..::Football III::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Giroud asks for Manchester United favour: Beat Everton for us!

Olivier Giroud wants to see Manchester United come out on top against Everton on Sunday so boost Arsenal's hopes of finishing in the top four.

The Gunners, who are currently fourth in the table and one point above Roberto Martinez's side, will guarantee qualification for the Champions League if they secure victory in each of their last four games.

Giroud, though, has called on United to assist the north Londoners and wants to see them triumph at Goodison Park as David Moyes returns to his former club.

"We need to win the last four 'finals' because we don't have our destiny in our hands," he told Arsenal's official club website.

"I hope Everton will lose against maybe Manchester United this weekend. We keep focusing on what we have to do and win our games. After that we will see but first we have to do the job.

"I enjoy my stats because when you are a striker you think that we are looking for the stats and assists as well.

"I am OK with my stats but I know the team will need me again for the last [four] Premier League games. So I need to score again and again."

Giroud was on the scoresheet in Tuesday's 3-1 win over West Ham to take his tally for the season to 20 and, after kissing his black armband in tribute to the 96 who died during the Hillsborough disaster, insists he was desperate to score to allow him the chance to show his respect.

"Yes, I had a good chance to score in the first half," the Frenchman added. "I think I didn't do the good gesture so I really wanted to score and it was great for me and the team to come back.

"I learnt from my mistake in the first half and I took my chance on the second one and it's all about the control with my left foot so I was in a good position."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

This Sunday Everton beat karana 1ka aniwaryen karanna ona deyakMokada dan Manchester United thiyana last hope 1ka thamai Europa League Qualifying 5th or 6th Place secure karaganna 1ka

Anith 1ka thamai meh season 1ke ayeth sarayak Everton lagen kawoth nam wadakma naha

Lesi naha Everton beat karana 1ka but not immpossible​

 

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Schweinsteiger: Bayern want to 'dominate' Madrid

Bastian Schweinsteiger has revealed Bayern Munich's will aim to dominate Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday.

Pep Guardiola has imposed the same possession-based style of football on the reigning European holders as he used during his time in charge at Barcelona.

That system has served him well so far, with Bayern already crowned Bundesliga champions and on track to retain their Champions League title having seen off Manchester United in the quarter-finals.

Madrid, armed with Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo in attack, pose a very different threat than the soon to be deposed Premier League champions, but Schweinsteiger says his side will not change their approach one bit.

He said: "I want to defend the Champions League, that is our goal. It has never been done before.

"For us it is the case that we want to dominate the game. When we press we press as a team, the guys at the front will be our first line of defence."

The 29-year-old also admitted Germany's World Cup campaign has begun to emerge on the horizon, but is wary of making any bold predictions as to their chances of lifting the famous trophy.

"Sure, I want to have success with Germany in Brazil. However, I don't want to make the mistake of speaking about the trophy before the tournament has even begun!"

 

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Pochettino: Chelsea & Manchester United target Shaw going nowhere

Southampton left-back Luke Shaw will remain at the club beyond the end of this season, according to manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Goal understand that Manchester City are readying a £30 million bid for the England international, while Manchester United, Chelsea and Spurs have also registered strong interest in the player.

Pochettino insists a decision on Shaw would be made by the club, but he expects his full-back to stay at Southampton.

"At the end of the day, Luke Shaw is a player that belongs to Southampton, and it will be the club that makes the decision as to what happens with his future," he told reporters.

"Of course there will be interest for him, but right now he's a player at Southampton and it looks as though it will continue that way.

"There are a lot of players who are under interest, but they are all very happy at the football club, and most of them are under long-term contracts.

"They understand the situation of what it means to be a professional player in the Premier League.

"There's nothing really we have to speak about on that front. If there is any decision to be made, it is for the owners, not for me."

 

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Martinez calls for 'hostile' Everton return for Moyes

Everton manager Roberto Martinez has called for a "hostile" Goodison Park atmosphere as David Moyes returns with Manchester United.

The Spaniard - who called the game "probably the most important" of the season as they bid to regain ground on fourth place - paid credit to his predecessor for the work he did at the club.

But Martinez wants Everton fans to leave their praise for Moyes until after the final whistle, calling on the supporters to repeat the intimidating atmosphere that helped them beat Arsenal 3-0 earlier this month.

"We all know how important the game is and how vital the three points are," Martinez told reporters.

"All the nice welcoming is going to be after the final whistle. We have got a great understanding of who is coming back but we have to understand they represent the opposition.

"We will show the respect to David Moyes. His work has been terrific. As a former Everton manager, every Evertonian has got great memories of the job he did with the football club.

"[But] we need to make it as hostile as we can for the opposition."

Victory would give Everton their first league double over United in 44 years, but Martinez says another triumph against Moyes will not be easy.

"Facing the champions is always a reason to be excited," he added.

"The opportunity to do the double on United is something that is not easy to achieve. In football it doesn't get any bigger than achieving something that takes so many years [to do].

"You need to remember, this team won the championship last season. You don't become a bad team overnight.

"There is always a bit of a transitional period as you get a new management team in place. They are really strong and we expect a very tough game on Sunday.

"We know that we are going to face a very strong team, it is more about how good we can be. And that is where the focus is."

 

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Di Maria defends 'scapegoat' Messi

Angel Di Maria has defended Lionel Messi and claimed his fellow Argentine is often made the scapegoat for Barcelona’s failings.

Messi has been widely criticised for his performances in recent weeks with Barca’s hopes of silverware taking a major hit.The four-time Ballon d’Or winner was a peripheral figure as the Catalans lost 2-1 to Di Maria’s Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday night.

That showing came on the back of below-par performances in defeats to Atletico Madrid and Granada as Barca crashed out of the Champions League and lost ground in the race for La Liga.He told Radio America: “Messi is calm. He’s not in a bad moment but the opposition have controlled him very well.“The problem is that the press always take it out on Messi even when the whole team don’t play well.”

In contrast, Di Maria is enjoying his finest period in a Madrid shirt and continued his recent form by scoring the opening goal against Barca at the Mestalla.“It’s my best moment since I arrived at Real Madrid,” he said.“It would be beautiful to win my first Champions League.”

Madrid host reigning European champions Bayern Munich in the first-leg of their Champions League semi-final clash on Wednesday night.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Moyes key to Martinez success

When David Moyes examined his first Premier League fixture list as Manchester United manager back in June, the dream scenario would undoubtedly have been to face Everton on Easter Sunday leading a title-chasing team back to a familiar stadium where he would be welcomed with warmth and respect.

Some 10 months on, the reality is a nightmare. United, contemplating a first season outside the Champions League in 18 years, are no more than hapless spectators to a title race contested by their bitterest rivals. At Goodison Park, meanwhile, Martinez is making Moyes look bad at every turn.

The Spaniard has already surpassed his predecessor’s best points tally as Everton boss (65) with a month of the season to spare, his team winning three more games (19) and scoring as many goals (55) as they did in the whole of last season. And he ended the club’s 21-year wait for a victory at Old Trafford at the first attempt in December, Bryan Oviedo’s 86th-minute goal settling matters as the travelling Everton supporters serenaded Moyes with choruses of 'sacked in the morning'.

On one level, the hostility Moyes will likely encounter again on Sunday is understandable. Much of the good will he once enjoyed was lost in last summer’s messy and public pursuit of Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines, and his suggestion that Martinez should consider "what was right for the players" and accept a combined offer which the Everton hierarchy had branded "derisory".

With their team flying under a bright new manager as their old one publicly flounders, many Everton fans now feel comfortable belittling Moyes and his achievements.

Some inside the club are apparently of a similar mind. Last month Ross Barkley praised Martinez for being less negative and "more tactical" than the Scot, while under-18 coach Kevin Sheedy claimed his former manager had never in 11 years shown an interest in the development of the club’s youngsters.

One suspects Wayne Rooney, Leon Osman, Jack Rodwell, Victor Anichebe, Tony Hibbert and James Vaughan might be inclined to disagree.

In any case, using recent progress under Martinez as a stick with which to beat Moyes has always felt particularly simplistic and unfair. The Spaniard’s feats can only be sensibly viewed as the result of a combination of what he has implemented and what he inherited.

At Wigan, Martinez’s burgeoning managerial reputation was persistently undermined by a nagging doubt over his aptitude as a defensive coach. The Latics conceded more than 60 goals in each of his four seasons at the club, and 73 in the campaign which saw them relegated.

At Everton the Spaniard has never needed to answer this question, having inherited one of the most accomplished, organised and settled defences in the Premier League. The only newcomer to the formidable backline Moyes built has been John Stones, the talented and versatile youngster the Scot poached from Barnsley for £3 million in January 2013.

With such a solid foundation, Martinez could concentrate on the more progressive areas of his team. The attacking unit he has constructed is undeniably more dynamic, youthful and thrilling than anything seen at Goodison Park in recent years, but this should not automatically condemn Moyes.

In his 11 full seasons as Everton manager, the Scot could only boast a striker who scored 13 Premier League goals twice (Yakubu in the 2007-08 season and Louis Saha in 2009-10). It is a total Romelu Lukaku has already matched in just 25 appearances this term.

Aside from his goals, the Belgian’s phenomenal physical attributes make him the perfect spearhead for this Everton side, and his intelligent runs provide the space for team-mates to do damage. He is, in short, a striker the calibre of which Moyes could only dream of bringing to Goodison Park during his reign, but Martinez has been fortunate enough to acquire him immediately at negligible cost.

The other significant change to this Everton side is a more expressive, technical midfield, with the experience of Gareth Barry allied to the poise of Martinez disciple James McCarthy and fearless exuberance of Barkley. It is a revamp funded and facilitated by Moyes’ decision to shell out £27.5m on Fellaini – a midfielder arguably less compatible with the Martinez system – last summer.

Whether he would admit it or not, Barkley also appears to have benefited from Moyes’ careful management of his development over the past two years. He now looks ready to be a Premier League star. Barry, meanwhile, is another loanee of rare quality, his availability borne more out of Manchester City’s need to trim their wage bill than any obvious decline. It is a decent bet that Moyes would have wanted him too.

After all, any manager who brings Mikel Arteta and Steven Pienaar to the Premier League and gives them the freedom to shine is no footballing philistine. The work of Martinez has been to transform Everton from a pragmatic, reasonably direct side into a more attack-minded, possession-oriented one, not drag them kicking and screaming out of the Stone Age.

The Spaniard’s success in improving both the effectiveness and the aesthetic beauty of this team deserves significant praise, but it should also be placed into context. Wednesday's shock defeat to Crystal Palace leaves Everton likely to finish fifth this season, just one place higher than Moyes managed last term.

Credit for Martinez is warranted, but not at the expense of his predecessor’s already battered reputation. Moyes may not prove to be the right man to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford but, for over a decade, he was unquestionably the right man for Everton.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Bale has Bayern Munich in his sights

Gareth Bale has warned Real Madrid not to take their eye of the ball ahead of the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich.

The 24-year-old stole the show in the Copa del Rey final victory over Barcelona on Wednesday as he outpaced Marc Bartra and ran half the length of the pitch to score the winner five minutes from time.

The goal secured Madrid's first trophy of the season but Bale has urged his team-mates not to be distracted by their success in midweek, as Pep Guardiola's Bayern prepare to visit the Bernabeu in five days time.

"I've always followed Real Madrid and the reason I came here was to win trophies. It makes me feel very happy," he told AS.

"The important thing is to make sure we keep our feet on the ground. Bayern are a great side. We have to take each game as it comes."Following his world-record €100 million transfer from Tottenham in September, questions were asked as to whether Bale could fulfil expectations in the Spanish capital.

However, after his stunning virtuoso goal in Valencia on Wednesday, Bale says he feels no pressure to prove any doubters wrong.

"I am not really too bothered about what other people say," he added."It's important for me to concentrate on my game and put myself under the least pressure possible."I was happy with my performance (on Wednesday)."

 

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Pogba crisis is normal, says Llorente

Fernando Llorente has offered his backing to Juventus team-mate Paul Pogba, stating that his "small crisis" is understandable for a player of his tender years.

The 20-year-old midfielder has enjoyed a stunning first 18 months for the Bianconeri but struggled since being linked with a move away from the club in the January transfer window.

But Llorente - who is Pogba's room-mate on away trips - has dismissed any long term concerns over the France international.

He told Tuttosport: "I don't think we should attach any importance to Pogba's small crisis.

"It's normal that you can spend moments of this kind, especially at 20, when you may feel more pressure and maybe you are less experienced at managing the effects of fatigue.

"But I have no doubt he will become one of the best players in the world I really have no doubts about this."

 

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Howard extends Everton contract

Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard has put pen to paper on a new contract with the club that will extend his stay at Goodison Park until 2018.

The American, who has been at the club since leaving Manchester United in 2007 and has seen increased competition for his place in 2013-14 following the arrival of Joel Robles, is now due to remain on Merseyside until the age of 39.

"He has been vital to our overall achievements," Everton boss Roberto Martinez told The Guardian.

"It's not just about his performances. As a goalkeeper, you have a big say about what happens in your own goal and to keep the amount of clean sheets that we have this season – which is already two more than last season when we had very good numbers defensively – is impressive.

"Then you see his human values and the way he affects youngsters; he is the perfect role model for our football club. We have a good group of young goalkeepers who can follow that sort of example and that is why it's so significant he has agreed to stay with Everton for a long, long period."

Martinez is adamant that there is no issue in handing such a lengthy deal to a 35-year-old, enthusing: "Being a goalkeeper is not like being an outfield player. It is a sport within a sport.

"Tim is a very fit 35-year-old and, as a goalkeeper you probably develop the best years of your career in your 30s because you can anticipate things, dominate your area and control the players in front of you.

"It is a very good age for Tim and I know he will play on beyond 40. He is a fit man and at the peak of his powers.

"He is a unique role model. Just to be a foreign goalkeeper with international experience, being a legend back home, then coming to the British game and playing over 10 seasons, that is remarkable.

"To do it in the manner he has done, always reliable, always accumulating incredible numbers, is phenomenal."

 

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Mata: Don't blame Moyes for Manchester United woes

Manchester United's club-record signing, Juan Mata, has defended under-fire boss David Moyes and insisted that the Scot has the full backing of the squad.

The reigning Premier League champions have put up a limp defence of their title, lying in seventh place with five games left to play and almost certain to miss out on qualification for the Champions League.

But Mata, who moved to Old Trafford from Chelsea in January, argues that the Red Devils' problems should not be solely blamed on Moyes's struggles to adapt in his first season in charge and is keen for everyone associated with the club to remain united.

"We have to be together," the Spain international told the Daily Mirror. "Now is not the time to blame anyone. Now is not the time to look for guilty people.

"Now is the time to stick together - with the manager, with his staff, the players and with the people on the board of the club. We need to carry on, to stay with the manager. We need to believe in him because, as players, we know we have to improve.

"It's not just the manager, it's not just the tactics. It's all of us. It's not the time to blame one person. We are all together in this.

"Some of my friends told me, if this situation was happening in another club in Spain, it would be different but the club and the players are behind the manager.

"We need to be strong as a team, as a dressing-room, and keep working hard. We need to improve, we know it, but we need to do it together."

Goal revealed on Wednesday that Moyes had travelled to Portugal to watch Porto take on Benfica and assessed a number of scouting targets, including Jackson Martinez, and Mata has now revealed that, when discussing the move to United, he was told that the club would make significant moves in the transfer market as they look to rebuild the side.

"When I joined, in all my conversations with the board and the manager about next season, they were confident about getting the right players," the attacker recalled.

"They know, and I know, we're in a transitional moment but, in the summer, they're going to try to sign a few players and I have the faith they are going to bring top players in.

"I'm sure this club is going to come back and fight for every trophy. Since I was a kid, Manchester United was fighting for everything and this moment is going to come back for sure.

 

[Michael]

Wenger backs Ozil to win Player of the Season next year

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has backed Mesut Ozil to recapture his best form next year and be in contention to be named player of the season.

The Germany international sparkled after arriving from Real Madrid in the summer but came under criticism earlier this year before being sidelined with a hamstring injury picked up against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Wenger revealed that Ozil could return to action this weekend but also admitted he had looked tired during his first season in the Premier League although he is confident the 25-year-old will be back to his best next season.

"Ozil had a jaded period but I will put him on the list to be Player of the Season next season," he told reporters.

Arsenal manager also insisted his team have progressed this season, pointing to their spells at the top of the table as evidence.

"We have moved forward this season, we were 17 or 18 times top of the league," he added. "Every game has a big impact so we just prepare massively well... and hope that results go for you

"We want to come out of the season and think we have given absolutely everything."

Next up for the Gunners is a trip to the KC Stadium to face Hull City, with the two sides also set to face each other in the FA Cup final next month, and Wenger is expecting a tough battle.

"Hull have had a remarkable season and they have done well at home," he said. "Steve Bruce is one of the remarkable managers of the season. The real job of a manager is to take the best out of the potential of the team."

Wenger said that this year too! LOL

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Manchester United this season weak performance walata playerslage effect 1kakuth thiyanawa thamai...1ka atthaNamuth Moyes ge tactics unath echchara hari naha​

 

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Cavani: England are 'machines'

Edinson Cavani has hailed England as "machines" but the forward insists that Uruguay are looking forward to facing Roy Hodgson's men at the World Cup.

The Paris Saint-Germain striker, who has been linked with a summer switch to the Premier League, says he has nothing but respect for the Three Lions and their footballing culture.

"They are machines," Cavani told Perform. "I think that the English, Italian and German football teams have some kind of mentality and that's why I call them machines.

"Because they have good tactics, the mentality that they have, they're cool under pressure and that's why [England] have (had) one of the strongest leagues in the world for decades.

"For us [to play against them] will be something great for what England represents around the world for the kind of players they have."

However, Cavani takes great encouragment from the fact that Uruguay, who must also face Italy and Costa Rica in Brazil, will be able to call on the likes of Liverpool's prolific striker Luis Suarez for their showdown with the Three Lions in Sao Paulo on June 19.

"We have some players that are playing at that level that are playing in England and they have the same characteristics [as the English] because to play there you have to have the same style," the former Napoli attacker reasoned. "If not, they will overcome you.

"We have players that know that level of football, that have played and play at the top level and have had experience in England.

"Nowadays, our national team has a good experience with people that play at the European and world-class level and our team doesn't feel less than any other.

"Our national team goes onto the field looking to win not as sometimes [in the past], when maybe we were waiting for our rivals to make a mistake.

"That's why Uruguay are recognised around the world, because with our small population we have provided so many good players to create a competitive national team that at the moment to play against England, Italy or any other national team goes out to win."

Indeed, Cavani says he and his Uruguay team-mates are driven by the prospect of becoming World Cup legends.

"There is nothing nicer than playing in a World Cup against France, England or Spain," he explained. "There is nothing nicer than instead of playing a friendly you can play a game where if you win you can make history.

"For me those are emotions that I will keep my entire life so I will think about it in the right moment.

"Meanwhile, I have to think what I am doing in Paris and eventually we will think about Costa Rica and in the games against England and Italy where we hope we can make history, leaving us nice World Cup memories."

 

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Atletico Madrid 2-0 Elche: Miranda & Costa strike late to send Simeone's side six points clear

Miranda and Diego Costa were on target as Atletico Madrid beat plucky Elche 2-0 to go six points clear at the top of La Liga on Friday.

Brazilian defender Miranda grabbed his second goal of the season in the Spanish top flight 18 minutes from time, after David Villa had failed to convert a second-half penalty.

Costa, who missed a penalty at Getafe last weekend, then secured the points with his 35th goal of the season from the spot, after Cristian Sapunaru had brought him down - and received a second yellow card - in added time.

Diego Simeone's side had been frustrated by relegation-threatened Elche at a packed Vicente Calderon before Miranda and Costa secured an eighth consecutive La Liga victory.

With Barcelona not playing until Sunday and Real Madrid out of action this weekend, Atleti now have an ominous advantage at the summit with four games remaining as they attempt to win their first La Liga title since 1996.

They can head into Tuesday's Champions League semi-final first leg against Chelsea knowing they are in with a great chance of securing a famous double. Defeat for Elche, on the other hand, keeps them only four points above the relegation zone.

Costa suffered a leg wound in a collision with a post in the victory at Getafe last weekend, but the striker was passed fit to start.

And the Spain international was soon in the thick of the action when he fired into the side-netting after Adrian Lopez laid the ball off to him five minutes in.

Elche were not content to just make up the numbers, though, and Thibaut Courtois produced a fine save to keep out a left-footed strike from Javi Marquez before then having to be alert to thwart Damian Suarez when the defender was allowed a free header from the resulting corner.

Filipe Luis fluffed his lines at the other end when the ball fell kindly for him in the penalty area before the home side were given another scare just before the half-hour mark, as Carles Gil fired over the crossbar from inside the area.

Atleti were not at their best in the first half, but ought to have been in front four minutes before the break when Costa flicked on Juanfran's cross and David Villa prodded wide with the goal gaping. Villa had appeared to be in an offside position, but the flag failed to go up.

Simeone replaced Adrian with Raul Garcia at the break and the substitute took only four minutes to make an impact, as Sapunaru was adjudged to have bundled him over in the area and Carlos Clos Gomez pointed to the spot.

Villa stepped up to take the resulting penalty after Costa's miss against Getafe, but the former Barcelona man also failed from the spot as Manu Herrera kept out a tame effort diving to his left.

There was more frustration for Villa when he had a goal ruled out for offside and was then substituted to ensure Elche remain the only current top-flight team he has failed to score against.

Costa was booked following his reaction to two strong challenges, which sparked a melee that also saw Alberto Rivera go into the book.

An animated Simeone orchestrated the Atleti faithful and the opening goal they craved eventually arrived when Miranda rose highest to head home Jose Sosa's corner in emphatic fashion.

Costa then raced clear and was denied by Herrera, but made no mistake when he sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot after Sapunaru had upended him in the 90th minute. The defender was shown a second yellow card to compound his misery.

 

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Miranda: Atletico know how and when to suffer

Atletico Madrid defender Miranda claimed after Friday night's nailbiting 2-0 win over Elche that the Liga leaders know how and when to "suffer".

The Rojiblancos looked set to squander their chance to move six points clear at the top of the Primera Division when David Villa missed a penalty shortly after half-time in a game at the Vicente Calderon in which the visitors looked more than capable of causing an upset.

However, Atletico finally made the breakthrough when Miranda headed home a Jose Sosa corner with 18 minutes to go and Diego Costa's injury-time penalty belatedly allowed the home fans to relax and start looking forward to Tuesday's Champions League semi-final first-leg tie against Chelsea.

"This was an important win," the Brazilian centre-half told Canal+. "The team was good and we must carry on like this.

"We've got four finals left now and the team knows how to suffer, when we have to suffer.

"Now, though, we must rest and think about the game against Chelsea."

Miranda, who scored the winner in last year's Copa del Rey final win over city rivals Real, revealed that his goal from Sosa's corner was a rehearsed routine.

"It's a move we've trained for, one we've worked on a lot," the defender claimed. "We have good takers and plenty of quality players at set-pieces."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Atletico Madrid niyamai!

 

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Zoff: I wouldn't take Scuffet to the World Cup

Italy goalkeeping icon Dino Zoff has revealed that he would not select Udinese starlet Simone Scuffet for this summer's World Cup.

The former Azzurri coach has been hugely impressed by the way in which 17-year-old has displaced Zeljko Brkic as Francesco Guidolin's first-choice shot-stopper since making his debut against Bologna in February.

However, Zoff does not feel that Scuffet should be named as one of Italy's three goalkeepers for this summer's showpiece event in Brazil.

"I would not take him to the World Cup," the 72-year-old is quoted as saying by Il Mattino. "He has zero experience.

"But he did very well when he was introduced [against Bologna as a last-minute replacement for the injured Brkic]. Credit to Guidolin for putting him out there and having confidence in such a young player.

"[Scuffet's] calmness and coolness are striking. At 17, if you show these characteristics on the field, you are destined to become a great player.

"It's obvious that his team-mates in the defensive department are helping him, but the boy is putting so much into his success himself."

Zoff captained Italy to World Cup glory in 1982 at the age of 40 and he remains the oldest skipper ever to have lifted the trophy.

 

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Simeone: Substitutes changed game against Elche

Diego Simeone was a relieved man after his substitutions helped earn Atletico Madrid a 2-0 win over Elche that pushed the Liga leaders six points clear.

The Argentine acknowledged after the game at the Vicente Calderon that he had erred in selecting Adrian on the right wing.

However, Simeone replaced the Spain international with Raul Garcia at the break before then throwing on Diego and Jose Sosa - changes that the Rojiblancos coach felt played a huge part in his troops digging out a 2-0 win courtesy of Miranda's 72nd-minute header and Diego Costa's injury-time penalty.

"We had the usual system but I decided to put Adrian on the right wing to create problems for Cristian Sapunaru, who is not left-back," the former midfield ace told reporters after the game.

"That imbalanced the team, though, and they had more people in the middle of the field when there was a second ball.

"Then, with a 4-4-2, we were stronger, more together and that made us more dangerous. Diego gave us more depth in midfield while Sosa did very well with the corner that made it 1-0."

Atletico are now four games away from winning their first Liga title since 1996 but, with just one home fixture remaining, against Malaga, Simeone is taking nothing for granted.

"Every game will be tough from here until the end," he warned. "We have three away games and that's plenty."

Simeone is simply hoping that his men can quickly recover from their exertions against Elche, given next week they face Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie.

"The players put in a great effort and now we have to recover as best we can to try to do well in Tuesday's game, which is very important for the club and for Atletico's history," he added.

 

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Ibrahimovic's absence changes everything, admits PSG boss Blanc

Laurent Blanc has admitted that the unavailability of star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic "changes everything" in terms of Paris Saint-Germain "effectiveness".

The French champions lost the Sweden international to a hamstring injury during the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea but managed to defeat Stade de Reims 3-0 in their first fixture without their talisman.

However, they have failed to score since, losing 2-0 in their return clash with Chelsea to go out of Europe on away goals before being beaten 1-0 by Ligue 1 rivals Olympique Lyonnais last weekend.

Given that PSG must face the latter again on Saturday, this time in the Coupe de la Ligue final, Blanc admits that he is desperately hoping to work out a way in which they can get more out of Ibrahimovic's replacement up front, Edinson Cavani.

"When you lose Ibra, a player so important to your style, then that changes everything," the former France international told reporters on Friday.
"You can compensate for his loss but the style changes because Edinson's style is not exactly the same as Ibra's.

"We haven't scored in the last two games and we need to get our effectiveness in front of goal back.

"We need players who pass the ball well as [Ezequiel] Lavezzi, Cavani and Lucas [Moura] like to get into space and they need good service."

Although PSG are 10 points clear at the top of Ligue 1, they are under intense pressure to also deliver the Coupe de la Ligue, given the bitter disappointment which followed their Champions League exit at the hands of Chelsea.

However, Blanc, whose position is now being called into question, says that this is not unfamiliar territory.

"We're used to the pressure being on us and that doesn't change," the PSG boss stated.

"Both teams want to win the final. I have no doubts concerning my team but I know they [Lyon] are playing to win too.

"If you insist then, okay, I'll accept the pressure is more on us because you think PSG should win every game.

"It's normal that people are demanding of PSG. Wait for [Saturday's] result before assessing the season, though. There are two possibilities so why are the questions about a potential negative result?

"The positive result is the alternative. We want to win and we're preparing to win and there are two possible results."