..::Football III::..

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Ibrahimovic to launch own sportswear brand

Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has announced that he will launch his own sportswear brand together with Scandinavian retail chain Dressmann.

Both parties have signed a long-term co-operation agreement and have established the company as Varner Ibrahimovic AS. The purpose of the partnership is to develop a sportswear brand.

"‘We are incredibly proud to have formed a link with one of the world's greatest sports personalities," commented Dressmann's managing director Petter Varner.

"His performance on the football field speaks for itself and we have great respect for his commitment and values."

The 33-year-old attacker, meanwhile, is looking forward to the start of his latest project.

"For me it feels great to start a company with Dressmann. The company culture and their winning mentality suits me perfectly.

"Dressmann is a brand for the people and that made the choice of a partner easy for me."

Dressmann is a leading retail brand in Scandinavia, with 380 stores across Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Germany.

 

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Experience makes Arsenal favourites - Jardim

Monaco boss Leonardo Jardim believes Arsenal's greater experience makes them favourites for the sides' Champions League last-16 tie.

The Ligue 1 club finished top of Group C, with their reward for that achievement a reunion with former boss Arsene Wenger.

Wenger spent seven years in charge at the Stade Louis II, guiding Monaco to the Ligue 1 title in 1988, and should be expected to triumph against his old club.

Jardim's men conceded just one goal in the group stage but, despite their defensive solidity, the Portuguese coach knows his side will need to be on top form to reach the quarter-finals.

"Arsenal are a very good team. They are used to this kind of game, which is why I feel they are favourites," Jardim said.

"Arsenal have a lot of quality players like Olivier Giroud or Alexis Sanchez. Whatever happens, we'll play to win as we always do."

 

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Dortmund face a huge challenge against Juventus - Klopp

Jurgen Klopp feels Borussia Dortmund face a "huge challenge" after being drawn against Juventus in the Champions League last 16.

The first knockout round tie will see Dortmund and Juve meet for the first time since 1997, when the German club won their sole Champions League title with victory over the Italians in the final.

Both clubs progressed from this season's group stages with relative ease, although their domestic fortunes could hardly be more contrasting.

Dortmund lie 16th in the Bundesliga having won just four games all season, whereas Serie A champions Juve sit top of their table.

Klopp is well aware of what a stern test Massimiliano Allegri's team will pose when they meet in February and March, but insists he is focusing solely on domestic matters for now.

"It is a beautiful tie, but it will be a huge challenge," he said. "They're the best team in Italy and very experienced.

"[But] I find it very hard to even think about the Champions League right now.

"It feels much further away than February."

 

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Schalke will be tougher this season - Butragueno

Emilio Butragueno is "optimistic" Real Madrid will beat Schalke in the Champions League but does not expect another rout.

Real hammered the Bundesliga side 9-2 on aggregate at the same stage of last year's competition en route to being crowned European champions for a 10th time.

The tie was over after a sensational first leg, in which Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema each scored twice in a 6-1 thrashing at the Veltins Arena.

Ronaldo also helped himself to a double in the second leg at Santiago Bernabeu as Carlo Ancelotti's men finished off the job with ease.

Butragueno, the Spanish giants' director of institutional relations, expects the La Liga leaders to progress to the quarter-finals, but does not envisage Schalke to make life easy for Ancelotti's side.

He told the club's official website: "Our view about the draw is an optimistic one. We have the great experience of last year, when we practically decided the tie in the first leg, but we know that football can be cruel and it will be harder this year. We have to be cautious.

"They are very competitive and have a loyal fan base. We'll have to try for a similar result to last year's in order to kill things off in Madrid. There were tougher opponents theoretically, but 90 minutes in Germany will be difficult.

"A lapse of concentration can cost you dearly. As such, we have the upmost respect for the opposition, a club we have a strong relationship with."

The first leg will be played in Gelsenkirchen on February 18, with the return fixture held in Madrid on March 10.

 

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Dortmund not a bad draw for Juventus, says Nedved

Pavel Nedved is optimistic about Juventus' chances of reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League after they were paired with Borussia Dortmund during Monday's draw for the round of 16.

The Bianconeri director feels they would have had little chance had they been drawn with Bayern Munich or Real Madrid, but thinks the tie with BVB will prove to be a balanced one.

"We have to be very careful because Dortmund have young, talented players. It could have been worse because there was still Bayern and Madrid when Borussia's name came out. It will be a very even tie," Nedved told the official Uefa website.

"There are a few teams who are almost impossible to compete with, so we are happy to have a side against whom we have a chance.

"I'm a big fan of Jurgen Klopp and I'm curious to see our level in Europe. The games against Dortmund will give us a clear indication of that."

Dortmund beat Juventus 3-1 in the final the last time they won the competition in 1997, with two goals from Karl-Heinz Riedle and one from substitute Lars Ricken earning the German side victory.

 

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Arsenal won't take Monaco for granted, says club secretary David Miles

Arsenal secretary David Miles says the Gunners will not take Monaco for granted after being drawn against Arsene Wenger's former side in the Champions League round of 16 draw.

Wenger spent seven years as manager at the Ligue 1 outfit, winning the title in 1988 before leaving Stade Louis II six years later.

The principality club were able to win Group C in the Champions League this season despite scoring just four goals in six matches, and were widely regarded as the weakest side among the group winners heading into the draw.

But Miles does not feel it is a foregone solution that the north London side will advance despite avoiding the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

"As the draw progressed it was evident a lot of the big teams have gone," he told Sky Sports.

"We are delighted to be here when you consider its 17 consecutive years in the Champions League it’s a fantastic achievement for Arsene Wenger and the players. We are very much looking forward to the game and being at the top table of European football

"We have picked some of the biggest teams in Europe over the last five years. We aren’t taking anything for granted, Monaco have earned the right to be here.

"All the fans have high expectations as you rightly say it will be great to at least get through this round of 16 and press on and kick on from there

"Overall we’re taking nothing for granted but we are pleased with the draw."

 

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Ibrahimovic like Pele and Maradona, says Raiola

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's agent, Mino Raiola, says that the Paris Saint-Germain striker is irreplaceable, just like Diego Maradona and Pele were during their illustrious playing careers.

PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi recently stated that the reigning French champions are already preparing for life after the 33-year-old, who has often talked about retiring from the game when his contract expires in 2016.

However, Raiola says the Ligue 1 outfit have no chance of finding a worthy successor to the Swedish superstar.

"It is impossible to replace Ibrahimovic, just like it was impossible to replace Pele and Maradona," the agent was quoted as saying by Journal du Dimanche.

"There does not exist anyone like him. PSG would already have bought him if there was another Ibra."

Raiola also suggested that Ibrahimovic could yet decide to extend his stay at the Parc des Princes.

"Could Ibra sign a new deal? We'll see ... Everything is possible with Zlatan. He is feeling very well in Paris and PSG are still the most exciting project for him."

Ibrahimovic has netted 12 goals in 13 appearances in all competitions so far in 2014-15.

 

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Robben: I'm not the best in the world

Bayern Munich attacker Arjen Robben has remained humble in the wake of Karl-Heinz Rummenigge's comments that he is the best outfield player in the world.

The Netherlands international impressed in Saturday's 4-0 Bundesliga win over Augsburg, scoring twice to take his tally for 2014-15 to 10 goals in 17 appearances in all competitions.

Nevertheless, Robben feels it might be pushing it a bit to claim he is a better player than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

"Did Rummenigge say I'm the best in the world? Well, I don't think that's right to be honest," the 30-year-old told the official Bundesliga website.

This weekend's win over Augsburg means that Bayern cannot be overhauled at the top of the Bundesliga before Christmas - yet Robben is not getting carried away just yet.

"The win over Augsburg was more important than being crowned Herbstmeister [winter champions]," he added. "We had some difficulties in the first half, so the three points are what's most important.

"We have two more games until the winter break and have to get good results in those games. We'll have a break at last after that."

Bayern hold a nine-point lead over second-placed Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga table, while they sit 15 points clear of joint numbers three Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Monchengladbach and Augsburg.

 

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Schmeichel: Impossible for Neuer to beat Ronaldo to Ballon d'Or

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel gives Bayern Munich No.1 Manuel Neuer no chance of beating Real Madrid attacker Cristiano Ronaldo to the Fifa Ballon d'Or.

Schmeichel is pleased to see a shot stopper get recognition at last and feels Neuer is arguably the best in the world in his position, yet is adamant that the Portugal star is the favourite to land the prestigious individual award.

"How can anybody else but Ronaldo win this?" Schmeichel asked in an exclusive interview with Goal. "It's great that one of the three nominees is a goalkeeper, but I don't think Neuer can win it this time.

"I think Ronaldo has been too good so I think he's going to run away with it.

"It's been long overdue that a goalkeeper made the final three, though. There have been some great goalkeeping performances in the last few years and I think his performances in the World Cup stand out.

"He was also in the running with Arjen Robben for European player last year. Goalkeeping is now at a point where it's a very popular position. Kids want to play in goal. In the future you'll see many more nominations for big awards going to goalkeepers.

"Neuer is the best goalkeeper in the world by far. You have someone like Thibaut Courtois as well who's done fantastic. There are many young goalkeepers in the game now. I think goalkeeping in the World Cup was exceptional."

The winner will be announced at the annual Ballon d'Or gala on Monday January 12 2015 at the Kongresshaus in Zurich.

 

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Blanc: Guingamp defeat a collective PSG failure

Laurent Blanc believes everyone at Paris Saint-Germain must take responsibility for their first Ligue 1 defeat of the season.

The French champions lost 1-0 at Guingamp on Sunday thanks to Jeremy Pied's early goal for what was their second defeat in a week following a 3-1 reverse at Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.But while back-to-back losses build the pressure on Blanc, he feels everybody at the club is in it together."The reality is that this afternoon there was a lack of collective and individual concentration," he said.

"This is our problem. In a team there are leaders, and when it's not going the way you want, these leaders and also the coach, of course, they have to raise their game to ensure that the collective do too."Here we must say that tonight we are all put in the same bag, including me, because we have not been able to respond, although in the second half we could have equalised."

PSG monopolised possession throughout the match and Edinson Cavani hit the bar, but goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu insists they must learn from the defeat. "We did not play well tonight, obviously," he told the club's official website.

"We'll have to work it out with the coach in the week to try to understand what went wrong. We must face the difficulties when the situation is more difficult.
"When defeat comes, you have to face it without fear."

 

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Evra: Sampdoria draw not good enough

Juventus full-back Patrice Evra has labelled Sunday’s draw with Sampdoria "not good enough".

The Frenchman gave the reigning Serie A champions a 12th minute lead at the Juventus Stadium, nipping in at the back post to grab his first goal for the club.

But Manolo Gabbiadini equalised six minutes after the break, forcing a draw which saw Juve’s lead over Roma at the top of the table cut to one point.

“We must win next time out,” said Evra.

“We’ve dropped two points here and that’s not good enough. We need to beat Cagliari. We’ve got great character and personality so I’m sure we’ll do it.

“My goal would’ve been more important had we got the win today. I’m happy to have scored, but also disappointed by the result because the match was ours for the taking in the first half.

"If we’d scored two goals before the break that could’ve been it.”

The result ended Juve's run of 25 consecutive home Serie A victories and left them two games without a league win for the first time since May 2013.

It was also the first time this season that Juve failed to win after taking the lead and Evra expressed his frustration at their inability to push on and dominate the game after he put them ahead.

“We felt good in the first half,” he said.

“We spoke about it beforehand and wanted to make a great start. As it happened, we just couldn’t get that second goal and that came back to haunt us after the break.

We’re disappointed, but we’re still the league leaders so we’ll just focus on the next match.”

 

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Champions League draw: Manchester City to meet Barcelona, Real Madrid face Schalke

 

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Barcelona 8-1 Huesca (agg 12-1): Pedro stars as Catalans thump minnows

Barcelona thumped Spanish minnows Huesca 8-1 on Tuesday to breeze into the next stage of the Copa del Rey 12-1 on aggregate, with hat-trick hero Pedro starring at Camp Nou.

Barcelona's progression to the competition's last 16 was always likely after a 4-0 first-leg win earlier this month but Pedro ensured the return leg was an enjoyable affair for the home fans as they triumphed 8-1.

The Barcelona forward has found it tough to nail down a starting berth this season after the arrival of Luis Suarez left coach Luis Enrique with three of the biggest names in world football - Suarez, Lionel Messi and Neymar - available to him.
But the Copa del Rey has always afforded Pedro an opportunity to shine and he once again starred in the competition - that Barcelona have won a record 26 times - before being substituted at the break.

The 27-year-old set Barca on their way with goals in the 20th and 26th minutes, before Sergi Roberto and Andres Iniesta put their names on the scoresheet.
There was still time for Pedro to seal a first-half hat-trick and Adriano Correia, Adama Traore and Sandro Ramirez all netted after the interval, meaning Huesca's consolation - scored through Gaspar Galvez in the 86th minute - was little more than a morale-boosting highlight for the visiting players.

Barcelona's big lead was reflected in their matchday squad, as goalkeeper Jordi Masip came in for his official debut, but the likes of Pedro, Andres Iniesta and Javier Mascherano still featured.Masip will have breathed a sigh of relief after getting through the first six minutes unscathed, as third-tier Huesca started brightly.

Juan Esnaider first nodded wide from a free header after Mascherano slipped, and the striker had another golden chance to silence the Camp Nou crowd when, in the sixth minute, unmarked, he nodded against a post.Barcelona did not take long to awake from their slumber, though, and after Marc Bartra had an effort kept out by Dani Jimenez, Pedro gave the hosts the lead.

A long ball forward found Munir El Haddadi in space and his excellent centre with the outside of his left foot was perfectly timed for Pedro to net a diving header.
Pedro doubled his account in the 26th minute, showing neat footwork inside the penalty area before lifting over Jimenez.

And if there was any doubt, Barcelona sealed their win on the night before the half-hour mark when Sergi Roberto steered a first-time shot into the top-left corner after Martin Montoya found him from the right.

An ambitious Manolin effort from distance summed up Huesca's plight and the goals kept coming for Barca as Iniesta got in on the act six minutes before the break, with an excellent first touch from Sergi Roberto's pass giving him the time to fire into the bottom-right corner despite the best efforts of Jimenez.

Pedro then wrapped up his treble inside the first half when he made the most of ample space in the penalty area to smash past Jimenez and put Barca five goals ahead at the break.Montoya and Sandro Ramirez tried their luck early in the second half but Barca, missing Pedro, were not as threatening.

Adriano curled in a sixth when Sergi Samper's pass was deflected into his path, though - the Brazilian not breaking stride before smartly finishing past Jimenez.
Traore then ended a powerful run, that saw him skip past several challenges, with a neat finish before Sandro Ramirez latched on to a long ball and made the most of woeful marking to fire home an eighth.

Huesca's players had a moment to celebrate as Galvez nodded in a corner four minutes from time, but the spoils were Barcelona's as they took another step towards avenging last season's final defeat to arch-rivals Real Madrid.

 

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Derby County 1-3 Chelsea: Blues cruise into League Cup semis

Goals from Eden Hazard, Filipe Luis and Andre Schurrle gave Chelsea a 3-1 win over 10-man Derby County in the League Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday.

The Blues advanced to the last four with an eventually comfortable victory, but a brief Derby fightback sent Blues hearts racing in the second half.

Craig Bryson made it 2-1 in the 71st minute but Jake Buxton was controversially sent off just minutes later, leaving the home side to face the final 10 minutes a man down, with Jose Mourinho’s men taking full advantage at the iPro Stadium to continue their quest for their first silverware of the season.

Didier Drogba replaced Diego Costa in a strong Chelsea starting line-up, with Kurt Zouma coming in for the rested Gary Cahill and Cesc Fabregas back following a suspension.

Derby were without Ryan Shotton due to a ban, so Buxton started and Hughes was preferred to Jeff Hendrick in midfield.

Chelsea dominated possession in the opening stages, but the home side worked hard off the ball to frustrate their more illustrious visitors and were growing in confidence before they fell behind following a mistake from Keogh 22 minutes in.

The Derby skipper was put under pressure on the edge of his own penalty area and Fabregas latched onto the loose ball to feed Hazard, who darted inside the box and took his time before beating Lee Grant with a clinical finish.

Luis then stung the palms of Grant with a venomous left-footed drive before Keogh's fine tackle thwarted Drogba as he looked destined to find the back of the net.

Zouma's game was cut short just before half-time after he collided with Petr Cech from a Derby corner and was carried off following a lengthy period of treatment, with Branislav Ivanovic replacing him.

Derby finally broke Chelsea down five minutes after the break, when the lively Johnny Russell skipped past John Terry on the right touchline and cut the ball back for the onrushing Hughes, but the England Under-21 international was denied by Cech.

Luis then gave the visitors breathing space soon after that missed opportunity, giving Grant no chance with a stunning free-kick from 25 yards out to open his Chelsea account in style.

Chelsea suffered another injury blow when Drogba limped off with an ankle problem after losing his footing, with Loic Remy his replacement.

The tie appeared to be over, but Bryson provided the quality Derby had been lacking in the final third when his right-footed finish went in off the far post after Russell had picked him out on the edge of the box in the 71st minute.

Derby were dealt a major blow 12 minutes from time, though, as Buxton was dismissed for pulling back Remy when it looked as though Grant would be the man in trouble after he slid out of his area with the ball in his grasp.

And Schurrle ended the contest when he tucked the loose ball home after Grant had parried Remy's effort on 82 minutes.

 

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Sheffield United 1-0 Southampton: Saints crash out of League Cup

A second-half Marc McNulty goal gave Sheffield United a shock 1-0 win over 10-man Southampton in the League Cup on Tuesday evening.

The League One side looked lively right from the start and, after seeing numerous chances go begging in the first hour, netted the all-important winner through McNulty with 27 minutes to go at Bramall Lane.

Southampton, who have now lost five matches in succession, saw their misery compounded by the late dismissal of Florin Gardos.

Forty-four places separate the two teams in the English football pyramid, but United looked more than a match for their opponents in the first half, with Jay McEveley and Florent Cuvelier both going close.

The visitors saw penalty appeals turned down early in the second period and United duly capitalised, McNulty making the most of unconvincing goalkeeping from the previously impressive Fraser Forster, who spilled a powerful free-kick from Bob Harris.

Southampton poured men forward after falling behind and forced Mark Howard into action through Sadio Mane with just over 20 minutes to go, while Ryan Flynn and Jamie Murphy each spurned opportunities to net a second on the break for United.

Those misses did not matter in the end as United, who knocked out another Premier League side in West Ham in round two, held firm in the face of intense pressure to secure a famous triumph.

Ronald Koeman once again resisted the urge to make wholesale changes to his team for a League Cup tie, while James Ward-Prowse was given his first start since September 20 after an injury lay-off.

However, even with Southampton naming a strong line-up, United kept the visitors under significant pressure.

And the underdogs went close to taking the lead after just three minutes, as Forster dropped a cross while seemingly being fouled by McEveley, who subsequently looped an effort over his own head and on to the top of the crossbar.

United caused Southampton problems again when centre-back Chris Basham produced a surging run up the right flank and, after linking well with Jamal Campbell-Ryce, crossed for Cuvelier, who sliced wide from eight yards.

But the opening half's best chance fell to the visitors just before the break, as Mane steered narrowly off target following Shane Long's left-wing delivery.

Both sides threatened at the start of the second half, as Southampton saw penalty claims rejected after Gardos' header appeared to strike a hand and Murphy inexplicably sliced wide at the other end.

United were well on top again by the 55th minute, with Forster first producing a fine save to keep out Che Adams' cross and then palming Michael Doyle's effort over the crossbar.

Yet the England international made a costly mistake in the 63rd minute when he failed to hold on to Harris' free-kick, enabling McNulty to tap in from a yard out.

The United goal seemingly woke Southampton up and they almost pulled level as Mane broke free and saw his effort well saved by Howard.

Koeman's men were given a let-off when Flynn could only fire straight at Forster when one-on-one, but one goal was to prove enough for United and Southampton's frustrating evening was summed up at the death as Gardos was given his marching orders for bringing down McNulty as he once again raced through.

 

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Cruz Azul 0-4 Real Madrid: European champions smash Mexicans to reach Club World Cup final

Real Madrid made light work of Cruz Azul by smashing them 4-0 on Tuesday in Marrakech to reach the Club World Cup final.

Sergio Ramos' headed opener in the 15th minute set the tone for what was to come, with Karim Benzema adding a second nine minutes before half-time.

Gerardo Torrado squandered a glorious opportunity to reduce the deficit prior to the interval when he had a penalty saved by Iker Casillas and Gareth Bale punished that missed chance shortly after the teams emerged for the second period - heading home from a Cristiano Ronaldo cross.

With the result already beyond doubt, Isco wormed his way through the Cruz Azul defence to make it four 18 minutes from time.

Real will face the winner of Wednesday's clash between Auckland City and San Lorenzo in the final on Saturday.

Carlo Ancelotti named a strong starting XI to face the Concacaf Champions League winners, and the biggest name on his teamsheet - Ronaldo - should have put Real ahead in the opening few minutes.

Benzema nodded down a right-wing cross, but the Portuguese attacker's toe poke from point-blank range was kept out by goalkeeper Jesus Corona.

Benzema found the side-netting with an 18-yard effort that whistled past the left-hand post as Real turned the screw, and the Spanish giants took the lead in the 15th minute - Ramos heading into an empty net after Corona had carelessly charged off his line in a bid to meet a Toni Kroos free-kick.

Joao Rojas caused alarm in the opposition penalty area shortly before the half-hour mark when he saw an effort deflect just wide off Ramos on a rare attack for the Mexicans.

Kroos, who won last year's tournament with Bayern Munich, forced a save with a well-placed shot from 20 yards soon after, and it was not long before Benzema doubled the Real advantage.

Dani Carvajal knocked the ball through the legs of defender Fausto Pinto before teeing up Benzema to prod home with a dinked cross from the byline.

Ramos was lucky to escape a red card when he was booked for bringing down Mariano Pavone in the penalty area, but captain Torrado was unable to beat Casillas from 12 yards - the Real goalkeeper diving to his right to pull off a second save from a spot-kick in as many matches.

Bale headed in from a Ronaldo cross five minutes into the second half for his third goal in three games, and the Welshman had the ball in the back of the net again soon after, although the flag had already been raised for offside.

Ronaldo appeared hungry to get in on the goalscoring action, and drew a save from Corona with an overhead kick before the hour mark, while an audacious rabona was comfortably held by the increasingly busy keeper.

Pablo Barrera almost made an instant impact after coming on for Cruz Azul as his curling effort from just outside the area struck the left-hand post, but Isco's strike after a series of mesmerising Ronaldo step-overs compounded the Mexicans' misery.

Substitute Sami Khedira headed against the left-hand upright - missing out on a first goal since he found the net in Germany's 7-1 demolition of hosts Brazil at the World Cup earlier this year - and Ronaldo tested Corona with a free-kick in the closing stages, but it mattered little as Real comfortably booked their place in this weekend's final.

 

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Bayern 2-0 Freiburg: Robben bags 100th goal in stroll

Arjen Robben scored his 100th goal as a Bayern Munich player as they strolled to a 2-0 win over Freiburg on Tuesday to go 12 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

Fresh from scoring twice in a 4-0 win at Augsburg on Saturday, the Netherlands international was on target again in a typically dominant performance in Bayern's last match at the Allianz Arena before the mid-season break.

Head coach Pep Guardiola labelled Robben's recent performances as "unbelievable" after the Augsburg win.And he reached a century of Bayern goals with a close-range header in the 41st minute from a Franck Ribery knockdown, the Frenchman having himself reached 100 goals against Bayer Leverkusen this month.

The leaders, who are unbeaten in the league this term, extended their lead three minutes after the break through Thomas Muller's seventh top-flight goal of the season, while Juan Bernat also rattled the post.

Bayern have now won 17 of their last 20 Bundesliga matches and, with second-placed Wolfsburg not playing until Wednesday, their lead at the top of the table extends to 12 points.

The hosts were uncharacteristically wasteful in the final third in the opening 20 minutes, but Bayern soon found their stride and Muller headed over when stretching to meet Ribery's cross from the left byline.

Muller was at the heart of Bayern's next chance in 22nd minute, the German turning Marc-Oliver Kempf sharply in the area before stabbing narrowly wide when off balance.

Robben then tried his luck with a half-volley from distance, before Roman Burki made a fine one-handed stop to deny Mario Gotze's eight-yard side-footed volley that would have found the bottom right-hand corner.

Bayern were dealt a blow when Mehdi Benatia limped off to be replaced by Jerome Boateng, but the home fans were celebrating Robben's landmark four minutes before the break.Xabi Alonso's brilliant clipped pass was nodded back across goal by Ribery and Robben stooped low to head home.

Burki did well to keep the score at just one before half-time when he tipped Muller's close-range shot onto the post.Robert Lewandowski took a knock to his right leg in the first half and was replaced by Bastian Schweinsteiger at the break.The change did not affect Bayern's flow, though, and Muller made it 2-0 in the 48th minute.

Robben was again involved with a superb cross-field pass that picked out Bernat whose flicked shot looped onto the crossbar and Muller was on hand to head home the rebound.Muller almost had a second when put his header from Ribery's cross narrowly past the post, before Burki made a smart stop from Dante's header.

Freiburg had Burki to thank again 20 minutes from time when the goalkeeper made a fine fingertip save from Bernat's strong effort, before the Spaniard was then denied by the frame of the post.Admir Mehmedi then threatened with a rare shot for the visitors, but his effort from 20 yards hit the side-netting.

Robben and Bernat were both brilliant denied by Burki again as Guardiola's men eyed more goals in the closing stages, but it stayed 2-0 as Bayern made it 12 home Bundesliga wins in a row against Freiburg.

 

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I dream of return to football - Puyol

Former Barcelona defender Carles Puyol has revealed he dreams of making a return to football, seven months after hanging up his boots.

The 36-year-old spent his entire career at Camp Nou, spanning 15 years between 1999 and 2014, before announcing his retirement in May this year.

Puyol has since assumed a new role at the club as Barcelona's Assistant Director of Sport, and though he admits injury meant he couldn't possibly play on, says he misses the game dearly.

"I often dream of returning and playing football again," he said in an interview with AS.

"I really miss playing and training, I have to be honest. But now I still can't really play any sport at all at the moment because of the knee injury that ended my career.

"Little by little it is slowly getting better, but I retired because I literally couldn't do anything. I ached even doing daily movements, I haven't even been able to run."

Puyol's career could quite easily have panned out very differently had he decided to leave the club after Barca accepted an offer from Malaga when he was part of their 'B' side.

Frank de Boer and Michael Reiziger were ahead of him in the pecking order, but he refused to depart and went on to make his breakthrough in the first team under Louis van Gaal the following season.

"There were many turning points in my career but if I have to choose one in particular, it would certainly be when I was about to leave Barcelona 'B' and decided to stay.

"That same season under Van Gaal I went into the first team and played more than 30 games."

In a wide-ranging interview, the former Spain international also described his proudest moment as a professional, but surprisingly it wasn't any of the trophies he lifted in a glittering career.

"I was doing recovery for my injured knee ahead of the Champions League final against Manchester United. I had a few days in London to prepare and I discussed with people that if we won the game (Barca went on to win 3-1) then I wanted [Eric] Abidal to lift the trophy.

"That act is possibly the one I'm most proud of in my career."

 

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No unrest at Liverpool, insists Rodgers

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is adamant that there is no dressing-room unrest at Anfield.

After pushing Manchester City close in the Premier League title race last season, the Reds have struggled to recapture that form in 2014-15. Out of the Champions League and 11th in the top-flight table, they have the chance to put a more positive spin on their campaign when they travel to Championship leaders Bournemouth in the League Cup quarter-final on Wednesday.

In his pre-match news conference, Rodgers was asked about any possible unrest among the squad, claims which he unequivocally denied.

"Our dressing room is very strong. Our captain is a strong leader. Anything said about any unrest is totally untrue," he insisted.

"We are relaxed but focused on our work and more driven to get results. We are looking to fight to improve.

"When you manage at Liverpool, there is always going to be pressure. The expectancy on us this year is how we played last season. This year the dynamic has totally changed.

"Internally we are very stable. We are disappointed, of course, with how things are going. There is still a long way to go in the league and the points difference can be made up."

Turning his attentions to Wednesday's encounter, Rodgers was full of praise for the work that his counterpart, Eddie Howe, has done on the south coast.

"Eddie Howe has done a brilliant job at Bournemouth," he said. "Top of the Championship, which is a tough league. They are very much a team. It will be a difficult game but it is a challenge the players are really up for.

"[Getting through] would give us confidence. Results haven't been totally what we would've wanted. This is the first cup competition you can see in the season so, for me, it was always a priority. The aim is to go on and win the competition."

 

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Roma only behind Juventus because of 'illegal' goals, says Garcia

Rudi Garcia feels Roma would have been atop of the Serie A table had Juventus not been awarded three "illegal" goals when they met back in October.

Roma were beaten 3-2 by the reigning champions in Turin, with the referee awarding Juve two controversial penalties as well as allowing a goal that could have been disallowed for offside.

The capital club currently sit just one point behind the reigning champions and Garcia feels the events at the Juventus Stadium have become all the more significant.

"We are behind Juventus at the moment, but we should be level because they beat us with three 'illegal' goals," Garcia told France Football.

"I firmly believe in our Scudetto chances and I will not retreat on what I said about our chances of winning the title.

"Winning the title with Roma will be like winning the Ligue 1 title with Lille three years ago.

"I have told Francesco Totti that we want to win a trophy for him. He cannot end his career without winning another title."

Roma have collected 35 points from 15 games so far this season, trailing leaders Juventus by one point.