..::Football III::..

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Wolverine GTR

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    Suarez: Barcelona are still ahead of Real Madrid

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    Luis Suarez says the fact Barcelona still lead Real Madrid by one point in La Liga is a positive after suffering a 3-1 Clasico defeat on his debut.

    The Uruguay striker was handed a surprise start by coach Luis Enrique on his comeback from suspension and his afternoon started positively at the Bernabeu when he assisted Neymar’s fourth-minute opener.

    However, goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe and Karim Benzema quickly turned the tables on the visitors and Suarez was eventually replaced by Pedro on 69 minutes.

    "We need to think about this match but we are still one point ahead of Real Madrid and we have to go on," the 27-year-old told reporters after the game."Due to the intensity of the match I knew I was not going to play the full 90 minutes.

    "I had not spoken with the coach about how long I would play. I heard I would start during the tactical talk an hour and a half before the game.

    "For these late few weeks I have trained every day thinking about this match and I felt ready to play. The coach took the decision and I was available. I felt good and I tried to do everything in my power to help my team.

    "You always want to mark your debut with a win and the result was not good for us considering the occasion, but I gave my all."Midfielder Xavi was also picked in Luis Enrique's starting XI and the veteran was frustrated to see Barcelona throw away a position of strength in the match."I think it was one half for each team - 45 minutes for Barca and 45 for Real Madrid,” he said.

    "In the first half we could have scored to make it 2-0 - we were dominating. When you waste chances at the Bernabeu, you end up paying for it."We didn't lose control at any time, they waited for us at the back and came at us very fast. They live off the counterattack and we couldn't stop them."

    Barcelona will welcome Celta Vigo to Camp Nou next Saturday as they look to get their Liga title challenge back on track.
     

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    Wenger left in awe of lightning-fast Alexis

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    Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was left in awe of the speed and work-rate of Alexis Sanchez after the Chilean scored both goals in the 2-0 win over Sunderland.

    A double from the Chilean saw the Gunners triumph in a potentially tricky fixture against a side looking to bounce back from their 8-0 humbling against Southampton, and Wenger proclaimed himself happy with the win.

    "We wanted the three points and got them," he told reporters. "We were quite in control and were focused. We missed some opportunities but, overall, I am very happy.

    "Sunderland was focused to defend very well after last week. Alexis took advantage of the mistakes they made. He has superb quality and speed; that's why he wins so many balls."

    Theo Walcott has been unavailable for Arsenal since rupturing his anterior cruciate knee ligament in an FA Cup victory against Tottenham in January, but made his comeback for the club's Under-21s against Blackburn earlier this month.

    The 25-year-old then returned to the first team to take a place on the bench against Sunderland on Saturday but, after not featuring, Wenger admitted the winger still lacks match practice.

    "He is fit but lacks competition," Wenger added. "Physically, he lacks contact in games and competition. Fitness-wise, there are no problems at all."
     

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    Benzema is on fire - Ancelotti

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    Carlo Ancelotti refused to single out individuals after his Real Madrid side cruised to a 3-1 Clasico win over Barcelona – but acknowledged Karim Benzema was "on fire" at the moment.

    The France striker was instrumental in Madrid’s victory and got the goal his performance deserved to finish off Barca and end their unbeaten start to the season.

    The home side trailed to Neymar’s early strike but a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty got them back on level terms before a Pepe header and Benzema's brilliant finish settled matters.

    Ancelotti said: "I value the effort of the team. We didn’t lose our heads after Neymar's goal and all went well.

    "Isco's performance was impressive but today we could talk about Benzema, Isco, Cristiano or James [Rodriguez]. It's hard to talk about a star in this match but Benzema is on fire."

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    The win moved Madrid within a point of Barca at the top of the table.

    "The victory is important as we defeated a great team and achieved our objective of getting closer to Barcelona in La Liga," added Ancelotti.

    "It's not easy to play Barcelona. We fought so hard and the match was so lose. I didn’t see a superiority but in the closing moments we had many opportunities as they were trying desperately to equalise.

    "The physical side is so important. We had a hard game against Liverpool on Wednesday and again today. This squad is so serious, committed and professional."

    Gareth Bale, the world's most expensive player, missed out on Saturday through injury and Ancelotti used his absence to highlight the strength of his squad.

    He said: "Bale is an important player for the team and when he is okay he will play. I don't think about 11 important players, we have so many good players and this is good for all us."
     

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    Pique questions Real Madrid penalty decision

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    Gerard Pique has suggested Real Madrid were fortunate to be awarded a penalty in their 3-1 Clasico win at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.

    Neymar gifted the away side an early lead with a fine finish after cutting inside from the left, but goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe and Karim Benzema eventually saw Madrid bag the full three points.

    Pique inadvertently played a role in Madrid's equaliser from the penalty spot after handballing Marcelo's cross inside his own area, but he feels the rule should make allowances for whether or not the offence was deliberate.

    "My handball? It was unintentional. I could not get my hand out of the way," the defender told reporters."It would be nice to know what the criteria is because it's true the ball touches my hand but I couldn't get it out of the way.

    "He kicked the ball and I can't disappear. The ball hit my hand and the whistle was blown then."The referee didn't say anything. I threw myself to the ground to use my body and I couldn't put my hands behind my back."

    Pique feels Barca could have achieved a better result had they been more clinical early on, but accepted Madrid were the better side in the second half."We started the game well and could have gone 2-0 up," he said.

    "But in the end, I think that Madrid deserve their win based on the second half."
    Luis Suarez made his official Barcelona debut on Saturday after a four-month ban and Pique felt the Uruguayan did well, with the 27-year-old providing the assist for the opener.He continued: "Suarez was available again, so it was always an option that he could start. The coach opted to let him play from the start and I think he did a good job."

    Barcelona still sit atop of La Liga with 22 points from nine games, but Madrid have closed to within one point in second place.
     

    Wolverine GTR

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    Record-breaking Ronaldo, assist-king Kroos and the Clasico stats

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    Find out the facts from Saturday's Clasico which Real Madrid won after beating Barcelona 3-1.

    - Real Madrid have won two Clasicos in a row with Iker Casillas as captain for the first time in all competitions.

    - The last team to have scored as many goals in the opening nine games of a La Liga season were also Real Madrid in 1959/60 (33).

    - Karim Benzema has scored four goals in his last three league games against Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu.

    - Neymar has scored his last eight goals for Barcelona from just nine shots on target in all competitions.

    - Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in his last 11 games, his best run scoring for Real Madrid.

    - Karim Benzema is the only player to have hit the woodwork twice against Barcelona in a La Liga game (2003-2014).

    - Real Madrid have scored more fast break goals than any other team in La Liga this season (four goals).

    - Lionel Messi has been booked seven times vs Real Madrid, three more than versus any other side in all competitions.

    - Toni Kroos is the Real Madrid top assister in La Liga this season with five, three of them from set pieces.

    - Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in 16 of his last 17 league appearances (25 goals).
     

    Wolverine GTR

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    :(Falcao a doubt for Chelsea clash

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    Manchester United loanee Radamel Falcao is a doubt to face Chelsea on Sunday after suffering an injury in training.

    The striker started on the bench against West Brom due to jet lag following international duty with Colombia, replacing Juan Mata for the final 18 minutes of the 2-2 draw.

    Louis van Gaal has stressed that Falcao has not suffered a repeat of the serious knee injury he picked up at Monaco but the 28-year-old could be struggling to face league-leaders Chelsea on Sunday.

    "He got a kick on Friday morning so we have to wait and see if he's fit enough," Van Gaal told the club's official website.

    "But it is not a knee problem. He had a knee problem but not anymore. We have to build Falcao up, that I have also said in the first press conference when he came to our club.

    "It is difficult because we are playing [games] already, that’s difficult but we have played him because I like the way he was playing so we play with two strikers.

    "Now I have to choose between two strikers, even three because James Wilson can also play, the younger player."
     

    Wolverine GTR

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    Manchester United Vs Chelsea patta gemak yai ada:yes::cool:meh season 1ke thiyana 1st Big match 1ka Manchester United walata
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    Manchester United Vs Chelsea & Van Gaal Vs Jose Mourinho:love:
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    Manchester United defence gana thamai thiyana lokuma baya:(Falcao tath ada match 1ka play karanna puluwan wenna kiyala wish karanawa:)Full team 1kama 100% elatama play kaloth hoda result 1kak ganna puluwan:yes:
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    Good Luck Manchester United:love::love::love:

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    Wolverine GTR

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    :love:Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea: Van Persie snatches point at the death

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    Robin van Persie's last-gasp goal rescued a point for Manchester United as Louis van Gaal and Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho shared a 1-1 draw.

    The Portuguese looked to be heading for a famous victory against his one-time mentor at Barcelona after Didier Drogba's second-half strike had given Chelsea the lead.

    But deep into injury time - and after Branislav Ivanovic had been sent off for a second bookable offence - Van Persie pounced on a half-cleared free-kick to smash home an equaliser.

    The point means that Chelsea's lead at the Premier League summit is now four points over Southampton, while they are six points better off than Manchester City following the defending champions' 2-1 defeat at West Ham on Saturday.

    United, meanwhile, got back to winning ways after their lacklustre 2-2 draw against West Brom on Monday.

    Marouane Fellaini was rewarded from his goalscoring appearance in that game with a start in midfield at the expense of Ander Herrera, while Chris Smalling replaced the injured Phil Jones at centre-back.

    Diego Costa and Loic Remy missed out for Chelsea due to a virus and a groin problem respectively, meaning Drogba played as their attacking spearhead.

    There was a full league debut for Filipe Luis as regular left-back Cesar Azpilicueta began a three-match suspension.

    Van Persie led the United attack alone as suspension and injury deprived Van Gaal of Wayne Rooney and Radamel Falcao, and the Dutch striker had his first clear opening in the 23rd minute.

    Adnan Januzaj's throughball was threaded through the Chelsea backline but goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was out quickly to block Van Persie’s effort.

    Marcos Rojo and Smalling were fortunate not to be penalised for wrestling John Terry and Ivanovic to the ground in the penalty area from a 36th-minute free-kick and Argentina international Rojo continued a shaky start when his error allowed Drogba to test David de Gea.

    Playing against his former club, Juan Mata was afforded plenty of room when Angel Di Maria slid a free-kick towards him in first-half stoppage time, but the Spain playmaker shot woefully off target.

    Fellaini fired narrowly wide from the edge of the box under pressure at the start of the second half, but Chelsea found the opening goal in the 53rd minute.

    After Eden Hazard had cut in from the left flank and exchanged passes with Drogba to draw a superb save from De Gea, the veteran striker escaped Rafael Da Silva's attentions at the near post to head home the resulting set-piece.

    Right-back Ivanovic again made his presence felt in the United area with a storming 69th-minute run but pulled his shot wide from an acute angle.

    Courtois denied Van Persie with his legs in the 79th minute but the same player gave the Old Trafford faithful a timely reminder of the late drama of the Alex Ferguson years by levelling the match deep into stoppage time.

    Ivanovic earned his red card for bringing down Di Maria, who picked himself up to deliver an excellent free-kick.

    Courtois saved well from Fellaini’s header initially, although he was helpless as Van Persie slammed home the rebound to send Van Gaal's men into next weekend's derby against City in high spirits.
     
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