..::Football III::..

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‘Sensational’ Kane will not be a one-season wonder - Carrick

Michael Carrick believes Harry Kane has been “sensational” for Tottenham and insists the striker will not be a one-season wonder.

The 21-year-old has earned his first senior England call-up having scored 29 goals in all competitions this term and could be handed his debut in Friday’s Euro 2016 qualifier with Lithuania at Wembley.

Carrick has been impressed with Kane’s progression at White Hart Lane and has backed the forward to continue being among the Premier League’s top scorers for years to come.

“I think he’s been sensational. If you look at the start of the season to the level he’s at now, he’s jumped a couple of levels at least,” said the Manchester United midfielder.

“What’s impressed me most is that as the spotlight has grown on him and he’s been given more praise, and as defenders are becoming more aware of him, he’s taken his game on and kept producing.

“He had a big call-up to the England squad and then scored a hat-trick at the weekend. It’s almost like he thrives on that little bit of pressure and expectation to do what he’s done. And it looks like there’s more to come from him.

“We’ve only had the one training session but he’s got a real presence and, having played against him a couple of times, I’ve been hugely impressed with him.

“Sometimes players have a good spell and then drop away, but I don’t see that with him.

“You can see the progression and see him really fulfilling that over a period of time.”

 

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Pique: Casillas would be my hero if I supported Madrid

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique believes goalkeeper Iker Casillas would be his hero if he were a Real Madrid fan.

The defender, 28, has been a Spain team-mate of the veteran shot-stopper since 2009, when he made his debut for the national side after returning to Barca from Manchester United.

After a dip in form in 2014, Pique has been back to his imperious best this year, in stark contrast to the below-par displays served up by Casillas.Pique, however, refused to join the list of Casillas critics and backed the Madrid number one to return to top form - starting this international week.

“He has been one of the best goalkeepers in the world for many years,” the centre-back told Cadena SER. “To understand the whistles at the Santiago Bernabeu I guess you'd have to be there.“If I was a supporter of Madrid, he'd be my idol, the standard I'd hold myself to. He is an example for all Madrid players.”

Although he won World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012 at Casillas' side, Pique doubts he will ever line up alongside the goalkeeper at Barca's arch-rivals.“One can never say never, but I very much doubt it,” he added when asked about the chances of him playing for Real Madrid. “Barca have always been my team of choice.”

Barca stretched their lead at the top of La Liga to four points with their weekend Clasico victory and the defender thinks their ascent since the turn of the year is due to adjusting to Luis Enrique's methods.

“It took a little while at the start of the season to get used to the new coach, but gradually we are getting used to how he wants us to play,” Pique continued.

“His methods are a little different to Pep Guardiola, but his relationship with his players is similar.“Personally, I'm at a good level right now and the team are, too. We're in a great position.”

As well as sitting atop La Liga, Barca have a Copa del Rey final to look forward to and will face Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight of the Champions League next month.

 

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Low: We couldn't take control against Australia

Joachim Low says Germany could not implement their own style on Wednesday's 2-2 friendly draw with Australia.Marco Reus put the world champions ahead after just 17 minutes before goals from Mile Jedinak and James Troisi put the Socceroos in the lead.

Substitute Lukas Podolski rescued a draw for Low's men with a goal in the 81st minute.

Low feels that his team failed to build on their strong first half."The first half was pretty good for us, in the second half, the clinical edge was missing," he said. "In the beginning, we made some good chances, but in the second half we couldn't find our structure.

"We were not able to implement our plan the way we wanted to implement it. We know we have to beat Georgia in the European Championship qualifiers on Sunday."Australia coach Ange Postecoglu added that he was delighted with his team.

"I am very proud of the players, not just because of the result," he said. "In the first half we were always dangerous. It was a fantastic performance from us.

"It is a 10 in the morning in Australia, people will go to work in a good mood."

 

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Deschamps: Brazil have recovered from World Cup humiliation

France coach Didier Deschamps has warned his side they will face stiff opposition when they take on Brazil in the Chevrolet Brasil Global Tour on Thursday.

The two sides meet at Stade de France in their first friendly tests of 2015.
And Les Bleus boss Deschamps says his side can find no comfort in the Selecao’s shock 7-1 defeat to Germany in the World Cup semi-final last year, insisting he believes Dunga has already led Brazil through a process of recovery.

“They are reeling from a World Cup that was not unsuccessful despite the trauma they went through — they were still in the semi-finals,” Deschamps told a press conference.“I have seen what they have been doing since then and I saw many, many very good things.

“Brazil is the land of football. They have a lot of passion.“Their players have made their mark the history of the game and then they are five-time world champions. Brazil remains a reference to the sport.”

Dunga has led Brazil to six consecutive victories since replacing Luiz Felipe Scolari following the World Cup, scoring 14 goals and conceding just once.

Deschamps and Dunga lined up against one another as captains of their respective countries in the World Cup of 1998, and ‘DD’ was full of praise for his opposite number.“He was a great player for Brazil,” Deschamps said.

“He was a very influential player. We played in the same position. I have great respect for what he did as a player. We recently crossed paths during a PSG match and it was a pleasure to talk with him."The 46-year-old has confidence that Karim Benzema can make the difference for his country against the South Americans.

"Karim is so competitive, he always seeks to get better, and he’s been highly effective for a while now with Real Madrid and also with France."

 

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Copa del Rey final to take place at Camp Nou

The Copa del Rey final between Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao will take place at the Camp Nou on May 30, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has announced.

The match is usually played on neutral territory and both clubs had suggested the game take place at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu, which hosted the 2013 final, when Real lost to Atletico Madrid, the other option was Sevilla's Ramon Sanchez Pijuan, but a medical conference held there that week means the events will clash.

After Real Madrid refused to allow the game to be played in their stadium, two hours of talks between representatives from Barca and Athletic brought no resolution to the issue and so it resorted to the nation's football authority to decide between Camp Nou and Bilbao's San Mames.

RFEF has chosen Barcelona's home ground to host this season's final after a vote lead to 26 in favour of the clash being played in Catalunya to 18 against.

 

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Forster ruled out for rest of season

Fraser Forster will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing successful surgery on his left knee, Southampton have confirmed.

The 27-year-old goalkeeper was carried off after 14 minutes of the Saints' Premier League victory over Burnley last weekend, and went under the knife on Wednesday.

"We can confirm that Fraser Forster underwent successful surgery this afternoon after damaging his left patellar tendon," a statement from Southampton read.

"Forster will be ruled out for the rest of the season. A long-term prediction of when he will return will be made in due course.

"While the news comes as a blow to Southampton and the player himself, the club's medical staff are confident he will make a full recovery.

"In the meantime, the club is focused on ensuring Forster receives the best possible medical care and support in order for him to return to action as soon as possible."

 

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Premier League clubs record profit for first time in 15 years

Premier League clubs have recorded a combined pre-tax profit for the first time in 15 years, according to analysts at Deloitte.

The combined total from all 20 clubs from the 2013/14 season stands at £190 million - almost four times greater than the previous record of £49m set in 1997-98.

Over the last decade, pre-tax losses from Premier League clubs add up to £2.6 billion.

Premier League sides also recorded a staggering £620m at operating profit level - a figure greater than the previous six seasons combined.

“Last season was the first in the Premier League’s current three-year broadcast deal, which was a record breaker when it was struck,” said Dan Jones, partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte.

“Combined with strong commercial growth at the highest revenue generating clubs, this has boosted Premier League revenue 29% to a record £3.3bn. However, despite this extra income clubs showed relative restraint in wage costs, which grew by 6% to £1.9bn.

“In the first year of the preceding two broadcast deals, 56% and 81% of respective revenue growth was absorbed by wage costs. This time it is less than 20%. Over the previous ten seasons wages grew by around 9% per year, which is higher than the average annual revenue growth of 7% over that period, demonstrating further what a remarkable turnaround the 2013/14 figures represent.

“The primary aim of a football club is, and always should be, on-pitch success for the fans. However, we do welcome these results, which show that the Premier League clubs are starting to convert their impressive revenue growth into a more sustainable net result.

“With the recent announcement of another record Premier League broadcast deal, the revenue increases show no sign of ending and should make this season’s profit a regular outcome. Such profits provide the clubs with a great opportunity to invest further in their facilities and youth development activities, but will also no doubt make Premier League clubs even more attractive to potential investors than they already were. They can now be reasonably profitable businesses as well as trophy assets.”

 

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International Friendly Fixtures 2015.03.26

International Friendly Fixtures 2015.03.26

Bahrain Vs Colombia

Iran Vs Chile

France VS Brazil​

 

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France 1-3 Brazil: Neymar on target as Selecao triumph in Paris

Neymar and Oscar were both on target as Brazil recorded an impressive 3-1 friendly win over France in Paris on Thursday.

The visitors went into the game at the Stade de France having won six from six under Dunga following their humiliating semi-final exit at last year's World Cup on home soil.

And Brazil produced another demonstration of their progress with a resilient performance against a France side who had not suffered defeat since their World Cup elimination at the quarter-final stage.

With the heroes of France's 3-0 win over Brazil at the 1998 World Cup final at the same venue watching from the stands, Didier Deschamps - the man who lifted the trophy that day - saw his team take a 21st-minute lead through Raphael Varane.

The Real Madrid defender produced a header reminiscent of Zinedine Zidane's opening goal in that famous showdown to put France ahead, only to be pegged back as Oscar equalised from close range in the 40th minute.

Barcelona forward Neymar lashed home Brazil's second at the near post 12 minutes after the break, with Luiz Gustavo then converting from Willian's corner to make sure of triumph for the South Americans.

France went close in the eighth minute as captain Karim Benzema's header was brilliantly kept out by a flying save from Jefferson at the far post.

But, shortly after Neymar had been thwarted by a Steve Mandanda stop at the other end, Varane did put France ahead.

Varane rose highest to meet Mathieu Valbuena's left-wing corner with a powerful header into the bottom-right corner.

Mandanda was tested again by a low drive from Roberto Firmino, who then supplied the key pass as Brazil were rewarded for their attacking initiative.

The Hoffenheim man - making his first start for Brazil - slipped Oscar through to level matters with a cool low finish.

Mandanda needed to be alert following the restart, the Marseille goalkeeper demonstrating his reflexes once more by throwing himself down to his right to keep out a Luiz Gustavo strike.

But Mandanda could do nothing to prevent Neymar from completing the turnaround with a fierce effort after he had latched on to Willian's well-placed pass.

France responded with an almost immediate flurry that saw Moussa Sissoko denied as Jefferson flew off his line to make a close-range stop, before Benzema fired over the crossbar from Valbuena's far-post cross.

A long-range Antoine Griezmann strike drew another acrobatic Jefferson save, but the game was put beyond the hosts by Gustavo in the 69th minute.

Oscar had a curling shot from the edge of the area turned behind by Mandanda, but France failed to deal with the resulting corner, allowing Luiz Gustavo to find the net with a precise header into the ground.

Further heroics from Mandanda prevented Willian from netting Brazil's fourth, but that mattered little as Dunga's men cruised to another confidence-boosting result ahead of the Copa America in June.

 

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Iran 2-0 Chile: Nekounam and Amiri down Copa America hosts

Copa America hosts Chile saw their preparations for the competition hit a bump on Thursday as they were beaten 2-0 by Iran at St Polten's NV Arena in Austria.

In one of Chile's final friendlies before they open the South American showpiece against Ecuador in June, Jorge Sampaoli saw his side fall to goals in either half from captain Javad Nekounam and Vahid Amiri. Carlos Queiroz's Iran started brightly and were rewarded after 21 minutes when Nekounam converted Andranik Teymourian's corner.

Sampaoli, who named Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sanchez on the bench, introduced the latter at the break, although Amiri added to Chile's frustrations when he doubled Iran's advantage early in the second half.

Brazil are next up for Chile - as the sides meet for the first time since their last-16 World Cup clash - while Iran face Sweden following victory in their first outing since the Asian Cup.

Eduardo Vargas fired over following a smart turn 12 minutes in, after Chile had survived some early Iran pressure.Masoud Shojaei then went down under a clumsy challenge from Gonzalo Jara, although the referee waved away the half-hearted penalty protests.

Nekounam eventually made Iran's pressure pay when the skipper bundled home the opener amid slack marking from Rodrigo Millar and questionable goalkeeping from Barcelona's Claudio Bravo.

The goal sparked Chile into life, with Juan Cornejo flashing a shot wide before the half-hour mark, before Fabian Orellana hit the side-netting from close range.
Mark Gonzalez saw a header beaten away by Alireza Haghighi as Chile piled on the pressure prior to the interval to no avail.

Sampaoli opted to introduce star man Alexis at the interval, but it was Iran who found the target next as Reza Ghoochannejhad latched on to a throughball and picked out Amiri. The Naft Tehran forward calmly finished from inside the area to put Queiroz's side firmly in control.

Matias Fernandez almost reduced the deficit with a fierce drive prior to the hour with Jose Fuenzalida angling a strike wide of the far post as Sampaoli's men continued to knock on the door.

Veteran David Pizarro was brought on to try to find a way back into the game for the South Americans, but Chile found Haghighi in fine form as the goalkeeper smartly kept out Fernandez's free kick going into the final 20 minutes.

Despite the late pressure, Chile failed to avert a second defeat in eight post-World Cup outings, leaving Sampaoli questions to answer with the Copa clash against Ecuador in Santiago less than three months away.

 

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Bahrain 0-6 Colombia: Falcao stars in resounding victory

Radamel Falcao sent a timely reminder to Louis van Gaal on Thursday as he scored twice and set up another in Colombia's 6-0 demolition of Bahrain.

The striker has struggled to impress his Manchester United manager in recent weeks amid concerns over his fitness, but he showed no signs of rustiness with an impressive display in Riffa.

Having previously not found the back of the net since late January, Falcao was among the goals before the break with two composed finishes – albeit against slack defending – while he also created the opener for Carlos Bacca.

Substitute Adrian Ramos added a fourth for Colombia after 59 minutes, while Johan Mojica and Andres Renteria completed the rout in the closing minutes after Falcao had been replaced.

Falcao's night had been productive enough as Colombia began their Copa America preparations in perfect style.

Keen to impress ahead of the tournament in Chile, the visitors applied pressure to the Bahrain goal from kick-off and were denied an opener as early as the sixth minute as Juan Cuadrado saw an effort thud against the post.It did not take long for the deadlock to be broken, though, as Falcao took centre stage in all three goals before the break.

The on-loan Monaco striker rose to head down a Juan Quintero chip for strike partner Bacca in the 15th minute, and the Sevilla man lashed home from seven yards.

Colombia were in complete control of proceedings and the inevitable second goal duly arrived two minutes after the half-hour mark, Falcao given plenty of time to compose himself inside the penalty area before firing past Sayed Jaafar.

The 29-year-old doubled his tally four minutes later as he raced through the centre of Bahrain's defence, his low effort deflecting off a defender on its way in.

Falcao's hat-trick should have arrived after 49 minutes as Bahrain failed to clear a free kick, but the striker's lunge at the back post was not enough to seal his treble.
Two half-time substitutes then combined to extend Colombia's lead, Fredy Guarin sliding a pass into Ramos, who converted his second goal in as many international appearances.

Falcao's impressive display was brought to an end after 72 minutes, but Colombia were far from finished as Mojica and Renteria put a gloss on the win, capitalising on more poor defending with late goals.

 

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Falcao elatama play karala thiyenneGoals 2kakma score karalaUnited form 1ka thamai upset​

 

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Dunga: Brazil have their groove back

Brazil coach Dunga says the confidence and self-belief they have rediscovered following last year’s World Cup disappointment was critical to their 3-1 victory over France on Thursday.

Since succeeding Luiz Felipe Scolari after their shock semi-final defeat to Germany, Dunga has led the Selecao on a seven-match winning streak - one which Dunga says is owed to their hard work and a new balance to the side.

"These good results are the fruits of work and determination you put into everyday life," the 51-year-old said at his post-match press conference."We must continue. Since the World Cup, I have tried to give confidence to the players and to find the right balance."

France opened the scoring at home with Raphael Varane powering a header past Jefferson in the 21st minute but, at the same venue as their World Cup final defeat in 1998, Brazil found a way back into the match.

Oscar levelled the scores before half-time at the Stade de France after a neat one-two with Roberto Firmino. In the second half, Neymar fired the visitors ahead before Luiz Gustavo headed home a corner to put the game beyond les Bleus.

"We played well and we tried to play with speed. We kept our shape well, we were compact,” Dunga said.

"We also had good possession. We committed preventable errors, especially on set-pieces, but once we rectified that, we found the right balance and we got the win."

Dunga, now in his second spell as Brazil coach, went on to reveal that he expects few changes to the side for Sunday’s clash with Chile at Emirates Stadium in London.

"For the Chile game we’ll see which players are fatigued. But we cannot change everyone. We will keep our core."

 

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Bale and Jese attackers face fines and suspensions

The supporters who attacked the cars of a number of Real Madrid players including Gareth Bale and Jese Rodriguez are facing potential fines of €3,001.

Three fans, infuriated at Real Madrid's 2-1 defeat by La Liga leaders Barcelona, waited for players to leave the club's training ground in the early hours of Monday and proceeded to punch and kick their vehicles as they drove away.

Head coach Carlo Ancelotti also suffered a barrage of verbal abuse upon his exit from the Valdebabas after the Clasico and, after footage of the fans' hostility emerged, the European champions responded by banning a club member and encouraged the Anti-Violence Commission "to implement the sanctions deemed appropriate".

The supporters could now face further action after the National Sports Council (CSD) revealed some of the proposed punishments on Thursday.

The CSD have suggested fines of €3,001 for three of the fans and banning orders that would see them denied access to sporting facilities, such as stadiums or training grounds, for up to six months.

Relevant Spanish government representatives will have the final say over whether such sanctions are carried out.

Real Madrid will be hoping to appease fans - many of whom have become frustrated with losing their lead in La Liga to Barcelona - when the international window ends next weekend.

The Blancos have matches against Granada, Rayo Vallecano and Eibar to look forward to in the coming weeks.

 

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There's no jealousy between Messi, Suarez and Neymar - Pique

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique says Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar play so well together because they are not affected by jealousy.

The Blaugrana front three have been in devastating form in 2015 as Luis Enrique's side have surged to the top of La Liga and reached the last eight of the Champions League.

Suarez, who scored the winning goal in the Clasico against Real Madrid, came out in defence of Neymar after the match after the Brazilian was accused in some quarters of being selfish in front of goal.And Pique believes this camaraderie is key to the understanding they have built up in recent months.

He told Uefa: "We're talking about the best players in the world and they have a special relationship. They understand each other perfectly. There's no kind of jealousy and they show that on the pitch, through their performances.

"Leo knows how to read the game perfectly, because he's very intelligent. He feels comfortable starting the play from the wing and this gives Suarez the opportunity to play as a centre forward, his best position.

"I think it was a wise move, because the team has got better; Messi shines just as before and Suarez is getting us a lot of goals."

Pique went on to praise the impact of Luis Enrique, claiming the current head coach has imbued the team with a certain steel to accompany their traditional stylistic values.

"Luis Enrique has a clear idea and the team has understood it perfectly," he said. "He asks us to press high up the pitch, to counter quickly when the opposition attacks and try to maximise the space between the lines with the speed we have.
"The style is always the same, but it's true we have perfected things a little and learned to play games that cost us in the past.

"I've never seen a Barca without control of the game. I've never seen a Barca that doesn't have the ball and lets the opposition attack all the time. The style is still there."

 

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Terry: I used to warm up toilet seats for Chelsea's senior players

John Terry admits he used to warm up toilet seats for Chelsea's senior players during the early years of his career at Stamford Bridge.

The 34-year-old, who signed a new one-year contract extension on Thursday, has been with Chelsea since the age of 14 and made his first-team debut in October 1998.

But while he was establishing himself as a regular in the Chelsea squad, Terry would look to help the senior players in any way he could.

"I'd do anything for them. I'd make their teas and coffees, even silly things like sit on the toilet to make the seat warm for them in the cold winter days at the training ground," Terry told Chelsea Pitch Owners.

"It's bizarre when you think about it but that was part of growing up."

Terry formed a strong bond with the then Chelsea captain Dennis Wise and has revealed the former midfielder would back him in any arguments during training.

"I used to clean his boots and he wanted them perfect so I took really good care of them," said Terry.

"Every now and then he gave me a little bonus. Every time he scored I was on £25, which was half my wages at the time. I used to be praying we'd get a penalty or he'd score.

"[During training] I would go in and win tackles against first-team players, and I remember at the time people were going: 'Ooh, you can't do that'.

"Sometimes, the foreign guys, especially, didn't like it. Dan Petrescu, once, he got me round the throat, and said: 'What do you think you're doing?!'

"The first one over, to back me up, was Wisey: 'If you've got something to say, you say it to me, not the younger players'. Me and Dan laugh about it now."

 

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Messi fitness concerns grow as he misses Argentina training

Fears that Lionel Messi could be carrying a more serious injury than first thought have arisen after he missed Argentina's training session on Thursday.

There was concern that the Barcelona forward picked up a foot injury in the Clasico, but a medical check-up with the national team claimed he was fit to feature in games against El Salvador and Ecuador.

However, the Argentina football association (AFA) has raised questions over his fitness by confirming he did not train with the team ahead of Saturday's friendly in USA.

“Lionel Messi was not part of group training today,” the AFA wrote on its Twitter account. “He stayed at the hotel and worked separately in a gym.”Barca fans will be praying that the injury is just a passing scare as they head into the final two months of the 2014-15 campaign.

Messi has been phenomenal in 2015 as Barca have reached the Champions League quarter-finals, topped La Liga by four points over Real Madrid and made it to the Copa del Rey final.

Argentine will be hoping to have their talisman fit as they continue their preparations for this summer's Copa America in Chile.

 

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France victory not revenge, says Neymar

Brazil's victory over France was not revenge for the World Cup final of 1998, according to Neymar.

Raphael Varane headed les Bleus into the lead before Oscar and Luiz Gustavo scored either side of the Barcelona star as the Selecao triumphed 3-1 in Thursday's friendly.

While he was delighted to win at Stade de France, Neymar insisted his side harboured no thoughts of the 3-0 loss 17 years ago at the ground which saw France become world champions for the first time at Brazil's expense.

"I'm happy with the win, that's what we were looking for. We played a great game," he told reporters."We knew the great difficulty the France team would pose, but ultimately it went well. This is a historic stadium, so to play a good game here is special.

"It's not a question of revenge. A lot of time has passed, there are different players now, so I don't think it has anything to do with 1998.

"It was hard after what happened at the World Cup, but we overcame that. We can't stay down and think about what happened. The page is turned."We've had seven matches since, which have been good. We're improving every day, with every match."

 

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Mourinho wrong to sell De Bruyne, insists Hazard

Eden Hazard believes Kevin De Bruyne has the quality to play for Chelsea despite Jose Mourinho opting to sell the Belgian midway through last season.

Having impressed during a loan spell at Werder Bremen, De Bruyne's return to Chelsea coincided with the start of Mourinho's second stint at Stamford Bridge but the 23-year-old was unable to secure a regular first-team place and was offloaded to Wolfsburg during last season's January transfer window.

De Bruyne, who has been linked with a summer move to Manchester City, has scored nine goals and registered 16 assists in the Bundesliga this term, and Hazard suggests his compatriot is thriving under less pressure in Germany.

"Chelsea would have been stronger if we kept De Bruyne, he is a great player," Hazard told L'Equipe. "But Mourinho decided to let him go and not play him.

"It was not my decision, even though I am certain that he could have thrived at Chelsea because he has tremendous qualities. Though I think at Chelsea you have more pressure than Wolfsburg.

"I would have loved to still play with him at Chelsea, but him getting first-team football is good for him - you can see what it's done for Thibaut Courtois. It's a shame he's gone but he'll surely have a successful career."

 

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Brazil defeat a learning curve for France - Deschamps

Didier Deschamps is adamant that France's 3-1 defeat to Brazil on Thursday can be turned into a positive as they build towards hosting Euro 2016.

Les Bleus started positively as Raphael Varane put them ahead, but Dunga's men fought back with goals from Oscar, Neymar and Luiz Gustavo to cruise comfortably to victory at the Stade de France.

Deschamps, who took France to the quarter-finals of the World Cup where they narrowly lost to eventual winners Germany, admitted his players were outplayed but thinks the defeat can be a learning curve."It's hard," the coach told TF1. "We were punished for our mistakes. The game turned on us in favour of a very fast Brazil side.

"When we were 2-1 down we had opportunities to get back level, but the match was over at 3-1. We had very little to play for in the last 10 minutes, hence the substitutes."Nevertheless, this game can be a positive thing for us, but we have to be fair and more effective in future. Brazil are preparing for the Copa America in June, our aim of Euro 2016 is more distant.

"Even though they were traumatised at the World Cup [losing 7-1 to Germany], they reached the semi-finals. It's good to have these sort of difficulties, it allows us to learn from our mistakes."

The match was Brazil's seventh win in a row since Dunga took over from Luiz Felipe Scolari in the aftermath of the World Cup, while it was France's first defeat since that tournament ended.