..::Football III::..

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    Messi relishing 'exciting challenges' under Luis Enrique

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    Lionel Messi has made it clear that he is excited by the new challenges at Barcelona this season under Luis Enrique.

    The Catalans ended the 2013-14 campaign under Gerardo Martino without a major trophy and Messi went on to suffer World Cup final heartbreak as Argentina lost 1-0 to Germany.

    The Argentine returned to full Barcelona training on Tuesday and afterwards said he is already looking forward to the new campaign.
     

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    Blatter welcomes Canada World Cup bid

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    Fifa president Sepp Blatter has welcomed the likelihood of Canada bidding to host the World Cup in 2026.

    The next two editions of football's showpiece event have already been awarded to Russia and Qatar.

    However, the Canadian Soccer Association confirmed their intention to enter the race for the 2026 tournament in January.

    And Blatter took to Twitter on Tuesday to announce: "Canada is considering a bid to host the men's World Cup in 2026. This shows their great commitment to promote the game."

    Canada have never previously hosted the World Cup finals, which were last staged in North America 20 years ago when the United States welcomed the event.

    The US are reported to be among the leading contenders to stage the 2026 tournament, while Canada have already been confirmed as hosts for next year's Women's World Cup.
     

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    West Brom sign Australia defender Davidson

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    West Brom have completed the signing of Jason Davidson from Dutch side Heracles Almelo.

    The 23-year-old left-back, who featured for Australia at the World Cup earlier this summer, has signed a two-year contract with Alan Irvine's side.

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    Sampaoli commits to Chile until World Cup 2018

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    Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli has signalled his intent to remain in charge of the South American side until the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

    Sampaoli's men were eliminated from the 2014 tournament on penalties by hosts Brazil in the last 16, but beat holders Spain 2-0 in their impressive run to the knockout stage.

    The 54-year-old had initially committed to the role until next year's Copa America, but has now said that he is prepared to stay until the next World Cup.

    The Chilean professional football association (ANFP) confirmed the news in a statement on Tuesday.

    The statement quotes Sampaoli as saying: "After meeting this morning with the president of ANFP and the FFCh (Chilean Football Federation), Mr Sergio Jadue, I wish to inform that I have taken the decision to remain in the position of technical director of the Chile national team and direct it to the 2015 Copa America in Chile, the Copa America's centenary in 2016 in the United States and the qualifiers for Russia 2018, including our participation in such a World Cup."

    Argentinian Sampaoli took charge of the national team in 2012 following a successful stint as coach of Universidad de Chile.
     

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    Michu: I joined Napoli for Benitez and Champions League football

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    Michu says the lure of Champions League football and the chance to play under Rafa Benitez were the biggest factors behind his decision to leave Swansea for Napoli.

    The Spaniard joined the Serie A side last month on a season-long loan deal with the option to make the move permanent next summer.

    Michu, who spent two seasons with Swansea in the Premier League, says he could not afford to wait any longer for the chance to play in Europe's top competition after being sold on the Napoli project by Benitez.

    "I think it's a major leap in my career to play in the Champions League for the first time, for one of the most important clubs in Italy in front of a beautiful crowd," he told the South Wales Evening Post.

    "I'm 28 and I've never had this opportunity, I couldn't wait any longer. I also wanted to try a different league and Napoli are one of the greats in Serie A.

    "The fans are fantastic and I also have the chance to work with a great coaching staff.

    "He [Benitez] spoke to me and explained many things about Napoli. I will do everything possible to heed his advice. The coach is one of the main reasons I joined."

    Michu was a revelation in his first season with Swansea, scoring 18 times in 35 league appearances, but the 28-year-old was plagued by injuries last term and started just 15 top-flight games.
     

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    'I'm not interested in the future' - Pogba committed to Allegri and Juventus

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    Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has insisted he is not interested in rumours over his future and has stressed he is fully committed to the club.

    The France international has been linked with a number of European giants following his exemplary performances for club and country, with Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea among those reportedly considering offers.

    Juve director Pavel nedved admitted earlier this summer that the Italian champions would be forced to consider any "high bids" for Pogba or Arturo Vidal and the departure of head coach Antonio Conte has served to increase the rumours over the duo's future.

    Pogba, however, has made it clear he is not considering a possible move in the coming weeks.

    "I'm not interested in the future. I live in the present. I'm working well on the pitch, I'm not thinking about my contract and I've not scheduled meetings with Allegri and [president Andrea] Agnelli," the Frenchman told reporters.

    New head coach Allegri revealed he plans a more attacking role for Pogba in 2014-15 and the 21-year-old admitted he is relishing the prospect of working under the former AC Milan boss.

    "Allegri and Conte are both great coaches. I've had a good feeling from the start.

    Conte is now gone and now we have Allegri. We met briefly, we talked a little over the weekend and we're ready to work together in complete harmony."
     

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    West Brom sign Costa Rica right-back Gamboa

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    West Brom have completed the signing of Cristian Gamboa from Norwegian side Rosenborg for an undisclosed fee.

    The 24-year-old right-back, who started in all five of Costa Rica's fixtures at the World Cup this summer, has signed a three-year deal with Alan Irvine's side, after his work permit application was approved by a Football Association (FA) appeal panel on Tuesday.

    “As I commented the other day, it would have been amazing if Cristian had not been granted a work permit and we’re obviously satisfied with today’s outcome," Irvine told the club's official website.

    “Cristian is a player I was extremely impressed by during the World Cup.

    "We faced stiff competition from other Premier League clubs for his services but we've managed to convince Cristian that West Bromwich Albion is the best club for him to join.

    "Cristian is a quick, aggressive defender with good energy levels. He gets up and down the pitch really well and we believe he will continue to improve."

    Gamboa becomes West Brom's eighth signing this summer following the arrivals of Brown Ideye, Craig Gardner, Joleon Lescott, Chris Baird, Sebastien Pocognoli, Jason Davidson and Andre Wisdom, who has joined on a season-long loan from Liverpool.
     

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    Guardiola: I'm not trying to turn Bayern Munich into Barcelona

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    Pep Guardiola has dismissed the suggestion that he is trying to transform Bayern Munich into a German version of his all-conquering Barcelona side.

    The Catalan coach won three Liga titles, two Champions Leagues, two World Club Cups and two Copa del Reys during his four-year spell at Camp Nou between 2008 and 2012, utilising a brand of possessional football that revolutionised the game.

    However, even though Guardiola won a domestic double in his first season at Bayern, he was heavily criticised after their Champions League semi-final elimination at the hands of Real Madrid for allegedly attempting to implement tiki-taka at the Allianz Arena - a charge he flatly denies.

    "I have to adapt to my players, I can't play like I want," the former Spain international told reporters on his club's pre-season tour of America.

    "Of course, I have an idea, but I have to know when we talk about the tactics first of all we have to talk about the skills of our players.

    "We can't talk about the tactics without the skills of my players; that is the most important thing: to analyse their talent, their mentality and after to make an agreement together so in that way it is the best for the team and for these players.

    "I have to persuade them how is the best to play our football, but I have to adapt because I'm not here to change their mentality.

    "I'm not here to change the culture of Bayern Munich or the German mentality and I have to learn to adapt to each other and in the same way to look forward."
     

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    :shocked:Bayern reach agreement with Liverpool for Reina

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    Bayern Munich have reached an agreement with Liverpool for the signing of Pepe Reina, chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has confirmed.

    Reports emerged on Tuesday that the Spain international - who spent last season on loan at Napoli - was in negotiations to join Pep Guardiola's German champions and Rummenigge has now revealed the two clubs have settled on a fee for the goalkeeper.

    "We have reached an agreement with Reina and Liverpool. [Technical director] Michael Reschke could prepare a few things back home while we were in the USA," the Bayern boss told Bild.

    "Reina is an established and experienced player who fits the profile of the technical staff," he later added via the club's official website.

    Reina is expected to serve as back-up to Manuel Neuer at Bayern, who have become short on goalkeepers following the elbow injury suffered by veteran Tom Starke.

    Reina was Rafa Benitez's No.1 choice last season as Napoli clinched third place in Serie A and the Coppa Italia, after the Liverpool shot-stopper left Anfield for first-team football following the arrival of Simon Mignolet.

    The player himself stated at the end of last month that he intended to see out the remaining two years of his contract with the Reds, specifically after Benitez had conceded that Napoli could not afford to sign him on a permanent deal.

    Reina's fee is reportedly around the €3 million mark, with the former Barcelona man set to reunite with Guardiola following their spell together as players at Camp Nou.

    He is due for a medical and to sign his contract in the coming days.
     

    Wolverine GTR

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    Liverpool hitiyath reinata chance nae machan mignolet hodayi:yes:.Napoli ma enna thibbe:dull:.
    dan de Gea Spain first choice gk weyi:yes::cool:
    Ow machan 1kath attha thamai:yes:Habai mamanam hithuwe Mignolet 1kka compete karanna Reina thiyagani kiyala 2nd option GK widiyata.Anyway oya kiwwath wage Napoli ma hitiyanam ath shape.

    Ow machan De Gea ta chance 1ka enawanam patta:love:World Cup 1keth miss una neh injury 1kak nisa:(

     

    rcccc

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    Ow machan 1kath attha thamai:yes:Habai mamanam hithuwe Mignolet 1kka compete karanna Reina thiyagani kiyala 2nd option GK widiyata.Anyway oya kiwwath wage Napoli ma hitiyanam ath shape.

    Ow machan De Gea ta chance 1ka enawanam patta:love:World Cup 1keth miss una neh injury 1kak nisa:(

    ow habayi:yes:dan Neuer ekka nam Reina ta chance hambena ekakma nae:dull:
    EURO 2016 waladi De gea ta chance ekak thyenawa:yes:
     

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    Omeruo rejoins Middlesbrough on loan from Chelsea

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    Chelsea defender Kenneth Omeruo has rejoined Championship outfit Middlesbrough on a season-long loan.

    The Nigeria international, who played in all four of his country's games at the World Cup, spent the second half of last season at the Riverside Stadium.

    Omeruo made 14 appearances in that spell and will hope to make more of an impact after returning to Aitor Karanka's side.

    "He is a very important player to us," Karanka told the club's official website. "He's someone I love to have with us because he's a player who came here from Chelsea and his mood was always perfect.

    "He was always happy and fighting for his position. He was handed the opportunity to play in the World Cup and he is now coming back to us a better player."
     

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    Official: Liverpool sign Manquillo on loan from Atletico Madrid

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    Liverpool have completed the signing of Javier Manquillo on a season-long loan from Atletico Madrid.

    "I'm very happy to have signed for a club like Liverpool. I think it's one of the biggest in Europe. Any footballer would want to come and play here," Manquillo told the club's official website.

    "When they tell you Liverpool want to sign you, I think like any player, you are going to be absolutely amazed and you don't think of anything else than going straight there.

    "It's a team that nowadays, as I said before, any player would want to be a part of."

    The Spain youth international becomes Brendan Rodgers's seventh summer signing after Emre Can, Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert, Dejan Lovren, Lazar Markovic and Divock Origi.
     

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    Cleverley: Criticism from Manchester United fans hurt

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    Tom Cleverley is determined to prove his doubters wrong after being made a scapegoat at Manchester United last season.

    The 24-year-old was heavily criticised as United finished seventh in the Premier League, with fans directing their anger towards the underperforming England international.

    Cleverley was also at the centre of an online petition calling for him to be dropped by Roy Hodgson on the back of his inclusion in the 30-man squad for March's international friendly against Denmark.

    "It makes you develop a lot thicker skin," said Cleverley, who was handed the captain's armband by new Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal for the pre-season friendly against Roma.

    "You've just got to take it on the chin. It’s football. Fans are passionate and they like to see their team win. And when their team is not they have got a right to look at the team.

    "I got a bit of stick. It does hurt when it comes to your own fans, but I'm not going to dwell on it. I want to prove a few people wrong. But first and foremost I am just concentrating on working hard in training.

    "I've got to use last season as a learning curve rather than just dwell on it. Under the new manager we are being told to think of things as a team but personally it has gone well.

    "I've got minutes under my belt, I feel fit, we've won every game - one of them on penalties - I think as a team we've got to look at it that we've gained confidence and we’re back being a top team together."
     

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    Barcelona: No 'bite clause' in Suarez contract

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    Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu claims there is no clause in Luis Suarez's contract which forbids him from biting players

    Suarez was bought for €88 million shortly after Uruguay's exit from the World Cup this summer following a three-and-a-half-year spell with Liverpool, but he is unlikely to play until late October due to a four-month ban he was given by Fifa for biting Giorgio Chiellini.

    The incident was the third time that the forward has been caught biting an opponent but the club chief has faith that Suarez can put his tendency to bite players behind him at Camp Nou.

    "We didn't rethink our decision and we told Luis that after the bite. He knows that he did wrong," Bartomeu told CNN. "He apologised. That's very important for us. That means he knows that he did not do things properly.

    "There's going to be a way of managing Luis Suarez, because at Liverpool he was a perfect player. Liverpool fans can tell it, our supporters can tell it.

    "'What if he bit someone again?' is a question that a lot of people ask us. We cannot talk about something that could not happen. We don't know.

    "What we know is that we accept this responsibility and he also wants this responsibility. There is no biting clause. Although, if the clause did exist we wouldn't say it, but it doesn't exist."

    Bartomeu also revealed Barca spoke with the player about a deal before this summer's tournament in Brazil and says Suarez turned down more lucrative offers in favour of joining the Spanish giants.

    "Barcelona made first contact with the player before the World Cup. I told him he was at the right age and experience to take the plunge," he added. "We knew many years ago that Suarez loves our club, that he loves the city.

    "As such, everything was perfect to accept Luis Suarez. We knew he had better offers, but Suarez decided to come to Barcelona."

    Bartomeu then went on to describe Lionel Messi as invaluable to Barca due to the example he sets to other young players at La Masia.

    "Messi represents more than goals and trophies. He represents the spirit of a young player who arrives at La Masia and grows at our club," he said.

    "The value of Messi to the club is unlimited."

    Finally, Bartomeu claims he himself learned a significant amount from former coach Pep Guardiola and hinted that the current Bayern Munich boss could be among a number of ex-Barca players who could consider returning to the club in the coming years.

    "I've learned a lot from Pep Guardiola. He's a genius. People who carry Barca in their heart come back to help the club.

    "After 2022, many of the players who are here now, or are at other clubs, will come back as coaches, sporting directors, presidents because, at the end of the day, we're one big family."
     

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    Rooney the 'obvious choice' for Manchester United captaincy - Schmeichel

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    Wayne Rooney is the "obvious choice" for the Manchester United captaincy, according to former goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel.

    The armband is still up for grabs at Old Trafford ahead of the upcoming Premier League season, following the departure of skipper Nemanja Vidic to Inter.

    Darren Fletcher captained the side on three occasions during the club's pre-season tour, with Tom Cleverley deputising against Roma and Rooney leading the team against Liverpool on Monday.

    "What I really like about Rooney is his attitude towards playing for United," Schmeichel told Sky Sports. "Wherever the manager tells him to play he will do that with a smile on his face.

    "He realises his importance to the team and if he has to play in midfield, it's for the team. You get that with experience and matureness. So I think he's the obvious choice for the captaincy."

    United have one more friendly fixture remaining against Valencia at Old Trafford on August 12, before hosting Swansea City in their Premier League opener four days later.
     

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    Barcelona's team €500m better than Napoli's, says Benitez

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    Rafa Benitez has stressed that there is €500 million worth of difference between his Napoli team and Barcelona.

    The Serie A giants face Barca on Wednesday in a friendly as they continue their build up to the 2014-15 season and Benitez made no attempt at claiming his team can stand toe-to-toe with Luis Enrique's men.

    The Catalans shelled out €88 million to buy Luis Suarez from Liverpool this summer, with the Spaniard pointing to the economic gulf between the sides.

    "In my opinion, there is a difference in principle with regards to the expenditure of the two teams," he told reporters. "I think it's about €500m.

    "Napoli have a strong balance sheet and it will certainly improve with time, but today our financial potential is miles behind that of Barcelona. For this reason, mainly, perhaps the gap between the two teams remains remarkable.

    "It will be a prestigious challenge against a team which have plenty of quality."

    The Spaniard was also non-committal when asked whether Gonzalo Higuain will feature against the club he was linked with earlier in the summer.

    Benitez said the striker "is eager to return but he is not yet at 100 per cent" after Argentina finished as runners up at World Cup 2014.
     
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