..::Football III::..

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AC Milan played some of their best football this season against Sampdoria - Inzaghi

Filippo Inzaghi believes AC Milan played some of their best football of the season during the 1-1 draw with Sampdoria on Sunday.

The Rossoneri extended their unbeaten run at home in Serie A to six games after Nigel de Jong's deflected effort cancelled out Roberto Soriano's opener.

MIlan had 26 shots in the 90 minutes at San Siro - more than they have managed in any other game this season - and had good chances to take the lead early on through Alessio Cerci and Ignazio Abate.And Inzaghi wants to see his side carry their first-half form into the derby with Inter next weekend.

"We played well and I am very happy with my team's performance. We had a great first half and forced Sampdoria to change their system," he told Sky Sport Italia."It's just a shame we had so many crosses and balls into the box without scoring. It was one of our best halves of the season."We're coming off some positive results and today the performance was positive, even if the result wasn't. I am convinced we'll do some great things.

"As for the table, we should've done better earlier, so it's not really as though we have lost ground tonight. We had problems with injuries that everyone knows about, and now a lot of people are back and playing well."I can't ask for any more from my players aside from precision and determination in front of goal.

"We have the Milan derby on Sunday and have to maintain this spirit and style of football, especially from the first half. We should've been a bit more awake on the goal but these things happen.

"Suso did well coming off the bench at Palermo, he almost scored a fantastic goal tonight. He can become a very important player for Milan, but he only arrived in January and needs time to settle into our football.”

Inzaghi also revealed Mattia Destro is set for tests on his knee after he was stretchered off in the second half.Eighth-placed Milan remain seven points behind Sampdoria in Serie A following Sunday's result.

 

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Downing hoping Allardyce stays at West Ham

West Ham winger Stewart Downing has urged the club's hierarchy to stick with manager Sam Allardyce.

The London club are prepared to allow Allardyce to leave at the end of the season when his contract expires, with Marseille head coach Marcelo Bielsa the key target to replace him.

The 60-year-old, who avoided the sack last term, has already conceded he does not know whether he will be in charge next season but Downing wants to see him pen an extension.

"We'd like him to stay. We don't know what the situation is," Downing said following West Ham's 1-1 draw with Stoke City on Saturday.

"It's going to be resolved at the end of the season, as he said yesterday, I think. The only thing we can do is win games.

"This puts him in a stronger position to keep his job. Obviously he is disappointed today because wins help. Losing games and drawing games probably won't help him.

"Like I said, we are disappointed today. Whatever will be will be at the end of the season. I'm sure he'll want to get it sorted as soon as he can."

West Ham are ninth in the Premier League standings, with 43 points from 32 matches.

 

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Milan derby is like a final - De Jong

Nigel de Jong admits next weekend's derby clash with Inter will be "like a final" for AC Milan.

The Netherlands midfielder bagged an important equaliser for Filippo Inzaghi's men on Sunday as they came from behind to draw 1-1 with Sampdoria.

With their European hopes looking slim, De Jong concedes the clash with Roberto Mancini's side will be massive but was encouraged by the second-half showing against Samp."For all of us - fans and players - the derby is like a final," he told Sky Sport Italia."We played with heart for the last 15 minutes. It's a shame we didn't take the full three points. But we're thinking about the next game.

"We have another eight games. It will be difficult [to qualify for Europe] but we have to keep growing to reach our goal."The 30-year-old refused to discuss his own future at San Siro, insisting a decision will be taken towards the end of the season.

"I don't want to talk [about my future]," he added to Mediaset Premium. "At the end of the season, we'll see. I want to finish this season with a lot of heart for Milan."

 

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Agbonlahor & Clark doubtful for FA Cup semi- with Liverpool

Aston Villa will likely be without Ciaran Clark and Gabriel Agbonlahor for Sunday's FA Cup semi-final with Liverpool after picking up injuries against Tottenham.

The pair were forced off during Villa's 1-0 victory at White Hart Lane - a Premier League encounter settled by Christian Benteke's first-half header as Tim Sherwood enjoyed a winning return to his former club.

However, injuries in either half to Clarke and Agbonlahor look set to rule them out of next weekend's trip to Wembley, while Carlos Sanchez's red card sees him miss out with suspension.

Asked whether Clarke and Agbonlahor are struggling to feature, Sherwood told reporters: "It looks like it, which is a real shame because it's a massive day out.

"Ciaran Clark came off with a medial knee ligament problem but I thought [Nathan] Baker did brilliantly when he came on, considering he's not played much. Gabby has tweaked his hamstring."

Two second-half yellow cards saw Sanchez earn a late red card, the latter of which came about after a foul on Danny Rose when Spurs were pressing for an equaliser.

"At first I thought he was being clever, with Man City away coming up, but someone reminded him it's the semi-final [he misses]," Sherwood joked.

"He's sacrificed himself for the side, he's probably never played at Wembley and he's going to miss a semi-final.

"He did it for the cause and we have to applaud that - their momentum was forward, he had to make the tackle. We're sorry for Carlos but we're very grateful.

"If we hadn't won [at Spurs] I wouldn't have enjoyed it but I show a lot of respect to the FA Cup, it's the greatest competition there is apart from the Premier League.

"We were never going to chuck it but we can concentrate on that one million per cent."

 

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Madrid can't make Atletico mistakes again - Pepe

Pepe has warned his Real Madrid team-mates they cannot afford a repeat of the mistakes they have made in previous games against Atletico Madrid in Tuesday's Champions League clash.

Carlo Ancelotti's side have been second best in recent derbies against their neighbours, losing both La Liga games, their Spanish Supercopa meeting and Copa del Rey last 16 tie this term.

Their most recent meeting was a 4-0 drubbing at the Vicente Calderon but the Portugal international is hoping for a different outcome at the same ground this time.

"It’s a difficult match for us but also for them," he is quoted as saying by AS."I think that we must not commit the same errors that we committed in previous matches against Atletico.

"If we go out with the intensity and the humility that the team showed last year and in these matches right now, I think that we will surely produce a good performance."Madrid closed the gap on Liga leaders Barcelona to two points this weekend after the Catalans let a two-goal lead slip at Sevilla on Saturday.

Pepe started his side's 3-0 win over Eibar on the bench and is holding out hope they can pip their old rivals to the title."To be within two points is important for us, it’s a lift that we have but a lot is left and we still have to fight hard," he added.

"We have to face every game with great seriousness and that is what we are doing. It is our objective to fight until the end, what we are trying to do. It’s often difficult but it’s what we have to do."

 

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'Toure didn't want to mark Fellaini' - Young taunts Manchester City star

Manchester United winger Ashley Young has hit out at Yaya Toure, claiming the Manchester City man failed to do his job in marking Marouane Fellaini during Sunday's derby.

Young and Fellaini combined as the Belgian nodded in United's second goal during their 4-2 win at Old Trafford, with the England international also getting on the scoresheet himself.

And though the former Aston Villa man concedes Fellaini is difficult to play against, he felt Toure did not do enough to challenge the ex-Everton midfielder.

"Felli has been brilliant," Young told MUTV. "Everyone will say the same. Since he’s come into the team, he’s been fantastic.

"I’ve said before that very few people can handle him. On his day, he’s unplayable. I don’t think Yaya Toure wanted to be tracking back, he wanted to be at the other end of the pitch but he had that job to do on Felli.

"When Felli is in the box and you can find him, you’ve definitely got a chance of scoring.

"I saw him at the back post and hoped he’d get on the end of it and score and, thankfully, he managed to do that."

 

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Fellaini thamai ape Toure​

 

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Messi one of the world's best, says Cavani

Edinson Cavani has reminded his Paris Saint-Germain team-mates of the threat posed by Lionel Messi ahead of their Champions League quarter-final tie with Barcelona.

The French champions, fresh off the back of a 4-0 Coupe de la Ligue final win over Bastia, beat the Catalans at home in the group stage, only to lose the Camp Nou return 3-1.

The Uruguayan is looking forward to the challenge of helping PSG reach the semi-finals of the competition for the first time since 1995 but is fully aware of the task at hand."It's a major challenge," he told AS.

"Barcelona are one of the greatest teams in the world and Messi is one of the best players in the world. It's aways a please to play against them. We beat them in the group stage, playing great football."

PSG reached the last eight thanks to a thrilling away goals win over Chelsea in March, which saw them come from behind twice to claim a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, despite Zlatan Ibrahimovic's first-half red card."That was a strong step forward. The whole group was united and eliminated one of the favourites of the Champions League.

"PSG are a big club who continue to grow in Europe. We are at an advanced stage of the competition, so we must be very wary of Barca's movement."PSG are still hopeful of winning all four titles this term and Cavani says that ambition is driving his side on.

"For us, the hope of getting all four titles is a luxury. We train for that every day so the owners trust us. It's a great responsibility. PSG have personality."PSG host Barcelona on Wednesday, with the second leg following on Tuesday April 21.

 

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Tevez: Juventus can win the Champions League

Carlos Tevez is confident Juventus can beat any team in the world and win this season's Champions League.The Bianconeri face Monaco in the first leg of their quarter-final tie on Tuesday after beating Borussia Dortmund 5-1 on aggregate in the last eight.

However, Massimiliano Allegri's side suffered a shock defeat to Serie A whipping boys Parma on Saturday, though Tevez is confident the loss was nothing more than a minor blip."Parma was an accident," he told La Repubblica.

"Dortmund has shown that we can go far. It only depends on us. Juventus can beat anyone and we've shown that. Nobody is out of our reach."Tevez won the Champions League with Manchester United in 2008, scoring his side's first penalty in the 6-5 shootout victory over Chelsea.

The Argentina international was part of a squad featuring a host of star names but says his Juventus team are very different in their make up.

He continued: "That was a different situation. There were some amazing examples: Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes.
"I think that now there is a team instead. We are very hard to beat."

The Argentine believes Juve can take heart from Atletico Madrid's run to the final last year, but is hoping for a better ending than Diego Simeone's side's 4-1 extra-time loss to Real Madrid."We can be like Atletico but with a better ending," added the 31-year-old.

Tevez has been in superb form individually this term, scoring 25 goals in all competitions, and praised his team-mates and coach for his goalscoring exploits.
"My team-mates and Allegri give me so much confidence. I'm happy with how the coach asks me to play.

"We made some kind of deal: when I get the ball I can do whatever I want but I have to perform very specific tasks in defence."I like being in contact with the ball. If you don't give it to me, I'll get it."

 

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Drogba, Messi and Ronaldo the best I've faced - Pique

Barcelona defend Gerard Pique says Didier Drogba, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the three best players he has encountered as he prepares to make his 300th appearance for the club.

The centre-back departed the Catalans as a teenager and joined Manchester United but returned to Camp Nou in 2008 and has since developed into one of the game's finest defenders.

In that time he has lifted the Champions League on two occasions and La Liga four times, while doing battle with some of the game's finest attacking players.

"I grew up at La Masia, dreaming of playing for the first team one day so you can only imagine what it means to wear this shirt 300 times," he told Mundo Deportivo.
"Many people have been fortunate to enjoy it. And all the titles we won are very special.

"Both Barca and I have had the honour of reaching the final stages of major competitions, meeting the best teams and best players."There have been many but I would highlight, Drogba, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi every day in training!"

The Catalans stand two points clear of Real Madrid in La Liga, face Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final and meet Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Pique understands that there is a lot of hard work ahead of him and his team-mates but believes a first piece of silverware in two years is within their grasp.
"We to be very close and very focused."I hope it's a historic season. PSG have one of the best defences in the world and can beat anyone."

 

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Messi has always been my idol, says Lucas Moura

Paris Saint-Germain attacker Lucas Moura has revealed Barcelona's Lionel Messi has "always been his role model in football".

The 22-year-old moved to the French capital from Sao Paulo in January 2013 and took time to adapt to European football before emerging as one of Laurent Blanc's key men this season.

Having previously been criticised for his lack of end product, Moura has scored eight goals so far this term and will hope to add to that tally against Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals.

PSG face the Catalans in the first leg on Wednesday having already met in the group stage of the competition before Christmas, with the forward relishing the chance to face the man he says is the best in the world."He has always been my idol," he told AS.

"For some time I've been obsessed with his way of playing. I think he's the best player in the world, above all the rest.

"We must be realistic and Messi is the best. Of course, there is always a rivalry between Brazil and Argentina but we are a football country."It will be very difficult to play against him. We will have to work hard to stop him. If we get the victory it will be close.

"It's always nice to play against them. It will be a challenge and a very close tie. We are very excited."

Moura also had kind words for fellow Brazilian Neymar, who returned to goalscoring form with a sublime free-kick against Sevilla on Saturday."He's a football genius. I'm happy to say he is my friend. I love to watch him play for Barca, they will help him a lot."

 

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Roberto Carlos sets sights on Brazil job

Former Brazil star Roberto Carlos has set his sights on coaching the national team once he has established himself as a manager.The 42-year-old represented his country between 1992 and 2006, winning one World Cup and two Copa Americas.

Following his retirement from playing in 2012, he has held roles at Turkish clubs Sivasspor and Akhisar Belediyespor but has set himself lofty ambitions for the future."My objective is to coach the national team," he told Folha de Sao Paulo.

"I know I have a long way to go yet and for that reason I won't put a timeframe on how long it will take."Roberto Carlos was blamed for his side's exit from the 2006 World Cup but insists he would have no problem returning to the Selecao fold.

"I don't hold any resentment. Everything I experienced in the national team was amazing. I was there for 14 years and won several titles: the Copa America, Confederations Cup and the World Cup.

"I have a lot of affection for the team and I'm enthusiastic to return."The former Inter and Real Madrid man also claimed that he had been preparing for a career on the bench when he was a player and has found coaching simple.

"It's very easy. I was well prepared by playing football and living under pressure. I spent my career at big clubs.

"I've learned something from all the coaches I've worked with: [Mario] Zagallo, [Carlos Alberto] Parreira, [Vicente] Del Bosque, [Fabio] Capello, [Luiz Felipe] Scolari and Roy Hodgson."

 

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QPR to investigate Chelsea incident

QPR have launched an internal investigation into an incident during Sunday's defeat to London rivals Chelsea in which Branislav Ivanovic appeared to be struck by a cigarette lighter.

The Serbian defender was celebrating with his team-mates as Cesc Fabregas' dramatic late winner in the 1-0 triumph at Loftus Road sent Chelsea seven points clear of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.

Cameras subsequently showed Ivanovic clutching his neck and photos have emerged of a lighter being aimed towards the defender.

Other objects were launched in the direction of Chelsea players and QPR - who remain in the relegation zone - say that any fan found to have been involved will face a stadium ban and potential police action, while the Football Association confirmed both clubs will be contacted.

A club spokesperson said: "The club is aware that objects were thrown by a small section of supporters towards the pitch following Chelsea's 88th-minute goal.

"The club takes the safety of all supporters and players very seriously and are currently reviewing CCTV footage of the aftermath of the goal in an attempt to identify those responsible.

"Whilst we understand that passions run high during derby fixtures, this is not the kind of behaviour the club condones in any way, shape or form.

"We take a zero tolerance approach to this sort of behaviour and, if the perpetrators are identified, they will be banned indefinitely from the stadium and, where appropriate, we will liaise with the Metropolitan Police.

"The club are awaiting communication from the FA following the referee's report and will work closely with them in ensuring something like this does not happen again."

 

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Inzaghi's tactics are anarchy, says Boban

Former AC Milan midfielder Zvonimir Boban has lashed out at Rossoneri coach Pippo Inzaghi and his players.The San Siro side currently sit in eighth place in Serie A following Sunday's 1-1 draw with Sampdoria, with their hopes of European qualification fading fast.

Boban believes his old side are scarcely a team and says that Inzaghi's tactics are "anarchy".

"The problem is that the Milan have very scarce players," he said to Sky."It's almost impossible to create a team with these players. I don't understand what they offer."Also Inzaghi does not have a great gameplan. But it's hard to get them to run together. There's a bit of anarchy. It's very tough.

"I have realised the value of the Milan squad. It's very difficult to be satisfied after a game like that."Milan's next game is a derby clash with Inter on Sunday.

 

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Schweinsteiger and Ribery to miss Porto clash

Bayern Munich duo Bastian Schweinsteiger and Franck Ribery have been ruled out of Wednesday's Champions League clash with Porto.

With a number of first-team players already missing the trip to Portugal, including Arjen Robben, David Alaba and Javi Martinez, Bayern boss Pep Guardiola had been hoping for some good news ahead of the quarter-final first leg.But he will have to do without midfielder Schweinsteiger and winger Ribery with the former suffering from a virus and the latter still struggling with an ankle problem.

Bayern sporting director Matthias Sammer told a press conference: "Bastian and Franck can't play, that's too bad."But we have complete faith in the players that we have available. Everyone knows the situation and the team have a real hunger."

Defender Jerome Boateng does return, however, and striker Claudio Pizarro will also travel later today. Xabi Alonso is available following a one-match suspension.
Bayern warmed up for their return to Champions League action with a 3-0 defeat of Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, a result which maintained their 10-point advantage over Wolfsburg at the top of the Bundesliga.

 

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‘I didn’t expect Simeone to be so successful’ – Suker on Atletico, Madrid and the Clasico

Former Real Madrid striker Davor Suker is hoping Atletico's recent dominance of their city rivals will prompt a backlash from Carlo Ancelotti's men when they meet in the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday.

Atletico have won four and drawn two of their six meetings this season and Suker, now the president of the Croatian Football Federation, is expecting a reaction from Cristiano Ronaldo and Co.

“Atletico were stronger in their recent meetings but that could also give Real greater motivation,” Suker, 47, told Goal. “We will see. It is great to have Croatian players in such a clash but I sure hope Real win. I would love to see my old club in the Berlin final.”

Suker was referring to compatriots Mario Mandzukic, the Atletico striker, and Luka Modric, the Madrid midfielder. Both have had stop-start seasons, with Simeone revealing that the former Bayern Munich forward’s slump in form was down to an injury he had been carrying for 10 matches.

Modric, meanwhile, missed most of the winter with a thigh problem – Suker even admitted he “was a little afraid that Modric could get injured in the last Clasico because he had just returned after long term injury."

Suker, the 1998 World Cup golden boot-winner, spent three seasons at Real Madrid and was a Sevilla team-mate of Atletico boss Diego Simeone before moving to the Bernabeu in 1996.

He still keeps a close eye on events in the Spanish capital and is encouraged by Madrid's recent resurgence after March defeats to Athletic Bilbao, Schalke and Barcelona.

"There was no crisis. March is always tough, it is normal for big clubs to have a period when they don't win every game,” he added. “It is better it happens in March than in May. And in June we will see who did or didn’t have a crisis and how it affected the team."

One player in particular has emphatically returned to his best after an alarming loss of form - Ronaldo. The 30-year-old scored five times in the 9-1 win over Granada and took his career Madrid tally to 300 during the 2-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano before adding another against Eibar on Saturday.

When asked whether he preferred the Madrid man to Lionel Messi, Suker made it clear where his loyalties lie."Ronaldo is my favourite player because I am a 'Blanco'! They are two extraordinary players, from outer space, but I prefer Ronaldo."

Real’s focus on Tuesday turns away from Liga title rivals Barca to city adversaries Atletico. The capital derby is quickly becoming one of the big showdowns in European football – but it wasn’t always this way.

“Back in my time Atletico were not as strong as they are today. Of course El Clasico is bigger, with the whole world in expectation days ahead of the game. Everyone watches it. And to play it is fantastic.

“For that game you don't need a coach, you only need him to give the shirts to the players, because all the players know they have to be the best on the day. They’re very motivated and can't wait for the match to start.”

A huge factor in the Madrid derby’s rise to one of the bigger games on the calendar is Atletico coach Simeone. The Argentine has turned his side into a title-winning outfit, despite operating on a quarter of their city rivals’ budget.

Under Simeone, Atletico have won La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Europa League, the Spanish and European Super Cups and were seconds away from victory in last season’s Champions League final before Sergio Ramos’ late goal took that Madrid derby to extra-time.

Suker played with ‘El Cholo’ between 1992-94 in Andalucia and, while he always admired his passion, did not foresee his transformation into one of the top coaches in world football."It is very hard to predict things in football... No, I didn't expect him to be such a successful coach. He was a very good midfielder with a big temper!

“I am glad to see he managed to transmit that temper from the pitch to the bench, that he passes that desire on to his players. I am glad he succeeded and I always speak to him about Mandzukic – we have a good relationship."

 

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Madrid can't make Atletico mistakes again - Pepe

Pepe has warned his Real Madrid team-mates they cannot afford a repeat of the mistakes they have made in previous games against Atletico Madrid in Tuesday's Champions League clash.

Carlo Ancelotti's side have been second best in recent derbies against their neighbours, losing both La Liga games, their Spanish Supercopa meeting and Copa del Rey last 16 tie this term.

Their most recent meeting was a 4-0 drubbing at the Vicente Calderon but the Portugal international is hoping for a different outcome at the same ground this time.

"It’s a difficult match for us but also for them," he is quoted as saying by AS."I think that we must not commit the same errors that we committed in previous matches against Atletico.

"If we go out with the intensity and the humility that the team showed last year and in these matches right now, I think that we will surely produce a good performance."Madrid closed the gap on Liga leaders Barcelona to two points this weekend after the Catalans let a two-goal lead slip at Sevilla on Saturday.

Pepe started his side's 3-0 win over Eibar on the bench and is holding out hope they can pip their old rivals to the title."To be within two points is important for us, it’s a lift that we have but a lot is left and we still have to fight hard," he added.

"We have to face every game with great seriousness and that is what we are doing. It is our objective to fight until the end, what we are trying to do. It’s often difficult but it’s what we have to do."

 

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Marseille suffer Bordeaux blow as Saint-Etienne bounce back

Marseille's hopes of Champions League qualification took another blow as they lost 1-0 at Bordeaux on Sunday.Having led Ligue 1 in early January, Marcelo Bielsa's side have dropped out of title contention and their latest loss leaves them battling for a Europa League spot.

Defender Cedric Yambere scored his first Bordeaux goal just after the hour to seal all three points for the hosts, who sit in sixth and are now just three points behind Marseille.

After their Coupe de France semi-final exit to Paris Saint-Germain last week, Saint-Etienne bounced straight back in the league with a 1-0 win over Nantes.

Franck Tabanou grabbed the decisive goal after 18 minutes to keep Christophe Galtier's side in top-four contention.Toulouse boosted their hopes of survival against Montpellier, Oscar Trejo netting on the stroke of half-time to secure a 1-0 victory.

Bottom club Lens kept their faint hopes of staying up alive after a goalless stalemate with Lorient, the draw moving them to within nine points of safety with six games remaining.

Meanwhile, Lille struck late on through Sofiane Boufal to beat Evian 1-0, Rennes triumphed over 10-man Guingamp by the same scoreline and Nice moved into the top half as they also won 1-0 against Reims.

 

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Musacchio suffers horrific ankle injury

Villarreal defender Mateo Musacchio is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a horrific injury in a 1-1 draw at Getafe on Sunday.

The twice-capped Argentina international was attempting to evade a Diego Castro challenge on the right wing when he planted his left foot in the turf, prompting the lower part of his leg to snap.Early reports suggest Musacchio's ankle bore the brunt of the injury.

Coach Marcelino Garcia Toral told the club's official website: "I did not think Matteo's injury was so bad, but when I approached the table and saw that there was blood I got scared."The images are chilling. Hopefully the operation goes well.

"It's a very difficult time for everyone. It's a very serious injury and now we must wait to see what process to follow."The club later confirmed Musacchio had undergone successful surgery on the injury.

The incident is expected to keep Musacchio out for the remainder of the season and end any hopes he had of featuring for his country at the Copa America in June.

 

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Manchester United returning to title form - Gary Neville

Manchester United are well placed to mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title next season, according to Gary Neville.

Louis van Gaal's men consolidated third place in emphatic style at Old Trafford on Sunday, beating bitter rivals Manchester City 4-2 courtesy of goals from Ashley Young, Marouane Fellaini, Juan Mata and Chris Smalling.

Victories over Tottenham, Liverpool and City in recent weeks have all but secured United's return to the Champions League and Neville believes they are also emerging as Chelsea's most dangerous rivals for the title next season.

"Next season, [Van Gaal] will look at games he's dropped points in in this season and will think because that level of performance has come now, they could win those games next season," Neville said on Sky Sports' Super Sunday coverage.

"I think the confidence will be growing in the camp. There are people in that dressing room who have won titles, and they'll get the feeling again that the performance levels and confidence is coming back.

"That's the first time Louis van Gaal, Juan Mata and Marouane Fellaini have seen Old Trafford properly today in terms of an atmosphere.

"It's what Manchester United can create and that will give them enormous confidence. It always does when you win big matches.

"Against Spurs, you were maybe saying: 'Spurs were poor that day, they were flaky.' So you were thinking: 'Is that the real deal?'

"To go to Anfield and win makes you really sit up, because it's a tough place to play no matter how Liverpool are playing, what point in the season it is, or what point Liverpool or United are in in their development.

"But to come here today, especially after City started well and went a goal up, that's a proper performance."