..::Football III::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Di Maria would be a good signing for Paris Saint-Germain, says Fellaini

Marouane Fellaini claims his Manchester United team-mate Angel Di Maria would be "a good signing" for Paris Saint-Germain.

Following his €75 million arrival from Real Madrid last August, the Argentina international struggled in his debut season at Old Trafford and has been linked with a move to the French champions this summer.

Fellaini believes Di Maria would be a big hit at Parc des Princes but insists the Argentine would be better served by turning down a summer move.

"Angel Di Maria would be a good signing for PSG," Fellaini told Telefoot. "He is a world-class player.

"He was successful at Real Madrid so he could be successful anywhere. What would I do if I were him? Stay at Manchester United."

Di Maria's campaign at United was disrupted by a pelvic injury as well as an attempted break-in at his Cheshire home in January.

The 27-year-old, who was forced to relocate to a hotel after the failed burglary, scored just four goals in 32 appearances last term and was unable to force Ashley Young out of his place on United's left flank.

When asked about Di Maria's future at the start of May, Louis van Gaal insisted he wanted the winger to stay but hinted that United could be open to a deal for the Argentine.

"The manager and the club is always dependable on the opinion of the player himself. The player decides; we shall see what he decides," said the Dutchman.

"He cannot say that he has had a marvellous season here. The decision is not only to him because now we have a contract so we shall speak always with every player, evaluation, as I always do. Then we speak with each other about the future and that is with every player.

"I am pleased with his attitude, so that is not a problem. I think Di Maria shall stay and he is working very hard."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Di Maria would be a good signing for Paris Saint-Germain, says Fellaini

Di Maria sell karanne naha​

 

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Klopp thanks Dortmund for avoiding 'cheesy ending'

Jurgen Klopp says he will take the outpouring of support he has received from Borussia Dortmund with him forever after bidding an emotional farewell to the Bundesliga club.

Klopp was unable to guide Dortmund to glory in the DFB-Pokal in his final game in charge as they suffered a 3-1 defeat to Wolfsburg at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on Saturday.

In his seven seasons with Dortmund, Klopp won the Bundesliga twice, the Pokal once and reached the Champions League final in 2013, only to lose 2-1 to Bayern Munich.Klopp said his final goodbyes to Dortmund in the early hours of Sunday, at an end-of-season party that followed the loss to Wolfsburg.

Having snapped at a reporter following the defeat, the 47-year-old was more tearful as he thanked his players for avoiding "a cheesy ending" to his time with the club.

"I can't express what is going through my head right now. Over the course of the last seven years an incredible amount has happened, I've learnt so much, it has just been so emotional, special.

"We'll take that with us for the rest of our lives. I will always be thankful to you for that. It's been crazy what we've experienced together.

"People told me that if we'd won the DFB-Pokal this season, it would've been a bit of a cheesy ending. Perhaps a bit too American... I'm happy that we're all so realistic. It's better that way.

"I put my arm around each of the lads, one after another, and hugged them goodbye. Hard. Honestly. Really hard. But it's not so important what people think of you when you arrive. It's extremely important what people think of you once you're gone.

"I'd like to thank you for the thoughts you've expressed tonight. We'll take that with us, carry it around with us wherever we end up in this world. It's not something we'll ever forget."

 

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Carrick: Finishing fourth 'not that great' for Manchester United

Michael Carrick says Manchester United must not settle for a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League again next season.

In Louis van Gaal's first campaign in charge at Old Trafford, United bounced back from a disappointing seventh-placed finish under David Moyes, which cost the Scot his job less than a year after replacing Alex Ferguson.

United now face a Champions League playoff tie to enter the group stages of the competition, but Carrick believes the club should always be challenging for the title and qualifying automatically.

"It's an achievement but, listen, it's not that great," he said in an interview for the club's end-of-season review DVD.

"Finishing seventh was a real blip and it was a one-off. This club belongs in the Champions League and we can't get too carried away with making it because we should be there anyway.

"We're certainly satisfied in some ways because of last season [the 2013-14 campaign], but next season we want to look up and not be settling for fourth."

United are set to learn their Champions League playoff opponents on August 7, with the first leg taking place in the week commencing August 17.

 

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Mourinho: Chelsea not playing Sydney FC 'for fun'

Jose Mourinho has promised to play a full-strength Chelsea side against Sydney FC on Tuesday, and feels they have a responsibility to win for their huge legion of fans.

The Premier League champions kicked off their post-season Asia tour with a 1-0 win over Thai All-Stars on Saturday, courtesy of a goal from young striker Dominic Solanke.

But Mourinho insists he will deploy his best attacking talent at Sydney's ANZ Stadium, including Diego Costa and Eden Hazard.

"When the opponent has the ball you have to park the bus all the time, if you don't concede goals you have more chances to win," the Chelsea boss told reporters.

"I can give already to the coach Arnold [my team]. The front three I will play will be [Loic] Remy, Diego Costa and [Eden] Hazard.

"If we park the bus with these three [in attack] I'm sure we will be ok."

The Blues arrived to a huge reception at Sydney Airport on Sunday, just hours after beating a Thai All-Stars XI in Bangkok.

And Mourinho insists they will not lose focus ahead of their showpiece fixture against a Sydney FC outfit that were narrowly beaten by Tottenham on Saturday.

"What I've seen the few times I've watched matches in the Australian league, there's always a good atmosphere, nice stadiums and people very enthusiastic, the game very enthusiastic too," the Portuguese added.

"We want a very good match. We feel always responsibility. You cannot lose, you cannot just play for fun, you have to go for a result.

"We are still celebrating [the league title], yes; we are already thinking about next season, yes; but Tuesday is our last game of the season as a club.

"We want to compete, we want to try and give a good show.

"It's very important for us as a club, it's been a very long time since Chelsea has been here and to come just a week after we are champions is even a bigger responsibility for us."

Asked what he knew of the A-League and Sydney FC, Chelsea skipper John Terry continued: "We've watched little bits, a couple of players have come this way from the UK as well.

"We'll watch the game they played against Spurs as well to get a better feel. We know the standard will be very good and it will be tough in front of a very hostile crowd as well, supporting both sides we hope.

"We had Schwarzy [ex-Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer] there who told us about it every day.

"When you do see it and look at the stadiums and the fans they are real passionate, very much like the English supporters."

 

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Dani Alves staying at Barca, not joining PSG - Blanc

Dani Alves will not be leaving Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season, according to Laurent Blanc.The right-back, 32, has been heavily linked with a switch from Camp Nou to Parc des Princes all season long due to his contract expiring on June 30.

Just last week Alves appeared to suggest he would not be staying with the Catalans by saying he had “both his feet and his head of out of the club” due to “disrespect” from board members.

But PSG coach Blanc does not think the long-mooted transfer of the Brazil international will happen as he thinks the player is engaged in a staring contest with his current club."Daniel Alves will not come to PSG," he told BeIN Sports. "I do not think so anyway. He is out of contract but his intention is to extend with Barca.

"It is a game he is playing with his club, he's awaiting their proposal. It's nice for the press to have something to talk about, but there has been no contact that I know of."

The former France boss also discussed the club's interest in Juventus' Paul Pogba, whom they are believed to have had a bid accepted for, though he is aware other clubs are desperately trying to lure the midfielder from Turin.

"I am among those who think that Pogba is the perfect recruit for PSG," Blanc continued. "He interests us but we are not the only ones interested and he will not be free.

"Many teams wants him, though maybe he will stay at Juventus. He has many options right now, it's good for him and his agent. And if Juve sell him it would also be good for them financially."

Irrespective of whether Blanc can convince Pogba or Alves to join France's first-ever domestic treble winners this summer, the coach says the upcoming transfer window will see plenty of fresh blood brought in and plenty of familiar faces leaving PSG.

"There will be arrivals and departures," he added. "When you win, you must regenerate the squad."The president wants to do it - he is right and I agree with him. We hope to regenerate in a consistent manner.

"There will be an open door for departures, too. We must be careful with the speed of how we regenerate, especially with the Financial Fair Play regulations, which can be quite heavy."

PSG's 1-0 triumph over Auxerre on Saturday added the Coupe de France trophy to the Ligue 1 and Coupe de la Ligue titles they had already secured in 2014-15.

 

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Gerrard a dream to play with, says Sturridge

Daniel Sturridge says that departing Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is "a dream to play with" and has suggested that the midfielder played a key role in advancing the careers of a number of his former team-mates.

Former England captain Gerrard is set to join MLS side LA Galaxy this summer, bringing to an end a 17-year association with the Reds.

And Sturridge has now hailed the 35-year-old, insisting that the former England captain has a remarkably positive influence on the strikers he plays with, including the likes of Michael Owen and Luis Suarez.

"I think for a striker he's a dream to play with because you're always going to get chances, you're always going to score and the players that have been here have reaped the rewards of playing with him as well," Sturridge told Liverpool's website.

"If you look at Michael Owen and Fernando Torres, Luis Suarez - all their careers have elevated from playing with Stevie, just as they've helped him, but I think as strikers you need players who give you the ball in the right areas.

"If you ask a lot of players around the world who they would've liked to have played with, a lot of them would say Stevie because of the pinpoint passing accuracy he has, as well as getting stuck in and spraying balls 40 yards - as the song sung by Liverpool fans says.

"He's a great player, one of the legends. I think he's the best that Liverpool have ever had, in my opinion."

Gerrard scored 186 goals in 710 appearances for Liverpool, and Sturridge believes the midfielder has an unmistakeable "aura" about him.

The forward added: "I'd probably say a lot of players think he's the best they've ever played against and the best they've played with, and there's always a fear factor around him regardless what position he's playing, regardless of how many minutes he's played.

"He's got an aura around him, he's got that thing not everyone has. Not everyone has a fear factor but he's got a fear factor and he's still got it to this day because of all he's achieved and what he still does now as well."

 

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'No one believed we could do it' - Nani revels in Sporting cup final comeback

Nani expressed his joy at Sporting lifting the Taca de Portugal in dramatic style by beating Braga despite playing most of the match a man down and having been 2-0 down until the 84th minute.

Eder put Braga ahead after 16 minutes from the penalty spot, with the preceding foul seeing Cedric sent off, before Rafa Silva doubled the lead shortly afterwards to make it seem a certainty that Sergio Conceicao's men would lift the club's first Taca since 1966.

However, Algeria forward Islam Slimani pulled a goal back with six minutes left on the clock and Fredy Montero levelled in the third minute of stoppage-time to give Sporting a fighting chance at their first piece of silverware since 2008.

Braga were also reduced to 10 men when Mauro was sent off in extra-time but no further goals were scored, leaving Sporting to wrap up the topsy-turvy triumph with a 3-1 penalty shootout win.

Nani, playing his final match for the club before the end of his loan from Manchester United, stressed the comeback was no fluke as the players strived throughout the 120 minutes to claim the positive result.

“Winning like this makes victory taste so much sweeter,” he told RTP. “It is a unique feeling. It was a great game to watch, we were a man down from practically the start… No one believed we could do it.

“But we are united and always believed that we could get back into the game to get a result. Football is like this – in two minutes the game can turn.“Therefore you can't lower your head. You fight until the final minute.”

Contrastingly, Braga boss Conceicao conceded the way they were beaten in the final left a “bitter taste” especially as he does not think Sporting earned their 16th Taca de Portugal at all.“It is sad to lose the way we did,” he said. “Two errors resulted in the two goals we conceded, but we were superior for the rest of the match.

“We could have gotten a third goal and that would have given us such peace of mind. Alas, this defeat leaves a bitter taste in our mouths. The players were tireless in their efforts.”

Braga had only won the competition once in their history (1965-66), with their only other major trophy being lifted two years ago when they triumphed in the Taca da Liga.

Sporting, on the other hand, now go level with Porto with 16 victories in Portugal's main cup competition, nine behind Benfica's record of 25 triumphs.

 

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Inter 4-3 Empoli: Seven second-half goals see Nerazzurri finish with a flurry

Inter rounded out a disappointing season with an entertaining 4-3 win over Empoli at San Siro, leaving them without European football in 2015-16.

Mauro Icardi struck twice for the hosts and laid on the opener for Rodrigo Palacio, while Marcelo Brozovic grabbed the other in a game that saw all seven goals scored in the second half.

Levan Mchedlidze and Manuel Pucciarelli had pulled Empoli back to 2-2, before the former netted a late consolation for the visitors.

The result sees Inter climb one place to eighth, but fails to disguise the disappointment of a season in which they failed to qualify for Europe for the second time in three seasons.Empoli, meanwhile, end the season in 15th.

Inter were the only side who threatened to break the deadlock in the first 45 minutes, though they found Davide Bassi in the visiting goal in excellent form.Yuto Nagatomo was the first to test him in the sixth minute, a left-footed drive from the edge of the box needing to be tipped over the bar.

Bassi had to be sharp to deny both Palacio and Icardi in quick succession, while the former tested him again with a low drive as the hosts built up a head of steam before the break.They continued to dominate at the start of the second half, leading to them scoring twice in the space of four minutes.

Bassi for once could do nothing to save his side when Icardi advanced towards him, the striker squaring the ball back inside for Palacio to slide in and poke the ball into an unguarded net.

Icardi's unselfishness was rewarded when he was played through again by Mateo Kovacic soon after. This time he had no need to look for a team-mate, instead curling home.

However, Empoli have been the draw specialists on their travels this season - 10 of their away fixtures have finished level - and they responded with a quick-fire brace of their own.

Mchedlidze halved the deficit by heading home a deflected cross from the left, then Pucciarelli made it 2-2 by shooting low beyond Samir Handanovic.

Both sides had glorious chances to move ahead as the game became increasingly open, Icardi missing the best of them when he somehow failed to find an open target from five yards out.

Brozovic did not make the same mistake in the 70th minute when the ball broke kindly to him in the area, his low, left-footed shot speeding past Bassi into the bottom corner.

Inter opened up a two-goal lead for a second time when Icardi struck again, before Mchedlidze matched the Argentine's efforts by grabbing a second in the closing minutes, his sweetly-struck shot from the edge of the box leaving Handanovic rooted to the spot.

In the end, though, it was no more than a late consolation for the visitors.

 

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Napoli 2-4 Lazio: Klose seals visitors' Champions League berth in rollercoaster thriller

Lazio survived a stirring Napoli comeback to win 4-2 at the San Paolo and claim a place in next season’s Champions League playoff round thanks to their third place finish in Serie A.

The Romans worked effectively on the counterattack in the opening period, when strikes from Marco Parolo and Antonio Candreva gave them an apparently decisive lead.

But Gonzalo Higuain’s tap in shortly after the break dramatically altered the course of the fixture. After Parolo was dismissed for a second booking, the ex-Real Madrid forward finished clinically once more.

The drama was not done as the Argentine missed a penalty after Faouzi Ghoulam’s red card ensured both teams would finish with 10, and with five minutes left substitute Ogenyi Onazi pinched all three points for the guests. In stoppage-time Miroslav Klose headed a fourth.

Napoli, being led for Rafael Benitez for the final time, came into this match aware they needed a victory to leapfrog their opponents into third, but though they dominated possession and territory they were largely lacking in menace.

The home side did fashion one glorious opportunity when smart combination play from Marek Hamsik and Dries Mertens saw Jose Callejon enjoy the freedom of the Lazio box. However, the Spaniard dallied to check he was onside and dragged the chance wide.

Parolo’s thumping long-range shot gave Lazio the lead, though it took the aid of a slight deflection and some questionable goalkeeping from Mariano Andujar to do so.

Shortly before the break, the home side were caught open after a Kalidou Koulibaly pass was intercepted by Senad Lulic. The Bosman released Candreva, who finished where Callejon had failed earlier at the other end.

The second half started amidst a subdued atmosphere and it was only when Higuain showed his predatory skills by tapping home a Callejon cross that the match was truly ignited.

Napoli enjoyed a barnstorming period in which Mertens had a shot spectacularly cleared from the line by Stefan de Vrij and Callejon saw Federico Marchetti beat away his powerful effort.

Once Parolo was dismissed, the resistance of the guests was broken again when Higuain wrestled a shot inside the near post after bright work down the left from Koulibaly and Mertens.

At that point the momentum in favour of the home side seemed irresistible, yet it was checked when Faouzi Ghoulam was sent off for seeing yellow for a second time.

Benitez’s side continued to push forward and were awarded a penalty when Lulic was adjudged to have felled Christian Maggio. Higuain, however, clattered the resultant spot kick hopelessly high.

Lazio barely had a sniff in the second period, yet substitute Onazi scored literally seconds after coming on before Klose headed a fourth in stoppage-time to ensure there was no fairy tale ending for the apparently Real Madrid-bound Benitez.

 

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Mancini: At least Inter are a team now

Roberto Mancini believes his Inter side are finally beginning to gel as a team despite missing out on a Europa League spot.

A double from Mauro Icardi helped the home side to a thrilling 4-3 win over Empoli at San Siro on Sunday but Sampdoria's draw with Parma means they cling on to the final European place - assuming Genoa are ultimately declined their Uefa licence.

Mancini was frustrated to have failed to breach Serie A's top six but was at least content to provide an entertaining spectacle.

"It didn't matter much, but at least we were able to play a game which was entertaining for people," he told Radio Rai.

"We're working. The results, unfortunately, were negative but at least the team has become a team. We can definitely work in pre-season and improve a lot."

Icardi and Luca Toni finished the campaign as joint-top scorers on 22 each - though the Argentine reached his tally from two fewer appearances - and Mancini paid tribute to both forwards.

"Toni and Icardi have scored the same goals. Luca is 38 but he has the enthusiasm of a kid and you can't score all those goals without that. Icardi was as good as him," he said.

Rodrigo Palacio, meanwhile, is confident a good pre-season and strong showing in the transfer window can set up a much better campaign in 2015-16.

"It's a shame not to have reached the Europa League, but we scrapped until the end," he said.

"Now our aim must be to learn as much as we can from Mancini for next season. We also hope that we can get strong players, who can help us improve.

"We made every effort to help Icardi score, so he and Toni could be top scorers."

 

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Garcia: Losing hurts but Champions League spot is in the bag

Rudi Garcia is not concerned with Roma being beaten 2-1 by Palermo on Sunday as Champions League qualification had already been secured.

Francesco Totti earned his 299th goal for the Giallorossi with a wonderful chipped finish to cancel out Franco Vazquez's opener, but a stoppage-time strike from Andrea Belotti condemned the hosts to a disheartening loss on the final day of the campaign.

Totti finishes the term as the club's top scorer with 10 goals in all competitions, a statistic which would have seemed bizarre if known at the start of the season given Roma's bright start.Garcia, however, has looked past 2015's stuttering form and believes a spot in Europe's top club competition was always the main aim for Roma, who finish second in Serie A.

"We played to a high standard this season, the Champions League was our goal," the coach told Radio Rai. "I hate losing, but I wanted to let the fringe players get some playing time tonight."We were less precise than usual and we suffered a bit in terms of pace, but that's normal with players who aren't on the pitch every week.

"Regardless, we wanted Champions League football and we have that to look forward to."

 

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'Higuain's penalty miss a real shame'

Gonzalo Higuain's penalty miss was "a real shame" but Napoli are too often found wanting in key matches, according to former midfielder Massimo Mauro.

Rafael Benitez's side, needing to win to qualify for the Champions League, found themselves 2-0 down at home to Lazio on Sunday before Higuain's double dragged them back level.

However, the Argentine striker then blazed over a crucial spot kick before two late goals sealed a 4-2 victory for Stefano Pioli's side and condemn Napoli to a fifth-placed finish in Serie A.

"Lazio were extraordinary in the first half, then collapsed. Napoli came back brilliantly but seem to suffer in the important moments," Mauro, who spent four years at the San Paolo, told Sky.

"Higuain is an important striker but that penalty miss was a real shame."

Napoli themselves declined to speak to the media immediately following the match amid reported threats of violence from their own supporters.

 

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'Lacazette to Liverpool rumours are trash'

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has laughed off Liverpool’s chances of signing Alexandre Lacazette by highlighting their failure to secure a place in next season’s Champions League.

The 24-year-old ended up as the top scorer in Ligue 1 with 27 goals this season, while Goal understands that Liverpool, along with Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Arsenal monitored the France international throughout the campaign.

On Sunday, reports in France claimed Lacazette is Liverpool’s priority target this summer but Aulas insists Brendan Rodgers’ side are not in the running for the striker.

"The latest rumours are trash," the Lyon president wrote on his official Twitter account. "Liverpool have never called Lyon about Lacazette and without playing in the Champions League they have neither the money nor being able to interest him."

Aulas has already attempted to dissuade interested clubs by suggesting he would not sell Lacazette for anything less than €50 million.

Meanwhile, another forward with whom Liverpool have been linked is Danny Ings, who is out of contract with Burnley at the end of June, while it is reported that a free transfer move for James Milner has stalled due to Manchester City trying to keep hold of the midfielder.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

ow machan eka thami J.Martinez ganna try karanawa .eth dan 28k ne...
thawa season 2k3k wage hodata perform karai.lacazette gaththa nam patta
habai striker kenek gaththe naththam thwa winger kenek gani

Ow bro Arsenal lata Striker kenek ganna 1kanam kokatath hodai broHabai Lacazette ta competition 1kak yai PSG lath 1kka....agolloth try karana seen 1kak thiyennebut oya 2nnagen 1kkenk ganna puluwan wei kiyala hithenawa bro

J.Martinez & Lacazette pattaWingers lagen nam kawa ganida danne naha neda bro.mage idea 1ka hatiyatanam welawe hatiyata godakma ona karanne Striker kenek bro Arsenal lata​

 

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'Watch Barcelona and learn how to win finals' - Stoichkov mocks Madrid

Former Barcelona striker Hristo Stoichkov says Real Madrid should watch the Champions League final and learn a few lessons from their fierce rivals.

Barca added the Copa del Rey to their La Liga triumph on Saturday with a 3-1 win over Athletic Bilbao, leaving them on course for the treble ahead of Saturday's meeting with Juventus.

"Watch and learn how to win a final. Long live Barca and long live Catalunya. And don’t forget to be in front of the TV on June 6,” read the tweet that included a photoshopped image of the Real Madrid team crouching in front of a television set.
Stoichkov, who won five Spanish titles and a Champions League during his time at Camp Nou, has made a habit of taunting Madrid.

In March he said Real Madrid should sell “Messi-obsessed” Cristiano Ronaldo, while earlier this month he suggested the club "stick to basketball”.

 

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We'll see what happens with my future - De Gea

Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea fuelled speculation he could join Real Madrid this summer after saying he "will see what happens" when quizzed over his future.

The 24-year-old is a transfer priority for Liga giants Madrid, with the Spanish club seeing De Gea as the long-term replacement for Iker Casillas at the Bernabeu.

As revealed by Goal, Keylor Navas has emerged as possible makeweight in any potential deal for De Gea but the Spaniard, who was named adopted son of Castilla-La Mancha at a ceremony in Spain on Sunday, remains silent over a possible Old Trafford exit.

He said, as quoted by AS: "We'll see what happens with my future… I'm on vacation now and very happy with this recognition [being named adopted son of Castilla-La Mancha]."

United boss Louis van Gaal discussed De Gea's future on the final day of the Premier League season, urging his No.1 goalkeeper to make up his mind as he looks to step up the club's summer transfer plans.

He told reporters: "I cannot say when it [De Gea's future] will be resolved. He has to say something."

Goal revealed on Saturday that Madrid are set for a summer stand-off with Casillas, meanwhile, with the veteran keeper refusing to leave the club amid the speculation around De Gea in a bid to ensure he receives a €14 million pay-off.

 

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We'll see what happens with my future - De Gea

Please stay with us De Gea​

 

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Van Basten: Barcelona would win the World Cup

“The world’s best players are all coming to Europe,” says Marco Van Basten. “Look at the great names in the semi-finals of the Champions League this season.

“For quality and excitement the Champions League is better than the World Cup. If Barcelona could enter, they would win. It has been this way for many years.”

Van Basten should know. He won the Ballon d’Or three times at the height of his career, and is regarded as one of the all-time great goalscorers.

In successive seasons, Van Basten was a Euro 88 winner with Holland and a European Cup winner with the great AC Milan team of Gullit, Rijkaard, Baresi, Donadoni and Maldini in 1989 and 1990 – the last time any club were champions of Europe two seasons running.

“The football in the Champions League has been very nice for a long time – a lot of goals, a lot of teams trying to attack, some spectacular games. It started about 10 years ago with Barcelona, and it’s a very good development for football.”

But top club sides have been better than international teams for many years, says Van Basten, who will be in Berlin for Saturday’s final between Barcelona and Juventus as an ambassador for Nissan.

“That Milan team, we had the best Italian defenders, the best Dutch strikers and a balanced midfield – we were better than the Dutch national team and better than the German team that won the 1990 World Cup,” he adds.

“Sometimes you have an exceptional international team, such as Spain in 2010, but club football is better.”

One common link between Spain’s side, who won the World Cup and two European Championships, and the Barcelona team who have raised club football standards over a decade is the midfield pairing of Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

That partnership will be broken up after Saturday’s final when Xavi, 35, is due to make his farewell appearance for Barcelona before moving to Qatar.

“Xavi is a wonderful player, one of the most important in the last 15 years,” Van Basten told Goal. “He is very clever and makes a lot of important moments for the team.

“Over the years, Xavi and Iniesta have given the team great balance. They make opportunities, play good football – they are the most important players. They are not the same – Xavi is more the man of passing and Iniesta can dribble more – but they have great vision, they are important to the defence and the attack. They are the brains of the team.

“Xavi has won the Champions League three times, the European Championship twice and the World Cup. He’s a real football player, a man who focuses on his football, hard work and training instead of the glamour, and that is why he has stayed at such a high level for so long. If a club has really hard-working players like Xavi, Iniesta and Sergio Busquets, they can stay at a very high level for six, eight or 10 years and that is what Barcelona are doing now.”

Van Basten is sure Barcelona will be contenders again next year, and he hopes to see Bayern Munich free of the injury problems that befell them in recent months.

“It was a pity Bayern had those injuries - no Arjen Robben, no Franck Ribery and no David Alaba. A strong Bayern team would make it much more interesting. Next season they will be there again, and I expect the challenge to come from this year’s semi-finalists plus Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United. It will be good to see Robin van Persie back in the Champions League.”

 

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Muller: I'll be with Bayern until the end

Thomas Muller has spoken of his desire to spend the rest of his career with Bayern Munich.Muller has been linked with a move to Manchester United, where he would be reunited with former Bayern boss Louis van Gaal.

The Germany forward was involved in a touchline spat with Pep Guardiola, Bayern's current coach, during a Champions League loss to Barcelona earlier this month.

However, Muller - who joined the Bayern youth set-up in 2000 - seems to have no desire for a transfer.

He posted a picture on social media website Instagram chronicling his development at Bayern from his days as a youth player to the present day, with the caption: "I was born here. I grew up here. I'll end here."