..::Football III::..

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Villas-Boas: Zenit not home and dry yet

Zenit coach Andre Villas-Boas says his side still have a lot of work to do if they are to earn a place in the Europa League quarter-finals, despite securing a comfortable 2-0 first-leg victory over Torino in St Petersburg.Axel Witsel gave the hosts a 36th minute lead before Domenico Criscito doubled their advantage eight minutes into the second half.

The game turned shortly before the half-hour mark when Torino’s Marco Benassi received his second yellow card.“Of course that played a role,” AVB told reporters.

“There were five players defending and they lost an important player who was very helpful on creating the counter-attack and so they weren’t able to do that quite as well. That happens, but when you lose a player, you have to make adjustments.

“But the next game is going to be different and perhaps if there wasn’t a deletion then it would have been different, but we will see how the next game will be.
“I think they will play a different game in the next match. They will be more aggressive.”Goalscorer Criscito added: “We were meeting a Torino side in great shape, but it was all much easier after Marco Benassi was sent off just 30 minutes in.

“We have players of great quality, so it’s a shame we were unable to score a third goal. We won’t go to Turin in order to defend, as we know playing ball to feet is our real strength.

“We pressed them constantly and that was the key to this win.”

 

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Pele: Ronaldo better than Messi but the future belongs to Neymar

Pele says that after years of Lionel Messi "dominance", Cristiano Ronaldo must now be regarded as the finest footballer on the planet - but added that the future belongs to Neymar.

Barcelona ace Messi won four successive Ballon d'Or awards between 2009 and 2012 but Real Madrid superstar Ronaldo has claimed the last two, sparking fresh debate over who is the greatest player in the game today.

Pele feels that the Portuguese has overtaken his Argentine rival in recent seasons but says that Messi's 22-year-old Barca team-mate Neymar will soon be No.1.
"Now, after several years of Messi dominance, the best is Cristiano," the Santos icon told L'Uomo Vogue.

"The future will smile on Neymar. He can be the key man at Barcelona and help Brazil to return to its rightful place in the rankings."Meanwhile, Pele admitted that he can see no reason why he would not have thrived in the modern game, despite all of the advancements and changes football has seen since the 1960s and 70s.

"I'd find myself at ease on the field today," the former forward stated. "It's not high-tech footballs that make a footballer, but talent and dedication."Despite having won three World Cups during his illustrious career, Pele admitted that he does have a couple of regrets from his playing days.

"Never having partaken in the Olympic games is one," he added. "And never having played at Wembley."

 

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Robben & Ribery ruled out of Bayern's Bremen clash

Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery will miss Bayern Munich's Bundesliga meeting with Werder Bremen on Saturday through injury.

Robben lasted just 19 minutes of Bayern's 7-0 Champions League demolition of Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday, while Ribery hobbled off shortly before the hour.

The Netherlands international is suffering from a trapped nerve and Ribery has been diagnosed with a sprained ankle. It is as yet unclear how long either winger will be sidelined.Robben has been a key figure for Bayern so far in 2014-15, scoring 17 goals in 21 Bundesliga appearances.

Meanwhile, the 31-year-old Ribery, who missed the World Cup with a back problem, has been plagued by injuries this term and has started just nine league games so far.

In a further blow for Bayern ahead of the trip to Bremen, head coach Pep Guardiola will also have to make do without the suspended Xabi Alonso, while long-term absentees Javi Martinez and Thiago Alcantara remain unavailable due to injury.

Bayern are 11 points clear of Wolfsburg at the top of the Bundesliga, though, and hold a 20-point advantage over third-placed Borussia Monchengladbach.

 

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Spain drop out of top 10 Fifa rankings

European champions Spain have fallen out of the top 10 in Fifa's world rankings for the first time since 2007, with Italy taking their place.

Vicente Del Bosque's side are going through a transitional period having surrendered their World Cup in Brazil last year after exiting at the group stage.
Since then Spain have won three of their four Euro 2016 qualifying matches, but also suffered high-profile friendly defeats to France and Germany.

Joachim Low's men continue to lead the way ahead ahead of Argentina (second), Colombia (third), Belgium (fourth), Netherlands (fifth), Brazil (sixth), Portugal (seventh), France (eighth), Uruguay (ninth) and Italy (10th).

Antonio Conte's men return to the top 10 for the first time since June 2014, meaning Spain drop down to 11th and Switzerland to 12th.The changes in the top 10 are a direct result of a devaluation of past results.Lower down the order, Northern Ireland climb eight places to 43rd as they re-enter the top 50.

However, the biggest climbers of the month are Barbados (131st) and Bermuda (169th), both of whom have risen by 11 places by virtue of a win and a draw each.

 

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Pepe: I don't miss Mourinho

Real Madrid defender Pepe has admitted he does not miss Jose Mourinho and is happy Carlo Ancelotti is now in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Mourinho said farewell to Madrid in the summer of 2013 after three seasons at the helm, with his final months in charge marred by reported bust-ups with several high profile players, including Pepe."I don’t miss Mourinho. It was a different era which is over," the centre-back told COPE.

"Ancelotti is not too lenient with us. He has a very distinguished curriculum and he demands a lot from us. Our training sessions under Ancelotti are much more intensive than they were under Mourinho.

"I thank God that I’ve a coach like him, he’s really helped me a lot. He tells me: ‘Pepe, with your quality, you’ve got to anticipate play. You’re fast and strong and you read the game well. You need to be focused’."

A number of recent reports suggested Ancelotti's job is in danger following Madrid's disappointing start to 2015, which has seen them lose top spot in La Liga to Barcelona, but Pepe is reading little into the speculation.

"Ancelotti will continue, there’s no doubt about that. He’s a great coach and in a short space of time has brought us a lot of happiness."

The 32-year-old also took the time to defend Iker Casillas in the wake of another unconvincing performance in the 4-3 loss to Schalke on Tuesday, stressing that the goalkeeper remains one of the best in the world in his position."Casillas is the best goalkeeper in the world right now. It’s strange that someone like him gets whistled.

"Things were never clear when Mourinho was here; I paid the price for saying that he should be respected for what he has done for Spain. That was unfair. From one day to the next people forgot everything that Iker has won and everything he has given to football and that was quite painful for me to watch.

"When I came out and said that he deserves respect, it was taken as though I was his best friend and we were everyone else’s enemies. People got that completely wrong; Iker tolerated his situation as best as he could – he knows what it means to wear the Madrid shirt more than anyone of us and is always defending this club."

 

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Liverpool enter race for Manchester United target Depay

Liverpool have joined the race to sign Netherlands and PSV star Memphis Depay this summer, Goal understands.

Goal first revealed last summer that Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal had urged the 21-year-old to stay in the Netherlands for a year with a view to a big-money move at the end of the current season.

Tottenham retain hope of being able to convince Depay to join Mauricio Pochettino's host of promising youngsters at White Hart Lane after rejecting a move last summer to remain at Philips Stadion.

However, Brendan Rodgers is a huge fan of Depay and is prepared to challenge United and Spurs for his signature and, on his instruction, Liverpool will rival any offer for one Dutch football's hottest prospects.

Thought of as a wide player earlier in his career, Depay has developed into an all-round attacking threat and emerged as the top goalscorer in Dutch football this season.

And despite having the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Raheem Sterling, Phillippe Coutinho and teenager Jordon Ibe in his ranks, Rodgers sees Depay as a perfect fit for Liverpool and his philosophy.

A host of top European clubs are all thought to have heavily monitored Depay, but it is believed that a move to England is his preference.

Depay signed a new contract last summer which expires in 2018 but has indicated he is ready to take the next step in his career once PSV have sealed the Eredivisie title - they currently sit top of the table, 11 points clear of second-placed Ajax.

PSV CEO Toon Gerbrands has also recently conceded the club will listen to offers for Depay in the summer.

"He has the option to leave after this season," Gerbrands told NOS. "I think these players are very attractive to a lot of clubs in Europe. So far, no one has come forward with an offer but I expect we will come under great pressure."

 

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Depay Manchester United ganna puluwan nam patta!​

 

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Muller: Ideal scenario for Bayern

Thomas Muller says all Bayern Munich's wishes came true after their 7-0 Champions League mauling of Shakhtar Donetsk at the Allianz Arena.

A 0-0 draw in the first leg in Ukraine meant the tie was far from over heading into Wednesday's return game but the third minute sending off of Olexandr Kucher for tripping Mario Gotze inside the penalty area gave Bayern an immediate advantage that they ruthlessly exploited.

Muller duly onverted the resulting penalty before adding a second later on, with Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery, Holger Badstuber, Robert Lewandowski and Mario Gotze all adding their names to the scoresheet.

It was the second time Bayern have scored seven goals in a Champions League game this season after they beat Roma 7-1 at the Stadio Olimpico in the group stage and Muller admitted their night couldn't have gone any better.

"We took the lead after a couple of minutes and they went a man down. If you were going to wish for anything it would be that, but it’s not something we were expecting either," Muller told the official Bayern website."Donetsk were in real trouble after the second and third goals. Their heads went down, which gave us lots of space – and we used it.

"The situation going into the game was definitely more exciting than the match itself. The course of the match was excellent for us."Bayern will find out their quarter-final opponents during the draw in Nyon on March 20.

Pep Guardiola's men resume Bundesliga action on Saturday when they travel to Werder Bremen.

 

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Allegri: It's a decisive week for Juventus

Massimiliano Allegri has warned his Juventus side that they must be at their best as they prepare for a "decisive" week.

The Serie A champions take on Palermo on Saturday as they look to maintain their 11-point gap at the top of the table.

Just a few days later, they will travel to Germany to defend a 2-1 lead from the first-leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie with Borussia Dortmund and Allegri is confident his side will put in strong performances in both games.

"We begin a week that’s more or less decisive as far as the league’s concerned, which still hasn’t been won, and the Champions League, where we’ve got a knockout game," he told reporters.

"But for now we’ll just stay focused on Palermo."I think we’ll have a difficult game because they’re in a healthy position in the table and can play quite a carefree game.

“There will also be a full stadium and playing Juventus will provide a huge boost for them, I think."Crucially, they have shown themselves to be strong at home, they’ve taken 26 points at home, so it will not be an easy game."

The 47-year-old was also asked about Palermo's Paulo Dybala, who has been heavily linked with a move to Juve this year.

"I think Dybala can get even better and eventually play for a great team," he remarked.Allegri then turned his attention to the European clash at the Signal Iduna Park."In Europe it is normal that there will be more goals because the game is more technical.

"On Wednesday we will have to be very good."Can Juve get into the top five in Europe in the future? It must be the goal and ambition."

 

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Van Gaal right to drop Falcao - Maturana

Former Colombia coach Francisco Maturana has backed Louis van Gaal's decision to drop striker Radamel Falcao.

The former Atletico Madrid forward joined the club on loan from Monaco in the summer and has thus far failed to live up to his reputation as one of Europe's most potent attacking talents.

After being substituted 68 minutes into United's 2-0 win against Sunderland on February 28, Falcao was subsequently left on the bench for the next two fixtures against Newcastle and Arsenal and was even dropped to United's Under-21 side to face Tottenham.

Having struggled to make an impact thus far in England, though, he has no right to complain about his situation, Maturana insists.

He told Goal: "I would do the same thing Van Gaal has with Falcao. They need to put out on the pitch the best team possible and if Falcao isn't at his best, it's better to play with other strikers.

"It's difficult for a coach to have a new injured player in the team, besides he has two great strikers in Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie. As coach, I would not be able to say to them that they can't play just to give the chance to the other new player.

"Van Gaal is a responsible coach. If Falcao is not ready to play, he should not play, despite the fact it hurts the Colombian hearts."

 

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Deco: Ronaldo works hard but Messi is pure talent

Deco believes that Lionel Messi could be the best player he has ever played with, and explained that the Argentine is pure talent whereas Cristiano Ronaldo is a product of hard work.

The now-retired 37-year-old played alongside Messi during his time at Barcelona, while he and Ronaldo were team-mates at international level with Portugal.

Deco has the utmost respect for both players, who have won the last seven Ballon d'Or awards between them, but feels that Messi has the edge.

However, the former playmaker suggested that another former team-mate, Ronaldinho, could be even more gifted than both.

"[Leo and Cristiano] are different," he told FourFourTwo. "Messi was born with talent. Cristiano also has talent but it's amazing how hard he works at it; how professional he is."It's difficult to pick one but maybe Leo is the best I've ever played with. Although, Ronaldinho did things that I've never seen anyone do."

Deco was more decisive when it came to picking the best coach he has ever played under, explaining that Jose Mourinho, with whom he won the Champions League in 2004, changed the entire mentality of Portuguese football.

"I think he's the best, though I've had many great coaches: Fernando Santos, Carlo Ancelotti, Felipe Scolari," Deco said.

"However, Mourinho brought something different. He brought ambition because in those days in Portugal it was difficult to imagine that one of our clubs could win the Champions League."

 

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Tevez: Drugs and murder part of everyday life growing up in Argentina

Carlos Tevez says that he is appreciative of the lavish lifestyle that football has afforded him because he grew up in an area in which "drugs and murder were part of everyday life".

The Juventus ace was raised in Buenos Aires, in the notorious Barrio Ejercito de Los Andes, which is more commonly known as Fuerte Apache. His best friend as a child was fellow footballer Dario Coronel, who was considered by some coaches and scouts to be an even more promising prospect than Tevez.

Tragically, though, Coronel got involved in a gang after moving to Velez Sarsfield and reportedly took his own life as a 17-year-old in order to avoid being arrested by the police.Tevez, by contrast, went on to become one of the most revered forwards in the world game.

"My whole childhood was hard," the striker explained. "I lived in a place where drugs and murder were part of everyday life. "Experiencing difficult things, even as a very young kid, means you grow up quickly.

"I think that enables everyone to choose their own path and not just pick the one others have taken before you, and I went my own way. "I never condoned drugs or murder, and luckily I was able to make a choice.

"Everyone decides for themselves what they’re going to do. Dario had everything he needed to be just as successful, but he chose a different path – criminality and drugs – and that ultimately meant that he is no longer with us.

"He is, or was, my best friend. We were together 24 hours a day, even though we later went to different clubs and things like that. But we were always together, all day long."But I truly believe that everyone chooses their own route through life, and he – and this has nothing to do with luck – chose the easier option."

Tevez, who joined Juve from Manchester City in the summer of 2013, inspired the Bianconeri to a record Serie A points haul during last season's title-winning campaign and has proven even more prolific this term, netting 14 times in 25 appearances thus far.

 

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Monaco 3-0 Bastia: Martial at the double as Jardim's men prepare for Arsenal with easy win

Anthony Martial scored twice as Monaco warmed up for their Champions League clash with Arsenal by coasting to a 3-0 Ligue 1 victory over nine-man Bastia at Stade Louis II on Friday.

Leonardo Jardim's men will attempt to finish off the job when Arsene Wenger returns to the principality with his Arsenal side trailing 3-1 from the first leg of the round-of-16 clash and Monaco should head into that crunch clash full of confidence after a comfortable win.

Teenage striker Martial put Monaco in front 22 minutes when he was on hand to fire home at the back post and any chance of a Bastia fightback looked slim when Drissa Diakite was sent off for a professional foul on Matheus Carvalho 10 minutes later.

Layvin Kurzawa was unable to convert the resulting penalty as Alphonse Areola denied him from 12 yards, but Matheus doubled Monaco's lead two minutes before half-time with his first Ligue 1 goal after Nabil Dirar squared the ball for him.

The Brazilian then set up Martial for a third six minutes after the break and things went from bad to worse for Bastia when Giovanni Sio was also given his marching orders for a poor challenge on Kurzawa just four minutes after coming on.
Victory for Monaco ensured they are now three points behind third-placed Olympique de Marseille, who host leaders Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday.

 

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Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 Stuttgart: Hosts celebrate Schmidt's birthday in style

Bayer Leverkusen piled further misery on the Bundesliga's bottom side Stuttgart, thrashing them 4-0 at the BayArena on Friday.

Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt was celebrating his 48th birthday on Friday and his side's first goal came gift-wrapped as Stuttgart's comical attempts to clear the ball only fell to Brazilian left-back Wendell, who lashed home from 18 yards to open his Bundesliga account.Josip Drmic's diving header made it 2-0 four minutes later, with Karim Bellarabi getting in on the act shortly after half-time.

The winger tormented Gotoku Sakai on the right flank, twisting the Japan full-back inside and out before smashing low past Sven Ulreich.More dismal defending allowed Drmic to stroll into the penalty area and prod home Leverkusen's fourth just before the hour.

Victory takes Leverkusen third in the league ahead of the weekend's action, but their significantly boosted goal difference could prove crucial as the race for Champions League qualification heats up.

 

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Valencia 2-0 Deportivo: Parejo & Paco propel Che above Atletico

Dani Parejo and Paco Alcacer got the goals as Valencia climbed above Atletico Madrid and into third place in La Liga with a 2-0 win over Deportivo on Friday night.

Los Che struggled to break their visitors down during an uninspiring first half at Mestalla but Dani Parejo broke the deadlock on the hour mark with a penalty, after Pablo Piatti had been bundled over in the area.

Nuno Santo's men made the game safe 12 minutes later when Sofiane Feghouli teed up Paco for his sixth Liga goal of the season.

Valencia started strongly, with Alvaro Negredo testing Fabricio inside the opening 60 seconds before calling the goalkeeper into action again in the 13th minute with a header from a corner.

However, Deportivo frustrated the hosts for the majority of the first half, albeit without offering any threat whatsoever n the counterattack.

Valencia, though, looked far more menacing after the break and Negredo had already had already had another couple of sights of goal before the Che finally opened the scoring in the 60th minute.

Piatti deserved much of the credit for the breakthrough as it was the diminutive winger who was upended in the area by Juanfran.

The Argentine had seen a low strike spilled by Fabricio in the Depor goal and he was the first to the rebound, positioning his body in front of the ball, thus forcing Juanfran to go through him as he desperately tried to clear.

Parejo took care of the resulting spot-kick with the minimum of fuss, sending Fabricio the wrong way with a low strike to the keeper's right.

Valencia made the game safe in the 72nd minute - and again, Piatti was involved, pouncing on a loose ball in the box before allowing Feghouli to take possession and square for Paco, who side-footed home at the near post.

Depor tried to rally, with Alex Bergantinos trying his luck with a header from the edge of the area that Diego Alves had to tip over the bar.

However, Valencia cruised through the final quarter to claim a win that moves them two points above Atletico, who travel to Catalunya to face Espanyol on Saturday.

 

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Gomis fit to face Liverpool after fainting against Tottenham

Bafetimbi Gomis could feature in Swansea City's clash with Liverpool this weekend, having made a successful return to training after fainting against Tottenham last weekend.

The Frenchman collapsed at White Hart Lane during Swansea's 3-2 defeat, and had to be taken from the field on a stretcher.

Gomis, who has a history of fainting, was conscious as he was helped from the field and manager Garry Monk insists that he will have no qualms about putting the striker back into the fray when Brendan Rodgers' side visit the Liberty Stadium.

"Bafe knows better than anyone what measures to take to help him," Monk told reporters.

"I understand there are questions people want answered, but the issue is not as big for Bafe and the people at the club.

"He has lived with it his whole life, it happens occasionally and when it does so in a public place that scrutiny comes with it.

"But he has trained as normal this week and does the same as every player and if you look at his life there are more days when he has been fine rather than when something has happened."

Monk insists that the club knew of Gomis' condition - linked to low blood pressure - when they signed him from Olympique Lyonnais at the start of the season.

He added: "We made all the possible checks and he has been passed fit by numerous specialists who are top of their field.

"That is reassuring for Bafe and for us and he went back to France after the Spurs game to see a specialist he has used his whole life to reaffirm everything.

"These instances do happen from time to time as his history shows but Bafe is fine and ready to go."

 

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Van Gaal: I'm not humiliating Falcao

Louis van Gaal has insisted he is not trying to humiliate Radamel Falcao after the Colombia international featured for Manchester United's Under-21s in midweek against Tottenham.

The striker was a surprise starter on Tuesday after being an unused substitute for the FA Cup quarter-final exit against Arsenal, lasting 72 minutes before being withdrawn after another ineffectual performance.

"I have read it was a humiliation," he told reporters. "I do not think so. It is a professional attitude of the manager, the management, also the club and especially from the player.

"It is not only Falcao. [Victor] Valdes and Rafael have also played. He has not reacted how the media say he has reacted."

Falcao has scored just four goals since arriving on a lucrative loan deal from Monaco in the summer, and Van Gaal has admitted the former Atletico Madrid man may never rediscover his best form in the Premier League.

"We are looking for the solution," says Van Gaal.

"Sometimes players can give fantastic performances in one country but not in another. It would not be the first time and it won't be the last.

"At a club like Manchester United it is more difficult. He has competitors. He knows Wayne Rooney is playing there and scoring."

 

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I nearly quit football in 2005 - Pirlo

Andrea Pirlo has revealed how he nearly quit football following AC Milan's Champions League defeat to Liverpool in 2005.

The midfielder was part of the Milan side who led 3-0 at half-time in the final, only for the Reds to score three goals in the second half and take the game into extra-time.

Pirlo saw his penalty saved by Jerzy Dudek while Andriy Shevchencko also missed his spot kick as Liverpool won the match on penalties, leaving the Italian distraught."The day I leave football is far away," he told Tuttosport . "But once the idea of quitting crossed my mind.

"It was after the defeat of AC Milan in the Champions League final with Liverpool in Istanbul. For some days I really thought it was over. I had no strength left."

The 35-year-old did, of course, opt to play on and has since gone on to become one of the game's most revered playmakers.

Pirlo won the World Cup the following year, lifted the Champions League with Milan in 2007 then left San Siro for Juventus in 2011, where he has won Serie A in every season since his arrival.

"I always knew I was good," he added. "I was better than the others. I was never worried about the pressures of being tipped to make it either. In fact, that gave me an even greater sense of responsibility. Knowing I was talented made me want to improve every day.

"It's my life; it's what I always wanted to do and want to do. It's been occupying my days for 20 years, in good and in bad, and it taught me my place on earth."I've learned lots, obviously - the first thing being never to forget to be grateful. The second is not to bear grudges because in football luck does not exist.

"You can be lucky for a few years, but in the end your defects will emerge. The reality is different. People are watching you and those who know how to play will progress, while those who don't will remain in the lower levels."

 

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Pellegrini: I will see out Manchester City contract

Manuel Pellegrini has insisted he will remain as Manchester City manager until at least the end of next season.

Goal understands the Chilean is facing mounting pressure from the City hierarchy as they face an uphill battle to retain the Premier League title and look set for an early Champions League exit.

The club are five points behind Chelsea in the league, having played a game more than the Blues, and were beaten 2-1 by Barcelona in the first leg of their last-16 tie at the Etihad.

Pep Guardiola is a long-term target but recently issued a firm denial of contact with the Premier League champions, and Pellegrini is not expected to face the sack unless their form drastically goes downhill.

Pellegrini, himself, underlined his happiness at the Etihad Stadium, adding that he would be willing to extend his current contract, which expires in the summer of 2016.

"My future is very easy," the 61-year-old told reporters. "I have a contract here until June 2016 and I will finish my contract here. And if I can extend my contract I will.

"When I sign a contract I always try to finish it. If I'm not happy, maybe you try to finish before, but I'm very happy."

 

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Guardiola: I can't replace Robben and Ribery

Pep Guardiola has admitted he won't be able to replace the individual qualities of Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben after the pair were ruled out of Bayern Munich's trip to Werder Bremen on Saturday.

Robben lasted just 19 minutes of Bayern's 7-0 Champions League demolition of Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday, while Ribery hobbled off shortly before the hour mark.

The Netherlands international is suffering from a trapped nerve while Ribery has been diagnosed with a sprained ankle, and it is still unclear how long either winger will be sidelined.

Guardiola hopes the Bavarians can improve their record without the two wingers in his side, as they usually garner fewer points and goals in their absence."We have lost quality in one-on-one situations," said the Bayern coach at Friday's press conference. "We will try to refute the statistics."

Robben has been Bayern's star man this season with 17 goals in 21 league games, while Ribery has suffered an injury-plagued campaign that has limited him to just nine Bundesliga appearances since a back injury ruled him out of last summer's World Cup.

Guardiola will also be without the suspended Xabi Alonso against Bremen, as he joins long term absentees Thiago Alcantara and Javi Martinez in the stands.