..::Football III::..

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David Luiz plays like an eight-year-old - Hoddle

Former England coach Glenn Hoddle has slammed David Luiz after his display in Paris Saint-Germain’s 3-1 Champions League defeat to Barcelona, likening the Brazilian to “an eight-year-old who hasn’t been coached.”

The centre-back came on as a first-half substitute for injured compatriot Thiago Silva with his side already trailing 1-0, but was twice nutmegged by Luis Suarez’s as the Uruguayan netted two to put Barca 3-0 up late in the game.

And Hoddle, working as a pundit for Sky Sports in the UK, claimed the €50 million signing from Chelsea should have done much better regardless of the fact he was not fully fit going into the game.

“Even if you’re not 100 per cent fit you can’t show that lack of intent,” said the 57-year-old.

“He is the last man on the pitch when Suarez picks up the ball and starts running at him. He realises he is the last man and the very last thing you should do when you’re the last man is jump in. You bide time for your team to get around you.

“Instead he does what an eight-year-old who hasn’t been coached does: he tries to win it by putting both of his feet together. But when he does that he can’t move anywhere. Suarez nutmegs him again.”

The 27-year-old was PSG’s hero in the previous round, heading the extra-time equaliser which saw them qualify for the quarter-finals at Chelsea’s expense.

But his form defensively has been questioned on many occasions, and Hoddle added that he has never been convinced by David Luiz.

“For me he is a liability at the back, and he always has been. You have to find a place for him in midfield or even at right-back,” he continued.

“He’s a footballer who likes to play in the playground when there is no shape to the game. He is a talent but that’s not what top football is about.”

 

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Porto played with their hearts in their boots - Casemiro

Porto’s surprise 3-1 Champions League quarter-final first-leg win over Bayern Munich came courtesy of a display from the heart, midfielder Casemiro has claimed.

The Portuguese outfit took an early two-goal lead thanks to a pair of goals from Ricardo Quaresma, with Jackson Martinez adding a third after Thiago Alcantara had pulled one back for Bayern.

And a delighted Casemiro, who is on loan at the Estadio do Dragao from Real Madrid, said afterwards that it was the passion with which Porto played that made the difference on the night.

“Our hearts were on the tip of our boots, that was the secret,” he told reporters. “The whole team must be congratulated from playing with heart, dertermination and will.”

The return leg will take place on Tuesday at the Allianz Arena, but Casemiro insists they must approach it with the same humility they played with on Wednesday.

“We have built a good advantage but we must now think of playing Academica on Saturday with great humility. Then we must remember that this is the Champions League and we are still to negotiate the biggest hurdle, which is playing in Munich.
“We go on from here with our feet on the ground, thinking game-by-game, because we have done nothing so far.”

 

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It's all meaningless if we don't win a trophy - Pique

Gerard Pique says Barcelona’s strong season and Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain will mean nothing if they fail to pick up any major trophies this term.

A Luis Suarez double and a Neymar strike saw the Catalans overcome the French side 3-1 in Paris in the first leg of their quarter-final tie.

Luis Enrique's men are also sitting top of La Liga and will face Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey in a season which has been a massive improvement on last year, in which they failed to pick up a major trophy.

However, Pique believes that their strong performances are pointless if they cannot get any silverware out of them.

“This will mean nothing if we don't get any titles at the end of the season. There is still much work to be done and so much of the season still to go.

“Coming to Paris and getting the win is a great thrill for us. We lost 3-2 in the group stage here and it has been a different experience tonight. But the tie is not decided yet.

“We are very confident on the back of the results we have been earning this season. We are aware of how difficult it is to have a chance in three different competitions. But we can’t have a rest this Saturday against Valencia. It is so hard to keep going, but it is a challenge we can face.”

The win over Laurent Blanc's men comes just a few days after the Blaugrana squandered a two goal lead to draw 2-2 with Sevilla in La Liga.

And the Spanish centre-back insists that their experience in Seville helped to ensure that they were 100 per cent focused at the Parc des Princes and will remain so for the second leg.

“We have all learned a little bit. We had a lead against Sevilla and then they pulled one back and we let the game slip away. Today we played a better game and we have the result,” he told reporters after the game.

“We have the tie in our hands but we need to give our best next Tuesday and try to win again.”

 

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Dante played in ski boots - Beckenbauer

Franz Beckenbauer singled out Dante for criticism after a “black night” for Bayern Munich against Porto, accusing the defender of appearing to play in ski boots.

The World Cup winner did not hold back in a withering assessment of Pep Guardiola’s side, who went down 3-1 at Estadio do Dragao in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

Two early Ricardo Quaresma goals – the first from the penalty spot – after some calamitous defending set the tone and, although Thiago Alcantara pulled one back, another blunder allowed Jackson Martinez to complete Bayern’s misery.

Beckenbauer told Sky: “I have not seen a single Bayern player who showed his normal form. It was a black night. Sometimes this happens and it happened tonight.

“When you have a keeper playing badly or a defender playing badly that is not unusual. But in this match they all ‘worked together’ to achieve this result.”

Quaresma’s second came after he dispossessed Dante before running on to finish past Manuel Neuer. It was not the first time the Brazil international has been guilty of lax defending this season and Beckenbauer was not impressed.

“If he was from Iceland or the North Pole, I’d say ‘okay, he is still wearing his ski boots’. But no, he simply has to stop the ball.”

 

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Lopetegui delighted after Porto punish sloppy Bayern

Porto boss Julen Lopetegui hailed a “great” performance from his players as they took a giant stride towards the Champions League semi-finals with a 3-1 defeat of Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Ricardo Quaresma twice punished Bayern mistakes in the opening 10 minutes of the last-eight, first leg tie at the Estadio do Dragao as Porto took a commanding lead.

Bayern did claim an away goal through Thiago Alcantara shortly before the half-hour, but Jackson Martinez - returning from a thigh injury - took advantage of another defensive slip to restore the two-goal cushion midway through the second period.

"It [the second leg next week] will be a very difficult match, we are still half through this round, against one of the greatest teams in Bayern history," Lopetegui said.
"We were great tonight and I want to congratulate this group of players. This team has lots of ambition.

" The game in Munich will be different and we will not be able to count on two important players [the suspended Danilo and Alex Sandro], so we will have to find solutions for that problem.

"Playing against Bayern is always difficult, but we made a great start against the greatest team in the world in terms of possession.

"In the first half maybe we should have had the ball with us for longer, but we corrected that in the second half."

Two-goal hero Quaresma, meanwhile, was quick to shift the praise on to the rest of his team-mates.

"This is a night for me to remember, but more important than my performance was our victory," he said. "We knew we were facing a great team, with great players, so we have to be happy.

"We all work a lot and when we win, we all win. I only do my job, I am in a good moment and so is the team.

 

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David Luiz wasn’t 100% fit, admits Blanc

Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc admitted that he used David Luiz in Wednesday’s 3-1 Champions League quarter-final defeat to Barcelona, despite the defender not being short.

The former Chelsea man sustained a hamstring injury that was expected to keep him out for a month in the win over Marseille only 10 days ago, yet made a shock appearance in the PSG squad to face the Catalans. When Thiago Silva was injured after only 20 minutes, the Brazil international was called off the bench.

He endured a difficult match and struggled to contain Luis Suarez as the Uruguayan scored two second-half goals to leave the French champions a mountain to climb in the second leg, but Blanc has eased the pressure on a player who has often attracted criticism.

“The injury to Thiago Silva was the start of our problems. We had to replace him with a player who was not 100 per cent fit,” Blanc admitted.

The coach went into the game without a number of starting players available, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marco Verratti, but refused to contemplate another outcome had they played.“We can’t think what might have happened had other players been there,” the coach said. “I don’t want to talk about the absent players, but it's bad when your gameplan is based around possession and you can’t get the ball.

“I have some regrets about some chances we had. We weren’t sufficiently effective on the counterattack.”

Wednesday’s was PSG’s first European home defeat in 33 games when Hapoel Tel Aviv won at Parc des Princes in 2006.

 

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Barca were amazing against PSG - Luis Enrique

Luis Enrique has hailed his ‘amazing’ Barcelona side after their 3-1 victory at Paris Saint-Germain, but warned that they must not rest on their laurels in the second leg.
The four-time European champions took a huge step towards the last four of the Champions League with a convincing quarter-final first leg win in Paris after Luis Suarez’s second-half double consolidated the early lead given to them by Neymar.
And while the Barcelona coach was delighted with his team’s performance, he insisted they must play their usual attacking game in the return match.

“We were amazing not only in attack but also in defence,” Luis Enrique told Canal+. “It is a good moment to congratulate the players. It is a huge win, and a deserved one too.“But our job now is to prepare the second leg clash and go out for the win. We will not leave things open to chance.

“Luis Suarez’s performance reminded me of his goals with Ajax and Liverpool,” he said. “He can escape opponents with speed even considering his body. But I cannot single out Suarez without praising the whole team in attack and defence.

“Firstly we looked to take control of the game with ball possession, but tonight there were many circumstances which helped us to get a good result. We were better than them, we created dangerous chances and we were so overwhelming in attack. It was such a complete game.”

PSG will welcome back the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marco Verratti available once more for the second leg, and the Blaugrana boss underlined the importance of staying focused ahead of the Camp Nou clash.

“They will have more players available for the second leg and it will be a tough game for sure. Nothing is decided yet, and we will not make the mistake of thinking that it is. They have nothing to lose.”The second leg will take place on Tuesday, April 21 with a 20:45CET kick-off.

 

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Suarez calls for repeat performance after Barcelona crush PSG

After helping Barcelona beat Paris-Saint Germain 3-1 on Wednesday, Luis Suarez believes a repeat performance at Camp Nou in the second leg is required to secure a place in the Champions League semi-finals.

PSG were given the runaround by Suarez who scored twice at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday as Barca secured a first-leg advantage in their last-eight tie, with Gregory van der Wiel grabbing a late consolation for the hosts with a shot which deflected in off Jeremy Mathieu.

Barca's advantage looks virtually insurmountable for Laurent Blanc's side but Suarez is adamant there is still work to do.

He told Sky Sports: "We knew it was an important game and we know we've had a really good result but in football you never know. We have 90 minutes next week and we need to play the same as we did today.

"We knew before the game that if we did not concentrate we couldn't win the game. When you play against the big teams you need concentration."

Suarez's brace came after Neymar had given Luis Enrique's men a half-time lead against a side missing talismanic striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and key midfielder Marco Verratti through suspension.

"I don't think we should underestimate the tactical job we did," Suarez added to Canal+. "Physically we ran a lot and they were affected by the absence of some key players.

"Me, Neymar and Lionel Messi can switch positions during the game and we needed to take advantage of the space their defenders were leaving."

Barca welcome PSG to Camp Nou on Tuesday April 21.

 

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We let Barcelona score too easily – Van der Wiel

Gregory van der Wiel has lamented Paris Saint-Germain’s defensive efforts as they suffered a 3-1 first-leg Champions League quarter-final defeat to Barcelona at Parc des Princes on Wednesday.

Neymar put the visitors in command in the first half before a double from Luis Suarez pushed Luis Enrique’s side towards the final four. Van der Wiel replied with a deflected shot but despite the late rally, PSG face a seemingly impossible task at Camp Nou when they meet again on Tuesday.“We had to be better defensively, we let them score too easily,” he told Canal+. “They have scored three goals away from home. We are very disappointed – it’s a really bad result.”

PSG went into the match handicapped by the absence of several regulars from their starting XI, including the suspended duo of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marco Verratti, but the right-back refused to use that as an excuse.“Did we have too many players missing? No, I don’t think so,” he added.

The French champions also lost their lead at the summit of Ligue 1 on Wednesday evening as Lyon leapfrogged them with a 2-0 home win over Bastia.

If PSG are to progress in Europe, they will need to score at least three times at Camp Nou on April 21.

 

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Guardiola: Bayern punished for sloppy start against Porto

Pep Guardiola lamented Bayern Munich’s slow start after his side were beaten 3-1 by Porto on Wednesday.

The Bundesliga leaders were 2-0 down inside 10 minutes of their Champions League quarter-final first leg tie after two defensive blunders. The first saw Jackson Martinez dispossess Xabi Alonso before being hauled down inside the area by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.Ricardo Quaresma converted the spot-kick and then doubled his tally soon after after robbing Dante and finishing coolly.

It was a nightmare opening spell for Guardiola who went into the game without injured quartet Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben, David Alaba and Bastian Schweinsteiger.

“We were 2-0 down so early and when that happens it is never easy,” said the former Barcelona boss.

Bayern pulled one back when Thiago Alcantara scored his first goal from open play since February 2014 with a close-range finish.

But Jerome Boateng's second-half lapse in judgement afforded Martinez - back after over a month out with a groin problem - the opportunity to net his seventh Champions League goal of the campaign and leave Bayern with an uphill challenge in the second leg.

Guardiola added: “After we scored, we controlled the match. But if you add everything up, Porto were the better team. 3-1 is a difficult result for the return leg. But we will try everything."

 

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Hughes: Moses likely out for the season

Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has revealed that on-loan winger Victor Moses is expected to be out for the rest of the season.

Moses, on loan from Chelsea, suffered a hamstring injury during Stoke's 1-1 Premier League draw at West Ham last weekend.

Hughes told the club's official website: "It may well be that Victor's season is over unfortunately because of the type of injury he has got. He might get back but at the moment we're probably thinking that he won't make it.

"It's a shame because Victor has done really well since he's been with us.

"He was our shining light in the early part of the season and then unfortunately he got a couple of quite serious injuries that held him back and in the end he hasn't been able to finish the season with us.

"He'll look back on his time with us and think he's made an impression and done well and we'd agree with that because he's been a really important figure for us this season."

While Moses may have featured for the final time this term, fellow Stoke forward Peter Odemwingie is hopeful of featuring again before the end of the campaign.

Odemwingie suffered a serious knee ligament injury in August's 1-0 victory at Manchester City but will resume full training on Thursday.

"I played a few small-sided games last week and I'll be back in the fold and hopefully I'll be ready as soon as possible," the 33-year-old told Stoke's official website.

"It has been tough but the medical staff have been brilliant and helped me enormously."

 

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Benteke: Villa are fearless under Sherwood

Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke says the team have become fearless under Tim Sherwood.

Former Tottenham boss Sherwood arrived at Villa Park in February, and has since led the club away from danger in the Premier League, as well as guiding them to the last four of the FA Cup.

Villa are now six points clear of the relegation zone, and are eagerly anticipating Sunday's semi final against Liverpool at Wembley.

"The first day he came he said we have to play without fear," Benteke told the FA's official website.

"You can see when he speaks he has a lot of charisma and confidence and it helps because we are a young squad.

"It's not only me, but it's all the squad. When he arrived he gave us a lot of confidence and feeling. He has given us a lot of freedom."

Benteke has been in good form in recent weeks, netting eight goals in his last six league outings.

"We strikers live by goals. A striker who doesn't score can't properly help the team because he has to score goals," he added.

"When you play in England you have pressure every week. You have to deal with it and for me it's okay.

"Before the gaffer came, I was sometimes playing good but didn't really get many chances, and I'd go back home frustrated. It was mixed feelings, I'd be frustrated because I didn't score and because I didn't have chances - now I have chances.

"Everyone is motivated to go to Wembley and try and do something good and get to the final.

"At the moment the confidence in the team is high. We can't just be happy to play in a semi-final - you want to go to the final. So we will fight like we have done the last few weeks."

 

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Napoli have no weaknesses - Hecking

Dieter Hecking claims Napoli have "no weaknesses" as his Wolfsburg side prepare to face the Italian outfit in Thursday's Europa League quarter-final first leg.Rafael Benitez's outfit have struggled in recent times, with their recent 3-0 win over Fiorentina just their second win in their last 10 matches.

In the meantime Wolfsburg have been taking the Bundesliga by storm, moving up to second place in the domestic championship with one defeat in 23 matches in all competitions and securing a Champions League spot for 2015-16 in the process.
But Hecking insists that he is unable to find any faults in the Serie A side ahead of the clash at the Volkswagen Arena."I have no idea how we will look to exploit them, I saw no weaknesses," he told a pre-match press conference.

"We must try to put our quality into both our defending and attacking play if we are to win."

Wolfsburg saw off Inter in the previous round, beating Roberto Mancini's side home and away, but Hecking insists Napoli are a better team than the Milanese side."Even with Inter it was an even match, it was not easy. In Serie A Napoli are a number of positions above and overall are superior to Inter," he added.

"We know a lot about Napoli, and we know that we have to rely mainly on imposing our style of play."

Defender Naldo - who reached the Europa League final with Werder Bremen in 2009 - says he expects a difficult task up against Napoli's 23-goal striker Gonzalo Higuain.

"He's a great striker, that is undeniable and we have to be careful, but Napoli are strong collectively," the Brazilian insisted.

"We have to defend well as a team and we will have to play well for the entire 90 minutes."

 

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Gerrard could face Manchester United again

Steven Gerrard could face both Manchester United and Chelsea this summer, with his future employers LA Galaxy set to compete with the Premier League duo in the International Champions Cup.

The pre-season tournament, which takes place across North America, is set to return for a third edition between July 11 and August 5, and in an intriguing sub-plot, Gerrard could face his former foes just weeks after calling time on his 26-year spell at Liverpool.

Fixtures for the tournament, which United won in 2014, have yet to be confirmed, but Galaxy fans will hope they will be able to see their new midfielder in action against the Premier League giants.

Gerrard faced United for the final time in his Liverpool career last month, but was sent off for a stamp on Ander Herrera just 38 seconds after coming on as a substitute.

La Liga leaders Barcelona will also take part in this summer's pre-season tournament, and they will be joined by fellow European sides Paris Saint-Germain, Porto and Fiorentina, while MLS sides New York Red Bulls and San Jose Earthquakes are also signed up, along with Liga MX side America.

 

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Manchester United tracking transfer targets since January, reveals Van Gaal

Louis van Gaal has revealed Manchester United's plans regarding their summer transfer business are already underway.

Goal understands that United are closing in on a move for PSV winger Memphis Depay, while Borussia Dortmund centre-back Mats Hummels and Southampton right-back Nathaniel Clyne remain on the club’s radar ahead of the summer window.

Goal also revealed in December that United were keen to recall Nani back from his loan with Sporting and the 28-year-old could be part of Van Gaal's plans next season after scoring 10 goals in 30 appearances for the Portuguese club this term.

United announced on Wednesday that they will return to the United States for part of their pre-season tour and Van Gaal insists preparations for the new season are already in progress.

"Already in January [we began thinking about next season] because we have to prepare our pre-season and Manchester United will go to America," Van Gaal told the club’s official website.

"The aim is of course that we have to train and not only to play matches. Already for three or four months we are talking about our pre-season.

"We also think about the scouting of players, the scouting of our own players because we have a lot on loan and then we have to analyse their performances, so it’s a lot of work.

"It’s not only the present season but also what we have to decide for players next season."

 

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Manchester United tracking transfer targets since January, reveals Van Gaal

Kohomahari kamak naha hoda set 1kak gamu​

 

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Klopp: I'm not quitting Dortmund over dressing-room disharmony

Jurgen Klopp has dismissed speculation that his decision to quit Borussia Dortmund had anything to do with dressing-room disharmony.

It was announced on Wednesday that the 47-year-old coach will part company with BVB this summer, with both parties having agreed to an early termination of a contract that still had just over three years left to run.

Klopp explained that he no longer felt as if he were the right man for the job but there have been claims that the decision was prompted by an argument with veteran midfielder Sebastian Kehl after last weekend's 3-1 loss at Borussia Monchengladbach.

However, the Stuttgart native, who led BVB to back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012, insists that there has been no falling-out with any of his players.
"It might have looked like I had problems with the team last week, but this has nothing to do with that," Klopp stated on Wednesday.

"There has been no division or tear between myself and the team. I had no problems with any of the players."

However, Klopp, who is already being heavily linked with Manchester City and Barcelona, admitted that he had not spoken to his troops before his summer exit was publicly announced by the club.

"I had no time to inform the team yet," he added. "I will talk to them in a bit."
Dortmund currently sit 10th in the Bundesliga standings, 18 points outside the Champions League qualification places and a staggering 37 points adrift of table-toppers Bayern Munich.

 

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Schneiderlin should not be signed to replace Coquelin, says McLintock

Arsenal should not sign Morgan Schneiderlin as a replacement for Francis Coquelin, according to former Gunners centre-back Frank McLintock.

Coquelin has become a key member of the Arsene Wenger's squad in recent months, having been drafted in from the wilderness following a short loan spell at Charlton Athletic.

The Frenchman has been at the heart of Arsenal's midfield as they have embarked on an eight-match winning run - closing the gap on leaders Chelsea to seven points - but reports continue to link the north London club with a potential summer move for Southampton midfielder Schneiderlin.

The Saints star has spoken of his desire to play in the Champions League on several ocassions but, while McLintock believes Schneiderlin would be a fine signing, he has called for Coquelin to be allowed to thrive.

"[Coquelin has been] very good," he said. "They've been linked with Schneiderlin at Southampton. He's got height, something Arsenal have been lacking because they've been a small team for a long time.

"So someone of that calibre would be a good thing.

"But it would be a shame if he were to replace Coquelin, he's come on a bundle in the last month or so. That's because he has the opportunity to play regularly and he's taken on the task very well."

 

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Arsenal a 'joy to watch', says Wilshere

Jack Wilshere says Arsenal's recent performances have been a "joy to watch" during his injury-enforced absence.

The England international has been absent since November with an ankle problem and he has thus missed their current run of eight consecutive Premier League victories.

Arsene Wenger's men are now just seven points behind table-toppers Chelsea - though the Blues have a game in hand - and the two London rivals are set to meet at the Emirates on April 26.

Wilshere, who has been stepping up his rehabilitation in recent weeks and featured in an Under-21s game earlier this week, has now admitted that is savouring Arsenal's steady improvement.

"Not just over the last season, I think it's over the last few years [that we have made progress]," he told the club's official website.

"We lost a lot of players from when I started in the first team, a lot of people said Arsenal would never come back but we didn't listen to them.

"We kept going, added real quality, world-class players to the squad and the main thing here is the team ethic.

"You can see that we have a great atmosphere around, everyone wants to work for one another and we go into every game knowing we can create chances if we stay strong defensively.

"I remember when I got my first injury and it was the year when Cesc [Fabregas] left. We struggled that year at the start and it was tough to watch.

"It has been totally different this year - they have been playing great football and it has been a joy to watch."

 

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Trapattoni: Inzaghi can't make fine wine out of turnips

Giovanni Trapattoni believes that Pippo Inzaghi has been unfairly criticised this season given the lack of quality at his disposal at AC Milan, arguing that under-fire coach can't be expected "to make fine wine out of turnips".

The Rossoneri are still regarded as one of the most famous names in world football, with Arrigo Saachi having won back-to-back European Cups in 1989 and 1990 with one of the finest club sides ever assembled, one founded on the brilliance of Dutch trio Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard.
They enjoyed further European glory under Fabio Capello, in 1994, and Carlo Ancelotti, in 2003 and 2007, with the latter triumph inspired by the mercurial Kaka.

However, after years of financial mismanagement, Milan now found themselves shopping at the lower end of the transfer market, something Trapattoni believes needs to be taken into account when discussing the San Siro's struggles during Inzaghi's first season at the helm.

"He has undoubtedly found it difficult to get past certain obstacles," the iconic Italian coach told Tuttosport."At Milan they don’t just ask you for results but entertainment as well, and combining the two isn’t simple.

“Pippo has his ideas and with time he will perfect them. He has often relied on solid, reliable players, but the Rossoneri fans were used to the Dutch players and Kaka – it’s not easy for them to swallow.

“He was chosen and so it’s right that the club is still supporting him. You get toughened up in this league.

“I think that the club must trust him, but you can’t expect Inzaghi to make fine wine out of turnips."Milan's city rivals Inter have also struggled this term, despite the return of Roberto Mancini as coach in November.

The former Manchester City boss won two titles on the field during his previous spell in charge of the Nerazzurri but Trapattoni feels that Mancini will need time to readjust to the Italian game after his time in the Premier League and Turkey.
“Sometimes when you go abroad and are watching Italian football, you think that you can change things with one click," the ex-Republic of Ireland boss stated.
“Mancini was away from Serie A for many seasons and when he returned he came across difficult football and perfectionists.

“In England the games aren’t a continual tactical exam, but here they are.
"Roberto must rediscover the right coordinates, but he isn’t a fool and he will know how to find the players best suited to his ideas."

In light of the pressure that Inzaghi and Mancini are both under, Trapattoni believes that Sunday's Milan derby could not be of greater importance to the two clubs.
“This is an anxious and ill-tempered derby but whoever wins will save their season,” he added.

“It’s the hardest match to predict - when I was top of the League I’d lose and when I was mid-table I’d win - but as usual the team that has the least fear of losing will prevail.”

Milan currently sit eighth in Serie A, just one point and one place above Inter.