..::Football III::..

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Sevilla can beat Real Madrid and Barcelona - Konoplyanka

Barcelona next season and launching a surprise title bid.

The winger turned down a host of offers from across Europe to sign for the Europa League holders earlier this summer after leaving Dnipro on a free transfer and has set his sights high ahead of the new campaign.

"There were many offers this summer but I was excited by Sevilla," he told reporters. "I like the style of play and the coach."The next title will not be the Europa League but the Champions League. I think Sevilla can beat Real Madrid and Barcelona next season."

Konoplyanka also revealed why he opted to join a club in La Liga rather than accept an offer from the Premier League."The Premier League is interesting but Spain is stronger and clubs here always reach the final of European competitions.

"It is the strongest and most competitive league."

 

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Messi is the Pele of this generation - Belletti

Juliano Belletti has says his former Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi is the "Pele of this generation".

The 28-year-old returned to his best form in the second half of last season to inspire the Catalans to the treble but was criticised back in Argentina following the Albiceleste's Copa America final defeat.

Belletti, who won two La Ligas and one Champions League with Messi at Camp Nou, believes he is unrivalled in the modern era and does not deserve the jeers in his homeland.

"Messi is the Pele of this generation," he told Sport."I do not understand the criticism of him in his own country. You cannot criticise a player like Messi.

"But it also happened to Ronaldinho in Brazil."Belletti also leapt to the defence of fellow Brazilian Neymar, who was sent off in this summer's Copa America during the group stage and subsequently missed the rest of the tournament.

"He's young. People think he's older than he is. He still has time to mature.
"He should rest well and have a good holiday because he deserves it."

 

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Atletico Madrid sign Savic

Atletico Madrid have confirmed the signing of Fiorentina defender Stefan Savic on a five-year deal.The former Manchester City player passed a medical on Monday and is likely to be a direct replacement for Miranda, who joined Inter earlier this summer.

A statement on the club's official website from sporting director Jose Luiz Caminero said: "We are very satisfied with the agreement reached with Fiorentina because Stefan is a player with a great future ahead of him."He's fast and strong defensively and has experience despite his youth after playing in Serbia, England and Italy. I am convinced that he will bring a lot."

The 24-year-old began his career at BSK Borca, before moving on to Partizan, City and Fiorentina in 2012.

 

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Ings: First Liverpool goal a massive moment

Liverpool striker Danny Ings has described his first goal for the club as a "massive moment" after netting in Monday's 2-0 friendly win over Adelaide United.

The striker joined Liverpool on a free transfer upon the expiry of his contract at Burnley earlier this month and opened his account after rounding the goalkeeper and slotting home two minutes from time.The 23-year-old has revealed his relief at getting off the mark for the Reds and hopes it is the first of many.

"It was a massive moment for me because moving to a new club it can take a little while to settle in," he told the club's official website."I felt in previous games I've been lashing at a couple of chances but I thought I took that goal well.

"When you come to a club like Liverpool, the sheer size of it, it's a big deal. I'm just delighted that I've got my first goal now and hopefully I can build on that and get many more."

Ings is itching for the new season to get started and is desperate to play his part in helping Liverpool achieve their aims this term."On a personal level, hopefully I can get as much football as I can, score as many goals for the team as I can and be successful as a team," he added.

"It's not an individual game, it's a team game and I think with the players we've got and the staff we've got we can go a long way."

 

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Bartomeu officially unveiled as Barcelona president

Josep Bartomeu was officially unveiled as Barcelona president on Monday after winning the club's election over the weekend.

Bartomeu received 54.63 per cent of the votes ahead of second placed Joan Laporta, meaning he will be in charge for the next six years.

The inauguration took place at the Palco President Sunol Camp Nou, with the 52-year-old accompanied by his entire team.

Jordi Calsamiglia, Enrique Tombas, Maria Teixidor, Emili Rousaud, Oriol Tomàs and Xavier Vilajoana have been confirmed as new additions to the club's board.

 

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Rooney: Van Gaal sees me as Man Utd's lone striker

Wayne Rooney says Louis van Gaal is planning to play him as Manchester United's lone striker next season.

United have signed Matteo Darmian, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay this summer, but are yet to replace strikers Falcao or Rovin van Persie, who have departed for Chelsea and Fenerbahce respectively.

Rooney's role in Van Gaal's starting XI was a subject of debate last season as the 29-year-old dropped into a deeper role in midfield at times, but the club captain says he and the Dutchman agree he should be deployed as the main striker during the 2015-16 campaign.

“My best position, and I have always said it, is as a striker, getting into the box,” Rooney told the Daily Telegraph. “And the two seasons I have really done that as a lone striker have been my two best goalscoring seasons. It is where the manager and myself see my best position.

“Hopefully I can get a good run of games and repay the manager and score goals for the team, but it is obviously on me to do that.

"I have no doubts that I can score 20 goals or more again and I am ready to take on that mantle and be the one who gets the goals for this team.

"If I play up there again this season, then I can get the goals. It is where I like and it is where I will play.”

The England international has also set himself a target for goals next season as he attempts to make the club title challengers again.

He added: “I have played different roles over the years for United, but you only have to look when I play for England as a striker, I score goals.”

“I hope to score 20 or more goals again this season. If I am playing as a striker, I will be disappointed if I cannot that do that. The last time I really played the full season as a striker was 2011-12. All the other seasons, I have been up front, then in midfield or out wide, so hopefully if I will stay up front. But I don’t think I have sacrificed myself too much over the years."

 

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Van Gaal refuses to rule out Ramos arrival

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has refused to rule out the potential signing of Real Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos.

The Spain international has been linked with a summer switch to Old Trafford, with Valencia defender Nicolas Otamendi also on the club's shortlist.

And with Van Gaal having claimed that he is looking to sign at least two more players, the Dutchman has now suggested that Ramos could be part of his transfer window "process".

He told reporters: "I cannot talk about these rumours. I have said in a lot of press conferences that it's a process. Maybe Mr. Ramos is in the process - you never know."

Van Gaal also commented on Wayne Rooney's performances as captain, with the England striker having been given the armband following the former Bayern Munich coach's appointment last season.

He said: "I could not expect more. I think he's a great captain - better than I expected. He's fully accepted by the players and that's also very important. I can choose but the players decide. That's my philosophy.

"The players have to accept the captains and the first captain is Wayne Rooney and the second captain is Michael Carrick."

 

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Ramos gana bala bala inne nathuwa Otamendi wa ganna thiyenne.​

 

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Mertens: I'm not leaving Napoli

Dries Mertens says he has no plans to leave Napoli amid reports linking the Belgium international with a move away.

Inter are believed to be interested in signing the winger, while Schalke were linked in January after Mertens struggled to hold down a regular starting spot under Rafael Benitez last season.

Benitez has since left for Real Madrid, replaced by Maurizio Sarri for the upcoming Serie A campaign, and Mertens has now said he wants to see out his contract through to 2018."I'm not leaving Napoli, we're working to finish as high as possible," the 28-year-old told SportMediaset.

"I have three more years on my contract, I'm not moving on. I love playing for this team, the fans want me to play for Napoli."We're learning a different style than we used in the last two years, it's the little things that make the difference. We're here to work."

Mertens made 31 appearances and scored six goals as Napoli finished fifth in 2014-15.

 

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De Gea to miss San Jose Earthquakes clash

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has revealed that David De Gea will miss the club's friendly clash with San Jose Earthquakes on Tuesday because of injury.

De Gea, who has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid this summer, did not play in the recent 1-0 victory over Club America and will again be missing when United go up against the MLS side, with Sam Johnstone set to start in goal.

The Spaniard will be joined on the sidelines by Antonio Valencia, with Van Gaal confirming that the pair have visited hospital in recent days.

"They are minor injuries so they have visited the hospital this morning," he told reporters.

"It is confirmed they cannot play against San Jose, I think, but I think we have to wait."

Madrid coach Rafael Benitez, meanwhile, has remained tight-lipped on the club's pursuit of De Gea, insisting that the Spain international goalkeeper is "not our player at the moment".

 

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Ter Stegen: I don't like Real Madrid

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has admitted that he does not have much love for the club's arch-rivals Real Madrid.

Both sides have endured a bitter relationship in recent years and club icons such as Xavi and Iker Casillas - who both left their boyhood teams this summer - were frequently forced to ease tensions between players.The situation has significantly improved since the departure of Jose Mourinho from Madrid in 2013, yet Ter Stegen has made it clear that neither side can see eye-to-eye quite yet.

"I don't really like Real Madrid," the Germany international told reporters.Ter Stegen went on to stress that he does enjoy the rivalry with fellow Catalan side Espanyol, however.

"We have a big rivalry with Espanyol, because we are from the same city," he said.
"But there is a lot of respect between us. Those derby games are always very intense."

The 23-year-old enjoyed a hugely successful debut season at Barcelona following his transfer from Borussia Monchengladbach and hopes to repeat that treble success in 2015-16.

"We want to repeat last season's success."We will fight for it, although we all realise it will not be easy."

 

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Casemiro: Real Madrid return a dream

Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro has voiced his delight with his return to the Santiago Bernabeu after one year at Porto.The 23-year-old joined Madrid from Sao Paulo in January 2013 but initially struggled to make an impact in the Spanish capital.

He was therefore sent out on loan to Porto last season in order to gain valuable first-team experience and impressed with a string of fine performances, particularly in the Champions League.

Porto consequently opted to exercise their option to make the deal permanent, only for Madrid to make use of their buy-back clause in return, and Casemiro now wants success in Spain.

"I'm living another dream and it feels like I've returned home. I was gone for a year but I was always thinking about being at Real Madrid. I'm really excited about triumphing here," the Brazil international told AS.

"It was an extremely important year in my life. Porto helped me quite a bit but I worked really hard, with lots of enthusiasm and humility and with my mind always focused on returning to Real Madrid. It was a fantastic year on a personal level."
Casemiro went on to praise new Madrid coach Rafa Benitez and is determined to win trophies in 2015-16.

"Benitez is a coach with high expectations of his players, he demands a lot and I like that. He knows how to communicate with his players and he is intelligent.

"Our mentality is geared towards winning silverware. I aim to work hard and do my best to try to win with Real Madrid, which is my dream. I've returned home."

 

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Juventus must sign Gotze, says Trapattoni

Former Juventus coach Giovanni Trapattoni has urged the Serie A champions to make a move for Bayern Munich attacker Mario Gotze.

The Bianconeri are keen to sign a creative midfielder ahead of the 2015-16 campaign and Gotze is one of the names on their wish list, with Schalke star Julian Draxler also being targeted.

Gotze stated at the weekend that he would be open to a move abroad in the future, but insisted there is no truth in rumours suggesting he is on his way to Turin.

Trapattoni feels the 23-year-old would be a fine addition, though, and has advised his former team to try everything within their power to lure Gotze away from the Allianz Arena."Juventus should sign Gotze, because he can play in a number of positions," Trapattoni was quoted as saying by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"He can feature as a No10, but can also start from the wing, then cut inside and go for goal himself."Nevertheless, the 76-year-old also had a word of warning ahead of a potential move, stressing that Gotze might need some time to adapt to a different league.

"We should also remember that the Bundesliga is not a tactically difficult league like Serie A is...," he added.

Gotze joined Bayern from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2013 but has so far been unable to become an undisputed starter under Pep Guardiola.
The Germany international has a contract with Bayern until June 2017.

 

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Official: Newcastle sign Mitrovic

Newcastle United have completed the signing of striker Aleksandar Mitrovic from Anderlecht, with the Serbian signing a five-year deal.

The 20-year-old joins for an undisclosed fee which ranks as the fourth biggest in the Magpies' history, and becomes the club's second major summer signing after the capture of Georgino Wijnaldum.

"I am so happy to have signed for Newcastle," Mitrovic, whose arrival is still subject to receiving the appropriate visa, told the club's official website.

"I visited the stadium and it is amazing. I have played in a lot of impressive stadiums in my career but St. James' Park is so big, I can't wait to play my first game here.

"I know how passionate the fans are. This is a club with a very big history and the fans are a big part of that. There will be pressure here, for sure, but I like pressure.

"I also know about the famous players who have played for Newcastle United, like Alan Shearer, who is a hero of mine. I hope I can play like him for this club. It will be an honour."

Head coach Steve McClaren hailed the signing, adding: "This is a fantastic signing for us. We have fought off a lot of competition to secure a top young talent in Europe.

"Aleksandar is someone who can develop with the team and someone who will help us to get to where we want to go.

"As a board we have worked hard to make it happen. It is another demonstration that we are wanting to push on."

Mitrovic scored 27 goals in 50 appearances for Anderlecht last season.

 

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Xabi Alonso: My Bayern future is undecided

Xabi Alonso has made it clear that he is in no rush to decide his Bayern Munich future.The holding midfielder joined Bayern from Real Madrid in the summer of 2014 and has since developed into a key player for the Bundesliga champions.

Xabi Alonso's contract with FCB is due to expire in June 2016, though, and no decision on his future has been taken as of yet."My contract? We will see what happens. This is not the time to discuss this subject," Xabi Alonso said at a press conference.

The ex-Spain international then went on to discuss the departure of Bastian Schweinsteiger to Manchester United earlier this month."Basti has been very important to Bayern for the past 10 years," he said.

"But he has made the decision to move on. That's his call and I can only wish him the best."Xabi Alonso also had his say on Bayern's squad in general and is confident they have the depth to compete in several competitions.

"We have a very complete squad. We have two players for each position."
Bayern are currently on pre-season duties in China and will face Inter on Tuesday.

 

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Cillessen would be perfect De Gea replacement, says PSV director

PSV director Hans van Breukelen has insisted that Ajax goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen would be the ideal replacement should David De Gea leave Manchester United.

Spain international De Gea has been linked with a switch to Rafael Benitez's side throughout the summer, with Van Gaal having remained coy on the subject when asked whether his goalkeeper could leave.

But former Netherlands goalkeeper Van Breukelen believes that, should United need to sign a replacement for the former Atletico Madrid star, Cillessen has all the attributes to step into De Gea's shoes.

He told Algemeen Dagblad: "If they are looking for a replacement for De Gea, then I think that Cillessen tops their list.

"It would be a logical step, because he's a goalkeeper that wins points. I think Cillessen is a great goalkeeper. He looks a lot like Edwin van der Sar and fits the Premier League perfectly."

De Gea is yet to make an appearance for the Red Devils in pre-season, with Van Gaal having confirmed that the 24-year-old is set to miss Wednesday's friendly clash with San Jose Earthquakes due to injury.

 

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Cillessen would be perfect De Gea replacement, says PSV director

Eyya...Cillessen hari yanne naha kohomatathCillessen ta wada hoda GK's la innawa.Anyway replacement gana hithanne nathuwa De Gea thiyaganna balamu​

 

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Suarez: Messi criticism is incomprehensible

Barcelona star Luis Suarez has defended Lionel Messi in the wake of recent criticism of the Argentine attacker's performances at the Copa America.

Messi guided his country to the final with a virtuoso performance against Paraguay in the semi-finals, but was then unable to inspire Argentina against Chile, with the hosts eventually emerging victorious after penalties.

The 28-year-old has since received significant criticism for his inability to replicate his club form at international level, yet Suarez feels his team-mate does not deserve the harsh treatment he has been receiving."For me, it is inconceivable that people are criticising the best player in the world," Suarez was quoted as saying by AS.

"We are all humans. Messi wanted to win the Copa more than anyone else."
The Uruguay international also had his say on the future of Pedro, who has been linked with a move to the Premier League, and stressed that he hopes the attacker will stay at Camp Nou.

"It obviously depends on Pedro himself, but I hope he will stay. He is a great team-mate and brings a lot to the team."Suarez played a key role in Barcelona's treble win in 2014-15 and he is gunning for more silverware in the new season.

"Last season was pretty unique, but we have set ourselves new objectives. I never get tired of winning. I want to win all possible trophies in 2015-16."

 

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Smalling 'up for the challenge' against Ramos

Chris Smalling insists that he is unconcerned by the potential arrival of Sergio Ramos at Manchester United and hopes to retain his place in the team.

Smalling made 29 appearances in all competitions in 2014-15, scoring four goals, as Louis van Gaal regularly altered his back line, and he signed a new long-term deal in April.

Van Gaal has identified Ramos as a potential acquisition but the England international says that the 29-year-old’s potential summer arrival does not worry him.

"I think it's a case of where, at Manchester United, there's always competition," he told reporters. "Even when I signed [the fresh terms] there were five centre-backs who I had to work hard to get past.

"So I always knew I was going to be compared against the best because United can always challenge for the best and I'm up for that challenge."

Smalling had an injury-disrupted start to last season, missing games against West Ham and Everton, and he admits that he is desperate to remain fit for the entirety of the campaign.

"I hope high performances can keep me in the team," he added.

"I think, once you set a new benchmark, it's a case of aiming higher and not letting your standards drop below that and I'm hoping for an injury-free start to the season and the season in general."

 

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Bayern can cope without Schweinsteiger, says Lahm

Philipp Lahm has insisted that Bayern Munich will not change their style of play following the departure of Bastian Schweinsteiger to Manchester United.

The influential midfielder had been a key figure at the Bundesliga champions over the past decade or so, yet Lahm is confident they have what it takes to cope without the 30-year-old.

"I do not think we will change our style of play because of Schweinsteiger's exit," Lahm said at a press conference."We have our own style and it does not depend on one individual player.

"We have the squad to challenge for top honours again. We have strengthened in certain areas, just like a big club should.

"We will see whether this is the strongest team toward the end of the season."
The ex-Germany international went on to stress that he sees Wolfsburg as Bayern's main rival in the race for the Bundesliga title."Wolfsburg are obviously one of our main rivals. And both Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen are pretty stable as well.

"It will be like any other year. We want to win the league and we will see which teams can keep up with us until the end."