..::Football III::..

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    Villarreal 0-1 Atletico Madrid: Torres to the rescue for Rojiblancos

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    Fernando Torres came off the bench to seal a 1-0 win for Atletico Madrid against shot-shy Villarreal on Wednesday.

    It was Torres' fifth goal since rejoining Atletico in January and came with a sizeable slice of help from the unfortunate Eric Bailly.

    The Ivory Coast defender stumbled under pressure in the 74th minute, allowing Torres to bear down on goal, round Sergio Asenjo in the Villarreal goal and calmly slot past scrambling defenders on the line.Atletico's triumph strengthens their grip on third place in La Liga as they move to 75 points - six above Sevilla with four games remaining.

    By contrast, Villarreal's promising campaign is grinding to a halt in dire fashion, with a winless run that stands at 10 games in all competitions. Marcelino's team have failed to find the net in six of their past seven outings.

    Gerard slid a pass to Joel Campbell inside the penalty area after two minutes but the on-loan Arsenal forward was unable to open his account for Villarreal, firing straight at Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

    In-form forward Antoine Griezmann looked sharp from the outset and, shortly after he had penalty claims rejected under a challenge from Bojan Jokic, Asenjo saved well to deny the France international from an acute angle in the 15th minute.

    Villarreal keeper Asenjo was scrambling when Arda Turan's looping header dropped narrowly wide and Atleti midfielder Koke thudded a strike into the advertising hoardings following excellent hold-up play from Mario Mandzukic.
    But Villarreal were not allowing their visitors to dominate and they were unlucky not to be ahead in the 34th minute.

    Victor Ruiz's close-range header from Antonio Rukavina's free-kick was brilliantly kept out by Oblak before Diego Godin cleared Gerard's follow-up off the line.
    Both sides continued to probe with intent after the interval but clear chances dried up, although Griezmann might have done better when he headed Jesus Gamez's perfectly flighted left-wing cross off target.Diego Simeone sent on Torres and Saul for Mandzukic and Turan in an attempted to freshen up Atletico's attacking options but initially to no avail.

    Gerard timed his run well to break into the Atleti box on the end of Jaume Costa's pass but lost his footing at the crucial moment, and Godin was on hand once more to block the follow-up strike from Moi Gomez.

    Villarreal would live to rue that miss as Torres showed a merciless, clinical instinct to exploit Bailly's moment to forget.Griezmann could have doubled the margin of victory before Asenjo suffered a leg injury when catching a cross to leave the field early in clear discomfort.

    Marcelino's men could have salvaged a point in stoppage time but Mario and then Costa fired off target as their barren run in front of goal rumbled on.
     

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    Juventus 3-2 Fiorentina: Terrific Tevez puts Bianconeri on the verge of Serie A title

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    Juventus need only a point to win the Serie A title after Carlos Tevez scored twice in a 3-2 home victory over faltering Fiorentina on Wednesday.

    Juve suffered a shock derby defeat to Torino on Sunday and looked set to slip up again when Gonzalo Rodriguez put Fiorentina in front from the penalty spot in the first half.

    The Turin giants came storming back, though, with Fernando Llorente ending his goal drought by scoring for the first time since he found the back of the net against the same opponents at the start of last month.

    Tevez then took centre stage, heading the champions in front on the stroke of half-time and then taking his tally for the season to 28 in all competitions - and 20 in Serie A - after Rodriguez had missed a second spot-kick.

    Josep Ilicic pulled a late goal back with a fine free-kick, but Massimiliano Allegri's men saw out the victory and only need a draw at Sampdoria on Saturday to secure a fourth consecutive Scudetto as they still lead second-placed Lazio by 14 points with five games remaining Fiorentina have now lost their last four matches in the league and have dropped to seventh in the table, so many yet need to win the UEFA Europa League to seal a place in Europe.

    Leading scorer Tevez was back in the starting line-up and Claudio Marchisio made his 300th appearance for Juve as Allegri made six changes following the derby defeat.Vincenzo Montella also made six changes, with Mario Gomez leading the line for Fiorentina.

    Juve made an unconvincing start, but Llorente produced a moment of quality which had been lacking when he turned Rodriguez sharply in the penalty area before going to ground, only for referee Luca Banti to wave play on.

    To make matters worse for the leaders it was Rodriguez who put the visitors in front from the penalty spot 33 minutes in, after Andrea Pirlo had hung out a leg and upended Joaquin just inside the penalty area.

    Gianluigi Buffon guessed the right way, but was unable to keep out the Fiorentina captain's clinical spot-kick diving to his left after referee Banti had words with a disgruntled Allegri on the touchline.

    Juve were level just three minutes later, though, and in somewhat controversial circumstances as Neto was adjudged to have upended Stefano Sturaro outside the penalty area, despite there appearing to be no contact.

    Pirlo made amends for giving away the penalty by swinging in the resulting free-kick for Llorente to head home and Tevez then put Juve in front on the stroke of half-time when he rose unmarked to head home Patrice Evra's pinpoint cross.

    Gomez claimed Evra held him back when he headed wide early in the second half as Fiorentina attempted to produced a fightback of their own.

    A rousing comeback looked on when Giorgio Chiellini upended the tricky Joaquin after 66 minutes, but Rodriguez lacked composure on this occasion as he blasted the resulting penalty wide.

    The defender was made to pay for that miss only two minutes later, when Tevez raced clear and took a touch before firing a shot into the far corner of the net.
    Ilicic came off the bench to curl home a free-kick in impressive fashion after 90 minutes, but the damage to Fiorentina had already been done.
     

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    Leicester City 1-3 Chelsea: Title in sight for Blues thanks to second-half fightback

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    Chelsea can win the Premier League title on Sunday after John Terry and Ramires struck late to give them a 3-1 come-from-behind victory at Leicester City.

    Jose Mourinho's side extended their lead over both Manchester City and Arsenal to 13 points with a gutsy win at the King Power Stadium on Wednesday that showcased their character.

    And now Chelsea, unbeaten in 14 league games, can secure English football's greatest prize for the first time since 2010 with victory against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

    Leicester, who had won four matches in a row to move out of the relegation zone they had occupied since November, lost Andy King and Robert Huth in the first 25 minutes to injuries, but still took the lead on the stroke of half-time through Marc Albrighton.

    The hosts were the better side in the first half, but Chelsea responded like champions do, with Didier Drogba levelling proceedings in the 48th minute.

    Chelsea captain Terry then struck with 11 minutes remaining before a Ramires stunner capped their superb away win.

    Leicester, who remain one point above the bottom three, face Newcastle United in a crucial relegation clash on Saturday.

    Chelsea took no risk with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois - battling a minor hip problem - and replaced him with Petr Cech, while Oscar dropped to the bench after his nasty collision with Arsenal's David Ospina on Sunday.

    Leicester, who gave forward Jamie Vardy another pain-killing injection to allow him to play, made a bright start, pressing and harrying Chelsea, who rued Cesc Fabregas' decision to square across the face of goal instead of shoot in the 17th minute.

    The departures of King, on his 300th Leicester appearance, and Huth, robbed the home side of momentum, but, in a first half bereft of chances, they almost took the lead through an unlikely source, as Paul Konchesky's near-post volley was superbly pushed onto the post by Cech.

    Chelsea survived the ensuing goalmouth scramble, but they did not last until the break, as a fast counter in the third minute of stoppage time saw substitute Matty James play in Vardy down the left.

    Vardy got to the byline and cut-back, with Cesar Azpilicueta's slip allowing Albrighton to steal in and, first time, fire into the bottom-left corner to delight the home crowd.

    Chelsea came out firing after the break, though, and were quickly on level terms through Drogba, after a dink from Eden Hazard - the newly crowned PFA Player of the Year - set Branislav Ivanovic free.

    And the defender stormed towards the byline before steering a pass to Drogba, who made no mistake from nine yards with a typically predatory finish.

    The Ivorian spooned a great chance over less than two minutes later, while Fabregas should have done better when Willian's cross from the right had Leicester scrambling, but the ex-Arsenal man saw the ball bounce off his knee and go wide.

    The chances kept coming for Chelsea, as Drogba flashed an effort just wide from a difficult angle, while Willian curled over as the visitors pressed for a second goal.

    And it came in the 79th minute as, after Gary Cahill's header from Fabregas' corner was saved by Kasper Schmeichel, Terry reacted quickest to flick in from close range.

    Leicester were given no chance to mount a late rally, either, as Ramires rocketed a first-time effort into the top-left corner from just outside the penalty area four minutes later, sealing Chelsea's terrific triumph.
     

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    AC Milan 1-3 Genoa: Gasperini's men pile more pressure on Inzaghi

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    Ten-man AC Milan did nothing to halt the unrest surrounding the Serie A club as they suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Genoa.

    Filippo Inzaghi's side went into Wednesday's game harbouring only slim hopes of a European place and with fans continuing to voice their disapproval at the €91.3m losses revealed by Milan the previous day.

    Sections of the home support positioned themselves to spell out the word 'basta' - meaning 'enough' - but Milan's disappointing form on the field shows no signs of abating.Indeed, Genoa dictated matters for the majority of the contest and took the lead through midfielder Andrea Bertolacci's solo goal.

    Tino Costa's deflected close-range finish in the 48th minute put Genoa in control, only for a superb 66th-minute strike from Philippe Mexes to give Milan hope.

    But any prospect of the hosts completing a fine comeback were put to bed when forward Jeremy Menez was sent off for a second bookable offence, and Iago Falque's injury-time penalty secured a first win for Genoa over Milan at San Siro for 57 years.Genoa made a brilliant start, but spurned a host of early chances.

    Bertolacci saw a low drive tipped around the post by Diego Lopez, who then denied Zakarya Bergdich with a near-post save following good link-up play with Milan loanee M'Baye Niang.

    Niang was denied by a fine one-on-one stop from Lopez, with the Milan goalkeeper thwarting Bertolacci again after Milan had carelessly conceded possession.

    But Bertolacci finally got his goal in the 37th minute as he was afforded the space to surge from midfield to the penalty area and cleverly evade an Adil Rami challenge before slotting the ball into the bottom-left corner.

    Falque then went close to doubling Genoa's advantage, but his curling effort flew narrowly wide of the far post.However, Falque atoned for that miss three minutes after the restart by teeing up Costa, whose shot deflected off Niang, to make it 2-0 at the end of an excellent Genoa counter-attack.

    Milan mounted a response against the run of play, as Mexes lashed in off the underside of the crossbar following a well-worked short corner routine.Yet Mexes' French compatriot Menez made Milan's task harder when he was given his marching orders six minutes later for a foul on Edenilson.

    Lopez produced a fine double save to keep out efforts from Falque and Maxime Lestienne, but he could do nothing to prevent the Spaniard from powering a spot-kick into the net after an Ignazio Abate foul to send Genoa sixth in the table.
     

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    Arminia Bielefeld 0-4 Wolfsburg: Arnold at the double as Hecking's men storm into DFB-Pokal final

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    Wolfsburg's hopes of a victorious end to the season remain alive after a Maximilian Arnold-inspired 4-0 win at third-tier Arminia Bielefeld.

    Dieter Hecking's team had been in the hunt for honours in both the Europa League and Bundesliga before their campaign threatened to unravel, but Wednesday's routine triumph leaves just Jurgen Klopp's Borussia Dortmund standing between Wolfsburg and silverware.

    While Dortmund endured a testing semi-final against Bayern Munich on Tuesday, needing a penalty shoot-out to prevail, Wolfsburg never looked in danger of such troubles after Maximilian Arnold's eighth-minute opener.

    Luiz Gustavo nodded in their second with 31 minutes played before a quick-fire double early in the second half – Ivan Perisic's 51st-minute tap-in quickly followed by Arnold's second.Wolfsburg will now look to prevent Klopp ending his Dortmund tenure in triumphant fashion in the Berlin final on May 30.

    Few would have expected Bielefeld to offer much resistance to their Bundesliga opponents and somewhat unsurprisingly they only managed to remain level until the eighth minute.

    Daniel Caligiuri bided his time on the edge of the area and eventually picked out the late run from Arnold, who emphatically placed his first-time effort into the top-left corner from 16 yards.

    Wolfsburg continued to dictate proceedings, but a lapse in concentration at the back allowed the hosts a chance to break down the right in the 23rd minute.

    The move ended with Fabian Klos' eventual shot appearing to strike the arm of Ricardo Rodriguez right on the edge of the box, only for referee Tobias Welz to ignore Bielefeld's furious protests.And Wolfsburg made the most of that let-off just after the half-hour mark.

    Bas Dost nodded Rodriguez's pinpoint free-kick delivery back into the danger area and Luiz Gustavo was on hand to head past the helpless Alexander Schwolow.For all Wolfsburg's first-half dominance, they were almost pegged back right after the interval.

    Diego Benaglio misjudged Florian Dick's deep free-kick and was only rescued by the crossbar before Klos sliced over the empty net from the rebound.Any confidence attained from that double chance was swiftly dashed by the visitors in the 51st minute.

    Perisic tapped in at the far post following a clever pass courtesy of Caligiuri and the German was instrumental again four minute later, causing havoc in the area before Arnold smashed in from point-blank range.

    Wolfsburg's quick double ended the contest and, although a late injury to Marcel Schafer reduced them to 10 men, Hecking's men cruised into only their second DFB-Pokal final.
     

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    Real Madrid 3-0 Almeria: James Rodriguez rocket inspires Blancos to victory

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    Real Madrid kept up the pressure on Barcelona as they moved back to within two points of the Liga leaders with a 3-0 victory over Almeria on Wednesday.

    After Barca's comprehensive 6-0 win over Getafe 24 hours earlier, the pressure was on for Carlo Ancelotti's side and they ultimately claimed three points with ease despite a lacklustre first-half showing.

    While title rivals Barca netted five in the opening 45 minutes on Tuesday, Real took time to break through - James Rodriguez registering his club's 100th goal of the season with a stunning volley just before half-time.

    The lead was doubled after 48 minutes when Mauro dos Santos turned a low cross into his own net and Alvaro Arbeloa added a third late on.

    Ancelotti opted against introducing 16-year-old Martin Odegaard, the Norwegian wonderkid made to wait for his first-team debut as he remained an unused substitute.A typically fast start from Real saw them go close three times in the opening exchanges, with Cristiano Ronaldo unsurprisingly at the heart of everything.

    The first chance fell to James, though, the Colombian ghosting into the penalty area to meet Arbeloa's right-wing cross, but failing to divert his header on target.

    Ronaldo's personal battle with Ruben in the Almeria goal then began as the forward made a rampaging run towards goal and saw his low shot saved by the goalkeeper's legs, before heading over from the resulting corner.

    Some Almeria pressure followed but just before the half-hour the Ronaldo show restarted, the Ballon D'Or winner going close with two long-range free kicks - the first rippling the top of Ruben's net.

    The deadlock was finally broken on the brink of half-time as poor defending saw the ball bounce into the path of James, who unleashed a stunning volley from 20 yards that gave Ruben no chance.

    Although Real had to wait for their opening goal, the second came quickly after the restart as Toni Kroos was released behind the Almeria defence. His low cross was inadvertently turned into the net by Dos Santos, with Ronaldo waiting behind.

    Almeria again showed plenty of spirit to try and threaten Keylor Navas, but Raphael Varane was agonisingly close to adding a third midway through the second half as he headed a Kroos corner wide.Javier Hernandez also spurned an opportunity to extend Real's advantage, poking wide at the near post from a pinpoint Ronaldo cross after 73 minutes.

    The hosts still finished on a high, though, as Arbeloa stretched to convert a low ball in from Hernandez with five minutes to play, adding gloss to a victory that ensures the title race remains wide open.
     

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    Inter will try to sign Dybala, confirms Zanetti

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    Inter vice-president Javier Zanetti has admitted that the Giuseppe Meazza side are keen to sign Palermo sensation Paulo Dybala, but added that the Financial Fair Play regulations could frustrate a potential deal.The 21-year-old has been in superb form in 2014-15 and is widely expected to leave the club at the end of the season.

    His agent recently revealed that Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea have already tabled bids for the attacker, while Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini has also claimed interest from Juventus, Arsenal and Napoli.

    Zanetti has now confirmed that Inter are keen to sign Dybala as well, although he fears a transfer could be problematic due to financial reasons, with Palermo slapping a €50 million price tag on the forward.

    "Could Dybala's future be at Inter? Good players always fit in at good teams. If we have only the slightest chance to sign him, we will go for it," Zanetti told Goal."But we have to be realistic. We must respect the FFP rules.

    "I am not surprised by his superb performances. I saw him play in Argentina before and his ability already stood out then. He has been performing very consistently this season and he has a bright future ahead of him."

    The Inter legend then went on to discuss Mauro Icardi's future at the club and made it clear that the prolific attacker is on the verge of signing a contract renewal.
    The 22-year-old, whose current deal runs until June 2018, has already netted 18 goals in 31 Serie A appearances this term."Mauro is very calm and serene about his future. You clearly see that he's enjoying himself on the pitch.

    "We are very happy to have him in our team. We are close to agreeing a contract renewal with Mauro. He will be important for Inter in the future."Inter have been going through a difficult season so far, but Zanetti is already looking toward the long term and sees reason for optimism.

    "Our objective is to end the season in the best possible way. The final table will show what we deserved this season.

    "But we are already looking further ahead, to next season. We went through some difficult moments, but we got through it together. This has only made the team stronger."
     

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    Abidal: Barcelona have never been better

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    Eric Abidal believes Luis Enrique's Barcelona are even stronger than Pep Guardiola's side that conquered Spain and Europe between 2008 and 2012.

    The Catalans have been in superb form in 2014-15 and still have a chance of winning the treble heading into the decisive stages.Barca currently sit top of the Liga table, meet Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-finals and take on Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final.

    Abidal has nothing but respect for Guardiola's achievements at Camp Nou - in a period the retired defender played a part in - but believes Luis Enrique's men could make an even bigger impact.

    "I am aware of everything that Pep achieved at Barcelona, and he has achieved a lot at Bayern, but I feel that Barcelona are stronger than ever before," Abidal told Efe.

    "Barcelona appear to be in great shape. There are two important games coming up in the Champions League, but we have to focus on La Liga, too."The club know the Champions League very well and we have to go for it as always and work hard in order to try to reach the final."

    The former France international, who represented Barcelona at the presentation of the third edition of the International Champions Cup, then went on to hail the understanding between Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar.

    "They understand each other very well on the pitch, which is the most important thing," Abidal added.

    "It isn't easy to have stars and be able to always be on top form, but I think Barca are doing that very well at the moment."
     

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    Walcott: Arsenal better than Barcelona in 2015

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    Theo Walcott says Arsenal have been the best team in Europe in 2015, better even than standout side Barcelona.

    The Gunners have embarked on a superb run of form since the turn of the year, and have not suffered a Premier League defeat since February 7, when they were beaten 2-1 by north London rivals Tottenham.

    The form of Arsene Wenger’s side had led to talk of a title challenge from the Emirates but the club’s 0-0 draw with Chelsea on Sunday means the Blues now need just two wins to be crowned champions.

    Walcott, though, insists Arsenal have been the finest team in the continent this year, and says they could have lifted the Premier League title had key players not suffered any fitness issues.

    “I’d say so,” he told Arsenal’s official website when asked if the club were at their best. “There’s a lot of competition for places so everyone seems to lift a gear and play extremely well.

    “It makes it a bit more difficult for people to get into the team. I think, especially this season, not many people thought we’d be second and challenging for the Premier League.

    “In this calendar year, we’ve been the best team in Europe. It’s the strongest the squad has been and everyone is staying fit as well. There aren’t many injuries in the squad, which is important. If we had an injury-free season, I think we could lift the title.”
     

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    Man City must learn to win ugly like Chelsea - Clichy

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    Gael Clichy thinks Manchester City must learn from Chelsea's ability to win at all costs if they want to return to the top of the Premier League.

    Jose Mourinho's side have been criticised by some for their pragmatic approach this season but are just two wins away from winning the Premier League title following their 0-0 draw with Arsenal at the weekend.

    City sit 10 points behind the Blues and Clichy concedes that he and his team-mates may need to take note of Chelsea's ability to win ugly if they are to reclaim their Premier League title next season.

    "People are saying Jose Mourinho plays defensive football and his team doesn't like to attack," he said. "They've won a lot of games by one goal but at the end of the day you just look at the trophies.

    "Sometimes in football you just need to be able to win games, even when you are not playing well.

    "This season there have been times when we have lost games instead of maybe settling for a draw whereas Chelsea have made sure that if they don't win their games, they don't lose them either. And that has been the difference this year.

    "The two games we played against them I think we played better than them, created more chances and had more possession but on each occasion we shared the points."

    Clichy added: "Our philosophy at this club is to play attractive football and score lots of goals but at the same time you have to give credit where it's due and Chelsea have been the best team this season.

    "If Chelsea needed five points to win the title and had to draw five games to be champions they would get those five draws and do it. Probably no other team in the league could do that. So they must be doing something right."
     

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    Robben out until next season and Lewandowski suffers broken bones

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    Bayern Munich's Champions League hopes suffered a major blow on Wednesday when it was confirmed star winger Arjen Robben will miss the rest of the season with a calf problem while striker Robert Lewandowski is also facing a spell on the sidelines.

    Both players were injured during Bayern's DFB-Pokal penalty shoot-out defeat to Borussia Dortmund - Robben limping off just 16 minutes into a comeback from an abdominal injury which kept him out for five weeks while Lewandowski sustained a broken jaw and nose after being clattered by visiting goalkeeper Mitch Langerak.

    Bayern boss Pep Guardiola confirmed after the final whistle that Robben had suffered a calf injury and his worst fears were confirmed following the Dutchman's visit to Dr Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt on Wednesday morning.

    Lewandowski suffered his injury deep into extra-time when he was caught by Langerak's hand in an aerial challenge. He managed to complete the 120 minutes - Bayern had already used their three substitutions - but appeared groggy and played little part in the action. He was also not considered for the shoot-out which Dortmund won following misses from Philipp Lahm, Xabi Alonso, Mario Gotze and Manuel Neuer.

    He returned for further tests on Wednesday after which more bad news was delivered.

    The Poland striker remains optimistic he will be able to face Barca - although if passed fit he will likely require the use of a face mask.

    Positive news was in short supply for Guardiola on Wednesday although he will be boosted by the fact midfielder Thiago Alcantara did not sustain a more serious injury after limping off in the second half while Bayern are also confident winger Franck Ribery will be available for the Barca game after making progress in his recovery from an ankle injury.
     

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    Guarin: Inter can win every remaining match

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    Inter midfielder Fredy Guarin has urged his team-mates to give everything within their powers to win all remaining matches this season.

    The Giuseppe Meazza side have climbed to seventh place in the Serie A table following a five-game unbeaten run and still have a chance of securing Europa League football if they keep up their recent form.Inter beat Udinese 2-1 on Tuesday and Guarin is determined to keep going in the weeks to come.

    "Our goal is to win every game from now until the end of the season. Then we’ll take stock," Guarin told reporters."It wasn't easy against Udinese, but we’ve won and that’s what counts.

    "We could have managed our advantage better - they got their confidence up and were dangerous at times."We’ll talk about what didn’t go so well during the week."

    Meanwhile, Mauro Icardi again played a key role for Inter on Tuesday as he netted his 18th Serie A goal of the season to draw level with Juventus striker Carlos Tevez in the race for the top scorer title and the 22-year-old is desperate to add to his tally in the remainder of 2014-15.

    "I’m not the top scorer yet, so I hope to get a few more goals and at least hit the 20 mark," he said. "We should have killed it off sooner but the important thing is that we’ve won."
     

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    Simeone is like Mourinho, says Paunovic

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    Former Atletico Madrid midfielder Veljko Paunovic has voiced his admiration for Diego Simeone and believes his coaching methods are quite similar to those of Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

    Simeone has played a key role in Atleti's revival in recent years, helping the Vicente Calderon side to the Liga title last season after previously winning the Copa del Rey, Supercopa de Espana, Europa League and European Supercup since taking charge in December 2011.

    The Argentine is widely regarded as one of the best coaches around in the game following his successes with Atletico, and Paunovic has hailed Simeone's relationship with his team."Simeone is the type of coach who always defends his players and this is very important," Paunovic told Goal .

    "He manages to become the centre of attention in the media, thus taking the pressure off the team.

    "It's very similar to what Mourinho does, although they differ in style a bit. His attitude is hugely beneficial to the players."Paunovic then went on to praise Fernando Torres, who returned to his boyhood club this season after spells with Liverpool, Chelsea and AC Milan.

    "Torres has matured a lot in recent years. He has become a true leader, especially at the big moments. When the Champions League tie with Bayer Leverkusen went to penalties, he stepped up to take his responsibility and converted the winning penalty."But he also consoled and supported Koke when he missed his shot.

    "This hierarchy is a result of the stability within the club. They have Simeone as the leader of the project, but also have leaders within the team."
     

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    PSG plot mega-money Lloris bid

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    Paris Saint-Germain are weighing up a big-money bid for Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, Goal understands.

    The Ligue 1 leaders are in the market for a goalkeeper to replace Salvatore Sirigu this summer and are interested in the Spurs No.1.

    But it could take a massive €56 million offer to tempt Tottenham into selling one of their prize assets.

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    Contrary to reports, Lloris does not have a release clause in his contract which would allow him to leave the club if they do not qualify for the Champions League this season, but failing to finish in the top four could make it increasingly difficult for Spurs to keep hold of the France international.

    Manchester United, who are yet to tie down David de Gea to a new contract, have been linked with Lloris, while the Frenchman dismissed suggestions from Olivier Giroud that he would be interested in joining Arsenal as "embarrassing" earlier this season.

    "I heard about that [Giroud's comments]," Lloris said. "I think maybe some words were twisted, but it is embarrassing. I don't think that, I'm very focused on Spurs' ambition and I am very pleased to play for Spurs."

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    Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino also recently played down suggestions Lloris could look to leave the club this summer.

    "Nothing has changed from four, five or six months ago, when we last spoke about the rumour," Pochettino told reporters.

    "Hugo wants to play the Champions League here for Tottenham and everything else is just rumours.

    "Nothing is true and nothing has changed with the situation. He is happy here and wants to reach the Champions League with Tottenham; that is his dream."

    PSG, meanwhile, will have to factor Financial Fair Play restrictions into their transfer activity this summer.

    The French club are expected to rival Europe's biggest sides for Paul Pogba should the Juventus midfielder become available, but, while Ezequiel Lavezzi could be sold, president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has insisted Edinson Cavani, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Javier Pastore will all remain in Paris.
     

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    :yes::cool:'Herrera's been great Man Utd addition' - Scholes

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    Paul Scholes believes Ander Herrera has proven to be the pick of Manchester United’s summer signings, and says he will only get better.

    Herrera arrived at Old Trafford in a €36 million deal from Athletic Bilbao alongside the likes of Radamel Falcao, Marcos Rojo, Angel Di Maria and Daley Blind as United embarked on an unprecedented summer overhaul.

    And Scholes has now picked out Herrera as the best performer of the signings, with the Spaniard scoring seven goals and laying on five assists in 27 appearances in 2014-15.

    "I think it was difficult for all the signings at first – the first six, seven, eight months was probably very difficult," Scholes told Newstalk FM.

    "I think you'd have to say now that Herrera's been the one who's impressed me most.

    "He's another one that did struggle to get in the team early on, but now he's playing really well, playing really good football, looks like he's going to score goals, looks like he's going to make goals.

    "He's been a great addition and he's only a young lad as well so hopefully he can get even better."
     

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    Lewandowski & Robben injuries make Barcelona favourites - Alonso

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    Xabi Alonso has claimed the loss of Robert Lewandowski and Arjen Robben has made Barcelona the favourites for the Champions League semi-final.

    Bayern Munich's season took a huge hit on Tuesday when they were beaten by Borussia Dortmund in the DFB-Pokal semi-finals and saw both Robben and Lewandowski succumb to injuries.

    The Netherlands international lasted just 16 minutes upon his return to action before sustaining a torn calf muscle, which will keep him out for the rest of the season, while the Poland striker suffered a broken jaw and nose.

    Lewandowski says he still hopes to be fit to face Barcelona next week, with Alonso conceding the tie could have swung in Luis Enrique's side's favour following the latest fitness blow to hit Bayern.

    "Without Lewandowski and Robben, Barca are the bigger favourites," he was quoted as saying by Marca following Bayern's training session. "But it's fine to say that - you have to prove it on the pitch."

    Alonso says the penalty shoot-out loss to Dortmund has damaged the team's confidence but insists the newly-crowned Bundesliga champions must look to their league clash with Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday in order to restore belief.

    "It's football and these things happen. We wanted to reach the final and we faced a great rival. When it came to penalties, we took them the worst," said the former Real Madrid man.

    "The mood could be better, but bit by bit we're going to get it back because we know that we have a great challenge ahead and from tomorrow we have to think about the league. Even though we are champions, we have to do things well, and then we can think about the Champions League game on Wednesday."
     
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