, whether Marouane Fellaini, Ander Herrera or Daley Blind. The Spaniard is the closest to a ball-playing box-to-box performer but Louis van Gaal’s quest for an Old Trafford all-rounder, for someone who offers power and presence, goals and assists in the way Gerrard long did, led him to a Merseysider, in Wayne Rooney.

Now it is clear the captain is United’s finest striker. Van Gaal has belatedly ended Herrera’s inexplicable absence. He has a classy passer, in Carrick, and the ungainly but effective Fellaini. But while Liverpool seem to be replacing the supposedly irreplaceable, there remains a vacancy at United for a dominant, driving force in the centre of the park. For their answer to Gerrard. For their new Keane.

 

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'PSG have bid for Pogba - but Barcelona and Madrid are interested'

Paul Pogba's Juventus future looks increasingly uncertain after club director Pavel Nedved revealed Paris Saint-Germain have made a bid for the midfielder and admitted Barcelona and Real Madrid are also circling.

The France international has become one of the most sought after young players in world football in the two-and-a-half years since he joined the club on a free transfer after leaving Manchester United.

In recent months he has been linked with a return to Old Trafford as well as moves to Madrid and Barca, but it is the Ligue 1 champions who have moved into pole position for his signature.

"Yes, PSG sent us an offer," Nedved told Le Parisien."But Paris is not the only one. Real Madrid and Barcelona are also interested."Earlier this week, Pogba's agent Mino Raiola admitted he was reluctant to do business with Madrid because of concerns over the club's transfer policy.

The 22-year-old's representative criticised the Champions League holders' signing of James Rodriguez from Monaco after a handful of good performances for Colombia at the World Cup last summer.Raiola said he would not allow Pogba to become another of Madrid's "washcloths" who is bought and then swiftly "thrown into the trash", having previously valued his client at €100 million.

A hamstring injury means he will be out of action until May, while his current deal in Turin runs until 2019.

 

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Atletico tie will be tough - Casillas

Iker Casillas has admitted Real Madrid face a tough test after being drawn against Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Madrid overcame Schalke over two legs in the last 16, while Atletico saw off Bayer Leverkusen to set up the tie, but it is Diego Simeone's men who will head into the game with greater confidence.Despite trailing their neighbours by eight points in La Liga, the reigning champions of Spain have already beaten Carlo Ancelotti's side four times this season.

Their last success came back in February when they recorded a thumping 4-0 league victory over Madrid at the Vicente Calderon and Casillas is expecting two difficult encounters in Europe.

"We've run into Atletico Madrid again in the Champions League," the goalkeeper wrote on Twitter. "They are two Madrid derby matches that will be very tough."
Casillas is under immense pressure to retain his place in Ancelotti's side after an error-strewn display in the second leg against Schalke.

The 33-year-old was dropped by Jose Mourinho during his spell in charge of the club and replaced by Diego Lopez before regaining his spot following the appointment of the Italian.

But his mistakes against the Bundesliga outfit mean he faces stern competition from deputy keeper Keylor Navas for a starting berth in the weeks ahead.

 

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Manchester United must beat Liverpool, admits Van Gaal

Beating Liverpool at Anfield would bring Manchester United a lot closer to finishing in the top four, admits Louis van Gaal.

Fourth-placed United lead their bitter rivals by two points heading into Sunday's clash, having emerged 3-0 winners when the two sides met at Old Trafford back in December.

Liverpool have enjoyed a 13-game unbeaten run in the Premier League since that defeat and Van Gaal knows ending the Merseysiders' streak would go a long way towards consolidating United's return to the Champions League next season.

"It [the race for the top four] shall last to the end," the Dutchman told reporters.

"But a win helps - and it helps a lot. It helps to continue for Manchester United because after a victory you need another victory to confirm what you have done against Tottenham.

"It is always about the next game because Manchester United is not in a moment that we can say a victory or loss doesn't matter. We have to win and also after the game against Liverpool we have to win otherwise it shall be for nothing the victory against Liverpool.

"The Spurs result (United won 3-0) could be the 'major' one we have been looking for but then we have to continue and then we have to confirm against Liverpool the display against Tottenham because when we can confirm it then we show that we are there maybe.

"But its the most difficult ground for Manchester United I believe I have heard. It is not a very easy ground for United that's true so - but now I'm the manager here maybe we can change that.

"When we play like we have played against Tottenham then we have a great possibility to win."

 

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Messi can play any position - Martino

Argentina coach and former Barcelona boss Gerardo Martino says Lionel Messi is a dream to work with as he can play in almost any position on the pitch.

The 27-year-old famously operated as a 'false nine' for four years during Pep Guardiola's reign in charge of the club but has often played in the No.10 role under Luis Enrique this season.

Messi has also switched to wider roles in a front three alongside Neymar and Luis Suarez, and produced two devastating performances in the last-16 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League.

Martino has had the pleasure of coaching the Argentine for both Barca and the national side and believes he is equally effective in any number of roles."For a long time we haven't seen him be as absolutely crucial as he was against Manchester City on Wednesday," the coach told Mundo Deportivo.

"He can play on the right, left, as a No.9, behind the striker, or even as a No.4! He is able to make the difference anywhere on the pitch."Martino added that a player with Messi's gifts needs little positional direction and believes it is best to allow him as much freedom as possible on the field.

"Sometimes, it is logical that by analysing a player one thinks it is better to play him in one place or another, but then, if he is good, you can be more flexible. The reality is that his effectiveness is down to him rather than where he is put on the pitch by the coach."

 

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Madrid can't sack Ancelotti - Beckham

Real Madrid would be making a big mistake if they opted to part ways with coach Carlo Ancelotti, according to David Beckham, who has spoken of his "love" for the Italian coach.

Ancelotti's future at the Santiago Bernabeu has been called into question following a poor run of results at the start of the year, which has seen Barcelona overtake the European champions at the top of La Liga.

Beckham played under the Italian at both AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain and lavished praise on his former boss as he highlighted the Italian's personal and coaching qualities.

"Is he the right man for the job? For me he is, yes," the former Real Madrid midfielder told AS. "Because he knows how to get respect out of the players, he knows how to get the best out of the players – and the players respect him, as does everybody in the football world. For me, yes.

"I love Carlo, he’s one of the best people I’ve ever spent time with, one of the best managers I’ve ever been managed by. He’s a manager who has humility, he has so much passion for the game, he’s a winner, he’s always been successful wherever he has gone and for me, he’s not just one of the nicest people in the world but also one of the best managers I have ever played under.

"To see the success he has already had at Real Madrid for me is incredible and not surprising. I look at him as a person and as a manager – as a person, you can’t get any better and as a manager, the same. He’s one of the best."

Madrid face Barcelona on Sunday, in a match in which Gareth Bale will again bid to silence the doubters who have criticised his performances in recent months.The Wales international has been booed by his own fans during several games but responded with two goals in the 2-0 win over Levante last weekend, and Beckham says he remains one of the game's greatest talents.

He added: "Gareth had the perfect season last year – he scored important goals; he arrived at Real Madrid as one of the most expensive players in football so there was always going to be expectations. Gareth is one of the best players in the world and he’s joined a team with a lot of other great players.

"To play with Cristiano [Ronaldo], to play with Sergio [Ramos], to play with Iker [Casillas]… and all the other players he’s playing with, that’s going to make him a better player. Last season was a perfect season for him; this season, he’s still doing well but there’s always going to be moments when doesn’t do as well in games – that’s normal as he is one of the best players. He’s scored great goals already this season and he’s a great character. For me, he’s one of the best."

But despite his loyalties towards Madrid, Beckham admitted Sunday's Clasico could go either way: "Obviously, I’m on side of Real Madrid but it’s going to be a difficult game and a good match to watch as always."

 

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Pele: I'd choose Messi over Ronaldo

Football legend Pele has told Goal that he would rather have Lionel Messi than Cristiano Ronaldo in his team.

The two modern-day greats are set to face off in La Liga on Sunday as Barcelona take on Real Madrid at the Camp Nou, and the Brazilian great has revealed that the Argentine is the man he would turn to if he was a coach.

“They play a different kind of football, but I think Messi is more for the team, and gives more assists, whereas Ronaldo is more about scoring.“I think Ronaldo is a lot like Ronaldo Nazario from Brazil, he is the same style as him.

“If I had a team and had to choose, I’d choose Messi. But both players are fantastic.”Asked whether the two would be able to replicate their current goalscoring exploits in his era, Pele insisted the pair have timeless talent.

“No, I think they are good players who could play at any time. Even in my time, I managed to score more than 1000 goals.”

Messi will line up alongside Pele’s compatriot Neymar on Sunday, with the Brazilian star having netted 26 goals in 35 games so far this term.But the 74-year-old, speaking at a Subway restaurant in London after preparing a footlong sandwich alongside former Liverpool stars Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman, insists the Barca No.11 could get even better with experience.

“Listen, we always expect Neymar to play well... even myself, for example, because he is from Santos and I helped him when he was a youth,” he told Goal.
“My son, Edinho, was a goalkeeper at Santos and was his coach there. Then everybody crossed their fingers hoping that Neymar would keep it going.

“He is a good player, no doubt. I think he needs a little bit more experience, but he has a great future.”

 

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Ibra: PSG-Barcelona not about personal revenge


Paris Saint-Germain forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic has dismissed the suggestion that he will be out for personal revenge when the French champions face his old club Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The Swede's stay at Camp Nou ended in acrimony as his relationship with then boss Pep Guardiola deteriorated over the course of a turbulent, solitary campaign.
The fall-out was felt for years after as Ibrahimovic wrote at length about his clashes with ‘The Philosopher’ in his autobiography, 'I am Zlatan', but the forward insists that he has put his grievances behind him.

“No, absolutely not, [it’s not about revenge] It’s not me who is talking, it’s the papers,” Ibrahimovic said.

“I train every day, the game [against Barca] is coming and I want to get results. What has been said has been said and what has been done is done. I look forward, I don’t look behind. I’ll just play and let’s see what happens.

He will miss his side’s first leg at Parc de Princes on April 15 after picking up a controversial red card in the second leg of PSG’s last 16 tie with Chelsea, but he will be available for the return at Camp Nou.

“I got just one game [suspension] in the Champions [League],” he continued.
“If you want to win the Champions [League] you have to play against the best teams. I think we will be ready and we will enjoy the two games.”“I don’t call it revenge. Every game is a new game.”

Ibrahimovic became PSG’s third all-time top scorer as he his 97th, 98th and 99th goals for the club with a hat-trick in their 4-1 victory over Lorient on Friday. He sits just one goal behind Dominique Rocheteau and 10 behind the club’s all-time leading scorer, Pauleta.

 

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Mancini: Inter will fight for Scudetto next season

Roberto Mancini is adamant that his Inter side will learn from their current difficulties and challenge for the Serie A title next season.

The Milan giants have endured a turbulent campaign, initially struggling in the bottom half of the table under the stewardship of Walter Mazzarri before making a slight improvement under Mancini.

Since Mancini's return to the club in November, Inter have risen to eighth, but they have been far from impressive and go into Sunday's clash with Sampdoria on the back of three successive league matches without a win.

Mancini acknowledged that his side have had their difficulties in recent months, but he is convinced that Inter will be fighting alongside Juventus at the top of the table next season.

"There have been some difficulties," he told reporters. "But the guys have always done their best."For me, the group has improved, but unfortunately the results are not proving us right.

"It takes patience, but I'm sure the best moments will come and Inter will be fighting at the summit next year. "We will work together during the summer and new players that can help those who are already in the team will arrive.

"Working at Inter is inspiring and I'm sure we will find the resources to build a competitive team."

 

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Pulis calls for reviews after McAuley mistakenly sent off

West Brom boss Tony Pulis called for managers to be able to challenge refereeing decisions after seeing Gareth McAuley mistakenly dismissed in Saturday's 3-0 loss to Manchester City.

The incident occurred in the second minute of the clash at the Etihad Stadium, when Craig Dawson fouled Wilfried Bony, but McAuley was the man incorrectly sent off by referee Neil Swarbrick.

Pulis was also unhappy with City's second goal, scored by Fernando, suggesting that Saido Berahino - who later hit the crossbar from point-blank range - had been fouled in the build-up.

"If they're saying they're the laws of the game then the lad has to be sent off – fine," Pulis told BT Sport . "But how he gets the lad wrong is just absolutely amazing.

"The second goal shouldn't be allowed, Saido gets kicked in the face. It's a decision that leads to the second goal and kills the game.

"It was going to be tough here 11 against 11. Saido's missed a great chance to make it 2-1. It was a game that was decided in the first couple of minutes."

Pulis recommended a new system be implemented to avoid such decisions being repeated, adding: "We obviously don't have a say what the refs do or what they don't do, but it affects us.

"But if you're given that opportunity where the referee can have a 30-second call-back - I'd have two for each manager in each game. That eradicates all the stuff that we're going to be talking about now."

The result leaves West Brom still looking over their shoulders at the bottom three, with key matches at home to QPR and Leicester City up next.

 

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Referee Swarbrick apologises for red-card gaffe

Neil Swarbrick has issued an apology after a case of mistaken identity led to him sending off West Brom's Gareth McAuley for a foul committed by Craig Dawson early in Saturday's game with Manchester City.

The incident occurred in just the second minute of the Premier League contest at the Etihad Stadium, when Wilfried Bony was fouled by Dawson only for McAuley to get given his marching orders after play had initially been allowed to go on.

A statement from Professional Game Match Officials Ltd, the body responsible for refereeing appointments, read: "The referee has confirmed the offence was caused by a different player, which should be addressed now as a case of mistaken identity. The referee has apologised for his error."

City went on to win the game 3-0 with Bony, Fernando and David Silva on target, but West Brom boss Tony Pulis felt key decisions went against his side.

"If they're saying they're the laws of the game then the lad has to be sent off - fine," he told BT Sport. "But how he gets the lad wrong is just absolutely amazing."The second goal shouldn't be allowed, Saido [Berahino] gets kicked in the face. It's a decision that leads to the second goal and kills the game.

"It was going to be tough here 11 against 11. Saido's missed a great chance to make it 2-1. It was a game that was decided in the first couple of minutes."
Swarbrick's error is the latest in a string of high-profile refereeing mistakes in England's top flight.

Roger East also recently appeared to have sent off the wrong player when showing Wes Brown a red card for a tackle made by John O'Shea at Manchester United - though the official later claimed to have spotted an infringement by Brown.

 

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Klopp: Dortmund still in relegation fight

Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp says his side are still battling for their Bundesliga survival.

The 2011 and 2012 German champions were expected to push Bayern Munich all the way in a battle for the title this season, but a horrendous first half of the season has left them looking nervously over their shoulders rather than up ahead at Pep Guardiola’s runaway leaders.

A 3-2 victory over Hannover on Saturday moved them tenth in the table, 11 points behind fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen and Germany’s final Champions League place – but just eight away from the relegation zone.Consequently, Klopp says beating the drop remains his primary concern at the moment.“We are still fighting against relegation,” Klopp told Sky. “But today we can go back home relieved."

Saturday’s victory, which followed back-to-back goalless league draws, saw Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hit his 17th and 18th goals in all competitions, leaving only Bayern duo Thomas Muller and Arjen Robben, and Frankfurt’s Alex Meier, as the only Bundesliga players with better records this season.

The Gabon international insists that while his coach may well be concerned by the threat of relegation, he is focused only on climbing the table.“This win was very important,” he said. “We can look upwards now.”

Shinji Kagawa grabbed the other goal as Dortmund recorded their 700th Bundesliga victory and ones that means with 18 points since the winter break, they have already bettered their points tally (15) for the entire first half of the season.