..::Football III::..

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Benitez: Napoli can beat Roma to second place

Rafael Benitez believes Napoli can catch up with Roma and beat them to second place in Serie A this season.

The Partenopei beat Genoa 2-1 on Monday night thanks to two controversial goals from Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain.

The ex-Real Madrid star looked to be in an offside position for his opener on seven minutes before Iago Falque equalised for Genoa early in the second half.

Higuain then won and converted a penalty with 15 minutes remaining to seal the win as the visitors protested furiously, with the three points bringing Napoli to within six points of second-placed Roma.

Despite Genoa's anger over both goals, Benitez insists his side deserved the victory and believes they can leapfrog Rudi Garcia's side before the end of the season.

The coach said: "I'm happy because we won, but the result wasn't great because we had many chances to score. Genoa have pushed us a bit, but we deserved to win.

"This is a game that could have ended end with five goals for us. Overall we created 10 chances and we scored two goals.

"If we keep playing like we did in this game, we can make up the points needed to get second place. The team is doing well physically."

The former Liverpool boss was reluctant to discuss the key refereeing decisions but suggested the opposition had not been hard done by over the course of the match.

Benitez said: "I don't ever talk about the referees, I have only done it once here. I'm the only coach in Italy that doesn't criticise them.

"If we analyse every incident, it is not so easy for Genoa to complain."

 

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Real Madrid: We have not broken Fifa rules

Real Madrid are adamant they have fully complied with Fifa rules despite world football's governing body opening an investigation against them over the acquisition of several foreign players under the age of 18.

Fifa have requested information from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) on all of the under-age players representing the Spanish giants as well as clubs which have collaborations with the Champions League holders.

The governing body's investigation is centred on the signing of 51 players, but Madrid have released a lengthy statement protesting their innocence and insisting they have not breached any regulations.

"Real Madrid defends the protection and the correct and healthy development of minors via its strict adherence, without exceptions, to the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, and is in complete agreement with such investigations being carried out to this end," the statement read.

"Real Madrid have responded diligently, supplying all the information required by the Committee within the established deadlines and in complete documentary detail.

"Both Real Madrid and the RFEF, through which the informative investigation is being processed, have been left totally satisfied with the information supplied and have verified the strict adherence to the registration regulations in absolutely every case."

Madrid provided a breakdown of the 51 players Fifa had requested information on. The club said 23 had previously been registered to other Spanish clubs and another 10 were of Spanish nationality. One player appeared twice on the list, six were over 18 at the time of registration, two under-age players had received authorisation and another two had been registered before the current rules came into effect.

Two of the players had been rejected and are were never part of the club, the registration of another is currently pending a final resolution from CAS and four under-12 players had been signed in compliance with the new regulations.
Barcelona were handed a transfer ban for irregularities in their acquisitions of young players last year, a punishment which was upheld following appeal, but Madrid director Emilio Botragueno quickly dismissed any possibility of the club receiving such a ban.

Madrid, usually quiet in the January window, have been busy in the transfer market this time around, bringing in 16-year-olds Mink Martin Peeters and Martin Odegaard, 19-year-old Spanish winger Marco Asensio and Brazilian midfielder Lucas Silva, while deals for 18-year-old River Plate goalkeeper Augusto Batalla and 16-year-old AC Milan attacker Hachim Mastour are also close.

When contacted by Goal earlier on Monday, Fifa admitted an investigation was ongoing but refused to expand on the finer details, adding: "No formal disciplinary proceedings have been opened at this stage. No further information can be provided for the time being."

 

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Carver to manage Newcastle until end of season

Newcastle United have told John Carver to take control of the first-team until the summer.

Newcastle have been without a permanent manager since Alan Pardew left to join Crystal Palace in January and managing director Lee Charnley and chief scout Graham Carr have since been heading up the search for his successor.

However, despite lengthy talks with at least two candidates the club have decided to wait until the end of the season.

Goal understands that leading target Remi Garde has admitted a preference to wait until the summer before committing to taking over, while Derby County's Steve McClaren has similar reservations.

Other leading contenders such as St Etienne's Christophe Galtier and Ajax manager Frank De Boer have also said that they would consider the role, but would likewise want to wait until the summer.

Carver is yet to oversee a win at St James' Park, with Newcastle drawing one and losing three of their games under his stewardship.

Newcastle are currently 11th in the Premier League table, having taken 27 points from 22 games, and Carver will remain in charge for the duration of the 2014-15 campaign.

Carver has twice taken on a caretaker role in the past, at Leeds United in 2006 and at Sheffield United in 2010, but the Newcastle job will mark his first official managerial role in the game.

 

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PSG approach for Januzaj rejected by Man Utd

Adnan Januzaj’s agent has revealed Manchester United have rejected an approach from Paris Saint-Germain for the Belgian playmaker.

The 19-year-old has struggled to secure a regular place in Louis van Gaal’s side and has made just 13 appearances in all competitions this season.

Earlier this month, United told Januzaj he must wait until the end of the winter transfer window before his future is clarified, while the midfielder’s representative, Dirk de Vriese, admits the French champions have already signalled their interest.

"Yes, PSG have shown themselves to be interested this winter," De Vriese told Foot Mercato. "They directly contacted Manchester United for information.

"Louis van Gaal announced that Adnan cannot leave this winter, either permanently or on loan. The coach considers him an important player for squad. He is counting on everyone.

"It seems like a final decision, I don’t think that it will change."

Januzaj is contracted to the Old Trafford club until June 2018.

 

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Casillas: I want to play in MLS

Iker Casillas has admitted he would like to make a move to the United States before finishing his playing career.

The Real Madrid goalkeeper has been criticised in recent seasons for a drop in form and was second-choice in La Liga as recently as last season, while playing in all Copa del Rey and Champions League clashes that term.

Casillas is once again the undisputed No.1 under Carlo Ancelotti in 2014-15, but rumours surrounding his future persist following reports the European and world champions are hoping to lure David de Gea to the Santiago Bernabeu from Manchester United.

At 33, the keeper has been linked to a move to MLS and has said he would be willing to cross the Atlantic in the latter stages of his career.

"I have no problem of saying that I would like to play in the U.S," he told the Wall Street Journal.

"I would be unable to leave Real Madrid and join a competing team but I could leave to have an adventure, maybe not at that level in Europe, but something innovative and different in a growing league like MLS.

"I would like to experience a different kind of football and put into perspective all the time I've been at Real Madrid.
"It has been a tough year and a half. Only those close to me know about the suffering and the happiness I've gone through. This experience makes you stronger mentally and makes you focus on the things in life that really matter.

"I've been playing 40 or 50 matches each season for years and then I had an injury - that makes your game go down a notch.

"You understand that there are others who deserve to play and you can't do anything but wait for your opportunity."

The shot stopper also looked back on the past year with the Blancos and believes the current team can go on to retain their European crown.

"Winning La Decima lifted a huge burden," said Casillas. "We had gone 12 years without winning the Champions League. It was like lifting a huge weight and it will help the team move forward.

"Perhaps we are at a point at which we can win another European Cup. But knowing how tough that is, we need to be cautious. It's not easy."

Casillas has won three Champions League titles and five league crowns with Madrid as well as two European Championships and a World Cup with Spain.

 

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Van Persie: Manchester United are not scoring enough goals

Robin van Persie says both he and his Manchester United team-mates have not been clinical enough this season.

The Dutchman has netted just eight times in all competitions under Louis van Gaal in 2014-15, an alarming dip in form, with the striker having hit 48 goals in all competitions over the last two seasons.

Van Persie’s struggles come at a time when big-money loan signing Radamel Falcao is also floundering in front of goal, and the club have subsequently failed to score in three of their last six games, including the FA Cup fourth round tie against League Two Cambridge United.

And the Dutchman admits that United must find their scoring touch in the coming weeks, and has vowed to do "everything" to start hitting the back of the net on a regular basis.

“We are not scoring enough goals, including me,” he told reporters. “I have to be honest. At the moment, it is not enough. I know that. I will do everything I can to improve that.

“I get chances every game. That is what makes me happy. I get one or two, sometimes three. When you look at the chance, for example, against Cambridge, I don’t think I can blame Angel Di Maria for the great pass or blame myself for the way I hit it.

“I am convinced that if we keep doing what we are doing, because we do create chances, we have a chance of scoring again.

“How many chances do strikers get in games – one or two? So you have to take them. It is a very thin line between winning a game 1-0, 2-0, 3-0 or drawing or losing because it is just based on those little chances. If you take them or not. If we did we could have won 4-2, 3-1, 3-0 against Cambridge.”

Van Persie says that he feels responsible for his missed chances, and revealed that he is dissatisfied with his current scoring statistics.

“Everyone in the team is responsible. Everyone feels responsible. I do definitely. This year I have played 20 games and I have scored eight goals. I am not happy with that. I want to score more,” he added.

“I will keep doing what I have been doing for the last 10 years to make those goals. It makes so many people happy. Including me.

“In my last couple of games I didn’t score. But again, can I really blame myself for that? I am always asking myself that question. Against Spurs (On December 28 at White Hart Lane) for example there was that ball from Carrick and I had one touch, another touch and another. I went to finish with my right leg. Normally, nine out of 10 keepers will make a move and it will be a goal. But not that day.

“Like I said, if I scored that goal it could have happened and we would have won the game. Then we are having a very different conversation. It is a very thin line.”

 

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'Bayern have no Plan B if Guardiola quits'

Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has admitted the club have no Plan B if coach Pep Guardiola decides to quit the club at the end of the season.

Just 18 months remain on the three-year deal the former Barcelona boss signed upon joining the club in the summer of 2013.

Reports in the English press on Monday claimed the 44-year-old could even depart the Allianz Arena in the summer and Rummenigge said Bayern would be caught cold if he opted to do so.

Asked by Kicker whether the Bavarians had a Plan B, he said: "There is only a Plan A, and that means Guardiola.
"If he and his family feel at home, he remains. If not, we would have to deal with it in a relaxed way."

Guardiola himself stated over the weekend that he will wait until the summer to open talks over a new contract, adding: "We still have time to talk about that after the end of the season.

"It has been a big challenge for me. I have had a great time and it was a dream come true to be Bayern coach."

The Spaniard won the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup in his first season in charge, adding to the 14 trophies he won in four years at Barcelona.

 

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AC Milan must beat Lazio to save Inzaghi from the sack

AC Milan's Coppa Italia quarter-final against Lazio on Tuesday will be decisive in deciding the future of under-fire coach Pippo Inzaghi.

The former Italy striker only succeeded Clarence Seedorf as boss seven months ago but his job is hanging by a thread following a disappointing run of results.

Milan have taken just one point from their four league games in 2015 - including a 3-1 defeat at Lazio on Saturday that was far more convincing than the scoreline suggests - and Goal understands that the outcome of Tuesday’s Italian Cup game will be pivotal in resolving Inzaghi’s fate.

President Silvio Berlusconi is furious that Milan are currently in 10th position in Serie A with almost no chance of qualifying for Europe via the league.

The Milan players are fully in support of Inzaghi and do not believe he is to blame for the club’s current struggles – with Philippe Mexes and Jeremy Menez even offering the 41-year-old their backing publicly.

But Milan have already drawn up a list of possible replacements for Inzaghi, with long-term assistant coach Mauro Tassotti and former Roma boss Luciano Spalletti at the top of their initial shortlist.

 

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Milan rocked by El Shaarawy blow

AC Milan have confirmed Stephen El Shaarawy has been ruled out for at least two months after suffering a compound fracture of his fifth metatarsal in Saturday's defeat to Lazio.

The Italy international played the full 90 minutes was powerless to prevent the Rossoneri falling to a 3-1 defeat, despite taking an early lead through Jeremy Menez.

News of El Shaarawy's absence has added to coach Filippo Inzaghi's troubles, with the 22-year-old now set for an extended period on the sidelines.

A statement on Milan's website read: "Stephan El Shaarawy has undergone medical tests with the specialist, Professor Niek van Dijk.

"The footballer, at the end of the game against Lazio, reported the compound fracture at the base of the fifth metatarsal bone on his right foot.

"He will be out for approximately six weeks and after this period we will carry out further medical checks under the supervision of professor Van Dijk, before he returns to action."

El Shaarawy has endured a frustrating last 18 months, with a separate foot injury keeping him out of action for several months last season.

In 2012/13 he emerged as one of Milan's star men, scoring 16 goals in 37 appearances in Serie A, only to feature just seven times in all competitions last term.

 

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No club bigger than Real Madrid - James

Real Madrid are unquestionably the biggest club in the world, according to James Rodriguez, who has revealed even he has been taken aback by their global appeal.

The Colombia star joined the club in July in an €84 million deal from Ligue 1 side Monaco after a fine World Cup in which he ended the tournament as the competition's top goalscorer.

In the proceeding six months, James, 23, has emerged as a key part of Carlo Ancelotti's side, scoring 10 goals in 32 appearances, but he admits the sheer size of the club has taken him by surprise.

"It's one thing looking in from the outside, but when you come here you understand the real scale of things – it's something else entirely," he told Fifa's official website.
"I always considered it a big club, but now I'm on the inside, I can tell you it's the biggest club in the world, no question."

James, who began his career with Porto before moving to Monaco in the summer of 2013, has already picked up silverware in Spain after winning the Club World Cup with Madrid in December.

And he revealed his desire to continue improving on a personal level and experience yet more success during his time with Madrid.

"You're always thinking of making strides and I dreamed I'd get to where I am today," he added.

"But now that I've achieved this and got to play for a club as big as Real Madrid, all I can think about is continuing here for many years."

 

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Mourinho and Guardiola similar - Fabregas

Cesc Fabregas has revealed Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho and former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola are "more similar than people think".

Fabregas has worked under both Mourinho and Pep Guardiola and the two are often seen to be polar opposites, despite their repeated clashes.

But the 27-year-old insists the two are both driven by the same intense will to win, and claims they are in fact remarkably similar.

He told El Pais: "Don't be so sure [that they're so different]. I think they have one very important thing in common: they're winners.

"They both hate losing. They're more similar than many people think. Mourinho is asking us to play attractive football. This [Chelsea] team aren't about sitting back: we're about attacking and getting on the ball.

"They're both winners and they both like playing attractive football, though their working methods aren't exactly the same - they have different ways of going about things."

The Spain international played for Barca at a time when they were in fierce competition with Mourinho’s Real Madrid, and he concedes that he would never have envisaged himself playing under the Portuguese back in 2012.

“Three years ago, no," he said when asked if he ever expected to work with Mourinho. "It just shows you how you can never tell in life, and even more so in football.

"We had a very intense rivalry with Mourinho. It never reached the level of hatred, not even close, but there were disagreements with him and [John] Terry too. Chelsea were always the team that I most wanted to beat."

 

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Chelsea la Schurrle wa sell karanawalu neda.Aparade​

 

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Neymar: Ronaldo should be punished

Barcelona star Neymar says he understands Cristiano Ronaldo's frustration boiling over after he was shown a red card during Real Madrid's 2-1 win over Cordoba.

The Portuguese seemed rattled throughout the contest, with video footage appearing to show him throwing a punch at Jose Angel Crespo, which went unnoticed by the referee.

But Ronaldo was later punished for kicking out at Edimar Fraga in another moment of indiscipline, which resulted in him being sent off.

The three-time Ballon d'Or winner later apologised on social media for losing his temper, but he has received the support of Neymar.

"It is difficult because sometimes there is provocation," he said. "It happened to Zinedine Zidane, it happened to me. Nobody has the coolness to remain calm 100 per cent of the time.

"We must think with our heads. I think he should be punished.

"It is the referee's responsibility to protect players on the pitch, particularly when they are targeted by hard challenges. Hard tackles must be punished."

Neymar has been one of Barcelona's shining lights amid a turbulent campaign at Camp Nou, with boardroom upheaval followed by reports of a dispute between Lionel Messi and coach Luis Enrique.

The Brazil captain has scored 19 goals in 25 games in all competitions and eased the goalscoring burden on the Argentine.

The 22-year-old was asked whether the presence of his South American team-mate could hinder his own bid to become the best player in the world, but he says Messi's influence is only positive.

"I have no problem. I've shared a dressing room with Ronaldinho and I never had problems with him. I've played with many great players. Messi is the best player in the world and I'll always have huge respect for him."

 

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Schweinsteiger relaxed over Bayern deal

Bastian Schweinsteiger says he feels under no pressure to commit his long-term future to Bayern Munich despite only having 18 months to run on his contract.
The midfielder's deal at the Allianz Arena expires at the end of next season, but he does not see the need to enter into talks just yet.Schweinsteiger, 30, has previously been linked with moves away from Bayern, with the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea reportedly interested in his signature.

"I have no pressure," he told Sport 1 when asked about extending his contract. "I know what Bayern Munich means to me and Bayern Munich also knows what they have in me. We know each other very well. "I feel very good again and I have gathered a lot of experience. I aim to play for three or four years at the highest level."

However, Schweinsteiger – who only made eight appearances in the first half of the season due to a troublesome knee injury – does hope head coach Pep Guardiola signs fresh terms.

He added: "There are not so many coaches [like him] in the world, and the people responsible for Bayern know that."Of course, I would be glad if he would extend."

 

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Van Persie casts doubt over Man Utd future

Robin van Persie admits he is unsure over his long-term future at Manchester United.

United plan to open contract talks with the Dutchman this month, and are wary of losing him for free when his big-money deal expires next summer.

But Van Persie concedes that he may not see out his career at Old Trafford: "It is not up to me. For the moment I am staying here for 18 months,” he told reporters.

"I can't look into the future. I don't know what is going to happen after that. We shall have to wait and see."

The striker also underlined his confidence in United manager Louis van Gaal, his former coach at international level with the Netherlands.

"I've known him for over two years and I know how he works," said Van Persie.

"Every year I still believe in him, we work together.

"We are trying everything we can to win games, but not only that, we want to do it in a nice way as well. That is a process and in that process we have to be honest and give everything we can."

 

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Real Madrid confident over Fifa investigation

Real Madrid are confident they will not face a sanction similar to that imposed on arch-rivals Barcelona after Fifa opened an investigation into the European champions' acquisition of several teenage players.

The world governing body have requested information from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) on all under-age players representing Madrid and the clubs which have collaboration agreements with the current European and world champions.

Last year, Fifa handed out a two-window transfer ban on Barca following irregularities in the signings of underage players between 2009 and 2013.

Emilio Butragueno, Madrid's director of institutional relations, backed Fifa's determination to tackle the issue but denied suggestions Madrid could be handed a similar punishment.

He told AS: "Firstly, we agree with Fifa on the issue. We'll continue to work with them in everything they ask of us. We are absolutely comfortable with Madrid's behaviour."

Fifa sent a letter to the RFEF on December 17. It was signed by Head of Integrity and Compliance Kimberly Morris and requested that information be provided no later than January 14. According to AS, the clubs concerned were then notified 48 hours later.

Madrid, usually quiet in the January window, have been busy in the transfer market this time around, bringing in 16-year-olds Mink Martin Peeters and Martin Odegaard, 19-year-old Spanish winger Marco Asensio and Brazilian midfielder Lucas Silva, while deals for 18-year-old River Plate goalkeeper Augusto Batalla and 16-year-old AC Milan attacker Hachim Mastour are also close.

When contacted by Goal, Fifa admitted an investigation was ongoing but refused to expand on the finer details, adding: "No formal disciplinary proceedings have been opened at this stage. No further information can be provided for the time being."

 

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Capital One Cup 2nd Leg Fixture 2015.01.27

Capital One Cup 2nd Leg Fixture 2015.01.27

AGG

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Chelsea Vs Liverpool

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