..::Football III::..

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Hughes: Stoke thrashing doesn't reflect badly on Liverpool

Mark Hughes was thrilled with Stoke City's performance as they ended their Premier League season in style with a 6-1 hammering of Liverpool.

Hughes' men came into Sunday's clash at the Britannia Stadium with little to play for, with a ninth-placed finish already assured regardless of the result.

But Stoke took full advantage of a sloppy Liverpool display to score five times in the first half without reply on Steven Gerrard's final appearance for his boyhood club.

"We couldn't have asked for a better finish to a really great season," Hughes told reporters. "The level of performance in the first 45 minutes was exceptional.

"I don't think it reflects badly on Liverpool, I think most teams would have struggled to cope with the quality and intensity of our play.

"I sensed this week there was a real focus on finishing on a high, it's been a great season and we've done a lot of things that haven't been done here before.

"Getting beat on your last game at home is a damp squib and we didn't want that.

"It was a great performance against a very good team. The key next year is to do that on a regular basis and see where it takes us. It puts everybody in good heart and we look forward to next season."

Hughes also had words of praise for Gerrard, who is set to depart for MLS side LA Galaxy after a distinguished career at Anfield.

"I'm sure Steven wasn't anticipating that was going to be the manner of his last performance but credit to him, as always he was trying to drive his team on," Hughes said.

"It was great that he got the reception from our supporters [after his goal], it was only right and proper that we recognised the impact he's had in English football and at his club.

"I wish him well, he's been a credit to the sport in this country and to his club and I hope he does great."

 

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Van Gaal: I know who I'll buy and sell

Louis van Gaal says he already knows which players he must buy and sell in a potentially busy summer at Manchester United.

The Red Devils, who had already sealed a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League, concluded the 2014-15 campaign with a 0-0 draw away to Hull City on Sunday.

United have already signed rising Netherlands star Memphis Depay from PSV and are expected to be active once again in the transfer market this summer as they look to mount a genuine title challenge next term.

And Van Gaal says he has already formulated plans to bolster his options for next season - as well as trim some of the dead wood from his squad.

"I have calls with every player I think I have to talk to, but the transfer period is a process," he told reporters at the KC Stadium. "I know which players have to go and which players have to come but you never know if they go or if they come because it is dependent on a lot of aspects."

Radamel Falcao was ruled out of the draw with Hull after picking up a knock in training this week but Van Gaal refused to be drawn on the Colombian's future beyond this term.

"Today we have to concentrate on this match and analysis of this match and not about decisions that we have made," he said. "You shall hear it at the proper time when Manchester United has to say something."

Hull failed to find a way past stand-in goalkeeper Victor Valdes on Sunday - despite Marouane Fellaini's red card for a shocking lunge on Paul McShane in the second half - and were relegated as a result of the draw.

And Van Gaal admits he is sad to see Steve Bruce's men drop into the Championship, while he branded Fellaini's challenge as "stupid".

"Very sad that a club like Hull City is relegated," he said. "I think everybody had seen it already before, this match was after all not so important but for us to play against a team that is fighting to the end, that is difficult.

"We are fighting for a dream, thery are fighting for a rescue, and that you see. They were a little bit unlucky and also [Victor] Valdes has saved us with remarkable saves. A clean sheet, a lot of clean sheets we have achieved this season.

"Fellaini doesn't want to do that. For him, it is unbelievably stupid. Next season he starts on the tribune and also in preparation you start more or less as a substitute, so it is not so good for him personally.

"But I don't know if that is a red card. I cannot see that from the bench but when I see it takes seven minutes, I believe, the player was not capable of standing up, it was a worst tackle.

"I'm ready [for the holidays], I go immediately. Last summer I didn't have any holidays, I go straight from Manchester, I am happy the holidays are starting for me."

Van Gaal added that Angel Di Maria will undergo tests on a hamstring problem which forced him off in the first half, though he believes the problem to be a minor one.

 

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Van Gaal: I know who I'll buy and sell

Hoda Worldclass playersla set 1kak ganna wenawa next season 1ke Title Challenge karanna nam​

 

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'I'm going to Madrid' - Galliani hints at Ancelotti meeting

AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani has hinted at a meeting with Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti in the next couple of days.

The former Rossoneri boss has been linked with a return to San Siro over the past week, with club president Silvio Berlusconi claiming on Saturday he would pursue a move for the coach.Ancelotti is expected to be sacked by Madrid this week, while Milan boss Filippo Inzaghi's future is in serious danger despite Sunday's 3-0 win over Torino.

And Galliani revealed he is heading to the Spanish capital but wouldn't confirm the purpose of his trip, despite not-so-subtle suggestions he might bump into the Blancos boss.

"Tomorrow I go to Madrid," he told reporters. "There are two great friends who last year competed in the final of the Champions League with very good players.
"But I won't tell you what I'm doing. In Madrid there are many things to do. I did not say I will go to Madrid to see Ancelotti, we will see what happens.

"It saddens me and Berlusconi to see Milan in mediocre positions. We'll roll our sleeves up this summer and get the club back to number one in Italy and then internationally."

Milan have been linked with Atletico Madrid striker Mario Mandzukic and Monaco's Geoffrey Kondogbia, and Galliani joked about a potential detour on his way back from Madrid."Mandzukic lives in Madrid, Kondogbia is in Monte Carlo. Maybe we stop on the way?

"We've never been short of resources in the transfer market and as usual they will be available again."

 

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Manchester United confirm Falcao departure

Manchester United have confirmed they will not be signing Radamel Falcao on a permanent deal from Monaco.

The 29-year-old, who moved to Old Trafford on the final day of the summer transfer window for an €8 million fee, has scored just four goals in 26 Premier League appearances this season.

Falcao, who missed Sunday's final game of the campaign against Hull City through injury, would have cost beyond €50m to make the move permanent, while also commanding a weekly salary of over €300,000.

"Falcao is a top professional and a good human being. On behalf of myself and everyone at the club I would like to wish him well for the future," Louis van Gaal told the club's official website.

Falcao's last goal for United came against Leicester City on January 31.

 

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Good bye Falcao! & Good luck for the future!

Falcao giya kiyanne apita goals athare inna Top Class Striker kenek ganna wenawa kiyana 1ka thamai​

 

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Stoke City 6-1 Liverpool: Gerrard's final game ends in embarrassing defeat

6-1

 

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Arsenal 4-1 West Brom: Walcott & Wilshere help Gunners secure third place

Walcott

 

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Barclays Premier League Champions 2014/15

Chelsea

Congratz Chelsea

 

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Berlusconi: I don't want to sell my Milan

Silvio Berlusconi has admitted that he will not relinquish control of AC Milan, explaining that he is simply seeking outside investment from interested parties in order to restore the club to its former glory.

The Rossoneri are one of the traditional superpowers of world football, having won the European Cup on seven occasions, but have fallen on hard times since claiming their last Serie A title in 2011.

Berlusconi has previously confessed that he can no longer pump the same kind of money into the club that saw the best players in the game regularly arrive at San Siro from the late 1980s to the mid-noughties.

The former Italian Prime Minister had looked set to sell the Rossoneri to Thai businessman Bee Taechaubol earlier this month but that deal has now stalled, with Berlusconi revealing that he is not seeking a successor but a partner.

"I don't want to sell my Milan," the 78-year-old media tycoon told Rai Tre.
"Indeed, I'm looking for someone that wants to fund it with me in order to make the club a leader in world football again."Football has changed since the arrival of petro-dollars. Just think that Qatar puts nearly €250 million into the PSG coffers every year.

"One family alone can no longer manage to contribute in this way."Milan have endured a turbulent campaign under rookie coach Filippo Inzaghi, with the club currently 10th in the Serie A standings with just one round of the season to go.

Speculation is now rife that Berlusconi will attempt to rehire Carlo Ancelotti, who is set to part company with current employers Real Madrid this week.

Ancelotti won two Champions Leagues and one Serie A title during his previous spell as coach at the Giuseppe Meazza between 2001 and 2009.

 

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El Shaarawy: I can see the light at the end of the tunnel at AC Milan

Stephan El Shaarawy says that he can finally see the light at the end of tunnel after a torrid season at AC Milan.

The injury-plagued attacker ended a six-month goal drought by netting twice in Sunday's 3-0 win over Torino to alleviate the doom and gloom surrounding San Siro and lift a modicum of pressure on coach Filippo Inzaghi, who is expected to be sacked, with the Rossoneri set to finish 10th in the Serie A standings.

El Shaarawy admitted that he has found the 2014-15 season tough going, with the Italy international's campaign having been interrupted by a compound fracture of his fifth metatarsal in January's loss at Lazio.

However, he is now looking towards the future with renewed optimism, explaining that his injury issues over the past two seasons have made him a stronger character.

"It's the light at the end of the tunnel, at least I hope so," El Shaarawy told Sky Sport Italia after netting twice against Torino."Aside from the goals, the positive thing is feeling well physically. For me, that was a great satisfaction.

"The last two seasons have not been positive and it's awful to see the club out of Europe."Milan could have done a lot more but we wanted to finish the year well at San Siro."I've worked with great desire in these months and I must now start again from here.

"It's not easy to be out for so long, but I always went forward on my own path and, in the end, hard work always pays off.

"I've gone through difficult moments, moments in which I had to react."When you reach certain levels, if you don't have the right mindset, it's difficult to stay there.

"But my family stayed close to me and these tough experiences made me grow.
"I've lived this past year in a different way but I managed to stay away from the criticism."Now I must start over with more motivation than before."

El Shaarawy enjoyed a breakout season in 2012-13, scoring 16 times in 37 Serie A outings, but a foot problem restricted him to just six goalless appearances last season.

The current campaign has arguably been even more frustrating for the 22-year-old, who has only struck three goals in 17 games.However, he can still add to his tally, with Milan set to play their final game of the season on Sunday, at Atalanta.

 

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Crouch 'a little embarrassed' after breaking headed goals record in rout of Liverpool

Peter Crouch was proud to crown a sensational Stoke City performance against Liverpool by setting a new record for the most headed Premier League goals.

Crouch initially watched on from the bench on Sunday as Stoke capitalised on abject Liverpool defending to open up a scarcely believable 5-0 lead by half-time, through Mame Biram Diouf's brace and further goals from Jonathan Walters, Charlie Adam and Steven N'zonzi.

Steven Gerrard pulled one back on his final Liverpool appearance, before former England striker Crouch came on as a late substitute and nodded in a Diouf cross for his 47th headed Premier League goal - one more than previous record-holder Alan Shearer.

"I'm very proud and pleased to gain a new record and to some extent get it out the way this season," Crouch told Stoke City Player.

"It was amazing to come on and do it in front of the Boothen End, which I know is a very special place here [at the Britannia], and break the record.

"That's a highlight for me and hopefully there will be many more to come over the next couple of years.

"It was coming and I’m incredibly pleased to have got it, but I'm also a little embarrassed because it was all about the team performance.

"We were incredible and it was nice for me to personally break the record but it was all about our first-half performance because it was incredible.

"That performance shows how far we have come as a team since I arrived, we are really playing with flair and style, so it's a privilege to be a part of it.

"We've just beaten Liverpool Football Club 6-1 and that is absolutely incredible."

 

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Platini: Fifa's image is tarnished until Blatter goes

Fifa will lack credibility as long as Sepp Blatter remains president, according to Michel Platini.

Blatter is seeking to extend his 17-year tenure by winning a fifth term in office in the upcoming presidential elections.

Fifa has faced intense scrutiny in recent times, particularly over claims of corruption relating to the bidding process for the next two World Cups, while the organisation has been urged to do more to improve human rights conditions in 2022 host nation Qatar.

Uefa president Platini insists that he has no personal issue with Blatter but nonetheless believes that the Swiss should stand down for Fifa's sake and the good of the game.

"I have nothing against Sepp. I like him as a person and I respect him. We have had some good times together, and nothing and no one can take that away," he said in an interview with L'Equipe.

"[But] he does not have to lie. We all know that it [standing for re-election] is not because he has not finished his mission or because he still has big plans for Fifa.

"After 40 years at the head of an institution, that speech cannot be credible. No, he is simply afraid of tomorrow because he has dedicated his life to Fifa, so much so that he identifies with it completely.

"I understand the fear of that emptiness that he must have, it's natural. But if he really loves Fifa, he should have put its interests ahead of his own.

"And while he remains in place, whether he likes it or not, Fifa will lack credibility and its image will be tarnished."Michael van Praag and Luis Figo both withdrew from the presidential race last week, leaving Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein as Blatter's only remaining rival.

Platini is thus desperately hoping that the 39-year-old Jordanian remains in the running and ultimately emerges triumphant."I maintain, personally, [my support for] Prince Ali," he added. "I am convinced that Prince Ali, who I know personally, will make a great president of Fifa.

"He has all the qualities. He has been president of a national federation for 15 years, he was a member of the executive committee of his federation and vice-president of Fifa."

 

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Leicester City must aim higher next season, demands Pearson

After completing the great escape, Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson stressed the need for his side to aim higher up the Premier League table next season.

Leicester avoided the drop after winning seven of their last nine league fixtures, including Sunday's season-ending 5-1 romp at home to relegated QPR.

The Foxes collected 22 points from a possible 27 on offer following their loss to Tottenham in March and the 51-year-old said he wants to do more than just survive in 2015-16.

"I wouldn't want to be looking at avoiding relegation as being a target to aspire to," Pearson told reporters.

"The other two sides [QPR and Burnley] we came up with have been relegated so clearly it's a difficult transition to make, but I'm a big believer in setting targets that stretch people but they've also got to have a sense of realism about them."

Pearson added: "We're really going to have to make sure that we plan and develop the squad because clearly we've proved to be pretty capable for long stretches of the season.

"We've proved in the last nine games to be very effective as an outfit in terms of getting results.

"It's been a steep learning curve for everyone associated with the club and the squad itself didn't have a great deal of Premier League experience at the start of the season. They can come away with some important experiences they can draw upon."

 

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Oxlade-Chamberlain could play in FA Cup final, says Wenger

Arsene Wenger insists Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has a chance of featuring in the FA Cup final after making his comeback from injury in Arsenal's final Premier League game of the season.

Oxlade-Chamberlain had been out since March with groin and hamstring problems, but came on as a 77th-minute substitute on Sunday as Arsenal thumped West Brom 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium.

Wenger will now focus on preparing his team for Saturday's cup final against Aston Villa - and Oxlade-Chamberlain is in the manager's thoughts.

"He's not completely there to start at the full pace of a game, but he can play," said the Frenchman.

"One more week [of] preparation will help him."

Arsenal ended the Premier League season third, 12 points behind leaders Chelsea, having impressed in the second half of the season.

"Since January we haven't dropped too many points compared to our opponents, we've made progress and had players back [from injury]," reflected Wenger.

"What you need to remember is you fight with top-level teams - it's difficult.

"Liverpool [who finished sixth this term] were a point away from winning the title last season."

 

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Vermaelen pleads for patience from Barcelona fans

Thomas Vermaelen has pleaded for patience from the Barcelona fans after an injury-ruined first season at Camp Nou.

The Belgium international joined the Blaugrana from Arsenal last summer for €19 million but only made his debut on Saturday, against Deportivo, after arriving at Camp Nou with a persistent hamstring problem that required surgery in December.
Vermaelen can understand why his fitness problems have caused such frustration in Catalunya but he is optimistic about his chances of proving his worth next season.

"I had a good feeling on the pitch and I really enjoyed playing football again," the versatile defender is quoted as saying by Sport after playing 63 minutes of the 2-2 draw with Depor."I am very ambitious and I am sure we will end up achieving more success this season.

"But I only ask the fans to be patient. I understand the criticism I received, but it has been a very difficult season for me."I am convinced that next year will be much better."

Despite wrapping up their title-winning Liga campaign on Saturday, Barca's season is far from over, with Luis Enrique's treble-seekers set to take on Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final next weekend before then travelling to Berlin to meet Juventus in the Champions League decider.

 

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Manchester United can win the title next season, claims Rooney

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney believes that Louis van Gaal's men will be well in the mix to compete for the Premier League title next season.

Van Gaal arrived at Old Trafford in July and was tasked with guiding United back into the Champions League - an achievement he ticked off as they finished fourth and booked a place in the competition's qualifying rounds following Sunday's goalless draw at Hull City.

United, who introduced new signings Angel Di Maria, Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo and Daley Blind throughout the campaign, ended the season 17 points adrift of Premier League champions Chelsea but Rooney insists the gap is not so big after a slow start to the campaign.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Rooney revealed: "I believe we are [close].

"You take the first 10, 11 games and I think we had 13 points. When you consider from after that amount of games to where we've finished, we've probably got as many points after that as anyone else.

"I think we're close, there's no doubt about it. You can see in our performances, we're outplaying teams, dominating possession, and it's just that final thing of taking our chances.

"In the Chelsea game, if I had scored that with my left foot then it could have been a completely different game and might have put them under a bit of pressure - it might have been a lot closer than it’s finished.

"As a group of players, myself and the manager - we all believe we're close and I'm sure with a player or two in the summer we'll have a good chance of going for the title."

 

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Middlesbrough 0-2 Norwich City: Canaries promoted to Premier League after play-off win

Norwich City secured promotion to the Premier League with victory over Middlesbrough in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.

Both sides hit the crossbar in the early stages before Cameron Jerome opened the scoring with a finish from a tight angle.

And Nathan Redmond doubled the lead for Alex Neil's side after a fine passing move.

Aitor Karanka's team struggled to create chances as they looked to get back into the game, meaning the Canaries were able to secure promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking.

Victory for Norwich is worth a reported £120million and they will join Bournemouth and Watford in the top flight, with 33-year-old Neil having worked wonders since moving to Carrow Road from Hamilton Academical in January.

On-loan striker Patrick Bamford was passed fit to lead the line for Boro after recovering from an ankle injury as Kike dropped to the bench, while Neil named an unchanged side.

Both sides struck the woodwork in the space of a minute in a lively start, with Bradley Johnson's drive rattling the crossbar before Jelle Vossen beat John Ruddy with a thunderous drive that also came back off the bar.

Norwich were brimming with confidence as they zipped the ball around with a swagger and stunned Boro, who were late to arrive at the stadium and slow to get going, by taking a two-goal lead inside 15 minutes.

They were given a helping hand by Daniel Ayala for the opener, as the defender dithered on the ball by the byline on the right and Jerometook advantage by dispossessing him before surging into the penalty area and slotting beyond Dimi Konstantopoulos at his near post from a tight angle.

Things went from bad to worse for Boro three minutes later, when Steven Whittaker picked out Redmond in the area and the winger took a touch to take the ball away from Ben Gibson then fired a fine finish into the far corner of the net to round off a fine passing move.

Boro were rocked by those early setbacks are looked short of ideas going forward against a well drilled Norwich side, who worked tirelessly off the ball to frustrate the Teessiders.

Vossen was booked for diving in a desperate attempt to win a penalty 10 minutes into the second half as Karanka's men started to pose more of a threat.
Bamford turned sharply on the edge of the area, but Ruddy got down to keep out the Chelsea man's left-foot strike and Boro's frustration mounted as Norwich stood firm.

Redmond fired a free-kick wide 12 minutes from time, but it mattered not as the damage had already been done and Norwich emulated QPR last year by securing a Wembley win to go straight back up.

 

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Norwich City la ayeth EPL​

 

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Bayern have progressed under Guardiola - Muller

Thomas Muller is adamant that Pep Guardiola has built on the legacy of Jupp Heynckes' treble-winning Bayern Munich side of 2012-13.

Bayern beat Borussia Dortmund at Wembley to lift the Champions League and complete an unprecedented treble after success in the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal under the stewardship of Heynckes.

Since then, Bayern have continued to dominate domestically strolling to the Bundesliga titles in both seasons under Guardiola. However, success in Europe has not followed, with the Bavarian side falling at the Champions League semi-final stages to Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively, with many believing that the team has regressed since the Spaniard took over.Muller, though, who scored 13 league goals this term, insists the team have continued to improve under Guardiola.

"The team Heynckes put together that won the Champions League, as well as the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal, is one of the best Bayern sides ever" Muller told Squawka.

"He is so driven, so ambitious and so smart. When he left, whoever followed him was going to have to be very confident in themselves, because how can you top a treble like that?

"Only someone like Pep Guardiola could live up to that, and I think he has done, and he will continue to do. We all know what a great coach he is, the style he likes to play."

The attacker was quick to talk about the effect both coaches and Louis van Gaal, who he credits for helping him become a global star, have had on him as a player.
"Heynckes and Guardiola have developed me so much, they have moulded me as a player. Heynckes played me a lot, and he was a striker himself, so he had good advice for me about scoring. And how can you not learn under Pep Guardiola?
"Van Gaal also had a huge effect on my development," he added. "I am very grateful to him - he gave me great help and leadership, and he saw something in me as a forward where some others didn't."