..::Football III::..

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Mangala not fit for Manchester City debut against Newcastle

New Manchester City defender Eliaquim Mangala concedes that he will not be fit for the Premier League champions' opening game.

City will begin their defence of the title away to Newcastle on Sunday but the centre-back, who completed his €40 million move from Porto on Monday, will not be involved.

The 23-year-old has been training on his own at City's base in Carrington as the Premier League club finalised payments to third parties with a stake in Mangala to complete the transfer from Porto and that limbo period has seen him fall somewhat behind on full match readiness.

"I think that I will need a bit of time in order to be 100 per cent but it is normal," the Frenchman told the club's official website.

"It is like those who returned to training last week but I will work hard in order to be 100% as soon as possible.

"I went on a run every day and trained in the gym. Holidays are great but, if the time is too long, it is difficult to come back.

"I will work hard to try to have a spot in the starting XI but the most important is that the team win the games, win titles. It is my main goal - work in order to help the team to win as many titles as possible."

 

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Pastore: Juventus and AC Milan wanted me

Javier Pastore claims Juventus, AC Milan and Lazio were interested in his signature but that he is happy with life with Paris Saint-Germain.

Pastore, 25, has been linked with a move away from the Ligue 1 champions throughout the close-season after struggling for consistent form and playing time last term.

The Argentine attacking midfielder, who was at Palermo before his move to PSG, said there had been interest from Serie A sides but stressed he feels confident at Parc des Princes.

"Juventus, Lazio and Milan? I can confirm there was something with these teams but I am happy at PSG and the club believes in me," Pastore told Sky Sport Italia.

"Having said that, I was very happy when I was in Italy."

Pastore was the 2010 Serie A Young Footballer of the Year and enjoyed two good seasons at Palermo in 2009-10 and 2010-11.

PSG take on Bastia in their first home game of the 2014-15 Ligue 1 season on Saturday.

 

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Manchester United fans must be patient, warns Van Gaal

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal says that fans should remain patient despite their excellent pre-season form.

The Red Devils beat Valencia 2-1 in a friendly at Old Trafford on Tuesday - their sixth win from as many matches this summer - but the Dutchman warns that there is still work to be done, with their Premier League opener against Swansea City to be played on Saturday.

"Old Trafford was fantastic. I come on the pitch and they are shouting and screaming your name," Van Gaal told the press. "It is also a big pressure as they expect a lot and you cannot change everything in three or four weeks.

"The players cannot change either so we have to wait and see and develop and we need time.

"But we have won every game until now and that is fantastic when you see our opponents so we have great confidence for Swansea City."

Van Gaal also noted that his side's performance on Tuesday against Spanish opposition was their worst of the close-season, despite Marouane Fellaini's late winner ensuring a perfect summer record.

"The main thing is that we have won in spite of playing our worst game. We made a lot of wrong choices, wrong passes and we didn't press too much," the former Netherlands boss observed.

"I think Valencia is a very good team, very comfortable on the ball so it is not easy to press but, in spite of that, we dominated the game and at the end we are the winner because we are fighting until the last minute and that is also a good signal.

"It is a start. We had four debuts so I am pleased we have won the game against a very good team."

 

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Patient.....Patient............Patient​

 

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Marseille complete signing of Barrada from Al Jazira

Olympique de Marseille have confirmed the arrival of Morocco midfielder Abdelaziz Barrada from UAE Pro League side Al Jazira.

Barrada has agreed a switch to the Stade Velodrome after just a year with Al Jazira, signing a contract running until 2018 with the French side.

The 25-year-old, who was born in the French town of Provins, joined Al Jazira from Spanish side Getafe in July last year and went on to score 15 goals in the 2013-14 campaign.

He managed 10 goals in the Pro league from midfield, something new Marseille coach Marcelo Bielsa will hope he can continue in Ligue 1.

"I want to help Marseille to finish in the top three," the playmaker commented. "This is the place that this club deserves. I'm looking forward to playing, especially in the big games.

"My goal in the short-term is to regain my physical level before thinking about joining the team.

"This is a strong commitment to me, I see my long-term future with the club."

The midfielder becomes the third signing for Bielsa following in the footsteps of Romain Alessandrini and Michy Batshuayi and will look to go some way to fill the void of Mathieu Valbuena's departure.

Marseille were denied a winning start to their league campaign on Saturday as Bastia came from 3-1 down to record a 3-3 draw.

 

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Coentrao: I feel more valued now at Real Madrid

Real Madrid defender Fabio Coentrao claims he feels more valued at the club this year and is eager to continue his Santiago Bernabeu career.

The Portugal international joined Madrid from Benfica in 2011 but has faced a battle with Marcelo for first-team football over the past two years and has managed just 26 La Liga appearances in the last two seasons.

The 26-year-old was reportedly close to joining Manchester United at the end of last summer's transfer window but has since re-established himself in los Blancos' first-team plans under Carlo Ancelotti and started the Uefa Super Cup win on Tuesday.

And Coentrao believes the extra backing from both the club and supporters has given him confidence to continue his career in the Spanish capital as they aim for a staggering six trophies this season.

"We played a good game and gave everything to win. The trophy is deserved," he was quoted as saying by Marca after the 2-0 win over Sevilla.

"We're going to fight for all titles. Now the work for the other five begins.

"When Madrid play, they play to win. I'm in a better moment than when I arrived. I have the confidence of the fans and so it's easier.

"I hope to have continuity. This is my fourth year in Madrid, I'm enjoying it and I hope to continue. I feel I'm valued more."

 

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Martinez stretchered off in Dortmund clash

Bayern Munich have been dealt an early-season injury blow after Javi Martinez was stretchered off in the DFL-Supercup clash with Borussia Dortmund.

The Spaniard was involved in a collision with BVB defender Marcel Schmelzer shortly after Henrikh Mkhitaryan had given Jurgen Klopp's side the lead.

The former Athletic Bilbao man went down immediately clutching his knee and was unable to continue, being replaced by Dante shortly afterwards.

Initial reports in Germany claim that the Spaniard has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament, but the club are yet to confirm the extent of the injury.

Guardiola had started the match with Martinez, a midfielder by trade, in a defensive role as Pep Guaridola looks to experiment with a 3-4-3 formation.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Get well soon Martinez!​

 

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Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Bayern Munich: Aubameyang marvels in Supercup triumph

Borussia Dortmund retained the DFL-Supercup with a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Having won last year's showpiece against the same opposition 4-2, Jurgen Klopp's men made it two final wins in succession on as Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ensured Robert Lewandowski's return to Signal Iduna Park ended in disappointment.

The Poland international spoke of a "special" homecoming to his former stomping ground in the build-up to the clash, but in the end his limelight was stolen by a typically high-energy display from Dortmund in front of their own support.

Bayern - Bundesliga and DFB Pokal champions last season - looked far from their imperious best as Pep Guardiola fielded a mix of first-team regulars and inexperienced youngsters.

The Spaniard had claimed in the days before the game that he had only a handful of fully fit players to choose from, and his concerns may have now grown after Javi Martinez was carried off on a stretcher in the first half after suffering a knee injury.

For Klopp, it was a promising curtain-raiser to the campaign, as they face up to the daunting task of bridging the 19-point gap that separated the two sides in the Bundesliga last season.

Xherdan Shaqiri was the first to threaten for Bayern as he brought a save out of Dortmund goalkeeper Mitch Langerak in the third minute, while Ciro Immobile - on his competitive debut for BVB - fired narrowly wide from 25 yards seven minutes later.

Dortmund almost took the lead in bizarre fashion in the 17th minute when Martinez's backpass had to be hacked off the line by a surprised Manuel Neuer, who then had to be alert to parry Oliver Kirch's powerful shot.

But Mkhitaryan did put the hosts in front midway through the first half, lashing beyond a static Neuer after the ball had ricocheted back into his path on the edge of the area.

Klopp's side continued to look the more dangerous, Aubameyang testing Neuer with a low drive in the 27th minute.

Bayern suffered a further blow on the half-hour mark when Martinez injured his left knee attempting an acrobatic volley and had to be withdrawn on a stretcher with heavy strapping, with Dante coming on in his place.

Outgoing Dortmund captain Sebastian Kehl, embarking on the final season of his career, was next to threaten with a thumping drive after Bayern had failed to clear a corner in the 41st minute.

Neuer was the busiest man on the field, keeping out efforts in quick succession from Jonas Hofmann and Kehl as half-time approached.

Lewandowski, a peripheral figure throughout, was then thwarted by the onrushing Langerak at the other end shortly after the restart.

Dortmund were largely in control and Aubameyang delivered a telling blow in the 62nd minute when he rose above Jerome Boateng and planted Lukasz Piszczek's right-wing cross into the bottom left-hand corner to double the lead.

The Gabon international donned a Spiderman mask - pulled from his sock - in celebration, before being replaced by new signing Adrian Ramos.

Mkhitaryan and Immobile both had chances to make it a more resounding victory late on, while Langerak had to parry away David Alaba's swerving free kick nine minutes from time as Bayern sought a late response.

Aside from that chance, though, Dortmund were relatively untroubled as they held on comfortably to claim the first silverware of the German season.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Congratulations Dortmund!

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What a marvel! Aubameyang celebrates in Spiderman mask

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrated his DFL-Supercup goal in some style as he donned a Spiderman mask in front of the jubilant Borussia Dortmund fans.

The Gabon forward powered home a header just past the hour mark to double Dortmund's lead over Bayern Munich after Henrikh Mkhitaryan had fired in the opener in the first half.

The 25-year-old pulled the replica mask out of his sock after scoring and pulled it over his head as he stood to the acclaim of the Signal Iduna Park faithful in one of the more bizarre goal celebrations likely to be seen this season.

Aubameyang's celebration was inspired by his former Saint-Etienne team-mate Jeremie Janot, a goalkeeper with a penchant for comic books who once took to the field in a complete Spiderman suit.

Comic timing | Janot collides acrobatically with an opponent in a Ligue 1 clash in 2011

The forward left the Ligue 1 outfit for Dortmund in 2013 for a fee of around €13 million and has since established himself as a key component of Jurgen Klopp's attack.

Dortmund successfully defended the German Super Cup they won at Bayern's expense last summer as they sealed a convincing 2-0 win over Pep Guardiola's side.

 

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Everton sign Chelsea winger Atsu on loan

Everton have signed Chelsea winger Christian Atsu on a season-long loan.

The 22-year-old joined Chelsea from Porto last September but spent last season on loan Vitesse, where he was named as the Dutch club's player of the year.

Everton had already signed Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea in a €35 million deal this summer and have now completed a deal for Atsu, who passed a medical on Wednesday.

"I'm very happy to be joining Everton because it's a great club, which likes to play football, and it's a great pleasure to be here," Atsu told the club’s official website.

"Playing in the Premier League has always been a dream for me and I have achieved that dream.

"This is the biggest level for me to play at. I know that it's a very competitive league and I believe with hard work we're going to be successful this season."

The Ghana international becomes Everton's fourth signing this summer following the arrivals of Lukaku, Muhamed Besic, and Gareth Barry, who has joined on a permanent deal from Manchester City after spending last season on loan at Goodison Park.

"He's a player who fits in with the culture and the way we want to play. He's a very gifted technical footballer and he's got the right personality and character to fit in with the group, which is vital," said Everton boss Roberto Martinez.

"He will excite fans because he brings something completely different and a different way of playing to what we've got in the squad.

"He's a left-footed player who loves taking people on and he's got a really good understanding of the game for such a young man.

"He also brings extra competition in a position in which we felt we needed a player full of desire and hunger, who really wants to make things happen in the final third of the pitch.

"For Christian, at 22, to already have played in a World Cup, to have been able to adapt into Portuguese football and into the league in Holland is a really good accumulation of experiences that will be very beneficial, especially with us playing in the Europa League this season."

 

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Atletico Madrid complete €10 million Jimenez deal

Atletico Madrid have completed the signing of Club America striker Raul Jimenez on a six-year deal for a fee in the region of €10 million.

Diego Simeone has already brought Mario Mandzukic to the club in the wake of Diego Costa's departure to Chelsea and has now added further bolstered his attack.

The 23-year-old was part of Mexico's World Cup squad and has signed a six-year-deal in Spain, with his now former employers confirming the deal over Twitter.



“Raul Jimenez is an Atletico Madrid player,” read a tweet from America. “Extend your wings and fly high.”

Atletico's sporting director Jose Luis Perez Caminero added his thoughts on the acquisiton and feels the striker will be the final piece of his side's striking jigsaw.

"Raul Jimenez is a player with enormous promise and will complete our offensive line," he said in a news release.

"He has a lot of desire to succeed in his leap to European football and his hope is that he will adapt quickly to our league."

Jimenez made his Liga MX debut in October 2011 and has since gone on to become one of the brightest young stars in the league.He was part of the Mexico squad that won the Olympic gold medal in London 2012 and was used as a substitute by El Tri at the recent World Cup, playing six minutes in the team's 0-0 draw with Brazil.


He leaves Liga MX as the leading scorer in the Apertura, which is into just its fourth week, after scoring against Tijuana in week two and notching a hat-trick against Pumas a week later.

 

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Guardiola fears lengthy Martinez absence

Pep Guardiola fears Javi Martinez will be out for a considerable length of time after suffering a serious looking knee injury in Bayern Munich's 2-0 DFL Supercup defeat to Borussia Dortmund.

His attempt at an acrobatic volley during the first half saw his leg connect with Marcel Schmelzer in awkward fashion, resulting in him being stretchered from the field.Guardiola, who claimed to only have a handful of fully fit players before the game, was pessimistic in his assessment of the problem.


"The bad news is the injury to Javi Martinez," he said. "He was in good shape.
"We'll know what he's got tomorrow [Thursday]. But I think that he will be out for a long time."Guardiola selected a mixture of first-team stars and inexperienced youngsters, with many players still recovering from a gruelling World Cup campaign with Germany.


One of those was Philipp Lahm, who was introduced at half-time for Thomas Muller, and the 30-year-old conceded it had been a tough task with so many regulars either unavailable or not at 100 per cent."We were missing a lot of players and we're still finding our feet in pre-season," he said. "It was difficult."

 

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We'll make a t-shirt out of this - Klopp

Jurgen Klopp said Borussia Dortmund supporters would make t-shirts to celebrate their 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in Wednesday's DFL Supercup final.

Dortmund's preparations for the clash at Signal Iduna Park had hardly been ideal, having been thumped 4-0 by Liverpool in a friendly on Sunday at Anfield.


However, Klopp's men looked much sharper than Bayern and took the lead midway through the first half thanks to Henrikh Mkhitaryan's strike from the edge of the box.


That advantage was doubled shortly after the hour mark, as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang outjumped Jerome Boateng to head home Lukasz Piszczek's cross from the right to seal the win.


Klopp was pleased with the way his side responded from Sunday's match and was satisfied at having claimed the first silverware of the season."We said we wanted to put the Liverpool game behind us and we did that," he said. "We defended much better."It was about winning a trophy and we managed to do that. We'll make a T-shirt out of this."


Aubameyang, who donned a Spiderman mask pulled from his sock in celebration of his goal, echoed Klopp's sentiments."We're delighted to have made this start to the season and to be in such rhythm," he added.

 

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Lahm: Bayern aren't fit enough

Philipp Lahm says Bayern Munich simply aren't yet fit enough after they fell to a shock 2-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the German Supercup.

A first half strike from Henrikh Mkhitaryan opened the scoring for BVB, before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sealed the victory just afer the hour mark.

Bayern looked off the pace throughout, with five members of the squad part of Germany's successful World Cup campaign and still in the early stages of pre-season.

Lahm - who started from the bench before replacing Thomas Muller at half-time - was quick to point to that fact and said it is simply a case of the side getting more matches under their belt.

He said: "We have a lot of players that have been in training only for a short period. We had a lot of injured players that stayed home. That's why it was hard.

"We are in the middle if the pre-season. In training, you can only lay the ground, but not simulate the competition."

One cause for concern will be the injury suffered by Javi Martinez, who was withdrawn after just 31 minutes with what appeared to be a serious knee injury.

Bayern open their Bundesliga campaign against Wolfsburg on August 22.

 

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Ozil, Mertesacker and Podolski back in Arsenal training

Arsenal's World Cup-winning trio – Mesut Ozil, Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski – have returned to training following their extended summer break.

Joachim Low's side achieved glory in Brazil thanks to Mario Gotze's goal in extra time to beat Argentina in the final but all three Gunners stars played a part in the national team's run to triumph.

 

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Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Bayern Munich: Aubameyang marvels in Supercup triumph

 

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Ronaldo Dedicates Man Of The Match Award To Sir Alex Ferguson

 

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Perez: Real Madrid want more titles now

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has set his sights on further success this season after his side beat Sevilla 2-0 to win the Uefa Super Cup.

The European champions got their new campaign off to the strongest of starts thanks to goals either side of half-time from Cristiano Ronaldo in Cardiff.

Perez is delighted with how his players fared after a pre-season truncated by the World Cup earlier this summer and is now eager to land the remaining five trophies available to Carlo Ancelotti's men this season.

"We didn't play badly for the little time we have been training and we are thrilled with this win," he is quoted as saying by Marca.

"But is gives us the desire to keep trying to improve. That's Madrid's history, without arrogance. That's how our parents taught us.

"We want to keep winning titles and so we have prepared well for the new season."

Perez was also delighted that his side's beaten opponents were also from La Liga.

"It was a party for Spain," he added. "We're very happy because there were two Spanish teams."