..::Football II::..

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Falcao focused on Atletico Madrid, says father

The prolific striker is continually being linked with a move away from the La Liga side, but Radamel Garcia is adamant the Colombian is not thinking about a summer transfer Radamel Falcao's father Radamel Enrique Garcia King has insisted the Colombia international is focused on Atletico Madrid amid ongoing speculation that he could be on his way to the Premier League this summer.

The prolific striker has caught the attention of clubs such as Chelsea and Manchester City, but his father has stressed that he still has an ongoing contract with his current club.

"Falcao will decide his own future, but he is solely focused on Atletico Madrid for now," Garcia told Marca TV. "He still has three years on his contract with Atletico."

The 27-year-old has developed into one of the most wanted strikers around since joining Atletico Madrid from Porto in the summer of 2011.

He guided the Spanish side to Europa League glory last term, and has already netted 21 goals in 25 La Liga appearances so far this campaign, helping the Rojiblancos to third spot in the table.

 

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Falcao rumor 1kath digatama yai wage

 

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Anelka ridicules 'stupid' Juve exit reports

The Bianconeri striker has hit back against a report from France suggesting that he was planning on calling time on his Serie A stint already.Juventus striker Nicolas Anelka has branded rumors that he wants to terminate his contract as "stupid."

Le 10 Sport reported that the former Arsenal and Chelsea striker was planning on calling time on his Serie A stint already, suggesting that he is frustrated with a lack of playing time at his new club.

However, the Frenchman angrily denied the rumors and insisted that he has no plans of leaving Antonio Conte's squad prematurely.

Anelka tweeted: "I never even thought of rescinding my contract with Juventus. Once again 10Sport are spreading stupid reports!"

Anelka joined Juventus in January to provide attacking back-up to Sebastian Giovinco, Mirko Vucinic, Fabio Quagliarella, Alessandro Matri and on-loan Nicklas Bendtner.

 

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Saviola: Two weeks to determine Malaga's future

The Argentine striker spoke about the importance of the coming fixtures, and believes wins will be a huge morale boost to his side.

Javier Saviola says that the next two weeks will define the remainder of Malaga's season.Los Boquerones have a double-header in La Liga, facing rivals Rayo Vallecano and Real Sociedad who are both involved in the chase for fourth spot.

In between those two ties, they also have the away trip to Germany to face Borussia Dortmund in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. And Saviola, who has netted five goals during the campaign so far, said the upcoming games are not only important for the remainder of their season but will be essential to the team’s morale.

"In these next 15 days it will define much of what we can become as a team," he told reporters. "We have tough fixtures against rivals Rayo and Real Sociedad in La Liga, after that we have Borussia Dortmund in of the Champions League.“These 15 days are important for morale, we should continue as we are doing all season.”Saviola also spoke about the importance of securing a result in the first game against Rayo.

"We have to be there to get a good result. Once that game is finished, we’ll start thinking about Borussia. Definitely everyone is very excited, these are important steps that we are taking. It is going to be a week in which we have to take responsibility.”

 

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I took a paycut to join QPR, reveals defender Samba

The 29-year-old believes the signings chairman Tony Fernandes made were for the good of the club regardless of cost, and believes the club can retain its Premier League status.

Queens Park Rangers defender Chris Samba has rubbished claims he joined the club for the money, and insisted QPR can survive.

The 29-year-old believes club owner Tony Fernandes did what he could in the January transfer window, spending what he felt was necessary to give manager Harry Redknapp a chance of keeping the Rs in the Premier League. And Samba is adamant these players were needed and are capable of keeping QPR up.

"I have to defend against this," Samba told The Mirror. "Nobody put a knife at the throat of anybody at QPR to come and discuss contracts.

"They wanted to extend my contract for another year at Anzhi. I could have earned more there. But I wanted to come back to England.

"The club believes in the players that have been brought here. They believe they are the right players for the club. What would people have said if the owner didn’t try anything? If he didn’t spend any money? They would have said that he didn’t care. But he did what he believed was right.

"The owner really is a passionate man. He is shown a fighting spirit for the club by doing all the business he could have done to improve the team.

"Us players have come in to try and prove him right. Remy, Jenas and Townsend have been fantastic. We all know what staying in the Premier League means to the fans. But people still think that our attitude is, ‘Whether we win or lose, we get paid.’ They are wrong.

"If I lose a game, I might get paid but I go home and it affects me. I am not doing anything. I am not going to restaurants. I am not going out at all. I’m not a nicest person when we lose.

"That’s how it affects your life. Ask any player at any club, and they will tell you the same."

 

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Pulis: No regrets over Stoke move for Owen

The former Liverpool and England striker has failed to produce his goalscoring form during his stint at the Britannia Stadium and has announced that he will retire this summer.

Tony Pulis has dismissed suggestions that he might regret bringing Michael Owen to Stoke, despite the former England striker announcing his intention to retire at the end of the season.

Owen has had a largely forgettable spell at the Britannia Stadium, having notched just one goal in seven appearances and has had to overcome the sort of injury problems that have plagued him throughout his career.

Pulis has been pleased, though, with the impact Owen has had at the club, rebuking suggestions that it could be a regrettable signing.

"Not at all. He has been fantastic around the place," Pulis told reporters. "He has been a great signing - if you look at it financially, it has been a great deal for the football club in lots of respects.

"Michael was really unlucky at the beginning of the season, picking up those couple of injuries. If he had got through that and pushed on, then we might be talking about different things now. But it is what has happened to Michael over the past few years."

Pulis also lauded Owen's career and said he hoped the 33-year-old would go on to have more success in whatever capacity he chooses to move into.

He added: "I was fortunate enough to be at St Etienne when England played Argentina and Michael scored that great goal [in the 1998 World Cup].

"From there to here, he has had a fantastic career. What he has to do now is put that behind him and decide what he is going to do in the future, and make sure he gives everything to that and is really positive going into it.

"He'll find it difficult not playing, without a question of a doubt - every footballer that has to hang his boots up will get that passion to want to go and play again.

"But Michael has to decide what he wants to do and then I'm sure he will give it his best, and that will be good enough, whatever career he goes into - whether it is coaching, management, if he wants to be an agent, a horse owner, whatever."

 

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Mancini: The title race is over

The 48-year-old believes his side stands little chance of overturning the 15-point deficit to rival Manchester United at the top of the table but has much to play for regardless.

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has conceded that the club can't win the Premier League title this season, with rival Manchester United 15 points clear at the top.

Mancini refused to be downbeat about their season, though, instead backing his side to cement second place in the league and finish the term strongly with an FA Cup semifinal still to contest against the winner of a replay between United and Chelsea.

"It's over, but this doesn't change anything because we should do our best from now to the end," Mancini told reporters. "Every top team, when you can't win a title, you should try to play well, try to win all the games, and we have the FA cup semifinal.

"We have Chelsea four points behind, Tottenham five points behind and we play another nine games. For this reason it's important to keep working hard."
The Italian boss' future remains up in the air, amid reports that he, along with midfielder Yaya Toure, have been targeted by Ligue 2 leader Monaco, but Mancini laughed off suggestions he was interested in the role.

"Monaco is one of the best teams in the French Second Division and they have a good manager. I'll stay here for a long time, like Yaya," Mancini said.

 

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Xavi vows to be fit for Paris Saint-Germain clash

Barca has been hit by a number of injuries in recent weeks, but the Spain international is confident of making a swift return.

Barcelona midfielder Xavi has stressed that he will be match fit in time for the first-leg of the club's Champions League quarterfinal tie against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

The Spain international is being plagued by a thigh injury and missed Thursday' training session due to the knock as he underwent physiotherapy.

Xavi will therefore be rested for Saturday's Liga game away against Celta, but has little doubt that he will be recovered in time for next week's encounter in Paris.

"I will not play against Celta at the weekend, but I will be ready for the game against Paris Saint-Germain," Xavi was quoted as saying by Sport.

Barca has had to do make do without Adriano, Jordi Alba, Carles Puyol and Pedro recently through a number of different injury complaints.

 

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Rooney: England will learn lessons from Montenegro draw

The Manchester United star scored his sixth goal in his last five games at the international level to put the Three Lions ahead ahead, but his side was forced to settle for a draw England forward Wayne Rooney believes the side will learn from the mistakes made during Tuesday's 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw with Montenegro.

Roy Hodgson's side looked set to cruise to victory after the Manchester United forward scored to give England a sixth-minute lead in Podgorica, but the visitors were forced to hold on after conceding a late equalizer.

The 27-year-old Rooney believes the setback will set up the Three Lions for success in the rest of their qualifying campaign, with three of their four remaining games coming at Wembley Stadium.

"We still have a great chance of qualification," Rooney told reporters. "It was a lesson for us in the second half and we need to learn how to see out these games better. "You can't regret anything. It's just the way the game's gone and we have to accept it. A point was probably a fair result, though we're disappointed we didn't get three.

"But credit to Montenegro, they came back, had a go and put us under a lot of pressure, especially off the set pieces."

Rooney's goal against the Montenegrins was his 35th for England and sixth in his last five games at international level.

"It's been probably my best run since I've been playing for England," Rooney said.

 

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Drogba: Champions League win with Chelsea was the peak of my career

Ahead of his side's quarterfinal clash with Real Madrid, the Galatasaray striker has revealed he has a "special relationship" with the competition he won last season.
Didier Drogba has described winning the Champions League in his final season with Chelsea as his greatest ever achievement.

The 35-year-old netted a late equalizer and the penalty shootout-winning goal against Bayern Munich in last year's final, as the West London club defied the odds to lift the trophy for the first time in its history. And, ahead of participating in the quarterfinals with current club, Galatasaray, Drogba said that the events of May 19, 2012, outstrip anything else he has experienced.

"I didn't expect to be back in the Champions League," Drogba told Uefa Magazine. "But I have a special relationship with the competition, I have played in the tournament back-to-back for nine seasons with Marseille and Chelsea.

"Last season I finally lifted the Champions League trophy, my last season with Chelsea was the peak of my career."

The Cote d'Ivoire international initially joined Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua after leaving Stamford Bridge, but he quickly returned to Europe with Gala following a dispute over wages. He has underlined his happiness at the Turkish club, which will face Real Madrid in the next Champions League round.

"Life is great here. It's a cosmopolitan city, it's a lovely place and culturally it's a very nice place for my family to be," Drogba said. "I'm here to play football at the highest level again, the club are well established in Europe, they have won the UEFA Cup in the past and are trying to take it to the next level."

Netherlands star Wesley Sneijder arrived at Galatasaray just days before Drogba, but the Ivorian insists the pair are still some way from their best.

"Our transfers got an amazing reception," Drogba said. "We are trying to live up to what is expected from us.

"Wesley hadn't played football for six months and had to build up his match fitness. I hadn't played for a few months either, I wouldn't be telling the truth if I said I'm 100 percent; however, I'm best to give everything for the team."

 

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Hodgson: Nobody wants to be in the qualifying playoffs

The England boss admits that the Three Lions may face a tough route to qualify for World Cup 2014, but he insists winning their group is still feasible.

England coach Roy Hodgson has admitted he would rather not have to qualify for next year's World Cup in Brazil through the playoffs.

The Three Lions are currently second in Group H after a 1-1 draw with Montenegro in Podgorica on Tuesday, two points adrift of the table-toppers with four matches to play. With time running out for his side reach the summit of the standings, the 65-year-old Hodgson said he is eager for a good result in the reverse fixture in October in order to avoid the lottery of the playoffs.

"Nobody wants to be in the playoffs, but the fact is that in the World Cup qualifiers, only one team qualifies [from the group automatically]," Hodgson told reporters. "And, in the playoffs, it's going to be a good team, because in every group there are at least two good teams."

Hodgson went on to say that he will address the playoffs further only when or if they should become an issue, also pointing to the favorability of England's schedule looking forward.

"I will worry about the playoffs when the playoffs come around," Hodgson said. "At the moment I shall focus all my attention on, first of all, the summer to try to do as good a job as possible when we go to Brazil [in June] and also when we play Ireland at home.

"Then I shall work even harder to focus on those four important qualifiers in September and October and if, as a result of our performances, we are second in our group, then we will worry about the team we have to face in the playoffs.

"We've got an important four to five weeks in September and October, three matches at home and one difficult one away in the Ukraine, so by at least not losing in Montenegro we have kept it in our own hands. We give ourselves a chance."

 

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UEFA reveals Euro 2020 bidding process

The Executive Committee of European football's governing body has agreed on a quota of one venue per country and will finalize the list of stadia in September of next year.

UEFA has confirmed the bidding regulations for prospective member associations who wish to elect a host city for the 2020 European Championship.

The European football governing body announced in December that Euro 2020 would be held in 13 cities all over the continent to mark 60 years of the tournament's existence.

At a meeting between members of its Executive Committee on Thursday, it was agreed that the edition's matches would be split into 12 packages of three group games and one knockout match and one package for the semifinals and the final.

But while each national association would be entitled to two bids - one for an ordinary package and the other for the last-four stage - there will be a limit of only one venue per country. Additionally, both semifinals and the final will be played in one stadium.

Stadia yet to be constructed can be admitted into the bidding process, but construction must have started by 2016, or its host city could risk losing out.

The key dates of the bidding process fall on September 11, when hosting candidates formalize their bids, and in September 2014 - the announcement of the final cities by the Executive Committee.

 

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Ancelotti: I want Beckham to stay at PSG next season

The Parisiens coach revealed that he wants the former Manchester United star to remain at Parc des Princes beyond this summer, and says his side will be ready to face Barceloa Paris Saint-Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti has revealed his desire to keep David Beckham at the club beyond his contract expiration in the summer.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder joined on January's transfer deadline day this year, but his deal with les Parisiens is just a short-term one and he is set to leave at the end of June.

However, Ancelotti will have fuelled rumors that the ex-England international could remain at Parc des Princes after his frank admission that he wants PSG to hold on to the veteran.

The Italian told reporters on Thursday: "Beckham is available for tomorrow's game. He's arrived back in Paris and has not missed a training session.

"I am totally for Beckham continuing on next season."

Ancelotti's men face last year's Ligue 1 champions Montpellier on Friday night and the coach has demanded his players concentrate on one match at a time instead of looking ahead at April's battles with Barcelona in the Champions League.

"This is a very important time of the season," he said. We should think about the game tomorrow and not the following matches.

"Montpellier are not in the battle for the title but they are a very good team - dangerous and organized."

After the clash with Montpellier, PSG will face Barca on April 2 at Parc des Princes before the return leg at Camp Nou, and Ancelotti insists he will be thinking up his own strategy for success and not copying Real Madrid's formula.

"Four days to prepare Barcelona is sufficient," he said. "We are not Real Madrid so we will not have the same strategy as them."

Ancelotti also revealed that Thiago Motta will miss the first leg against Barcelona, while Argentine attacker Ezequiel Lavezzi is another absentee for the Montpellier match as he is still recovering from playing at extremely high altitude in Bolivia.

 

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Manchester United lead race to sign £15m Thiago as Barcelona star 'ready to quit Nou Camp'

Manchester United will re-ignite their interest in Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara after his father revealed he is ready to quit the club.
United have been keen on the Spain international for the past three years and had a £15million bid rejected 18 months ago.
The 21-year-old was determined to establish himself in the first team set-up but now has accepted it is time to move on.

My son would play a lot more in any other team in the world,’ said his father Mazinho. ‘He’s learning a lot playing with great players but Thiago is very ambitious and needs to play.
‘No-one knows what might happen in the future. Football changes a lot and anything can happen. If Thiago wants to go to the 2014 World Cup, he needs to play much more.
‘Thiago has the quality to succeed at Barca. But he’d play a lot more at another club. He’d get into any other team in the world.
‘I don’t know if Barca are buying more players in the summer. They already have a lot of players who can play in the middle. Also, [his brother] Rafinha will be part of the first team squad next season.’

Alcantara moved to Spain when he was five and signed for Barcelona nine years later.
Having made his first-team debut against Mallorca in 2009, he scored his first goal the following year. He signed a new deal two years ago with a buyout clause of €30m (£25m).

DailyMail

 

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Falcao focused on Atletico Madrid, says father

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transfer wena ekkak nadda mandha

 

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Drogba: Champions League win with Chelsea was the peak of my career

 

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Messi is unique and does what he wants, says Zuculini

The once-capped Argentina international has explained that the worst thing any opponent can do is make his compatriot mad, claiming that the Blaugrana ace is unstoppable Real Zaragoza's Franco Zuculini has labelled Lionel Messi “unique”, arguing that any game against Barcelona is effectively over once the diminutive forward starts playing.

The once-capped Argentina international has lined up twice against his compatriot since joining Zaragoza, initially on loan, from Hoffenheim two years ago.

In both instances, Zuculini felt that he and his teammates were performing well but that Messi ultimately proved impossible to contain.

“The first time we played them, we were winning, but then we collected a red card and they thrashed us," the defensive midfielder told Goal.com. “In the match at Camp Nou, they went ahead but we tied the score. However, with 10 minutes to go... Well, it was over as soon as Messi started doing what he wanted.

“The boys did not know whether to hit him or not. And I told them not to do that because it would only makes things worse if he gets mad - that he would score another three goals against us. You have do something that puts him to sleep, not wakes him up.

“I swear that the two matches were like that, he did whatever he wanted. I'm sure if he tells a team-mate that he will score in the 23rd minute, he succeeds. He is unique.”

Despite having failed to come out on the winning side against Barcelona, Zuculini insists that he relished both meetings with the Catalans.

“It's incredible, it’s something you can enjoy," the 22-year-old explained. "And it's just as nice to play against Madrid. Those two teams, they play another championship to the rest of us.”

While la Liga sometimes seems like a two-horse race, Zuculini claims that he is currently enjoying life in Spain, after previous stints in Italy and Germany. However, he freely admits that he would love to test himself in England.

“I have played in three of the most important leagues in the world,” he mused. “The only one I have left that I have watched from my childhood is the Premier League. I really like it.

“And I'm going to put as a goal, to do everything I can to be in the Premier League at some point.”

Zuculini, who earned his only international cap against Panama four years ago, has previously lined out for Racing Club, Hoffenheim and Genoa.

 

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Ancelotti: Montpellier struggle perfect preparation for Barcelona

The Ligue 1 leader was made to work extremely hard during its 1-0 win over the French champion but its Italian coach believes that that is no bad thing.
Paris Saint-Germain boss Carlo Ancelotti believes that his side’s hard-earned victory over Montpellier on Friday night served as perfect preparation for next week’s Champions League quarterfinal clash with Barcelona.

The Ligue 1 leader toiled for long periods at Parc des Princes on Friday night but Kevin Gameiro’s late goal earned les Parisiens a 1-0 victory that moves them eight points clear at the top of the table.

PSG was made to work extremely hard for the three points but that is no bad thing according to Ancelotti, particularly with the visit of Barca in mind.

"The atmosphere was good,” the Italian coach told reporters after the game. “It was a difficult match because Montpellier has many qualities.

"So, they are three important points in terms of the standings. But it was also excellent preparation for the game on Tuesday against Barca.”

Ancelotti’s sentiments were echoed by those of his compatriot, goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu.

"It was a tough game because there were so many players involved with with their national sides this week. So, it was not easy. But they are three important points that allow us to go forward.

"Now we must focus on the game on Tuesday against Barcelona, because it will be very difficult."

PSG first hosts the Blaugrana in the French capital before traveling to Catalunya for the return leg on April 10.