..::Football III::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Tottenham 'open' to Bale return, jokes Pochettino

Mauricio Pochettino has joked that Tottenham would be "open" to the prospect of offering Gareth Bale a return to White Hart Lane.

The Welshman, who enjoyed six years in north London, joined Real in a world-record €100 million deal in 2013 but has endured a turbulent spell at Real, and has come in for intense criticism during his second season with the European champions.

Bale's performance against Juventus in the Champions League earlier this week attracted further negative attention - with Roy Keane labelling the Welshman anonymous - but Pochettino says Spurs would welcome the 25-year-old back to England.

"If he is not comfortable in Madrid, we keep his place warm back here," he told reporters. "We are open for him!"

Pochettino, however, believes that Bale will eventually adapt to life at the Bernabeu, and has urged Real fans to show patience with the forward.

"It is, of course, not easy when you arrive at a huge club like Real Madrid, and the way they play. Gareth Bale has the quality to make a success, he just needs time," he added.

"When [Zinedine] Zidane went to Real Madrid, the first season was very difficult for him, with a lot of critics. He needed time to adapt.

"The cultures are very different between England and Spain. It is very difficult for English players to arrive in Spain, there is a Siesta, you eat later.

"It is better when you come from Spain to England, when you go there, you need one or two seasons to adapt.

"I think here it is better to develop your passion in your job as a player or manager, but in Spain, for the weather, for the culture, it is difficult to adapt when you come from England. He just needs time."

Goal understands that Bale intends to reject a potential move to Manchester United this summer in favour of remaining at Real.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Neymar: I'll never forget Messi for giving me Cordoba penalty

Neymar says that Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi is not only teaching him how to become a better player, but also a better person.

The pair have become friends since Neymar's 2013 arrival at Camp Nou from Santos but the Brazilian was blown away by the Argentine's decision to pass up the chance to complete a hat-trick in last weekend's win at Cordoba by handing him the penalty-taking duties when the Catalans were awarded a spot-kick with five minutes remaining.

Neymar promptly converted from 12 yards out and immediately signalled his gratitude to Messi, who was more concerned with seeing his colleague get on the scoresheet than his battle with Real Madrid ace Cristiano Ronaldo for the title of top scorer in La Liga."I won't ever forget this detail," the Selecao captain told reporters on Thursday.

"Messi is the best in the world and he could have easily scored a hat-trick and yet he let me take the penalty. "I am so very grateful for that gesture. I'm learning so much from Messi every day, both from his football but also these gestures."

Meanwhile, Neymar admitted that he is confident that Barcelona will book their place in the final of the Champions League next Tuesday, with the Catalans having routed Bayern Munich 3-0 in their first-leg clash at Camp Nou on Wednesday.

With Luis Enrique's men top of La Liga with three rounds remaining and already through to the final of the Coppa del Rey, the 23-year-old said that the entire squad now believe that the treble is very much on.

"Yes, that's been the objective from the start of the season," the attacker added. "We are getting closer. "We are now 90 minutes away from the final of the Champions League. I think we'll win [the tie], at least I hope so.

"And then we have an important Liga game [away to Atletico Madrid on May 17], so we have to keep fighting to the end."We'll try to make history. We'll try to win everything for Barca and show our best football to the world."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Chelsea announce Thailand All-Stars & Sydney FC friendlies

Chelsea have announced post-season friendlies against Thailand All-Stars and Sydney FC.

The newly crowned Premier League champions are set to return to Bangkok, after visiting in 1997, 2011 and 2013, and will play a Singha Chelsea FC Celebration match at the Rajamangala Stadium on May 30.

A trip to Australia follows soon after on June 2 at the ANZ Stadium, with the A-League outfit hosting Tottenham three days earlier.

"We are very pleased to finalise our post-season schedule and I look forward to visiting Bangkok again," Bruce Buck, Chelsea chairman, told the club's official website.

"Our visits to Asia are always memorable, and I know the team will be well received by our tremendous supporters in Thailand.

"I am sure Jose [Mourinho] and the team will deliver a performance to entertain as we celebrate what has been such an excellent season."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Koeman: Depay is a fantastic signing for Manchester United

Former PSV coach Ronald Koeman has tipped Memphis Depay to adapt to the Premier League after confirming his "fantastic move" to Manchester United.

Depay will become a United player in June following a stunning season in which he has scored 27 goals in all competitions to help fire PSV to Eredivisie title success.

At 21, the Netherlands international is an exciting talent and Southampton boss Koeman - who was in charge of PSV for 15 months between 2006 and 2007 - thinks Louis van Gaal has pulled off a transfer coup.

When asked for his views on the young forward, Koeman told reporters: "Good player, young player, fast player.

"It's for him a fantastic move. I think he was ready in Holland, he was one of the best players and to give the best he needs a step and it's a big step for him.

"We will wait and we will see if the step is not big enough for him, but he's a great talent in Holland. I think it's a very good signing for Man Utd.

"Still he has to develop himself and it will be tough for him, because the Premier League is really tough, in the physical and mental way.

"You need a very good quality to show, but for him it is a great challenge to be a player of Man Utd."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Reus not ready for return - Klopp

Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has revealed Marco Reus will again be absent this weekend as he continues his recovery from a fatigue-related injury.

The Germany international missed last weekend's 1-1 draw at Hoffenheim and will again be absent when Dortmund face Hertha Berlin on Saturday.

"Marco Reus is not available on Saturday," coach Jurgen Klopp said. "We have studied it [the injury] again in greater detail."There is some suggestion that he can start training the middle of next week.

"Oliver Kirch [knee] is back in full training, also Lukasz Piszczek [ankle] is now one step closer."Roman Weidenfeller [knock] will soon return to training, but on Saturday it will again be Mitchell Langerak in goal."

With three games remaining of the Bundesliga season Dortmund sit in ninth spot, but do have a DFB-Pokal final against Wolfsburg to look forward to on May 9.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Depay: It was impossible to say no to Man Utd

PSV star Memphis Depay claims it was impossible to reject Manchester United after his €30 million summer move was confirmed on Thursday.The 21-year-old has agreed personal terms after a stellar season in the Eredivisie, with just a medical standing in the way of linking up with the Red Devils in July.

Depay played under coach Louis van Gaal when the current United coach was in charge of Netherlands at last summer's World Cup and is looking forward to doing so again at club level.

"Working with Van Gaal again is a big bonus," he said to SEG Football. "For me Manchester United is an absolute dream club so I didn't need any convincing about the quality of the guys already there.

"I'm looking forward to playing alongside a few of my Dutch team-mates but also all the other players as well. You can't deny the interest of a club like Manchester United."

Depay had been linked with a host of Europe's biggest clubs, with Premier League side Liverpool and Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain also reported to be suitors."It's been an exciting and pretty hectic period," the forward added. "To have had to choose between so many top clubs doesn't make it any easier.

"You shouldn't believe everything you read though - this move was just about feeling, not about money."

The Holland star also thanked PSV for granting him his dream switch to Old Trafford and hopes they go from strength to strength without him."I've learned so much at PSV, not only on the pitch but also as a person," Depay continued. "That makes me grateful, but I really felt it was time for me to move on.

"I’m proud of winning this season's Dutch title with PSV. It’s something the fans deserved, and something I wanted so bad as well. I wish the club all the best for coming season, and hopefully they’re lifting a trophy again next year."

Depay made his official first-team debut at PSV in 2011-12 and has developed into a key player at the Eindhoven side, making over 100 appearances in all competitions.The attacker currently leads the Eredivisie goal scoring charts with 21 goals in 28 appearances.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Neymar pleads with Pogba to sign for Barcelona

Neymar says he would "open the gates" for Paul Pogba at Barcelona and has encouraged the club to make a move for him this summer.The Juventus star, 22, has attracted the attention of some of Europe's biggest sides and has been linked with Barca's arch-rivals Real Madrid for months.

Pogba's agent Mino Raiola was spotted at Madrid's training base in Turin ahead of the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie with the Bianconeri and later refused to rule out a deal.

Paris Saint-Germain have already had an €80 million bid accepted for the midfielder - whose current deal runs until 2019 - and Neymar hopes the Catalans join the race for his signature.

"How he would fit in I don’t know, but he is a great player and we would open the gates for him,” said Neymar said at a sponsor's press conference.“He is a great star. He is still young - even younger than me I think - but I think a player with such quality is always welcome.”

Pogba sat out Juventus' 2-1 victory over Madrid on Tuesday with a hamstring injury but could be fit for the return game next week.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Carver: I'm the best coach in the Premier League

John Carver says he is still the best the Premier League has to offer despite Newcastle United losing their last eight games on the bounce.

The 48-year-old took charge at St. James' Park following Alan Pardew's move to Crystal Palace in January but has won just two games since, with the Magpies dropping from a mid-table position into a relegation fight.
Newcastle have not won a single point since February, their worst run of form since 1977, with the club releasing a statement supporting their head coach on Monday.

However, Carver insists he is the right man for the job as he prepares for a nervy run-in with games against West Brom, QPR and West Ham to come.
"I still think I'm the best coach in the Premier League," he told reporters. "If I have the right tools I can still do the job.

"The statement went out and what the statement said was true. I don't want to go into detail, but I never offered to resign, I never offered to walk away, I never offered to step aside.

"Contrary to what was in media, once I'd had a conversation with [chief executive] Lee Charnley and knew my position, they never asked me to resign nothing came into the equation.

"It was clear in my head that I was in this for the next three games and ready to face the challenge."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Juventus given Pogba fitness boost ahead of Real Madrid return leg

Paul Pogba could be fit to face Real Madrid in next week's Champions League decider after he returned to Juventus training on Thursday.

The 22-year-old missed the 2-1 semi-final first leg victory over Carlo Ancelotti's men on Tuesday after a lengthy absence with a hamstring injury.

Pogba has not played since picking up the problem in the 3-0 win against Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of their quarter-final tie on March 19.The France international now looks set to give Bianconeri boss Massimiliano Allegri a selection dilemma as he decides whether or not to throw the midfielder straight back into action.

Arturo Vidal, Claudio Marchisio, Andrea Pirlo and Stefano Sturaro started in a midfield four against the European champions, but one of them is expected to be sacrificed to the bench if the Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain target is fit.

Pogba could be handed a run out against Cagliari on Saturday, with Juve set to rest a host of first-team players having already wrapped up the Scudetto last Saturday.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Gaya signs new Valencia deal

Valencia have announced that defender Jose Gaya has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the club until June 2020.

The 19-year-old's previous deal ran until the summer of 2018, but included a buy-out clause of €18 million, with Real Madrid and Manchester City reported to be closely monitoring his situation.

However, Gaya has now ended speculation regarding his future by signing an extension to his deal, which has also seen his exit clause rise to €50m.

Gaya came through the ranks of the Valencia youth academy and made his first-team debut in the 2-0 Copa del Rey win over Llagostera in October 2012.The left-back, who can also play in midfield, has since developed into a key player at the Mestalla, making 34 appearances in all competitions so far this season.

His displays have helped Valencia's bid for Champions League qualification, with the club currently sat in fourth place in La Liga with three games to go.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Ancelotti: Ramos midfield experiment not over

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti says he will continue to experiment with Sergio Ramos in a midfield role.

The defender was preferred to Lucas Silva, Sami Khedira and Asier Illarramendi in the middle of the park for Tuesday's 2-1 defeat to Juventus in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.

However, the 29-year-old appeared uncomfortable in an unfamiliar position and was criticised after the game, though he still retains the support of Ancelotti.
"I have not made a decision on whether Ramos will be a midfielder again," Ancelotti said at a press conference.

"Ramos in midfield is not over yet, though. He can play in many positions and I believe in him 100 per cent."He had a difficult game in Turin, but that doesn't mean he cannot play in midfield. I will field him there again if necessary.

"This has nothing to do with having a lack of faith in my other midfielders. I make a decision game by game.

"Playing Ramos in midfield is not a gamble. It was not a foolish move when we beat Atletico Madrid and Sevilla... I don't think it's reckless to play Sergio in midfield."

Ancelotti then went on to defend Gareth Bale in the wake of his disappointing performance in the same game, in which he had fewer touches than goalkeeper Iker Casillas."Bale's situation? We have not spoken with him individually because we do not care about those kinds of statistics. Bale did not have a good game, but neither did the rest of the team.

"There is no need to talk with Bale about this. He will play well again versus Valencia, as will Real Madrid in general. We are fighting to win La Liga and the Champions League."The Madrid boss also confirmed the return of Karim Benzema to the squad after an injury lay-off.

"Benzema is not 100 per cent yet, but he is available again. He is feeling good again. We will make a decision on Saturday whether he makes the bench or not."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Madrid competition 'motivating' for Barcelona - Luis Enrique

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has admitted that La Liga rivals Real Madrid have forced his side to maintain a consistently high level throughout the campaign.

There are only three games of the Primera Division campaign remaining and, though the Catalans command a two-point advantage over the capital side, the ex-Spain international, who turned 44 on Friday, believes nothing is settled in the title race.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's fixture against Real Sociedad, he said: "It is true we are having a great season, but so are Madrid. It is one of the most hotly contested titles in recent times, which makes it more exciting. It is more motivating. "We've had the good sense to rely on our own results so far, and we want to keep it that way."

David Moyes' men are one of only four teams in the league to have defeated Barca this season, so the coach is well aware of the threat his side face at Camp Nou, particularly as it comes sandwiched between two Champions League semi-final fixtures against Bayern.

"Our highest priority is to focus on La Real. We know that they are one of the few teams to beat us. If we win, we will take another small step for the league," he said.
"After a game of great intensity, it is true that other matches can be dangerous. But the possibility of winning the league makes the game of the utmost importance. We will not relax. We're thinking of our fans 100 per cent and the key is to win these points and be champions."Earlier this season, there was a rift between the coach and star player Lionel Messi, but the former Celta boss has now praised the unity in the locker room.

Asked what his perfect birthday present might be, he responded: "The best gift has been the players' professional attitude this season. The best gift for all of us would be trophies."I always watch how the bench players celebrate the goals. There's a wonderful atmosphere in this group, players are united."

Barcelona's position at the summit of the standings is vulnerable because even a draw could open up top spot for Madrid to claim, owing to the better head-to-head record Carlo Ancelotti's men command.The Catalans are still placed to win the treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Guardiola: Gotze the best professional I have ever met

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola has defended Mario Gotze in the wake of recent criticism, describing the Germany international as the best professional he has worked with.

The former Borussia Dortmund star was heavily criticised for his immaturity by club icon Franz Beckenbauer ahead of Wednesday's Champions League defeat against Barcelona.

The 22-year-old was then forced to apologise to Bayern fans on Friday after he was seen joking around with Barca shot-stopper Marc-Andre ter Stegen after the defeat at Camp Nou, which caused anger amongst some Bayern faithful.

However, Guardiola believes Gotze is the perfect professional and is adamant he sees nothing wrong in the World Cup final hero's behaviour."Mario is the best professional I have ever met," Guardiola stated at a press conference.

"He has his own style and has a lot of quality. We need him because of his abilities, regardless of whether he runs a lot or not.

"I don't understand the uproar about Gotze's chat with Ter Stegen. They are friends, why should they not be talking after the game... It's okay if Mario felt the need to apologise, but I don't think it was a problem."Mario is a sensitive guy. His life is all about football. He has done a great job this season and I see no reason to complain about his performances. He is a young player with a lot of potential. I am happy to be his coach."

Guardiola admits that Bayern face a tough task to turn their Champions League tie with Barcelona around, but stressed that he will not throw in the towel just yet.
"We still have 90 minutes to turn things around, but I am realistic. It will not be easy. I am a fighter, though. I want to try and turn things around.

"The players who featured in Barcelona are my heroes. They tried everything within their limits. Of course, I am disappointed with the result, but we gave our all."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Pogba to return to action against Cagliari

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has revealed that Paul Pogba is likely to get playing time in Saturday's Serie A encounter with Cagliari in order to get him ready for the second leg of the Champions League semi-final tie with Real Madrid.

The France international has been out of action ever since picking up a hamstring injury in the round-of-16 win over Borussia Dortmund back in March, but recently resumed regular training.

He was not included in the squad to face Madrid for Tuesday's encounter, which Juventus won 2-1, but is now ready to make his comeback this weekend.

"Pogba trained well with the ball on Thursday. He could play on Saturday, either starting or coming off the bench," Allegri said at a press conference."I'll change things up against Cagliari. It was an energy sapping game versus Madrid, so we'll give others the chance to play."

"Marco Storari will start instead of Gianluigi Buffon, while Carlos Tevez will be rested, too."Allegri went on to stress that Juventus have every chance of reaching the Champions League final should luck be on their side, although he feels their European campaign can already be considered a success.

"We'll need to put in a great performance in Madrid, an even better one than we showed on Tuesday. If we do well and have an element of luck on our side, we can make the final. But Madrid are an extraordinary team.

"Nobody would have imagined we'd be 95 minutes away from Berlin. Or at least we hope it's 95..."It's important for us to reach the semi-final in a season where the aim was to get through the group stages."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Marchisio: Juventus will not just sit back and defend against Madrid

Claudio Marchisio has insisted that Juventus will not just sit back and defend in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final tie with Real Madrid.

The Serie A champions defend a 2-1 leg from the first leg when they travel to the Santiago Bernabeu next week and Marchisio has stressed that they will not repeat the mistakes that nearly cost them in the quarter-finals against Monaco, when they progressed 1-0.

"We'll be playing against a great team in a fine stadium, but we need to focus on ourselves. We mustn't repeat the errors we made in Monte Carlo where we sat back and waited for the opposition," the Italy international told Sky Sport Italia.

"You can't afford to do that against Real Madrid and we must play an open game."
Marchisio went on to hail Juventus' progress in Europe in recent years and feels this season should now be considered the benchmark for the coming years.

"Three years ago we weren't in the Champions League, then we reached the quarter-finals and last year, despite going out at the group stage, we almost got to the Europa League final," he said.

"This year we've proved ourselves and this needs to become the norm at Juventus, even if we know that teams with bigger budgets than ours struggle."Just look at how long Real had to wait for their 10th European Cup."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Marchisio: Juventus will not just sit back and defend against Madrid

Mehema kiwwata aniwa Bus park karai​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Liverpool star Sturridge ruled out until September

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has confirmed Daniel Sturridge could be out of action until September after hip surgery.

Sturridge announced on Tuesday that he had undergone a successful procedure on his hip after an injury-hit season.

"Just want to let the world know I've had a successful operation on my hip today and I want to thank God for allowing that to be possible," he wrote on his Intagram page. "Onwards and upwards from here. Thanks for the support."

And Rodgers has now confirmed Sturridge will miss the start of next season as he steps up his recovery from surgery.

"We anticipate he'll be back to train around September and then it's about getting his fitness," Rodgers told reporters.

He added: "We are hopeful issues he's had have been resolved."

Sturridge scored 24 goals in all competitions last season as Liverpool narrowly missed out on the Premier League title.

But this season, the England international has managed just 18 appearances and five goals, with Rodgers's side currently set to miss out on next season's Champions League.

Rodgers has also claimed Liverpool were never especially keen on signing Memphis Depay from PSV, following news that the Netherlands star has agreed a move to Manchester United.

"It wasn't something we were ever interested in," Rodgers said of a potential bid for the winger. "We already have four wingers at the club. We have other priorities."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Gotze issues apology after Barcelona defeat

Bayern Munich forward Mario Gotze has issued an apology for his reaction after the Bavarians' 3-0 Champions League defeat at the hands of Barcelona at Camp Nou on Wednesday.

The Germany international was seen sharing a joke with Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen after the final whistle in the first leg of the semi-final tie, causing uproar among Bayern fans, who felt the former Borussia Dortmund man did not care about the defeat.However, Gotze has insisted that he was equally downhearted after the loss at Camp Nou and has apologised for giving a wrong impression.

"There have been reports in the press that I was joking around and having fun with my friend Marc-Andre ter Stegen after the game," a statement on Gotze's official website reads."People who think I do not care about the defeat are completely wrong. I was at least as disappointed as my team-mates and the fans."If things looked different, I would like to apologise for that.

"I would like to make it clear that I always give my all for the team. I want to achieve success with the club and I always behave respectful toward fans, Bayern and opponents."

Gotze has been heavily criticised in recent weeks following his underwhelming performances this campaign, with Bayern icon Franz Beckenbauer accusing him of behaving like a youth player earlier this week .

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Di Maria would be a fine signing for Bayern Munich, says Hamann

Ex-Germany international Dietmar Hamann feels Manchester United winger Angel Di Maria would be a fine signing for Bayern Munich.

The Bundesliga champions are keen to add some fresh blood to their attack ahead of next season and reports from Germany suggest the former Real Madrid man tops their wishlist.

Di Maria has struggled for form and fitness in his first season in English football and has found himself restricted to substitute appearances in recent weeks.

Hamann has acknowledged that the Argentina international would not be available on the cheap following his €75 million move last year, but believes the 27-year-old would be a good addition nonetheless."Di Maria would fit in well at Bayern," Hamann told Sky Sport News.

"The player obviously cost Manchester United a lot of money, but he has been unable to live up to the high expectations."Di Maria has made 26 Premier League appearances so far this campaign, scoring three goals in the process, while setting up 10 more.

He has a contract with the Old Trafford side until June 2019, but manager Louis van Gaal hinted earlier this month that the winger will be allowed to leave if he wants to move on.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Van Gaal on Depay: He scores goals from the wing just like Messi

Louis van Gaal has likened Memphis Depay to Lionel Messi by claiming that Manchester United have signed a "goalscoring winger".

United completed a deal for the 21-year-old, reportedly worth around €27.5 million, on Thursday and the Netherlands international is set to be reunited with Van Gaal in the summer.

Depay has scored 21 goals in 28 appearances for PSV this season and Van Gaal revealed that United were forced to act quickly in order to fend off competition from Paris Saint-Germain.

"He's a goalscoring winger and there aren't so many of them in the world," Van Gaal told MUTV.

"[Lionel] Messi is one of those but now I think we have to talk about the game against Crystal Palace and we have to focus on this and the coming three games. That's more important.

"I was forced to handle [the situation] as a manager because, otherwise, he was going to PSG, that's why I had to sign him and we've done it within one day. But, for us, it's better to focus on the game against Palace."

The United boss also reiterated his desire for United to complete their transfer business as soon as possible.

"I want to do this [complete signings] early but it's not always possible," said Van Gaal.

"When there's a chance, to you have handle that and manage it directly and that was the case. I want to purchase players after our season and not during the season because it disturbs our concentration for the match."