..::Football III::..

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Fiorentina were not cynical enough - Joaquin

Fiorentina winger Joaquin says his side were punished for not being cynical enough in their Europa League semi-final defeat to Sevilla.

A 2-0 loss on Thursday at the Artemio Franchi compounded a resounding 5-0 aggregate loss for Vincenzo Montella's men against the holders.

And Joaquin accepts Sevilla deserved to progress for being the more ruthless side across the two games.

"We weren't cynical during the 180 minutes. Instead, it was Sevilla who made the most of every opportunity," he told Mediaset.

"We wanted to reach the final. We worked so hard to achieve our goal, but we did not succeed.

"I'm still convinced our season can be considered a good one. But now we have to think about the league. There are three games left and a Europa League qualifying place to earn."

The former Valencia attacker says he is eager to stay at Fiorentina this summer, despite their promising campaign having ended in largely disappointing fashion.

"As for my future, I can say I'm very happy to stay in Florence," the 33-year-old added.

 

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Pochettino warns Tottenham squad: Nobody is safe this summer

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has warned that none of his players can consider themselves safe from being moved on in the summer.

Spurs are one point clear of the Argentine's old club, Southampton, in sixth with two games remaining in the Premier League season.

Pochettino oversaw a flurry of activity in the transfer market last summer but offers no guarantees as to who will remain this time around as he begins to put his five-year plan into action.

"Always you need to analyse the last season," he told reporters. "Nobody is sure that they are staying at the club.

"We need to look forward and we need to learn from the past. We have a plan for the development in the next few years and we need to deliver it.

"I am very cold on my professional side. When I need to take a decision, maybe I love some player in the personal way and as a human being but he was poor in a game so I need to put him out of the starting XI.

"But if I have a good relationship with this player and after he is poor, I have to be fair with the whole squad. I need to be professional and say, 'It's for the best of the team.'

"A player needs to understand my professional side and my human side. I am very friendly with all players and my door is open in the office when you have a problem in football or personal life but my decision is always professional and it is important that they have a clear idea about that."

 

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Ayeth Evra & Suarez meet 1kak​

Suarez vs Evra & Chiellini​

 

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Fiorentina 0-2 Sevilla (agg 0-5): Bacca and Carrico complete emphatic win for holders

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Suarez vs Evra & Chiellini

Ade ow nenamChiellini th innawane

Suarez Vs Evra & Chiellini​

 

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me season eketh Europa League Sevilla win karai

Ow bro clear chance 1kak thiyanawa Europa League Sevilla win karannaHabai Dnipro lath underestimate karanna bari team 1kak bro dakkane Napoli lata wechcha de
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Ade ow nenamChiellini th innawane

Suarez Vs Evra & Chiellini​

Ow bro clear chance 1kak thiyanawa Europa League Sevilla win karannaHabai Dnipro lath underestimate karanna bari team 1kak bro dakkane Napoli lata wechcha de
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carlos bacca ehema patta form eke enneow ow Ukrainian teams kohomath lesi nae

 

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Bony wants 'scary' partnership with Aguero at Manchester City

Wilfried Bony believes he can form a “scary” partnership with Sergio Aguero at Manchester City.

The Ivory Coast international has scored just one goal for City since his £27 million (€37m) move from Swansea City in the January transfer window, while an ankle injury has restricted the striker to making just two starts in the Premier League.

But despite his sluggish introduction at the Etihad Stadium, Bony is relishing the prospect of linking up with Aguero next season.

“He’s one of the best. Hopefully now he will be the top scorer. You can see when we play together there’s ­something there,” said Bony.

“I couldn’t say I’m quicker than him but he’s not stronger than me. We can work together and ­complement each other.

“Together we can be quite scary. That is why I want to prepare myself for the next season and make sure I am ready for that.”

Bony admits being away with the Ivory Coast squad for their successful Africa Cup on Nations campaign at the start of the year has hampered his start to life at City but the 26-year-old is adamant he will show a rapid improvement next term.

“I just hope we can keep our second position while I try to prepare myself for the next season,” said the striker.

“That is when you will see the real Bony. It’s about me trying to adapt to the way City play – some of these players have been here for a long time.

“I’ve needed to get to know the players, introduce myself to them, but still do my best for the team while they are waiting for me to do it. There’s a different type of player here.

“It’s been a difficult time at City but I can’t choose the ­international programme, and I can’t choose the time to be injured.

“I would like to have been here more, to be fit and to be scoring – but that is ­something you can’t control. All I can do now is work, try and help my team.

"But I like it here, this club is always fighting, the pressure is everywhere. I am not afraid of that.

“I knew at Swansea if you want to get to play for a top-four club I needed to prepare very well do my best and score a lot of goals – that what I did.

“I’ve come late in the season, but I just need to prepare myself for next season. We’ll see how I do then.”

 

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Gerrard: It's not Liverpool's fault I'm leaving

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard denies that the club could or should have done more to stop him from leaving this summer to join LA Galaxy.

The Reds legend is set to play his final home game at Anfield against Crystal Palace on Saturday and, after some influential performances in recent matches, former Liverpool player and manager Graeme Souness had argued that his employers should have fought more to keep their talisman.

But Gerrard, who is keen to avoid becoming a bit-part player at his beloved club, says that the decision to depart is his alone.

He told reporters: "No-one likes criticism or people saying you've done this wrong or this badly so it is nice when people of Graeme Souness's calibre say nice things; I'm not going to deny that.

"But I don't think it's the case that Liverpool should have done anything different to try and keep me. I've made a decision and I think it's the right time.

"That's what it comes down to and, once I'd made that decision, I don't think there's much the club could have done.

"I haven't regretted it, not really," the midfielder continued. "I did not make the decision lightly when I made it.

"I have been honest enough to say at the start of the season, when I came away from England, I thought I'd be playing on for another season after this one but I think, the way the season's gone, I have been getting messages and feelings that I got the timing right."

The 34-year-old admits that he has been particularly careful to ensure his fitness to face Palace as he prepares to say goodbye to his loyal fans.

"I have just tried to think about not getting injured and not missing this game on Saturday, thinking I've just got to try and be sensible for the weekend," he added. "I don't want to miss it for the world.

"I think the important thing for me is trying to focus on the game, play well, get three points for the team first and foremost ... then I can obviously have that moment and get my chance to say bye to the fans."

Asked if he feared that his Liverpool career might have been fizzling out after his red card against Manchester United, Gerrard replied: "I did. Certainly, sitting in the dressing room after the sending-off against Man United, I was thinking I don't want it to fizzle out in that way and people to remember a hamstring injury, the suspension against [United] and some bad performances.

"So I am really happy the last couple have gone well and I am hoping the final two games go in the same way but I do think people will remember me not for a period of four, five, six games or even six months.

"I think, once it's actually done and I am away, if my name ever comes up, they will remember what I have done for 17 years rather than a short space of time. I hope they do, anyway."

 

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Wenger: Arsenal must avoid finishing fourth

Arsene Wenger says that it is "vital" that Arsenal avoid finishing in fourth place this season.

The Gunners, who have three games left to play, current sit in third in the Premier League, two points ahead of Manchester United and a point behind second-placed Manchester City, who both only have two matches remaining.

And Wenger has warned that the club face "dramatic consequences" if they fail to secure a spot in next season's Champions League.

"It's very important for your season preparations not to have that kind of stress over your head from the first day you start again. It's vital," said Wenger.

"We know what it means and we know it's always tricky because you can play against teams who are in the middle of their championship when you are in preparation.

"The consequences are always dramatic if you don't qualify. It is the pressure of not qualifying that is massive.

"What is even more important now is that the international competitions force you most of the time to start the new season without your players.

"You cannot give them a long enough rest when they have played international games. If we give Sanchez four weeks' holiday [after the Copa America] he won't be back till July 21 so he will not be available for a play-off."

After finishing fourth last year, Arsenal needed to beat Fenerbahce in the play-offs in order to reach this season's Champions League group stage.

And while the Gunners eased through with a 5-0 aggregate victory, Wenger believes that the previous play-off tie against Udinese in 2011 attributed to his side's infamous 8-2 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford.

"The clash against Udinese [in 2011] was most stressful because you saw afterwards they had a very strong team. It contributed to our bad result at Old Trafford three days later," said the Arsenal manager.

"When you qualify at Udinese and three days later have to go to Old Trafford with exactly the same focus, you have more chance to lose the game than to win it so sometimes you pay the price in the Premier League.

"A play-off means in pre-season training you have to focus, you are already thinking about that day."

 

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Mourinho warns of a 'Wall Street collapse' in transfer market

Jose Mourinho suspects that the increasing escalation in transfer fees could see a "Wall Street collapse" in the market this summer.

The Chelsea boss, unlike some other clubs, has no intention of making waves during the close-season as he is happy with his title-winning squad.

But, with the futures of the likes of Paul Pogba and Gareth Bale in doubt this summer, Mourinho believes that his rivals could cause serious financial disruption.

"The market is difficult. I can imagine that this summer will be like Wall Street collapsing," he told the press.

"I can imagine that some clubs are coming with such determination to the market that they will disrupt the market and take it to an unexpected direction."

On his own transfer business, however, Mourinho remarked: "I expect to be busy walking from my towel on the sand to the water, swim a little bit and be back in the sun again. That's where I expect to be busy.

"I like my squad very, very much. It's a young squad with space to improve and I'm in a different position to last season. Then, I was keen for my club to sell some players.

"The base last year was to sell to buy. The base this season is to keep my squad.

"We are in a good situation. We have stability in our squad. We don't need dramatic changes. We have to be loyal to our players.

"What other clubs do is not going to affect our direction. If others buy 10 players each, that will not push us to do things we're not going to do."

 

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Torres eager to prevent Barcelona title win

Fernando Torres has warned title-chasing Barcelona to expect a real battle at the Vicente Calderon, explaining that Atletico Madrid are intent on winning their own "war" for third place and denying Luis Enrique's men the title in the process.

The Catalans will arrive in the Spanish capital on Sunday intent on picking up the three points that would see them reclaim the Liga crown that they lost to Diego Simeone's side at Camp Nou a year ago.

However, Torres says Atleti will be gunning for victory themselves, as they look to seal automatic qualification for next season's Champions League group stage.
"I hope that Barca don't win the title here," the striker is quoted as saying by SPORT .

"Atletico became champions last year at the Nou Camp and, as football and fate would have it, Barcelona have the possibility of becoming champions at our ground.

"Football is like that, but we hope to win the game ourselves and assure ourselves of third place."We are fighting a different war and want to win to be third and achieve our objective."

Barca currently sit four points clear of second-placed Real Madrid, meaning that they could afford to lose at the Calderon and still win the title by beating Deportivo at home on the final day of the season.

Atleti, meanwhile, are currently four points clear of fourth-placed Valencia and wrap up their campaign at Granada.

 

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Mourinho 'optimistic' Cech will stay at Chelsea

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has claimed he is "optimistic" that Petr Cech will remain at Stamford Bridge this summer.

Cech's agent, Viktor Kolar, revealed that he and his client have been in talks with "interested parties" about the goalkeer's next move, after a season in which the 32-year-old has started only five Premier League matches.

But Mourinho insists he wants to hold onto the Czech Republic international, who is a transfer target for Arsenal.

"I have to say, yes, I am optimistic that he can be here next year," the Portuguese coach told reporters.

"I keep saying the same. I want my best players, Petr is one of my best players. I would like him to stay.

"I don't know if it's absolutely true what the agent is saying. Maybe it is but he has a contract with Chelsea and we have an important say in his decision."

Cech lost his position as Chelsea's No.1 following the return of Thibaut Courtois after a hugely successfull three-year loan spell at Atletico Madrid.

 

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Barcelona are bomb-proof, says Pique

Gerard Pique says that in-form Barcelona currently feel "bomb-proof" as they look to take the first step towards a historic treble this weekend.

The Catalans, who already through the final of both the Champions League and the Copa del Rey, can clinch the Liga title by beating Atletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderon on Sunday.

Pique freely admits that Barca's players did not expect to be in such a position at the start of their campaign, and especially not in January, after their shock loss at Real Sociedad sparked speculation that coach Luis Enrique was facing the sack.
However, the defender now says that after coming through that difficult period intact, the Blaugrana now feel as if they can deal with anything going into the decisive part of the season.

"To have the chance to win the treble is very good and rare," Pique said at a press conference on Friday.

"We didn't have these expectations in January, and not at the beginning of the season. It's very difficult. You always go through difficult moments as we did the last time we won the treble. But we have got through those times. This team is bomb-proof.

"We haven't won any titles yet. We have to keep our feet on the ground. I want to win La Liga. I don't care when or where. Hopefully, it will be in the Calderon but players don't decide where they win trophies."Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez have fired Barca towards the finish line with supreme form in front of goal and Pique is in awe of their sensational forward play.

"I've never seen a front three like this," the Spain international added. "We have enjoyed good players throughout history, but they are unique."

Barca currently sit four points clear of second-placed Real Madrid, meaning that even if they lose at Atletico, a home win over Deportivo on the final day of the season will secure the title.

 

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Van Gaal: I cannot buy everyone in the world

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has insisted that fans should not expect him to sign "everyone in the world" this summer.

The Red Devils have been heavily linked with bids for Harry Kane and Real Madrid star Gareth Bale in recent weeks, with reports suggesting on Friday that a £45 million bid for the Tottenham striker was being prepared ahead of the summer transfer window.

Tottenham will resist any offers for Kane, while Bale is determined to make a success of his move to Real Madrid, despite his recent downturn in form.

When asked about moves for the duo, Van Gaal said: "You can mention a lot of names, I've seen that I buy everyone in the world but it's not like that."

Van Gaal did, however, hint at transfer activity this summer, as he seeks to "balance" his squad following a season disrupted by injuries to several key players.

Wayne Rooney and Luke Shaw have both been ruled out of Sunday's fixture, and Van Gaal has grown frustrated with the fitness problems plaguing his squad, though he admits transfers are often protracted.

"It's also dependable on how we can make a balance in our selection, I have said the most important thing is to make a balance in our selection because it is not good that I have to change positions of players because there are players injured," he added.

"We have to bring that balance back in the selection and that was not this year. Transfers are also a process. It's not 'okay, I want you' and he comes. There are always three parties; the player, the club and ourselves so it is not so easy."

 

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Van Gaal: I cannot buy everyone in the world

Loke inna playersla okkoma ganna kiwwe nahaneApita ona karana Worldclass players la tika thamai ganna one​

 

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Dortmund want to keep Mkhitaryan, says Zorc

Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc says he wants to keep Henrikh Mkhitaryan at the club this summer.

The Armenia international moved to Signal Iduna Park in 2013 to replace Mario Gotze but has failed to find his best form, with his finishing frustrating fans in particular.

His future has been the subject of persistent speculation in recent months, with many reports stating that Dortmund will look to offload him, but Zorc is keen to see him stay put."He still has a contract until 2017," he told Kicker.
"We've never said that we want to sell him."

The former Shakhtar Donetsk star's agent ruled out a move away from the club earlier this week, saying that his client is committed to seeing out his contract.
Mkhitaryan has scored just four goals in all competitions this season, setting up a further five.

 

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'I don't know why Barca think Atletico are violent'

Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak says he has no idea why his side have gained a reputation for being violent among rivals such as Barcelona.

The capital club's rise under Diego Simeone has seen them challenge the traditional elite of Barca and Real Madrid, as they won last season's Liga title and the Copa del Rey in the previous campaign.

However, their style of play has often been criticised due to their committed approach but Oblak is puzzled as to how they have earned a bad reputation.
"I don't know why they said we are violent," he told AS.

"We are strong and do not see ourselves as a rough group."On Sunday, Simeone's men cross paths with Barca in La Liga, and the 22-year-old is eager to meet the Champions League finalists.

"We're not afraid but we know it is not easy to stop them," he said."We have to play with intensity, be very focused and run a lot."

Meanwhile, fellow goalkeeper Iker Casillas has found himself booed by Real Madrid fans for a perceived slump in form but the Slovenian is a supporter of his fellow custodian.

"It's certainly not easy when your fans boo you but Casillas can deal with it and he has shown that he's in good form and playing perfectly well," he explained.Barcelona will seal the Liga title should they win at the Vicente Calderon on Sunday.

 

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Ibrahimovic to miss PSG’s Montpellier showdown – Blanc

Zlatan Ibrahimovic will sit out Paris Saint-Germain’s trip to Montpellier on Saturday, head coach Laurent Blanc has confirmed.A point will be sufficient for the Parc des Princes side to reclaim the Ligue 1 title, but they travel to Stade de la Mosson without their top scorer.

“Ibra has calf pain,” Blanc told the media. “David Luiz has recovered sufficiently to figure in the squad. There are two suspended players, Thiago Motta and Marco Verratti.”

Although PSG failed to attain their objective of going past the Champions League quarter-finals, Blanc still sees a campaign that may yet end in a domestic treble as being very successful.

“We’ve played an exceptional season,” he said. “Going back to the Champions League, we needed to have luck in the draw, as we already knew three of the four semi-finalists.“The title’s not in our pockets yet, but it’s not far away.

“Montpellier’s not an easy place to go. They’ve had a successful season.“We know what we need to do tomorrow. That’s to win – we always need to win.”

Even if PSG lose, should second-placed Lyon fail to beat Bordeaux at home, the title will also be theirs.

 

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Pique: I want a Clasico Champions League final before I retire

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has reiterated his desire to face Real Madrid in the Champions League final before he retires.

The Catalans reached the Berlin showpiece with a 5-3 aggregate win over Bayern Munich in the last four on Tuesday, but their arch rivals fell short, losing 3-2 to Juventus in the other semi.

Pique admitted in the build-up to the game at the Allianz Arena that he would prefer to face Carlo Ancelotti's side. Though he still hopes to in the future, he insists his main focus is winning La Liga and the Copa del Rey.

"I'd like to play Real Madrid because of the rivalry," he said."I am one of the players who would like to experience this before retirement.

"It will be a hard final against a historic team with lots of fans, lots of history and top quality players. They're Italian but not defensive, as they showed at the Bernabeu.

"We are excited and want the day to arrive. But we have the match away to Atletico Madrid next Sunday first. We need to close out La Liga as soon as possible and we have the Copa del Rey. The next month will be exciting.

"The final is what it is. Juve deserve to be there - they've had a great Champions League. We don't feel like favourites. It's 50-50. We'll keep doing what we've done in the last few months but we have a team who eliminated Madrid and Dortmund."

The final will take place on June 6 at the Olympiastadion, Berlin.