..::Football III::..

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Ronaldo red card was unfair, insists Marcelo

Real Madrid defender Marcelo has hit out at referee Miguel Ayza for his decision to send off Cristiano Ronaldo during Sunday's 1-1 La Liga draw against Athletic Bilbao.

The Portugal international was dismissed after he got involved in a scuffle with Carlos Gurpegui and Ander Iturraspe in the 76th minute, but Marcelo feels the prolific international did not deserve a red card for his actions.

"It is tough to lose a player unfairly," Marcelo was quoted as saying on the official Madrid website.

"Cristiano’s sending off was unfair, but I am not going to talk about whether the referee had a good match or not."

The left-back stressed that even though Madrid always aim to win, a draw in Bilbao was still a good result for los Blancos.

"We won a point, which is very difficult here, but our mentality is to win every match," Marcelo continued.

"It is not always possible and we kept going until the end. Athletic Bilbao are a good team but we were unlucky and it’s a shame."

Madrid currently sit third in La Liga, trailing leaders Atletico Madrid by three points.

 

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Neymar defends father over Barcelona transfer

Neymar has defended his father over his role in the Brazil international's transfer from Santos to Barcelona.

The 21-year-old's parents' company N&N received €10 million in 2011 to ensure that Neymar would not leave Santos for any other club except Barcelona.

The payment was a portion of the €40m the Catalans paid overall to ensure they would receive a first option in any transfer.

"I have kept quiet until now. More and more is being said about my transfer," the forward stated via Instagram.

"I called my father to tell him that I would speak up and he told me to keep quiet and focus on my recovery. He wanted me to leave this to him, but he will understand me.

"I am sorry for disobeying, but I will not remain silent.

"I would like to thank you for the way you have helped me during my career and for the way you have supported our family. I know that people talk a lot of nonsense about us and question our character. I have come to realise that I had a lot of fake friends.

"When Thiago Silva said that he was willing to die on the pitch for me, I thought the same about you. Not only would I die for you, but I would also give my only son's life for you. That's why I ask you to come to Spain.

"I miss you. I need a few more days before I make my comeback and I need you here. It's time to realise that you didn't do anything wrong."

Neymar is currently sidelined with an ankle injury and missed the Liga games against Levante, Malaga and Valencia due to the knock.

 

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Simeone: Aragones will be proud of Atletico

Diego Simeone was delighted with Atletico Madrid's performance in their 4-0 La Liga win over Real Sociedad and believes they did Luis Aragones proud.

The Atleti legend died at the age of 75 on Saturday and Simeone has acknowledged that he was touched by the fans' tribute to the former Spain boss.

"When someone like Luis leaves us, you feel pain and sadness but I was really touched by the people today, and also how the crowd remained silent right up until the eighth minute, then chanted his name," Simeone was quoted as saying by AS.

"It was wonderful that the minute’s silence was observed in all of the stadiums through Spain.

"I am sure that we will be up there, dressed in red and white, feeling very happy with the courage the team showed. He was always a very courageous man with a lot of character."

Simeone praised new arrival Diego following the Brazilian's display against Real.

"Diego’s arrival is just what we need. He can give us personality, options in attack, aggression and whenever he gets the ball, you can sense danger – that’s what he showed today," he continued.

"He also brings out the best in Diego Costa."

Diego joined Atleti from Wolfsburg on loan on deadline day of the January transfer window.

 

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Oxlade-Chamberlain proved he can play central, says Wenger

Arsene Wenger believes Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain proved his capabilities in a central role as the midfielder’s double fired Arsenal to a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace.

The England international broke the deadlock in the 47th minute at the Emirates Stadium with a lofted effort after collecting Santi Cazorla's clipped pass.

And Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was making his first Premier League start since August 17, made sure of the points with a low strike under Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni on 73 minutes.

Wenger deployed the 20-year-old in a central midfield role, and believes Oxlade-Chamberlain can have a future in that position - despite largely being recognised as a winger.

"I always believed that he could play wide and central, he has proven me right today by scoring the goals," the Frenchman said.

"But also the overall quality of his performance. It took him a while to get back because he was injured against Villa."

The win saw Arsenal move back to the top of the Premier League, and Oxlade-Chamberlain was thrilled to contribute.

He told Sky Sports: "It was nice to get the win today, it is always an amazing feeling to score a goal. I've been off the pitch for a while so it was nice to come back and help the team.

"It was a tough game but we knew that in the second half if we kept the tempo up we would get more opportunities and thankfully we did."

 

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'Mandzukic has reacted superbly' - Sammer

Bayern Munich sporting director Matthias Sammer has praised Mario Mandzukic's response on the pitch to recent criticism over his work-rate.

The Croatia international was left out of the Bayern squad for the 2-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach last week as head coach Pep Guardiola felt he had not done enough on the training pitch.

Mandzukic had already returned to the squad for the 2-1 win over Stuttgart in midweek, and his reinstatement to the starting XI on Sunday was marked with a goal as the Bavarians thrashed Eintracht Frankfurt 5-0.

"Mandzukic's response on the pitch has been superb," Sammer told reporters after the win over Frankfurt.

"Mario put in a great performance."

Mandzukic has been a key player for Bayern this season, scoring 11 goals in 18 Bundesliga appearances.

The 27-year-old has been linked with a move away since the announcement that Robert Lewandowski will join Bayern from Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season.

However, the Bavarians have so far been adamant that Mandzukic still has a future at the Allianz Arena.

The striker's current contract with Bayern is due to expire in June 2016.

 

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Wenger: I took a risk on injured Kallstrom

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has admitted to taking a gamble on Kim Kallstrom, who signed for the club despite a medical showing the player had a “microfracture in his back”.

The experienced Swedish international arrived on loan from Spartak Moscow on transfer deadline day.

Wenger revealed that the former Lyon midfielder, who was signed as cover for the injured Aaron Ramsey and suspended Mathieu Flamini, will now be out until mid-March but the cost of the Swede’s wages will be shared with his parent club.

"He arrived here and fell on his back two days before," the Frenchman explained. "First of all, it's very difficult to identify a player who can come in of that stature on a free loan.

"We made a medical of his back and found out he had a little microfracture. We have all played with microfractures.

"Spartak Moscow accepted to share the costs. As long as he's injured, they pay.

"I had a decision to make. I take nobody or Kallstrom, on Friday after 5 o'clock."

 

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Reina: I'm responsible for Atalanta defeat

Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina has shouldered the blame for Sunday's 3-0 defeat at Atalanta on Sunday.

German Denis netted twice past the Liverpool loanee in the second half before Maxi Moralez finished off the Partenopei at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia.

Reina, 31, says Rafa Benitez's squad were stunned by the loss and are now keen to make amends for their error-strewn performance in Bergamo by beating Roma in Wednesday's Coppa Italia semi-final first leg.

"We did not expect this defeat," the Spanish shot-stopper told Rai Sport. "We made too many mistakes, many of which were my own.

"I feel responsible, but now we must look ahead to midweek."

Napoli's defeat leaves them six points behind second-placed Roma - who have a game in hand - in Serie A, but Fiorentina's defeat at Cagliari means that they still have a three-point cushion in third.

 

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Messi: Valencia defeat a bad day for Barcelona

Lionel Messi has admitted that Barcelona's 3-2 defeat to Valencia was a "bad day" for the club.

The Catalans have consistently held the top spot in Spain since the start of the season, but their loss at Camp Nou to los Che has given Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid a chance to leapfrog them on Sunday.

The Argentine attacker was understandably disappointed with the result but says he is pleased to be back in action for Barca after spending around six weeks sidelined with a hamstring injury before the winter break.

"It was a bad day," Messi admitted on Sunday at an advertising event, referring to their first home defeat in La Liga of the season.

"I'm happy because I've played several games in a row. Mentally, I am in very good place. It is true that some things went wrong for me fitness-wise but now everything is forgotten."

Messi will hope to guide Argentina to World Cup glory this summer in Brazil, though he accepts that the path to the final will not be without its problems.

"Winning a World Cup is a dream of an entire country," the 26-year-old added. "Our team has grown and, although we have to iron out some issues, I think it would be very possible to play in that final."

 

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Barclays Premier League 2014.02.03 Fixture

Barclays Premier League 2014.02.03 Fixture

Manchester City Vs Chelsea

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La Liga 2014.02.03 Fixture

La Liga 2014.02.03 Fixture

Villareal Vs Osasuna​

 

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Serie A 2014.02.03 Fixture

Serie A 2014.02.03 Fixture

Genoa Vs Sampdoria​

 

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Arsenal 2-0 Crystal Palace: Oxlade-Chamberlain double sends Gunners top

 

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Oxlade-Chamberlain proved he can play central, says Wenger

 

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Manchester City 0-1 Chelsea: Ivanovic piledriver stuns hosts

Chelsea kept themselves firmly in the Premier League title race as Branislav Ivanovic's first-half thunderbolt secured a 1-0 victory over Manchester City.

The Serb smashed home past Joe Hart and into the corner of the net to give Jose Mourinho's side a priceless win at the Etihad Stadium and move them level on points with second-placed City in the table.

Prior to Monday's game, City had won 19 of their last 20 matches in all competitions and had scored in 61 successive top-flight fixtures at home, going back to a 0-0 stalemate with Birmingham City in November 2010.

However, it was Chelsea who looked most likely to score again, as they struck the woodwork three times going in search of a second, while City struggled to find a way through their well-organised defence.

The victory means Mourinho's team have now won seven of their last eight Premier League outings, and they now sit behind City on goal difference only.

The hosts, with Martin Demichelis in midfield instead of the injured Fernandinho, started much the brighter and created a handful of opportunities in the opening 20 minutes, with Yaya Toure at the heart of everything.

With 10 minutes played, City released Aleksandar Kolarov on the left-hand-side before the Serbian delivered a dangerous ball across the six-yard box, but a lunging Toure could not quite reach it at the back post.

The Ivorian turned creator eight minutes later after charging into the Chelsea penalty area, holding off the challenge of Nemanja Matic before rolling the ball into David Silva but the Spaniard's flicked effort went just wide of Petr Cech's goal.

David Luiz, starting in midfield for Chelsea, then wasted a free-kick in a good position, and his Brazilian compatriot Ramires did the same shortly after, but the visitors were soon ahead.

Just after the half-hour mark, another swift move from Chelsea saw Ramires’ effort blocked, only for the loose ball to drop to Ivanovic.

The full-back duly lashed a left-footed shot through a crowded penalty area and beyond Hart for his second Premier League goal of the season.

City should have been further behind in the closing minutes of the first half, but Samuel Eto'o fired his shot against the woodwork after excellent work from Eden Hazard.

More poor defending at the start of the second half nearly saw Chelsea double their lead through Willian, and the hosts were again let off the hook when Matic's superb long-range effort crashed against the post.

Hart's goal was leading a charmed life as the visitors hit the woodwork for a third time in the 67th minute. Willian's right-wing corner was met by the head of Gary Cahill, but his effort struck the post and was cleared by a relieved City defence.

Kolarov had City's best attempt of the second half from a 20-yard free kick, but the Serbian saw Cech claw the ball out of the top corner, while Silva spurned a chance to level in the 75th minute.

As the hosts pushed for an equaliser, they could have been reduced to 10 men as Matija Nastasic hauled down substitute Oscar on the halfway line, but the defender was only booked - much to the frustration of Mourinho on the touchline.

Stevan Jovetic, who came on for Alvaro Negredo in the second half, then forced Cech into another fine save in injury time as Chelsea held firm in the face of strong late pressure from the hosts to move two points behind Arsenal in the table.

 

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Chiellini: Inter owner messed with Guarin & Vucinic

Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini has launched a stinging criticism of Inter owner Erick Thohir for pulling the plug on the swap deal involving Fredy Guarin and Mirko Vucinic in January.

Guarin was set to go to the Scudetto holders with Juve striker Vucinic going the other way, but the San Siro side chose not to go ahead with the deal due to fan protestations despite the clubs having reached an agreement.

Chiellini, who scored the second goal in the Bianconeri's 3-1 win at home to the Nerazzurri on Sunday, wished Inter's Colombian attacker all the best and hit out at Thohir for the way he handled the scrapped transfer.

"I wish the best to Inter and especially Guarin," the Italy international, 29, told Sportmediaset.

"Guarin, along with Vucinic, was the victim in a surreal situation where he [Thohir] toyed a bit too much with the lives of two men."

Roma's suspended match with Parma on Sunday meant that Antonio Conte's men extended their lead at the top of Serie A to nine points with their victory over Walter Mazzarri's side.

 

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Fernandinho major doubt for Barcelona visit

Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho will miss “three or four weeks” with a muscle injury and is a doubt for the Champions League last-16 visit of Barcelona, Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed.

The Brazil international missed his side's 1-0 loss to Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium on Monday night, which ended City's 100 per cent home record in the Premier League.

Pellegrini revealed the full extent of Fernandinho's injury and also defended his decision to field Martin Demichelis in midfield in the former Shakhtar Donetsk man's absence.

“Jack Rodwell is coming back from injury, [James] Milner’s just worked with us properly for the last day. I think that the only option I had was Demichelis in that position,” said the Chilean.

“Fernandinho has a muscle injury, we’ll see tomorrow how long he’ll be out for. I think it’ll be a matter of three or four weeks.

“This game was not a problem of the midfielders. I didn’t make the other two substitutions because I didn’t think we could change the game by doing that.

“For Chelsea it was an essential game. It was important because we could have been six points ahead but we’re just two points behind Arsenal in second.”

Pellegrini is currently having to contend with a host of injuries to first-team players, and admits the growing list of casualties – which now includes Fernandinho – contributed to their defeat.

“Well I think that of course Fernandinho is an important player for us,” the 60-year old continued.

“Not only him, you have to add [Sergio] Aguero, [Samir] Nasri and Javi Garcia – Milner was not 100% so he couldn’t start, Alvaro Negredo wasn’t 100% either.

“That’s too much of an advantage for an important team like Chelsea.

“We lost today against a good team who played well and I thought we deserved at least a draw but they had the luck to win it.

“They scored a beautiful goal, not an easy goal, he hit it from a long way out with the outside of his foot but before their goal we had clear chances to score, so I don’t there was a problem with the way we played.”

 

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Chelsea are 'little horses' in title race - Mourinho

Jose Mourinho suggested Chelsea are just "little horses" in the Premier League title race after their 1-0 win over Manchester City on Monday.

The Portuguese watched his side negate City's attack - which had found the net in their last 61 top-flight home games - to claim a win and inflict a first domestic home defeat of the season on Manuel Pellegrini's men.

Branislav Ivanovic's goal in the 32nd minute of the match proved enough to secure all three points, but Chelsea - who beat City 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in the reverse fixture - refused to sit back on their lead and hit the woodwork on three separate occasions.

Despite the narrow victory over the fellow title challengers, the former Real Madrid boss played down the Blues' hopes of lifting the Premier League title this season.

"There are two big horses and a little horse," Mourinho told reporters. "A horse that next season can race.

"We can win it if they lose it. Arsenal are working for many, many years for the evolution of their team. What we are doing this season is what Arsenal have been building to for years.

"We are there, but are not favourites. We are preparing the team to be one of the favourites next season and this is a very important step."

The manager was delighted to see his team produce such an effective performance, hailing the three points as a crucial milestone in Chelsea's development, he refused to label his side as title favourites.

"I think we played fantastic, to play the way we did is amazing," he told Sky Sports. "The best team in the Premier League - we beat them twice, today we were fantastic.

"We had the better chances to kill the game, the players played with fantastic spirit. When they had the ball we were very humble and ready to work defensively, when we had the ball we played and played really well.

"We are there, but not favourites. For the team it's very important, the feeling is fantastic feeling for them. Today we won because we were the best team, not better than them but today they were fabulous.

"It is not our objective to win (the title this season), our objective is to build the team and complete the formation of the players.

"I want to start next pre-season and say this season we are going to compete and be one of the favourites."

 

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Kinnear resigns as director of football at Newcastle

Joe Kinnear has resigned from his post as director of football at Newcastle United, the club have confirmed.

The 67-year-old arrived at St James' Park in June of last year but failed to make a single permanent signing during his role with the Magpies.

A statement on the club's website read: "Newcastle United can confirm that Joe Kinnear has this evening resigned from his position as Director of Football with immediate effect.

"The club will be making no further comment."

Kinnear leaves Newcastle in eighth place in the Premier League, with the club having lost midfielder Yohan Cabaye in the transfer window after the France international sealed a move to French champions PSG.

Newcastle failed to bring in a replacement for the midfielder, with top target Clement Grenier turning down a move to the Magpies, and only striker Luuk de Jong arriving, in a loan deal from Borussia Monchengladbach.

The 67-year-old's second stint at the club will be remembered for a now infamous radio interview with where he mispronounced Cabaye's name as well as attacking Hatem Ben Arfa and Papiss Cisse and making several factual errors.

 

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Udinese must be careful in cup, says Guidolin

Francesco Guidolin has called on his Udinese players to approach Tuesday's Coppa Italia semi-final first leg against Fiorentina with care.Guidolin's men ended a four-game losing streak in Serie A on Sunday with a 2-0 win at Bologna thanks to goals from Antonio Di Natale and Nicolas Lopez.

But ahead of their clash with Fiorentina at the Stadio Friuli, Guidolin believes caution is required if Udinese are to take a step towards their first Coppa Italia final since 1922. "The Coppa Italia is our dream at the moment, we have to play the semi-final with care and compactness," he told reporters.Udinese moved 14th in Serie A with their victory at the weekend, although they remain just six points clear of the relegation zone.

Guidolin was pleased with the character of his side during the win at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara and called for them to carry the same attitude into Tuesday's encounter with Vincenzo Montella's men, who sit fourth in Serie A."There was an awareness of the moment that we are living in but also the right personality against Bologna. We must continue this way," he added.

"I think I have always defended my players over the years because they are a group that deserve the support of his coach."Fiorentina are a well-built team, among the best in our league."

Udinese were dumped out of last year's Coppa Italia in the last 16 by Fiorentina, but have beaten Montella's side on both occasions they have played them since.

 

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Sahin: Hummels makes it easy for me

Nuri Sahin lauded Mats Hummels' dominance in Borussia Dortmund's defence and says the centre-back makes his life easier in midfield.

Hummels returned from injury in the Schwarzgelben's 2-1 win at Eintracht Braunschweig on Friday, which was their first win in five Bundesliga matches.

Sahin, who is coming towards the end of his 18-month loan from Real Madrid, lauded the impact that the 25-year-old Germany international has on Jurgen Klopp's side.

"Hummel is just a very dominant figure on the pitch," the midfielder, 25, told Kicker.

"His presence and his charisma help us. I can 10 feet play further forward, which makes it much easier for me to play well."

Sahin also praised summer signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who scored both of Dortmund's goals when they defeated Braunschweig last week.

"He's a great guy and his self-confidence is uncanny," the Turkey international of the former Saint-Etienne forward. "He very often instinctively does the right thing.

"He has shown in France that he's always scored a lot of goals. It's an indicator of his high quality."

Dortmund's next clash is Saturday's visit to Werder Bremen as last season's Champions League runners-up look to close the four-point gap between them and second-placed Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.