..::Football III::..

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Athletic Bilbao 1-0 Valencia: Raul Garcia downs Neville's men in rain-sodden conditions

Valencia's Europa League campaign is hanging in the balance after they lost 1-0 to Athletic Bilbao in torrential rain at San Mames.

Raul Garcia's first-half header put the hosts in front and Gary Neville's side never recovered, showing little of the flowing attacking play that saw them crush Rapid Vienna in the previous round.

The downpour did not prevent Bilbao from peppering the Valencia goal with shots throughout the game, and the tie might have been put beyond doubt had it not been for the good form of visiting goalkeeper Mathew Ryan.

With neither side in contention for a place in next season's Champions League via La Liga, the Europa League holds the best chance of a place in next season's top competition for both sides.

Bilbao could still clinch a top six finish domestically to earn another Europa League spot for next season, but Neville’s men will need to be at their best at the Mestalla if they are to keep their European campaign alive.

A day of rain in Bilbao had put the game in doubt but, after treatment by ground staff before kick-off, referee Bjorn Kuipers deemed the pitch playable and Valencia went took to the field with nine changes from the side that lost 3-1 to Atletico Madrid in their previous game.

Ryan was called into action early on to punch clear a header from the Europa League's top scorer, Aritz Aduriz, and the Australia international was alert again moments later to save a shot from Markel Susaeta.

Bilbao's dominance paid off when Benat whipped in a free-kick from a deep position and Garcia stretched to win a header that flew past Ryan and into the net.

Moments later Aduriz beat Shkodran Mustafi in the air and had the goal at his mercy, but the in-form striker spurned the chance and put his shot wide.

Valencia struggled to adapt to the heavy conditions, and mustered little other than a Dani Parejo shot that failed to test Iago Herrerin in the Athletic goal, but at the other end Ryan did well to hang onto a fizzing effort from Oscar de Marcos.

Athletic continued to apply the pressure after half-time, and defender Aymeric Laporte attempted an audacious lob from all of 45 yards that had Ryan back-pedalling before he tipped it over the crossbar.

The home side had claims for a penalty turned away when Mikel Balenziaga's shot appeared to strike Javi Fuego on the arm, and Aduriz missed another chance to add to his Europa League tally of seven this season, firing a header straight at Ryan when unmarked in front of goal.

Ryan made the best of his many saves of the night from a Benat free-kick, which he dived to his left and palmed clear of danger, but Valencia will need more than just an in-form goalkeeper to turn the tie in their favour in the second leg.

 

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Fellaini faces ban over Can elbow in Manchester United defeat

Marouane Fellaini faces the prospect of a three-game ban in Europe after appearing to elbow Emre Can in the final stages of Manchester United’s defeat to Liverpool.

The Belgian clashed with the Liverpool midfielder off the ball but the incident was missed by Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo.

“If the referees had seen that, it would have been a red card for sure,” former Premier League and World Cup referee Howard Webb told BT Sport.

“Uefa might want to look at that as well, it was clearly an act of violent conduct, none of the six officials saw it on the day.”

Louis van Gaal’s slumped to a 2-0 defeat at Anfield as Daniel Sturridge scored a penalty before Roberto Firming completed the victory with a goal in the second half.

 

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Van Gaal fails spectacularly in Manchester United's biggest game of the season

This was meant to be Manchester United’s biggest game of the season, and therefore the moment when their manager and players put on their most united front to deliver a performance that would send their fans home happy. Instead it was the greatest example yet of their woeful inadequacies.

In front of more than 40,000 Liverpool fans who love nothing more than watching United struggle, Louis van Gaal and his men handed the locals everything they had dreamed of since the two sides were drawn together in the Europa League last-16 draw. If there is such a thing as a lucky 2-0 defeat, then this was exactly that.

Let us make no bones about the fact that United really needed to lay down a marker at Anfield on Thursday. In a campaign which has seen them stumble from the acceptable to the ridiculous at regular intervals, the Europa League had fast become their most probable route to a Champions League spot. This competition is not the throwaway extra it once was, and certainly not for a United side struggling to have any say in the Premier League’s top-four race.

Yet from the first minute to the last, Manchester United were completely outplayed by Liverpool. It is a sentence which will give United fans the chills, but it is the searing reality all the same. Were in not for David de Gea’s latest masterclass it would have been 5-0 at the very least.

Exactly what Van Gaal’s approach was to this game is very hard to say since there was no clear plan evident at any point. A man who has previously enjoyed a charmed life against the Merseysiders gifted the old enemy an easy time of it, and can thank both fortune and his magnificent goalkeeper for the fact this tie is not entirely dead yet.

United never gained any kind of a foothold, with the decision to have Guillermo Varela man-mark Philippe Coutinho leaving Marcus Rashford to spend much of the night chasing shadows as a quasi-right back. That left Anthony Martial exposed in attack, while he got no support from a central midfield which boasted nobody willing and able to put their foot on the ball. Morgan Schneiderlin is a great player when complemented by somebody like Victor Wanyama who will put himself about. Next to Marouane Fellaini he looks lost.

De Gea is United’s only shining light right now. His brilliance in keeping out efforts from Coutinho, Jordan Henderson, Daniel Sturridge and Nathaniel Clyne deserved more than a bit-part role in the final reckoning. Without him United would be an absolute also-ran of a side.

Van Gaal tried to change things at half-time by bringing on Michael Carrick as a third centre-back and was rewarded by the vice-captain’s calamitous role in Roberto Firmino’s clinching second goal. It was just one of a number of horrendous losses of possession throughout the match.

The manager has a lot of questions to answer after such a lifeless submission, and there can be no hope left for a third term for the Dutchman after this performance. United are directionless, rudderless and, on this showing, gutless. And that all comes back to Van Gaal.

Liverpool are not through yet. They still have a job to finish at Old Trafford. But there is absolutely no chance that United can turn this around unless they show the kind of character which has been sadly lacking in a long, long time. Such a pathetic display can never, ever be repeated in the name of Manchester United.

 

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De Gea nisa thamai match 1ka meh ganin hari berune.nathnam margin 1ka meetath wada wadi wenna thibba

De Gea​

 

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'There would be fights in Manchester United's dressing room after a bad performance'

Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand claim they would be fighting in the dressing room under Sir Alex Ferguson if they had played in Manchester United’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool on Thursday evening.

Louis van Gaal’s side are on the brink of exiting the Europa League after an insipid display at Anfield.

And when asked how they would have responded in the dressing room after a similar performance under Ferguson, Scholes told BT Sport: “They’d be fighting.

“You’d be in there for an hour, you wouldn’t get out.”

Ferdinand then interjected: “I’d have had Scholesey in a headlock by now.”

Goals in each half from Daniel Sturridge and Roberto Firmino sealed victory for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

 

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Ferdinand: Man Utd players deserve to be abused by fans for Liverpool display

Rio Ferdinand has hit out at Manchester United after their 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Europa League at Anfield on Thursday.

The Reds ran out comfortable winners thanks to goals from Daniel Sturridge and Roberto Firmino and could have won by more if not for another impressive display by David de Gea in the United goal.

The result leaves the Red Devils’ European hopes hanging by a thread ahead of the second leg at Old Trafford and the Ferdinand says the travelling fans deserve to vent their anger at the players after a dismal showing.

"I wouldn’t want to be a player walking past there [the fans] to the coach tonight," he told BT Sport. "They’d get abused by that lot. And rightly so.

"Did half of these players realise what game this is? Do they realise they are playing at Anfield, with the intensity, the history. Is it filtering through to them to say: 'Where are you, what are you doing?'

"The frightening thing for me, I don’t see any signs of improvement or where they are going."

Ferdinand also praised Jurgen Klopp’s side for their performance as the Reds made it three wins in a row in all competitions following their League Cup defeat to Manchester City at Wembley.

"They played like a Manchester United team, intensity-wise, like we use to play back in the day," he added. "That’s one of the most disheartening things.

"They overran us, overpowered us, everything. They were on the front foot from the word go."

 

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Van Gaal hails Fellaini as 'one of the best players on the pitch' against Liverpool

Louis van Gaal believes Marouane Fellaini was one of the best players on the pitch in Manchester United’s defeat to Liverpool.

The Belgian had not featured since February 7 due to a hamstring injury but started at Anfield as United slumped to a 2-0 loss, leaving the club on the brink of elimination from the Europa League.

Fellaini could also face a suspension from Uefa after being caught elbowing Emre Can in an off-the-ball incident.

Goals from Daniel Sturridge and Roberto Firmino secured victory for Liverpool, and Van Gaal admits his players struggled to cope with the intensity from Jurgen Klopp’s side.

“I have to say that Fellaini was one of the best players on the pitch,” Van Gaal told BT Sport.

"I have to say that Liverpool created an atmosphere that was fantastic.

"They played very good in the first half and we could not cope with their pressure. David De Gea was fantastic. But we had a cheap penalty and in the second half we changed the shape. We had much more contribution to the game but we didn't create enough.

"They scored another cheap goal, he was offside, and that is difficult. Losing 2-0 is a difficult result for us but we have to create an atmosphere like that next week.”

 

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Klopp revels in win over Manchester United from the first to last second

Jurgen Klopp enjoyed Liverpool’s domination of Manchester United from "the first second until the last" in their 2-0 Europa League victory at Anfield.

Thursday night’s encounter was the first time English football’s great rivals faced off in continental competition with a Daniel Sturridge penalty and Roberto Firmino strike handing the Reds a huge advantage heading into next week’s second leg at Old Trafford.

The hosts pressed and probed relentlessly, and if it was not for the brilliant display of David de Gea, the last-16 tie would have been over at the final whistle.

Liverpool could easily have been victors by a 4-0 scoreline, and Klopp was delighted with his side’s work in and out of possession: “It was good, from the first second until the last,” he said.

“There were a few minutes in the second half where we lost a little bit of control, so we changed the system and again needed a few minutes to adapt to the new system. Then we were back in the game and in control again.

"It’s not too important how you play against Manchester United, it’s always difficult to avoid chances. [But] there wasn’t really a lot, so that’s one of the best things about this game.

“Our game in the first half, we had more chances and could have scored more goals. But that’s how it is in football. We forced one goal with a perfect pass in the box. In the second half, scoring the second goal was very important.
“We did it and it was absolutely deserved. It was a great performance from the first until last second. It is only the first leg, we know that, but we needed to win and we did.

"That’s great. Now one week until the next game – we know it is not easy but we are in a good position and we want to go to the next round. “For that, we have to play like this again in Manchester.”

 

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'My body feels great' - Sturridge confident of fitness after Man Utd win

Liverpool forward Daniel Sturridge insisted his body feels great after his penalty helped Jurgen Klopp's men into a 2-0 lead against rivals Manchester United in their Europa League last-16 tie.

The striker's first-half spot-kick after Memphis Depay was adjudged to have fouled Nathaniel Clyne put the Reds in front at Anfield before Roberto Firmino capitalised on a mistake from Michael Carrick to score a second with 17 minutes remaining.

Sturridge has been in and out of the team since recovering from a string of injury problems, but he assured Liverpool fans that nothing is wrong after their crucial first-leg triumph.

"That is the manager's decision to choose which players he wants to play," he told BT Sport."I am fine, I am fit and I am ready to play as many matches the manager is prepared to give me. My body feels great."I didn't see the penalty incident as I wasn't involved in it, but most importantly the team won the game and that is what matters."

Asked what it meant to end a four-game losing streak against United, Sturridge added: "The past is the past in terms of recent games against them."We go into each game with the same mentality, but of course it was a big game. It was great for us to get the aggregate lead for the next game."

Captain Jordan Henderson paid tribute to the Liverpool supporters and felt they were a huge part of the team's success."The fans were brilliant," he said. "When we went out for the warm-up we could tell it was electric and that gave us a great boost.

"David de Gea made some very good saves, he is a very good keeper. We felt we could have been two or three up at half-time with the chances we created. We knew we needed to get another goal and we did that.

"We are obviously confident with a good two-goal advantage, but that can be dangerous at times so we need to make sure we are fully focused on the away leg because it will be tough there. We have to go there as if it is 0-0 and play a different game."

 

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Di Maria, Welbeck & Chicharito are all better than current Man United players – Rio Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand believes Manchester United have gone backwards in recent years and has questioned the departures of top stars such as Angel di Maria, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez.

A disappointing season for the Red Devils hit a new low on Thursday as they were comfortably beaten 2-0 by Liverpool at Anfield in the Europa League.

United barely landed a glove on their bitter rivals and Ferdinand believes his former side are currently paying the price for failing to replace quality which has left them of late.

"There’s a list of players I have written down here: [Angel] Di Maria, Nani, [Patrice] Evra, [Danny] Welbeck, Chicharito, [Jonny] Evans, [Darren] Fletcher, Rafael, [Shinji] Kagawa I could go on," he told BT Sport.

"Are they worse than the players that were out there? They’re better than that team out there, those players, that’s the problem.

"That’s where I see there has been a shift in the last couple of years. It has gone backwarrds and that’s the disappointing thing."

 

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Di Maria, Welbeck & Chicharito are all better than current Man United players – Rio Ferdinand

Welbeck kesewethath Di Maria & Chicharito thamai​

 

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Neville: Europa League dream is still alive for Valencia despite defeat

Valencia coach Gary Neville praised his team's performance in dreadful conditions after they lost 1-0 to Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League.

The first leg of the last-16 tie was played on an extremely heavy pitch and Valencia struggled to cope, going down to a first-half Raul Garcia goal and failed to trouble Bilbao's defence in the pouring rain at San Mames on Thursday.But Neville remains confident the atmosphere at the Mestalla will help Valencia swing the tie back in their favour.

He told reporters: "I think both teams played very well in the most difficult conditions I've seen in a game. No one has complained and I think both teams have had a good spirit."You can never be happy to lose but we go to Mestalla with a good chance. I think the result there may be different.

"It will be a special night. We will need a good performance but I believe in the players."Despite not winning, I have congratulated the players for maintaining the spirit in these conditions, which as I say, were the worst I've seen in my life."

The former Manchester United captain credited the performance of goalkeeper Mathew Ryan, who has been second choice to Diego Alves for much of the season but made a string of key saves against Bilbao."He has played very well making several important stops," said Neville.

"We had to do without Diego due to illness, but I am fortunate to have two very good goalkeepers."Neville came under fire after Valencia's previous game, which they lost 3-1 to Atletico Madrid, and the Englishman responded to accusations that he was laughing during that defeat.

"I do not know what to say. Playing for Valencia CF is very important, but it's also a sport and we are human," he said.“Sometimes we laugh, sometimes we cry - everything is passion. We were all sad after the match against Atletico and I think you cannot doubt the commitment of the players."

 

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Van Gaal bemoans 'cheap' Liverpool goals in Anfield defeat

Louis van Gaal believes Manchester United were punished by “cheap” goals in their 2-0 loss at the hands of Liverpool in the Europa League on Thursday.

Daniel Sturridge converted a 20th-minute penalty before Roberto Firmino scored for the third game in succession after the break, with United indebted to goalkeeper David De Gea for preventing a rout in the first leg of their last-16 tie at Anfield.

United were second best against the bitter rivals throughout but although the Dutchman agrees Liverpool were worthy winners, he believes both of their goals were debatable.

Van Gaal argued afterwards that referee Carlos Velasco Carballo's decision to award a penalty for Memphis Depay's foul on Nathaniel Clyne was questionable and felt Liverpool also should have been penalised for offside in the build up to Firmino's goal.

"They played very good in the first half and we could not cope with their pressure," Van Gaal told BT Sport. "They had chances but David de Gea was fantastic.

"It is a cheap penalty. The referee cannot [award the penalty] because I think that [Depay] holds [Clyne] outside the box and then he is falling down. It is not because he is kicked by Memphis - but it is difficult, you cannot see that in one second."Liverpool deserved their goals but how their goals are existing - I see how they scored their goals.

"In the second half we changed the shape and we had much more contribution in the game but we didn't create many chances and they scored another cheap goal.
"That's difficult because 2-0 is a very difficult result for us. I've seen the videotape [of the second goal], I think also that the guy [Jordan Henderson] who gives the pass from outside was already offside."

 

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I will not take a penalty, says Mascherano

Javier Mascherano is not concerned by his goal drought and insists he refuses to take a penalty just to break it.

Mascherano has not scored a goal for Barcelona in over 200 competitive appearances since joining the club in 2010.The Argentina international has not found the net in club football since March 2008 when he was playing for Liverpool in a 2-1 Premier League win over Reading.

Barca team-mate Gerard Pique said Mascherano refused to take a penalty in the side's 5-1 win over Rayo Vallecano last week, in which Luis Suarez stood up instead and missed.

"We told Mascherano to take the penalty kick but he did not have the confidence or has not wanted to shoot, but I asked," Pique said on Periscope.

But Mascherano says scoring his first Barca goal would not change anything. "I have surpassed [Michael] Reiziger's record [of years without a goal at the club] by far," he told TV3.

"I do not obsess myself over it. A goal will not change my life at all.
"Will I take a penalty? No chance at all."

 

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'Clown' Van Gaal would have gone already if he was dull like Moyes - Kieft

Former Netherlands international Wim Kieft has labelled Louis van Gaal "a clown" and believes his position at Manchester United is almost untenable.Van Gaal has been heavily criticised throughout his time at Old Trafford for his side's underwhelming performances as they sit sixth in the Premier League.

Thursday's 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in the first-leg of their Europa League tie leaves them on the brink of an exit from the competition, meaning they could miss out on a spot in the Champions League for next season.

And Kieft, who won six Eredivisie titles across spells with Ajax and PSV as well as the European Cup with the latter and European Championships with the national team, believes Van Gaal is lucky to still be in a job.

"Van Gaal is just a clown," he said on RTL7. "It's all game for the public,
"He has to do six press conferences during the week, no one is waiting. But Louis is also a bit addicted to attention, like everyone at that level. It is a stage for him, challenging him every time. And he thinks he is doing fairly well.

"On the other hand, if he had been as dull as his predecessor, David Moyes, he would have gone by now. "But if he does not end this season well, then it seems to me that his position is untenable."

 

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Messi not among best in history – Bilardo

Lionel Messi is not one of the best players in history, according to former Argentina boss Carlos Bilardo.

The Barcelona star won his fifth Ballon d'Or in January after a stunning year in which he lifted a treble at club level before helping Argentina to the final of the
Copa America.Bilardo stated two months ago that he did not consider the 28-year-old to be the best player ever to grace the game and the 76-year-old, now general manager of the national team, has gone on to explain his standpoint.

"[Alfredo] Di Stefano was a superman. He could begin a play in his goal and finish it in the other. Then came Pele and [Diego] Maradona," he told Ole .
"Now it's Messi, but they are different eras.

"I knew Messi would win [the Ballon d'Or], he deserved it. There's quite a difference between him and Cristiano Ronaldo."I put him among the best, but not in history, just of this moment.

"He's reached his ceiling, he can't win more than he has, but he has the incentive to win the World Cup."Bilardo went on to claim that Messi's transition to a false nine position earlier in his career was down to his own insistence.

"I said to his father 'get him away from there and put him in the middle, where all the best play'. We did that for the national team and then Barcelona did the same," he said.

In his homeland, Messi has been accused of failing to deliver on the biggest stage for his country in recent years, having delivered underwhelming performances in the finals of the World Cup and Copa America.But Bilardo insists supporters must give him the kind of respect he receives from football fans in Spain.

"He's one of the best in the world. He has recognition from the world, from his club, and he should have it here," he added. "I'm not surprised by how he plays, I predicted how important he would be many years ago. "We have to stop criticising him. He'll get tired of it one day and not come here anymore."

 

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Hazard's father: Chelsea forcing him to play through injury

Eden Hazard's father has claimed that Chelsea are forcing his son to play despite his injury struggles, insisting that he had "no choice" but to face PSG.

The 25-year-old Belgian was booed off after a below-par display in Wednesday's Champions League last-16 clash, with Oscar eventually replacing Hazard after 77 minutes of the 2-1 home defeat to Laurent Blanc's men.

The former Lille star, who has failed to score in the Premier League since May 2015, has been struggling with a groin injury picked up against Crystal Palace back in January and his father does not believe the Blues are allowing him to recover properly.

He told Belgian newspaper Le Soir: "The current displays of Eden have been hindered because of injury, an inflammation of the groin, which has troubled him for three or four months.

"It's not serious but the pain, when it comes, is throbbing. It's like a stabbing feeling. It had already happened earlier in the match [against PSG] before he asked to be replaced.

"Instead of giving him time to rest and recover properly, they made Eden play, mostly because this was a very important match. He had no choice.

"Which player in his career has never had highs and lows? Since the start of his career as a professional, it's the first time he's had this kind of problem. He's not a machine that plays."

 

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Mata: Man Utd won't give up on Liverpool tie

Juan Mata has insisted that Manchester United will not give up on their Europa League tie with Liverpool , despite losing to their Premier League counterparts 2-0 in the first leg at Anfield.

Goals from Daniel Sturridge and Roberto Firmino saw Louis Van Gaal’s side slump to defeat in what was a limp performance from the Red Devils, but Mata – who captained United at Anfield - insists the team's never-say-die attitude means they can still progress."We never give up,” Mata told United's official website. "We will try to start from the first minute and try to score.

"Last season I think we beat them 3-0, so we can do it. It's going to be tough because they are a good team with a good manager, but we could do it with our fans at home."

It could have been worse for Louis van Gaal's side had Spain goalkeeper David De Gea not made a string of top-class saves to ensure United still have the opportunity to salvage matters at Old Trafford next week.Attacking midfielder Mata praised his compatriot, but urged United to learn quickly from the poor performance.

"David was very good as always and that’s not a very good sign for us because it means that they had even more chances to score,” Mata added."We need to move on, we need to learn from this game and we need to come back next week stronger."

 

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Robben tells Guardiola: I don't want to be rested!

Bayern Munich attacker Arjen Robben says he does not need to miss Saturday's Bundesliga match versus Werder Bremen in order to be fit to face Juventus in the Champions League on March 16.

The 0-0 draw with Borussia Dortmund on Saturday maintained Bayern's five-point advantage at the top of the league.

The German champions will also be looking to book their ticket for the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday after their 2-2 first-leg draw in Turin, but Robben is adamant he does not need to be rested after overcoming his recent injury problems.

"I am feeling strong again and I am back to my old level," the Netherlands international told reporters."I know what I am capable of and my body is cooperating. I hope it stays like this. I want to stay fit and gain match rhythm.

"I don't want to be rested against Bremen, as I always want to play. We did not have a game in midweek this time. It does not matter what I want, though. The coach is the one who decides in the end.

"You cannot treat Werder like they are a warm-up for the game against Juventus. It does not work like that. We only have finals left this season and in the Bundesliga, Dortmund are still a very strong rival.

"But games like the clash with Juventus are what it is all about. I love these kinds of games. You have to show that you are ready for it when it matters most."

 

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Aubameyang: Real Madrid reports are bulls***

Borussia Dortmund forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has slammed reports that he has agreed a move to Real Madrid, labelling them as “bulls***”.

The Gabon international has scored 33 goals for Dortmund so far this season and has previously described a potential move to the Santiago Bernabeu as a ‘dream’ but has ruled out speculation that he has already agreed a deal.

Responding to the reports after Dortmund’s 3-0 Europa League victory over Tottenham, Aubameyang said: "It's bulls***, but papers are like this."I am only focused on my season here. I am at Borussia Dortmund. For the moment, I am here."

Aubameyang has extended his contract at Westfalenstadion until 2020 and Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel has remained adamant that the striker is not for sale.

“Everybody has to accept that he has a long-term contract without any possibility of stepping out,” said Tuchel."Auba signed this contract because he feels good here. He feels that he can still develop and still grow in his personality and as a soccer player.

"We want to keep this squad together and we want to develop this squad into something extraordinary. Right now, it's not our goal to give him away."