..::Football III::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Simeone: I hope Malmo attack us

Diego Simeone says he hopes Malmo come out and attack Atletico Madrid when they meet in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Last seasons' Champions League runners up currently sit joint top of Group A with Olympiakos after they beat the Swedish side 5-0 when they met on matchday three at the Vicente Calderon.

The Atleti coach expects the Swedish side to play more expansively on their own turf and would welcome that approach.

"We know what Malmo need and their characteristics on their own pitch," he said at a press conference. "They play with more intensity and with more of an attacking game. We must be attentive and respond in the best way.

"From what I have seen on TV and in videos they are a team that play 4-4-2 at home, although I don't think they will play with that system against us. Against Olympiakos they did it and then changed to a 3-5-2. I hope to play against that system.

"Since pre-season we've wanted more posession and to combine well. Last year we combined Diego Costa, Koke and Gabi, but now we need more people to play with Mario Mandzukic, Antoine Griezmann and Raul Garcia."

Atletico's Gabi says the Spanish champions must be wary of their opponents, but knows his team will boost their chances of qualifying for the second round if they pick up all three points."Malmo is a team that defends very well and are very dangerous on the counter-attack.

"All the teams in our group won our home matches. That speaks about the equality in the group. If we win tomorrow we will take a very important step to the next round."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Klopp: Dortmund are making progress

Jurgen Klopp feels Borussia Dortmund are making progress this season, despite their poor results in the Bundesliga.

Dortmund suffered a 2-1 defeat to rivals Bayern Munich on Saturday, their fifth straight loss in the league, and sit second bottom of the German top flight.Despite their domestic results, they have won all three of the Champions League games they have played so far this term.

Klopp feels his side are developing well and insists Tuesday's clash with Galatasaray comes at the perfect time for his team."We have to concentrate on each next game, although it's difficult," he told reporters. "We have a development going on, but you can't see it in the results up to now. That's why the timing of this match is good for us.

"Galatasaray can play football, the first match against them was a perfect night for us. We expect a confident opponent.

"In difficult phases calm helps. I feel that and that's why I try to take advantage of that.

"We've made less individual mistakes in the Champions League.

"Our answers on the pitch are not good enough. I'm far from saying that everything is plotted against us."Dortmund midfielder Sebastian Kehl admitted the Champions League provides a welcome distraction from their domestic troubles.

"We have got perfect results in the Champions League so far, but in the Bundesliga we have very few points," he said. "That's what makes it a little bit special.

"The whole situation isn't nice. But there isn't much time. In these difficult times, it's good that there is always another match right away. We want to finish the business in the Champions League.

"Bad times are part of the game. But I've never suffered five league defeats in a row. Of course we talk things over in the team, but you can't look into the head of each player. I'm contemplative, but the situation is far from hopeless.

"We've made a name for ourselves in Europe. We don't do different things in each competition."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Rodgers: Ronaldo is the best player in the world

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo is currently the best player in the world.

The Champions League holders are set to host the Reds on Tuesday night knowing a win would take them into the knockout stages of European football's premier club competition.

And Rodgers is aware of the threat Ronaldo will pose, though he is not underestimating the rest of Los Blancos' squad.

"Ronaldo is, at this moment in time, the best player in the world," he told reporters.

"He will tell you himself it is very much about the team. They have some outstanding players in [Karim] Benzema, Isco, [Luka] Modric and [Toni] Kroos.

"He is the catalyst of that team and let's hope he doesn’t score too many more tomorrow."

The Anfield outfit travel to the Spanish capital having won just once in their last four outings but still with their Champions League hopes in their own hands.

Basel's defeat to Ludogorets on matchday three has left both teams level on points with Rodgers' side, and though wins in their final two matches would likely see the Merseyside team through to the last 16, the former Swansea City boss has not written off claiming a victory at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"It’s a wonderful arena – one of the iconic grounds in the world. When you come up against the best opponents then that’s the challenge.

"We see it as an opportunity. We’re not coming here expecting to lose and then try win the other games.

"The key is to be compact, very disciplined and to close the spaces. When you have the ball you then have to create the problems yourself."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Mikel still a top player - Keshi

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has praised Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel for his work ethic following claims he is afraid to drop him.Mikel had a poor World Cup as Nigeria lost 2-0 to France in the second round where he was outshone by Paul Pogba in midfield.

His impact in the Super Eagles’ 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign has also come under scrutiny with the team winning just one in four matches leaving them in dire straits.

Keshi has not dropped or substituted the player even in the face of below-par performances for both club and country and has now spoken glowingly of the midfielder.“Mikel brings a lot of professionalism to the team,” Keshi told SuperSport.com. “He’s a fighter. He hates losing with a passion.“In training sessions, it’s the same – always professional and always serious minded.”

Mikel was Nigeria’s shining light at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, which the Super Eagles won, and he was voted second best player of the tournament. This earned him a place in the year-end African Player of the Year podium where he came second to Yaya Toure.

“I hate to say this but it seems some Nigerians don’t like thinking about the past because the Mikel that is criticised so much today is the same Mikel that was praised by almost all Nigerians during the 2013 Afcon in South Africa,” said Keshi.

“Has he suddenly become a bad footballer? I think we need to understand that no human being can perform at the same level everyday.“I am not just talking about football but every sphere of human endeavour. No one can perform at the same level everyday. You have good and bad days.

“We must learn to be patient with our players and coaches. I don’t have any problems with Mikel or any of my players,” he said.Keshi also dismissed side talk that he was afraid of benching the Chelsea midfielder even though he is regularly placed on the sidelines by Blues manager Jose Mourinho.

“That is not true. I left Mikel out of the team for seven months before I recalled him,” the 52-year-old said.

“Nobody is bigger than the team. If you are not giving 110 per cent, you will have no place in the team.“All the players know this and that is how it has been since I took over in 2011.Nigeria face two must-win matches against Congo and South Africa if they are to reach Morocco 2015.

They travel to play the Red Devils on November 15 and Bafana Bafana four days later in Uyo.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Aguero: Chelsea will drop points

Sergio Aguero is confident Chelsea will drop points soon to allow Manchester City to close the gap at the top of the Premier League.

The Argentina striker scored the only goal in Sunday's 1-0 derby triumph over Manchester United, which ensured City stayed six points behind Chelsea in the table.

That win came after two consecutive defeats for Manuel Pellegrini's men, having gone down 2-1 against West Ham in the top flight before a 2-0 League Cup loss versus Newcastle United.

Chelsea are the only side in the league with an unbeaten record, but Aguero believes they will slip up at some point, with City ready to take advantage.

"Chelsea are doing very well and they keep winning, but I'm sure they will drop some points," he told the club's official website.

"They play at Liverpool next weekend and we will see if they drop points, but the important thing is that we have to win games."

City's two league defeats to Stoke City and West Ham have left the champions trailing Jose Mourinho's men, but Aguero's form has continued to help them stay in contention.

His 63rd-minute strike against United was his 10th goal of the Premier League season, taking the 26-year-old above Chelsea's Diego Costa to the top of the scoring charts.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Sturridge joins Liverpool squad in Madrid but 'highly unlikely' to be fit

Daniel Sturridge has joined the rest of the Liverpool squad on their flight to Madrid ahead of their Champions League clash against Real Madrid on Tuesday, but manager Brendan Rodgers says he is "very unlikely" be feature.

The striker has not made an appearance for the Reds since August after suffering a thigh strain while on international duty with England, before picking up a calf injury in October.

Rodgers initially feared the former Chelsea striker could be set for a further four weeks on the sidelines, but his presence on the squad's plane to the Spanish capital suggests he is nearing a return to full fitness.

Tuesday's clash at the Santiago Bernabeu will probably come too soon, however, with Rodgers admitting: "With Daniel we will see how he responds, but it’s highly unlikely he will be fit."

Sturridge posted a picture on his Instagram account of Raheem Sterling, Lazar Markovic, Dejan Lovren and himself on a plane, accompanied with the caption: "Madrid bound with the boys."

Rodgers has cited Sturridge's absence, as well as the sale of fellow striker Luis Suarez to Barcelona, as one of the main issues behind the Reds' indifferent form this season, with the pair having found the net on 61 occasions in 2013-14.

The Reds have struggled for goals in Sturridge's absence, however, with Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert having scored just twice between them since their summer arrivals from AC Milan and Southampton respectively.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Draxler ruled out until 2015

Schalke have been dealt a crushing blow after confirming Julian Draxler will miss the rest of 2014 with a hamstring injury.

The 21-year-old was withdrawn less than a minute into the club's 1-0 Bundesliga victory over Augsburg on Friday night.

Draxler underwent a further examination with the club's doctor, Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt on Monday, with tests confirming Schalke's worst fears - a partial tear of his semimembranosus muscle in his right hamstring.

The Germany international has already travelled to Stuttgart, where he will undergo an operation before embarking upon a rehabilitation programme.His latest setback, which comes after he overcame a similar problem earlier this season, means Draxler will miss his side's remaining three Champions League group stage games as well as the national side's Euro 2016 qualifier against Gibraltar and friendly with Spain next month.

Schalke coach Roberto Di Matteo is already without Joel Matip and Jefferson Farfan through injury, having taken charge of the club at the start of October, and revealed his frustration after Friday's game."Losing Draxler extends our injury list even further. It's a real blow," he told the Royal Blues' website.

Schalke are eighth in the Bundesliga, 10 points behind leaders Bayern Munich, and second in Champions League Group C.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Schweinsteiger set for 2014 return

Bastian Schweinsteiger is likely to make his Bayern Munich return before the winter break after missing the start of the campaign with a knee injury.

Following Germany's World Cup success in Brazil, Schweinsteiger picked up a minor ankle problem in Bayern's close-season preparations before irritation around the patellar tendon prevented him from returning to competitive club action.

The midfielder, 30, has been ruled out of the early stages of Bayern's Bundesliga defence as a result, but chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed the midfielder was set to return before the turn of the year."He is likely to come back in 2014," he told Kicker."All is okay. He may get back into the team's training in the next international break."

Bayern's final game before the mid-season break comes against Mainz at the Coface Arena on December 19, with the club currently top of the Bundesliga and their Champions League group in Schweinsteiger's absence.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Busquets: Don't compare Barca with Real Madrid

Sergio Busquets concedes Barcelona have had a bad week but refused to be drawn on comparisons with all-conquering Real Madrid.Barca have dropped from first to fourth in La Liga following back-to-back defeats to Madrid and, more surprisingly, Celta Vigo.

In contrast, new leaders Madrid have won 11 consecutive games in all competitions and appear in great shape ahead of the return of the Champions League this week.Midfielder Busquets said: “This has been a bad week with bad results and we need to change it as soon as possible. We need to think about it and we’re going to work hard for the results. One week ago we were the leaders of the competition and now we’re not but the season is long and hopefully we can change that.”

As usual for Barca the barometer for their success or failure is Madrid. Busquets, however, was not willing to go down that avenue of questioning.“Real Madrid are strong and winning titles,” added Busquets. “They are having good results but there’s nothing to compare between them and us. We have to worry about ourselves.

“I don’t want to talk about others but Madrid always sign good players. They are a great team but we are happy with our signings.”Busquets has struggled with a hip injury in recent weeks but denied it could be a long-term problem.

“I’m in a good moment, I am a good age and a more complete player now than when I made my debut. I still have a lot of football [left in me]. I’m 26-years-old.
“It [talk of a serious injury] is a rumour which I don’t understand. I had an injury a few weeks ago but now I am fine. I won’t be having surgery.”

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Ancelotti: Bale fit to face Liverpool

Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Gareth Bale is fit to face Livepool on Tuesday night - but the Real Madrid boss has yet to decide whether to start the Welshman at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The world's most expensive player has missed Madrid's last five games in all competitions with a hip injury but is now set to play some part in the Champions League Group B clash with the Reds.

“Bale's fine," Ancelotti told reporters on Monday. "My only doubt is whether to put Bale on from the start and also whether to rest a few of the players who have accumulated a lot of games. I’ll decide tomorrow [Tuesday]."

Ancelotti added that while Asier Illarramendi and Sami Khedira are also available for selection, full-backs Dani Carvajal and Fabio Coentrao are carrying minor problems.

"Dani suffered a minor hamstring injury but it’s not serious and he should be fully recovered by the end of the week," the former Chelsea boss revealed. "Coentrao is also on the mend."

Madrid moved top of La Liga courtesy of a 4-0 win at Granada at the weekend - Los Blancos' 11th successive victory in all competitions - and Ancelotti admitted that his troops are currently brimming with belief.“We’re playing well at the moment and we are all happy," the Italian enthused. "We are very aware that every game we play is important – that was the attitude we had against Granada and now we are treating this game against Liverpool in the same way.

"We have confidence but not fear. We have a highly-professional side.
"We will lose some games but the team’s professionalism is 100 per cent, both when we win and when we lose."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Wilshere out of Anderlecht clash

Arsene Wenger has confirmed that midfielder Jack Wilshere will miss Arsenal's Champions League clash with Anderlecht due to illness.

The England international was forced out of Saturday's win over Burnley after picking up a knee problem in training but otherwise Arsenal have no new injury concerns.

Mathieu Debuchy, Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud are among the Gunners' long-term absentees, but otherwise Wenger will be able to pick from the same players that beat the Clarets 3-0 on Saturday.

"We have nobody else sick other than Aaron Ramsey last week and Jack Wilshere now," Wenger told reporters.

"The squad exactly the same as the one which played Burnley.

"We are at home and we have an opportunity to win the game. We are on a good run and we want to take advantage of that.

"We respect Anderlecht because they gave us a tough game. We had a little bit of a miraculous win because we needed to go till the last minute.

"We have been warned. We have learned a lot from the first game and we want to win at the Emirates now.

"We had a lot of long-term injuries but they are all slowly getting better. We are near the end of the tunnel."

After scoring in both of the Emirates Stadium outfit's first two Premier League matches, a hamstring injury picked up against Tottenham has seen Ramsey's season stall somewhat.

The Wales international has failed to find the net since August, and his manager is keen for him to get back to top-form, starting against the Belgian champions.

"He's one of the players who was very efficient last season. He now needs to get back to that."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Rojo: My injury is nothing major

Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo has played down concerns over a shoulder injury that saw him stretchered off during the Manchester derby.

The Red Devils are yet to learn the extent of the injury that saw the Argentina international replaced by Paddy McNair in the second half amidst fears he had dislocated his shoulder.

Manager Louis van Gaal admitted after the match he did not know how long the defender would be sidelined for but said he expected him to miss their next game against Crystal Palace.

However, Rojo has moved to ease fears over the injury by tweeting “thank you all for your messages. thank god it was nothing”.

The Red Devils will also be without Chris Smalling for the visit of Palace, after his red card against City, while Phil Jones, Jonny Evans and Rafael all missed the derby due to injury.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'Chelsea fans are getting worse' - Mourinho stands by criticism of fans

Jose Mourinho has stood by his comments about the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge, saying Chelsea get "less support" at home than other teams.

Mourinho said it was like playing in an "empty stadium" when the Premier League leaders beat QPR 2-1 on Saturday.

And the former Real Madrid coach, who also managed Chelsea between 2004 and 2007, was in no mood to take back his criticism of the lack of noise as his side prepare for a clash at Maribor in the Champions League on Wednesday.

"We are the team to get less support in home matches. When compared to my previous time I think it's getting worse," the Portuguese said.

"I don't question the passion and the love - I'm nobody to question that and I know clearly that is not true.

"I will always love them and respect them, but I don't know [why there is a lack of atmosphere]."

Despite his criticism, the view of the Blues fans towards the coach are unlikley to change, as long as the team continues to play well, according to Chelsea Supporters' Trust chairman Tim Rolls.

"He is an extremely popular manager, I don't see any sort of lingering resentment on this at all, he said his point," he told Perform .

"He's winning games and we're top of the league. If he carries on like this there'll be no negativity.

"I think he's given the club some serious issues to talk about because the publicity has all been about ticket prices and stewarding and creating an atmosphere.

"But I really don't think there's going to be any resentment towards him at all."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

UEFA Champions League 2014.11.04 Group Stage Fixtures

UEFA Champions League 2014.11.04 Group Stage Fixtures

Zenit Vs Leverkusen

Malmo Vs Atletico Madrid

Juventus Vs Olympiacos

Basel Vs Ludogorets

Real Madrid Vs Liverpool

Dortmund Vs Galatasaray

Benfica Vs Monaco

Arsenal Vs Anderlecht

​

 

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Aguero: Chelsea will drop points

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Draxler ruled out until 2015

Draxler ayith injured

 

[Banks PLK]

Aguero: Chelsea will drop points

Sergio Aguero is confident Chelsea will drop points soon to allow Manchester City to close the gap at the top of the Premier League.

The Argentina striker scored the only goal in Sunday's 1-0 derby triumph over Manchester United, which ensured City stayed six points behind Chelsea in the table.

That win came after two consecutive defeats for Manuel Pellegrini's men, having gone down 2-1 against West Ham in the top flight before a 2-0 League Cup loss versus Newcastle United.

Chelsea are the only side in the league with an unbeaten record, but Aguero believes they will slip up at some point, with City ready to take advantage.

"Chelsea are doing very well and they keep winning, but I'm sure they will drop some points," he told the club's official website.

"They play at Liverpool next weekend and we will see if they drop points, but the important thing is that we have to win games."

City's two league defeats to Stoke City and West Ham have left the champions trailing Jose Mourinho's men, but Aguero's form has continued to help them stay in contention.

His 63rd-minute strike against United was his 10th goal of the Premier League season, taking the 26-year-old above Chelsea's Diego Costa to the top of the scoring charts.

God Save the Kun !!

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Draxler ayith injured

 

[Wolverine GTR]

God Save the Kun !!

Hi machan...kalekin dakke

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[dilidili2]

Chelsea will drop points but City will drop more