..::Football III::..

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Ancelotti: Real Madrid can make history


Carlo Ancelotti has spoken of his desire to create history with Real Madrid ahead of their Champions League final against Atletico Madrid on Saturday.

Atleti lifted La Liga last weekend, while Madrid won the Copa del Rey a little over a month ago, setting up an intriguing battle between the city rivals in Europe.

“The team has been fantastic in the Champions League and we now have a great opportunity of becoming a big part of the club's history,” Ancelotti told reporters.

“We are not obsessed by it but it is something that motivates all of us. We will use all our energy to try and win.”However, Ancelotti has admitted that he is not expecting to breeze past Atletico and has called on his side to remain focused.“There are no secrets ahead of this match. Both teams know each other well and finals are always very tight.

“We know we are up against a very solid side whose players work really well together.

“It will be difficult and in order to win we have to work really hard, stay united and the fans will need to help us like they did in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona and in the Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich.
"We need to have the required amount of cool-headedness to prepare for these kinds of matches. Fear is not a good thing. We will try to get the tactics right; when you're focused on what you have to do on the pitch, you forget about the fear.
“With the season they've had, Atletico have shown that they are a team with a lot of quality. There are no favourites in a final.

“It might be the case that after winning the league Atletico are still in a state of euphoria, but we are really up for winning this competition because we have been playing so well in it up until now."Ancelotti also spoke about his team news ahead of Saturday’s final, revealing that Pepe and Karim Benzema are major doubts but reassuring fans Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo will be fit.

“Pepe and Benzema are two players we have doubts about. I'm a realist and as of today they can't play. There are four days left and we'll make our final decision.

“If Pepe can't play, [Raphael] Varane can take his place. As for Benzema, we can understand that the player isn't at 100%, but if he has injury problems, it's better if he doesn't play. If we don't think he's risking an injury he'll play.“Both Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo will play. Bale had a minor problem in the pre-season, but he has shown his quality and he's in good shape.

“He's very important for the team and he's excited to be playing in his first European Cup final. He'll have a great match.”

 

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Van Gaal wants Evra to stay at Manchester United

Newly-appointed Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has asked Patrice Evra to extend his Old Trafford career into a 10th season, Goal understands.

The Netherlands coach rates the left-back highly and is keen to retain the Frenchman's leadership qualities with Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand heading for the exit.

While Van Gaal has approved United's attempt to sign Luke Shaw from Southampton, his plan is to split left-back duties between the teenage England international and Evra, who started more Premier League fixtures than any other United outfield player last season.

Evra, 33, triggered a unilateral option to extend a contract worth over £6 million annually into a fourth season with his appearance record under the Dutchman's sacked predecessor, David Moyes.

According to a close friend of the player, Evra has yet to make a final decision on where he will play next season. However, his emotional ties to United are such he is leaning towards rejecting the opportunity to return to Serie A with Juventus and carry on in Premier League football.

Evra also remains a target of Juve's Serie A rivals Inter, who have already secured the services of the Frenchman's now former Manchester United team-mate Vidic.

The former Monaco defender joined United in 2006 and has enjoyed a highly-successful spell in England, winning five Premier League titles and the Champions League once.

 

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Evra Manchester United innawanam godak hodai​

 

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Ya Ya Toure CITY walin yannada hadanne?Hithanne nam naha kohomatath CITY la Yaya Toure wa yawanna kamathi wei kiyala​

yaya wa sell karana ekak nae

 

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Mariga: I'm leaving Inter

Kenyan midfielder McDonald Mariga has revealed he will leave Inter this summer.

The towering midfielder did not feature for the Nerazzurri in Serie A during 2013/14 due to a knee injury but after completing his recovery he says he is now seeking a new challenge.

“I will not be staying on at Inter next season," he told Goal. "There are a couple of offers on the table but I have not yet made a decision on where I will go. I am still studying them and getting advice as well but I will make a decision soon."

The midfielder made a return to the national side on Sunday after a near-two-year absence as Kenya held on to beat Comoros Islands 1-0 in a pre-qualifier match for the 2015 African Cup of Nations at Nyayo Stadium.

Mariga picked up a knee injury during his loan spell at former club Parma, which has susbsequently kept him out of action for seven months.

On making his comeback he then picked up another thigh injury before a recurrence of the very same knee problem forced him to undergo surgery.

“It has been tough for me in the last two seasons. I am happy that I have recovered and I'm ready to play again.

My immediate task is to help Kenya do well in Afcon qualifiers as I wait to leave Inter for another challenge."

 

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Win the World Cup and Spain will be the greatest - Desailly

Marcel Desailly believes Spain will go down as the greatest national side of all-time if they win the World Cup.

The former defender was part of the France squad that won the tournament on home soil in 1998, before going on to lift the European Championship trophy two years later with an extra-time win over Italy.

Desailly has since seen that achievement bettered by a dominant Spain outfit, who have won three consecutive major tournaments between 2008 and 2012, playing an attractive, possession-based style of football.

"If Spain win the World Cup it will be an amazing moment," he said.

"They will be for sure the best national team of history. We had the opportunity to go for the second one with France and we know how difficult it is to handle the pressure.

"But Spain collectively, tactically, they have the players. Even if you have some players whose performance goes down, they have so many young players coming up - [Alvaro] Negredo and [Santi] Cazorla for example - who can fit into the system.

"I will be very interested to see how Spain handle this, because we know everything about them, but still they surprise us and they are able to deliver every time very good games and performances."

Spain will play friendlies against Bolivia and El Salvador before starting their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on June 13.

Vicente del Bosque’s men, who have been drawn in in Group B, will then face Chile and Australia as they bid to reach the knockout stages.

 

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Van Gaal: Is Strootman on my Manchester United wishlist? No comment

New Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has confirmed he has drawn up his transfer wishlist, but would not be drawn on a rumoured pursuit of Kevin Strootman.

The 62-year-old was confirmed as the club's new manager on Monday, with his three-year deal set to start following his commitments with the Netherlands at the World Cup.

Goal revealed Van Gaal has already outlined his desired transfer targets for the summer - with Strootman joining the likes of Luke Shaw, Toni Kroos and Mats Hummels - but the coach was quiet when questioned on the Roma star.

"Success at United doesn't depend on money, but about which players we bring in," he told NOS. "I gave my wishlist to the club. Is Kevin Strootman on it? A question for you, a fact for me."

Van Gaal is confident heading into his new role, revealing his excitement at taking charge of "the biggest club in the world," but again insisted his current focus is on Netherlands' World Cup campaign.

He continued: "It's not hard at all to make the switch from United to Oranje. For a manager it's totally different than for a player.

"A player needs to focus on one thing to be successful, while a coach is thinking about the whole process. Otherwise I couldn't do interviews like this any more and that's just ridiculous.

"In October I said that I wanted to work in the Premier League. But I couldn't expect that I would work for the biggest club in the world.

"Barcelona is maybe the best club in the world and Bayern Munich is the best organised club in the world. But Manchester made a very professional impression on me. I've got high expectations.

"Of course I have ambition to become world champions with Oranje. I'm not going to Brazil just to take part in the World Cup, I'm trying to win it. That's why we're looking for a system that makes us unbeatable."

 

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Strootman ta wada hoda kattiya innawa gannawanam​

 

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Monaco announce Ranieri exit

Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyevhas announced that Claudio Ranieri will leave the principality club this summer.Ranieri took over in 2012 and led the club to promotion from Ligue 2 in his first season with the big-spending Ligue 1 side.

This season Monaco qualified for the Champions League after finishing second, nine points behind champions Paris Saint-Germain.

"I can confirm that Ranieri will leave Monaco,” Vasilyev told reporters at a press conference. “I want to thank Claudio for doing a great job here.

“It was a difficult decision. It is never easy to take a club from Ligue 2 to the Champions League. But we believe that at this stage we need a new dynamic.”
Vasilyev added that Ranieri’s replacement will play more attacking football however he was reluctant to discuss further details on the successor.

"I can't confirm the name of the new coach as we are still negotiating some details. We want someone who can bring an offensive way of play which will be enjoyed by our fans."

 

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Ronaldo: I will be fit for the final

Cristiano Ronaldo has vowed to reach full fitness in time for Real Madrid’s Champions League final against Atletico Madrid on Saturday.

The 29-year-old picked up an injury in the warm-up before Real’s La Liga match against Espanyol on Saturday, however he is confident he can overcome the hamstring niggle and help his side become champions of Europe.

"On Saturday I will be fit. I'm not yet 100% fit but I will be in the final,” Ronaldo told the club’s official website.

“We work throughout the year to get to finals and, as we are players competing in top competitions, it is normal that the body sometimes finds playing every week difficult."

The 29-year-old is relishing the thought of representing Real in his first Champions League final and is confident that his side will overcome Atletico on Saturday.

“I signed for this club to win titles and I am very happy to play my first final of the Champions League with Real Madrid.

"We are full of optimism. We only have four days before the final, but we are calm, training well and concentrating hard.

"The final is always a mystery though. No one knows what will happen.

“We want to win but we are not getting over-obsessed with that because that is not good.

“Both teams want to win and will prepare every small detail but the key is to stay focused, calm, try to score, play, enjoy and not get obsessed.

"Atletico are excited [after winning La Liga] but each side is equal in the final. However, I am convinced that Real Madrid will win."

 

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Pique agrees new Barcelona deal

Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique has reached an agreement over a contract renewal which will tie him to the Catalan club until 2019.

The Blaugrana announced via their official website that the 27-year-old will put pen to paper on the new deal in the coming days.

The news comes a day after Lionel Messi signed an improved deal with the Catalan giants - who also hired former midfielder Luis Enrique as their new coach on Monday.Pique's previous contract had been due to expire at the end of next season but is now under contract for the next five years.

The 27-year-old has spent the vast majority of his career at Camp Nou, having initially spent time in the club's youth setup.He was signed by Manchester United as a teenager but failed to establish himself in the first team and spent a year on loan at Zaragoza.

However, he returned to Barca in 2008 and has been a key figure in the club's success in the six seasons since then.The Spain international has played 266 games for the club, winning four La Liga titles, the Copa del Rey twice and two Champions League trophies.

However, Barca only managed to win the Supercopa de Espana this campaign as the club failed to live up to their own high standards under Gerardo Martino - who departed upon the campaign's conclusion.They were beaten by Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final while they were eliminated from the Champions League by Atletico Madrid at the quarter-final stage.

Atleti also denied Barca back-to-back domestic titles by winning La Liga at Camp Nou on Saturday thanks to a 1-1 draw.

 

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Hart: England must aim for World Cup glory

Joe Hart insists England have to go into the World Cup looking to win every game despite being facing a potentially troublesome group.

Roy Hodgson's men have been drawn in a difficult-looking Group D, alongside Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica.

And despite a tough draw and relatively low expectations of a youthful squad, the Manchester City and England number one believes the team can go all the way in Brazil.

"Why not?" he said in a Q&A session for England's official Facebook page. "We're all winners; we're all in teams that are used to winning."My attitude is to try and win every game and if you win every game you win the World Cup.

"You can't go in with any other attitude, you can't go in accepting failure or defeat."
Manchester United's Danny Welbeck echoed the sentiments of his international team-mate.

"You go into a game, you want to win," he said. "And if we do it at the World Cup we have the chance of winning."Every single game we go into looking to win."

 

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Mourinho: We don't need many new signings

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has said his team don't require too many new additions this summer and suggests they will wait until after the World Cup before making any moves.

The Portuguese is keen to bolster his squad this summer after falling short in the Premier League and Champions League, and earlier this month Goal revealed Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa has agreed to move to Stamford Bridge in a €43 million deal.

But with many transfer targets pre-occupied with this summer's tournament in Brazil, Mourinho admits it could be some time before Chelsea have any new faces to unveil, but said there won't be too many brought in.


"Since the market will be open until August 31, like it is, I think it will be more of the same," he told Sky Sports News."I think people [will] wait for the World Cup, wait for the first reaction of the first team, wait until after something happens.

"At Chelsea, the manager is the same, the basic structure of the team is the same, we don't need the season to finish and the results of the season [to] make the decisions about what we need and what we don't need," he added.

"Everything was done during the season. We knew perfectly what we wanted and I don't think we have huge work to do during the summer really."

 

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We know who we want in and out, says Manchester City chairman

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak has revealed the club know which players will leave the club this summer and which ones they want to bring in.

The Premier League champions, who must restrict their net spend this summer to €60 million in a bid to comply with Uefa's Financial Fair Play regulations, have already opened formal talks with Arsenal right-back Bacary Sagna, whose contract expires this summer.

City are also in the market for a new centre-back and are targeting Roma’s Mehdi Benatia as issues over third-party ownership threaten to scupper a deal for Porto’s Eliaquim Mangala.

Mangala has also suggested that he would prefer a switch to Chelsea because of their location in London.

City have also maintained their interest in Porto midfielder Fernando after the club failed in a double move for the 26-year-old and Mangala during the January transfer window.

"Our business was done mostly early in the window [last summer]. We had a great pre-season and season. Expect the same today but even earlier," Al-Mubarak told the club’s official website.

"Today I can tell you that we know exactly what needs to be done.

"We know exactly the players that need to go and the players that need to come in; the areas that need to be strengthened and the players we need to bring in to expect an efficient and swift execution plan.

"We will have the players to compete in four championships."

 

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Bale: I can't believe I'm in the Champions League final

Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale believes that his side's place in the Champions League final shows that he was right to move to the club last summer.

The Welsman sealed a €100 million move to the Santiago Bernabeu from Tottenham and has enjoyed a successful season in the Spanish capital, scoring the winning goal in their Copa del Rey final triumph.

The 24-year-old can scarcely believe that he will be playing in the showpiece of Europe's biggest club competition and is delighted with how his career in La Liga has panned out.

"If someone had told me then that I would be playing in a Champions League final, I probably would not have believed them straight away but that is football for you," he told The Daily Telegraph.

"I felt the time was right to leave Tottenham and go to Real Madrid for the exact reasons I am experiencing now. As a player you want to come to the best club in the world and you want to win trophies.

"I don’t feel I had anything to prove. I always have confidence in my ability and I always try to come through whether it is a good or a bad time. It was great to score the goal in the Copa del Rey.

"I was a huge Madrid fan, the club played with such a swagger, they believed they could win every game. It was just everything about Real Madrid – the team, the stadium, winning trophies, or getting close.

"They always had players who would get you out of your seat and, as a fan, that’s what you want to see.

"I always wanted to be here but as soon as I came here I felt comfortable straight away. It obviously took me a bit of time to get used to everything but I felt comfortable straight away playing football here with the best players in the world."

 

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Lewandowski: I'm going to Bayern to win titles

Borussia Dortmund forward Robert Lewandowski says his move to Bayern Munich is motivated by his desire to win trophies.

The Polish striker is quitting Signal Iduna Park after a successful four year spell with Jurgen Klopp's side which saw him win two Bundesliga titles and one DFB-Pokal.

However, the Bavarian club have won the league and cup for the last two seasons and Lewandowski is looking to expand his medal collection at the Allianz Arena.

"It is my goal to win and collect big titles," he told Bild. "At Bayern, for sure the opportunity is bigger."

Bayern beat BVB 2-0 in the Pokal final on Saturday and Lewandowski admitted that he was disappointed not to sign off with a title at Dortmund.

"After the game, it hurt a lot. I just wanted to leave Dortmund with a title. We won the Bundesliga twice, the cup once and reached the Champions League final.

"It was a beautiful time, I won't forget it. But it was the right time to take the next step."

Despite his exit, the 25-year-old is backing Dortmund to be successful in the future.

"I expect a lot [of them]. When a good player leaves, Dortmund were always able to buy new players. They will manage it again. You can count on Dortmund - I'm sure."

 

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Bordeaux: We're in talks with Zidane

Bordeaux president Jean-Louis Triaud has confirmed that the club are in talks with Real Madrid assistant coach Zinedine Zidane.

The France legend has spent the 2013-14 campaign as part of Carlo Ancelotti's technical staff at the Santiago Bernabeu but is widely rumoured to want to start his own coaching career.

The likes of Monaco have also been linked wtih his services but Bordeaux are looking to lure him back to the club where he spent four years of his playing days.

"We're looking for a new coach and we can't deny that we have been negotiating with Zidane," Triaud is quoted as saying by AS.

"If [candidates] are not in agreement with our proposals, we don't even begin to open talks."

Zidane left Bordeaux in 1996 for Juventus and ended his playing career at the Santiago Bernabeu.

 

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Zidane,Bordeaux join weida ahemath nathnam Claudio Ranieri Monaco walin giya nisa Monaco join weida?​

 

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Draxler wants to stay at Schalke, says agent

The agent of Schalke star Julian Draxler has insisted that his client wants to remain at the Veltins Arena this summer.

The 20-year-old has long been linked with a move away from the club, with Arsenal and Bayern Munich among those said to be interested in his services.

However, Roger Wittmann, his representative says he is ready to snub any suitors after suffering a disappointing second half of the season.

"He has to feel comfortable and he has to be happy," he told Goal. "Julian's desire is to play for Schalke next season.

"He had a phase where things did not run too smoothly. Every player goes through this but he got himself out of it.

"He coped with the situation well and he has to do so again in the future. Now we have to see what the future holds for him and if he can live up to his own expectations."

Draxler captained Germany during the recent 0-0 friendly draw with Poland and Wittmann added: "If that's not motivation for you, you lack everything."

 

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AC Milan can get back to their best, says Shevchenko

Former AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko is backing Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani to restore the club to its former glories.

The San Siro outfit finished eighth in Serie A this term, missing out on a Europa League place on the final day of the season despite a 2-1 victory over Sassuolo.

Shevchenko has visited their new Casa Milan training base and the Ukrainian is confident that the club will be back at the top soon enough, particularly with a regenerated Kaka in the side.

"It's nice to come back to Milan," Shevchenko told Milan Channel.

"This new base is great. I had some excellent years here in this city.

"The team didn't have a great season but now it's finished. The club needs to look forward and I am sure that Galliani and the Berlusconi will do special things.

"I hope that Milan can become one of the big players in Italy and in Europe again.

"I've seen Kaka reborn, it's been difficult even for him this season but Ricky has played very well. We fans hope that he stays."

Shevchenko's former Milan team-mate Clarence Seedorf took over from Massimiliano Allegri as coach in January and the 37-year-old feels the Dutchman has done a fine job, despite speculation he could be fired.

"The club will decide soon about Seedorf," he said.

"I think that it's always difficult for a coach at the beginning but Clarence has done everything possible and he has done well. In some ways he has done extremely well."