..::Football III::..

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Manchester United target Clyne edging closer to new Southampton contract - Reed

Southampton chief executive Les Reed is confident Nathaniel Clyne will sign a new contract and deal a blow to Manchester United's summer transfer plans.

The full-back has had another outstanding season at St Mary's and, as revealed by Goal, has attracted the attention of Louis van Gaal.

Goal understands the England international, whose current deal is due to expire in 2016, had told United that he wants to join them which prompted Ronald Koeman into publicly issuing the player a deadline to decide his future.

With that 10-day time limit having passed, Clyne said he was "happy to stay at Southampton" as United looked to lose out on one of their key targets, with Reed now "confident" Clyne will join Jay Rodriguez in penning a new deal.

"With Clyney it's been the same as with Jay, we've been talking for quite a while," Reed told the club's official website.

"Ronald made a comment that there was a deadline. That deadline was more about getting a response, and that issue has been solved by the fact Nathaniel has changed his agent. We got an immediate response from his new agent.

"That's not our business, but there was something there slowing things down. That's all accelerated, I'm in discussions with his agent and those have been very positive.

"Nathaniel has already made statements that he's happy here. There's bound to be speculation because he's such a good player and has had such a good season so we have to balance that against what he can do for us in the future and what we can do for him.

"We're at a very good place at the moment in terms of discussions going on and I'm confident again that we will have a resolution to that sooner rather than later."

 

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Charity denies Ronaldo Nepal donation

The charity Save the Children has denied reports that Cristiano Ronaldo has made a €7 million donation towards the Nepal earthquake fund.

It had been claimed the 30-year-old had given the sum to the organisation to help with the relief effort in the country, with the seven representative of the number he wears for Real Madrid.

A statement on the charity's website said: "The global ambassador for Save the Children, Cristiano Ronaldo, has used his voice to raise awareness of the problems facing the most vulnerable children in the world."But the latest information regarding an alleged donation from Ronaldo to the emergency response of Save the Children in Nepal is false.

"After the second earthquake, which has brought further devastation to the country, the non-governmental organisation wants to thank Cristiano Ronaldo and other influential people for their support in publicising the situation children and families in Nepal are facing."

An estimated 8,000 people were killed when a massive earthquake hit the country on April 25, before a second quake struck on May 12, killing 16 more people.

 

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Messi the best in the world, but my goals were more beautiful - Maradona

Diego Maradona says Lionel Messi is currently the best player in the world, but insists his own goals were “more beautiful” than those of the Barcelona star.
The Argentine legend, who played for the Catalan club, as well as the likes of Napoli and Boca Juniors during a glittering career, is often been labelled as the greatest ever to play the sport.

And while he believes his countryman is the best there is in the modern game, rating him above Real Madrid ace Cristiano Ronaldo, he says that Messi is still developing as a footballer.

“I think the goals come with the style. I think Messi is finding his own style, but he is killing it with the goals. This makes you accelerate the pace. Most likely, he will find his style very soon,” Maradona told CNN.

“I think that I had my own style from the very beginning, so that is the point at which I could be better than Messi. But Messi has scored 300 goals, whereas I think I scored a little over 200 in my whole career.“But the thing is, my goals were more beautiful!”

Messi scored two goals in Barcelona’s 5-3 aggregate victory over Bayern Munich, which saw them book a spot in the Champions League final against Juventus.

 

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Gerrard: I'll always regret not winning the title with Liverpool

Steven Gerrard has admitted that he'll always look back on his time at Liverpool and regret not winning the Premier League.

The 34-year-old is set to make his final appearance at Anfield on Saturday against Crystal Palace, before the Reds' final game of the season at Stoke - potentially his 710th game for the club.

Liverpool have failed to replicate last season's title challenge and look set to finish 5th, leaving Gerrard, whose costly mistake against Chelsea last year contributed to the Reds collapse, to rue the missed opportunity.

Speaking to LFCTV, he said: "I look back at it with pride, I'm really proud of what I've achieved here.

"All the trophies I've won and all the great memories I've had, but certainly, not winning the Premier League will certainly be a dent in that.

"There's nothing I can do it about it now, it's certainly a regret I'll go away with, but I've got to look at the big picture.

"Growing up as a boy and dreaming of playing for Liverpool, just that one time, sitting here now with 708 appearances, I've achieved an awful lot more than what I thought I would at the beginning."

In what is set to be an emotional farewell, Gerrard added: "I don't know [how emotional Saturday will be]. I haven't got a clue, I don't know what it's going to be like at the end of the game when I get the chance to say goodbye for real.

"I've been dreading this moment, in a strange way, because I'm going to miss it so much; playing at Anfield, playing in front of the fans, I'm going to miss playing with my team-mates.

"So it will be emotional but the plan is to keep it together, stay strong and try to avoid the tears."

Asked what he will miss the most from his time at Anfield, Gerrard said: "I think it'll be the supporters as a whole. They've given me incredible support since day one, they've been there for me throughout this journey and I've had some really cruel lows and some incredible highs but their support for me has never changed.

"There might be a few individuals who have changed their opinion of me over the 17 years and that's fine but I think as a whole, at Anfield and around the world, I've had incredible support so that'll be the most emotional goodbye.

"But just here at Melwood, the staff, the players that I work with day in, day out, that's what I'm going to miss the most, and playing at Anfield."

 

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Tottenham goalkeeper Friedel to retire at end of season

Tottenham goalkeeper Brad Friedel has announced he will retire at the end of the season.

The 43-year-old and, who has been capped 82 times for United States, joined Liverpool from Columbus Crew in 1997 and has since gone on to play for Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa and Tottenham.

Friedel holds the record for most consecutive Premier League games with 310, a run dating from August, 2002 until October, 2012 for Blackburn and Villa before before Hugo Lloris ousted him at Tottenham.

"I'm incredibly proud of what I’ve achieved in my career," Tottenham's oldest ever player told the club's official website. "When I first started the journey I never imagined it'd be this long.

"One thing I will miss is that day-to-day interaction with the staff and players. There really is nothing like it but my 44th birthday is here, so I think it is a good time to call it a day."

Friedel's retirement will see him return to the US to work as a television pundit and as an American ambassador for Tottenham, with Spurs set to take on the MLS All-Stars in July.

"I've got a great relationship with the staff and board, so I'll certainly do my bit to help the club go further," he added.

"I've had a tremendous time here and met a lot of great people along the way. This is a wonderful football club and I feel honoured to have been a part of it for four years."

 

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Chelsea confirm Nathan signing

Chelsea have confirmed the signing of attacking midfielder Nathan from Atletico Paranaense.

The Brazil Under-20 international is believed to have cost around £4.5 million, and shared an Instagram picture on Monday of him apparently signing his contract with the Blues.

The club have now confirmed the signing, and Nathan has expressed his delight at completing the move.

"I am very happy to be joining Chelsea, the champions of England, and I hope I will be able to learn a lot and develop my game," he told the club's official website.

Nathan scored five goals in five games at the Under-17 World Cup in 2013 and was also named in the team of the tournament, with the 19-year-old now set to continue his career at Stamford Bridge.

Reports have also suggested that he could soon be joined by his Brazilian team-mate Kenedy, who has also been heavily linked with a move to the club.

 

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Suarez a doubt to face Atletico due to hamstring injury

Luis Suarez did not take part in Barcelona training on Thursday due to a left hamstring problem.

The Camp Nou outfit returned to work having been given a day off following their Champions League aggregate semi-final triumph over Bayern Munich, in which Suarez was replaced by Pedro at half-time.

It is as yet unclear whether Suarez's problem will keep him sidelined for Sunday's clash with Atletico Madrid, but Barca will be hoping the Uruguayan can reclaim his place alongside Neymar and Lionel Messi in the Catalans' front three as soon as possible.

Victory against Atleti would see Barca secure the Liga title with a game to spare and keep their hopes of a treble alive.Right-back Dani Alves also trained alone at the Ciutat Esportiva.

 

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Only Bale will decide his Real Madrid future - Calderon

Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon insists Gareth Bale will only leave the club this summer if he decides to force his way out.

Bale has come under-fire in recent months following a series of below-par performances, and turned in another lacklustre display as Real were eliminated from the Champions League by Juventus on Wednesday, with the Welshman missing a host of chances as the Serie A side progressed to the final 3-2 on aggregate.

Bale's agent, Jonathan Barnett, has suggested that his client's team-mates do not pass to him enough , while Manchester United are monitoring his situation, with the former Tottenham Hotspur winger a priority target for Louis van Gaal's side .

Goal understands that Bale is determined to remain in Spain and make a success of his move , and Calderon believes that the 25-year-old's future is in his own hands, while he has also rejected talk that the star has failed since joining the club in a world-record €100 million transfer from Spurs in 2013.

"I think Gareth Bale will stay at Real Madrid. As I always say, it's the player who decides whether he leaves or not," he told TalkSport .

"I don't see Real Madrid selling him now, having paid more than €100m for him. He'll only leave if he says, 'I'm not happy here, I want to leave'.

"That's the only situation I can see him leaving the club. He wasn't the worst player against Juventus, he was unlucky not to score.

"I don't think he's been a failure. He came with a higher transfer fee than Cristiano Ronaldo so people are always going to compare Bale with him.

"They want to see him be better than Ronaldo, to score more goals. It's impossible, though.

"It's unfair to say he's failed. Real Madrid are very demanding, they want to win all of the titles every year, but it's impossible."

 

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Manchester United Bale wa chase karalanam wadak wena 1kak naha​

 

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Ramos set for tests after playing Juventus injured

Sergio Ramos is set for tests on a calf injury after he played the entire second half against Juventus through the pain barrier.

The Real Madrid defender developed a problem in his lower left leg and Pepe began to warm up during half-time, but Carlo Ancelotti opted against replacing the Spain international.

Reports in Marca earlier on Thursday suggested Ramos has suffered a torn muscle and will almost certainly miss the remainder of the season, with Madrid still to play Espanyol and Getafe in La Liga.However, Goal understands the former Sevilla man will not know the extent of the injury for certain until medical tests are carried out on Friday.

Ramos, who was seen limping through the mixed zone after the 1-1 draw with Juventus, is believed to have first sustained the problem against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals following a challenge by Saul Niguez.

It is not thought to be a recurrence of the same calf problem that kept Ramos sidelined early in the spring.

As well as Madrid's final two league matches, Ramos could also be a doubt for Spain's international friendly with Costa Rica on June 11 and the Euro 2016 qualifier with Belarus three days later.

 

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Fiorentina 0-2 Sevilla (agg 0-5): Bacca and Carrico complete emphatic win for holders

Carlos Bacca was on target again as Sevilla saw off Fiorentina 2-0 on Thursday to complete an emphatic 5-0 aggregate triumph in the Europa League semi-final.

Unai Emery's side lifted the trophy last season with a penalty-shootout win over Benfica, but this tie was a much less nervy affair as goals from Bacca and Daniel Carrico in the first half ended any slim hopes of a Fiorentina comeback at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.

The home side - whose last appearance in a European final came 25 years ago - needed to score first to have any realistic ambition of turning the tie around, but Bacca and Carrico both struck from close range in a five-minute spell during the first half.

Sevilla are bidding to become the first club to lift the trophy on four occasions, after claiming back-to-back crowns under Juande Ramos in 2006 and 2007.

Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella called on his side to show great self-belief before the game, but they even failed to take an opportunity that was presented to them when Josip Ilicic missed horribly from the penalty spot in the second half.

Ultimately, it was another accomplished European performance from Emery's men, who have won 10 and lost just one of their 14 outings in this season's competition and will head to the final against Dnipro in Warsaw on May 27 as the favourites to retain their title.

Sevilla hardly needed to attack but they were quick out the blocks and felt they should have had a penalty when Aleix Vidal - two-goal hero from the first leg - went down under a challenge from Jose Maria Basanta in the sixth minute, but referee Damir Skomina waved their appeals away.

The hosts responded to that scare and were only denied an opener by a superb reflex save from Sergio Rico, who kept out Gonzalo Rodriguez's powerful header from Ilicic's corner.

Midway through the first half, Bacca effectively put the tie to bed with a typical poacher's finish.

Ever Banega's free kick from the right was allowed to travel into the heart of the six-yard box, and the Colombian reacted quickest to prod the ball high into the net for his 26th goal of the season.

Five minutes later, Sevilla underlined their dominance even further as another Banega set-piece picked out an unmarked Coke at the back post, and his cushioned lay-off was smashed home by Carrico from two yards.

David Pizarro and Matias Fernandez went close as Fiorentina attempted to salvage something, but Montella's wry smile as the half-time whistle sounded told a story, with Mohamed Salah and Ilicic denied by Rico's double stop as Sevilla continued to shut the door on their opponents after the break.

Fiorentina's misery was compounded as Ilicic blazed his spot-kick high over the crossbar following Grzegorz Krychowiak's foul on Pizarro, with attentions now turning to securing a spot in next season's competition as the race for places in Serie A heats up.

 

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Dnipro 1-0 Napoli (agg 2-1): Seleznyov stuns Benitez's side in semi-final

Yevhen Seleznyov's second-half header sent Dnipro into the Europa League final with a 2-1 aggregate win over Napoli.

Striker Seleznyov was the hero of the first leg as a substitute last week, netting an 80th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw at the Stadio San Paolo.

Rewarded for that goal by Myron Markevych with a start at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, Seleznyov duly repaid the faith shown in him by his coach.

Rafael Benitez's Napoli had dominated proceedings in the first half but found Dnipro goalkeeper Denys Boyko in fine form.

And the Serie A club were made to pay for not taking advantage of their superiority when Seleznyov broke the deadlock with a 58th-minute header.

Napoli upped the pressure in search of a leveller that would have forced extra-time. However, their efforts proved fruitless as the Ukrainian side stood firm to set up a final with holders Sevilla in Warsaw on May 27.

Gonzalo Higuain went close to opening the scoring after just eight minutes, but saw his effort kept out by a fine one-on-one save from Boyko, who displayed more impressive reflexes to deny the Napoli striker for a second time in the 28th minute.

Higuain met Faouzi Ghoulam's left-wing cross with a flicked near-post header, only to see Boyko dive brilliantly to his left and tip the ball behind.

It took 34 minutes for Dnipro to test Mariano Andujar at the other end. The Napoli goalkeeper was finally called into action to turn Seleznyov's curling effort round the post.

Dnipro emerged from the interval with a renewed vigour and Valeriy Luchkevych fired an effort narrowly wide four minutes into the second half following a quick counter from Seleznyov.

Benitez threw on captain Marek Hamsik in the 55th minute for his 50th Uefa competition appearance but, just three minutes later, Seleznyov made the telling impact.

Yevhen Konoplyanka floated a delivery from the left into the near post and Seleznyov held off the attentions of Miguel Britos to direct a well-placed header beyond Andujar.

Dnipro adopted a more defensive approach after the goal as they sought to protect the slim advantage and survived a scare 13 minutes from time, Higuain seeing a chipped effort cleared off the line by Douglas following a corner, while Yevhen Cheberyachko was fortunate to see a prod towards his own goal safely gloved by Boyko.

Matheus hit the bar with a header at the other end and, for all Napoli's endeavour, the visitors could not find a way through, with Benitez's hopes of winning the competition for a third time coming to an end.

 

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Napoli knockout wela nehhithuwe nathi team 1kak final awith thiyenne.​

 

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'Higuain said he would retire if Napoli lost'

Gonzalo Higuain threatened to quit football if Napoli failed to beat Dnipro in the Europa League, according to defender Artem Fedetskiy.

A solitary goal from Yevhen Seleznyov gave the Ukraine side a 1-0 win in the semi-final second leg and booked a place in their first ever European final with a 2-1 aggregate triumph.

Higuain was defended by head coach Rafa Benitez following a poor display on Thursday but Fedetskiy says the Argentine should now stand by his alleged comments.

"Before the match, Higuain said that, if Napoli didn't win, he would stop playing football," he told reporters.

"Now I'll wait until tomorrow. Everyone should take responsibility for the things they say. Maybe he didn't believe we were a worthwhile team."

Fedetskiy dedicated the victory to Ukraine's fighting forces, with the country still locked in a military dispute with Russia.

"I dreamed of this final. I'm happy and proud for my city, my team, my country. This victory is for our soldiers, who are defending us. They are our heroes," said the 30-year-old.

 

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Emery: Sevilla love the Europa League

Sevilla coach Unai Emery has confessed that his side "love" the Europa League after the defending champions progressed to the final once more with an emphatic 5-0 win over Fiorentina.

Following a 3-0 victory in the first leg, the Andalusians scored twice without reply in Florence to book a date against Dnipro on May 27 in Warsaw, with Carlos Bacca and Daniel Carrico finding the net.

Emery is looking forward to the event already and believes it is a just reward for the efforts of his side.

"I'm really satisfied with our work and happy for our fans," he told Mediaset. "We love this competition. Now we must enjoy our success and think about the final.

"We are unbeaten in the knockout stages playing against great teams such as Borussia Monchengladbach and Zenit St Petersburg.

"Against Fiorentina we played a great knockout tie, but we suffered in the first half. Our goals made us stronger."

With a Champions League place next season on the line, Emery is not taking anything for granted against the Ukrainians.

"Dnipro are in the final because they deserve it. It won't be easy and we must keep our focus."

Sevilla are seeking their fourth title, having won the competition in its previous guise, the Uefa Cup, back-to-back in 2005-06 and 2006-07.

 

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Fiorentina deserve more respect from fans - Montella

After Fiorentina were convincingly dumped out of the Europa League semi-finals by Sevilla, coach Vincenzo Montella was angry at the reaction of supporters at the final whistle.

Facing a 3-0 deficit after last week's first leg, Fiorentina's slim chances of turning the tie around were ended when Carlos Bacca and Daniel Carrico struck for the holders in the space of five first-half minutes.

That left Fiorentina needing to score six times in a little over an hour, and they passed up their one golden opportunity when Josip Ilicic blazed a penalty over midway through the second period.

The game finished 2-0, sealing a 5-0 aggregate defeat for Fiorentina, and some fans jeered at the final whistle, which displeased Montella.

"I thought we tried to play and score right to the final whistle, even though qualification was clearly out of reach, so my team deserve more respect than they received," he told Sport Mediaset.

"Considering the efforts, the results so far all season, I don't think this side deserved jeers. I think my team deserves more respect than they are getting at this moment from the crowd.

"Perhaps this proved the Fiorentina fans in the stadium tonight do not understand their place in the football world. It's a shame."

When asked if he would remain at the club next season, Montella replied: "I have a contract, we'll evaluate everything at the end of the season.

"The club may even decide not to have me on the bench, if they are not satisfied.

"With the resources at our disposal, I think we achieved slightly more than we were really capable of this season. I hope to continue with players and indeed men of this character, and for Fiorentina to have them in future."

 

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Chelsea have given Cech permission to leave - agent

Chelsea have given Petr Cech permission to seek a transfer this summer, the goalkeeper's agent has confirmed.

The Czech Republic international has been No.2 to Thibaut Courtois this season after the young Belgian returned from his loan at Atletico Madrid, with Jose Mourinho keen to keep two excellent keepers on his books.

But Viktor Kolar, Cech's representative, says that his client is keen to seek first-team football elsewhere and the Blues have relented.

"Petr has a valid contract with his current club, however, I can confirm that we have been permitted by Chelsea to negotiate with interested parties," Kolar told talkSPORT.

"Petr has confirmed his interest to play regularly at a top club."

The 32-year-old has played 14 games in all competitions this season but only five in the Premier League as Mourinho's side secured the title.

 

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Gerrard tells Sterling: Sign a new contract at Liverpool

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has told team-mate Raheem Sterling to sign a new contract at Anfield.

The 20-year-old forward turned down a six-figure salary earlier this season and told the BBC in April that discussions regarding his future had been postponed until the end of the season.

And Gerrard, who will play his final game at Anfield against Crystal Palace on Saturday before joining LA Galaxy in the summer, is adamant that Merseyside remains the best place for Sterling's development.

"Of course I'm biased but my advice to Raheem now is you have a manager who will believe in you and you can learn from and there is no one better than Brendan Rodgers for that," the midfielder said at his farewell press conference on Thursday.

"He should sign a new deal here. Brendan is a fantastic man-manager and puts a lot of time and effort into the development of an individual.

"The danger for these young players is they want it all too soon and they go chasing it. Then they go to another club and just become a number."

Gerrard's 17-year association with his boyhood club will come to an end after Liverpool's final game against Stoke City, with the 34-year-old having signed a two-year contract with LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer.

But the Reds' long-serving captain says that he could one day return to Anfield in a coaching capacity.

"I certainly have ambitions to stay in the game. I think, to take a position at this club, you have to be good enough; you can't take one on reputation or name," he remarked. "It would be very naive to take a role here because you're Steven Gerrard or you've had a role on the pitch with the club.

"If there's a role offered that I feel I'm good enough for in a couple of years then I'll certainly consider it. I do feel I can contribute to some role in the future."

 

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'Mourinho texted me the good news' - Schurrle to receive Premier League winners' medal

Former Chelsea forward Andre Schurrle was delighted to hear from Jose Mourinho that he will receive a winners' medal despite leaving Stamford Bridge for Wolfsburg during the Blues' triumphant campaign.

The Germany international struggled for form and playing time in the first half of 2014-15, something on which he feels that his World Cup exploits played a big part, but will be recognised for his efforts.

Harbouring no grudge over his exit from Chelsea, Schurrle paid tribute to those who had secured them the trophy.

"I didn't know that I'd get a medal when I didn't play most of the second half of the season," he told the BBC World Service.

"Jose Mourinho sent me a text to say that I'd get a medal and he asked me to come to the last game. That was very nice for me.

"I'm really happy for the boys. They played a very good second half of the season so, of course, for me, it's good to get a medal but the boys did the work."

The 24-year-old remarked of his departure: "I had the World Cup, which was very perfect for me, and the start of the season was good as well. Then there came a little bit of a period for me where my body didn't feel very good, I was not clear in my head and I didn't have as many good moments for Chelsea.

"I wanted to come back to the Bundesliga, I wanted to feel a little bit more in the team and to get a bit more playing time.

"I love Chelsea still. I'm not frustrated; it was a great experience."

Though Schurrle struggled to assert his place in Mourinho's first-choice starting XI, he has no regrets over making the move to Stamford Bridge and believes that ambitious players should take the same risks.

"It can be difficult to get first-team football because you have so many good players," he observed. "I think I took my chances very well because normally, every time I got playing time, I did something good and I scored.

"The manager doesn't need to change anything because the team is winning - then it's very difficult. You just have to be clear in your head and take the chances when they come.

"If you have the chance, you have got to go there."

 

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Higuain not to blame for Napoli exit – Benitez

Napoli boss Rafael Benitez has defended striker Gonzalo Higuain after his side were knocked out of the Europa League at the semi-final stage by Dnipro 2-1 on aggregate.

After the first leg ended 1-1 in Italy, a single goal from Yevhen Seleznyov secured the Ukrainians' progress to the final.

The Serie A outfit passed up a number of chances, with Higuain especially guilty, yet the coach has absolved him of any individual blame.

"It isn't important to talk about any mistakes Higuain made," he told Mediaset. "We win and lose together.

"We had big chances both in the first and second half, but we couldn't score. We deserved more.

"Their goal was strange, but that's not important now; they are in the Europa League final and Napoli are not."

Victory in the Europa League would have brought a spot in the Champions League next term, and with qualification unlikely due to their position in Serie A, the Spaniard has confessed his tenure remains delicate.

"I have to talk with [club president Aurelio] De Laurentiis and he will take a decision in the next few days," the 55-year-old added.