..::Football III::..

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RVP injury may be a blessing in disguise, Mata cup tied nisa Rooney Center Fwd play karala Kagawawa Hole eke play karanna hoda chance eka meka,

Kagawa Dortmund play karana kale Munich la ekka hodata play kala.

Tie eka win karana eka godakma amaru deyak , but we have to give our best , even if we go down we have to show our true Spirit.

Bayern vs United games kohomath issara idan patta games , 99 , 2010 okkoma thamath hamoma katha wena games ne.

Lets wait n see bro and wish best of luck to the Guys.. GGMU

Aniwa mathakai neh 1999 Champions League final 1kaMama dakapu Hodama comeback 1kaPattama final 1kak

Ow bro aniwa.Mamath kiyanne Mata wa behind the striker play karawanna one Wing 1kata danne nathuwa& Kagawa that meka hoda chance 1kakBalamu ada match 1keth godak durata oka karai

Hope for the best bro!

 

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Full Time

West Ham United 0 Vs 2 Manchester United

Manchester United Goal(s)

Rooney 8',33'

Congratulations Manchester United!
Rooney ge 1st goal 1ka patta!

​

 

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Newcastle United 1-0 Crystal Palace: Cisse strikes in stoppage time to break Eagles' hearts

Papiss Cisse went from zero to hero by grabbing a last-gasp winner for Newcastle against battling Crystal Palace at St James' Park.

Cisse found the net with an injury-time header, having previously spurned a number of glorious opportunities.

The Senegalese forward had been frequently denied by Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni, but redeemed himself with only his second league goal of the season, giving Newcastle success in their second game with assistant manager John Carver in the dugout in place of the banned Alan Pardew.

Palace, who remain three points above the relegation zone, looked set to claim a share of the spoils after displaying excellent defensive resolve.

The visitors also struck the crossbar through Yannick Bolasie and must have thought they had done enough to earn a point when Cisse missed an open goal late on after Cheick Tiote had crashed an effort against the woodwork.

However, the London club's hopes were dashed at the death as the much-maligned Cisse sealed victory for Newcastle.

Carver named the same XI that started last weekend in a defeat at Fulham, while Cameron Jerome and Jason Puncheon replaced Glenn Murray and Tom Ince for Palace.

Newcastle enjoyed the better of proceedings early on and would have taken the lead after 12 minutes if not for the fine reflexes of Speroni, who reacted well to deny Cisse after he had combined with strike partner Luuk de Jong.

The hosts continued to dictate possession for much of the first half but were frustrated by a well-organised Palace defence.

When Newcastle did carve out another opportunity they were again thwarted by the excellence of Speroni; the Argentine keeping out Cisse's fine volley from Moussa Sissoko's right-wing cross.

It took until six minutes before the interval for Palace to threaten the Newcastle goal as Bolasie curled narrowly over the bar from the edge of the area.

Paul Dummett then did likewise for Newcastle with a free kick on the stroke of half-time.

Palace were the brighter of the two sides in the opening stages of the second period and twice came close to claiming the lead.

Kagisho Dikgacoi drew a superb close-range save from Tim Krul and Bolasie clipped the top of the bar with a fine bending effort.

Newcastle brought on Hatem Ben Arfa in place of De Jong in an attempt to turn things around and saw Speroni again save from Cisse following an excellent throughball from Sissoko.

Cisse continued to be at the focal point of almost every Newcastle attack, but spurned another opportunity when he headed over from a Ben Arfa delivery.

It appeared as if his chance at salvation had passed as he failed to connect with Sissoko's pull back after Tiote had seen a deflected strike hit the bar.

Yet there was to be one last twist in the tale as Cisse met Ben Arfa's perfectly placed far-post ball with a bullet header that flew into the top corner.

Newcastle are now eighth, just two points behind Manchester United, while Crystal Palace are three points above 18th-placed Sunderland having played two games more.

 

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Cardiff City 3-6 Liverpool: Suarez hat-trick helps Reds clinch nine-goal thriller

Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick as Liverpool maintained their title push and broke new goalscoring ground by triumphing 6-3 over struggling Cardiff City.

Having taken apart Manchester United last weekend, Brendan Rodgers' side were required to show a different side to their game on Saturday as they found themselves behind twice in south Wales.

With Chelsea hammering Arsenal 6-0 in the day's early game, Liverpool fought back to keep in touch with the leaders at the top and in the process set a new club record for goals in a Premier League season.

Eager to build on the momentum of their victory at Old Trafford, Rodgers' side made a far from ideal start - going a goal down after nine minutes.

Jordon Mutch was the man on target, registering his fifth Premier League goal of the season, before Suarez hauled Liverpool level soon afterwards, applying a calm finish to a slick team move.

Liverpool's frustrations continued though, and 25 minutes in Fraizer Campbell profited from some questionable defending from the visitors to restore Cardiff’s lead.

However, Martin Skrtel ensured that the sides went in level at the break when he got a toe on the end of Philippe Coutinho's whipped delivery to score Liverpool's 78th league goal of the campaign before adding his second after the interval.

Suarez then scored twice either side of Daniel Sturridge's strike to take the game away from Cardiff, with the only glimmer of positivity for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer being the performance of Much - who completed his brace late on - and the defeats suffered by relegation rivals Sunderland, Fulham, West Brom and Crystal Palace.

Cardiff began the game on the front foot and were rewarded when Mutch fired home the opener.

After Campbell's neat lay-off, the midfielder drove at goal and finished past Simon Mignolet with his left foot - although the lead lasted just seven minutes as Suarez restored parity following a well-worked move.

Jordan Henderson played Glen Johnson in behind the hosts' defence, with the full-back crossing for Suarez to find the net for a third Liverpool game running.

The Uruguayan, who scored twice against Cardiff in this season's reverse fixture back in December, went close to scoring a second shortly afterwards - almost getting on the end of Sturridge's cross - but it was former Manchester United man Campbell who was next on the scoresheet after 25 minutes.

Having got on the end of a lofted ball forward, Campbell cut inside Daniel Agger and placed an effort into Mignolet's far corner.

Liverpool showed glimpses of their attacking qualities but for long spells they lacked the cutting edge on show in recent months.

But that all changed towards the break, and it was defender Skrtel who proved to be their unlikely hero.

He drew Liverpool level for a second time with a prodded finish from close range five minutes before the interval and after the break, Skrtel and Coutinho combined again, with the defender directing a header into the far corner of David Marshall's net.

Liverpool were finally in the ascendancy, and after Suarez had added his second with a clever finish from Sturridge's backheeled assist there was no way back for the hosts.

Sturridge himself added the fifth, before Mutch became the third player of the match to score a double when he headed home Kenwyne Jones' knock-down.

Suarez completed the scoring and his hat-trick late on - keeping his composure when through on goal to calmly slot past Marshall as Rodgers' men made it six league wins in a row.

 

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Chelsea 6-0 Arsenal: Mourinho’s rampant Blues annihilate Gunners in Wenger’s 1000th game

Arsene Wenger endured a woeful 1,000th game in charge of Arsenal as Premier League leaders Chelsea romped to a 6-0 win at Stamford Bridge.

The Frenchman has never tasted victory over Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho and that record continued on Saturday as Arsenal were taken apart in embarrassing fashion.

Samuel Eto'o and Andre Schurrle capitalised on poor defending to put the hosts two goals ahead inside seven minutes.

Things soon got worse for Arsenal as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain handled on the line after 15 minutes to concede a penalty that Eden Hazard converted, with Kieran Gibbs bizarrely sent off by referee Andre Marriner following an apparent case of mistaken identity.

Oscar then added further goals either side of half-time and substitute Mohamed Salah also got in on the act to round off a day that must rank among the worst of Wenger's lengthy tenure.

Arsenal now sit seven points behind Chelsea having played a game more, and their dismal performance continued a worrying trend this season in away matches against title rivals.

Wenger's side had already suffered 6-3 and 5-1 defeats at the hands of Manchester City and Liverpool respectively and now appear likely to complete a ninth successive season without silverware.

Schurrle and Eto'o were each recalled, together with David Luiz, to a Chelsea side missing Ramires and Willian through suspension.

An unchanged Arsenal threatened after four minutes when Olivier Giroud forced Petr Cech into a sharp low save following a neat throughball from Tomas Rosicky.

Yet Chelsea then moved ahead almost immediately as a swift counter-attack ended with Schurrle switching the ball right to Eto'o, who cut inside Oxlade-Chamberlain before curling a delightful shot past Wojciech Szczesny.

Arsenal soon found themselves horribly exposed once again. Nemanja Matic dispossessed Santi Cazorla before finding Schurrle and the German forward capitalised on defenders backing off by firing into the bottom-left corner.

Remarkably, the visitors' first-half display had yet to reach its nadir and Hazard added a third Chelsea goal from the penalty spot after his shot had been handled by Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Referee Marriner chose to dismiss Gibbs for the offence, despite Oxlade-Chamberlain appearing to confess his guilt.

The game was effectively over as a contest following the sending-off and Chelsea pulled further clear after 42 minutes when Fernando Torres, an early replacement for the injured Eto'o, crossed from the right for Oscar to convert.

Neither Oxlade-Chamberlain nor Laurent Koscielny emerged for the second half, which began with Szczesny denying Luiz after more good work from the lively Torres.

Cazorla dragged a shot narrowly wide on the hour mark, before another Arsenal error led to Chelsea scoring again in the 66th minute.

A sloppy pass from Rosicky found Oscar and the Brazilian beat Szczesny with a low strike that the goalkeeper may feel he should have saved.

Mourinho's men were not finished there and Salah, who had only just come on for Oscar, made it 6-0 five minutes later, beating the offside trap to break clear and score his first goal since arriving from Basel.

That ensured Chelsea scored six in a Premier League game for the first time under Mourinho, emphatically spoiling Wenger's landmark day.

 

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Hannover 0-3 Borussia Dortmund: Klopp's men make Bayern wait for title

Borussia Dortmund ensured that Bayern Munich will have to wait at least another few days before clinching the Bundesliga title by beating Hannover 3-0 on Saturday afternoon.

The Bavarians could have defended their title with victory against Mainz, but only if Dortmund and Schalke both lost.

However, Jurgen Klopp's side put any potential celebrations on ice with a professional road win that keeps them second.

Defender Mats Hummels put them in front just before half-time with a close-range finish and Robert Lewandowski sealed the result with an outstanding solo goal seven minutes after the break.

Substitute Marco Reus wrapped up the win in the 90th minute with a clever effort as Dortmund produced a well-timed win ahead of Tuesday's Revierderby against Schalke.

Marcel Schmelzer (groin) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (muscular problems) missed out for Dortmund, with the former's absence meaning coach Klopp picked his 16th different back four of the season.

That defensive group were tested in the early stages as former Dortmund midfielder Leonardo Bittencourt turned an effort wide before the hosts were denied by the woodwork in the 18th minute.

A free-kick from the left was not cleared by Dortmund, with Hummels' header falling to Andre Hoffmann, who thrashed an effort against the right post with goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller beaten.

Kevin Grosskreutz was lively down the left from the first minute and forced Ron-Robert Zieler into a good save, while at the other end, Weidenfeller did well to tip a Lars Stindl strike wide.

Dortmund took the lead two minutes before the break, somewhat against the run of play, when Hummels reacted quickest to a knock-down from defensive partner Sokratis Papastathopoulos. Jonas Hofmann crossed into the box and Sokratis' header was stabbed home by Hummels from six yards.

Dortmund picked up where they left off after the break as Lewandowski scored a goal that showed why Bayern – who he will join at the season's end – invested so much time in chasing him.

The Poland forward received a long ball inside his own half and left a trail of defenders in his wake as he surged up the left wing and then cut inside.

Hoffmann, Manuel Schmiedebach and Christian Schulz were among the defenders left fooled, with the latter's desperate lunge unsuccessful, as Lewandowski, who was always trying to shoot with his right foot, fired across Zieler and into the back of the net.

Hannover pressed for a response but Dortmund, also missing the injured Sven Bender, Jakub Blaszczykowski, Ilkay Gundogan and Neven Subotic, were comfortable in the latter stages.

And although Reus was guilty of missing a late sitter, turning over from three yards, he rounded Zieler and scored from a tight angle to cap off Dortmund's victory.

 

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Mainz 0-2 Bayern Munich: Bavarians leave it late to edge ever closer to title

Bayern Munich struck two late goals to edge ever closer to the Bundesliga title with a hard-fought 2-0 win at Mainz.

Pep Guardiola's men were made to work hard for the victory at the Coface Arena, with Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mario Gotze scoring two goals in the last 10 minutes as the Bavarians racked up an 18th straight league triumph.

However, Bayern will have to wait for at least another round before they can be crowned champions as second-placed Borussia Dortmund and Schalke, who sit third, both won.

Bayern remain 23 points clear of Dortmund, who beat Hannover, with Schalke a further point behind following their success against Eintracht Braunschweig.

The first-half failed to yield much in terms of goalmouth action as Bayern were met by a stubborn Mainz defence, while Christian Heidel's charges were keen to break quickly on the counterattack.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting went close to putting Mainz ahead shortly after the break with an effort that cannoned against the crossbar.

Goalkeeper Loris Karius then made a string of fine saves to frustrate the visitors, but there was nothing he could do to prevent Schweinsteiger's free header in the 82nd minute, before Gotze added a second with a close-range finish.

Bayern showed their intent as early as the fourth minute when Christoph Moritz's poor headed clearance fell kindly for Arjen Robben but his right-foot shot was beaten away by goalkeeper Loris Karius.

Mainz responded well, however, and their willingness to attack quickly on the break yielded arguably the best chance of the opening exchanges as Nicolai Muller cut inside David Alaba from the right only to shoot tamely at Manuel Neuer.

The visitors began to predictably control possession, though Mainz's resolute defence continued to frustrate Bayern.

It took until the 35th minute for Bayern to test Karius again, Robben once more the architect as he created space to send a curling shot straight at the goalkeeper.

A rare Mainz attack came to nothing eight minutes before the interval when Shinji Okazaki was flagged for offside as he raced on to Park Joo-Ho's long pass before striking the post.

Bayern were searching for greater penetration in the final third after the break, but Guardiola's men survived a huge scare in the 47th minute when Choupo-Moting charged at Philipp Lahm before unleashing a fierce strike that beat Neuer but crashed off the underside of the crossbar.

At the other end Mainz were thankful to Karius for keeping the scores level as Mario Mandzukic leapt to meet Alaba's cross and his powerful header seemed destined for the top corner but the keeper produced a superb stop.

Bayern's attacking improvement continued just after the hour mark with Robben once again teasing the Mainz defence and forcing Karius into a low near-post stop.

Karius was proving to be essential in Mainz's plucky resistance, the goalkeeper making a fine stop with his left leg to deny Franck Ribery's strike across the face of goal with just under 20 minutes remaining.

Bayern finally made the breakthrough with eight minutes left as Xherdan Shaqiri's superb cross was headed home by Schweinsteiger at the back post.

Cruelly for Mainz, Gotze added a second in the 86th minute, the Germany international keeping his composure to slide past Karius.

 

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Everton 3-2 Swansea City: Baines, Barkley & Lukaku strike for in-form Toffees

Everton moved up to fifth place in the Premier League as a 3-2 victory at Goodison Park left opponents Swansea City winless in eight games.

Leighton Baines, Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley were on target to secure a 11th home league win for Roberto Martinez's men this season, moving them above Tottenham, who host Southampton on Sunday.

Baines opened the scoring with a penalty, maintaining his 100 per cent record from the spot in the Premier League, only for Wilfried Bony to pull Swansea level before half-time.

Lukaku and Barkley then found the net early in the second half to take the game away from the visitors and leave Garry Monk still searching for his second win since succeeding Michael Laudrup.

Ashley Williams pulled a goal back in stoppage time, but it was not enough for Swansea, who will be looking nervously over their shoulders towards the relegation zone.

The hosts began well and could have opened the scoring as early as the seventh minute.

Seamus Coleman played a neat one-two with Lukaku and rolled a cross to Barkley, but the midfielder skewed his effort wide of goal.

Baines made sure Everton did not have to wait long to move ahead as he emphatically converted a penalty following Chico Flores' foul on Barkley after 19 minutes.

John Stones released Barkley with a cross-field pass out of defence, and the 20-year-old headed straight for goal before being clipped by the Spanish defender just inside the area.

Swansea drew level on 32 minutes after Wayne Routledge showed fantastic vision to find Angel Rangel on the right of the penalty area. Rangel fired a low cross into the six-yard box and Bony was there to tap home.

Pablo Hernandez then went close to giving Swansea the lead two minutes before half-time, with a free-kick that took a deflection to wrong-foot Tim Howard but rolled narrowly wide.

After Sylvain Distin had missed a chance to put Everton back in front early in the second half, the hosts soon restored their lead as Lukaku fired home on 53 minutes.

The Belgium international found compatriot Kevin Mirallas, who played an inviting cross into the six-yard box for Lukaku to pounce at the near post.

Barkley made it 3-1 five minutes later following some poor defending from Swansea. Mirallas was again the architect as his corner enabled the unmarked Barkley to convert a simple header.

Bony had a chance to narrow Swansea's deficit just after the hour mark, but the Ivory Coast international saw his header palmed away by Howard, before Coleman completed the clearance.

Howard was again on hand to deny Hernandez in the closing stages, but there was nothing he could do to stop Williams' injury-time header from a right-wing corner.

 

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Manchester City 5-0 Fulham: Toure hat-trick heaps pressure on struggling Cottagers

Yaya Toure netted a hat-trick to keep Manchester City on course in their Premier League title push with a 5-0 win over basement boys Fulham.

Cottagers centre-back Fernando Amorebieta endured a game to forget at the Etihad Stadium as he gave away a penalty in each half - both converted by Toure.

The latter, a woeful challenge on City playmaker David Silva, resulted in a red card - the first in English football for a player dismissed a remarkable 11 times during his time at former club Athletic Bilbao.Toure saved his best until last, arching home an exquisite 30-yard strike that had echoes of his effort in City's Capital One Cup triumph over Sunderland at the start of the month to bring up 20 goals for the season.

His midfield partner Fernadinho got in on the act with five minutes to play and Martin Demichelis enjoyed a tap-in to complete the scoring.The result lifts Manuel Pellegrini's team to third in the table, six points behind Chelsea ahead of the first of their three games in hand on the leaders at Manchester United on Tuesday, while Fulham remain rooted to the bottom.

England midfielder James Milner saw David Stockdale beat his half-volley to safety in the 17th minute but it was a largely disjointed start by the title challengers.

Fulham's rookie forward Cauley Woodrow drew an important 23rd-minute block from Joleon Lescott before Kieran Richardson thumped the rebound narrowly wide.

There ended an enterprising period for the visitors, and they fell behind three minutes later as City found favour with their third penalty shout of the game.

Steve Sidwell escaped censure twice during the first quarter of an hour, but the assistant referee flagged for a spot kick when Amorebieta clumsily caught Alvaro Negredo in the back under a high ball. Toure converted nonchalantly, sending Stockdale the wrong way.

Sascha Riether, a surprise selection in holding midfield for Fulham, might have restored parity but headed over under pressure from Aleksandar Kolarov.

Amorebieta went some way to atoning for his error by heading Silva's delicate 37th-minute chip off the line but the centre-back should have levelled when left unmarked from a Kieran Richardson corner, before Kolarov concluded the half by rifling a trademark drive against the crossbar.

If Amorebieta suffered from an element of misfortune on City’s first penalty, there was no excuse for his poor decision eight minutes into the second period.Once more, Silva left the Fulham defence in his wake and a reckless lunge from Amorebieta left refreee Jon Moss with little option other than to point to the spot and issue a straight red card to a player already booked for his previous infringement.

Toure again made no mistake, and Fulham boss Felix Magath's decision to send on 17-year-old Patrick Roberts for a debut suggested he knew the game was up.
Speculative efforts from Milner and Kolarov flew off target before Toure showed them how to do it with his sensational third.

City threatened a rout and it duly arrived - Fernandinho gliding past William Kvist to beat Stockdale at his near post before Demichelis netted his first goal for the club late on.

 

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West Ham 0-2 Manchester United: Rooney sets up victory with spectacular long range lob

Wayne Rooney scored a goal-of-the-season contender as his brace helped Manchester United cap a memorable week with a 2-0 Premier League win at West Ham.

After Robin van Persie's hat-trick against Olympiakos fired David Moyes' men into the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday, Rooney - stand-in captain due to Nemanja Vidic's suspension - gave everyone a timely reminder of his match-winning ability at Upton Park on Saturday.

Rooney was employed in a more advanced role due to Van Persie's absence with a knee injury, and the 28-year-old broke the deadlock with an ingenious looped half-volley from almost 50 yards in a goal reminiscent of David Beckham's memorable strike against Wimbledon in 1996.It was fitting that the former England captain was in attendance to witness the goal, watching from the stands, and Beckham saw Rooney add a second after 33 minutes when the ball fell to him fortuitously eight yards out.

Rooney had the chance to complete his hat-trick nine minutes after the break when he met Ashley Young's cross with a looped header, but United had to settle for the two-goal cushion.

Moyes was able to reflect on a rare successful week in a season of disappointments in his maiden campaign at Old Trafford, while Sam Allardyce's West Ham are not yet out of relegation trouble, though they remain six points clear of the drop zone in 14th.The visitors could have moved ahead as early as the third minute when Marouane Fellaini's downward header was cleared just in front of goal by Andy Carroll.

But the away fans were soon celebrating Rooney's wonder-goal five minutes later.The England international spotted goalkeeper Adrian off his line and struck an audacious half-volley from almost the half-way line, with the ball looping over the flailing Spaniard before bouncing into the roof of the net.

With Upton Park still stunned, Juan Mata then led a swift breakaway in the 25th minute and picked out Shinji Kagawa on the left, but the Japanese fired straight at Adrian.West Ham were causing problems of their own from wide areas and captain Kevin Nolan saw his penalty appeal for a tussle with Darren Fletcher waved away by referee Lee Mason in the 33rd minute.

That proved to be a double blow for the home side as, from the resulting counter-attack, Mark Noble cleared Young's cross straight at Rooney and he took advantage of the good fortune with a cushioned side-foot finish.

West Ham made a sprightly opening to the second period without troubling the Manchester United goal.After settling into the half, Rooney missed the chance for his hat-trick by floating a header wide from Young's cross in the 54th minute.

Young was involved again 11 minutes later as his whipped cross was headed over the crossbar by Fellaini, who was put under pressure by James Collins.Rooney was replaced by Javier Hernandez in the 77th minute and left the field to a rapturous reception from the visiting supporters, as United comfortably saw out the closing stages.

Fellaini had a tentative claim for a penalty late on when he went to ground under Antonio Nocerino's challenge, but Mason was unmoved.

 

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Yesterday(22) EPL 1ke High Scoring date 1kak

 

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Premier League is 'attractive', admits Valdes

Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes freely admits that he finds the Premier League "attractive" but insists that that does not mean he is bound for England.

The Spain international has already confirmed that he will leave Camp Nou when his contract expires at the end of the season and he has been linked with a number of top European clubs, including Liverpool.

Valdes has confessed that he is an admirer of English football but is still refusing to confirm in which country he will be plying his trade next season.

"The Premier League is very attractive," the 31-year-old shot-stopper told reporters. "I have followed it for years.

"But don't get me wrong, that's because I like to analyse potential rivals in European competition!"

While Valdes' next move remains a mystery, it is expected that Barca will replace the Catalan with Borussia Monchengladbach's Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who is just 21.

"He's a goalkeeper who has already shown at a young age that he has a winning mentality," Valdes enthused.

"I also like his physical agility. He's very complete and from the German school of goalkeeping, which I've always admired.

"I wish him a great future."

Valdes is also hoping that Barca boss Tata Martino enjoys a long and successful spell at Camp Nou.

The Argentine coach has endured a mixed debut season in Catalunya but Valdes is in no doubt that Martino is the right man for the job.

"It would be wise to allow Tata to continue for not only the duration of his contract but also many more years," he stated.

"We are working well in every aspect during the week. I really identify well with his training methods.

"I don't think the Barca dressing room is in need of a leader. Whenever there has been a problem, we have solved it as a group - and it will always be that way."

 

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Martinez refuses to rule Everton out of Champions League race

Everton boss Roberto Martinez believes that his side have what it takes to qualify for the Champions League, after they moved up to fifth with victory over Swansea City.

Ross Barkley's header proved to be the winner for the Toffees, and even though his team were not always at their best at Goodison Park, the Spaniard feels that the inconsistent nature of the Premier League could still play to his side's advantage.

"If you look at all the results and the games to come, you are going to get surprises. I feel the points tally [to qualify for the Champions League] is going to be at a high level, and that is our aim," Martinez told reporters.

"We are trying to get as close to those numbers as we can. You are not going to be playing fantastically well every game and you have to find those margins to win games.

"Winning when not at your best is a sign of what we have in the squad."

Martinez was particularly pleased with the performance of Barkley, whose header capped off a performance close to the level which he was producing earlier in the season.

The youngster suffered a foot injury in December, with his displays since then frustrating the Goodison faithful, but his manager was thoroughly impressed with the way he acquitted himself against the Swans.

"We faced a really difficult test from Swansea City today and to get the all important three points is a fantastic feeling," Martinez said.

"For young players like Ross Barkley and John Stones it was a phenomenal test, and I thought Ross showed a real tactical awareness against one of the best teams in the league in terms of possession around his area.

"Today we saw a really fresh Ross Barkley. Against Arsenal he played really well and for long spells he showed he was back to his best.

"In every game he takes things on board and develops as a young footballer. We are finishing the season really strong, and Ross, with his age, is going to be one of the players that is going to be strong at this stage of the season."

Meanwhile, Swansea manager Garry Monk was frustrated with the way his side allowed the hosts to score twice soon after the half-time break, and believes they must do better if they are to stave off the threat of relegation.

"When you come to places like this, there’s always a period when the opposition has pressure, and you have to manage that properly," he said.

"We didn’t do that in a five minute period in the second half and it cost us. After that we had a few chances and if we hadn’t given them such a lead we would have been able to come away with something."

 

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Lewandowski goal against Hannover was world class, says Klopp

Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has hailed Robert Lewandowski's stunning solo goal in the 3-0 win over Hannover on Saturday.

The Poland international scored his side's second of the afternoon by weaving his way through the H96 defence before slotting the ball past Ron-Robert Zieler.

Klopp was left stunned by the ingenuity of the strike and was delighted with his team's showing, despite the absence of a number of first-team players through injury.

"With Lewandowski's goal, I couldn't see anyone he could pass to," the 46-year-old BVB boss told the club's official website.

"Then he went into the gap and he used it brilliantly. It was a world class goal.

"It was a very tough game, though. None of the 22 players walked in the pich and found it easy. The two teams had to work very hard.

"We had to do without some key players and had to rest some, but Hannover also were missing many important players.

"We were able to control the first half without shining and get the first goal from a set piece. I was very happy because we've been working on that.

"With the second goal, we turned the game in the right direction and from then on it was very difficult for the opponent.

"I'd have loved it if we had been able to get a third goal on the break sooner because if it had been 2-1, the crowd would have been right behind Hannover and we know what can happen here from personal experience.

"My team approched the game very seriously."

 

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Schweinsteiger: Bayern took advantage of tiring Mainz

Bastian Schweinsteiger conceded that Bayern Munich had performed nowhere near their best in Saturday's 2-0 win at Mainz.

The Bavarians struggled terribly to break down their hosts but finally made the breakthrough with eight minutes to go through the 29-year-old Germany international.

Mario Gotze sealed an 18th consecutive Bundesliga win for the visitors but Schweinsteiger was the first to admit that Pep Guardiola's men had been made to work harder than usual for the three points.

"Victories in Mainz are always hard-fought," the midfielder pointed out. "This is a very aggressive team, with a very great ability to press.

"It was not easy in the first half. But in the end they were tired. We wanted to maintain our rhythm and the second half was okay."

Bayern boss Guardiola also admitted that the reigning European champions had struggled to get going during the opening 45 minutes.

"In the first half, the game kept going back and forth," the Spaniard confessed. "In such a game, we have a few more problems than usual; it's not easy.

"But during the second half we played better and controlled the game."

Bayern could have clinched the title with a win at Mainz but Borussia Dortmund's victory at Hannover ensured that they will have to wait at least another round before they can start their celebrations.

 

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Barcelona don't need a leader, says Valdes

Victor Valdes has dismissed suggestions Barcelona will struggle when he and captain Carles Puyol leave the club this summer.

The pair are both lifelong Camp Nou servants but have opted to call time on their careers with the Blaugrana and some sections of the media have suggested next season will be a transitional one for the reigning Liga champions.

But Valdes insists Barca take collective responsibility for winning games, while backing coach Gerardo Martino to be a success for many years to come.

"I think the Barca dressing room is not characterised by the need to have a leader," he said. "Whenever there has been a problem we have solved it as a group and it will always be. Captains transmit the voice of all the players.

"It would be a wise move to keep Martino for many years. He doesn't just have the years of his contract, he has many more years after that as well."

The Spain international then moved to praise Neymar and says he has the utmost confidence in the Brazilian's ability as he continues to adapt to life in Spain.

"Neymar is very happy, he has everything he could possibly need at Barcelona. I have great confidence in his ability and talent."

 

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Don't try to change Balotelli, warns Cassano

Parma forward Antonio Cassano has warned that people must not waste time trying to change Mario Balotelli.

The mercurial striker has struggled for consistency at times this season but remains AC Milan's undisputed star under new boss Clarence Seedorf.

Cassano - himself no stranger to off-the-field controversies - believes the former Manchester City man must be allowed to flourish in his own inimitable way rather than face constant scrutiny over his attitude.

"I can say only one thing: use the carrot and stick with Balotelli, and take what comes. Do not try to change him," Cassano told Corriere dello Sport.

"He's a good guy. But he is a bit like me. I was taken in the right direction, but I too did not do the right thing at times.

"However, Balotelli is what you see. Do not try to invent another Balotelli."

Cassano has been in outstanding form this season, scoring 11 goals in 26 Serie A matches for Europa League hopefuls Parma, including a double in the 4-2 win over Milan.

Encouraged by recent comments from Cesare Prandelli, who insisted he would not discount any players for his World Cup plans based on their age, the 31-year-old admits he would relish the chance to play in Brazil this summer - and believes Francesco Totti should join him there.

"I hope so [that Totti is selected," Cassano continued. He's a phenomenon. Spain, England, whoever faces Italy will be concerned by him. But I don't want to trouble Prandelli.

"I heard what Prandelli said and I was very pleased. I have to thank him. I understand that the challenge is beautiful and open.

"I am very happy because what will determine it is what happens in the field. And from that point of view I would say that I will give my all.

"It is a challenge that will allow me to start over in some ways, but also to conclude. I am a player who has had too much and on occasion thrown it away. I've always been one to do that.

"Now I have to think less about what was and more about the present. The present is what I want – the World Cup.

"Have I considered going? Sometimes I think about it. To get to the World Cup would be a success.

"Perhaps I could be decisive. To be appreciated there would be something I could keep with me for quite a while."

Cassano also dismissed reports linking him with a switch to Napoli, adding: "Napoli? I have two more years on my contract, I really want to finish my career at Parma."

 

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Clasico is Barcelona's 'last chance' this season - Martino

Barcelona boss Gerardo Martino has warned his players that Sunday's Clasico will be their "last chance" to stay in the Liga title race.

Victory for Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu would see them open up a seven-point lead over the current Spanish champions with just nine rounds of matches remaining, and Martino admits his side's title defence could be over should they lose the match.

"This is the last chance we have. After this round there are nine games left and cutting the gap to one point is not the same as it remaining four or [growing to] seven. In these final rounds teams don't falter so often," he told a press conference on Saturday.

Martino went on to stress that Barca's approach to the match would effectively be much the same as it would for any other encounter - although he did admit they would need to find a way to stop Cristiano Ronaldo.

"In a sense there is nothing different in what we have to do. It's true we have to close the gap, but we also know the situation well, because what we have to do in every game is to go out with the intention to win," he continued.

"I understand we must play well in possession and leave no gaps to allow Real Madrid to counter. We have to control Cristiano Ronaldo.

"The perfect game will come from the defensive side of the team."

Barcelona were pitted against Atletico Madrid in Friday's Champions League quarter-final draw, and Martino has acknowledged the danger posed by Diego Simeone's side.

"In the Champions League we've drawn one of the top three teams in Europe," he added.

"We've played very good games away from home, we will try to think of what we did in Manchester and not what we did in Valladolid, and point to that type of performance."

 

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Real Madrid Vs Barcelona​

 

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PSG confirm Thiago Silva fractured bone in cheek

Paris Saint-Germain have confirmed that Thiago Silva fractured a bone in his cheek in Friday's 1-0 win over Lorient.

The Brazil international was forced off during the first half of the game at the Stade du Moustoir after taking a blow to his face while jumping to head the ball.

It was initially feared that the centre-half could be facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines, thus putting his participation in PSG's Champions League quarter-final tie with Chelsea in doubt.

However, the Ligue 1 leaders confirmed on Saturday that the injury did not warrant an operation.

"Examinations on Thiago Silva performed so far have revealed a fractured of the left zygomatic bone," read a club statement.

"His condition did not require surgery. Downtime will depend on the evolution of pain in the coming days.

"His participation in the quarter-finals of the Champions League should not be compromised."

PSG host Chelsea at the Parc des Princes on April 2 before travelling to Stamford Bridge for the second leg six days later.