..::Football II::..

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Stramaccioni 'convinced' he will stay at Inter

The Nerazzurri boss has blamed appalling injury luck on his side's poor campaign, and believes the media have helped to undermine his position.Andrea Stramaccioni claims he is "convinced" he will remain as Inter Milan coach next season, dismissing speculation that he may leave after a disappointing campaign.

Stramaccioni has endured a difficult first season at the club since replacing Claudio Ranieri as boss last March, but he insists he still has the backing of president Massimo Moratti and blamed his side's struggles on a string of injury problems.

"After 12 months I am still convinced that I can stay at Inter," Stramaccioni told journalists at a press conference. "I don't like to complain and I'll never will, but this year absolutely everything happened to us. We laid important foundations for the future, including players we have secured who perhaps you don’t know about.

"I never felt alone, because the president protects us all. If he defends me and the players, then that process is long and constant. The directors are always here at the training ground."

Inter has dropped to eighth in Serie A after a series of underwhelming results, including defeats to Cagliari, Atalanta and to Juventus in March's Derby d'Italia, but Stramaccioni feels that the media have also played a role in undermining his position.

"The trouble is my image in the media," Stramaccioni opined. "After beating Napoli it was as if I was the 'Special One - Mark Two', then now I'm considered not even worthy of Serie A. Having said all that, on May 20 as the president said, you'll know what the future holds for Inter.

"We must play the remaining six games to the death. You do your work and I'll do mine. From the outside people try to find someone to blame, but the truth is the injuries have forced us to change tactics. When we had a full squad at our disposal, we were capable of beating everyone."

 

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Houghton: Benitez will get rousing Anfield reception but no Liverpool return any time soon

The former Reds midfielder expects the Spaniard to receive a warmer welcome at Anfield on Sunday than he will ever get from Chelsea fans.Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez will be hailed as a hero on his return to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday, according to Ray Houghton.

The former Reds midfielder believes that it will be one of those rare occasions when a visiting manager will receive a better reception from opposing fans than his own, but he thinks it unlikely that the Spaniard will be back in his old team's dugout any time soon.

"When he takes his place in the Anfield dugout he will receive heartfelt applause from the home fans and some might even sing his name. I doubt he would ever get that from Chelsea fans," Houghton told Goal.com.

"There has been some time to reflect on his overall period in charge and Liverpool fans view it as a success. The general opinion is that the club had a more successful time under Rafa than any manager since the glory days of the 70s and 80s.

"No one will ever forget the Champions League win in 2005 but there was other cup success too, a second place in the league and also another Champions League final.

"It only really went pear-shaped in the last year when Rafa began to make some mistakes. There was the power struggle he had with the owners over the direction of the club and there were some bad dealings in the transfer market.

"Perhaps the final straw was a change in the style of play. Liverpool fans are used to easy-on-the-eye, pass-and-run style but Rafa wanted a more direct approach and it didn't work.

"I don't know what he will do next but, despite his family remaining in Merseyside, I doubt he would come back to Liverpool and I don't think he would be invited.

"Brendan Rodgers will be given at least another year to prove himself at Liverpool and, by then, Rafa will be somewhere else.

"When he took over at Chelsea he talked about going for five trophies but, while the only one he can still win is the Europa League, if he can double up with a top-four finish then he will feel he's done a decent job."

Houghton observes that Benitez's tussles with Chelsea, particularly when Jose Mourinho was in charge, helped endear him to the Anfield faithful. While the two managers were in place, the Reds beat the Blues in two Champions League semifinals even though the London club was the dominant force in English soccer.

"The fans love it when their manager knows the history of the club, particularly at Liverpool where there is such a rich history," the ex-pro continued. "If beating Chelsea twice on such a big stage wasn't enough for the Liverpool fans, Rafa went one better by boasting that while Chelsea were 'new' to success, Liverpool had the 'history'.

"I don't think Liverpool fans have ever forgotten that, and, equally, I think it is part of the Chelsea fans' resentment towards him."

 

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Ba feeling no pressure at Chelsea

The Senegalese striker says he is not fazed by high expectations at Stamford Bridge and believes that stints at West Ham United and Newcastle United have aided his progression Demba Ba claims to have had no problem settling in at Chelsea, and says he has felt no pressure since his January move from Newcastle United.

The Senegalese international has made an impressive start to life in West London, scoring six goals in 18 appearances - including a sensational winner in the Blues’ FA Cup quarter-final tie with Manchester United.

The 27-year old also believes that he has made yet another step up in his career, which saw him rejected by the likes of Watford and Gillingham during his early days, before he settled at then CFA French club Rouen.

Speaking to The Independent, Ba declared: “When they said, 'You are going to Chelsea' I was like, 'Yeah, it's like the start of my career'. I had always worked to get to a club like Chelsea and start winning trophies.

“It [the past] was serious as well. No disrespect to other clubs, it was serious, but this is another level - something different.”

On the pressure of playing for the Champions League holders, Ba commented: “I enjoy what I do. It's like a gift. Someone gives you a gift, you are happy. If I give you a gift now, you are not going to have pressure.”

Ba also claims to have had no problem settling at Chelsea, despite the club’s surprise early exit from the Champions League and the long-running managerial saga over Rafa Benitez’s appointment as interim manager.

“I don't feel it,” Ba added. “All I want to do is win for the club, the players, the manager. It doesn't matter if people don't like him or not. He is here, he is in charge, so we win together and if we lose, we lose together. If we win, everyone will be happy.”

 

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Barclays Premier League 2013.04.21 Fixtures

Barclays Premier League 2013.04.21 Fixtures

Tottenham Vs Manchester City

Liverpool Vs Chelsea

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La Liga 2013.04.21 Fixtures

La Liga 2013.04.21 Fixtures


Getafe Vs Espanyol

Deportivo Vs Athletic Bilbao

Osasuna Vs Real Sociedad

Sevilla Vs Atletico Madrid​

 

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Serie A 2013.04.21 Fixtures

Serie A 2013.04.21 Fixtures


Inter Vs Parma

Roma Vs Pescara

Bologna Vs Sampdoria

Catania Vs Palermo

Fiorentina Vs Torino

Napoli Vs Cagliari

Siena Vs Chievo

Juventus Vs AC Milan​

 

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Half Time

Tottenham 0 Vs 1 Manchester City​

 

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Full Time

Liverpool 2 Vs 2 Chelsea​

 

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Suarez the ban 1kak set wei wage

 

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Fulham 0-1 Arsenal: Mertesacker moves Gunners up to third

 

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Suarez the ban 1kak set wei wage

 

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Full Time
Tottenham 3 Vs 1 Manchester City

Tottenham elatama play kala 2nd half eke
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Tottenham 3-1 Manchester City: Dempsey scores in stunning comeback

Three second-half goals in the space of six minutes from Clint Dempsey, Jermain Defoe and Gareth Bale were enough to cancel out Samir Nasri's first-half opener, as Tottenham came back from a goal down to consign Manchester City to a disappointing defeat. Nasri opened the scoring with just four minutes gone as Manchester City, tapping home James Milner's cross to give the Citizens the lead.

Despite appearing to be in control, the away side allowed Dempsey to tap home Bale's cross with 15 minutes remaining, before Defoe and Bale scored in quick succession to give Spurs a vital win.

Andre Villas-Boas made two changes from the side that earned a 2-2 draw against Basel as Benoit Assou-Ekotto and, more notably, Gareth Bale returned to the first team at the expense of Kyle Naughton and Lewis Holtby.Roberto Mancini, meanwhile, rotated his side heavily, making five changes from the team that beat Wigan 1-0 on Wednesday with Pablo Zabaleta, Matija Nastasic, Gael Clichy, James Milner and Edin Dzeko all coming in to replace Micah Richards, Joleon Lescott, Alexander Kolarov, Javi Garcia and Sergio Aguero.

After a fairly frantic start, it took just four minutes for the first goal to come. Excellent work from Carlos Tevez resulted in the striker putting Milner in behind the Spurs defense, who, at the by line, duly cut back to the waiting Nasri. The ball was slightly behind the Frenchman but he adapted well, turning the ball home adeptly on the volley to give the away side the lead.

The goalscorer was at the center of the controversy just minutes later as Nasri went in high on Kyle Walker. Despite calls for a red, referee Lee Mason deemed the challenge unworthy of even a foul.

Walker then spurned what eventually transpired to be Tottenham's only real chance of the half as, after Dempsey put him in on goal, the right back squandered a chance to level the scoring as Hart smothered his effort adeptly.Following that missed opportunity, City quickly took the initiative and, with Tevez largely pulling the strings, almost doubled the lead before the break. Nasri and Dzeko both went close after being put through by the Argentine, the former hitting just wide and the latter hitting Lloris in the Spurs goal.

After the break, it took until the 70th minute before the second half truly sparked into life as Tottenham started to pile on the pressure and it was not long before the away side capitalized. It was Bale who created the goal as, after receiving the ball on the right wing from Walker, the Welshman drove it to the back post with the outside of his left foot, finding Dempsey who duly tapped home to put Spurs level.
Tottenham's momentum continued and it was mere minutes before the home side completed the comeback with another goal, courtesy of substitute Jermain Defoe.

After the striker received the ball on the left from Holtby, he ran at Kompany, cutting inside before lashing an unstoppable effort past Hart into the far corner.
The home side's impetus appeared unstoppable as it extended the lead a few minutes later. Following a lovely run and pass from Huddlestone Bale was through on goal and delightfully dinked over Hart to put Spurs 3-1 up and seemingly out of sight.

 

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Liverpool 2-2 Chelsea: Suarez goes from zero to hero to ruin Rafa's return

LIVERPOOL -- Chelsea’s Champions League qualification hopes suffered a huge blow after Luis Suarez scored an equalizer six minutes into added time.

Eden Hazard scored what had looked to be the 58th minute winner from the penalty spot after Daniel Sturridge had cancelled out Oscar’s first-half header.

But Suarez headed in Sturridge's cross just as Chelsea appeared to have secured three points to keep the club on course for a top-four finish.

On an afternoon when Anfield paid tribute to former manager Rafael Benitez, back at the stadium for the first time since he was sacked in 2010, and tireless Hillsborough campaigner Anne Williams, the occasion will also be remembered for the less savory side of Suarez.

The Liverpool forward appeared to bite Branislav Ivanovic on the arm midway through the second period after they had jostled for the ball in the Chelsea penalty box.The Uruguayan, who was banned during his Ajax days for biting, is likely to find himself in hot water when the footage of the incident is reviewed by the Football Association.

Benitez has had to juggle his resources to cope with Chelsea’s fixture overload but he made a comparatively meager three changes from the team that won 3-0 at Fulham on Wednesday. Cesar Azpilicueta, John Obi Mikel and Oscar came in for John Terry, Frank Lampard and Victor Moses, who all dropped to the bench.
Liverpool made only a single alteration to the team that drew 0-0 at Reading last weekend, with Stewart Downing replacing the benched Daniel Sturridge.The air was heavy with emotion and sentiment at Anfield. Before kickoff there was a minute’s applause in memory of Hillsborough campaigner Anne Williams, who died during the week, and the Boston Marathon. In a terrific tribute, ‘There’s only one Anne Williams’ reverberated around Anfield.

Meanwhile, Benitez was given the warmest possible welcome by the Kop, where the fans chanted his name throughout the first half.

The former Liverpool manager watched his old side take an early grip of the match without looking particularly threatening, but it was the team he manages only on an interim basis which took the lead after 25 minutes through an unlikely source.Oscar deserves credit for the deftness of his header direct from Juan Mata’s corner but there will be question marks over both the failure of the defenders to track his straightforward run to the front post and the goalkeeping of Pepe Reina, who was beaten inside his near post.

Moments later, Reina nearly made one of the howlers of the season. A speculative David Luiz shot was pinged straight at him but the Spaniard contrived to make an almighty mess of it, almost spilling it behind the line. The sighs of relief around Anfield were audible when he clawed it away at the last second.

Suarez always looked Liverpool’s most likely avenue for a goal but it was not until the 42nd minute that the Uruguayan got in sight of goal. The forward was slipped in by Downing on the right of the area but his fiercely-struck shot was too close to Petr Cech, who comfortably made his first meaningful save of the afternoon. The same players were in action on the cusp of halftime but, on this occasion, Suarez shot weakly at the keeper from what was a tight angle.

Sturridge, a halftime replacement for the disappointing Philippe Coutinho, immediately gave Liverpool the spark the team had been missing.

The former Chelsea man’s first two contributions were exquisite. First, he nearly created the equalizer with a brilliant run and pass from the right only for Cech to divert away Gerrard’s first-time shot with his leg. Then, he cracked a superb 30-yard shot against the post after pirouetting away from the attentions of the boys in blue

It was third time lucky for Sturridge, who put the finishing touch to a sublime move after 52 minutes following the most delightful of dinked crosses from Suarez.With Liverpool playing some sparkling stuff, the atmosphere was vibrant. But the home side could only stay level for five minutes after conceding another soft goal.
Replays showed referee Kevin Friend was correct to point to the penalty spot after Suarez handled the ball in his own area. Hazard nonchalantly drove the spot kick into the left corner.

Suarez was at the heart of all Liverpool’s best play but he was once again cast in the role of villain midway through the second period. After wrestling for the ball with Ivanovic in the Chelsea box, Suarez grabbed the defender’s arm, moved his face towards it and appeared to sink his teeth into his opponent’s bicep. It instantly looked a reckless act.

Liverpool continued to press for an equalizer. Jonjo Shelvey appeared to have wasted the club's final chance when he shot wide late on. But Suarez refused to give up and sent the home support wild with his late headed equalizer from Sturridge's cross.

 

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Perez: Madrid will renew Ronaldo's contract

The Real Madrid president has vowed to pay the Portuguese whatever it takes to make him stay at the club beyond 2015, when his current deal expires.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is adamant that the club will be able to renew Cristiano Ronaldo's contract.

The Portuguese forward's current deal expires in 2015 but the La Liga champion's hopes for an extension were dealt a blow when he admitted that he was unhappy at the club in September.

The 28-year-old has since been linked with a return to Manchester United, whom he left in 2009 to join the Spanish capital club, but Perez remains confident of keeping his star man at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"Keep calm, we are going to renew with Cristiano Ronaldo. The club are going to pay him," he told Blancos fans at a meeting.

Jose Mourinho's side faces Borussia Dortmund in a European semifinal first leg in midweek and has a Copa del Rey final with Atletico Madrid approaching and Perez says he is happy with the way things are going.

"Real Madrid are having a great month with the Champions League and the Copa del Rey final," he continued. "Being the president of this club is difficult but so is being the coach. We must learn to live with it. We can discuss it between us, but we have to stay together.

"Criticism helps us."

Cesc Fabregas' late goal against Levante ensured that Madrid remains 13 points behind Barcelona with six games to go - an unrealistic mountain to climb if the club is to retain its Primera Division crown.

 

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Bale hails Tottenham character in Champions League push

The 23-year-old indicated the confidence gained from the impressive turnaround against Manchester City will boost their cause, while Jermain Defoe was delighted with his goal.

Gareth Bale believes the desire and belief Tottenham showed in its comeback against Manchester City will help Spurs in their bid to finish in the top four.

The Welshman recovered from an ankle injury to play the full 90 minutes at White Hart Lane on Sunday, and was on fine form as he set up USA star Clint Dempsey for Spurs' equalizer before scoring the hosts' third as they came from a goal down to win 3-1.

The 23-year-old, who had joy in the second period when moving out wide, praised his teammates for fighting until the very end against the reigning champions as they grabbed a vital win.

"They don't play with wingers, so it was compact in the middle," Bale told Sky Sports. "At halftime the gaffer said there's more space out wide and it proved a good move in the end. [It was] great to get three points.

"[The equalizer] gave us the belief to go on and win it. As soon as that went in, the crowd lifted, we lifted and we showed the character in the team that we've got."

The result keeps Andre Villas-Boas' men in with a great chance of qualifying for next season's Champions League, and Bale thinks the win over City will boast the club's confidence in the long run.

“It's massive, the club's moving forward every year, and the players want to be playing in the Champions League playing against the best teams," Bale said. "We showed that today, that's why we're going to push until the end of the season to make the top four.”

Jermain Defoe came off the bench to fire Spurs 2-1 up and expressed his delight at finding the net, while the England forward also lauded his colleagues for their impressive turnaround.

"Before the game we knew it would be difficult," Defoe said. "[They're a] great team and great players. But we showed great character, the lads played well and everyone dug in. The finish was unbelievable, everyone is happy.

"As a forward you want to score goals, but as I've always said the most important thing is to get three points – but I'm delighted, [it was] good to see it go in."

 

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Manchester United one win away from Premier League title

Sir Alex Ferguson's side can wrap up its 20th league crown against Paul Lambert's struggling Aston Villa following Tottenham's dramatic victory at home over Manchester City.

Manchester United can win the Premier League title with a victory against Aston Villa on Monday, after rival Manchester City slumped to a 3-1 defeat at Tottenham.

The Red Devils are 13 points clear of Roberto Mancini's men, and can extend that lead to an unassailable 16 with victory at Old Trafford. United lost out on what would have been its 20th league crown in dramatic circumstances last season, but can make amends against Paul Lambert's strugglers.

It looked as though Sir Alex Ferguson's men would have to wait at least another week when City took an early lead against Spurs at White Hart Lane, but a seven-minute blitz saw Clint Dempsey, Jermain Defoe and Gareth Bale turn the match on its head.

For Ferguson, it would mark his 13th league title with United during his 27 years in charge, while the Old Trafford club would move two league crowns clear of Liverpool, which has 18 titles to its name.

 

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Ribery: Messi is in a class of his own

The France international says the "extraordinary" Argentine is peerless while revealing he is flattered by alleged interest from PSG.Ahead of Tuesday night's Champions League clash with Barcelona, Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery said that Lionel Messi is in a class of his own.

The France international is regarded as one of the most exciting attacking players in the game today, but even he concedes when it comes to skill, one diminutive dribbler stands head and shoulders above everyone else.

"Messi is class," Ribery told Telefoot. "There is him, and then there is the rest. What he does is extraordinary. He demands admiration."

While Ribery has nothing but respect for Messi and the Argentine's accomplices at Camp Nou, he insists Bayern is not perturbed by the prospect of going head-to-head with the revered Catalan outfit.

"Everyone is waiting for this game," Ribery said. "And it is well known that Barca are a great team, but we are not afraid of them."

Ribery, meanwhile, has recently been linked with a return to France, with Paris Saint-Germain. The 30-year-old is intrigued by Les Parisiens' project but said he would like to finish his career in Bavaria.

"PSG's interest? It's flattering," Ribery said. "[Sporting director] Leonardo, who spoke to me, is a very important person in PSG. The club is transforming.

"But I am very happy at Bayern and my desire is to finish my career here. And [the feeling] is mutual."

Ribery, who has been capped 72 times by his country, joined Bayern in 2007 for a reported 25 million fee from Marseille.

 

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Messi in Barcelona squad for Bayern Munich

The Argentine has not featured for the Catalan giants since making his return from a hamstring strain in the 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain on April 10.Lionel Messi has been included in the Barcelona squad for the first leg of its Champions League semifinal showdown with Bayern Munich, even though he has not yet been given the green light by club doctors to play at the Allianz Arena.

The Argentine star made his early return from a hamstring strain as a substitute in the Blaugrana's 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain on April 10 that sealed the club's place among the final four, but he was not risked in the subsequent Liga clashes with Zaragoza and Levante.

Barca has now confirmed that its talisman is in contention for a recall against Die Roten.

"Leo Messi took a full part in training on Sunday morning and although he has not yet been declared match fit by club doctors, he has been included in the squad to face Bayern in Munich," a statement on Barcelona's official website read.

The Liga leader also revealed Javier Mascherano and Carles Puyol will both miss the clash against the Bavarians through injury, but reserve team goalkeeper Oier has been included in the travelling party.