..::Football II::..

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Chelsea captain Terry makes personal tribute to Di Matteo

Chelsea captain John Terry sent out a subtle tribute to former manager Roberto Di Matteo just hours before new boss Rafa Benitez's first game in charge against Manchester City on Sunday.

The defender, currently sidelined with a knee injury, abandoned his usual No.26 jersey and took to the field to run through a series of fitness drills with the Blues training staff wearing 16 instead - the number worn by Di Matteo during his four-year playing spell at Stamford Bridge.

The Italian was sacked by owner Roman Abramovich last week - the eighth coach to fall during the Russian's nine-year tenure - after a run of two wins in eight games, despite leading the west London club to a FA Cup and Champions League double last season.

Abramovich quickly turned to former Liverpool boss Benitez to fill the void, much to the dissatisfaction of Chelsea supporters still reeling from the dismissal of Di Matteo.

However, despite his show of support for his former manager at the weekend, Terry insists the dressing room is fully behind Benitez regardless of his Merseyside connections.

"On Thursday, we welcomed Rafa Benitez as our first-team manager," he said in his match program notes. "All the players are looking forward to working with him."

 

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Wenger confirms Arsenal interest in Zaha

Arsene Wenger has confirmed Arsenal's interest in bringing Crystal Palace sensation Wilfried Zaha to the Emirates, claiming that the winger is one of several players being considered by the north London club.

Responding to recent speculation linking the Gunners with a move for the winger, Wenger admitted that they had indeed been looking at Zaha, though "he is not more on the list than anybody else".

Zaha, who made his England debut in the recent friendly against Sweden, is rumored to have been attracting the interest of a number of top flight sides in the wake of a string of stunning displays for Palace so far this season.

Wenger was also coy on the on-going situation regarding Theo Walcott's contract negotiations, claiming that there is "no new news" to speak of.

 

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Higuain: Real Madrid can still win La Liga

Gonzalo Higuain is confident Real Madrid has what it takes to get back in the title race and pip Liga leader Barcelona to domestic glory.

The reigning champion has fallen 11 points behind its archrival following Saturday's away loss to Betis, but Higuain is not giving up on the title just yet.

"We are a huge number of points behind them and we are competing against great teams, but I have no doubt that this team has the squad to win the title," Higuain was quoted as saying by AS.

"We were in this position when I arrived but we ended up winning the league. It seems crazy, but I have no doubt we can do it."

Even though Higuain is confident Real Madrid can turn things around, he admits that the team will need some luck to get back into the title race.

"It's not in our hands, and we'll need other results to go our way, but we have the squad to keep fighting till the end and that's what we'll do," he said.

Higuain has netted seven goals in 10 league appearances this term, but is currently recovering from a hamstring injury.

 

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Cleverley agrees terms in principal on new Manchester United deal

Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley has agreed in principal a new five-year contract that will almost double his salary to 60,000 pounds-a-week, Goal.com can reveal.

The 23-year-old is expected to officially put pen to paper early in the New Year as Sir Alex Ferguson continues to secure United’s future by tying the club’s best young players down to long contracts.

Goal.com revealed in October that talks were imminent over a new deal for Cleverley to increase his current 35,000 pound weekly salary - rising to 40,000 including bonuses - to bring his wages in line with the likes of Chris Smalling and Phil Jones.

Cleverley only signed his existing deal, which runs until 2015, last October but United was keen to reward him for his impressive form having promised to renegotiate the terms once he became firmly established in the first-team.

It is the same stance taken with the likes of Smalling, Jones, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez, who have all penned new deals in the last 13 months and are considered the future core of the squad at Old Trafford.

Cleverley’s performances this season have been rewarded with a place in the England starting line-up for the Three Lions’ last four World Cup qualifiers as he begins to fulfil his billing as the so-called ‘new Paul Scholes’.

He scored his first Premier League goal for United in its win at Newcastle earlier this month and is now a regular in Sir Alex Ferguson’s side after injury troubles restricted him to just 15 appearances last season.

Cleverley, a versatile central midfielder, broke into United's first-team squad last term having previously spent time on loan at Leicester, Watford and Wigan.

 

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'The pain was more intense than ever' - Tottenham star Dembele reveals difficult road to recovery

Tottenham midfielder Mousa Dembele has revealed his latest spell on the sidelines following a hip injury was his worst yet, with the pain "more intense" than ever before - but he ready to play once again.


The Belgium international suffered a recurrence of the injury picked up while he was still at Fulham, and has been unable to start a game for Spurs since the 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on October 7.

While manager Andre Villas-Boas will be concerned at the severity of the midfielder's complaint, the Portuguese boss will be relieved to have his summer signing back as the side push for a Champions League place.

"I've had this hip problem before but this time it has been worse than it ever was in the past," he told reporters. ­"Normally I can rest for three or four days and it is okay but this time the pain was more intense and I needed a longer spell out."

The Belgian stated that he has worked hard on his recovery, and is happy the club allowed him time to work back to full fitness without the danger of suffering a setback.

"I've worked with a personal physio in Belgium and it requires a lot of exercises," Dembele said. "When I first got the problem again, I was worried that I would have to have an operation but the medical staff at Tottenham were very good."

"When I thought I would need an operation, it was a difficult time for me and I wasn't happy but, unfortunately, there isn't anything you can do about it. Luckily, I've now been given the all-clear to play by the doctors."

After a long time out Dembele is relieved to be on the pitch if only for short spells, and believes he can offer Villas-Boas an interesting alternative against Liverpool on Wednesday night.

"It's good to be back on the pitch again, even just for short spells, after having more than a month out," Dembele said. "I am a creative player and I can bring something more to the team."

 

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Karanka: Mourinho gives his all for Real Madrid

Aitor Karanka has defended Jose Mourinho after the flamboyant coach was jeered by his own fans in Real Madrid's Copa del Rey win over Alcoyano on Tuesday.


Mourinho has seemingly lost the backing of part of the Blancos faithful following the club's relatively disappointing start to the season, but Karanka has stressed that the former Inter boss always gives his all for the club.

"The coaching staff are there to work, the boss defends the team and is a professional who gives his all for Real Madrid," Karanka was quoted as saying on the club's official website.

He added, "We work for Real Madrid and we do our job. As the boss stated, it'll never be said that he isn't professional. But there's no pleasing everyone.

"You hear a lot of things from the bench. People come to the stadium and have a right to call things as they see them."

Madrid resumes La Liga match action on Saturday when it hosts Atletico Madrid.

 

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Ancelotti: Saint-Etienne defeat does not concern Paris Saint-Germain

Carlo Ancelotti has stressed that Tuesday evening's Coupe de la Ligue defeat to Saint-Etienne is no cause for concern for Paris Saint-Germain.


Les Parisiens created a number of chances to break the deadlock, but failed to beat goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier in both normal and extra-time, before being beaten 5-3 on penalties.

"It's a performance that gives us confidence for what’s to come. We just needed that goal. It's no cause for concern, "Ancelotti was quoted as saying on the Ligue 1 website.

He added, "We just couldn't score when we had the opportunities. My team was good, and so was the football we produced.

"I have no complaints with the players. We're disappointed with the result but the lads carried themselves very well. We played 120 minutes of consistent and dominant football."

PSG will be looking to return to winning ways on Saturday when it takes on Nice.

 

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Rodgers hails Gerrard's adaptation to Liverpool's new system

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has hailed captain Steven Gerrard's performances as he adapts to the club's new style of football.

The 32-year-old is in his 14th year with the Anfield side and although he has not been as potent in front of goal as in previous seasons, Rodgers believes that he is thriving as a senior figure at the club.

"Over the years Steven has always been the player who makes the difference," Rodgers told reporters. "He may not have had the goals this season that he has wanted but he has still been effective. He has obviously had to take on more of a mantle because it is a much younger group."

He added, "There is probably a bit more responsibility on him in relation to looking out more for the team because of its youthfulness.

"I just want him to be the player he is. The great thing is he wants to penetrate. Our game isn't about possession, though it is about keeping the ball of course.

"It's about tempo and the speed of the game and the way he plays and passes and the tempo of his game is superb."

The 39-year-old also hinted that he may try to sign Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge, stating that he hopes to bring a few players in but that there is always uncertainty whenever new managers join sides, such as Rafael Benitez's arrival at Stamford Bridge.

"You never know when new managers go into clubs, but we will see what happens over the course of the market for us," Rodgers stated.

"Hopefully we can get a few in. Obviously Ian Ayre has been dealing with transfer stuff in the background and doing a great job along with the recruitment team."

 

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Benitez: Abramovich does not expect Chelsea to play like Barcelona

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has told new interim manager Rafa Benitez that he does not expect the Premier League side to play like Barcelona.


However, the Russian still wants the team to play attacking soccer as they look to get their title aspirations back on track and seal the former Liverpool man's first win at the club in a west London derby against Fulham.

"It's possible to play attacking football, like Barcelona, with these players," Benitez told reporters. "But I have spent some time with Roman, and we were not talking about the Barcelona style.

"He wants to see his team play well. We watched the under-21s - me, him, Michael Emenalo and John Terry - and we were talking about the opposition players. Roman says he wants to see the team playing well and winning, but not with the Barcelona style. He knows we don’t have [Lionel] Messi, Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta - players who have been working together for years."

The Spaniard accompanied Abramovich at the match after dining together, hinting at a closer relationship between manager and owner than the club have had in its recent past.

"Roman is realistic, I'm sure. He's been fine since we've been talking about it. He sees how we work and he knows it'll take some time to fix everything, but he knows we can do it," Benitez added. "I think we can play attacking and defensive football together. We have to find the balance.

"We have players with talent in attack. We have to give the ball to them to create, that's our main issue: How do we link with them and give them the freedom to perform and do well? But they have to be organised as a team as well."

 

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Defoe is as good as Falcao, says Tottenham boss Villas-Boas

Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas insists Jermain Defoe is just as good as Atletico Madrid superstar Ramadel Falcao, with the manager suggesting the 30-year-old forward's "moments of brilliance" can turn games.

The English striker scored two goals as Spurs beat West Ham 3-1 in their London derby on Sunday, and the striker now has 10 goals in 19 total appearances this season. The 35-year-old manager praised Defoe's finishing instincts and believes his own striker is on top form.

"Jermain knows how to score goals. [His] hunger for goal is extreme," he told reporters. "He has been doing it for all of his life. I certainly put him alongside Falcao.

"I don't have a lot of experience. The experience I have is with a couple of strikers, but I put him up there with the best."

With seven goals in 13 league appearances, Defoe has a strike rate of more than one in two appearances in the Premier League this term - and his three strikes in five Europa League games have been invaluable for Villas-Boas.

"This [Defoe's goals] is what a manager wants - a striker on top form," Villas-Boas said. "He smells every cross and when the opportunity is there to tap it in. Plus he has the ability to turn on the defenders and he still has the pace in him to cause chaos. I think we saw that against West Ham."

Falcao played under Villas-Boas at Porto in the treble-winning 2010-11 campaign, and the Portuguese manager believes the Colombian and Defoe share similar traits in front of goal.

"When games are as difficult as that game was in the first half [against West Ham], you need players to unlock the game and make the most of opportunities, or an individual moment of brilliance," Villas-Boas continued. "I certainly had that with Falcao. Sometimes you would think that he wouldn't be there to reach a cross and he would appear out of nowhere.

"Jermain is the same. It's these moments of brilliance that can turn games. Players of his experience, they learn how to do other things better, in case they lose their pace.

"They work more on their anticipation, on knowing their rivals and their experience. I don't think it has been the case with Jermain [losing his pace]. He's still very, very fast, even though he's more experienced. I think on the striking position he will continue to score."

 

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'Ronaldo & Bale combining would be amazing for Real Madrid' - SouthallSouthall

Former Everton goalkeeper Neville Southall has stated his belief that Tottenham winger Gareth Bale would be a perfect fit for Real Madrid, should he decide to move there in the future.

As exclusively revealed by Goal.com, Bale is ready to test himself abroad and tell Tottenham he wants to move to Madrid, and Southall believes he would slot in well at the club alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

"Well if you had Cristiano Ronaldo on the right wing and Bale on the left wing that would be some team for Real Madrid, wouldn't it?" Southall told Goal.com.

"Hopefully though he'll just stay in Britain, and Welsh players tend to stay at home a lot, at your Manchester Uniteds and Man Citys -- that would probably be better [for him]."

On the topic of whether Bale will be able to secure a move to La Liga in the near future, Southall argued that Bale needs to remain patient for the time being, even if Southall agreed that eventually a time will come when he will need to seek a move to a bigger club.

"That's a tough one to answer but I think eventually Gareth will leave Tottenham," he added. "How much they need the money and how close they come to winning anything, that might be the only reason Gareth would consider leaving Tottenham, because he wants to start winning things.

"He might actually prefer to stay in Britain, whether that be Manchester United or Manchester City, which is obviously closer to Cardiff than Barcelona and Real Madrid, and we know that he's a home boy."

After an indifferent start to the new campaign for Andre Villas-Boas' side, though, many have questioned whether Bale is good enough to make the step up of playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world, but the 52-year-old has no doubt that he is capable of making the grade at either Real Madrid or Barcelona.

"Yes, he's been playing at that level already and when you play with better players it becomes easier to perform," he added. "It's always easier to play with good players than bad players, and I speak from experience, because you don't know what they're going to do.

"He's got that bit of pace that he could add to Barcelona and he'd be quality for them, but it's just if he wants to go there."

 

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Juventus prepares 7m euro offer for Llorente

Fernando Llorente could be on his way out of Athletic Bilbao in the January transfer window as Juventus is ready to make a 7 million euro offer for the powerful attacker, Goal.com can reveal.


The Serie A champion already attempted to lure the Spain international to Turin in the summer transfer window, but Athletic refused to let go of the 27-year-old earlier this year.

The Bianconeri are hopeful that the Basque side is willing to cash in on Llorente now, though, as the striker remains reluctant to sign a new deal, and could leave the club on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Llorente has mainly been warming the bench at San Mames ever since he announced his desire to leave at the end of the 2012-13 campaign, and he is desperate to leave sooner rather than later in order to get his career back on track.

The potential arrival of Llorente at Juventus Stadium effectively means the end of Alessandro Matri or Nicklas Bendtner's spell with the Old Lady.

Juve is ready to part company with one of the two once it has secured the services of a new striker, and general director Giuseppe Marotta has scheduled meetings with the agents of both players next week to discuss their futures at the club.

 

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Jonathan Wilson: Pragmatic Benitez searches for the balance that eluded Di Matteo

There is a contradiction at the heart of Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea. We are told he fell in love with soccer watching Manchester United beat Real Madrid 4-3 (in a losing cause) in the 2002-03 Champions League quarterfinal. We are told that he reveres the way Barcelona play and it appears he has a crush on Pep Guardiola. We do not *know*, of course, for Abramovich is as enigmatic as Garbo.

But let us assume that the hints and inferences are correct and that Abramovich does want to recreate Barcelona in west London. For a man with his resources it is a worthy ambition; why should he not set the side that has dominated European soccer over the past five years as his benchmark?

But for all Abramovich’s wealth, he is short of one vital resource: patience.

Barcelona did not become the side it is by appointing a coach and giving him six months. Tito Vilanova’s team is the result of a consistent philosophy introduced by Vic Buckingham and then Rinus Michels in the early '70s, propagated by the La Masia academy founded in 1979, reinforced by Louis van Gaal in the late '90s and then developed and reinterpreted by Frank Rijkaard and Pep Guardiola.

It is the result of a remarkable fusion of Dutch and local philosophies and four decades of evolution.

Abramovich has invested in his academy but each coach – nine now in nine years, only two of whom have lasted more than a season - is under such pressure that he dare not gamble on youth. The last player to come through Chelsea’s youth system to become a first-team regular is John Terry, who made his debut in 1998.

The constant changing of coaches, of course, precludes the establishment of any philosophy. Last season, Andre Villas-Boas was charged with overseeing the development of a more fluid approach based on close passing. He struggled, in part because he probably tried to do things too quickly, in part because players were resistant (for which he perhaps bore some responsibility; diplomacy does not appear to be a strength) and in part because the defenders available to him were unsuited to his preference for a high offside line.

So Roberto Di Matteo came in and returned to old virtues. Somehow, that brought the Champions League, but this season he too was tasked with finding a more attractive style. The interaction between Eden Hazard, Juan Mata and Oscar was at times stunning, but Hazard’s tendency to drift in off the left flank and reluctance to track back meant the left back was often exposed.

Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Shakhtar and Reading all caused Chelsea problems on that flank and Juventus right wing back Stephan Lichtsteiner twice destroyed Chelsea. The second time cost Di Matteo his job and so Abramovich has flipped back to a more cautious approach with the appointment of Rafael Benitez, the 'interim' in his job title suggesting how, even as Abramovich approaches a decade in charge, his project still feels like a series of short-term fixes.

 

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Van Nistelrooy: Van Persie can bring title back to Manchester United

Ruud van Nistelrooy insists Robin van Persie has the ability to fire Manchester United to the Premier League title.

The retired Dutchman, who scored 150 goals in a five-year spell at Old Trafford, believes his countryman - who has already netted eight times in 13 appearances for the club - can give United the edge in their battle to win back the crown they lost to Manchester City last term.

He told The Daily Mirror: "As Robin is proving right now, he's making the difference on many occasions. If he can keep going like this through the whole season then I can see United landing another title win.

"I think he's fitted in really well at United. It's important for a striker when he goes to a new club to start getting his goals in early. That's what happened to Robin. He has the experience of the Premier League already and he’s proved to be a great signing, the way he plays."

The former PSV Eindhoven and Real Madrid striker was keen to praise Van Persie, who he feels has justified £24 million [€29.8m] price-tag since joining the Red Devils from Arsenal in the summer.

Van Nistelrooy added: "I was close to him playing in the national team and I was convinced of his qualities then.

"It still has to work out, but hopefully he can go on and do even better. It's great to see, the way he plays. Robin fits into United's playing style. He's everywhere, involved in all of the play and the finishing as well, so that makes him special."

 

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Villas-Boas foresees Rodgers impact at Liverpool

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas believes that Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is primed for success with the Reds.

The 35-year-old Villas-Boas is very familiar with the former Swansea City manager, after having worked as part of Jose Mourinho's backroom staff at Chelsea together, and he said that he's followed his career ever since.

"The first time I came across Brendan was at an FA coaching course when we were trying to get our degrees and qualifications, we didn't know that our ways would cross paths," Villas-Boas told reporters. "I saw him again when we were at Chelsea in 2004, when he was there as a youth team coach and he had done really well since then.

"He started his career at the right time, went through a difficult period at Watford. He came strong at Reading and Swansea. [And now] he's in a position which he deserves to be and he has a bright future."

Villas-Boas goes into the mid-week game against Rodgers' Merseyside club knowing that a win can take his club into the top four, but with Spurs' opponents currently on an eight-game unbeaten streak of their own, he remains wary of the threat that they pose.

"At the moment they [Liverpool] are on a good run in terms of form," Villas-Boas said. "They would want ideally to turn the draws into wins. In a couple of games there were very close to winning but they didn't get the result that they wanted.

"They are in an awkward position in the league at the moment, but the distance between the teams [in the middle of the table] is not a lot so it can change dramatically for them and they can join the top 10 very soon. The power of the club is extremely high and the quality of the players and I think eventually they will join the battle for the top spots."

 

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Ronaldo worried his World Cup record will be beaten by Klose

Former Brazil international Ronaldo has spoken of his minor concern ahead of the 2014 World Cup as Germany forward Miroslav Klose could break his goalscoring record.

The Lazio striker is aiming to beat Ronaldo's long-standing record of scoring 15 goals in World Cup matches, and will match the Brazilian if he manages to grab a goal in his adversary's home nation.

"That worries me a little bit, but not much," admitted Ronaldo. "I think my history, and his history are separate, everyone makes their own story. "Regardless, if Klose does score in the World Cup and he matches me or surpasses me, I know my history will not be erased by this.

"Therefore, I have a small concern, but there is no envy, since he's playing and I'm not. We both have our own stories, mine has already been written but he is writing his now. It is what it is."

The 36-year-old also had advice for Santos star Neymar, amidst speculation about his future, as he would recommend European life to the young sensation.

"It is very good, the possibility of living in Europe," Ronaldo continued. "It really transforms a football player into a real man, especially a Brazilian football player who has the chance to play in Europe. He will have a great opportunity, both culturally, educationally and in sport to learn as much as possible. I think I learnt a lot, I was really dedicated to learning as much as I could in Europe, it was fantastic learning.

"I lived in Europe for 18 years, so I can affirm that for me, no university in the world could teach everything I learned playing football there. I would recommend it. Apart from conquering the world of football, it is a huge cultural learning opportunity for a player and it is an opportunity that you shouldn't miss."

When posed the question of Lionel Messi or his namesake Cristiano Ronaldo, the Brazilian answered definitely.

"Messi. I think both are fantastic players, they are the two best in the world, absolutely," he enthused. "But I think Messi still enchants more fans."

 

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Redknapp: Julio Cesar suffered groin tear against Sunderland

QPR manager Harry Redknapp has confirmed that goalkeeper Julio Cesar suffered a torn groin in the Rs' Premier League encounter with Sunderland on Tuesday.


The 33 year-old was substituted at halftime during his team's goalless draw with the Black Cats at the Stadium of Light and was replaced by second-choice shot-stopper and former England No. 1 Robert Green.

The position of goalkeeper has courted significant attention at Loftus Road this season after Green played just three games for the Eest London club before Mark Hughes signed the former Inter Milan No. 1 to replace him, and Redknapp was keen to praise both players.

"He did his groin. He tore a groin. He's a good pro, I've been impressed with him as a fella and can see why he's played at the very, very top," Redknapp told reporters. "Rob Green made a great save when he came on, so we're lucky there we've got two great keepers."

The 0-0 draw against Martin O'Neill's side away from home was only the fifth point that the Hoops' have managed to pick up in their 14 league games so far, and they remain rooted to the bottom of the table, eight points from safety.

 

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aint Etienne 0-0 Paris Saint-Germain (5-3 pens): Parisiens eliminated from Coupe de la Ligue

Saint-Etienne upset Paris Saint-Germain by recording a 5-3 victory on penalties following a scoreless draw with the capital side to progress through to the semifinals of the Coupe de la Ligue in front of a boisterous home crowd at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.

What promised to be an exciting quarterfinal tie proved to be tactical and tight, with the best opportunities falling to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who was twice denied by the inspired Stephane Ruffier in the Saint-Etienne goal. Penalties were the inevitable conclusion, and it was the home team who held their nerve, taking advantage of Thiago Silva's saved penalty to progress and defeat PSG for the second time this month.

In common with much of this match, the first half was played in a cagey fashion, with both sides toiling to make any great headway. Occasionally, though, there were bursts of real excitement, with the visitors providing the first of these as Ibrahimovic robbed Moustapha Bayal Sall only to be denied expertly by Ruffier.

At the other end of the field, PSG’s second-string shot-stopper Nicolas Douchez was not given an opportunity to show his skills. Romain Hamouma was a sporadic threat for the home side but failed to find the target with a couple of long-range shots, while the closest Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang came was a header cleared off the line by Clement Chantome.

Ezequiel Lavezzi, meanwhile, continued his improvement for PSG following a slow start to life in the French capital. The industrious Argentina international actually to put the ball in the net during the opening period, yet he had strayed a yard offside in making his run and was correctly flagged as such.

Even into the second half, opportunities remained scarce. Ibrahimovic continued to be frustrated by the home goalkeeper, while Jeremy Menez was similarly foiled after showing nice feet in the box to create space for himself.

Aubameyang spearheaded Saint-Etienne’s rare meaningful attacks, but from another corner kick he volleyed wide, having done well to judge the flight of the ball in the first place.

Extra time brought one glorious chance for Ibrahimovic following a dreadful back pass, but Ruffier showed terrific bravery to muffle the ball at the feet of the Swede, who appeared destined to score despite stretching to reach the ball.

It was justice that man-of-the-match Ruffier was Les Verts’ hero in stoppage time, blocking from Thiago Silva to send his side through as all the home side’s takers scored.

 

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Real Madrid 3-0 Alcoyano (agg 7-1): Angel helps Mourinho's men into last 16

Real Madrid progressed to the last 16 of the Copa del Rey after a professional, but hard-fought 3-0 win over Segunda B side Alcoyano on Tuesday evening.

Los Blancos dominated possession for the majority of the match, but found difficulty in breaking down the brave defense of the visitors. The opening goal eventually came midway through the second half when Angel Di Maria swept home from the right-hand side. A brace from Jose Callejon in the latter stages sealed the win.

The game was less than a minute old when Madrid's captain for the night Raul Albiol picked up a knock in a challenge with Javi Lara. Despite returning to the field of play he only lasted until the eighth minute as his ankle continued to trouble him, and he was replaced by the Portugal international Fabio Coentrao.

A fairly tepid start was brought to life by a moment of brilliance from Luka Modric in the ninth minute. The former Tottenham man lashed a venomous half volley at goal from 20 yards that was only kept out by a fine save from the Alcoyano goalkeeper Adrian Murcia.

Madrid, and particularly Modric, began to exert greater control in the midfield areas, and it was not long before the club threatened the Alcoyano goal again. The Croatian midfielder turned provider on this occasion, dissecting the Alcoyano defense with a perfect pass to Jose Callejon. Murcia rushed from his line to meet the Blancos attacker, and his antics were enough to put the 22-year-old off as his shot drifted wide.

Denis Cheryshev, making history this evening as the first Russian player to appear for Real Madrid, nearly capped his debut for the Liga club with a goal midway through the first half but for another smart stop from Murcia.

Murcia was called into action once more before halftime as he produced a diving save from Callejon's devilish free kick from 25 yards.Despite Madrid's dominance of both possession and chances in the first half the game was goalless at the break.

The second period started off in the same mould as the opening 45 minutes, with Mourinho’s men dominant in possession in and around the Alcoyano final third.

However, the visitors were arguably let off the hook 10 minutes into the second half when Sampedro Omar latched on to a pass through the middle from Jorge Devesa. The Alcoyano man only had the goalkeeper to beat but the play was brought back for a questionable offside decision.

The fans of the Segunda B side were in high spirits throughout the match, but in truth there was only one team that looked likely to break the deadlock as the game progressed, and it would have happened earlier if not for some superbly times interceptions from Juan Pereira and Oscar Lopez.

The opening goal eventually came 72 minutes in when substitutes Karim Benzema and Di Maria combined. The Frenchman, with one of his first touches in the match, found his teammate on inside right channel, and the Argentine showed composure to curl the ball into the far corner with a left-footed strike.

The strike from Di Maria added further woe to the visitors as Javi Selvas was shown a second yellow card in the aftermath of the goal, and was subsequently sent off.

The hosts probed for another goal, with strikes from Benzema and Di Maria coming within inches of doubling the lead. However, it was Callejon who eventually netted when he picked up the ball near the penalty spot and beautifully dinked the ball over the onrushing Murcia.
The 25-year-old doubled his tally moments later with a lovely finish through the legs of the Alconayo goalkeeper, ensuring an eventual comfortable victory for Los Blancos.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Aston Villa 1-0 Reading: Benteke header lifts hosts out of drop zone

A Christian Benteke header was enough to secure Aston Villa three points against Reading with a 1-0 victory moving the Villans out of the relegation zone as they leapfrog Southampton into 17th place in the Premier League.

In a game full of endeavor but bereft of real quality, it was an Aston Villa set piece that ultimately consigned the Royals to at least another few days in the relegation zone, as Benteke powered home from a Kieran Westwood corner for a Villa side that played without a healthy Darren Bent included in the squad.

It was just nine minutes before the first clear-cut chance fell the away side's way with a Jobi McAnuff cross producing a Hal Robson-Kanu toepoke that forced Brad Guzan into an excellent point-blank save en route to his second straight clean sheet.

An even better chance fell Benteke's way 10 minutes later, as a Jay Tabb cross found him in the area, only for the Belgian's sidefooted effort to be saved with aplomb by Adam Federici. It was Benteke's turn to play provider next as he squared a cross to Andreas Weimann who, six yards out, could only blaze way over with the strike.

Half-chances continued to fall both sides' way in the second half, with Brett Holman first firing wide for the home side, before both Adam Le Fondre and Ciaran Clark failed to capitalize from free headers for their respective sides.

The end-to-end game continued as Guzan produced another decent save to deny a Jason Roberts effort with 65 minutes gone.

Both sides continued to battle without much reward, and it was the 80th minute before the stalemate was finally broken as, following a Westwood corner, Benteke powerfully rose above Sean Morrison and thumped his header emphatically home from eight yards out.

Reading was unable to mount a comeback of any substance, with the only clear cut chance falling to substitute Noel Hunt, who could only head into Guzan's grateful arms.